jan 10th

In Horton Square, Kate guessed that E.J. had threatened or blackmailed Abigail. E.J. insisted that he hadn't done anything to Abigail other than reasoning with her and maybe lying to her a little. E.J. added that he hoped Kate sending Gabi to talk to Abigail didn't blow everything wide open.

At Club TBD, Jordan and Sheryl were both visibly shaken when they caught sight of one another. Sheryl took a deep breath and crossed the club to greet Jordan, while Rafe and Lucas continued catching up nearby. "What are you doing here?" Jordan stammered. Before Sheryl could say anything, Jordan suggested that they meet in the town square in a few minutes. Although she was clearly reluctant, Sheryl agreed.

Jordan returned to Rafe and Lucas, who were engrossed in discussing football and hadn't noticed her talking to Sheryl. After Lucas rejoined Sheryl, Rafe observed that Jordan was shaking. Jordan claimed that the club was freezing, so Rafe offered to help warm her up.

Meanwhile, Sheryl asked Lucas if she could go for a walk while they waited for the marketing manager. He suggested that she check out the town square, so she headed out.

Rafe said that he would like for Jordan to help him shop for some things to make his place feel a little homier, perhaps in Horton square. After expressing her concern that it might be too much walking for Rafe, Jordan said that she had a "work thing" to deal with, but she should return soon. Rafe agreed to wait at the club until she got back.

Kate was still in the square when Sheryl arrived. Sheryl explained that she was just getting to know the town while she waited for Lucas to take her to meet with the head of marketing. Kate enthused that Sheryl should find the town quite charming.

Kate hung back to watch while Sheryl waited anxiously for Jordan, who finally showed up and signaled to Sheryl. Kate stealthily followed them to the park so she could eavesdrop. Sheryl started by explaining that when she'd agreed to go to Salem, she hadn't expected to run into Jordan. Jordan asked why Sheryl was there and what it had to do with Lucas Horton. Sheryl retorted that she had only agreed to have the conversation in private; she hadn't consented to an interrogation.

Jordan noted, "I'm sure you understand why I was surprised to see you here." Sheryl explained that a headhunter had contacted her. Jordan thought it was a strange coincidence. "What -- you think I'm following you? After the way you treated me in Birmingham?" an incredulous Sheryl said. "Sheryl, I am sorry about what happened, but I thought you understood that I had to keep certain things private," Jordan reminded her. Sheryl said that she understood why Jordan didn't want anyone to know.

Jordan asked if Sheryl knew who ran the company where she was interviewing. "Of course I do. Her name's Kate Roberts, and she's amazing," Sheryl gushed, much to the eavesdropping Kate's pleasure. Jordan revealed that she also knew Kate, but Sheryl interrupted to exclaim, "You're not going to make this about you, are you? Do you have any idea how hard I have had to work for this opportunity? [...] Kate would not just bring me to Salem to spite you, for God's sake."

Sheryl declared that if she got the job and Jordan didn't like it, Jordan would just have to leave town. When Jordan tried to stop Sheryl from leaving, Sheryl noted that she had once hoped the two of them could still be friends, but Jordan had disabused her of that notion. She stomped off.

Back at the club, Rafe credited Jordan with his recovery. Lucas wondered if the "amazing" Jordan had any flaws. Rafe admitted that Jordan was full of surprises.

Lucas had left when Jordan returned. Jordan apologized to Rafe for being gone for so long. Rafe was ready to go shopping, so Jordan waited patiently while he gathered his crutches and got up from the table.

When Lucas arrived at the square, Kate instructed him to get the jet ready to fly Sheryl back to Birmingham to pack so she could report for work in Salem right away. Lucas reminded his mom that Sheryl hadn't even met with marketing yet. Kate pointed out that she was the boss. Lucas noted that he had learned that Rafe liked Jordan. "Well, I'm so happy for him -- but I have no idea what that has to do with us hiring a graphic designer to work at Mad World," Kate replied nonchalantly, although Lucas didn't buy it.

At the Horton house, Gabi revealed that the "incredible" E.J. had told her everything. Taken aback, Abigail exclaimed, "He told you? What was he thinking?" Gabi wondered why E.J. shouldn't have told her that he'd talked to Abigail about Nick and Gabi. Relieved, Gabi wanted to know what E.J. had done that had been so incredible. Gabi explained, "E.J. didn't have to help me, and he did. He's been great to me." Abigail countered that E.J. DiMera never did anything unless there were something in it for him.

Gabi maintained that E.J. had helped her because she was the mother of Sami's granddaughter. A skeptical Abigail wondered why Gabi had talked to E.J. but not to Abigail. Gabi explained that she had talked to Sami, but Abigail still didn't buy it. "E.J. sent you here to make sure I bought his story, didn't he?" Abigail asked. Gabi insisted that E.J. didn't even know she was there. Abigail wondered why Gabi was there.

