Instant Gratification

Rafe sits on the Tony DiMera Memorial Pallet at the dock and reads the DNA test results, "OMG! I was right. Sami is Sydney's mother." Mattaeo hunkers down behind some boxes and calls Stefano, "I tracked down your problem."

Stefano growls, "Then rid me of it."

Oblivious Rafe continues to read the DNA report, "Now comes the tough part. Telling Sami." Mattaeo takes aim.

Nathan walks up to Stephanie at the nurses station and hands her a bouquet of flowers. "What's this," asks Stephanie.

Nathan explains, "The woman I performed the tracheotomy on in the pub sent him to me. She's really grateful for me saving her life, but mainly she wants me to be on her side when she sues the pub out of existence for serving lumpy chowdah. Anyway, I thought the flowers would look better on your desk than in my back pocket."

Melanie bounces up and interrupts. She jumps up and down and squeals, "Guess who aced her midterm? I'm first in my class!"

Stephanie asks, "How many are in your class?"

"Just me."

Brady offers to help Arianna find out who's the drug kingpin in Salem, "That will get you off the hook with the cops, you'll be free, you'll never go to prison again and we can be together for all the Days Of Our Lives. Does that sound good?"

Arianna hesitates and then whines, "Does this mean you believe me?"

Sami and Nicole stand face-to-face in the pub. Sami demands to know what's going on with Nicole and Rafe. Nicole tries to bug out, but Sami stops her, "Rafe said it's about Sydney."

Rafe reads and sighs. Mattaeo aims. Mattaeo squeezes the trigger. EJ drops out of the sky and pushes Mattaeo as he fires. EJ and Mattaeo scuffle.

DOWN GOES RAFE!

Nicole says, "I admit it. I know what's going on with Rafe and Sydney."

Stefano makes a call, "Is it done?"

Kate walks into the rumpus room, "Stefano?"

EJ subdues Mattaeo. He leaves him unconscious and goes over to Rafe. He stoops, "Rafe! Talk to me! Rafe! Rafe!" Rafe says nothing. EJ tries again, "Rafe, if you can't talk, just give me one of your Neanderthal grunts." EJ checks for a pulse and finds it. He checks for brain activity. No luck there. All of a sudden he becomes distracted by the envelope.

Phillip sits alone at a table in the Java Café. He calls Melanie, but gets no answer. He leaves a message asking if she's thought any more about their conversation, "Every minute you spend thinking is a minute you could spend romping around with me in the newest viral Internet video. The fault in that logic is, of course, that Melanie's attention span is way less than a minute.

Stephanie congratulates Melanie on becoming first in a class of one, "You know... things have been kind of scratchy between us lately."

Melanie plays dumb. Well, in Melanie's case it's not playing, "Scratchy?"

"Yeah," says Stephanie, "Like every time I see you with Nathan or Phillip I want to scratch your ugly eyes out."

Arianna wonders why Brady believes her. He says it's because she took a hell of a chance telling him. Arianna says she loves him. "Funny," says Brady, "That's the reason I believe you. I love you, too."

Stefano helps Kate with her necklace. She asks whom he was talking to. Stefano tells her she is not to interfere with his business, "Is that going to be a problem for you?"

"Yes," says Kate, "A big problem."

Sami and Nicole sit at a table and continue their conversation. Lucky us. Nicole says Rafe hates her, "His goal is he doesn't want you and I to be friends any more so he's made up some story with a deep dark secret about you and Sydney. Rafe is not stable emotionally. So he's made me the villain. He's acting totally bizarre. And you're buying it.

Holy resurrection, Batman! Rafe pops up and is ready to go a few rounds with EJ. EJ has him calm down and shows him Mattaeo lying across the pier, "You seem to have a problem."

"What tipped you off," asks Rafe.

Curious EJ asks, "What about your paperwork there? Is that something someone would kill for?"

Well, Brady and Arianna seem to have worked things out. Brady moves in for Round I.

Stefano lectures, "Never ask me about my business, Kate."

