At Bo and Hope's house, Hope tried to call Ciara again. Hope admitted that she was worried that something might have happened to the kids. Bo pointed out that Ciara might have forgotten to turn her phone on. Bo assured Hope that everything was going to be all right. Bo apologetically stated that he needed to check in with Roman; Hope promised that she would be okay by herself.

After Bo left, Julie arrived at the house and assured Hope that Ciara would be fine. Hope sighed and admitted that it was nice to be with someone who was so certain that everything was going to be all right. Julie said that it would have been easy for someone to lose their faith if they had been through everything that Hope had been through. "Sometimes it's difficult to believe again...to find your faith again...so please, take some of mine. I truly believe that Grandma and Grandpa...and our mother and Zack...are up there watching over Ciara and Theo," Julie said.

Julie said that her prayers for Hope had been answered. Julie stated that she was confident that their prayers for Ciara and Theo would be answered, too. Later, Julie excused herself so that she could prepare a meal for Hope. Hope stepped outside and looked up at the sky; she prayed that Ciara would return home before the sun had set.

In the woods, Ciara regained consciousness; she told Theo that her head hurt. Theo forgot that he had been holding the phone in his hand; as he tried to help Ciara to her feet, the phone fell to the ground. Ciara reiterated that the rock had hurt her head. Theo said that he was scared, but Ciara insisted that she would be okay. Theo said that he was going to call his father.

Theo realized that he had lost Ciara's phone. Theo looked around the campsite and found the phone, but the battery had fallen out of it. Ciara said that the phone had been broken. Ciara tossed the phone into the woods and assured Theo that they would be fine without it. Later, Ciara realized that they were almost out of cookies.

At the hospital, Stefano and Kate learned that Theo and Ciara had run away from home. Lexie explained that Ciara had believed that she had caused Bo and Hope's marriage to fall apart. Stefano angrily asked why Ciara had chosen to drag Theo along with her. Kate warned Stefano that his anger would only make the situation worse. Abe excused himself so that he could check in with Roman at the police station.

Stefano asked if he could talk to Abe privately. "Katherine's right -- we shouldn't upset Alexandra -- but...you tell Roman that if anything happens to my grandson because of that screwed-up little girl, I'm gonna hold Bo and Hope personally responsible," Stefano vowed. Abe sarcastically stated that stupid threats were exactly what the situation had called for. After Abe left, Lexie wondered what Stefano had said to Abe. Stefano claimed that he had wished Abe luck, but Lexie wasn't convinced.

"So now you are upset with me? My grandson is missing, and now you are giving me grief about what I am talking to your husband about? Who, by the way, is always condescending and cold, and he talks to me as if I'm a two-year-old jerk!" Stefano snapped. Lexie said that she knew that Stefano had been throwing his weight around and barking orders at Abe. Stefano defensively stated that he was just concerned about his grandson.

"I get that, but your grandson's father doesn't need you acting like you care more than he does, all right? So how about you think about someone other than yourself, just once? Just start treating my husband with respect, and do not turn this into the freaking Stefano DiMera Show!" Lexie exclaimed. Stefano sighed and said that he knew that Lexie was upset. Lexie sarcastically wondered what had given Stefano that impression. Stefano insisted that he had talked to Abe in a calm manner, and that he had not even raised his voice.

Stefano suggested that Theo should have been kept away from Ciara because she had been a bad influence on Theo. Lexie pointed out that Stefano would not have said that if Ciara had been his grandchild. Lexie explained that Ciara had run away because she had blamed herself for the problems that Bo and Hope had been having. Stefano reiterated that Ciara should not have gotten Theo involved. Lexie said that Stefano needed to show some compassion; Stefano stated that there would be plenty of time for compassion after Theo had been found.

"You know, Theodore comes from a stable home; you are a stable mother. If Ciara feels that she has to run away because of her whack-job mother, she does not have to take my grandson with her!" Stefano snapped as Victor walked in and overheard Stefano's rant. Victor grabbed his phone and announced that he would handle the situation. "Okay, listen to me, both of you. If you're going to insist on handling this situation the same way you always handle every situation that you have no control over, fine...but go outside, go away from here to do it. You can bray and you can posture in the parking lot," Kate said.

At the Brady Pub, Roman informed Bo that Abe had ordered an Amber Alert. Bo apologized to Abe for what had happened. Bo said that he was certain that they were going to find the kids and that Ciara and Theo would be all right. Bo admitted that he was concerned about Hope. Abe offered to help Roman with the search himself so that Bo could stay with Hope.

Bo explained that he didn't want Hope to think that he had been babysitting her. Bo said that Hope knew that he was not the kind of guy who would just sit by the phone and wait for information. Bo stated that he had wanted to show Hope that he was confident that she could handle the situation on her own.

Back at the hospital, Victor apologized to Lexie. Stefano promised Kate that he would try to be more sensitive when he was around Lexie. Stefano added that he was going to continue to do everything in his power to help his grandson. Bo walked into the waiting area as Victor and Stefano started to place calls to their various contacts. "They're pulling them out so we can see who has the bigger phone," Kate explained. Bo told Stefano and Victor to put their phones away because they were going to handle the search his way.

Bo said that he did not want anyone to learn that the missing kids were related to Stefano and Victor. "Because as you know, that would make things much worse. And I don't want your employees helping out. Amateurs almost always move too quickly; that would muck things up. Bottom line -- the two of you do nothing," Bo said. Stefano insisted that he did not have to listen to Bo. Lexie warned Stefano and Victor to back off and follow Bo's instructions. Bo promised Victor and Stefano that he would find the kids.

At the Cheatin' Heart, Chloe ordered another martini. Melanie and Daniel entered the bar; when they saw Chloe, Melanie suggested that they should have gone to the Brady Pub instead. Daniel told Melanie that she could go to the pub, and he would catch up with her later. "Please don't do this. Go to the shelter, get a puppy, but don't do this, please," Melanie begged Daniel. Daniel ignored Melanie's request and walked over to Chloe's table.

