That Old Bat

Sami dreams... She runs down at the dock... she finds a man standing with his back to her... she runs up to him... when he turns around she discovers EJ. "EJ," she says, "You are the only man I will ever love." She kisses him and runs on only to see another man. He turns and she finds Austin. "Austin," she says, "You are the only man I will ever love." She kisses him and runs on only to see another man. He turns and she finds Franco. "Franco," she says, "You are the only man I will ever love." She kisses him and runs on only to see another man. He turns and she finds Brandon. "Brandon," she says, "You are the only man I will ever love." She kisses him and runs on only to see another man. He turns and she finds Lucas. "Lucas," she says, "You are the only man I will ever love." She kisses him and runs on only to see another man. He turns and she finds Rafe. "Rafe," she says, "You are the only man I will ever love." She kisses him and runs on only to find the Salem Rugby team. She kisses each one of them, "You are the only man I will ever love."

Sami runs on. She sees a policeman with his back turned. "Oh, yeah," says Sami, "The guys in the Salem Police Department... I almost forgot about them." In spite of the fact she's got the worst case of chapped lips ever, Sami the trooper knows she has to press on. She walks up to the cop. Instead of kissing him, however, she begs him to help get her baby back. The cop turns around and she finds EJ again. EJ cackles...

"MWAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Sami wakes with a start, "NO!"

Rafe wakes up and sees Sami falling apart. Oh-so-empathetic Rafe is supportive, "Everything will be fine... just as soon as you have sex with me."

"Of course," says Sami, "Because you are the only man I will ever love... today."

Nicole stands in the Kiriakis mansion den and remembers EJ's ultimatum, "Damn him... I can't choose." Brady rushes in and sees something is wrong. Nicole hugs.

EJ is with Sydney and Johnny, "We are ready to go Christmas shopping." Johnny asks if that includes Mommy.

Phillip begs Melanie, "Let's go back to bed and make a baby." Yeah, there are times men act like they want a kid.

Chloe comes into the living room with Daniel who is feeding Parker. Daniel plays like he doesn't mind the chore, but Chloe thinks Daniel breast feeding him is taking it a little far.

Stephanie calls Caroline ranting that Caroline doesn't care about the baby switcheroo. Nathan walks up and Stephanie tells him there is a big problem, "I have to tell you what's going on."

Kate staggers into the rumpus room where Stefano sits at his desk. She says she should have confided in him about Vivian and regrets she didn't. "Not as much as you're going to," says Stefano. Kate wants a fresh start. She asks if he's willing. "More than you know," says Stefano.

Sami tells Rafe about her EJ-nightmare.

Obnoxious Johnny wants to shop with Mommy. EJ quiets him and off they go.

Stefano goes through a litany of Kate’s sins. Well, a very small percentage of them, anyway. He asks if Kate told Victor about Chad. Kate says she's made mistakes, but not a fatal one like that would be. She insists she wasn't disrespecting him, and says she hopes he knows she loves him. Well, Stefano knows. Kate hugs him and begs, "Can we move past this?"

"Honestly," says Stefano, "that's all I want." Kate is ecstatic. She says she's off to consult about tonight’s menu, "I'll have the poison brownies removed." Stefano stops her and tells her there is a condition to his generosity.

Nathan gets a call and says he has to go. He arranges to meet up with Stephanie later at the pub. "I love you," says Stephanie.

"I love that we're together." Translation: the bloom is off the rose.

Caroline finds EJ and the kids outside the pub. She invites them in for hot chocolate but EJ declines. He says they won't be coming by again. Caroline begs him not to go.

Sami says, ""I feel like I'm reliving the same nightmare." I don't know about Sami, but the viewers certainly are reliving the same nightmare — over and over again. Rafe assures her they'll get the kids back. He says there is something in the living room he wants to show her.

"Is it bigger than a breadbox," asks Sami.

"Mine is," says Rafe.

Nicole unwraps herself from Brady and says she's worried that all the goodness with him is going to go away. She lies and says she's worried about Vivian, "That old bat is out for revenge."

Brady assures her they're not wasting any more time on Vivian. "No matter what happens I will always protect you." Translation, watch your back, Nicole.

Stefano says for him to move on he needs for Kate to regain his trust. Kate agrees and asks how. Stefano says he will tell, but first must make a phone call. He calls and cancels his appointment at Ho's R Us, since he's back in the saddle with Kate. He says he wants Kate to be a proxy for him. He hands her an envelope and instructions. Kate reads and has a hissy fit.

EJ doesn't want to argue in front of the children. Johnny wants to know what this is all about. Caroline says God will punish EJ for this.

Melanie isn't sure they should have kids now. "All I want to do is practice," says Phillip. Phillip says he wants ten kids. He moves in to get started on one of them.

Stefano calls Daniel. He congratulates him on Parker's arrival and says he is a man who doesn't forget, and he knows Daniel saved EJ's life. Daniel says he was just doing his job. If he were doing his civic duty, he'd have let EJ die. Stefano says he has a gift for Daniel to reward him, "It should arrive any moment."

Stefano hangs up and gives Kate a wrapped box, along with her marching orders. "NEVER," snorts Kate.

