A Singles-Only Crash Pad

ONCE UPON A TIME in a land far, far away, there was a community of sharing, understanding people. These wonderful people would love and support each other and together work through the issues that confronted their lives. It was a place of encouragement, caring and passion. Especially passion. Couples found each other, stayed together and shared that love for all the days of their lives.

On the other hand, there was that wretched place called Salem...

Carly finishes telling Bo her tale of woe. The story has taken all night and they are both exhausted. Carly says, "I Hope I didn't bore you or tell you too much."

"No," says Bo, "Although I do know if a guy had been telling the same story it would have taken about two minutes." Carly asks if she was wrong to come and ask for help. Bo tells her she wasn't.

Hope wishes Justin a good morning and Phillip joins them in the Kiriakis mansion study. Phillip is surprised to see Hope there, and she tells him she and Bo are taking a little break. "I guess we've become a singles only crash pad," says Phillip.

Melanie and Nathan meet at the hospital, but maintain their distance and act uber-professional. Across the way, Stephanie asks Maxine if they had a fight, "They're acting like they barely know each other when they've been..."

That gets Maxine's attention. Her new set of busybody antennae (purchased, of course from Maggie-Horton.com) pops up, "Are Melanie and Dr. Horton an item?"

Stefano calls EJ and summons him to the hospital. EJ hangs up and heads out. On the way, he opens the door and Chad blasts in, "Where is she? Where is my daughter?" Staredown.

Nicole stands at Sami's door with Sydney, ready to tell all, "It's time to let go." She knocks.

Sami answers and is shocked to see Nicole there, "Nicole? I thought you were leaving the country. Hey could I borrow a twenty. I'll pay you back — with interest."

If a fool and her money are soon parted, then Sami can't get any more foolish 'cause she has nothing left to part with.

Mia joins Will at the Java Café and asks if he has seen Chad, "I have to find him before he takes Sydney form Nicole."

EJ tells Chad he doesn't know where Nicole is. Chad makes himself at home. He runs around the mansion yelling for Nicole, "Hey, Nicole, where are you — you crazy bitch! EJ grabs sonny by the ear. Chad yelps, "What, are you gonna fight me on this, or are you going to back off and let me have what's rightfully mine?"

Nicole is surprised no one has talked to Sami yet. She says Sami needs to hear this from her and no one else. Sami offers to take Sydney. Nicole recoils and then changes her mind, "Take my baby. I have no choice."

Phillip admits what he said was tactless. He's sure Bo and Hope are just "working through a few things." Hope takes off to take care of some things she has to do.

"Is one of those things going to work," says Phillip.

Hope looks down at the piece of paper in her hand, "Nope. Not on my list."

"Mine neither," says Phillip.

"Hey," says Justin, "That makes three of us."

Hope leaves. Phillip turns to Justin, "I really put my foot in it didn't I? If Bo and Hope start having problems what does that mean for the rest of us?"

"It means the guys are in trouble because Hope would be available," says Justin. Phillip decides he has to go do a few things himself.

Carly checks in with Omar and tells Bo she has to Bo back to the boat. Bo forces her to stay. She's cold. Bo flashes back to putting a blanket on Hope as he puts the same blanket around Carly. She asks, "Bo, where did you go right now?" Bo doesn't answer, but says he wants to focus on the present. He insists she should stay. A knock interrupts.

Melanie insists she and Nathan are not an item. "Gossip," growls Nathan. Maxine hauls Nathan off to sign some papers.

Melanie jumps all over Stephanie for shooting off her mouth. She accuses her of thinking she's not good enough for Nathan. Stephanie insists that's not what she thinks. She says she thinks Melanie and Nathan are a nice couple, "Does someone else have a problem with you and Nathan as a couple?"

"Yeah," says Melanie, "Maggie does. Can't blame her after the Internet porno."

"Everyone else is over that, except for the millions of pervs out there who are still watching." says Stephanie, "Are you over it?"