"You were aware of the power I carry and you accepted that arrangement, so no questions!"

"Darling," says Kate, "I didn't mean to pry, but you're perspiring and nervous. I'm worried about your health."

Stefano softens and smiles, "My wife is worried about me. I can't tell you how good that makes me feel. Thank you, but you have to trust me on this."

The shooting is over. The smoke has cleared. The situation is completely resolved. What does that mean? It means it's time for the SPD to show up. Roman has hit the pier. Rafe tells him what happened. EJ backs up Rafe's story. Sort of.

Roman turns to EJ, "Do you have any idea who might want to put a hit on Rafe?"

EJ points at Mattaeo, "Ask the guy over there."

"I'm asking you," says Roman. EJ clams up and Roman turns to Mattaeo. Mattaeo vows to keep the code of silence. Roman describes the room full of high-quality rubber hoses they have back at the station.

Mattaeo folds like a freshly oiled lawn chair, "I'm not taking the fall for this. I'm in the middle of a family fight."

"Who hired you," says Roman.

"Stefano DiMera."

EJ shakes his head. So much for the code of silence.

Sami refuses to let Nicole make accusations against Rafe, "You and Rafe both know something. Tell me what it is."

Stephanie thinks she and Melanie should attack their problems head on. "Head on," asks Melanie, "You mean like wrestling?"

"No," says Stephanie, "I think we've fought enough already. I think our problems are in the past. Phillip isn't an issue, no one is, so we should work on our problems, so how about I take both you and Nathan to dinner?" Nathan can't go, so new best buds Melanie and Stephanie bounce off together.

Brady... Arianna.... Afterglow.... Arianna says she wants out of this nightmare. Brady wants to help. Arianna don' wan' no stinkin' help.

Sami babbles, "I know Rafe will tell me when he gets back, but, you know me, I want instant gratification, so tell me now."

"Wait till he gets back," says Nicole, "If he gets back."

"What did you say?"

EJ calls Stefano and tells him Mattaeo has been captured. He says Mattaeo ratted him out and advises Stefano to get outta Dodge. Stefano lets it all sink in and gasps, "Wait... you betrayed me. My son... Since you left him in one piece Mr. Hernandez will tell you why I did it and God help us all when he does."

Roman orders his flunkies to take Mattaeo downtown. He tells Rafe he needs a formal complaint and wants to know why Stefano wants him dead, "Can you think of any reason?"

"No," says Rafe, "Thinking requires... thinking, and that's not my strong suit."

Arianna says she doesn't want Brady involved in this. Brady promises no more secrets, regrets or guilt. Round II.

Melanie and Stephanie hit the Java Café. Melanie sees Phillip, panics and suggests they go to the pub instead. Phillip wastes no time. He rushes up, "Are you running away from me?"

Sami wonders why Rafe wouldn't come back. Nicole reminds her Rafe has walked out on her before. Sami thinks it was her fault Rafe left before and it would be her fault if he left again.

"Don't make yourself the victim," says Nicole. Suddenly she has a change of heart, "I can't do this." She runs out.

Stefano packs. Kate walks in and asks what's up. Stefano says he has to leave for a little while, "I will contact you as soon as it is possible. In the meantime, I want you to be in charge of the house."

"Not EJ?"

"Consult with him on little things," says Stefano, "But he hasn't been reliable." Stefano kisses her, "Be well. Be safe. Be good." Two out of three ain't bad.

Stefano leaves. Mary brings in Sydney who is screaming at the top of her lungs, "Mrs. DiMera, I have a family emergency I have to handle, so I have to leave Sydney with you." She dumps the wailing kid into Kate's arms and leaves.

"Wonderful," says Kate.

Melanie asks if Phillip is following her. Phil reminds her he was there first. Stephanie brings up Melanie's excellent midterm grades.

Melanie beams, "Nathan tutored me every night. Really really late."

"Yeah," says Phillip, "He's great, and I hear he saved a life at the pub. How'd that happen?"

"He stopped someone from going in," says Stephanie. The girls head for the pub.