Daniel asked how Parker had been doing. Chloe said that Philip had been taking care of Parker. "So I thought having a couple martinis would be a nice way to pass the time. It's just a shot in the dark, but I think maybe you don't approve of my decision," Chloe drunkenly stated. Daniel reminded Chloe that she was in a public place; Daniel wondered what Chloe would have done if a social worker had walked into the bar. Chloe jokingly stated that their social worker probably was not the type of person who frequented bars.

"Can you just not look at me, okay? Just hate me from afar," Chloe said as Daniel stared at her in disbelief. "What are you doing, honey? Just throwing in the towel -- is that it? Your son needs you, and your big idea is to just imitate Nicole?" Daniel asked. Chloe pointed out that everyone believed that Parker was going to be better off without her in his life. Before Daniel could respond, Melanie walked over and warned Daniel that a confrontation with Chloe would only make matters worse -- for Chloe and for Daniel. Chloe jokingly stated that Melanie wasn't always wrong.

Daniel poured the contents of Chloe's martini glass onto the floor, then he stormed out of the bar. Chloe jokingly quoted Casablanca, but Melanie wasn't amused. Melanie said that Chloe had been playing right into Kate's hand. Melanie said that Chloe needed to think about Parker. Chloe rolled her eyes and ordered another drink.

"I don't even know why I try; drink yourself into oblivion, Chloe," Melanie said. Chloe said that she would try her best to do that. After Melanie left, Chloe called Kate. Kate said that she wasn't in the mood to talk to Chloe. Chloe called Kate a "bitch" and warned her not to hang up the phone; meanwhile, Kate opened a nearby notebook and reached for a tape recorder that had been tucked inside.

At Sami and Rafe's apartment, Gabi and Will confronted Rafe. Fake Rafe told Gabi and Will to think of his leave of absence as a sabbatical. Gabi pointed out that a sabbatical implied that Rafe was going to return at some point. Dario walked into the apartment and said that he wasn't surprised that Rafe had decided to bail on his family. "You got a wife, and you say you care about her kids. You have a dead sister whose murderer is walking free with a knife that he likes putting up to women's throats. You don't do anything about it," Dario said.

Dario told Gabi about the person who had threatened Melanie's life. Dario said that they had told Rafe about the attack and Rafe had refused to help them. "Yeah, well, must be great to be you, then. Know all the answers, figured out everything in life -- must be why you're so successful. Great jobs, great relationships, sleeping on your brother's couch, taking the bus 'cause you can't afford a car," fake Rafe told Dario. Will stared at Rafe in disbelief; Gabi demanded to know why Rafe had refused to do anything about the man who had killed Arianna.

Fake Rafe claimed that he had handed the case off to another cop. Fake Rafe warned Dario not to question Rafe's love for Arianna. Gabi said that Arianna would have hated the way that Rafe had treated Dario. "Save your breath, Gabriella...that's not Rafe. That's some self-righteous jerk that looks like him," Dario said. Fake Rafe smirked and walked out of the apartment.

Gabi told Dario to go after Rafe, but Dario refused. Dario said that Rafe had made his own decision. Dario excused himself so that he could help Melanie search for Arianna's killer; outside the apartment, Dario sank to the floor in pain over the way that things had ended with his brother. After Dario left, Gabi wondered if Will was going to tell Sami about what had happened. Will sighed and said that he hoped that Sami would never have to find out about what had happened.

Daniel asked Melanie to meet him at the pier. When Melanie arrived at the pier, she nervously suggested that they should eat at the hospital cafeteria where it would be warmer. Daniel wondered if Melanie was all right. Melanie reluctantly admitted that Arianna's killer had threatened her. Melanie explained that Dario had appeared and chased the man away. Daniel sighed and muttered that he wasn't surprised that Dario had been involved.

Daniel wondered if they had told Rafe about the encounter. Melanie said that Rafe had blown them off. Melanie insisted that she wasn't going to rescind the offer that she had made for information about Arianna's death. Before Daniel could respond, he received a call from the hospital and reluctantly excused himself. Melanie assured her father that she would be fine by herself. Later, someone walked up behind Melanie and placed their hand on her shoulder.

At the psychiatric hospital, Rafe's doctor told Rafe that he was going to be allowed to go to Arts and Crafts class. Later, Rafe reached into his sock and grabbed some markers that he had smuggled out of the class. Rafe removed the ink cartridges from the markers and dumped them into the sink. Meanwhile, fake Rafe met Roman at the Brady Pub and announced that he was going to take a leave of absence; Roman refused to approve it.

Down on the pier, Melanie sat on a bench as Dario walked up behind her and put his hand on her shoulder. Startled, Melanie turned around and maced Dario. Dario cried out in pain, and Melanie rushed to the pub nearby to get a towel soaked in milk. Melanie placed the towel on Dario's eyes and warned him not to touch his face. As the pain subsided, Dario complained about the mace, but Melanie justified her reaction by noting that she had been attacked on the pier twice.

Dario called Melanie a mess and warned her that the investigation into the hit-and-run was too dangerous. Dario advised Melanie to abandon the investigation. With a sigh, Melanie countered that because she had offered a reward, she was a target, whether she liked it or not. "Arianna was my best friend, and I'm tired of losing the people I love," Melanie said sadly.

At Melanie and Daniel's apartment, Melanie's assailant sneaked in through the window. The assailant crept into the hall closet as Melanie returned home. After Melanie took a bath, she returned to the living room and lay down on the couch with a book. The lights went out, and a startled Melanie called out, "Who's there?"

At the Cheatin' Heart, a drunk Chloe talked to Kate on the phone. Slurring her words, Chloe ranted at Kate, blaming Kate for attempting to kill her. Exploiting the situation, Kate pulled out a tape recorder and recorded the phone conversation. Kate provoked Chloe into admitting that she would take Parker away from his family if Kate turned Philip against her. "I'm not going to let you do to my son what you did to yours. I'll kill you first," Chloe said.

At the Kiriakis mansion, Philip talked to a representative from the family court. Philip assured the man that Chloe was doing much better mentally. As Chloe was not at the mansion, the man warned Philip that Chloe would need to prove that she was mentally stable, since she had almost killed Parker when she left him on the pier the night of her attempted suicide.

