A Fantasy Candy-Coated Future

EJ and Sami are together at the pier. EJ shows her the new ransom note. Sami tears into it and reads. It's a bunch of do-this-do-that mumbo jumbo. When she finishes she looks up at EJ, "So you think this means Sydney is still alive? WOOOOO HOOOOOOO!" That girl nearly middle-aged woman can go from depressive to manic faster than the proverbial speeding bullet.

Carly is outside the pub calling the hospital to check on Melanie. The nasty hospital authorities refuse to give her any information. Carly erupts, "What do you mean you can't tell me anything. I'm her mother I have a right... never mind."

Maggie overhears the little tirade as she walks up, "Playing the mother card? Rings rather hollow, don't you think?"

Daddy Dan sits with Melanie and ponders the complications of a one night stand.

Anna stares at Tony's picture and flashes back to EJ taking the new ransom note, "It may be the final nail in the coffin if this blows up."

Sami reads... another caution not to bring in the police or FBI. Sami swings back from manic to depressive and wonders how they can know it's real, "I want to believe, but..."

EJ tells her it makes sense. "The kidnappers just wanted money and the thing with the dress was a diversion to throw the feds off the scent. This is our last chance, so no outside involvement."

Guess who walks up, "No outside involvement with what? What's going on?"

Sami for once clams up. EJ steps in, "Samantha is thinking of canceling the ceremony and I told her she should not be influenced by external sources." Rafe says he dropped the kids off at the pub and came back to see if she needed anything. Sami says she's worried about her grandma, "She hasn't been well lately and I don't want the kids alone with her, so would you go back and check on them?" PW'd Rafe heads for the pub.

"He saw right through me," says Sami.

"Well," says the old philosopher EJ, "you'll do better next time."

Sami rolls her eyes, "Better at lying to him. Great."

EJ reminds her they are talking about Sydney's life and it's best if they don't involve Rafe. Sami blows a gasket and says she's scared because she no longer trusts her own judgment. Not to worry, EJ is there, "Trust me, little girl, Trust me. Let me take control."

"The hell you will." Sami's moods are all over the place today.

Carly wonders if Maggie would play the mother card if the situation were reversed. Maggie reminds her Melanie is in the hospital because of her. Carly defends herself, "Vivian was going to smash her head with a pipe. Should I have stood there and done nothing?"

A voice comes out of the audience, "YES!"

"Melanie is precious to me," says Maggie, "I resent your butting in. That's my job."

Carly says she is grateful Melanie has had Maggie in her life. Maggie settles down and says Melanie is doing better. Carly gives her heartache and suffering speech and Maggie gives her busybody lecture. Carly asks if Maggie knew Trent. "I knew about him," says Mags, "His treatment of Melanie was unforgivable."

Carly stops herself short, "Her real..."

Maggie asks, "Her real what?"

"It's just one more thing I deprived her of," says Carly.

Daniel strokes Melanie's hand. She wakes up, "Why are you looking at me funny? Oh, no! Something's wrong. I'm gonna die aren't I?"

Unfortunately, no."

Rafe finds Arianna at the pub. He tells her the family gathering is off because EJ decided it was a bad idea. Arianna wonders if it isn't time Rafe cut EJ some slack, "He's human. One big gorgeous hunk of human if you ask me. And he's a loving and devoted father who only kidnaps his kids when it's really necessary. Maybe you shouldn't second-guess him so much."

Sami tells EJ she doesn't need him taking control for her. He reminds her she just said she didn't trust herself for making decisions. Sami claims that was a figure of speech. The girl nearly middle-aged woman can rationalize anything. She says she needs time to figure whether to tell Rafe about the ransom note.

EJ explodes and says he never should have told her about it. "He's grieving as if Sydney were his daughter," bawls Sami, "He won't screw this up and he deserves to know the truth."

"Involving Rafe would be the biggest single mistake you've ever made," says EJ, "And that's saying a lot when you consider the fact that your life has been one giant string of mistakes. Rafe is a liability." Sami defends Rafe and EJ puts on a sales pitch to keep him out of it, "This is our second chance and you're saying you want to make the same mistake again." Sami turns and contemplates. EJ rambles on, "This is not just my choice. She's you daughter too, so you make the call. But many people will have to live with the consequences."

Maggie wants to know what Carly deprived Melanie of. Carly dodges the question and Maggie gives up. She turns to leave and... Down goes Maggie! Down goes Maggie!

Daniel assures Melanie she's not dying, "I was looking at you like that because I was happy for your recovery."