Brady interrupts Melanie and Phillip, wanting to talk about Vivian. Phillip gets a call and leaves. Brady tells Melanie he is the one responsible for putting Vivian in the sarcophagus. Melanie thinks Nicole blackmailed Brady into coming back to her.

Nicole wanders up and finds EJ and the kids at the dock. Nicole has a sack with a subtle product placement for a department store and EJ wonders who it's for.

Sami and Rafe walk into the living room.

Stephanie finds Caroline at the pub and tells her the truth has to come out. Caroline's wrath comes out instead.

Stefano gets huffy and accuses Kate of being disingenuous. Kate throws that back at him and a few other choice adjectives. Stefano reminds her he cleaned up Kate’s mess and kept her out of prison. Kate reminds him he got marriage and a bit o' nookie in exchange. Stefano says he thinks this little mission is a small price to pay. She grabs up the package and instructions and The Charge of the Kate brigade rides into the jaws of death, huffing and snorting as she goes.

Back at the pub, Caroline and Step-on-me keep up the same argument. Caroline appeals to Stephanie's sensibilities. She might as well appeal to a brick wall, which has a lot more sensibility. Finally Caroline gives up and tells Stephanie to do it, "I worry I won't (say it with her) be there for Sami. When Nathan was sick, Sami lost Sydney and Johnny to EJ. She'll never see them again. WAH-WAH-WAH-DA-WAHDA."

"When is she throwing the party," asks Stephanie.

Sami loves the Christmas decorations Rafe has set up, but just like a woman, can't help but criticize the socks off of the way he did it.

Brady insists Melanie is wrong. He says Nicole was angry when she found out. Melanie gets snotty. Brady snorts, "Don't talk like that about Nicole, I'm the only one who can trash her like that."

Nicole says the gift is for Chloe. It's a sweater and a scarf. EJ says he has a couple more stops to make and invites Nicole. Nicole declines. Sydney whines. Nicole caves in and changes her mind.

Kate arrives at Daniel's apartment. She hands them the mystery gift, "Congratulations."

Sami says she believes in Rafe, "I just don't believe you have the aptitude to decorate a room for Christmas." She says she wants to get into the Christmas spirit.

"Let's do it," says Rafe. I suspect they each have different definitions of "it."

Nathan walks up to Caroline and Stephanie and sees the angst, "Ladies, are you OK?"

Kate says the gift is something to show Daniel and Chloe how happy she and Stefano are about the way things turned out. She apologizes for what she did to the two of them, "I will hate myself for all the Days Of Our Lives for it. I am a liar. I am threatened by just about everything, especially younger, talented beautiful women. Chloe threatens me, too. Hopefully I will someday be a better person but until then I hope you will accept my apology." She turns and rushes out. Chloe thinks that was strange. The gal has the mind of a steel sieve.

Back in the rumpus room, Stefano contemplates a piece of paper.

Stephanie asks Nathan to excuse them for a minute. He leaves and Stephanie says everything will be OK, after she ruins Caroline's life. Then she goes over to Nathan. She says things are more complicated than she thought. A light switch, however is complicated for Stephanie. She leans forward, "Sami lost custody of Johnny and Sydney... that's what I wanted to say... I didn't have all the details earlier, but now there is no fixing the situation. My family is falling apart."

"They're lucky they have you to hold them together," says Nathan.

Kate returns and tells Stefano things went well, "So now I've done my penance."

"There is one more thing," says Stefano, "We are having a guest for dinner and I'd love it for you to deliver the invitation in person. It's Vivian."

Nicole and EJ watch Sydney and Johnny play. EJ thinks it will be a great Christmas since he'll have his kids. He invites Nicole to spend it with them. Nicole accepts. EJ wants her to understand the condition... "If you have anything to do with Brady, all bets are off. So... how much do you love Sydney?"

Sami, Rafe and Allie walk up behind them giggling. The laughter stops.

Daniel suggests they never open Kate’s present. Chloe agrees and shows him their christening gown. "It's too small for me," says Daniel. Daniel is sooooooo happy.

Nathan wants to know what he can do to help. "There is something you can do," says Stephanie, "Marry me."

"I can't," says Nathan, "I'm not a priest. Besides, who would be your husband."

Can't wiggle out of it that easily. Stephanie clarifies, "You." The blood drains from Nathan's face as he longs for the good old days when he had Dungcootie Fever.

Kate accuses Stefano of exacting revenge by 100 cuts. Stefano says it's all about loyalty and respect. "Shove your loyalty and respect and go to hell," says Kate, "I am done with this." She walks out.

Johnny throws a fit and screams for his mommy as he tries to wiggle away from EJ.

Later, once again, Sami sleeps. Sami dreams... She runs down at the dock... she finds a man standing with his back to her... she runs up to him... when he turns around she discovers Stan. "Oh, Stan," gasps Sami, "I love you more than anyone in the world."

"But Sami," he reminds her, "I am you."

Sami smiles, "Exactly."




Previews
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Kate tells Stefano, "Because I am not going to change, not even for you."

Sami tells Rafe, "I will find a way to fix this."

Nicole asks EJ, "Why do you hate him so much?"

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