Month: December 2024

Days of Our Lives Transcript

Transcript provided by Suzanne

THIS STILL NEEDS EXTENSIVE EDITING!

Hello?

Chad.

Chad. Oh, thank God you’re here.

Hi.

Oh, my gosh. Oh, I’m so glad you’re home.

Yeah, it’s good to be home.

We have been so worried sick about you and JJ.

Where is JJ? Is he here?

JJ, he’s fine. He just–he had a stop to make.

[dramatic music]

You know, you didn’t have to escort me home, and you certainly didn’t have to carry my bag.

You’re kidding. It’s–it’s the least I can do after what you went through for my family.

Yeah, well, you already thanked me, like, ten times.

Yeah, well, Gabi, you were held at gunpoint. You risked your life to help find my sister. I owe you a hell of a lot more than ten thank-yous and an escort home.

What did you have in mind?

So you will represent her? [sighs] Thank you, Ms. Chevlowe. I really appreciate it. No, no, no, I–I fully understand that my mother’s case is complicated. Just please do whatever you can to help her. OK. Thank you.

[festive music] Hi.

Hi, Cat.

You OK?

Yeah, sorry. It’s just–it’s kind of hard to get it in my head still that you’re actually my sister.

Yeah, I get that. And I know that it’s gonna take some time for you to get used to it. But you’re gonna have to get used to it ’cause I am your sister, buddy, OK? I promise. [chuckles]

I believe you. [chuckles]

Good. You know what’s really awesome?

Mm.

‘Cause now that we don’t have, like, jail bars between us, I get to do this.

[chuckles]

Oh!

[chuckles]

[laughs] [siren wailing]

[tense music]

[humming] Dr. Greene, how are you this fine day?

Mr. DiMera.

So can I get you anything? [clears throat] Coffee, tea, a scone with a file in it?

How about news about my mother? Have they found her yet?

I don’t know, nor do I care, really. That’s not why I’m here. [clears throat]

Dr. Greene, I would like to talk to you about your future… or what’s left of it, anyway.

What’s this?

That is the best damn plea deal you’re ever going to get. You’ll sign it immediately if you know what’s good for you.

[soft orchestration] announcer: Like sands through the hourglass, so are the “Days of Our Lives.”

Well, I mean, that was sweet of JJ to escort Gabi home.

Yeah, she did us a real solid in Vancouver. I mean, things got pretty hairy.

Well, what exactly happened? You didn’t say much on the phone.

Did Clyde tell you what he did with Abigail’s remains?

Yeah, I’m sorry. JJ and I just thought we should– we should tell you in person.

Tell us what? Why are you sorry?

[dramatic music]

Clyde Weston is in a coma.

How do you properly thank someone for putting her life on the line for your family or being a hero?

A hero, me?

You don’t have to admit it if it messes up your rep.

[laughs]

But it’s the truth.

No, we were all in danger.

She’s my sister, Chad’s wife. You didn’t have to be there in the first place.

As you well know, my reasons for helping weren’t completely altruistic. I’ll never stop wanting to make Clyde pay for how I was tortured in prison. My damn leg still hurts when it rains.

Well, he certainly got his comeuppance.

Yeah. And I’ll forever be grateful to Catharina Greene for putting a bullet in that son of a bitch. You know, if you ask me, instead of arresting the woman, they should have given her a medal.

Yeah, I’d–I’d agree with you if it– it hadn’t cost my family the chance to put my sister to rest.

Mm. [chuckles]

So…that lawyer that you hired, do you think he can actually help Mom?

She. Her name’s Roberta Chevlowe. She’s–well, according to everyone– really amazing. She’s the best lawyer in town, apparently. It’s just–ugh.

Just? Just what?

Well, I mean, she– she’s gonna do everything that she can, she said. But she did mention that it’s gonna be a bit of an uphill battle.

Why? That Clyde guy was holding her hostage. Mom was a victim.

No, I know. I know that. You know that. But Ms. Chevlowe has to convince the Vancouver authorities of that.

OK. Why would that be a problem?

Aaron, Mom shot a man.

No, she shot a monster who deserved it after what he did to her and not even to mention what he made you and Mark do, Cat. They have to let her go, just like they have to let Mark go.

Can you explain to me what all this means?

Oh, gladly. [clears throat] If you get past all the legalese, the document simply states that you agree to save yourself and the taxpayers of Salem a great deal of time and trouble by pleading guilty to your crimes.

[sighs] And if I do?

If you do, instead of going away for the next 25 years or more, you’ll be afforded a reduced sentence, which, considering the severity and the seriousness of your offenses, it would be considered a gift.

How reduced are we talking?

Quite a bit, actually. With this deal, you’ll only be spending the next ten years in Statesville Prison.

Ten years in prison?

My math tells me that’s a hell of a lot better than 25. You’re getting off easy, Dr. Greene, after the laundry list of crimes that you committed for Clyde Weston.

He was blackmailing me.

And that’s why you’re getting a deal at all.

[dramatic music] But let’s not dance around the fact that you showed up in Paris intent on murdering my brother after your sister conned him into marrying her.

Only because Weston was threatening to kill my mother.

Tell someone who cares or, if you choose, a jury of your peers. Let’s see how sympathetic they are to your “Clyde made me do it” sob story.

Why do I get the sense you’re making this personal?

Because this is very personal. Did you really think you could get away with plotting to kill a DiMera? If Steve Johnson hadn’t showed up when he did, my little brother would be dead at your hands.

Trust me, ten years in prison is a blessing compared to the fate of others who have crossed my family. Now sign the bloody deal!

I was on the phone with the attorney when you walked up. She doesn’t think we can use self-defense for Mom’s case.

Why not?

Because JJ and Gabi were holding guns on Clyde when Mom shot him, so her life was no longer in danger when she pulled the trigger.

[scoffs]

So what’s gonna happen to her?

Well, she’s gonna try to use the argument that Mom didn’t know what she was doing.

Because Clyde had her hostage.

And brainwashed her.

You think that’ll work?

I hope so. You know, the universe gave us one miracle, right, when we found out Mom was still alive in the first place. I spent two years thinking that Mom died alongside Dad in that accident. After the hell we’ve been through–

Maybe we’re due for another miracle.

Yeah.

Oh, my God, JJ. I’m such an idiot. I–I didn’t mean to–

No. Hey, believe me, I get why you’re happy Weston took that bullet. It’s a relief he’ll never hurt my family again.

Yeah, but with him in a coma, I mean, you might never find Abigail’s remains. I am so sorry, JJ.

Hey, really, it’s OK.

No. Here I am, going on and on about how happy I am that Clyde is in a coma, and–and I completely forgot what you’re going through.

Stop–stop apologizing. Hell, I’d love nothing more than to spit on Weston’s grave. I just…[sighs] Wish we got him to talk before someone took him out.

JJ and I were– were hoping that Clyde would recover from his coma and we– we’d be able to be here sharing different news with you.

But he didn’t recover.

The doctors aren’t optimistic. I mean, I was–I was– I was this close to getting him to tell me what he did with Abigail’s remains, and then Cat’s mother shot him.

What?

So, you know, I mean, if he doesn’t wake up, we may never know what happened to Abby.

[sighs]

I can’t imagine how hard this must be for your family.

[dramatic music]

I really thought we were starting to heal, you know? Then this happens. It just… makes me realize how far we have left to go to… accept that she’s gone and get past the grief and anger.

I lost my sister, and it was the worst pain imaginable. At least I have the comfort of knowing I can visit her grave.

Abigail didn’t deserve this, Gabi.

No, she didn’t. And neither do you.

[sighs] She was the best sister I ever could have asked for, maybe even the best person I ever knew.

Just the worst part of this is… having to go home to my parents and tell them that we failed, that I couldn’t bring their daughter home to them.

I disappointed you. I failed you, and I–

No.

I failed Abigail.

No, you didn’t.

I did.

You did everything you possibly could, Chad.

Chad, she couldn’t– Abigail couldn’t have asked for a better champion in this life and beyond.

That’s right. And we have– we have the most wonderful memories of our daughter, and they are gonna stay with us forever. I–I have this one of my favorite Bible verses, and it is 2 Corinthians 5:8. And Paul is writing to the Corinthians, and he says to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. And I believe that. I believe that with my whole heart. And that’s why I know Abigail’s with the Lord, with my parents, with my grandparents, and with Doug, with everyone that we have loved and lost.

Amen.

Yeah, I want to believe that.

I have an idea that might just help you believe that.

I told you I was gonna be real with you.

Look, even if Mom beats the charges, it’s gonna be a long, bumpy road ahead.

You mean because of her mental state?

Because Clyde spent years messing with her brain. And it would take a long time in therapy to even hope to get her back to where she was before all this happened.

Are you telling me that Mom might not ever be in her right mind again?

I’m saying this kind of trauma is very difficult to recover from. But right now, let’s focus on being grateful for her being alive and no longer being held prisoner by Clyde Weston.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah, especially for Felicity’s sake.

Yeah. Where is my baby sister? I can’t wait to see her.

Yeah, she’s been staying at her friend Julia’s house for a while. Actually, I was supposed to meet her mom in the park– oh, there they are.

Oh.

Hey, you.

Hey, Aaron.

Thank you so much for watching her.

Oh, of course. We love having Felicity.

Mrs. Brown, this is our sister, Cat Greene.

Hi. Judy. Nice to meet you.

Nice meeting you too. Thank you for taking care of my baby sis.

Oh, anytime. Well, I should get going. Bye, Felicity.

Bye, Ms. Brown.

Hey, kiddo.

Are you really my sister, Cat?

Yeah. Yeah, I am. [chuckles] And I’m… really happy to see you.

A decade in prison? You want me to just sign my name and give ten years of my life away?

Clock’s ticking, Dr. Greene.

I’m the legal guardian of my two younger siblings. What’s gonna happen to them?

Perhaps you should have thought about them before you conspired with your other sister to fleece and murder my brother.

That’s not what happened, and you know it.

I’m done talking. Either sign that plea deal, or you’re going to be a very old man before you ever see your siblings on the outside again.

[tense music]

Dr. Greene, do not sign that paper.

Belle, what the hell do you think you’re doing?

I’m stopping you from railroading my client into making a bad deal.

Since when is Dr. Greene your client?

Since right now. [scoffs] Ten years? Seriously, EJ, how do you sleep at night?

Well, that’s a rather personal question, don’t you think?

I’m sorry. Who are you?

I’m your attorney, Dr. Greene.

Mark Greene, Belle Brady. I thought you were in Hong Kong doing consulting work for DiMera.

I was, and then I came back for Doug’s funeral.

While I’m sorry for your family, I’m quite sure my sister Kristen won’t take kindly to you defending a man that nearly killed our brother.

Hmm, well, I’m not an employee of DiMera. As a consultant, I work for myself, so I can take any cases I want to.

I’m sorry, but would someone like to tell me what’s going on?

[clears throat] Dr. Greene, my nephew, Tate, asked me to take a look at your case.

Tate?

Yes, he said that your brother, Aaron, is a good friend of his.

Aaron did this?

Tate said that he’s worried about what will happen to Aaron and your little sister if you end up in prison because Clyde Weston forced you to do things under duress.

You see, you’re new to this case, Counselor. Clyde Weston didn’t force this man to do anything.

Hmm, oh, that’s not what I heard.

Dr. Greene was in full possession of his free will when he tried to murder my brother.

Right, uh-huh. And correct me if I’m wrong, but this alleged crime happened in Paris, France, did it not?