Sami has stuffed Sydney in the other room. Nicole tries to give Sami the money back. Sami don' wan no stinkin' $50,000. She encourages Nicole to keep fighting. Nicole says she can't because it's not up to her. "What happened," asks Sami.

"Stefano happened."

Maxine checks out Stefano and says his pulse is racing, "Do you have a crush on me?" She tells him to chill out or he will be a fixture around there. Stefano gripes and shouts. He insists the only way to get any peace is to use the call button. He presses it, "This will guarantee I'll be ignored for the rest of the day!" Maxine leaves. I guess that proves Stefano is right.

Stefano envisions telling EJ about the baby switch. In the vision, EJ asks how Stefano knows all this this. Nicole walks in behind EJ and says Stefano knew all along. EJ says he doesn't believe her. The cops come and haul Nicole away. Stefano tells EJ they can breathe again. He pops back to reality, "No one will ever take your daughter away from you again."

Nicole tells Sami Stefano dragged her off the plane and back to the hospital. Sami wonders why Stefano did that to her. In the background, Sydney cries. "Damn," says Sami, "I must not have put enough duct tape over her mouth." She tells Nicole to go take care of Sydney, "I'll deal with things." Nicole makes her promise not to go anywhere and heads for Sydney.

Will comforts Mia as she rambles on about Sydney and Nicole. Brainchild Will has an idea, "Come with me." They leave.

Bo hustles Carly into the another room. He opens the door to find Maggie. She says she's there to discuss the scholarship fund with Hope. Bo tells her Hope isn't there. Maggie tells him she thought she saw Hope through the window. Bo stammers around and says it's a friend visiting. Carly cowers as Maggie leaves. After Maggie is gone, Carly comes out and says she's certain she has to leave now. Bo tells her she has to stay put.

Nicole comes out of Sydney's room to find Sami missing. The $50,000 is in the waste basket. Nicole frets, "OMG, she's gone to Stefano. Poor Stefano."

Sami storms into Stefano's room, "I have something I want to say to you."

Stefano shoots back, "I have a few things I want to say to you, too, Samantha Brady."

Relentless Maggie finds Hope in the Java Café, "I stopped by your house earlier. Bo was there and your house guest. Is SHE staying for a while?"

Hope simmers, "I don't know. I haven't met her myself. I moved out."

"Wow," says Maggie the Mouth, "Bo works fast."

Hope asks if the woman looked familiar. Maggie says she was wrapped in a blanket and she only saw her from the back. Hope's simmer turns into a full boil and she heads for the old homestead.

Stephanie interrupts Dr. Nathan. She wants to obsess over what happened earlier. Phillip stumbles in and gives Nathan an envelope, "This is for your part in helping save Chloe's life."

"You mean it's some kind of award," asks Nathan.

"No," says Phillip, "Technically it's a 'cease and desist' order warning you never to do anything like that again."

Phil asks where Melanie is. Nathan says she has a test. Phillip asks if he will deliver Melanie's copy. Nathan says he moved out, "There was some tension." Phillip decides to deliver it himself. He leaves.

Chad asks EJ if he's going to fight for custody. EJ says Sydney is not his daughter. Chad demands to see Nicole. EJ says, "I don't know where Nicole and Sydney are and I don't care. I can't care. If I do... I want her back." The doorbell interrupts. EJ screams for Harold and continues to toss threats as Mia and Will come in.

Mia sees Chad, "I knew you'd be here. Mr. DiMera you can't let him take Sydney."

Sami rambles on with her rant. Stefano says, "You are as constant as the tides. Rude as ever." He insists whatever Nicole has told her is a lie.

Sami accuses him of trying to get revenge. She lectures him for calling the plane back, "Why would you do that? Hasn't she suffered enough?"

"She will never suffer enough," says Stefano, "For what she has done to my family and what she has done to you as well."

Back at Sami's place, Nicole suffers. The audience suffers right along with her.

