Wishy-Washy

EJ bustles into the rumpus room talking on the phone, leaving a message for Stefano and griping about the fact that Mattaeo fingered him. As he rants he turns around...

STEFANO!

Rafe comes into the pub and tells Arianna he found Sydney and got her back to Sami. Arianna bounces around the bar and hugs him. Rafe then tells her Nicole is under arrest. He thinks Brady will be shocked at what Nicole did, but thinks it's great Sydney is where she belongs.

Brady is at Nicole's cell and tells her he is (say it with me) there for her. Nicole wonders how Brady can forgive her after what she has done.

Nathan binds Stephanie's wounded ankle. He thinks she's being a brave little girl in the face of everything she's been through. "No big deal," says Stephanie, "it's just a dumb shoe."

"That's why it's a perfect match for you," says Nathan.

Stephanie rambles on, "I think the world of you. You are a really Terrific guy."

"I didn't know you felt that way," says Nathan, "Maybe if I had..."

"What?"

"Things would be different."

"Different how," she asks, full of anticipation. Nathan moves in and shows her how different things could be.

Stephanie pops out of her little daydream and Nathan starts to leave. She stops him and tells him he's making a huge mistake.

Melanie tries to remember where Mark is from, "Where was it we had so much fun... Marseilles? Monaco? Milan?"

"Berlin," says Mark, "You left me in the middle of the night." He grabs her, "You're not getting away this time until I get what I came for."

Brady says he should have stopped Nicole a long time ago but saw her pain and knew how much she wanted to be with EJ. He says he doesn't hate her, "Look at me. We're going to get through this."

"OMG," wails Nicole, "Why couldn't I try and build a life with you?"

"I don't know," says Brady, "But now you'll be able to build a life with the bitch-ho'z in Statesville instead."

EJ asks, "Are you back for good?"

"No," says Stefano, "I'm back for evil." EJ says he thinks Stefano set him up.

Stephanie flashes back to seeing Melanie and Nathan's disgusting PDA. She cops out and tells him he wrapped her ankle too tight.

"I'll do it over," says Nathan, "I've always thought you were wrapped a little too tight anyway. And while I'm re-wrapping it, you'll have more than enough time to tell me what's REALLY on your mind."

Mark roughs Melanie up, "You owe me money and I'm here for payback.

Mark starts to drag her upstairs as Phillip walks in singing that old refrain, "What's gong on?"

Arianna showers praise on Rafe for solving the big switcheroo mystery, but he reminds her EJ saved his life. A mysterious person reading a newspaper eavesdrops as Rafe wonders, "Why would the DiMeras want to kill me."

"Maybe they've started a pest extermination business," says Arianna.

Stefano brushes things off, "Mattaeo is wishy-washy. Tomorrow he'll finger someone else." EJ thinks Stefano is playing games. Stefano assures him, "I'm sure you will be exonerated."

"My God," gasps EJ, "I didn't even realize attempted murder was a capital offense."

Stephanie finds Nathan in the hall and they talk hospital business. Nathan wonders why she got away from him so quickly when he asked again what was on her mind. Stephanie assures him it's all OK, "You and I are doing fine." Nathan is skeptical about that. He thinks there is a distance between them.

Macho Mark tells Phillip to leave. Peg-leg moves in on him, "So Melanie, I'm guessing this is one of your friends from back in the day."

Mark ramps up the attitude, "When people don't do what they are supposed to do, they get hurt."

Phillip stands his ground, "I figure you owe this guy some money."

EJ thinks there is indeed something to worry about. Stefano says they will buy a judge and everything will be copacetic. EJ wonders why Stefano put out a hit on Rafe. "Insects annoy me," says Stefano. EJ asks if Rafe's life is still in danger.

The eavesdropper eavesdrops. Rafe smacks down the newspaper and finds his sister Gabriela. He asks why she is there, "Mom told me to come," says Gabby, "She was worried about you guys."