Nothing alleged about it.

OK, Mr. District Attorney, since when does Salem have jurisdiction to try international cases?

[tense music]

You don’t look like Cat.

[dramatic music]

I know.

You know…

A couple years ago, you remember that Mommy, Daddy, and I had a really bad accident? Well, when the doctors went to fix me and make me all better, they– they fixed my face. And now I look like this. But I promise you, it’s really me. Do you remember that when we– we ran into each other a little while ago, you– you said you thought I looked familiar?

I remember.

I know that I told you my name was Abigail. But I was– I was pretending. And I’m really sorry about that.

My big sister, Cat, taught me it wasn’t nice to lie.

[chuckles] Yes, I did tell you that. And that was because you chopped off Barbie’s hair and blamed it on your brother Aaron.

Hey, whoa. You blamed that on me?

Yeah, she did. Well, for a few minutes. Then Felicity told the truth. But we decided we didn’t really need to tell him because sister secrets, right?

You are my sister. [both laugh]

Oh, come here, my love. Oh, God. Oh, let me look at you. Let me look at you. Hi. [chuckles] Hi. Oh.

The time capsule?

Yes.

What–what– what are you doing with it?

Well, for the past 60 years, my grandmother has filled this with precious mementos from the Horton family. And I think her goal was–was to preserve this legacy of love so that future generations could remember all the amazing people that came before them.

What–what does–what does this have to do with Abigail?

Jack, listen, I don’t think it’s a coincidence that Ciara was able to open this. I really don’t. I don’t know. I just–I want to believe that–that maybe– maybe somewhere, somehow, Gram was able to whisper the solution to Ciara so that she could open it and we could retrieve the items out of it and then we could reuse it for memories of Abigail forever.

So you want us to put things that remind us of Abigail in the–in the time capsule?

Yeah. That is exactly what I want us to do. And I think that is what my gram would have wanted too.

I should be getting back home to my parents.

Yeah, of course. Give Jack and Jennifer my best.

I will.

Oh, and I should pay you for my half of the hotel room.

What? No, you got to be kidding.

Well, what can I say? I don’t like to owe anybody.

I–I owe you forever.

That’s not true. But I do like when people feel, you know, beholden to me.

Which I do. Seriously.

So this is goodbye, since I assume you’re headed back to Johannesburg soon.

Actually, I was just thinking about sticking around Salem for a while.

So you’re staying in town?

For now, at least, yeah.

What about your company?

I’ll do some telecommuting. It’ll be a little tricky with the time zones, but Claire can help Theo hold down the fort in Joburg.

[chuckles] Well, I’m sure your family will be very happy to have you.

Yeah, I kind of need to be around them, too, right now.

Of course.

We lost Doug. And now this whole thing with Abigail, it’s– it’s gonna be a tough Christmas for the Hortons.

[dramatic music]

It’ll be nice to be around family for the holidays.

And friends.

And friends.

Do you want to grab a drink or dinner with me sometime while I’m here?

Just you and me?

That’s the idea.

Sounds good.

Cool.

Cool.

Thank you again for everything.

My pleasure. Well, except for the whole life-threatening danger part.

Oh, right, I wasn’t too crazy about that part either.

Yeah.

Bye, Gabi.

Bye, JJ.

All right. Look what I’ve got here.

What is that?

Oh, my goodness. This is the first byline that Abigail wrote for the Salem U newspaper.

She was a rock star even then.

Jack, I didn’t know you still had this.

Of course I had it. She was so proud.

You were so proud.

I w–I was.

Yeah.

I was so proud. I read it a hundred times, and then before it fell apart, I had to– I had to put it in a scrapbook and keep it up in the attic where, fortunately, it didn’t burn. [sighs] So I want to put it right here. [sniffles]

OK. I have something that…

Oh.

I just–I carry this with me all the time. And it’s just a… lock of Abigail’s hair from her first haircut.

I bet she sat there all well-behaved.

[laughs]

Right. She screamed. She thought she was being attacked.

I know. I know.

I think this is the only hair they got.

Yeah, even as a grown-up, she–she hated haircuts. She thought sitting there for that long was a waste of time.

My sweet girl.

Yeah. Yeah.

OK. OK, sweet girl.

Then how about this?

What is this?

It’s… a picture that Thomas and Charlotte drew of our family.

See, it’s father, mother… [sighs] Son, and daughter, right? All right? So…

Yeah. Abby would have loved it, yeah.

Yeah. OK, Chad, what about you? What do you got?

Be right back.

[sighs] [sighs] I don’t–I don’t know– I don’t know how he’s dealing with this.

Because he’s a father. And fathers are strong for their kids.

You’re right. You’re absolutely right. I’m gonna text JJ right now and… let him know what’s happening. [both sigh]

What have you got?

Your wedding band? Chad.

Yeah. I–you know, I– I just kept it on for the longest time. And then I finally took it off, and I put it in the drawer. I thought maybe Thomas might– might want it someday, but… you know, somehow this–this– this feels more appropriate, to put it in the capsule.

Are you sure?

OK.

[both sigh]

So is it true our mom’s alive?

Yeah, she is. And she loves you and misses you so, so much. She can’t come see you, at least not right now.

Oh.

Well, hold on. I mean, just because Mom can’t come to us, that doesn’t mean we can’t go to her, right?

You’re telling me you were gonna coerce this man into signing a plea deal related to an alleged crime that happened overseas?

Again, not alleged. And the crime’s victim was an American citizen who happens to be my–

Your brother. Yes, I know. You do know that you can’t use the district attorney’s office to settle scores for your family, right?

I’m upholding the law.

Mr. DiMera, I never wanted to hurt your brother, I swear.

Do me a favor and don’t say anything, Dr. Greene, OK? I got this.

OK.

Now, do you want to talk about how jurisdictions work?

[sighs] While I may not be able to prosecute your client for attempted murder, I do have him dead to rights on numerous other infractions.

Ah, like tampering with a DNA test at Salem University Hospital? Because if that was enough to put someone away for a decade, half the people in this town would be behind bars, including your ex-wife and my sister. So are we done here?

No, we’re not. [clears throat] Well, the people will settle for Dr. Greene serving five years in Statesville Prison. After such time, he will be extradited to France, where he will most assuredly be prosecuted for attempted murder.

Mm, how about time served, community service, a hefty fine, and no extradition?

Are you out of your bloody mind? Your client is going to prison. That is nonnegotiable.

Oh, come on, EJ. You and I both know everything is negotiable.

[dramatic music]

Impressive work as usual, Counselor.

Mm, thank you.

Glad to see you haven’t lost your edge.

I barely broke a sweat. You might consider stepping up your game next time.

Oh, I’ll take that under advisement. I hope Dr. Greene knows how lucky he is to have you in his corner.

Well, as long as he gets to take care of his siblings, I’ve done my job.

Mm, make sure he adheres to the terms of the deal we struck. Because if he shows up as much as one minute late to his hearing, the deal is off and I’m going to prosecute him to the full extent of the law.

Oh, you can save your idle threats. My client knows what’s at stake.

Oh, he better, Mrs. Brady.

Oh, about that. It’s actually Ms. Black. Shawn and I are divorced now.

Oh.

See you around, Counselor.

I mean, yeah, come on. Family road trip to Vancouver so we can all go see Mom.

[laughs] Hmm. Yup, I think that’s a great idea.

Yeah, awesome.

[laughs]

Yes, road trip.

Whoo-hoo!

That’s what I’m saying. We can load up on snacks and take turns on the playlist.

OK, OK. Before we make all these plans, I’m gonna need something.

A hug?

Group hug. How did you know? [laughter] She knows me too well.

Room for one more?

Hi. Come here. Oh! [laughs] Oh!

Hey, Little Bit.

[laughs]

[sighs]

When did you get out?

About five minutes ago, thanks to you.

They–what, they dropped the charges?

Not exactly, but my amazing new lawyer, Belle Black, got me out on bond, and I’m only gonna have to serve 8 months.

[sighs]

8 months? She was gonna get all the charges dropped. You’re gonna be in prison for a year and a half?

Could have been so much worse. But let’s not dwell on that. I’m here now with all of you until I have to turn myself in. And I want to hear all about Mom.

[festive music]

[dramatic music]

[sighs]

I texted Julie and Aunt Marie and Hope, and they all agreed that this is what Gram would want.

So we really ready to do this?

No.

Hmm?

No, JJ has to be here.

Right, right. Right.

Hey, Mom.

Hey.

Hey, I’m here.

Oh, JJ. Oh, thank goodness.

Hi, son. Good to see you.

Hey, Dad.

Mm.

Chad.

I told them everything.

Oh. Guys, I’m so sorry.

No. You don’t need to be sorry. You just needed to be here.

Why did you ask me to bring a memento of Abigail?

Right. Your mom had an idea, a way for us to feel that–

That your sister lives on.

[tender music]

What’s going on?

I’m–I’m–I’m sorry. I didn’t–I didn’t mean to wake you, but you– you kind of had me trapped.

Oh, my God. I’m so embarrassed.

No, it’s OK.

[sighs]

You were always a cuddler.

[chuckles]

Guess some things never change.

[dramatic music]

We all put little things that remind us of Abigail in the Horton time capsule.

Going to put it in her grave?

That’s right.

I think that’s a great idea. I’ve– I’ve actually been carrying this around with me since we lost her.

Oh.

Oh. [laughs]

Sweet. Halloween.

Yeah, I was Spider-Man, and she was a queen.

Yeah, well, that’s–that’s– that’s fitting, of course.

It was–it was the first time you let us go trick-or-treating with her without a parent.

Mm-hmm.

She was so protective of me. She would let me go up to the house and pick out my favorite candy, and… I was so nervous, but she would hold my hand and tell me that Spider-Man never had to be afraid of anything. [both chuckle] That’s how I’ll always think of her, as this amazing big sister who would do anything to make me feel safe.

[sighs]

[sighing]

Thank you, Abigail. I’ll love you forever.

No, no, you– you guys should do it.

No, no.

No.

You should do this.

Do it.

Can you hold these?

[sighs]

Hmm.

You sure? OK.

[sighs]

I love you.

Rest in peace, baby.

[sighs]

Back to the Days Transcripts Page

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Days of Our Lives Transcript

Transcript provided by Suzanne

THIS STILL NEEDS EXTENSIVE EDITING!

Dr. Kiriakis, is it safe to say that you love your husband?

[dramatic music]

I love Xander with all my heart.

So you would do anything for him?

Objection.

I would like to answer it, actually.

I love Xander more than anything. But I will not lie for him. My testimony has been truthful.

So far.

I can’t do it.

What? Why?

[sighs] First of all, Xander and Sarah have already apologized to me profusely about what I went through, and I accepted their apology.

But, Dr. Kiriakis, would you perhaps lie under oath about your husband’s attempt to murder Brady Black?

Hey, Alex. Nice work today. Really nailed those scenes.

Oh, you mean where Arrow is forced to lie to Faith in order to make sure everything’s good for her? Not a whole lot of acting going on there, Johnny, mainly just art imitating life.

Yeah, I guess I… didn’t really think about that.

Right. Anyway, I got a lot of memorizing to do, so I’m gonna get going.

Alex, wait.

[sighs] Look, I know you probably hate my guts right now, but there’s something that I need to say to you, and I would appreciate it if you’d hear me out.

Hey, Chanel. You grabbing an early lunch?

No, I actually came by looking for you.

Oh. Why?

I know what you did.