Suppressing a smile, Kate walked into the Kiriakis mansion with the tape recorder to find Philip alone with Parker in the living room. Philip warned Kate that he did not want to hear Kate talk about Chloe, but a determined Kate played the recording despite Philip's protestations. Stunned, Philip stared at Kate in disbelief. When Chloe returned to the mansion, Kate excused herself and left. Philip confronted Chloe about the recording and played it for her.

At the hospital, Stefano advised his henchman Max to send out all his men to search for Theo. As Max walked away, Vivian asked Stefano what was wrong. Stefano explained about Theo, and Vivian offered her condolences. Stefano accepted Vivian's statement as sincere and thanked her for the concern. When Vivian joked about Kate, a gruff Stefano apologized for believing for a moment that Vivian was human.

After Stefano left the hospital, Gus found Vivian standing in the hallway and informed her that he had dropped off the DNA evidence at the lab downstairs. Gus picked up the results and learned that there was evidence of a person that was not in the DNA database. Curious, Vivian and Gus agreed that they needed to match the results against another database so that they could determine who the DiMeras were holding prisoner in the mansion basement.

When Stefano returned to the mansion, a former associate named Troy confronted him on his porch. Fresh out of prison, Troy reminded Stefano that he had gone to jail for running drugs for E.J. When Stefano ordered Troy to leave, Troy warned Stefano that he would cause trouble. Unnerved, Stefano dismissed Troy and went in the house.

At the Brady Pub, Roman refused to grant Rafe leave from the police force. When faux Rafe mentioned Sami, Roman explained that he was ordering Rafe to stay in town because Ciara and Theo were missing. Faux Rafe declined to assist in the search for the missing children. With a shake of his head, an angry Roman noted that Rafe was cold. "You were never the man we thought you were," Roman said tersely before leaving the pub.

Stefano arrived at the pub and faux Rafe told Stefano that he was sorry to hear about Theo. Faux Rafe offered to take part in the search, but Stefano declined his help. Stefano handed a photo to faux Rafe and ordered him to "take care of" the guy in the photo before faux Rafe left town. After Stefano left the pub, faux Rafe crumpled up the photo and grunted, "Yeah, like I'm gonna deal with this guy."

Faux Rafe thought about pushing Fay down the stairs and admitted that he was sorry he had needed to kill Fay. "It'll just be our little secret," faux Rafe muttered to himself. Faux Rafe picked up the crumpled photo and noted that he would take care of the man in the photo before leaving town to retire with the DiMera payoff he had received.

At the funeral home in Chicago, the minister informed Nicole and Taylor that he needed their letters to bury with their mother's ashes. After an awkward moment where the minister mistook Taylor for E.J.'s wife, E.J. and the minister went to talk to the funeral director, leaving a tense Nicole alone with Taylor. Concerned, Taylor asked Nicole why she was shutting out E.J. When Nicole scoffed at the notion, an emotional Taylor cried out about how lucky Nicole was to have someone help her through the death of their mother. "Do you know how much I would give to have what you have?" Taylor yelped. With a softness in her voice, Nicole reminded Taylor that she had her sister to support her.

When E.J. returned, he informed Nicole and Taylor that the limo was ready to leave for the cemetery. Frustrated about what to write in her letter, Nicole begged E.J. for more time. The minister recommended that Taylor and E.J. take the limo to the cemetery and said that he would stay behind to assist Nicole with her letter.

Frustrated about how to write out what she felt, Nicole turned to the minister for guidance. Nicole confided in the minister that her mother had learned a secret about the DiMera family. Nicole admitted that she was scared and worried that the DiMera family had done something to Rafe. "No wonder your mother was so concerned about you," the minister said kindly. Nicole fretted about whether to risk investigating E.J.'s secret or let her suspicions go and keep her family. Unsure, Nicole called the loft and was surprised when Dario answered. Dario informed Nicole that Rafe had left town and might never return.

In the limo, a visibly shaken Taylor reminded E.J. that she had sworn to Fay that she would stay away from E.J. Taylor admitted that since Fay had died, there was no longer a reason for her to be in Salem and that she intended to leave town after the funeral. E.J. advised Taylor not to leave her sister, but Taylor argued that she noticed the tension between E.J. and Nicole and did not want to be the reason that their marriage faltered. Feeling guilty, Taylor accused E.J. of not caring about his wife's feelings.

"You really think it doesn't bother me to lie to a woman that loves me? That it doesn't bother me that I might rob my children of the hands that tucks them into bed at night?" E.J. asked incredulously. Overcome with emotion, E.J. poured out his heart and explained that he was upset that he could not be with Taylor as she struggled with the death of her mother. As Taylor and E.J. looked into one another's tear-filled eyes, the limo swerved and crashed.

At the hospital, Carly stepped out of surgery to remove her mask and gloves, and take a pill. Afterwards, she told the other surgeon in the operating room that she would return after she scrubbed in again.

Later, the other surgeon noted that it was amazing how Carly had been able to step away, take a few deep breaths, and return to surgery. After the surgery, Carly tried to take another pill, but was stunned to find that the bottle was empty. "I took all of these?" she asked herself. "I don't need these things anyway. I'm gonna go home and get some sleep."

Daniel and Maxine couldn't help but overhear as Jennifer ordered a pizza to thank someone for helping her. When she hung up, Jennifer grabbed some balloons to deliver to help talk a city council member into backing a grant for the hospital's pediatric oncology center. Maxine and Daniel agreed that Jennifer never took "no" for an answer.

Later, Jennifer literally bumped into Daniel near the nurses' station. Jennifer tried to arrange for Daniel and Carly to attend a classical music concert together. Daniel feigned disappointment when he was paged for emergency surgery.

When Carly emerged from the locker room, Jennifer asked if Carly wanted to attend the concert. Carly maintained that she was too exhausted after having spent all day in surgery.

Jennifer was disappointed, but she relayed the "good news" to Daniel. While the two of them were talking, Hope called to tell Jennifer that Ciara and Theo had run away. Jennifer urged her cousin to remain positive, and then filled Daniel in. Daniel tried to calm down his upset colleague, but Jennifer was beside herself with worry. Daniel agreed to go with Jennifer to the Brady Pub for the search party meeting.