Brady just uber-empathizes with Nicole's situation. He tries to be upbeat and says a jury will understand why she did what she did. The dim bulb thinks the charge against her is illegal adoption. He senses something more is going on and asks, "Is there another reason you were arrested?"

Rafe and Arianna grill Gabby about what she's up to. Gabby tells them Mommy wonders why they haven't been in touch and she's Mommy's spy.

Brady digs. Nicole evades. Brady digs deeper, "There is something you're not telling me, Nicole. What the hell is going on here?"

Stefano says Rafe is off the hook and assures EJ he will be exonerated. EJ tells Stefano when he bungled the hit on Rafe, he had DNA evidence in his hand, "I know you know. The DNA evidence showed Samantha and I are Sydney's parents. Nicole switched babies."

Stefano plays it cool and acts like this is a big surprise, "Nicole should be in prison. How did she think she would get away with it?"

"She's been arrested," says EJ, "Look at me. Are you telling me you had nothing to do with this?"

"How could I," asks Stefano, "I was in seclusion. The important thing is Nicole is in jail and we will have our beautiful little girl back."

EJ isn't so sure, "I think if the hit on Rafe had been a success no one would have ever known about the switch. That is why you ordered it, isn't it? That means you knew her secret and you knew from day one."

Stephanie stands at the nurses station with a generic nurse. Genny gets a call. She hangs up and tells Stephanie, "There has been a major bus accident. It seems a couple of toddlers named Johnny and Allie that no one has seen for weeks showed up on the bus, hijacked it and went careening down Main Street. No one was killed, but there were a lot of injuries. It's going to be an all-nighter for some poor soul."

Rusty as they might be, the wheels start turning inside Stephanie's head, "Dr. Horton is here." The generic nurse pages him.

Phillip starts to leave, "Just out of curiosity, how much does Melanie owe you?" Mark tells him she owes $10,000. Phillip takes off his watch and hands it to Mark.

"This watch is only worth about $5,000," says Mark.

Phillip asks, "Over in Europe, have you ever heard of the Kiriakis family?"

"Yes," says Mark, "They are well known."

"My name is Phillip Kiriakis."

The blood drains from Mark's face. Melanie takes a shot, "Oops you really stepped in it, didn't you?"

Phillip tells him to keep the watch, "Half payment is better than none."

Nervous Mark is only too happy to accept. He kisses everyone on his way out, "Gracias. Bon soir." He may be a creep, but at least he's multilingual.

Melanie babbles, "Thank you. I owe you."

Phillip takes off his coat, "You do... and I know how you can repay me."

Rafe tells Gabby to lose the attitude. Gabby tells Rafe to get one... or at least a personality. She apologizes and we have a Hernandez family moment. Arianna says she knows she let everyone down. Rafe decides they will call Mommy tomorrow and then go see her next week. Gabby has decided to stay and look after them. "No way," yells Arianna.

Nicole insists nothing else is going on. Brady wants her to focus on what he can do for her. "There is something you can do," says Nicole.

Stefano insists he is shocked about all this. He says he thought Rafe was investigating the family so he decided to have him whacked. EJ reminds him people investigate the DiMeras all the time but Stefano doesn't put hits out on them. He runs through all the switcheroo scenarios as Stefano dodges. EJ puts it all together and accuses Stefano of knowing about this the whole time.

Melanie asks, "So I repay you by kneeling and kissing your ring and taking you to the bedroom. Is that how it works."

"Actually," says Phillip, "I'd like some answers. Then we can head for the bedroom. What kind of a scam did you pull on him?"

Melanie says, "I told him I could get him an Arabian horse for $10,000."

Phillip asks the big question, "How many more 'Marks' are out there waiting to get even?"

Speaking of big questions, Nicole asks Brady if he can post bail for her. She plays the 'I-lost-my-daughter' card. Clueless Brady tells her she'll have to accept that fact but agrees to post her bail.