Objection!

I’ll rephrase. Dr. Kiriakis, are you or are you not aware that your husband attempted to kill Brady Black?

Objection.

Isn’t it true that Xander mistakenly thought that Mr. Black was responsible for your hit-and-run accident and, to exact revenge, he broke into Mr. Black’s home with the intent to kill him?

Objection.

I’ll put it another way. Instead of being here, fighting my client over control of Titan Industries, shouldn’t your husband be in prison?

[soft orchestration] announcer: Like sands through the hourglass, so are the “Days of Our Lives.”

Do something, Justin.

Your Honor, this is outrageous. Ms. Black just rolls on, refusing to wait until you rule on my objections. She is assuming facts not in evidence.

Counselors, please approach.

[dramatic music] Ms. Black–

I’m sorry, Your Honor. It was heat of the moment.

Oh, that’s what it was. Do I need to point out that there has been zero evidence introduced about this alleged incident?

OK, I concede to that point. But I have reason to believe that a serious crime was committed here and that Dr. Kiriakis has firsthand knowledge of it. This isn’t exactly jaywalking.

This is reckless and inflammatory.

OK, I’m just looking for a little bit of leeway, Your Honor. I mean, this isn’t even a criminal trial.

That doesn’t mean you can accuse my client of whatever crime you want. This could unjustly prejudice the court against him.

Thank you for the vote of confidence, Counselor.

Judge Dabney, I didn’t–

I hear your concerns. I’d like to give this further thought. Let’s take a short recess. [gavel bangs]

Sorry, I–I don’t know what you’re talking about.

I found out about your secret hookup.

My– how did you find out?

From Johnny…and Alex. They told me about it the other night.

There’s also something I need to tell you.

Hmm?

Chanel is now of the belief that you and I are sleeping together.

Right. Of course. Sorry that I pretended not to know what you meant. You–I just didn’t realize that anybody else knew. You’re talking about me and Alex.

Yeah. Who else would I be talking about? [both chuckle]

Go ahead. Speak your piece before I change my mind.

[sighs] I owe you an apology.

Mm, nothing in comparison to the one you owe Chanel. But you’ll probably never give her that, right?

Look, man, I understand that you hate lying to Chanel about Joy and me. I don’t love it either, OK? And I know that I probably made it ten times worse when she walked in on us arguing about it. And I’d take it all back. I’d take it all back if I knew how.

Mm.

But that cover story that I gave Chanel was all I could think of in the moment.

Right. And obviously you didn’t give a damn how it affected me. I mean, you told Chanel I slept with Joy Wesley. Really?

Sure caught Justin off guard. Me too, actually.

Sorry. Called an audible.

When did you realize Sarah knew about Xander’s attempt on Brady’s life?

Mm, I had a hunch. My brother said something to me about Xander and Sarah both apologizing to him, so…

Looks like your hunch was right on target.

Score one for the good guys.

Is this gonna get Sarah in trouble? I would hate that.

No, I would hate that too. No, I’m just trying to force Xander’s hand.

Is Belle onto something here?

Uh–

I’m gonna take that as a yes. For God’s sake, why am I only hearing about this now?

I didn’t think it was gonna be an issue. I apologized to Brady. I even gave him his job back. As far as I knew, everything was tickety-boo.

Well, if Brady wanted to throw you under the bus, he would have shown up to testify.

Right. And since he’s not here, it’s– and he hasn’t done that, it’s not like anybody else can prove it’s true.

That doesn’t mean it goes away. Sarah, if the judge allows Belle to continue this line of questioning, you’re gonna have to make a decision. Either you confirm your husband’s crime–

Or I lie under oath.

Look, I’m obviously not advising you to commit perjury.

And she won’t. Sarah, this is not worth you risking your freedom.

But if I confirm what I know, it tanks Xander’s case, right? Philip wins. Xander’s birthright disappears. He finally has the acknowledgment denied to him all these years, and Philip just snatches it away?

That’s definitely a possibility. Not to mention the potential for criminal charges to be brought against him.

For attempted murder.

[dramatic music] [scoffs]

You really think Xander will hand over Titan just to prevent Sarah from committing perjury?

I mean, it’s worth a shot. It all depends on whether Judge Dabney allows me to pursue this angle or not.

Guess we’re about to find out.

Sorry, I just– I didn’t realize that you knew. [chuckles]

Yeah, well, I walked in on Johnny and Alex arguing about it the other day.

Mm.

My husband thinks that Alex might be taking advantage of you.

Well, for the record, Alex didn’t do anything wrong.

OK, good. And I don’t mean to embarrass you or anything. I just want to make sure you’re OK.

Thank you. I’m fine.

I hope so. And look, you aren’t the only one who has had to work closely with someone you’ve slept with. Well, Alex and I were not on the best of terms when we got cast. But Abe seemed to think that it would give our scenes a spark.

Did it?

Oh, girl, trust me, that kind of tension, it just isn’t worth it. It messes with everything. So if you ever want to talk about it, this girl is here for you.

Yeah, actually, I think it would help to talk about it. Because I don’t know if I can keep all this to myself for much longer.

Look, Alex, I really am sorry.

[scoffs]

Oh, hi, Stephanie.

Sorry, I didn’t realize anyone was in here.

Steph, hey, listen, I don’t know what you might have just heard, but–

What, that you’re sleeping with Joy?

You don’t have to explain. You and I aren’t together anymore. It’s none of my business.

No, no, no. You don’t understand, though. It’s really not like that at all.

Thank you all for your patience. I’m ready to rule on your objection, Mr. Kiriakis. I’ve decided to allow Ms. Black to continue with her current line of questioning.

However, this is not an open invitation to recklessly accuse the defendant of all manner of crimes. So tread carefully, Counselor.

I will, Your Honor.

Dr. Kiriakis, as a reminder, you’re still under oath.

I understand.

Counselor, you may proceed.

Dr. Kiriakis, I will ask this again. What did you know about Xander Kiriakis’ alleged plot to murder Brady Black?

Respectfully, I decline to respond.

Judge, please instruct the witness to answer the question.

Your Honor, Dr. Kiriakis is invoking her spousal privilege. She’s not required to testify against her husband.

Dr. Kiriakis, you may step down.

Mr. Kiriakis, would you like to call any other witnesses on behalf of your client?

No, Your Honor.

Ms. Black, any rebuttal?

No, Your Honor.

Well, then this court will stand in recess while I weigh my decision. [gavel bangs]

Well, that was a huge fail.

Not necessarily.

What do you mean?

Let’s go talk… somewhere else.

I don’t understand. Sarah was able to wriggle out of testifying, and Xander wasn’t forced to throw in the towel. How can there be any upshot to that?

Oh, Philip, you have to give me a little credit. I knew that there was a chance that Justin was gonna advise Sarah to invoke her spousal privilege. But I think it works for us. Listen, the fact that she wouldn’t testify has to make the judge suspicious. It’s basically admitting that Xander’s guilty.

Wow, Belle, you’re shrewd. I’m impressed.

Well, I was in a courtroom full of Kiriaki. Playing by the book wasn’t gonna get us a win.

But this will? Think you pulled it off?

Listen, it’s not a slam dunk. But if I were Xander right now, I’d be pretty nervous.

[festive music]

Nice one, mate. You totally outmaneuvered Belle with that spousal privilege move.

No, it was my only move, thanks to Belle. She knew exactly how this was going to play out. And she still managed to accomplish her goal.

Which was to bring Xander’s plot to kill Brady in front of the judge.

Exactly.

What difference does it make? It’s all innuendo.

Which could still influence the judge. Belle cast serious doubt about your character, I’m afraid.

Right, but the judge is supposed to rule off facts, not character, right? As in what Victor expressly said in his last will and testament.

Right. That’s the theory, sure. But this judge is interested in who is the best person to run the company.

Oh, then we got lucky, I guess.

How so?

[dramatic music]

That Philip didn’t get Belle to bring up the fact that I recently tried to shoot him.

What?

Philip gave me the gun. He asked me to do it.

Oh, my God. You two certainly take your disagreements to an…interesting level.

Justin, this is about a lot more than me being CEO of Titan. This is about giving my wife and daughter the– the life they deserve, the one Victor made possible, no matter who gets in my way.

OK. But can we just agree that whatever the judge decides today that there will be no more attempts at bloodshed?

I’m sorry, mate. I can’t make any promises.

Hey, you can talk to me about anything, OK?

OK.

I mean, now that Johnny and I have gotten past all of our troubles, it’s kind of nice to stop worrying about my own problems for once. [laughs]

Yeah. Well, I don’t know what Alex told you. But hooking up, it was– it was a one-time thing. It is not gonna happen again.

Well, do you mind if I ask? Why not?

[sighs] Because once I realized the full impact of what we had done, I regretted it immediately. Honestly, I almost quit my job over it.

What? Why? Oh, my God, please tell me that Alex didn’t do something stupid.

No, no, no. But it’s like you said, I mean, working together, it can get complicated. Look at Alex and Stephanie. The producers made them stop seeing each other.

Well, yeah, but that was because there was a power imbalance, and…

True.

I think they may have less of an issue with you and Alex because you’re both actors. You’re equals.

No, I– I know, but still, I just– I think it’s better if all of that stays in the past and we just leave it there, not mix the personal with the professional.

Yeah, words to live by, I guess.

And that’s why… I don’t think that I should hang out with you and Johnny anymore.

Steph, I think you deserve to know what’s going on here.

It’s OK. Alex, you and I aren’t together anymore.

No, no, just hear me out, please.

Besides, we’re not together. It was just a casual thing. So can we just drop it?

No, we can’t just drop it, Steph. I–I care about us as friends…a lot. And I want to be honest with you.

About what?

Steph, I am not sleeping with Joy.

I’m confused. When I walked in, I distinctly heard that you and Joy were sleeping together. Now you’re saying that’s not true?

Actually, what you heard was–

[dramatic music] That I slept with Joy, past tense, one time.

Look, I–I really don’t need to know this.

No, you do need to know this, Steph, because I don’t want you thinking this is some, like, ongoing thing, because it’s not. Joy and I are not in a relationship. It’s nothing.

Gee, that sounds familiar.

Well, I think what– [chuckles] What Alex is trying to say is that it was just kind of a heat-of-the-moment thing. And afterwards, he realized– they both realized that it was a mistake ’cause they work together. Not–not to put words in your mouth.

Yet that’s exactly what you did, Johnny. Listen, Steph, I just– I don’t– I don’t want to piss off Kate and Abe again.

I doubt you would. It’s a little different than what happened with us. You and Joy are on equal footing.

Still, I think it’s just best for everyone if we just move past it. That way, nobody else has to cover up a lie or anything else about what they know.

Actually, wouldn’t hurt to let the producers know so they aren’t caught off guard.

[sighs]

And now that I think about it, it’s probably good that I know too. That way, if the press catches wind of it, I’ll have a response prepared.

So does that mean you and I are good?

You mean does this affect our friendship?

No. Why should it? But listen, I’ve got some errands to run, so I will see you guys later.

For sure.

See you, Steph.

I don’t understand, Joy. There’s nothing wrong with being friends with your coworkers.

I know. It just–it feels really messy.

How so?

Well, I guess when I’m at the studio, I just– I want to focus on the job and just the job. And it’s kind of distracting how you and Johnny seem to know every detail about my love life.

Well, not every detail.

True. But still, I don’t want any personal drama affecting my work. I’m too new at this.

