EPISODE: 10,431
DIRECTED BY: Jim Baffico
TAPE DATE: 10/2/06

A little show down at Sami’s apartment; Kayla and Steve are still in quarantine as the family watches and talks to each other; Bo and John bring Abe in on what they’ve learned; and Will (despite all that hair on his head) grows up and smartens up.

SAMI’S APARTMENT
Sami prepares for a romantic evening wearing a gold camisole and soft music. EJ arrives bearing a bottle of Burgandy and questions how her head is doing after Chez Rouge, but she says a gallon of water and a nice shower helped. She tells him how hurt and surprised she was to find her sister and mother getting married there without her and her father and Kate were their witnesses. EJ rationalizes if she were Carrie, would SHE want her there or knowing how she feels about John, can she blame Marlena for not wanting her there either. Sami agrees, reluctantly, and they kiss. We return to them in smooch mode as EJ pulls her onto the couch where they sit. She asks him to slow down and let them take their time. He apologizes and admits loving romance, but they always get interrupted and it usually costs him money…citing the cheese in the car incident.

KATE’S SUITE
Kate arrives back to her suite to tell Lucas about Carrie and Austin getting married and how Sami tried to ruin the festivities. Carrie and Austin didn’t let her bother them, had gotten married and left Salem already. She continues to berate Sami, asking how Lucas could put up with the “low life gutter snipe” when Will finally emerges from the bedroom and tells Granny Kate “stop it, I’m not going to let you talk about my mom like that”..(well hallelujah and strike up the band..the kid does have SOME allegiance to his mom!) Kate apologizes after Will said he still loves his mom despite all she’s done. He tells Lucas the same…she’s his mom and he really loves her. Kate steps outside the door eavesdropping as she hears Will tell his father that he’s tired of moving from place to place and wants some stability. He tells Lucas he knows how much he loves his mom and moving out was the dumbest move they probably ever made. He asks if they can try to be a family again as we see Kate shaking her head no silently. Will says they don’t have to necessarily live together, but can’t they at least be civil with each other so the rest of their lives they can live in peace? Lucas agrees to offer an olive branch and Kate comes out of the bedroom ranting they can’t do that. Lucas calls her on eavesdropping again as they banter. Lucas mentions maybe they can be friends and Will’s excited about having his parents civil to each other. Lucas warns him that he and Sami both drive each other crazy and Will might get that way too from their fall out, but Will reminds his father he’s a teenager and his parents are suppose to make him crazy, LOL. It’s better all around for them to be close to Sami and Lucas agrees. Will suggests they go to see her right now and Lucas readily agrees (sorry Kate :-P) She picks up the phone to call EJ after Lucas and Will leave.

SALEM UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL
Caroline and Frankie chat outside Kayla and Steve’s ICU room, hoping the antidote works. Frankie urges Caroline to go take a break and get something to eat while he stands guard. Max arrives, asking for an update. Stephanie wheels in asking for an update. Frankie and Max both tell her to go back to her room and relax, saying her parents are in quarantine and allowed no visitors. She agrees and pauses when Max asks if she wants him to help her back, but she tells him she can function solo. He replies he’ll be there in five minutes to check on her. After she wheels off, Frankie sensed the tension and asks Max what’s up. Max tells him he’s going to “break it off” with her when the time is right. He admits using Stephanie to get Chelsea off his back and now feels bad and has to break it off. Frankie tells him to tell Stephanie now, but Max can’t with her in a wheelchair and her parents hanging on for dear life. Frankie knows Max and how he plays the field and insists he tell her now, but Max says this is different and he really cares about her. Frankie repeats, tell her now and goes to check on Ma.

Max walks in and tells Stephanie her parents have a great team of doctors. She tells him she’s glad she’s not having to go through this alone as she reaches out for his hand and he takes it for a minute, looking down at her smiling up at him. He pulls over a stool and decides not to tell her the truth. He leaves to go to the garage. Frankie pops in and is looking for Max. She tells him he went back to the garage, but sensed he was just getting away from her. She asks Frankie if Max said anything to him about her and knows that Max was trying to break up with her the other day. She has enough uncertainty in her life right now and doesn’t want to waste energy worrying about a guy who doesn’t care about her. She begs him to level with her. The unknown is harder than the truth (ain’t that the truth!) Frankie may be lawyer, but stumbles with what to say about personal issues. Stephanie realizes what he’s not saying and asks for time alone, so he leaves. Stephanie tosses the bear saying BE MINE in the trash that Max gave her.

Frankie returns to Ma and Pa for an update. H e tells them he’s going to return to Washington DC when things are calmer. Pop knows he lost Jennifer. He reminds him how he saved Jack's life and seeing him again has added 10 years to his own (Pop’s) life and he’s a good, decent man and a good example to his brother Max. They hug. The doctor steps outside, apologizing for closing the blinds. The antidote isn’t working and he says he’s called and talked to everyone he can for help with another antidote. Frankie offers to call around and Caroline breaks down when she’s not given much hope of their recovery.