Carly sat in the park and chided herself for her pill habit. Maxine walked by and filled Carly in about Theo and Ciara's disappearance, and revealed that there was a meeting at the Brady Pub to organize search parties. After Maxine had gone, a distraught Carly wanted to help Bo, but then realized with dismay that it wasn't her place anymore. She fought the shakes, telling herself that she couldn't let Bo or Ciara see her like that, but her hands still shook uncontrollably. "I can do this -- I just need a little help," Carly said.

After Fay's funeral, Nicole called Sami and Rafe's loft. Dario informed Nicole that Rafe had left town, and he didn't know why. After she hung up, Nicole wondered, "Mom said E.J. has a secret. I heard E.J. say it was about Rafe. Rafe left town. What the hell is going on?" The minister informed Nicole that it was almost time to leave for the cemetery. Nicole confided that she didn't know what she would do without Taylor.

After the minister had left again, Nicole noticed that Taylor had not sealed the letter she'd written to place with Fay's ashes. She slid the letter out of the envelope and began to read, "Dear Mom, I'll never forgive myself for disappointing you -- and I know I did, because I know you could tell what was going on in my heart right before I lost you forever. I never meant for any of it to happen, Mom." Nicole wondered aloud what Taylor meant. The minister returned, and Nicole admitted that she was still working on her letter. She left to try to catch up with E.J. and Taylor.

In the limo, E.J. and Taylor had been knocked unconscious in an accident. E.J. awakened first, and grabbed Taylor to see if she were all right. When Taylor didn't respond, E.J. shouted for the driver to call for help. After a few moments, Taylor moaned and opened her eyes, to E.J.'s utter relief. He kissed her head thankfully. Taylor realized that her leg was caught on something, but E.J. urged her to stay calm and let him take care of her.

While E.J. was struggling to get free from the back seat, the driver yelled through the damaged window that his cell phone had been destroyed in the accident. E.J. shouted that Taylor was trapped, so the driver promised to go for help. After the driver had gone, Taylor encouraged E.J. to get out of there, but he vowed not to leave her. He admitted that he'd feared she was dead for a moment, and he'd realized that he couldn't help but love her.

Despite her obvious reluctance, Taylor kissed E.J. She pulled away after a moment, but E.J. exhorted her, "Could you just one time just kiss me without telling me to stop? I think I'd like that." Taylor agreed, "God help me, so would I." They kissed again, more urgently -- while outside, Nicole approached the limo, upset to see the vehicle wrecked.

On the pier, Kate gloated to herself about how she'd helped Chloe "dig her own grave." Victor walked by and wondered why Kate seemed so pleased with herself. Kate hinted that he should simply head home to find out.

At the Kiriakis mansion, a drunk Chloe was horrified at the realization that Kate had recorded their phone conversation. Philip demanded to know whether what Kate had recorded was actually what Chloe had said, and Chloe admitted that it was. A defensive Chloe tried to explain that Kate had goaded her into saying something she hadn't meant. Philip asserted that Chloe always tried to make people feel sorry for her when things didn't go her way -- even when he had bent over backwards to help her.

Chloe acknowledged that she shouldn't have mixed alcohol with her medication. Philip pointed out that his parents and Vivian had always used him to get back at each other -- and he could not allow Chloe to do the same thing with Parker. He added that she couldn't stand by while Chloe put her moods before her child's needs, so he was going to try to make a new start for him and his son -- somewhere other than Salem.

Soon, Philip returned from upstairs, carrying Parker. Chloe sobbed that she would die without her son. Philip pointed out that Chloe had tried to commit suicide without making sure that Parker had been taken care of -- and besides, Social Services had given Philip custody. Victor returned home, and eavesdropped as Philip assured Chloe that she would always know where Parker was. Philip handed the baby to Chloe, who only wept harder at having to tell her son goodbye.

"You can't take him away from me -- he's all I have!" Chloe cried. Philip ordered her to kiss Parker goodbye. Chloe implored him not to take her son away from her, and Victor decided to enter at that moment. "The only reason you've seen as much of Parker as you have is because of Philip's generosity and kindness," Victor declared, and urged Chloe to do as Philip said. Chloe reluctantly kissed Parker's head, and handed the boy back to Philip.

Victor was stunned when Philip explained that he and Parker would be staying in Chicago for a while. Victor stroked his grandson's cheek, and then walked Philip out. Chloe sobbed harder when Philip closed the door behind him. Victor deduced that Chloe had threatened to disappear with Parker, and that had precipitated Philip and Parker leaving.

Chloe blamed Victor, Kate, and Philip for everything -- but reminded Victor that she was Parker's mother. Victor growled that Chloe was nothing more than a tramp -- and ordered her to leave the mansion immediately. Chloe left tearfully but willingly. "Parker is never going to forget me, and he is going to hate you one day for doing this to me," she asserted from the doorstep. Unmoved, Victor slammed the door in Chloe's face.

Philip took Parker to the DiMera mansion to say goodbye to Kate. Kate was sad that Philip and Parker were leaving town, but Philip maintained that he needed time to think, and to focus only on his son for a while. He added that Kate had to deal with the consequences of what she had put in motion. "I walked out on one son; I'm not going to do that again," Philip declared. "I'm going to be the best father I can be to Parker."

Kate admitted, "You're going to give Parker so much more than I ever gave to you." Philip embraced his mother. "We may have had our problems, but I always knew you loved me -- and I love you. That won't change, no matter were I'm at," Philip assured Kate. A tearful Kate made him promise to send pictures of Parker every day. Philip then wheeled Parker's stroller out, and Kate wistfully watched the two of them leave.

At Daniel's apartment, a masked man waited in the closet while Melanie changed into more comfortable clothing and then flopped down on the couch. Suddenly, the lights went out, and Melanie demanded in the darkness, "Who's there?" She grabbed a flashlight to check out the circuit breakers, but as soon as she'd gotten the lights back on, the masked man attacked her. He maintained that Melanie should have kept her mouth shut.