Yeah, I–I guess I can kind of understand that. I mean, I was completely mortified when my marital troubles spilled over onto set, obviously. But, Joy, I would hate to lose you as a friend.

Are we really friends?

What? Of course! Why would you even ask me that?

I don’t know. I guess I just kind of assumed I was more of an obligation. I don’t know– the way my mom asked you and Johnny to look after me.

Oh, my God. That is ridiculous! Joy, I have so much fun hanging out with you. And I haven’t had a friend like you in a long time. I mean, someone that I can actually count on.

Yeah. Actually, I–I feel the same about you.

OK. Well, then stop all this foolishness about ending our friendship. If you want to cut things off with Alex, fine. But Johnny and I, we really want you in our lives.

[sighs] Well, that is really sweet of you. I just–I don’t want to cause any problems.

I can’t even imagine how you would do that. OK?

Mm.

And no matter what, I am here for you. Don’t you forget it. Come here. [both chuckle]

[sighs]

I’m sorry for doubting you. I should know better, shouldn’t I?

You get a pass. It’s been a while.

Yeah too long.

[festive music] And thanks again for taking my case at the last minute.

Well, it’s like Shawn said. He and I have been watching Victor groom you to take over this business forever. I know it’s what he wanted. And that letter is proof of that.

[dramatic music]

Look, I’m sorry I haven’t been there to visit you, Vivian, but things have been very busy here on my end, what with the Titan situation. Yes, I know you’re the one who forged the letter. And I promise, as soon as the dust settles, you’ll still get your cut of my inheritance. Yeah, the letter was pretty clear.

Yeah. In any case, I’d much rather see you run Titan than Xander. My God, he has tried to kill literally every member of my family– Brady, Eric, my mother.

Wasn’t he supposed to kill Sami for Kristen too?

Oh, yeah. Well, maybe he’s not all that bad. I’m kidding. Maybe. [phone beeps] Oh. [clears throat]

[festive music] Well, looks like the judge made her decision.

That was fast. You think that’s good news for me or for Xander?

[dramatic music]

The judge is already on the way back?

Mm-hmm.

But, Justin, what does that mean?

Well, keeping everything at the status quo wouldn’t require too much thought. So it could indicate that the judge wasn’t persuaded by Philip’s claim and the company could still be under your control.

As well it should be. I mean, the will speaks for itself, right? There’s no way Victor wanted to trust his legacy to that nutjob.

Philip had a mental illness.

Well, are we sure he still doesn’t? I mean, he’d have to be out of his mind to think he has a legitimate case.

OK, don’t get too cocky here. Belle pulled out all the stops. So in the end, it could still go either way.

So you think a quick decision means the judge is gonna rule in Xander’s favor?

I think that you need to be prepared for the possibility.

Damn! It just doesn’t seem fair. I’m the only one of Dad’s kids who grew up with him, learned at his knee. Titan was supposed to be mine. And then Xander’s illegitimate ass just swooped in and snatched it all away?

OK, what happened to the guy who was ready to dance a jig a few minutes ago?

Sorry, I’m just nervous. That’s all.

I know. I get that. But we are still in this, Philip. OK? Now, let’s go back to the hearing room, and we’ll see how it all plays out.

OK. But if Xander gloats, I may have to commit assault and battery in a court of law.

Well, I would never condone violence. But I would definitely want a front-row seat to that one.

I know all of you must be surprised by how quickly I came to a decision. But when I sat down and carefully considered all sides of the case, I realized my task wasn’t quite as difficult as I first thought.

[dramatic music] Looking over Victor Kiriakis’ will, it’s plain to see he was very clear about his intentions. However, in his letter to his other son, Philip, Victor Kiriakis was also quite clear. If it weren’t for Philip’s mental state at the time Mr. Kiriakis drew up his will, he likely would have left Philip in charge. And as Ms. Black so persuasively argued, Philip Kiriakis should not be penalized for the challenges he faced.

It is my finding, therefore, that his claim on Titan Industries is a valid one.

We won.

Mr. Kiriakis, I’m not done. Yes, you have a valid claim. But per the terms of the will, your brother Xander does as well.

I assume all of you here are familiar with King Solomon’s dilemma? In this case, therefore, I’m going to split the baby, so to speak. It’s this court’s decision that Xander and Philip Kiriakis should each get 50% of Titan Industries, effectively making them co-CEOs of the firm. [gavel bangs]

[sighs] Hi, Steph.

Joy, hey. Happy holidays.

To you too. Do you have a second? I could actually use a little help with my Christmas shopping.

Oh, OK. Well, it seems like you’ve already done some.

I have, yeah. I just picked up a few little things for some people on the show. But I’m stuck on one person.

Who’s that?

Alex. I figured you know him pretty well, so…

[festive music] Is–is that a problem?

Look, Joy, I didn’t want to start this now, but we should–we should probably talk because… well, I know that you and Alex slept together. And I also know it is none of my business. But as the show publicist, it’s important for me to be aware that you two are in a relationship.

But we’re not in a relationship.

Alex said the same thing. But I suspect he’s trying to spare my feelings.

Stephanie, I know it hasn’t been that long since the two of you were together, and–

Please, don’t worry about that. It wasn’t serious between him and me, not at all. So if you and Alex want to pursue something more, do not hesitate on my account.

And hey, Alex is a great guy. I just–I want him to be happy.

Hey, look at the time. I’m gonna be late for a conference call. But it was so good to see you. We’re good, right?

Yeah.

Cool. Talk to you later.

[dramatic music]

[sighs]

Thanks for not ratting me out.

Trust me, kid, I was this damn close.

And? Why–why’d you hold back?

Why’d I hold back? Well, I didn’t do it for you, Johnny. I guess it is just better for Chanel and Joy if the truth doesn’t come out, even if now… [sighs] Stephanie once again thinks I’m back to being a player.

You– you seem to care a lot about what she thinks.

Yeah, Johnny. She’s a friend of mine. I care about what she thinks about me.

Right. Well, look, man, I– [sighs] I really am sorry.

You’re really sorry? Dude, you should be! It’s really, really annoying that your little reputation stays squeaky-clean while you’re just cheating all over your wife. Meanwhile, everybody in this town thinks I can’t keep it in my pants!

I’m sorry, OK? Look, I’m sure that it’s all gonna blow over eventually–soon.

Hey, let’s just hope that eventually happens very soon. In the meantime, stay out of my way.

[sighs]

Obviously this isn’t what either of us wanted. But I do think Dad would be pleased to see us working side by side again.

[chuckles] You’re probably right. He always was a bit of a sadist, wasn’t he? You know, it was hell on Earth last time.

And Dad always felt bad about that. He wanted us to get along because, well… I think he felt bad for you, you know, you being his secret bastard son.

Philip.

Just stating a fact. And I truly hope this time, things will be different.

Unless Xander plans to quit again.

When pigs fly.

Then it looks like we’re stuck with each other.

So what do you say we put all this ugliness behind us? No more backstabbing, no more lawsuits. Just working together for the best interest of the company. What do you say, brother?

Should we shake on it?

Come on, Sarah. Let’s go.

[sighs] Can’t say I didn’t try.

Hey, what are you doing back here? I thought you were done shooting for the day.

I am. But I wanted to tell you I talked to Joy.

Oh, cool. That’s cool. What about?

Well, I wanted to make sure that she was OK with the whole Alex thing.

Mm. And what did she say?

Well, she claims that she’s fine and that it was just a one-time thing. But I don’t know, Gio. [sighs]

What don’t you know?

Well, I mean, she said one thing, but… I heard more. And…[sighs] I just– I think it’s really messing with her head. Did you know that she was gonna leave the show because of it?

No. No, I didn’t.

Yeah, well, thankfully she changed her mind. But I don’t think that she wants to be around Alex any more than she has to.

Well, I can understand that.

And not only that, but she also said that she didn’t want to be friends with us anymore either.

She–she said that?

Yeah. And it made me really sad.

Well, yeah, guess it makes sense, though. I mean, she just wants to keep her personal life and her professional life separate for now.

What–so, what, are you saying that, you know, people aren’t allowed to be friends with coworkers anymore under any circumstances?

OK, well, I guess I could see how that would be a little bit restricting.

Yeah, it’s more than restricting. It’s ridiculous, Johnny. I mean, come on. But it took some doing. You know, I did manage to talk her out of it, though, so…

That’s too bad. I mean, only that, you know, it’s– I don’t know, maybe it would have been good for her to have a little, you know, distance.

[chuckles] Oh, Johnny, how could you be so smart and so clueless at the same time? That girl is clearly feeling some type of way right now. And she needs our friendship more than ever.

[dramatic music]

[festive music]

Oh, Alex.

Hey, Joy. I’m glad I ran into you.

Something about our scenes tomorrow?

No, just a heads-up, not a good one. Stephanie now thinks that you and I slept together too. Just keeps getting better and better, doesn’t it?

Sure does.

Mm.

And I know she thinks that. I just bumped into her.

Really? What did she say to you about it?

She acted fine, like she didn’t care. But I could tell she was just hiding her feelings ’cause she’s hurt. I think she really cares, Alex.

[dramatic music]

Got your message. So how’d the trial go?

Went extremely well. I won.

[gasps] Really? That’s amazing! Wait, seriously, Xander’s out?

Technically, I only got 50% of Titan. Xander got the other half, which he was really upset about. But for me, well, I still consider it a victory.

Well, then congrats. I’m so happy for you.

What’s this for?

Well, I can sense that you want to throw something, so I would prefer it to be soft and unbreakable.

Then what’s the point?

Baby, I know that you are disappointed. But you still own half the company.

Yeah, which is a nice way of saying that I just lost half the company, isn’t it?

But–but you are still in charge. And I know that you will find a way to work with Philip. And who knows? Maybe–maybe it’s a chance for you to get to know each other as brothers.

Yeah, like Cain and Abel.

Honey! It’s not going to be easy, but I know that you will make the best of a bad situation. OK?

I’m gonna go check on Victoria. OK.

[grunts] I knew that wouldn’t be satisfying.

That was quite a move you made, Belle. You really had us boxed in.

Oh, I’m not sure that Xander’s homicidal tendencies had much to do with the judge’s decision. I really think it just came down to the letter versus the will.

Mm, well, then it’s a good thing for Philip that he found that letter.

Yeah, it is. And I’m glad he got at least half. I mean, I truly believe he deserves that. Although I can’t help but wonder if that judge just made a huge mistake.

How so?

Well, think about it. Xander and Philip are now forced to work together day in, day out. Knowing how volatile their relationship is, I worry one of them won’t make it out alive.

[sighs] [scoffs] Sorry, old man, but playing nice with my loathsome snake of a brother, that’s not happening. So I’m gonna find a way to oust Philip from Titan if it’s the last thing I do.

Back to the Days Transcripts Page

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Days of Our Lives Transcript

Transcript provided by Suzanne

THIS STILL NEEDS EXTENSIVE EDITING!

[dramatic music]

[knock at door]

It’s open.

Is that what you’re wearing to court?

Good morning to you too, Mom.

OK, well, I hope your lawyer advised you to pair it with a power tie.

If you’re referring to Ned Dickerson, he couldn’t care less what I’m wearing since he is no longer representing me.

What?

He quit last night.

Oh, Philip.

But not to worry. I retained a new lawyer. She’s got this in the bag.

Hey. Special delivery.

Hey. Morning, Brady.

I ran into the messenger, and this is for you.

Hmm. Oh. These are my divorce papers. I guess Shawn signed them last night. [clears throat]

You were expecting that, though, right?

