Chew You Up And Spit You Out

Phillip meets Bo at the pub. Phillip wonders where Bo has been. Bo says, "We decided to celebrate New Year's, Hope's birthday and our anniversary alone at home. So, I heard you celebrated New Year's with Stephanie – did you have a good time?"

"If you were with Hope, I probably had a better time than you did."

Stephanie comes into Titan followed by Melanie. Melanie immediately starts busting her chops about losing Phillip, "Looks like your happily ever after is not gonna happen." Stephanie steams. Melanie asks, "Cat got your tongue? One minute you and Phillip are all kissy-kissy and the next minute you're in the dumpster."

Stephanie says, "It's been really hard. I can't believe I'm confiding in you. I'm not handling it very well after Max. It's painful."

Melanie's eyes widen, "So you broke up?"

Stephanie's nasty side emerges, "HAHAHAHAHA! Fooled you! Give it up, Melanie."

EJ and Nicole stand in her bedroom. She tells him last night he made her the happiest woman in the world. EJ bursts her balloon and wonders why Nicole didn't tell him her car broke down, "The garage called. What's going on? Where were you?"

Sami is restless. She tosses and turns, "Whenever I close my eyes I see EJ." Out in the audience, the Jujubees start flying again. Suddenly, Rafe grunts and moans. Sami panics and runs over to the couch, "OMG! Rafe! What's happening?"

Phillip asks Bo, "You have a problem with me dating Stephanie?"

Bo thinks it over, "Let's see... my brother is dating my niece... I guess not as long as you keep it in the family."

Melanie and Stephanie continue to snipe at each other.

Sami panics and puts a cold compress on Rafe's head. Blithering and bawling ensue. Rafe insists she not call anyone. "I have to," whimpers Sami, "You have a temperature of a thousand degrees!"

Nicole hems and haws. She says she didn't tell because EJ's proposal flummoxed her. EJ doesn't buy it. They decide they need to talk about it. There's a shock.

Lexie leaves Theo with Dr. Mark. Stefano calls, "Grandpapa has a gift for Theodore." He asks her to bring him over. Lexie refuses.

Bo goes through the convoluted and tangled family relationships between him, Stephanie and Phillip. He finally gives up, "Just don't break her heart."

"This is about Belle, isn't it" asks Phillip.

"Belle," says Bo, "That name sounds familiar..."

Stephanie and Melanie hurl verbal sludge at each other. Stephanie challenges Melanie to take a shot at Phillip but says she'll have to get by her first.

Sami and Rafe play tug-o-war with his phone. "Once my fever breaks, everything will be cool," says Rafe.

"That sounds like one of Lexie's diagnoses," says Sami, "Don't worry. I have a plan."

EJ and Nicole stroll down by the docks and talk. Nicole says she will tell him what's going on. She removes her engagement ring, "But you'd better take this back."

Stefano tries to convince Lexie to bring Theo to him. Lexie hangs up as Dr. Mark comes out with Theo. "What's wrong," asks Lexie.

"He's a little agitated today," says Dr. Mark.

"You're a child psychologist," says Lexie, "Aren't you supposed to be able to deal with that?"

"I'm as good at my job as you are," says Dr. Mark.

"I see," says Lexie, "I hope you didn't do any permanent damage while you were with him." Dr. Mark suggests a special reward for Theo to help him get over it.

"What you're saying," says Lexie, "is since he's throwing tantrums, give him a reward so he'll know throwing tantrums is a good thing and will keep it up."

"Right," says Dr. Mark, "It's a treatment I invented. I call it Un-tough Love."

Melanie says, "Deep down, Phillip is ruined inside. He's on fire and it's sucking in anything that gets close. Stephanie, Phillip is going to chew you up and spit you out."

Phillip accuses Bo of trying to stick it to him. Bo admonishes him to be good to Stephanie and leaves. Phillip calls Stephanie.

Stephanie stares at Melanie and gushes as Phillip asks her to get together, "My place ten minutes."

Stephanie smiles and hangs up, "So long Melanie, be good."

EJ says, "Nicole, please put the ring back on."

"Twist my arm," says Nicole.

"In spite of your independence," says EJ, "I'm hoping one day you'll understand you don't need to tough it out without me." Hugs and stares.

Nicole flashes back to Brady telling her the baby didn't make it. "I wish you could make it right for me," she whines.

Bo flops around his office, shuffles papers and rants, "Ever since I got this job the clocks in this town move twice as fast."

Hope comes in, "Try watching DOOL. That really makes time drag."

Melanie stops by to see Maggie. Maggie says, "Nick's sentencing is coming up and he would like you to be there."

"Why," asks Melanie.

"One look at you," says Maggie, "and he'll be happy he's going away for a long, long time." Melanie says she will arrange her schedule so she can be there. "Be good to yourself," says Maggie, "I'm talking about Phillip."

Stephanie walks into Phillip's office at home and they both trip over their words. Stephanie says she has no second thoughts about them seeing each other.