Carly tells Bo Maggie's visit proves someone will find her there. Right on schedule, they hear a car door. Bo hides Carly again and the Salem Shrew comes in claiming she's looking for Ciara's Halloween activity book. Hurricane Hope rushes around the place and finds the book. Bo, not recognizing a situation where he should keep his mouth shut, asks, "Is there something else you wanted?"

"Yes." Hope gives him a look that makes Bo thankful there are no loaded weapons within reach, "I hear we have a guest. Where is she?"

Mia begs EJ not to turn his back on Sydney. Chad chimes in and EJ shuts him up.

Nicole bawls and rants as she carries poor Sydney around the room, "What will I do. I'll never see you again."

"OK by me," says Sydney.

Sami tells Stefano he can't turn her against Nicole. She tells him about giving her the money, "And I stood by her when no one else would." Sami puts her mouth on autopilot and Stefano can't get a word in.

Finally Stefano just yells over her, "Will this rant ever stop? Maybe I can call the nurse and she can increase my morphine. If you only knew!"

Bo asks who told Hope she had a house guest. Hope reveals the obvious, that it was Maggie who blabbed. Bo says the "person" was visiting but is gone.

Rather than killing him outright, Hope decides to toy with her prey, "Anyone I know?"

Bo digs his grave a little deeper, "Don't you think I'd tell you if you did?"

Hope looks over on the couch and sees her blankie all wadded up, "Was SHE just hanging around wrapped in my blanket?" She storms out.

Carly comes back out and apologizes for causing all this trouble, "You are just lost without her aren't you?"

"Yes," says Bo, "Like a drowning man without his ocean."

Phillip joins Melanie in Maggie's kitchen. He hands her the envelope with the citation of heroism in it. Melanie asks if he wants to stay for a while. "Sure," says Phillip, "I heard Nathan moved out. Did something happen."

"No," says Melanie, "We're doing good. In fact that's why he moved out. Out of respect for Maggie."

On his way out, Phillip stops, turns and says, "I just want you to know... All I want is for you to be happy." He starts to go but hesitates.

Melanie asks, "So... did you decide to amend that?"

"Yes," says Phillip, "I'm going to amend it. I think you'd be happier with me, a camera and our own Internet site."

EJ says he won't stand in the way of a father uniting with his child. He turns to Chad and points two fingers at his own eyes, "But I will be watching..."

He points the same two fingers at Chad's eyes, "you."

Robert De Niro watches, "That was very well done."

Chad thanks EJ and leaves. Will asks, "How could you do that? How could you give up your daughter."

"Maybe you should ask your mother," says EJ, "Your mother is the reason I am giving up Sydney."

Stefano bellows, "Sydney is more a part of my family than you realize."

Sami is in overdrive. She launches into another rant, "Chad is untrustworthy. A child deserves to be with its mother."

Stefano says, "I could not agree with you more. At this point, I would agree you are the Queen of England if it would shut you up."

Carly insists she can't stay. Bo refuses to let her leave, "I will keep you hidden until you are out of danger if it takes all the Days Of Our Lives."

Stefano's henchman watches as Nicole sits outside and tells Sydney her grandfather is having them followed, "I don't know when they will take you away from me but..."

Chad rushes in, "Now. I'm taking her now." He slaps an envelope in her face, "Nicole DiMera. You have been served."

EJ says he feels a certain kinship with Chad. He asks Mia and Will to leave. They sulk out. Outside, Mia vows not to let Chad take Sydney. Will hugs.

EJ calls Lexie and asks about Stefano. He says he's on the way over to see him, hangs up and says, "We'll see what you have to say that is so important."

Sami asks why Stefano is trying to keep Sydney from Nicole. Stefano smiles, "I have been trying to say this and you won't shut your mouth. Sydney should be with her mother. Her real mother." Sami scowls.

As of October 1, 2009, the Library of Congress had 5,867 books that started "Once upon a time"

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