Stefano continues to insist he didn't know. EJ continues to insist Stefano is lying, "If Samantha hadn't pissed you off so much you wouldn't have sided with Nicole." Stefano insists he would never do anything to hurt EJ. EJ says that's what Nicole just said to him.

Stefano explodes, "Elvis THINK!"

"Thinking isn't my strong suit."

Stefano shouts, "Because of the switch Nicole made it possible for you to raise your own daughter. Is that so terrible?"

Nathan tells Stephanie he's been chosen to work in the ER all night. So that means his date with Melanie is kaput.

"Drat the bad luck," says Stephanie.

Nathan goes to call Melanie and give her the bad news. Stephanie ponders, "I hated doing that, but Melanie just doesn't deserve Nathan."

Melanie's phone rings. She answers and Nathan drops the bad news. Melanie gives Phillip a look, "Drat the bad luck." She is soooo understanding.

Melanie hangs up and Phillip jumps in, "Let me guess... Nathan chose duty over pleasure and you're out of luck."

"He's saving lives," whines Melanie.

"I wonder what's he'd think about all your scams," says Phillip. A referee stands by and considers giving Phillip a warning for hitting below the belt, but decides against it since Phillip is right on the money.

Arianna thinks Gabby should be with Mom. She and Rafe go off to discuss the situation. Rafe thinks it's OK for the Gabster to stay. Arianna wonders where she will stay. Rafe thinks there is a place upstairs that is vacant. Arianna insists it won't work. Gabby joins them for a family hug.

Patsy... uh, I mean Brady comes back to Nicole's cell and says he's posted bail. Nicole is soooo grateful. Brady says he will set her up in the Graymore Hotel and will bankroll her. Ha! From the Graybar Hotel to the Graymore Hotel.

That faint scream you hear in the background is Brady's last brain cell dying.

Nicole just can't understand why she deserves a friend like Brady. "When everything comes out I Hope you still understand anything I did because I loved EJ and Sydney."

Brady already understands, "I am your friend. Nothing will change that." He leaves.

Nicole mumbles, "You wanna bet?"

Nathan comes to the nursing station and finds Stephanie. She offers to help. He kids about her stitching an open wound and starts to leave. He stops, turns and says, "What you're doing, Stephanie, is a really nice thing." Whatever the hell that means.

Q: Why is Stephanie not more of an 'outdoor' kind of girl? A: Because nature abhors a vacuum.

Melanie says, "I wasn't a scam artist I was just..."

"Scamming guys..."

"That's not it," says Melanie.

"Well," says Phillip, "I was trying to avoid the word 'hooker' but if you insist..."

"I care about Nathan," says Melanie.

"If you want to keep telling yourself that do it," says Phillip, "but things would work out better if you would just be honest with yourself." She moves in for some Philliplicious honesty.

Rafe and Gabby are outside. He says it's good to see her and he's glad she's there for Thanksgiving. Gabby asks if Arianna's new boyfriend knows she's a jailbird. Rafe says no one in town does, "But her boyfriend is a pretty nice guy even though he's a few pecans short of a fruitcake."

The nice guy comes into the pub to see Arianna. He says he took off because Nicole has been arrested. He announces proudly, "I paid her bail."

Arianna is shocked, "After everything she did? Are you out of your mind?"

"Of course," says Brady, "but I make up for it by being loaded."

Officer Matilda lets Nicole out of jail. Nicole looks at a picture of Sydney, "I have to find my baby and do what has to be done."

EJ rants. Stefano assures him he can still trust him. EJ grabs him by the lapels and has a conniption, "You lied to me!"

Stefano says, "If you had known the truth you would have run to that lowlife Brady bitch because you still love her!"

Fern Snodgrass from Wapakoneta, Ohio, a dyed-in-the-wool Ejami fan, stands up in the audience and shouts, "Listen to your father, EJ!"

Tearful EJ whispers, "I love you, but you can't do this." He grabs Stefano by the throat and squeezes. Stefano chokes, turns blue and his tongue rolls out across the floor.

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