A Royal Blush

Stephanie arrives at the Kiriakis mansion. Phillip hands her a jewel box and says it's a peace offering.

Nathan walks out of the cabin and strolls out past Melanie taking her shower. Melanie explodes and tells him to get away. Nathan stares. And stares. And stares.

Inside, Brady and Arianna... closer... closer... closer...

SCREAM!

The closeness comes to an abrupt end as Brady and Arianna bolt outside to see what all the screaming is about.

Wimbledumb is over, Michael's memorial is over and DOOL is back on track. Oops... on track. Isn't that where train wrecks happen?

The standoff with Mia, Will and Chad continues in the Java Café. Mia denies Chad is her boyfriend.

EJ walks in as Nicole talks to Sami on the phone. Nicole hangs up and tires to make small talk. EJ isn't having any of that, "Why were you on the phone with Samantha?"

Melanie screeches, "Turn around you pervert." Brady and Arianna arrive. Brady attacks Nathan the pervert. Melanie tells him to let up, "Wait... he's my roommate."

Brady stops beating on Nathan, "You're the guy?"

"What guy," asks Nathan.

Brady turns to Melanie, "You wanna tell him or you want me to tell him?"

Bo meets Victor at the Salem park bench and asks how the feud is going. Victor insists there is no feud with the DiMeras. "Right," says Bo, "ever since you put Stephanie on a short leash."

Stephanie opens the jewel box and stares inside. "It's the great symbol for eternity," says Phillip.

"A silver hourglass," asks Stephanie.

"DOOL episodes seem to last an eternity," says Phillip.

Stephanie says she can't accept it. She also dangles her keys in front of his face(s) and tells him she came by to return the car.

"How are you going to get home," asks Phillip.

"Can I borrow the car," asks Stephanie.

Nicole refuses to answer when EJ treats her like a naughty child. EJ sizzles and treats her like a naughty adult. He vows to find out what she's up to.

Stephanie tells Phillip it's over. Phillip begs and grovels, "This isn't what I want," she whines, "I can't think straight."

"Good God," gasps Phillip, "When did you start thinking? " Phillip wants to know if it's tearing them both apart, why they can't be together.

Brady and Nathan introduce each other and suddenly become old chums as Melanie continues to put on a show. Arianna joins in the conversation with the guys. Melanie does a fan dance with her beach towel, "Hello... can we have this conversation another time?" After the guys have enjoyed the view for a while, Arianna finally steps in. One more peek and the party breaks up. Arianna and Brady go inside.

Nathan steps up to the shower and continues to soak things in, "What did Brady mean about me being the guy?"

"The one I've been telling him about," says Melanie, "The one who is who is superegotistical. Nathan takes another look and reminds her this is like it was when they met only he was the one who was naked, "We've really got to stop meeting this way, Mel." He strolls off and she tosses a sponge in his face. "Lavender," he says, "My favorite."

Nicole says Sami called her to try to get her to have EJ drop the custody suit. The nitwit buys it and they get all mushy. EJ says he still doesn't understand why Sami would call Nicole. Nicole says, "We're both mothers and she just lost a baby and she thought I would be sympathetic. Sami is a hateful person and has been very hateful to me, but if someone tried to take Sydney I would do anything to stop it. I'm not on her side, but I understand where she's coming from."

The lava dome at the top of Mt. Elvis can't take the pressure building up inside any more. EJ erupts, "YOU UNDERSTAND WHY SHE DIDN'T TELL ME ABOUT GRACE UNTIL AFTER SHE WAS DEAD, DO YOU?"

"Actually, no," says Nicole, "Neither I nor the viewers nor any sane person on the face of the earth can understand why the dimwit told you at all."

Mia takes off. As she goes, Chad shouts after her, "You can't talk to me but you can talk to the dork here?" Chad walks away. Will goes over to Mia and asks why she never told him about Chad.

Victor insists he wouldn't threaten his son's fiancée, "I want peace. Let Phillip and Stephanie have the happiness they deserve."

Phillip says, "I know we love each other and I can't understand why you're quitting."

"I'm having a Sarah Palin moment," says Stephanie.

Phillip asks her to come away with him. He wants to take her to Greece.

Nicole wants to know what EJ is accusing her of. She becomes all indignant and now it's her turn to blow up. Things ebb and flow. Anger. Calm. Anger. Calm. "Why can't this family just have peace," asks EJ. Nicole becomes understanding and moves in. EJ says he knows he has it all. Nicole says, "Once you have a child with someone it's never really over." Hugs and smooches.

EJ apologizes, "I'm sorry. I don't know how I could have thought you could perpetrate something sinister."

Stefano walks in, "I could not agree with you more, my son. Not the mother of our little Sydney."

Mia serves Will and apologizes for the incident with Chad. Will asks if she went out with him. "A couple of times," says Mia, "but it was a long time ago. No big deal. He was a psycho. I want to forget him." The psycho stares from across the room.

Brady says, "Waitaminute... I thought the ferry wasn't running until tonight, Nathan. How did you get here?"

"I took the Horton motor boat," says Nathan, "I was halfway here when I realized I was almost out of motor* and I almost didn't make it. I coulda drowned."

*I think he means he discovered he was almost out of fuel. Not that I would ever point out a mistake on this show.

"So," chuckles Melanie, "we're stuck here the whole day. It's just a dream come true."

Phillip begs. He decides they can go see Patch and Kayla instead of going to Greece. He moves in and smooches as Stephanie slobbers.