"Because you're my friend, and you're Nick's cousin, and I need for you to understand why I feel relieved that he's gone -- why I need to put him behind me for good," Gabi said. Abigail assured her friend that she did understand. After apologizing for putting Abigail in the middle of everything, Gabi left. Abigail asked herself, "What did E.J. want from me?" She grabbed her things and headed out.

Jennifer was on her cell phone as she exited Horton Square. "E.J. did what?" Jennifer demanded, furious. As she hung up, she muttered to herself, "You son of a... I'm not going to let you get away with what you did to my daughter!" Jennifer stormed off.

When E.J. arrived home, Harold informed him that Ms. Deveraux was waiting in the living room. Assuming that it was Abigail, E.J. paused to check his appearance in the foyer mirror. As he entered the living room, he began, "Abigail" -- but instead found an irate Jennifer waiting for him. "Do you think my daughter would step foot into your house after what you did to her?" Jennifer spat. She continued, "My daughter woke up shaking from a nightmare this morning. She is so ashamed; she was almost in tears!"

Shutting the doors to the foyer, E.J. insisted that it had been a mistake, but that only enraged Jennifer further. Jennifer accused E.J. of deliberately manipulating Abigail. E.J. claimed, "It wasn't premeditated; it just happened." Pronouncing that an "insulting copout," Jennifer snarled, "If Sami is wearing your ring, she deserves to know exactly the person she is getting into bed with." E.J. reminded Jennifer that he was a parent, too, and his family meant everything to him.

"You should have thought of that before you did what you did!" Jennifer shouted. She started to storm out of the room, but E.J. forcefully grabbed her by the arm. Startled, Jennifer jerked her arm away. E.J. moved toward her somewhat menacingly, but he was thrown when Jennifer began ranting about how Chad had lied to get Abigail to sleep with him and E.J. had enabled Chad. Jennifer continued that Kayla had told her how Chad had lied about having a brain tumor to get Cameron out of the picture and how E.J. had helped Chad.

"Chad loved your daughter, and I can see why. She's a wonderful girl," E.J. assured Jennifer. Jennifer accused E.J. of showing Chad how to be a coward instead of a man. E.J. was sorry that Abigail had been hurt, but he knew she would get over it. Jennifer complained that Abigail's trust had been completely destroyed -- and Jennifer wanted her daughter to stay away from E.J. and anyone else named DiMera.

Just as Jennifer began to charge out the door, Abigail arrived outside. Abigail had her hand on the doorbell to ring when she spotted her mom's car and ducked behind a potted tree. Jennifer paused before exiting the mansion to warn E.J., "If your brother thinks the third time with my daughter is the charm, why don't you consider giving him helpful advice, but also tell him to stay out of Salem if he knows what's good for him."

As soon as Jennifer had gone, Abigail emerged from behind the plant and asked E.J. why her mom had been there. E.J. quickly escorted Abigail into the living room and shut the door. He explained that Jennifer blamed him for Chad's lies. When E.J. realized that Abigail had told her mother about that, he wanted to know why. "Because I thought that it was a better idea than telling her that I slept with you," Abigail replied.

Abigail complained that she had been taking the moral high ground with J.J., but apparently she was the real screw-up. E.J. tried to tell her that she wasn't the first person to make love impulsively, but she ordered him not to placate her as if it helped. "My God, I barely even know you -- and I've slept with you," Abigail said with disgust. She continued that her mom had been having a hard time since Jack's death, and all Jennifer wanted was her children's happiness. E.J. tried to soothe Abigail, but she declared that she could not live with herself.

As Abigail and E.J.'s discussion continued, someone entered the foyer and paused outside the living room door. Fed up with Abigail's melodramatics, E.J. suggested that the two of them leave what had happened in the past, since they both obviously regretted it. Abigail declared that she couldn't do that until E.J. told her why it had happened. "You're acting like we both made a stupid mistake, when, in reality, I'm the only one who was stupid. You wanted something from me," Abigail asserted.

E.J. and Abigail's backs were to the door when the person outside pushed it open. Putting his arm around Abigail, E.J. assured her that what she'd said wasn't true. Abigail countered, "You took advantage of me, E.J. Just admit it."

In the study at the DiMera mansion, Stefano said that it was only a matter of time before Daniel's investigation uncovered Dr. Chyka's name and compromised Kristen. "Do you want me to kill Doctor Jonas?" asked Ricardo, Stefano's henchman. Annoyed, Stefano pointed out that Dr. Jonas had saved the lives of both of Stefano's sons. "Something might happen to him that is very bad -- but not by my hands," Stefano explained.