John (still in his wedding suit) and Bo brainstorm at the hospital. They talk about EJ and how he’s wormed his way into their lives and then Patrick’s name comes up. John stops Bo for taking off after Patrick’s name is mentioned, saying he’s not letting him go anywhere right now. John stresses they must use caution to approach proving EJ and Patrick’s involvement. John decides to take off (Marlena awaits ;-) ?) and asks Bo to call him with updates. Pop Shawn arrives, looking stressed. He asks about Caroline and as he goes to check the cafeteria, Bo asks for his advice on something first. He asks Pop a scenario about a hypothetical situation if a cop should bring a bad guy in, no matter what. Pop Shawn has been popping his ginkgo apparently as he asks if this hypothetical cop has been suspended from the force. Love the “busted” look on Bo’s face! Wise pop reminds him of his analogy that if one player on a team cheats, everyone will think the whole team is cheating. Bo thanks Pop twice for the sage advice and goes to make a call on the wall phone when Caroline returns. He calls John and asks him to meet him at the station so they can tell Abe what’s going on, saying he was right about that.

COP SHOP
John arrives first and calmly tells Abe that he and Bo have investigated what’s going on and it’s because of Bo’s persistence that they might have found out who’s behind the “whole damn thing”. Bo arrives and Abe pulls them into his office. He tells Bo that John has filled him in, but he wants to hear Bo’s side of it, warning him that Bo didn’t follow orders and he’s about to toss him off the force!!! John asks Abe to cut Bo some slack and says he’s followed the book so far. They tell him that EJ Wells is Patrick’s contact. Abe is shocked saying EJ is rich and donates half his profits to charity. John explains without going into “details” that he acquired, er, borrowed his cell phone and was able to obtain his recent call history. They found he made over a dozen calls to EJ and asks why else he would call him? Abe admits the glove was traced to a manufacturer in Florence, Italy and are rarely imported. Only one store in Salem carries them and his officers are going through that store’s records now. Bo asks if they can continue the case then? Abe tells them to be careful and tells John to fill Bo in on what North tried to do to him. Bo remembers when Sami came in with the envelope for him to fingerprint and EJ was with her. He tells John about it and the unexpected set of prints on it belonged to EJ Wells.


BACK AT THE ICU
Pop Shawn and Caroline stand outside Kayla and Steve’s ICU room when someone enters the room wearing a hazmat suit and headcover. The person closes the blinds so no one can look in.

MAX’S GARAGE
Max returns and fills Abby in about the antidote for Kayla and Steve. She asks about how Stephanie is doing and he says she’s having a tough time. Abby remembers how hard it was waiting for her dad’s miracle drug to work and feels for her. She knows Max will make things easier for Stephanie, but he doesn’t agree. Max reminds her they only were on one date before the accident (yeah, so what’s this “breaking up” deal…???) He really cares about Stephanie, but doesn’t see any long term relationship. He admits not telling her yet due to what’s happening. Abby apologizes for getting that gift for him considering this and he says he doesn’t hate her (when she asks) for her doing that. She tells him he’s a good guy and he thanks her. He’s happy he hired her. The counseling wasn’t part of her job description, but he appreciates it.

BACK TO SAMI’S
We find EJ getting Sami warmed up as his cell rings. He turns it off as he and Sami lean back on the couch. Someone knocks on the door and when Will calls out to “Mom”, Sami pushes EJ off her as they both button up again. She figures Will’s there to rant about what she did at Chez Rouge. They hurriedly get themselves put together and she opens the door to ask Lucas what the hell they’re doing there. If they came to yell about what she did, get it over with and leave. Lucas understands what she did, citing she knows how he feels about Carrie and Austin. He tells her both he and Will had a change of heart and should be united for Will’s sake as long as they don’t get emotionally involved. EJ’s not happy about this and tells her that she and her son can be close without Lucas around. EJ and Will go head to head as Will doesn’t like EJ’s attitude and says he wants some time with his mom and asks EJ to leave. EJ flutters his eyes at a confused Sami, asking what SHE wants. She asks EJ to leave and he gets defensive. She says they’re her family. He tells her to make a choice…him or Lucas and Will? (duh, BIG decision there, huh?)...as the previews roll....

ABE TO LEXIE: Unless you give me a reason not to, I will stand by you forever.
LEXIE: I love you so much!

SHAWN TO BELLE: If I have to get a lawyer to see my daughter, I will. And if you push me too far, I’ll sue for full custody.
BELLE gulps.

Lucas trying to get back in the suite and the chain is on. He calls out to Kate that it’s him and Will and asks what’s going on. We see Kate putting a finger over EJ’s lips to keep him silent as they’re on the other side of the door.

SAMI to BO: What’s this about?
BO: I need you to talk to me about EJ Wells..

As the credits roll…Linda