"You're the guy [who] killed Arianna, aren't you?" she asked. The masked man declared that Melanie would be next. Melanie managed to grab her pepper spray, and squirted it into her assailant's face. Furious, he promised to find her -- and kill her. While the assailant wiped at his eyes with a towel, Melanie bashed him over the head with a vase. She made a break for the door, but he caught up with her.

Dario arrived just in time to rescue Melanie and fight off her assailant. Dario knocked the masked man unconscious, and then made sure that Melanie was all right. He pulled off the man's mask, and Melanie realized that she had seen her assailant before. Dario called the police, and then asked how Melanie recognized the man. Melanie couldn't answer, and sank down onto the couch, clearly upset. Trying to calm her, Dario pulled her head onto his shoulder.

At the hospital, Carly struggled to control her nerves. Gordon greeted Carly and wondered why she had returned to the hospital. Carly claimed that she had wanted to know if Ciara and Theo had been found. Gordon told Carly to go home and get some rest; he assured Carly that he would call her if anything happened before her next shift.

After Gordon left, Carly rushed off to the drug dispensary. Carly recalled an intimate moment that she had witnessed between Bo and Hope. "Can't find Ciara if I can't concentrate," Carly muttered as she rummaged through the shelves of medication. On the other side of the door, Gordon called out to Carly and asked if she was in the dispensary. Carly quickly grabbed a bottle of pills and poured several of them into her hand.

Carly swallowed the pills and placed the bottle back on the shelf before anyone was able to walk in and discover what she had done. Later, Carly returned to the waiting area and ran into Gordon again. Gordon asked if Carly had been in the drug dispensary earlier. Carly claimed that she had not been in the dispensary; Gordon shrugged and assumed that he had seen someone else in there. After Gordon left, Carly muttered that she would be fine after her medication had kicked in.

At the Cheatin' Heart, fake Rafe fumed as he realized that he was going to be stuck in Salem until his car was fixed. Brady walked over to fake Rafe's table and asked Rafe to explain why he had driven Sami out of town. Fake Rafe told Brady to mind his own business. "See, she obviously doesn't want her kids around you, which means she doesn't trust you and probably feels threatened; when my sister is threatened, trust me -- it becomes my business," Brady said. Fake Rafe said that he had turned into a bad person -- just like Brady.

"Yeah, I've kind of become a bad person myself, but I know why I've changed. The real question is, why did you?" Brady asked. Brady went to the bar to buy another drink; meanwhile, fake Rafe placed a phone call to his mechanic. When Brady returned to the table, fake Rafe claimed that he had decided to leave Salem so that he could clear his head. Before Brady could respond, he received a phone call. After Brady left, fake Rafe muttered that he was never going to see Sami -- or her little brats -- again.

At Daniel's apartment, Dario comforted Melanie as they waited for the police to arrive. Melanie explained that the intruder had bragged about killing Arianna. Dario's temper flared as he grabbed Troy and started to choke him. Melanie managed to push Dario away from Troy, but Dario insisted that she should have let him kill the intruder. "He killed my sister, and...he was gonna kill you, too," Dario said as he gently placed his hand on Melanie's face.

Melanie pointed out that Dario would have gone to prison if he had killed the intruder. Melanie assured Dario that the man would pay for what he had done to Arianna. Dario said that Arianna's killer didn't deserve to live, but Melanie insisted that Dario did deserve to live. "Arianna would want you to be free -- to get on with your life, to have a good future. I want that too," Melanie said. Dario started to respond; instead, he changed the subject and wondered why the cops had not arrived yet.

At the hospital, Melanie and Dario gave their statements to the cop who had been assigned to guard Troy's room. The cop wondered why Dario had gone to Daniel's apartment. "I just had this feeling. She wasn't picking up her phone, and she had been attacked once before by this guy, so...I just thought I should check up on her, you know?" Dario said. Melanie said that Dario had saved her life. Dario wondered who the intruder had been; the cop explained that the man had not been carrying any form of identification.

In Troy's room, Troy started to have a seizure. Later, Gordon explained that Troy had lapsed into a coma. "His problems are caused by the fact that he's going through very serious drug withdrawal. I wouldn't plan on being able to talk to him till morning at the earliest," Gordon stated. After Gordon left, Melanie asked if Dario was all right. "I will be once we get the truth out of that son of a bitch. We may never find out what happened to Arianna. Damn, I really shouldn't have lost it like that -- he wouldn't be having seizures, he'd be talking if I wouldn't have practically killed him," Dario said.

Melanie reminded Dario that she was a nurse. Melanie reiterated that drug withdrawal had caused Troy's seizure. "When you tackled me, you did good; if not, I probably wouldn't be here -- I'd be in cuffs," Dario admitted. Melanie pointed out that Dario had saved her life; Melanie said that she had just returned the favor. Dario realized that Melanie had been shivering; he gave Melanie his jacket, then he went to get her a cup of coffee.

After Dario left, someone walked up behind Melanie and grabbed her shoulder. Melanie gasped, and Brady quickly apologized and explained that he had heard about what had happened. Melanie said that she was all right, but Brady wasn't convinced. Melanie sighed and admitted that she was not all right. As Brady embraced Melanie, Dario returned and witnessed the intimate moment between the two friends.

At the crash site, Nicole knocked on the window of the limo and interrupted E.J. and Taylor's passionate kiss. E.J. and Taylor assured Nicole that they were all right. Nicole said that she was going to try to open the door; E.J. and Taylor panicked and insisted that they did not want Nicole to open the door. Taylor quickly explained that her foot was trapped. Taylor reasoned that Nicole might have exacerbated the injury if she had opened the car door.

Nicole agreed to let the paramedics handle the situation. "Take care of my sister, okay? I love you -- I love you both very much," Nicole said. Later, Taylor arrived at the hospital; Nicole was relieved to learn that E.J. and Taylor had not been seriously injured. "It's a good thing that you weren't there...you would've been hurt, too," Taylor quietly stated. Nicole joked that her procrastination had paid off.