Yeah, yeah, like I said, it’s just a formality. And I guess since Shawn told me he was gonna go back and see his dad, I’m just wondering when I’ll ever see him again.

[festive music]

Shawn-Douglas, what a nice surprise.

Hey, Uncle Roman.

Ah, I thought you’d probably already left town.

Yeah, that’s what I was planning to do, go back and be with my dad, as you know. But…changed my mind, decided to stay.

Really? Well, that is good news. What changed your mind?

Well, this.

Oh, someone’s been burning the midnight oil.

Good morning, Maggie.

And you’re gonna have a busy morning this morning, I’m sure, prepping for Xander and Philip’s battle in court today.

Yes, yes. And, Maggie, I– I’m sorry to spring this on you last-minute, but I need you to testify today on Xander’s behalf.

[dramatic music]

[inhales sharply]

Morning.

Good morning, my love.

Mm. [sighs]

Anything bothering you?

Bothering me?

Mm-hmm.

No. No. I’m just, yeah, looking forward to defending my birthright in court today, sending Philip packing. Why would anything be bothering me?

‘Cause you were tossing and turning all night.

You saw that? Were you not asleep yourself?

No. No, I slept pretty poorly, actually. It’s just… today’s a big day. [sighs] It’s gonna be intense, to say the least.

Yeah, it will be. Yeah, I guess something is bothering me. Sarah, what– [sighs] What if the judge sides with Philip? What if I lose everything?

[soft orchestration] announcer: Like sands through the hourglass, so are the “Days of Our Lives.”

Is this what I think it is?

Yep, Jada offered me my old job back, and I said yes.

Well, congratulations, Shawn. The force is lucky to have you back, especially since the PD’s been short-staffed for a while.

Yeah, so I understand.

And besides that, it’ll be just nice having you around. You were missed, you and Belle both.

[festive music]

Well, OK, I mean, now that you’re gonna be back in Salem, what does that– what does that mean for you and Belle?

Well, before I even decided to take the job, she and I both agreed that it was finally time to end things.

I see. Well… [sighs] I’m sorry to hear that.

Yeah. As much as we both still care about each other, we– we both–we realized that our marriage is over. So I signed the divorce papers last night, and– and Belle left town.

So is Shawn on his way back?

Yeah, to see his dad.

I’m sorry I didn’t get a chance to see him, but at least I got a chance to see you.

[laughs]

So are you staying in town for a while? Couple days or–

A little longer than that.

Oh, yeah?

Yeah. I took a case.

You took a case.

I took a case. I will be representing Philip against Xander for control of Titan.

[dramatic music]

So Belle’s your new lawyer.

Let me guess. You don’t approve.

On the contrary, I mean, I think it’s fascinating how you have a whole complement of your exes working for you. You have Stephanie, and you have Belle. I mean, is Chloe next?

I had 2 hours to hire a new lawyer, Mom, and Belle is the best. And she wants to beef up my case with character witnesses. That’s why I asked you to come over here. She’d like you to testify on my behalf.

Oh. [scoffs] No. I don’t think that’s such a good idea.

Why do you need me to testify? I mean, isn’t Victor’s will enough? It clearly states his intent.

Yes, but Philip has a letter indicating just the opposite. And now, thanks to my niece Stephanie’s successful PR campaign on Philip’s behalf, public opinion has been swayed in Philip’s favor.

Mm.

She’s gotten a very compelling narrative out there: poor little rich boy deprived of his birthright. And with Xander’s history–

But this isn’t a jury trial. Why should public opinion matter?

Well, the judge is a member of this community too. He reads the same newspaper as we do. And now that we’ve drawn a judge that is notoriously unpredictable, I would feel a lot safer about Victor’s will if we had a character witness that could best speak to his true intent.

And that would be me?

That’s you.

Hmm.

Baby… what happened to exuding confidence, being at the top of your game? Yesterday you were– you were so positive. You were confident that it was gonna go your way.

Right. Well, I guess that was all a bit of a façade, really. Now that the reality of what could actually happen is rapidly approaching, I–

Hey, look at me. I know how important running Titan is to you. I do. No–no matter what happens, you have me and you have Victoria.

And that is more important to me than anything, Sarah. You know that, right? You and Victoria are everything to me. But that’s why I want to be able to support you and take care of you, and now that– now that I’ve given my half of “The Spectator” back to Jack, I–[sighs] I have nothing to fall back on if Philip gets his way.

Yeah, baby, that’s what I’m saying. I don’t understand. What happened? Like I said, you were so positive that this was a home run for you.

Right, but during this rotten, sleepless night that I’ve had, just lying awake ruminating, I–[sighs] I started to realize that it could all go south on me today.

Why would it?

Well, we have had a couple of setbacks. Justin is not happy with the judge that we drew, and my cunning plan to leave Philip without a lawyer, well, that totally backfired.

Don’t tell me he managed to get a new lawyer overnight.

Unfortunately he did. Apparently somebody with a stellar reputation, as far as I can find out. He will almost certainly bring up my criminal history.

Yeah, but Philip’s history is no better. I doubt that his lawyer will even open that door. And… Victor was very familiar with your history when he wrote that will.

Right, but he didn’t know I tried to kill his son in his own study just a few weeks ago, did he?

Yeah, that’s hearsay. It won’t hold up in court. It’s Philip’s word against yours.

And yours, and you’re testifying today.

Yeah, but you said that Philip is the one that got the gun out of the safe, shoved it into your hand, and goaded you into shooting him. It’s hardly the actions of a stable CEO or the temperament of someone who should be running a multinational corporation.

No, suppose not.

Mm-mm.

I’m sorry that you’re having doubts, so I will believe in you enough for the both of us. Does that work?

Yeah, that works.

Yeah.

God, I love you so much, Sarah.

Mm.

[chuckles]

[giggles] You feeling better?

Mm. So much better.

Good.

[sighs] I don’t know what I did to deserve you, to deserve your unconditional love and support. I’m just so lucky.

As am I.

[dramatic music]

Well, I suppose I should go get ready.

Or–or–now, hear me out. You could just–you could just lie here with me for a few more minutes so I can make you feel better.

Well, I think that could be arranged.

Mm-hmm.

Oh, Justin, I don’t want to be in the middle of this! This is a family matter.

Maggie, you are the head of this family now that Victor’s gone. And as his widow, your word will have great sway with the judge.

[sighs] Victor never discussed these things with me. I had no idea that he was gonna leave Xander in charge of Titan.

But you don’t believe that he wanted Philip to be in charge, do you?

No, no, no. His intentions were very clear in the will.

Then why the hesitation? You’ve always been such a big defender of Xander. I mean, you’ve stood by him when no one else would.

Yeah, I know. [sighs] It’s just, Philip is Victor’s son, too, and Victor loved Philip. I care about Philip too. But the way I see it, it’s– it’s a legal–it’s a legal matter at this point. It’s the will versus the letter. I–I don’t think it’s right for me to put my finger on the scale either way.

I’m sorry, Justin.

You’re representing Philip?

As of last night.

I thought he already had a lawyer.

Oh, he did, but he quit the night before the hearing because he “suddenly remembered” that he’d done some work for Titan and that was a conflict of interest. [both chuckle]

Convenient.

Very. Can’t prove it, but obviously Xander had everything to do with that.

Probably right.

Yes. And it is my goal in life to make sure that that SOB doesn’t get away with that kind of underhanded move or any of the other vile things he’s gotten away with. And so I’m thinking that justice could be served today if you help me.

Help you? How?

By testifying against him.

What do you mean it’s not a good idea? Mom, you could help my case more than anyone.

That’s where you’re wrong.

How am I wrong? You could testify the only reason my father left me out of the will was because I was mentally ill at the time and getting treatment. You were privy to that decision.

OK, so what if they ask me about the letter which is the crux of this whole case, about the forged letter, the letter that Vivian forged? And what if she decides suddenly to tell the world about that? What if she decides to brag about being a world-class forger?

She said she’d keep quiet.

Because she believes that she is going to get part of that presumed windfall. But what if she becomes– I don’t know–antsy, angry?

She won’t. She won’t risk losing her cut.

Really? Well, you better hope so, because if she doesn’t keep her mouth shut, then it’s all over.

[sighs] Well… damn, Shawn. I’m really, really– I’m sorry about you and Belle. I just–I mean, I knew you were having problems, but I was hoping you could work things out.

Yeah, I mean, I was– I was hoping for that, too, but it was more than just– just problems. I mean, we– look, we’d grown apart. We’d grown apart in ways that I think that we realized that…there’s no coming back from. And we both agreed that a little bit of time and some space would be good for us.

I hope so. Well, Shawn, did you know when Marlena and I split, I couldn’t handle seeing her with John, so I got out of here? I left town. But not only did those wounds heal. We are all great friends now, and I am very happily married to Kate.

Well, you both are very lucky.

Yes, eventually everything worked out for me the way it was meant to. And I got a feeling you’re on that same journey right now, and I’ll tell you what. Things can feel a little rocky sometimes, but you’ll get there. And I have a very strong feeling that things will work out for you too.

You want me to testify?

Mm-hmm.

To what?

To what?

To what?

Brady, just yesterday you told me that Xander tried to paralyze you with a baseball bat and murder you. Attempted murder is a pretty surefire way to show that Xander’s unfit to run Titan, don’t you think?

Belle, I can’t do it.

What? Why?

[sighs] First of all, Xander and Sarah have already apologized to me profusely about what I went through, and I accepted their apology. Now, Xander wanted to punish me. You have to understand, I wanted to punish myself. I get it.

This isn’t about punishment. He tried to murder you in your bed!

Either way, I can’t testify against Xander. I work for him. And by the way, Philip tried to frame me for murder one. I’m not exactly rooting for that guy either.

OK. All right, I can see you’re conflicted about this… [clears throat] So I guess I will just have to subpoena you and compel you to testify.

[dramatic music]

Ah. OK, you could do that, sis, but it would be worthless, and I’ll tell you why. All you have is Xander throwing a baseball bat around my office, OK? He didn’t touch me. He didn’t hit me with it. He could have been practicing his swing. Secondly, as far as me waking up and him hovering over me, Jada arrested him before he could do whatever he was going to do. So in each instance, you can’t prove his intentions.

Brady–

Sis, you’re gonna have to find another way to win.

Belle’s not gonna ask you about the letter, Mom. I promise.

[scoffs] OK, wait. Did you tell her about the letter?

I was tempted to… but no.

Oh, well, that’s a good call, you know, because I wish I didn’t know. And now–now I’m keeping secrets from Roman again.

Sorry I’m such a burden to you, Mom.

Stop. Just stop. Honey, you know that I want this for you. I do, but you’re–you’re– you’re a fool if you don’t think you’re going to get challenged on the letter. Alex–Alex claimed he was Victor’s sole heir in a forged document, so it’s bound to come up again, and you need to be prepared for that.

OK, OK, I get it, and I will be.

Honey, you know that I love you. I do. And I will continue to cover for you in life always.

But in court, I won’t perjure myself. OK? I’m sorry, baby. This one’s on you.

Justin, I hope you understand.

I do. You are Switzerland.

[laughs] Yes.

So you’re Switzerland, Maggie? I assume that means that you’re not gonna take sides in this battle between Philip and me. Is that right?

I’m sorry, Xander. I–I–I love you, and I’m gonna be pulling for you, but–

Maggie, I totally understand. My God, after everything you’ve done for me, I could never hold it against you.