EJ gets a call and leaves, giving Stefano and Nicole the chance to have the conversation they have already had many times before. Nicole asks, "Do you enjoy torturing me?"

"It has it's moments," says Stefano, "I also enjoy figuring out your devilish little exploits. Come on... a scarf and sunglasses for a disguise? That's what you wear when you set up a meeting between Giovanni and his sainted little mother?"

Nicole knows she's busted, "How did you find out?"

"When will you learn," asks Stefano, "You are slipping. I shudder to think what EJ will do when he finds out about all of your secrets."

Phillip tries to pull Stephanie upstairs. Stephanie insists it's over. Phillip swears he won't let anyone hurt her again. Stephanie blubbers, "The only way I can be safe is if I'm not with you." Stephanie leaves. Outside, she really turns on the waterworks. Inside, Phillip stares.

Melanie drags Nathan outside. Brady suggests he and Arianna play poker. Melanie peeks in as they sit down at the table, "You guys have the cabin to yourselves and you're gonna play Go Fish?"

"Poker," says Brady, "We're playing poker."

Nathan comes in behind Melanie, "Deal me in."

So the four riverboat gamblers sit at the table ready for the big game. "Let's keep it friendly," says Brady, "Penny ante." Melanie objects. Brady asks, "You got any better suggestions, Melanie?"

Melanie grins, "How about strip poker? For the guys, one-eyed jacks are wild. For the girls, all non face cards are wild and then it's Girls Gone Wild."

Mia announces that she is officially off duty. Will suggests they catch a movie or go to goofy golf. "I am the Tiger Woods of goofy golf," says Mia. Will reminds her they went bowling and her game was a disaster. Mia throws down the goofy golf gauntlet and they make a ten dollar bet. She heads home to change clothes.

With Mia out of the picture, Chad walks over. He and Will bump chests and stare at each other. "My dad can beat up your dad," says Chad.

"Your mom can probably beat up my dad," says Will.

Stefano insists he and Nicole are still allies. She wonders why he keeps threatening her then. He says it's because he's trying to remind her DiMeras stick together. Nicole goes out for air. Stefano looks at the wedding picture, "This woman will not deprive me of my progeny."

EJ walks up behind him, "Are you talking about Nicole?"

Bo comes in to see Phillip.

Stefano says he was talking about Samantha. EJ says he's noticed Stefano was unfazed by his granddaughter's death. Stefano insists family is everything to him. EJ says he can't figure why Nicole thinks he's being too hard on Samantha, "I don't want a woman who denied her child's birthright to raise my son."

Nicole finds Stephanie at the pub. She asks about Brady, but Stephanie broods. When Nicole asks what's up, Stephanie tells her she and Phillip are over, "I am not a Kiriakis and I can't live like one."

"It's not that tough," says Nicole, "If things get out of hand, just wait and make your move when he jumps into the hot tub. So, does this mean you're gonna testify against EJ?"

"I'm gonna do what's right," says Stephanie.

Will tells Chad to stay away from Mia. Chad taunts, "Like all the guys at Salem West left her alone? Why would they? She's seriously hot."

"She's right," says Will, "you are a psycho. She said you guys were no big deal."

"What," says Chad, "You mean she didn't mention how into me she was?"

"You and Mia are finished," snorts Will, "Get over it." Will leaves. Chad stares.

Mia comes into Maggie's kitchen and whines, "This can't be happening. Why did he have to come back." She flashes back to a scene in school with Elisa. They stand by a row of lockers and Mia drops a piece of notebook paper. Elisa picks it up and looks at what Mia has written on it, "Whoa! 'Mrs. Chad Peterson'..."

"NO," gasps Mia, "Well... not now... maybe someday."

Mia pops out of it, "How can I forget when our baby is right here in Salem?"

Melanie brags about her poker escapades, "One time I got a royal blush!"

Nathan asks, "Is that anything like a royal flush?"

"Well, you know," says Melanie, "It's like where you got three of one kind and two of another."

Brady can't stop laughing, "That's a full house, Mel." Melanie suggests having the boys play against the girls.

"I don't know if this is such a good idea," says Arianna, "I'm not that good at poker."

The guys know a good deal when they see one. "You better get that beach towel," says Nathan, "You're gonna need it." Brady deals.

Phillip tells Bo Stephanie called off the engagement.

"What happened?"

"Our father happened," says Phillip.

Nicole rants and tells Stephanie she can't testify against EJ. Stephanie says she doesn't understand how Nicole can be married to someone like EJ. Nicole says she loves him and will do whatever it takes to protect her family. She leaves and Victor shows up, "I see you were talking to Nicole. No treaties were signed, I trust."

Brady, Nathan, Arianna and Melanie sit around the table showing us their poker faces. The camera pans back and we find the guys showing a lot more. Nathan and Brady sit half naked as Melanie lays her cards out, "All I have is a pair of fives and three aces. Did you say that was a full house?"

They guys moan, stand up and remove their pants revealing their granny-boxers. Melanie deals.

Phillip tells Bo he got out of the Kiriakis clutches and he's lucky. Bo says he tried fitting in once but couldn't make it work. He tells Phillip he's going to have to figure out what is important to him, "What will it be? Money... power... or Stephanie?

Stephanie drops the break-up bomb on Victor, "Phillip and I are over."

Victor growls, "Like hell you are."

Nicole finds EJ working on custody hearing papers, "We have to talk," she says, "Everything has changed."

"You mean," gasps EJ, "They gave us an interesting script for the next show?"

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