Nicole admitted that she had peeked at Taylor's letter for inspiration. "It was strange, though, how you said you disappointed Mom, that you never meant for it to happen...what was that about?" Nicole asked. Taylor was shocked that Nicole had read the letter that Taylor had written. Nicole apologized and reiterated that she had been looking for inspiration. Taylor claimed that it was her fault that Fay had moved to Salem in the first place.

"Okay, look, this is not your fault, Taylor -- what happened happened," Nicole stated as E.J. walked in; E.J. assumed that they had been talking about the kiss that he and Taylor had shared. E.J. agreed and said that it was his fault. Taylor quickly explained that Nicole had been referring to the fact that Taylor had blamed herself for Fay's fall. Nicole wondered what E.J. had believed that Taylor had been referring to. E.J. claimed that he had assumed that she had been talking about the car accident.

E.J. explained that he had known that their driver was an idiot, but he had not asked for a different driver. Nicole wondered why E.J. and Taylor had both been feeling guilty. Nicole excused herself so that she could call Harold and let him know that they were all right. After Nicole left, Taylor told E.J. that their relationship was over. "Nicole nearly caught us in the limo, she read the letter to my mom where I almost gave it all away; it's just a matter of time before she finds out, and I am not gonna let that happen," Taylor insisted.

At the Brady Pub, Daniel talked Jennifer into taking a break from the search for Ciara and Theo. Daniel reminded Jennifer that it could take months or even years before she had fully recovered from her heart surgery. Daniel said that he was concerned about Jennifer. Jennifer assured Daniel that she would be all right. Meanwhile, Adrienne and Justin watched from a nearby table.

Daniel took a plate of food over to Jennifer and told her to eat it slowly so that she could relax. Daniel admitted that Jennifer had looked familiar the first time that he had met her; he wondered if they had met each other before. Daniel speculated that he might have seen her picture somewhere; Jennifer joked that she had been on the cover of Vogue. Daniel said that Jennifer was beautiful enough to be on the cover of a fashion magazine. Jennifer started to blush; Daniel said that it was a good look for her.

Adrienne and Justin greeted Daniel and Jennifer. Adrienne and Justin were shocked to learn that Ciara and Theo had run away. Adrienne and Justin wondered if there was anything that they could do to help. Daniel said that he wanted Adrienne to stay with Jennifer while he and Justin helped with the search efforts. Jennifer reluctantly agreed.

After Justin and Daniel left, Adrienne pointed out that Jennifer had been blushing. Jennifer shrugged it off, but Adrienne was certain that Daniel was the reason that Jennifer had been blushing. Jennifer tried to change the subject; she insisted that there had been nothing going on between her and Daniel. "Sweetie, if you looked at every man the way you were looking at Daniel, if you blushed when every man touched your arm, you would be hunted down by a posse all over town," Adrienne said. Jennifer insisted that Adrienne had misinterpreted the situation, but Adrienne wasn't convinced.

Jennifer reminded Adrienne that she was married to Jack. "You're getting a divorce, remember? And my brother doesn't care about anything, obviously, other than this stupid walkabout thingy," Adrienne said. Adrienne asked if Jennifer had heard from Jack after her surgery; Jennifer admitted that she had not. "Jennifer, you know I love my brother, and I love him more than anything, but the man has got no sense whatsoever sometimes -- scratch that, he never does. And I'm gonna tell you something, okay? Honestly, I really think you should move on -- hook up with someone who really deserves you," Adrienne stated.

Jennifer said that her children were her first priority, and she claimed that they did not want her to move on. Adrienne reminded Jennifer that she had filed for divorce; she added that J.J. and Abigail would want her to be happy. Adrienne said that she believed that Daniel was someone who could make Jennifer happy. Jennifer admitted that Daniel was great, then she insisted that she did not want to discuss the matter further.

Adrienne said that Daniel was a great guy. Jennifer agreed and expressed her belief that Daniel and Carly would make a great couple. Adrienne assured Jennifer that Daniel wasn't interested in Carly; Adrienne said that it was obvious that Daniel was interested in Jennifer. Jennifer claimed that she didn't want to get involved in a rebound relationship. "Honey, what if it's real? You know, whatever the next step is, take it. Open your heart, sweetheart -- let it happen," Adrienne advised.

At the pier, Justin thanked Daniel for supporting Jennifer. Daniel claimed that he had just been helping a friend, but Justin wasn't convinced. Later, Daniel admitted that he had a lousy track record with women. Daniel insisted that Jennifer wasn't interested in a relationship either. Daniel explained that Jennifer had been trying to set him up with Carly.

At Bo and Hope's house, Bo told Hope that a sergeant from the nearby town of Friedmont had given them a possible lead on Ciara and Theo's location. Bo excused himself and rushed off to follow up on the lead. A short time later, Bo returned to grab a photograph of Ciara. On his way back out the door, he ran into Carly. Carly walked into the house and explained that she had been worried about Ciara.

Bo tried to respond, but Carly continued to talk; she insisted that she would do whatever she could do to help with the search. Carly wrapped her arms around Bo's neck and hugged him; meanwhile, Hope walked down the stairs and witnessed the embrace. Carly rushed over to hug Hope. Carly reiterated that she wanted to help with the search.

Carly started to cry as she admitted that Ciara had always treated her with more kindness than she had deserved. Justin and Daniel interrupted and asked if there had been any news about the kids. Bo tried to explain that they had a lead, but Carly interrupted him. "Oh, God, that's wonderful! Ciara needs to be safe, she has to be safe!" Carly shouted. Daniel asked if Carly was all right.

Carly said that she was worried about Ciara and Theo. Daniel gently suggested that he and Carly should look for the kids as a team. Carly continued to behave erratically as she followed Daniel out of the house. Later, Adrienne arrived and comforted Hope; meanwhile, Bo received a phone call from the station. Bo apologetically revealed that the Friedmont lead had been a false alarm.

At the pier, Daniel asked Carly what had happened. Carly insisted that she was all right, but Daniel wasn't convinced. "I'm tired, that's all -- I'll rest later. We have to find those children. Children are all we have in this whole world," Carly said as she burst into tears. Daniel comforted Carly as she started to sob uncontrollably. Carly admitted that she didn't know what to do anymore.