Thank you for saying that.

Well, whether I like it or not, Philip is Victor’s son too. And I don’t really need you to testify for me today. Sarah’s helped me realize that I have quite a strong case.

Did I hear my name?

Sweetheart! Where’s your cane?

Well, I’ve been working really hard on my PT, and turns out, I don’t need it anymore.

Oh, sweetheart, that is just the best news.

Oh, I’ll say it is! Oh, my goodness!

Hey.

Hey. Mwah.

I thought you were supposed to be at Philip’s hearing.

No, no, he doesn’t need his mother tagging along, especially since he’s so confident about today since he hired Belle as his attorney.

Belle?

Yeah, I know. I was surprised, too, given their history.

Well, that is not why I’m surprised.

No?

No. Shawn was in here a little while ago. He told me he accepted a job with the PD. So he is staying in Salem, I am very happy to report.

Yeah, yeah, that’s great.

Yeah, but he thinks Belle left town last night.

[festive music]

Hmm.

Shawn.

Belle.

Hey. I thought you were going back to see your dad.

Yeah, yeah, I was, and… well, then Jada offered me my old job back at the department, and… well, I said yes.

Wow. That’s great. Congratulations.

Thank you. I figured you’d already left too.

Yeah, I had planned on it, but at the last minute, I decided to take over Philip’s case against Xander. His other attorney quit the night before his hearing, and–

Oh, wow, that’s– I mean, it’s great you’re able to help him out. I–I hope he wins.

Yeah, he told me last night that you were on his side. Actually…[chuckles] Since you’re staying in town, do you think that you could do me a huge favor?

Like what?

Like be a witness for Philip?

[sighs]

Hey, darling, why don’t you just take a seat, you know?

Baby, I have been sitting for months. [chuckles] I’m OK, promise. Actually, I’m gonna get some coffee. Can I get you some?

Oh, God, no. I’m wired enough as it is already.

I could use a cup. I’ll go with you.

All right.

[sighs] Oh, Philip, hey. I’m actually glad to get a moment alone with you.

Yeah, well, the moment is up.

Please wait. Just hold on.

What the hell do you want, Xander?

[sighs] I just want to give you the opportunity to drop this case before you humiliate yourself and cause the family any more pain.

[scoffs] Give me a break.

Come on, man, Maggie– Maggie has been through hell this year. You know that. And all this infighting, it’s not good for her health.

If you’re so concerned, you drop the case.

Not a chance, pal.

See, that’s what I thought. Oh, and when I win, I promise I won’t leave you and your family out on the street. I’m sure the bushes around the mansion could use a good pruning.

Save it, Pip. You know damn well there’s nothing Belle or Stephanie can do to spin away the fact that my will trumps your letter.

I guess we’ll see about that. After all, I’m the only son Victor actually raised. God, how must that feel, to know, your whole life, he knew you were his son and he refused to acknowledge it?

You son of a–

[tense music]

Son of a Kiriakis? Yes, indeed. May Victor’s favorite son win.

[dramatic music]

Where is everyone?

Oh, Xander went with Sarah and Justin to get coffee after his failed attempt to get me to drop the case.

Huh, under all that bravado, I guess he knows he’s gonna lose.

Obviously.

Yeah. And where’s Kate?

Unfortunately my mother couldn’t make it.

Well, we have a strong enough case without her and Brady.

No Brady? Damn. I thought he’d be the final nail in Xander’s coffin.

Well, he didn’t feel comfortable because, you know.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, there’s a lot of that going around. [sighs] What about you? What if you testified? Brady told you Xander tried to kill him.

I can’t be a witness, Philip. I’m your attorney. Besides, what Brady told me is inadmissible. It’s hearsay.

God, there has to be someone else who knows Xander threatened Brady’s life.

[tense music]

[clears throat]

Hello, Belle. Nice to see you again.

Justin.

All right, then. If we’re all ready, let’s call this hearing to order.

I am so glad you’re home!

[laughing] Yeah, I’m home.

I was on my way to a meeting. I drove by your place, and I thought, I wonder if Brady would like to come along.

[sighs] That’s probably a really, really good idea, actually. It’s been a rough couple days for me.

I’m sorry to hear that.

Well, it’s had to have been tense for you too. I thought you’d be testifying at the hearing.

No. No. Justin asked me to. I just feel– I don’t feel comfortable taking sides.

I–I get it. I told Belle the exact same thing.

Belle?

She’s repping Philip. Last-minute change.

I see. Well, good that you turned her down.

Mm.

Best we should stay out of it.

Yeah, I think we should just let Xander and Philip hash this out amongst themselves. And it’s gonna be brother versus brother.

Mm.

[dramatic music]

I would like to enter this letter into evidence. It was written by the decedent to his son Philip.

Any objection, Mr. Kiriakis?

No, Your Honor. Our experts have found no evidence of fraud.

As you can see, Victor Kiriakis in this letter clearly states his intent to leave Titan Industries to his youngest son, Philip. The letter goes on to explain that he was omitted from the will only because he was presumed dead at the time of its writing. Your Honor, in reality, my client suffered from mental health issues that he has since overcome. And in fact, this is a letter from his doctors in Europe stating just that. That’s his clean bill of health. Therefore there’s really no reason that Philip would be unable to assume his role as the head of Titan Industries, which, as that letter clearly states, was his father’s intent from the outset. Certainly we wouldn’t want to penalize my client for a history of mental illness that he has since overcome.

Anything further, Ms. Black?

Yes. I would like to call Shawn Brady to the stand.

Do I understand correctly that Philip Kiriakis is your uncle?

Yes, that’s right. We are the same age, so we basically grew up together.

Which gave you a unique window into your grandfather’s feelings toward him, correct?

Yeah, that’s right. Philip was my grandfather’s golden child. He was groomed since we were kids to… take over the family business. He was the obvious choice. My father didn’t want any part of it. My Aunt Isabella, she had passed away, and, well, I mean, Xander’s always been the black sheep of the family.

Well, lest the court think you’re biased against the defendant, how would you describe your relationship with the plaintiff?

Contentious. But I took an oath today, so I’m here to tell the truth about what I think my grandfather wanted.

No further questions.

Counselor?

Mr. Brady, in all the conversations you had with your grandfather over the years about the future of his company, did he ever expressly tell you that we should all just ignore his will and instead piece together his intentions based on various letters and other anecdotal evidence?

Of course not, no.

Thank you. No further questions.

You may go, Mr. Brady.

Anything further, Ms. Black? Would you like to enter any evidence that shows Xander Kiriakis is unfit to run Titan Industries?

Not at this time, Your Honor.

Well, I guess Belle and Shawn are just going to have to find a way to get along peacefully.

Not just with each other but with Philip too.

Yeah, well, you know, actually, I’m hoping Belle just leaves town after the hearing’s over.

I guess we’ll see. [phone rings]

[festive music]

Brady Pub. We’re open. Yes, this is Roman Brady. Statesville Prison?

[tense music] OK. Yeah. Yeah, I guess I’ll accept the call.

Hello. Who is this?

Vivian Alamain? What the hell do you want?

[dramatic music]

Victor Kiriakis’ official will and testament, the only document that can be purported to show his final wishes, expressly names my client, Xander Kiriakis, to be his sole heir. Therefore this should be an open-and-shut case.

That will be for me to determine, Mr. Kiriakis. Any character witnesses you’d like to call on your client’s behalf?

Actually, I have here a letter of support from Xander’s cousin Alexander Kiriakis, to be entered into evidence.

Objection, Your Honor. A letter? Alex is a citizen of Salem. There’s no reason he shouldn’t be here testifying in person, giving me the opportunity to cross-examine.

Mr. Kiriakis is currently working on the set of a TV show, “Body & Soul.” And unfortunately the producers were unable to adjust their schedule to accommodate his appearance here today.

I’m sorry, Mr. Kiriakis, but if the gentleman can’t spare the court his time, I can’t spare the court’s to read his letter. The evidence is denied.

Any other witnesses you’d like to call, Counselor, with information pertinent to the case?

Yes, Your Honor. I’d like to call Dr. Sarah Kiriakis.

Vivian, speak. What the hell do you want?

Vivian, whatever it is you’re trying to sell my husband, he’s not buying. Do you hear me? Don’t you ever call here again.

[sighs] I am so sorry. Honey, this woman will not stop trying to cause problems for me. [sighs] Did you hear that? What the hell? Is delivery here?

Well, I didn’t really hear anything, but I’ll go check.

OK. Thanks.

[sighs] Still there, Viv? Because let me tell you something. If you’re calling here to tell my husband about that forged letter, you’re making a big mistake. I know that you hate me, but you care about Philip and you care about getting your cut of the money, so I’m warning you. You better not screw him over. You will not say a word about that letter. Do you hear me? Not a word.

[sighs]

My husband has been deprived his birthright for most of his life. And this will was, in Victor’s own words, a way of making amends for that terrible slight. And yeah, of course, he and his father had… a rocky relationship at times.

At times?

Mr. Kiriakis.

As I was saying, the relationship was rocky at times, but… Xander loved and admired his father. Our daughter, Victoria, is named after him.

And what direct knowledge do you have of Philip Kiriakis’ relationship with his father?

Well… Philip was absent for most of his father’s final years. But Xander and I did become aware that while he was acting as CEO of Titan, he became involved in a money-laundering scheme with Ava Vitali and the Mafia after accruing significant gambling debts.

Objection. Irrelevant.

Overruled.

Go on, Dr. Kiriakis.

When Xander and I exposed Philip, Victor was more furious than I’d ever seen him. He was so disappointed in his son. He was heartsick.

Thank you. Your Honor, no further questions.

Dr. Kiriakis, did your late father-in-law, also your stepfather, did he keep Philip on as CEO after you shared this information with him about the money-laundering scheme?

[sighs] Yes. Yeah, he did.

So he kept Philip on so he could make amends, whereas Xander just quit in a fit of pique, presumably answering the question as to which brother was more devoted to the company, yes?

But Victor did ultimately fire Philip. It’s what led to his downward spiral.

Objection. Irrelevant.

Irrelevant? How is that irrelevant?

Sustained.

I’m sorry to hear that you’ve been struggling, Brady.

Well, Maggie, look, as far as my sobriety is concerned, I’m OK, fine. I haven’t had a drink since Sarah’s accident. But thinking I was responsible for her injuries, that was a wake-up call to me.

Mm. Well, I’m relieved to hear that. I am beyond grateful to you for convincing Kristen to hand over that serum.

Oh. How is Sarah doing?

She is making great strides, quite literally.

Really?

Not only is she on her feet, but today… she began walking without a cane.

[sighs] Oh, my God. That is–that is such wonderful news. I’m so happy for her.

Yeah, I think maybe things are getting back on track for her and Xander and that they can– I don’t know–finally focus on moving forward, you know? [laughter] OK, here. That’s a cheers.

Cheers.

Dr. Kiriakis, is it safe to say that you love your husband?

I love Xander with all my heart.

So you would do anything for him?

Objection.

I would like to answer it, actually. I love Xander more than anything, but I will not lie for him. My testimony has been truthful.

So far.

[tense music]

Can’t do it.

What? Why?

[sighs] First of all, Xander and Sarah have already apologized to me profusely about what I went through, and I accepted their apology.

But, Dr. Kiriakis, would you perhaps lie under oath about your husband’s attempt to murder Brady Black?