"Are you sure that's it," asks Melanie, "Are you still beating yourself up for letting Dr. Manning talk to me? You are forgiven. You saved my life."

Rafe can't believe Arianna is defending EJ, "You for him? What's going on with you two?"

"Nothing," says Arianna, "Put your jealousy aside." Rafe insists EJ is using the situation to get closer to Sami. Arianna makes accusations, "You're paranoid."

"What's a 'noid' and why would I want two of them," asks Rafe.

Sami decides she's gotta do what it takes to get Sydney back, "No mistakes this time."

"Good," grunts EJ, "We keep this between the two of us."

Daniel thinks he could have done much more for Melanie. She wonders why he says that since he's already gone above and beyond. They share a giggly moment. Melanie says it's so nice to be a part of a family now. Daniel dangles the big bombshell, "Melanie... I need to... can I say something to you?"

Anna flashes back to asking EJ about all the plotting and knife twisting and the cruelty of keeping Sydney from Sami. EJ insists he's doing Sami a favor by pushing Rafe out of her life.

Back at the pier, EJ tells Sami to be very careful with Rafe because he's suspicious by nature. Sami vows to do whatever it takes.

Carly helps Maggie into the pub. Maggie insists she's fine, "The cold makes my arthritis act up. She wishes Carly luck as she goes.

Carly drones, "Melanie will be looked after no matter what happens to me." She sits down and pulls out her phone.

Of course, Daniel cops out, "'m gonna tell you later when you are stronger."

"No," says insists Melanie, "You will tell me now."

"Don't fight me on this," orders Dr. Dad, "Get some rest."

"I can't," says Melanie, "I'm curious." Daniel insists he will tell her later. Weak. Very weak.

Daniel stands up to leave and gets Carly's text, "Need to see you immediately at the pub."

Sami worries that Rafe will know she isn't grieving any more, "How will we keep that from him?"

EJ has the answer for that one, "You will do something you do very well — lie. Please call him and tell him the ceremony is canceled."

Daniel joins Carly at the pub. He says he didn't drop the daddy bomb on Melanie. They discuss whether or not he should tell her. "She will wonder why we abandoned her," says Daniel, "It means she was lied to her entire life and now... she will see how different her life could have been."

"You're right," says Carly, "I was looking on the bright side."

"There is no bright side."

Arianna is with Melanie. They share small talk about Phillip and that little thing about getting shot on her wedding day.

Anna has another flashback where she asks EJ what if Sami decides to bring Rafe into this. EJ thinks that would be an outcome too horrible to contemplate.

Rafe comes back to the pier. Is everything OK?

"No," says Sami, "Nothing's OK."

Melanie thinks the fact Dr. Manning keeps telling her she's sorry is no excuse for what she did, "She abandoned me as a baby and left me with a psycho-dad. My whole childhood was ruined because of her."

"Not really," says Arianna, "Since you haven't grown up yet."

"I'll never get those years back," says Melanie, "How can I forgive her for that?"

Daniel and Carly continue their conversation. Daniel doesn't buy any of Carly's rationalizations.

EJ steps in and says he and Sami have decided to stop the gathering and not tell the twins. Sami backs him up, "This is for the best."

Rafe agrees. He pulls out a bouquet of flowers, "I thought maybe instead of the gathering you could say a few things and throw them into the water."

"I just don't know if I can do that," says the basket case.

Maggie works in her kitchen. She drops a cup, "Oh, God, what's going on" She looks at a picture of her and Mickey, "It's coming back. What am I gonna do?"

Daniel insists he could have dealt with Lawrence, "This is so messed up. I had my daughter's heart in my hand and didn't know."

"You can still be her father," says insists Carly.

Daniel loses it, "Shut the hell up! A fantasy candy-coated future will not make this OK. If I couldn't (say it with him) be there for her and some SOB was pimping her out... don't deny or justify it. There is nothing you can do that will lessen the pain. You don't deserve her!" He storms out. Carly stares.

Anna zones out, "EJ and his plans. So confident. Maybe they will work out, but nothing good will come from this. Nothing good at all. Unless it drags on so long they lose the entire audience and the show is canceled."

Rafe says he doesn't want Sami to feel pressured to make the little speech and toss the roses in the river. Sami thanks him for the offer but says she can't do it, "It just hurts too much." Rafe turns to EJ and asks if he wants the honor. EJ declines.

So that leaves it up to Rafe, "Sydney... you'll never be forgotten." He chucks the bouquet into the river.

EJ scowls as Sami breaks down and hugs him, "I know it's painful."

"You're darn right about that," says Rafe, "I just tossed a $70 bouquet of roses into a garbage flow."

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