Daniel offered Carly his support. Carly sighed and kissed Daniel; meanwhile, Jennifer stepped onto the pier and witnessed the intimate moment, then she quietly walked away. Daniel pulled away from the kiss and asked Carly if she was all right. Daniel noted that Carly's eyes were out of focus. Daniel wondered if Carly had lost sensation in her hands; before Daniel could thoroughly examine Carly, he received a call from the hospital.

Daniel excused himself and assured Carly that he would be back. After Daniel left, Carly recalled her earlier visit to the drug dispensary. Carly remembered that she had taken pills from a bottle that had a red cap. Carly was horrified when she realized that she had taken the wrong medication.

At the Cheatin' Heart, Philip apologetically informed Chloe that he had not been able to convince the Department of Social Services to grant them joint custody of Parker. "They think I'm an unfit mother...and maybe I am. Maybe that's what you think, too," Chloe sullenly stated. Philip assured Chloe that he was going to continue to appeal the decision, but Chloe's hopes had been noticeably deflated by the news.

Later, Kate entered the Cheatin' Heart and found Chloe sitting at the bar with a martini. Kate angrily snatched the martini glass out of Chloe's hand and placed it on a nearby pool table. Kate said that Chloe should have been spending time with Parker instead of drinking at a bar in the middle of the afternoon. Chloe said that she was with Parker all the time. "Oh, really -- all the time? Like now, or the other night when you were out trying to seduce my son?" Kate asked.

Kate pointed out that Philip could have any woman that he wanted. "What if the woman he wants is me, Kate? What are you gonna do then -- you gonna poison me again? Did you save that brownie recipe?" Chloe asked. Kate claimed that Philip had been spending time with Chloe because he had been worried that Chloe might jump in the river again. Kate said that she was concerned about Philip and Parker. "You wrapped your tentacles around Lucas' throat and you tried to squeeze the life out of him, and I swear to you, I will not let you do that to Philip or to Parker," Kate snapped.

Chloe calmly walked over to the pool table and picked up the martini glass that Kate had placed there earlier. Chloe defiantly took a sip out of the glass, then she tossed the drink in Kate's face. Chloe left the bar before Kate could retaliate. "Stupid slut. This is not over -- not even close," Kate muttered as she followed Chloe out of the bar.

At Bo and Hope's house, Lexie wondered if Theo was all right. Abe assured Lexie that Theo would be okay because he was with Ciara. "Oh, I'm sure she'll be a great comfort to him, Abe! Our son won't even go on a sleepover, and now he's run away?" Lexie said as her frustration grew. Bo noted that the kids could not have gone very far on their own, but Lexie wasn't convinced. Lexie pointed out that Ciara and Theo could have boarded a bus or a train.

Bo assured Lexie that someone would have noticed two kids who had been traveling without adult supervision. "Ciara talked him into this. Theo was fine -- he was happy, he was doing well in school. He never would have run away if your daughter hadn't forced him to," Lexie snapped. Hope begged Lexie not to blame Ciara; Hope said that Ciara was just a very unhappy little girl. Lexie apologized and conceded that Theo had gone with Ciara because he had not wanted Ciara to be alone. Abe agreed; he added that Theo would have done anything for Ciara.

Roman arrived and announced that they had not found any sign of the kids in the neighborhood. Hope told Lexie that they would be able to use the tracking device in Ciara's phone to locate the kids if Ciara placed or received a phone call. Later, Roman received a report that two kids had been admitted to the hospital. Unfortunately, when everyone arrived at the hospital, they learned that the lead had been a false alarm. Hope tried to call Ciara again.

In the woods, Theo told Ciara that he wanted to go home. Ciara said that they couldn't go home because the truck that they had stowed away on had taken them too far away from Salem. Ciara reminded Theo that her parents would never be happy together if she returned home. "But I want my mommy and daddy," Theo insisted. Ciara assured Theo that they would be all right; before Theo could respond, some leaves started rustling nearby.

Theo was excited by the presence of a deer near their campsite. Ciara pointed out that the deer had not tried to bother them; she reiterated that there was no reason for them to be scared. Ciara's phone rang; Theo suggested that they should answer the phone, but Ciara reminded him that they couldn't do that. "Don't answer phone...don't answer phone," Theo said as he repeated the phrase like a mantra. Ciara added that she wasn't going to listen to any of the messages that her parents had left for her, either.

Meanwhile, Bo and Hope returned home and turned on their laptop. Bo logged into Ciara's email account and started to read the messages that Theo and Ciara had been sending to each other. Bo and Hope were disappointed to learn that Ciara and Theo had discussed their plans, but they had not mentioned where they had been planning to go. Later, Abe and Lexie returned to Bo and Hope's house. Bo said that he was going to help Roman with the field search; meanwhile, Hope tried to call Ciara again, and prayed that she would answer.

As Ciara stared at her phone and walked around the campsite, she tripped and hit her head on a nearby rock. Theo gently shook Ciara and told her to wake up. Ciara's phone started to ring as Theo attempted to rouse his friend. "Don't answer...don't answer," Theo repeated as he looked at Ciara's phone.

At Sami and Rafe's apartment, E.J. wondered why Nicole had visited Rafe earlier. Fake Rafe shrugged off Nicole's visit, then asked if E.J. was jealous. E.J. slammed fake Rafe against the apartment door and demanded to know why Nicole had visited him. Fake Rafe gasped for air as he stated that Nicole had wanted to thank him for the condolences that he had offered her sister. E.J. released his grip on fake Rafe's neck and stormed out of the apartment.

E.J. called Stefano and demanded to meet with him. Stefano wondered if there had been a problem; when E.J. confirmed Stefano's suspicions, Stefano guessed that the problem had involved Nicole. Later, E.J. met Stefano at the pier and explained what had happened. "If she keeps digging, that idiot's going to open up his mouth, and God knows what she's going to do with that information," E.J. said. E.J. wondered what Stefano planned to do about the situation.