"Mind of I join you," asks Phillip.

"Yes," yells Melanie, "I mean... no you can't."

Chloe shows up at the DiMera mansion and says Nicole asked her to come. Kate drags her into the day care center.

Rafe and EJ are at the police station. Rafe asks EJ why he helped him, "You hung your old man out to dry."

Roman interrupts and has EJ escorted into the inquisition chamber. Rafe asks Roman if they can do this tomorrow, "I have something to take care of."

Roman asks, "Like..."

"Your daughter."

Realizing Sami is the most high-maintenance woman in Salem, he lets Rafe go, "Be here tomorrow." Rafe scoots.

Sami chases Nicole and runs her down outside the pub. She apologizes for upsetting her and says she doesn't want to lose her friendship. Nicole insists she's not her friend.

Arianna remembers she has to finish packing. Brady remembers it's his fault she quit. He says he was just protecting Caroline. Arianna tells him she doesn't deal drugs at the pub, but does it at the pier and places like that. She runs through the operation's mechanics and tells him how things operate, "I just want to find out who the head of the operation is and get out of this mess." Brady offers to go down and talk to Caroline about letting Arianna keep her job. Round III.

Phillip accepts the fact that he isn't wanted, tells the girls to have fun and leaves. Stephanie asks Melanie what's going on between her and Phillip. Looks like we might have found a crack in their new-found wall of friendship.

Kate tells Chloe she has to take Sydney. Chloe accepts her fate and asks why Nicole would want her to meet her there. Kate dunno. She says Stefano is away on a business trip, asks Chloe to take the kid and go, and says she will tell Nicole Chloe was there.

Nicole continues to insist she and Sami aren't friends, "Just know I had to protect myself. You're gonna be very sad very soon."

Rafe calls Sami. He asks her to come home right away.

"You sound strange," says Sami.

"I am strange," says Rafe, "Stefano's flunky took a shot at me. Come home so I can explain." Sami hangs up and turns to find Nicole gone.

Melanie and Stephanie find a table at the Java Café and Stephanie continues to press about Phillip. She insists she is over Phillip and speculates that Melanie and Phillip aren't over each other.

Melanie asks, "You can tell?"

"Yep."

Those damn phones. It's Phillip. Melanie lets it go to voicemail and admits she likes Phillip.

"What about Nathan," asks Stephanie.

"That's the thing," says Melanie, "I like them both. So I don't know what to do."

Phillip wanders at the pier. He leaves a message for Melanie, "I know I said I'd stop chasing you, but we belong together. I'm not going to stop." Nathan walks up and watches. Phillip walks off.

"We'll see about that," growls Nathan.

Q: Why does Bo spend so much time looking at his Marriage Certificate? A: He keeps hoping to find an expiration date.

More Brady Arianna smoochies. Arianna can't believe how close she came to leaving him. She makes him promise not to tell anyone what she's up to. Superman Brady dives in for Round IV.

Roman tells EJ he can go. A cop comes up and whispers into Roman's ear. Roman turns, "Why... you naughty boy."

Roman turns back to EJ, "I just got information that Stefano left town. I'm wondering if you tipped him off. I could look at your phone records and find out if you called him."

"And I could insist on a warrant for probable-cause," says EJ.

"What the hell is probable-cause," asks Roman, "And why would I want that? I want your phone records. Who's side are you on, anyway?"

Chloe babbles to Sydney.

Harold startles Nicole as she comes into the mansion through the French doors in the rumpus room. She asks where Sydney is. Harold dunno.

Sami is a total basket case as she rushes into her place. She rambles on as Rafe tries to avoid the fallout. He finally stops her, "I have news. Sami, your baby is alive."

"What," gasps Sami, "Grace came back from the dead? That's kind of quick even for this show."

NOTE – you can now follow Prevuze on twitter at: http://twitter.com/prevuze Prevuze II has a video of the daily show previews, which should be available by noon (EST) on any given day. To see Prevuze II: CLICK HERE