Sami nurses Rafe. He lives anyway. Sami's big plan is to give Rafe a sponge bath so his fever will come down. Hers, on the other hand, will rise. Rafe don' wan' no stinkin' sponge bath. Sami takes off his shirt.

EJ promises not to be so controlling. With everything all patched up, they smooch their way over to a bench and kind of fall onto it. In the process, EJ's briefcase drops and opens up. EJ blames Nicole for the mishap. "You body slam me onto the bench and it's my fault," giggles Nicole. She helps him pick things up and suddenly the giggling stops. Nicole looks at one of the documents that fell out of his briefcase...

PRE-NUP!

Stefano escorts Theo into the rumpus room and shows him cookies. Lexie rushes up and yanks the cookie away, "Theo gets special cookies." Translation: Have you ever had stale Melba toast?

Hope tells Bo to relax. Bo vows to wear the suit she gave him for Christmas – someday. It seems Bo's visions have disappeared, "That's the one good thing in my life."

Hope's womanhood has been challenged, "The ONE good thing?" Hope closes the blinds and moves in on him. Bo whines, "Don't close the blinds. This is starting to be a running joke with the guys out there. We need some self control."

Maggie says, "I'm not blind – I saw the little game you were playing on New Year's Eve." She warns Melanie that she will never be able to wrap Phillip around her little finger.

It may not be a little finger, but Phillip is certainly wrapped around something on his couch. He and Stephanie maul each other, but suddenly Phillip calls it off, "The kiss on New Year's was amazing but..."

"But what," asks Stephanie, "I know what I want. Other girls would kill to be with you so why waste time."

"I need a little space," says Phillip.

Stephanie explodes, "YOU BASTARD!"

Phillip turns to the audience, "Is there an exorcist in the house?"

EJ tries to 'splain things. He finally gets a word in edgewise and tells her the pre-nup was Stefano's doing. He rips the heinous document up as he speaks."

"You didn't have to do that," says (a very relieved) Nicole, "Because I love you. By the way, can we stop by home before we continue our little stroll? "

"Sure," says EJ, "But Why?"

Nicole explains, "Since I'm taking you to the cleaners I also have some shirts I want to drop off."

"I love you," says EJ. This leads to more smooching. EJ sure smooches a lot for a guy that never gets any.

Hope tells Bo he needs a break. She suggests making a reservation at the lodge. Bo doubts she can get a reservation on short notice but says if she can pull it off he'll go, "There are, after all, certain parts of your anatomy I'd be happy to reacquaint myself with... if you still had them."

Stephanie has a meltdown, "As soon as I'm yours you want to back off and play 'lets be friends.'"

"I've made mistakes with women," says Phillip, "And with Belle, too. I couldn't live with myself if I hurt you... like I just did."

Rafe gets a sponge bath. The fever breaks. Oh, the joy!

Nicole tells EJ how much he means to her. She says she doesn't want his money, "Unlimited access to your credit cards will work just as well." EJ vows their child will have the best mother in the world. "How is it you've met her when I haven't," asks Nicole.

Nicole stands alone and dials. Apparently EJ went for a swim. Dr. Baker answers. Nicole says she needs to see him. Baker says she already blew it. Nicole wants results.

Melanie knows she gets in trouble a lot but says that's the way Trent taught her to be. Maggie thinks that's sad. Melanie says she knows Phillip is trouble so she says she will stay away from him.

Phillip thinks he keeps screwing things up with women. Stephanie says she knows happiness when she sees it. Phillip moves in. This time things get serious. Then, once again, Phillip calls it off, "This house... Anybody could walk in."

That's no-problemo for Stephanie, "Let's go to your room."

Stefano promises to check with Lexie before stuffing food down Theo. While he and Lexie discuss his dietary requirements, Theo walks away and contemplates the staircase.

Maggie gets a call and says she has to take it. She gives Melanie a parting shot, "If you ever need to talk..."

"I know," says Melanie, "You'll say it with her be there for me." Melanie thanks her as Maggie goes off. She gets her evil look... which... actually... is her normal look, "Nick's sentence hearing – that's where I'll do it!"

Phillip... Stephanie... huffing... puffing... panting... Phillip asks, "Are you sure?" Stephanie is sure. Phillip is damn sure.

Rafe sleeps. Sami tries to pry the cell phone out of his hand. Rafe puts a death grip on it, "You can have my cell phone when you pry it from my cold, dead fingers."

"When cell phones are outlawed," says Sami, "Only outlaws will have cell phones."

Nicole is in Dr. Baker's office. EJ treads water back in the Salem river. Dr. Baker insists this is impossible. Nicole asks for a picture of the mother and father. Baker gets the file and shows her. Nicole looks and squeals, "This could be perfect!" Baker says the woman is fragile and he doesn't know if it will happen.

Bo gets off the phone and gets a vision of Theo going upstairs as Lexie and Stefano argue. Lexie suddenly realizes Theo is no longer in the rumpus room. She runs out as Theo comes tumbling down the steps. Lexie stands over his crumpled and broken body and screams.

Richard Widmark stands at the top of the stairs and sneers, "Take that, Theo!"

Previews
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