Stefano was listening to Wagner's "Ride of the Valkyries" when Ricardo returned with Dr. Chyka a little later. Stefano asserted that Dr. Chyka's last job was unfinished. "Is there a problem?" Chyka asked. "A big one. His name is Doctor Daniel Jonas," Stefano said. He explained that he could make any information at the hospital disappear.

Chyka asked about samples that Dr. Jonas might have at home, as well as the doctor's personal computer. Stefano declared that it was Chyka's problem. "Thanks to you, my daughter's problem is worse than it already was. So for her sake and for yours, tie up these loose ends. Do it now," Stefano commanded.

At the hospital, Daniel was making phone calls to the doctors on his list when there was a knock at the door. Brady entered as Daniel was hiding the contents of the file. Brady apologized profusely for beating Daniel up when Daniel had been trying to help him -- and for lying when he'd apologized to Daniel before. "I'm bad news. I don't deserve your friendship," Brady said. Daniel countered that the reverse had sometimes been true, as well.

"I'm humiliated about the way I treated you, man, and I don't just owe you an apology. I'm not exaggerating when I tell you I owe you my life," Brady declared. Daniel thanked Brady for both his words and his actions. Brady acknowledged that he understood why Daniel didn't trust him, noting that Daniel had just been working on something that he hadn't wanted Brady to see. Daniel explained, "That's not even about you. I thought it was actually Stefano coming in." Daniel clarified, "He knows that I'm going to prove that Kristen drugged Eric -- and I just about have what I need."

In Nicole's office at the television station, Eric admitted on-camera that his biggest regret in the ordeal with Kristen was that he had hurt a dear friend very deeply. Perturbed, Nicole shut off the camera. She angrily asserted that Eric couldn't use the interview as a confessional to reflect on his mistakes; he should stick to the narrative that he had been a blameless victim of Kristen's manipulation -- otherwise the interview would be useless.

"That's not what's bugging you, is it, about what I said?" Eric asked. He apologized if his telling the whole truth and revealing his biggest regret had dredged up painful feelings for Nicole. Eric added quietly that he wished he could have that moment back so that he could undo it. Changing the subject, Nicole announced that she'd gotten enough footage and could edit out Eric's last remarks. She suggested that Eric go to the hospital to learn what Daniel had found out in the lab.

Eric wondered how long Nicole and Daniel could keep their relationship a secret. "Don't you think people are bound to notice eventually? Because when you're in love, it's really hard to pretend you're not," Eric pointed out. He asked Nicole if she were really happy, and she assured him that she was. She admitted that she didn't really want to talk about Daniel because things between them were still new. Eric declared that Nicole deserved a great life.

After Eric left, Nicole sat down at the computer to watch the interview footage. When Brady arrived, she quickly paused the video. "I just came from seeing Daniel, and you are number two on my apology tour," Brady explained, adding that he was sorry for all the "vile stuff" he'd said on New Year's Eve. Nicole reminded him that he'd already apologized. Brady clarified that even though Nicole had been a great friend, he had wanted to take someone along on his "misery train."

Brady noticed that Nicole had been working on her interview with Eric. After subtly making sure that Brady couldn't see the screen, Nicole asked if Eric were next on Brady's apology tour. When Brady hesitated, Nicole wanted to know what the problem was. Brady reminded Nicole that he had said the stuff about Kristen to hurt Eric. "But that's not what you really thought," Nicole concluded -- but when Brady paused again, she firmly reminded him that what had happened between Eric and Kristen had not been consensual.

Brady hedged that although he and Eric had talked, Brady thought that they should keep their distance. Nicole was incredulous that Brady seemed to think Eric had done something wrong. Brady argued that Eric might have been a priest, but he was also a man. "Maybe Kristen wasn't the first person he wanted to wind up in bed with, anyway," Brady added, pointing out how often Nicole jumped to Eric's defense.

Nicole declared that Brady had crossed a line. Brady reminded her that he knew her very well. Nicole argued that after Eric had accused her of drugging and raping him, she could no longer see him in the same way. Brady wondered why Nicole was still trying to help Eric clear his name. "For the same reasons as Daniel: we want justice," Nicole insisted. Brady contended that he recognized addiction when he saw it -- and Nicole was looking for any excuse to be around Eric. "Problem is, once you get him back into that collar, it's cold turkey time," Brady said.

When Eric arrived at Daniel's office, Daniel divulged, "It looks like you were given three different designer drugs with a litany of side effects, man. [...] You're lucky you recovered as quickly as you did." Daniel added that a DNA lab in Boston was going to finish the analysis to determine the exact makeup of the compound he'd found. "We are so close, Eric. Once we prove what Kristen did to you, I predict you are going to be back at St. Luke's in no time," Daniel declared.

As Eric was leaving Daniel's office, he almost ran into Dr. Chyka in the doorway. "Can I help you?" Daniel asked Chyka. "I'm counting on it," Chyka replied.