Stefano cryptically stated that they were going to kill two birds with one stone. A short time later, fake Rafe arrived at the pier and asked why Stefano and E.J. had summoned him there. "We've come to tell you that it is over, finito," Stefano said as E.J. reached into his coat pocket. Fake Rafe stepped back defensively as E.J. and Stefano chuckled. E.J. removed an envelope from his coat pocket and handed it to fake Rafe; E.J. explained that the envelope contained a wad of cash and a card that fake Rafe would need to use to access the bank account where the rest of his payment had been placed.

The name on the bank card was Javier Morales. "That is your new name. And we have given you all the documents you need for your new identification, plus more than enough money to start a new life, eh? Now, once you are gone, you are to never contact us again," Stefano stressed. Fake Rafe agreed and started to leave, but E.J. stopped him and said that they had some unfinished business to discuss. E.J. told fake Rafe that he couldn't just vanish -- he was going to have to make a believable exit. Fake Rafe wondered what E.J. had in mind.

"You need to go and say a proper goodbye to Samantha's family and her friends, and then you need to enjoy all of their shocked reactions, and then you need to listen -- listen, with your ears, patiently -- when they tell you that you need to go back to Samantha and work things out," E.J. explained. E.J. told fake Rafe to leave a goodbye note and divorce documents for Sami. After fake Rafe left, Stefano said that he hoped that fake Rafe would be able to complete his last assignment. E.J. was worried that Nicole might learn the truth if she managed to speak to fake Rafe again. E.J. said that they would need to get Nicole out of town as soon as possible.

At the DiMera mansion, Nicole wondered why Taylor had seemed so interested in Fay's secret. Taylor claimed that she was concerned because she knew that Nicole cared about E.J. Taylor explained that she didn't want to see Nicole get hurt. Nicole told Taylor to disregard her earlier statements; Nicole claimed that she was certain that Fay's secret had not been about E.J. Taylor seemed convinced; she changed the subject and mentioned that she had some things that she needed to take care of before the funeral.

Taylor showed Nicole the photograph of Fay that Taylor had been looking at earlier. When Nicole saw the photograph, she started to get light-headed. Taylor asked if Nicole was all right. "We're going to Chicago to bury our mother, Taylor -- why would I be okay?" Nicole quietly stated. Nicole assured Taylor that she would be all right, so Taylor excused herself so that she could take care of her errands.

After Taylor left, Nicole recalled the conversation that she had overheard between Stefano and E.J. Nicole imagined herself having a conversation with her mother. Nicole said that she had learned that Fay's secret had involved Rafe. Nicole admitted that she had no idea what the secret could have been about. Fay told Nicole that it wouldn't be very difficult to figure out the secret. "Don't you remember? I always told you that E.J. was a bastard, and that he's capable of anything," Fay reminded Nicole.

"What does that have to do with Rafe? That is what I don't get; E.J. hates Rafe, he always wanted -- oh, my God, he finally did it. E.J. got rid of Rafe," Nicole realized. Nicole wondered if E.J. could have caused Rafe's accident. Fay said that Nicole needed to ask herself if E.J. was capable of doing something like that. Nicole admitted that E.J. had never been a saint, but she wasn't certain that E.J. could have actually tried to kill Rafe. Fay suggested that E.J. might have tried to kill Rafe, and she wondered if E.J.'s attempt had been a success.

"Not in ending his life, but the guy's never been the same since the accident, everyone sees it. Sami left, that's why she took the children to see Eric...so, I guess it makes sense. E.J. did succeed. Even though he didn't actually kill him, the old Rafe's gone, nowhere to be found," Nicole said. Fay wondered what Nicole was going to do next. Nicole said that she needed to talk to Rafe again, so that she could find out if her suspicions were correct. Meanwhile, E.J. and Stefano returned home and wondered who Nicole had been talking to.

Nicole said that she had been talking to her mother; Nicole explained that she had found it comforting. Stefano offered Nicole his condolences, then excused himself. After Stefano left, E.J. said that Fay had been a lovely woman who had been very devoted to her daughters. Nicole muttered that Fay had been particularly devoted to Taylor. E.J. started to say something in Fay's defense, and Nicole wondered if E.J. had believed that Taylor had been more deserving of Fay's devotion.

Nicole accused E.J. of believing that Taylor was a better person than Nicole was. E.J. defensively claimed that Nicole had jumped to the wrong conclusion. E.J. changed the subject and announced that their plane had been cleared for takeoff. Nicole said that she had an errand that she needed to take care of before they left for Chicago. E.J. told Nicole that her errand would have to wait. After E.J. left, Nicole vowed to find a way to talk to Rafe and figure out what had been going on between him and E.J.

At the Brady Pub, Will showed Maggie some photographs that Lucas and Ali had sent him. Will told Maggie that Sami had taken Johnny and Sydney to Colorado. Maggie wondered if Sami had gone there to visit Eric. Will confirmed Maggie's suspicions; he explained that Sami had also left because she had needed to get away from Salem. Gabi overheard and wondered if Rafe had been the reason that Sami had left.

Later, Taylor arrived at the pub and greeted Maggie. Maggie wondered if Taylor was all right. Maggie said that she had been worried because Taylor had not had anyone to lean on for support. Taylor claimed that she was all right, but Maggie wasn't convinced. Maggie said that losing Mickey had made her realize how important it had been to have a soul mate -- someone who would always be there for you during life's difficult times. Taylor agreed, but she insisted that she had not found that person yet.

Back at Sami and Rafe's apartment, fake Rafe decided that he wasn't going to follow E.J.'s final orders."Yeah, right -- like I'm really sticking around saying weepy goodbyes to people I don't give a rat's ass about," fake Rafe muttered as he packed his bags. "It's time to start a new life. I'm gonna miss this one, though. Sami and her, uh...'twins.' Nicole -- well, I can always catch up on her watching some DVD's. I wonder if she ever made any movies with that sister of hers -- that'd be hot," fake Rafe said as he started to leave the apartment.

Fake Rafe opened the apartment door and found Gabi and Will standing in the hallway. Gabi wondered if Rafe had been headed to the gym. Fake Rafe explained that he had decided to take a vacation. Gabi wondered if Rafe had been planning to leave without saying goodbye. Gabi said that she was sick of Rafe's attitude. Gabi insisted that she wasn't going to let Rafe ignore her any longer.