Back to the Days Transcripts Page

Back to the Main Daytime Transcripts Page

Days of Our Lives Transcript

Transcript provided by Suzanne

THIS STILL NEEDS EXTENSIVE EDITING!

[festive music]

Tink!

[laughs] Hey, big brother.

What?

Hi.

Hey. Hey. I go out of town for two days, and I find you here back home– where you belong, by the way.

Well, it’s good to be back. I obviously didn’t plan it, but I came back for Doug’s funeral.

Yeah, I wish I was able to have made the service.

Yeah, you were missed.

Yeah, I got to go see Julie, see how she’s doing. How is she doing?

Oh, gosh. She gave the most beautiful eulogy, delivered it with her true Julie wit and charm. I mean, she is a tough lady.

Yeah. I mean, Doug, he had such a long and good life.

Yeah.

It was a privilege just to be a part of it.

It was.

And Shawn, how’s– how’s he doing? Are you two better, or…

No. We are getting a divorce.

[somber music]

[festive country music]

Seems like a pretty standard divorce agreement. I don’t see anything out of the ordinary. Yeah, nothing that would cause any concern.

Yeah, I mean, I didn’t think there would be. But since Belle told me to have a lawyer look over it, I just–

Well, always good advice. Well, now that you’ve had a lawyer look it over and approve, I’d say you can sign it, send it back to Belle.

Yeah, right. Yeah, I’ll do that. Thank you. Thank you, Justin.

No problem. Now there’s something that you can do for me.

Yeah, name it.

You can help Xander hold on to Titan.

[breathing heavily]

Turning this room into a gym for you, eh?

Yeah, well, I’m not just working out.

No? What are you– what are you doing?

[exhales heavily] Preparing for battle.

[tense music]

Battle?

Tomorrow my brother and I are going to war.

[sighs]

[laughs] Well, I just wanted to thank you guys for not printing those “Body & Soul” spoilers. [knocking] As an audience member myself, I much prefer to be clueless about a future story. It’s just–it’s so much more fun to be surprised.

[sultry music]

[soft orchestration] announcer: Like sands through the hourglass, so are the “Days of Our Lives.”

Anyway, as painful as this process is, I’m glad that Shawn and I are finally able to move forward. Our marriage has been over for a while, and I think we just hadn’t admitted it to ourselves yet.

Well, I’m here for you. You know, I know sometimes it feels right in your head, but it’s still painful. But I’m here. You can vent to me, you can talk to me, whatever you want.

I know you’re here for me, Brady.

Always.

Ugh, enough about me. How are you? How are the kids?

Pff, my kids. OK, Rachel, she’s a lot, OK?

[laughs]

She–I love her. She’s–but she’s– she’s–she’s strong. She’s stubborn. She speaks her mind, Belle. Which is great. And then it’s not great, you know?

Oh, I miss that little girl.

She misses you too. I swear to God, just the other day, she was like, where’s Aunt Tink? Is she still in Salem? She’s my favorite person. Where is she? [chuckles]

Oh, bless her heart.

Yeah. And Tate. Oh, Tate. Let’s just say he’s learning that love, life, and relationships are very complicated, to say the least.

Yeah, that’s for sure.

Yeah.

So speaking of, any exciting developments in your love life?

Oh, no. [sighs] No. No, not for a while. But hey, I do have a date this weekend. Yeah, big date. Gonna go see “The Nutcracker.”

[laughs]

Yeah, it’ll put me in the Christmas spirit. It’ll be great.

Definitely. So who is this person you’re going on a date with?

[dramatic music]

Ava Vitali.

[festive music]

Mr. Shin, I, too, am disappointed that I wasn’t able to bring Titan to DiMera, but I assure you, it is–it’s a minor setback. I have so many irons in the fire, and believe me… [chuckles] It won’t be long before Victor Kiriakis’ company is nothing more than a bitter, distant memory. [sighs] Yes, Mr. Shin. Take care. We’ll be in touch.

I’ll tell you, this square, you tend to run into people that you obviously don’t want to see.

Mm. And sometimes people you want to give hell to.

[tense music]

So now that Philip is going to court for control of Titan, I am representing Xander. And I know you and Philip are not particularly close, so I was hoping that you’d be willing to give a deposition declaring your belief that Xander is the best man for the job.

Ugh. Justin, I–as much as I would like to help you, I’m sorry, but I can’t.

Why not?

Because I’m rooting for Philip.

[festive country music]

Sorry, didn’t we have a meeting scheduled?

Sorry, I thought I had time to get in a quick workout first.

Oh, right.

Right. Make yourself comfortable. Feel free to take whatever you want from the minibar. I’ll go change.

[dramatic music]

When I show up in that court tomorrow, I want to be at the top of my game. Fighting form. [exhales heavily]

Right, ’cause the judge is more likely to rule in your favor the buffer you are. Totally get it.

It’s the mind-body connection, Sarah. The stronger I feel, the more confidence I will exude, the more likely a positive outcome.

OK.

I’m not about to let Philip take my company from me. [sighs] Little brother or no, when we step into that court tomorrow, we’re just gonna be two gladiators stepping into the ring. I’m not about to let him beat me. [breathing sharply]

Sorry about that.

No worries. It gave me a chance to review what I’ve done so far for your case.

Right, well, I know you’ve spoken to a few business journalists.

Mm, I have, yes. And they were all willing– I’m pleased to report– to write articles about the proposed change in leadership at Titan– skewed in your favor, of course. Plus, a few bloggers agreed to write any blind items they have about dissatisfaction with Xander’s leadership. So it’s all in here.

Wow. Great work, Steph. You’ve really gone above and beyond.

Mm.

[sighs] But–

[dramatic music]

But what? Is there a problem?

Steph, I’m just not sure this will tip the scales in my favor. [sighs] I mean, do you think this is enough for me to win the case and take Titan away from Xander?

[grunts]

Well, if you’re done readying for battle, I thought maybe we could go to the Bistro for dinner. My mom offered to babysit.

Oh, sounds great, except I still have at least another 45 minutes here.

OK, yeah. I’m gonna–I’m gonna go watch Victoria sleep.

No, no, you– you can’t go right now. I still have to do my press-ups.

OK. [laughs] Correct me if I’m wrong. That’s kind of a one-man job, no?

[playful music] Or is a–is a press-up something different? Is it–is it a– like, a Scottish push-up? Is it different than the American kind?

No, they’re exactly the same. It’s just that they’re too easy for me.

Oh.

Unless I get someone to sit on me, which is what you’re gonna do right now. Please?

You want me to sit on you?

Come on, get on. [grunts]

[laughs] I’m gonna hurt you.

Oh, don’t be daft. The dumbbells weigh more than you do.

[laughs] OK.

All right, what are you waiting for?

I’m–I’m doing it.

All right.

Ready.

Comfy?

Yeah, I’m–I’m so comfy.

All right, here we go.

Ready. Oh, my God. [laughs]

[festive music]

You’re saying that you want Philip to gain full control of Titan?

Look, I know that he and I haven’t been exactly close.

That’s putting it mildly.

But I ran into him yesterday, and he told me about the letter that Grandpa Victor wrote, and I know that he has got Titan in his blood. So if he has proof that Grandpa wants him to have a role with the company, then he’s got every right to fight for it.

You obviously feel strongly about this, so I won’t try and change your mind.

Shawn, it’s–it’s great to see you again.

You too, Justin. Thanks.

Mm-hmm.

Ava Vitali?

Mm-hmm.

I didn’t even know you two knew each other.

Well, I–I knew of her, obviously. But recently we’ve become acquaintances.

Whom you are interested in romantically.

Wait, no, slow down. I–we’re going to see “The Nutcracker,” Belle.

Which you just characterized as a date.

Yeah, but I could use that in any circumstance. I’m going on a date with, like, my friend Tony or whatever. We’re going on a date. We’re seeing “The Nutcracker.”

[laughs] OK, Brady. You are a single guy going out with a single woman. In my book and probably everybody else’s, that is a date in the romantic sense of the word.

So you seem very determined to call it a date, so OK.

Yeah.

It’s a date.

Yeah, it is. And you know what? This is actually an upside to my divorce, because now I don’t have to go home and tell Shawn that you’re gonna go on a date with the woman who brought down the plane that killed his namesake and grandfather, Shawn Brady.

That’s not fair, because she–her father was drugging her at the time, if you recall. She wasn’t in her right mind.

All right. Well, then let’s talk about all the other horrific things she did when she wasn’t drugged.

I knew–I knew you were gonna react this way. I know everybody in town is not going to approve of me dating Ava, but I’m a big boy. I can handle it. It’s fine. Except for–

Except for what?

[sighs] When Kristen finds out about it, there’s gonna be hell to pay.

[scoffs]

[dramatic music]

Ava, I don’t have time for this.

No? Well, you certainly had time to take Rachel to “The Nutcracker” when you knew that Brady had already planned to.

How the hell do you know about that? You know what? And what business is it of yours what I do or what I don’t do with my daughter?

Well, it’s my business because Brady is my friend, and you have screwed him over for the millionth time.

Ava, you damn well better keep your nose where it belongs. And I am sure that Brady, now that he’s a big shot at Basic Black, can afford to waste two tickets to the ballet.

Oh. Well, don’t worry about that, honey. It’s not going to waste. He invited me. So I guess I’ve got you to thank for that.

[sighs] [laughs]

[festive country music]

Shawn.

Oh, Jada, hi. Well, it’s been a while.

Yes. Yes, it has. You know, my deepest condolences about your grandfather. All of Salem has felt his loss.

Yeah, he was– he was a really great man.

Yeah.

You know, actually, you know, I’m– I’m glad that we ran into each other.

Oh?

Yeah, yeah. Here, have a seat, please.

First of all, I want you to know that I’m sober now.

That’s great to hear.

Yeah, and that’s–that’s not all I wanted to say.

So I have been doing the 2 steps, and one of them is to make amends. And I want to apologize to you for the trouble that I caused you and Rafe when I was drinking and also for– for what happened with Talia. I deeply, deeply regret hurting you and Rafe and your sister.

[somber music]

Shawn, I really appreciate you saying that. I know it was a very difficult time for you, for many reasons.

Yeah. Yeah, it was. But that does not excuse my behavior.

Yeah, well, you’re making amends now, and I admire you for that.

So tell me, how long are you gonna be in town?

Not for very long, actually. I’m just here for my grandfather’s funeral.

Right, right. Well, this might not be the best time, but I might as well ask. Shawn, would you be interested in coming back to the Salem PD?

[dramatic music]

[breathing heavily] Yeah.

50.

Yeah.

[laughs] No more?

[sighs] No more.

All right.

Your job here is completed.

Look at me. [both chuckle]

Thanks for spotting me, darling.

Oh, yes, anytime.

Oh, sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt your workout.

No, no, you were not interrupting a workout. Xander is preparing for battle.

[grunts]

Mm. Got it.

Speaking of, did you get to talk to Shawn?

I did. I’m afraid Shawn won’t be going to bat for you. Turns out, he’s Team Philip.

What? Since when?

It’s OK. Not surprising. Luckily I still have a few tricks up my sleeve.

So there is a lot of good buzz in your favor. And the court of public opinion seems to be on your side.

Hmm, thanks to you.

But ultimately, as you know, it’s going to come down to whether or not a judge believes that you have a legitimate claim on Titan.

Which is going to be a tough battle, considering my father left the company to Xander in his will.

True. But you have your father’s letter. Victor clearly expressed that he wanted to give Titan to you, had you not been presumed dead at the time of his passing.

Right.

And because you’re in possession of that letter, it’s gonna be really hard for Xander to claim that he’s Victor’s true heir.

Stephanie, with all the hard work you’ve been putting in, I think I need to be honest with you… [sighs] About the letter.

What do you mean? Philip, what about the letter?

So Kristen’s still hung up on you, huh?

I wouldn’t use the phrase “hung up.” I would use the phrase “staked her claim.”

Mm, and how’s she doing that this time?

In a nutshell, she was blackmailing Xander. She was demanding Titan in exchange for Dr. Rolf’s serum that was gonna cure Sarah’s paralysis. But she led me to believe that she was just doing everything out of the goodness of her heart.

[scoffs] OK.

Yeah, and when I found out the truth, I told her that if she continues to demand Titan in exchange for the serum that there’d be no chance in hell that we would ever get back together again.

OK. But since Sarah’s walking, I assume Kristen actually gave up the serum.

She did. She did. But she also got it in her head that I promised her that we’d– we would get back together again if she gave the serum up. But, Belle, I did not say that.

Right, but you’re talking about Kristen here, who has, like, a PhD in self-delusion. So it’s not hard to imagine how she took a flying leap to that conclusion.

Yeah, it was–it was pretty predictable, actually.

Yeah, and she’s not just delusional. She also doesn’t take rejection very well.

[laughs] That’s putting it mildly, Belle.

Yeah, well, you remember what happened with Chloe. I mean, she– she went to extremes to try to break you two up, if I recall.

You recall and I recall, very vividly, that whole thing. But Ava, she’s gone toe-to-toe with opponents much tougher than Kristen. I think she can hold her own.

[laughs] I knew it. You little snake. I knew you were moving in on Brady.

Oh, take it easy, will you? He offered me his extra ticket to “The Nutcracker.” He wasn’t down on one knee when he did it.

Oh, but I bet you wish he had been. I know you want nothing more than to steal him away from me.

Steal him away?

Mm-hmm.

He is not yours to steal, Kristen.

He is the father of my child, and our child is desperately wanting her parents to be together. She wants us to be a family again, and you are just obviously determined to ruin that for us.

Oh, relax, will you? I am not determined to ruin anything for you or your daughter. I’m simply going to the ballet with a friend who had an extra ticket.

Oh, you smug little–

Yeah, well, you know what? I wasn’t gonna tell you. But then I figured, hey, you’re gonna find out anyway, so I might as well tell you myself. You know, rip that Band-Aid off, take the brunt of it now.

How is this for brunt?

[scoffs]

Hmm.

Oh-ho. What the hell?

Well, you said you wanted to rip off the Band-Aid. I know it stings a little, doesn’t it?

Yeah. Yeah, it does. That’s true. Sometimes it stings a lot. [both grunt] You know, I should have known that you wouldn’t know how to be an adult when Brady said he wanted nothing more to do with you. Actually, I did know, and I predicted this is exactly how you would react.

Mm, really? Really?

Mm-hmm.

Well, then you should have ducked.

Yeah. Well, I wanted you to know that you might be able to push other people around, but it’s gonna take more than a little love tap to scare me.

Uh-huh.

I’m not afraid of you, Kristen.

[chuckles] Well, Ava, maybe you should be.

[tense music]

So are you offering me my old job back?

Yes, I am. Shawn, I don’t know if you know, but Mayor Price recently made me commissioner.

What? No. No, I didn’t know. I had no idea. That’s amazing. Congratulations. That’s huge.

Thank you. Yes, it is, and I’m very proud to be the first Black female commissioner in Salem’s history. But there’s a lot riding on me to do the best job possible. And it’s very crucial that I have the best of the best on the force, but lately we’ve been very understaffed. And Rafe leaving to go work for Black Patch, I could really use a great detective.

I mean, aren’t there any who already live in Salem?

None that are as qualified as you. Shawn, look, I know what you can bring to the job, and I know you would be a real asset to the force. So what do you say?

[dramatic music]

Ugh. I’ve been back in town for two days and my inbox is full.

Well, such is the life of a high-powered executive.

You heard I went back to Basic Black, didn’t you?

I did. And I have to say, it surprised me.

Yeah, I was surprised myself. I thought my tenure there was done, but Xander had a sudden attack of conscience after he blamed me for Sarah’s accident.

An attack of conscience? [laughs] That’s a first.

Yeah, I think it was a first for him. But he– Belle, he didn’t just feel guilty.

What does that mean?

At the height of his fury, he came to my office with a baseball bat, looked me in the eye, and said he was gonna do the same thing to me.

What? Wait. So he–he threatened to paralyze you?

He did, but obviously there was no damage done, so…

Well, thank God for that.

Yeah. And–and there was another incident.

What other incident?

He drugged me and tried to kill me.

I’m sorry. Could you be a little bit more specific here, honey? What tricks do you have up your sleeves specifically?

It’s nothing for you to worry about, darling.

Yeah, yeah, when you say that, that makes me worry. That makes me worry a lot.

It’s no big deal, honestly. Philip’s just about to have a– a little setback, that’s all.

What about the letter?

It’s not–

Philip, it’s not what?

[sighs] Well, maybe it’s pretrial jitters, but I just– I just don’t feel like it’s enough. I mean, I don’t know if an informal letter to a lost son is going to, you know, outweigh an official will in the judge’s eyes.

OK. I–I get your concern. But, Philip, what I will tell you is that no matter what’s in the letter, what will really make the difference is the case that your attorney presents to the court. You have a good lawyer?

The best. Ned Dickerson. [phone ringing] Speak of the devil.

Ned, how are you? Believe me, I’m well aware our court date is tomorrow.

Wait, what?

Could I have a moment alone with my husband?

Maybe as your attorney, the less I know, the better.

Probably.

[dramatic music] What are you up to?

All’s fair in love and war, Sarah.

Yes, yes. I know that proverb very well. The last time that you went to war with Philip, you tried to kill him. You pulled a gun on him.

It wasn’t loaded.

You didn’t know that!

That’s true. But this time, it’s gonna be totally civilized, Sarah. Trust me, you have nothing to worry about. I promise.

I don’t want your promises. I just want to know what trick you pulled. What is the setback that Philip is going to suffer?

[sighs]

Thanks for nothing. Damn!

I’m guessing that was bad news?

Kind of. My lawyer just quit.

What? Why?

Apparently he once worked for Xander at Titan.

Oh. So it’s a conflict of interest.

Yeah, a pretty convenient one, if you ask me. And then he “suddenly remembered” that the night before the trial?

You think Xander engineered this?

Of course he did. No question in my mind.

[sighs] Philip, I’m really sorry.

Now, if you don’t mind, I’m going to have to cut this meeting short ’cause apparently I need to find another lawyer.

[sighs]

But, Stephanie, I really appreciate everything you’ve done. Just keep it up, OK?

I will. And, you know, if only I could figure out who this new Lady Whistleblower is, maybe I could get her to stop printing spoilers about “Body & Soul” and start printing dirt on Xander instead. That would kill two birds with one stone.

I cannot believe this. So Xander went in there to shoot you?

Yeah.

And if Jada hadn’t gotten there in time, he–

It was–yeah, he–it was– it was a close call.

Oh, my God.

So now we know that Xander is willing to go to these extremes, shouldn’t be a surprise that he’s willing to go to these extremes for the love of his life, Sarah.

Do I need to remind you what happened to Sarah Horton when she got in my way? Oh, poor thing. Spent months on an island all by her lonesome. And then when she did get home, she was totally batty, convinced that she was Renee DuMonde.

[chuckles] And you are totally batty if you think you can mess with me, bitch.

Ooh, you are one audacious number, Ava. And your pathetic protestations notwithstanding. Hmm. So if you’re not careful, you will be the next to throw yourself at my dear brother Tony.

Oh.

Mwah.

Mm. [smooching]

Ciao.

Well, now that you’re working for Xander again, I hope he’s going to extremes on that salary and benefit. [phone beeps]

Eh.

Mm. Oh, damn it, I got to go. I got to go. How long are you in town for?

I’m actually leaving tonight.

Why do you need to leave so quickly?

I don’t need to, but there’s not really a reason for me to stay in Salem anymore.

[sighs] Well, as your big brother, I– I wish you could stick around for a while, with or without a reason.

Aw. I miss you, Brady.

I miss you too. I will let you leave on one condition.

And what is that?

You visit a lot. You have to visit a lot.

I will visit as often as I can. And you can visit, too, because planes fly in both directions.

All right, lots of calls, lots of video chats, OK?

Yes, definitely.

I love you, Tink.

I love you.

Mm.

[soft music]

Wow, that’s– that is a really, really nice offer, Jada. And I mean, I’m– I mean, I’m completely surprised. But–

Look, you’ve got a lot on your plate, and I’m sure you are very anxious to get back to your father. So if the timing’s not right, I completely understand.

Look, well–look, as much as I would like to stay there by my father’s side until he comes out of this, which–I mean, there’s no telling when that’s gonna be, unfortunately. And, well, he’s– he’s not alone, ’cause he’s got my mom. And–[chuckles] And I can hear him. I can hear him right now saying to me, kid, what are you doing just waiting around here? You need to get out there and you need to live your life.

You know, my father used to say something like that to me whenever he thought that I wasn’t following my dreams.

Right. Yeah, that’s–that’s pretty much all my dad ever wanted for me too. Just to, you know, follow my dreams.

Mm.

[sighs] So I’m thinking…

[festive country music] That maybe it’s time for a new chapter.

So what are you saying?

I’m saying– I’m saying yes. Yes, I accept your job offer.

Welcome back, Detective.

[soft music]

[festive music]

Hey.

Hey.

Hi. You know–you know our date isn’t till tomorrow night, right?

Yeah, I do, and I’m looking forward to it.

Well, glad to hear that, ’cause I was worried that you might want to let me down in person or something.

Let you down? No. Definitely no.

Good, good.

Yeah.

Well, if that’s the case and our date’s still on, why do you look like you’re about to drop the ax?

Because I thought that you should know that I just had another unfortunate run-in with your ex.

[dramatic music]

Who the hell does she think she is, putting her hands on me? [chuckles] My brother is district attorney. Hell, I’m Kristen DiMera. God! I could have her in jail or buried with one phone call. [liquid sloshing] [sighs] So, Father, any ideas how to get Ava Vitali out of my way? [chuckles]

Well, I’ll head back to the station and get the ball rolling on your paperwork so you can rejoin the force ASAP.

Awesome. Thank you. Thank you, Commish.

You bet, Detective.

[festive country music]

[somber music]

[sighs]

[sighs]

[sighs]

[sighs]

So you convinced Philip’s lawyer to take a meeting with you so that he would have a conflict of interest representing Philip?

Well, I incentivized him to tell Philip that he did some work for me in the past and that’s the reason he has a conflict of interest and so he had to drop Philip’s case.

OK. But how is that gonna do any good? Can’t he just get another lawyer to represent him?

Well, he’s free to try, but who’s gonna take his case the night before the trial?

[dramatic music] [knocking]

[clears throat] Oh, my God, Philip.

Hey, you.

[laughs] It’s so good to see you.

You too.

Yeah. [chuckles] Come in.

I ran into Shawn last night. He told me you two were splitting up. I was sorry to hear it, for both of you.

Thank you.

It must be a difficult time for you.

It is. But I think Shawn and I both know it was the right decision. I hope he was OK when you saw him.

Yeah, he was. And I know it’s a difficult time for him, too, but it sounded like he knew it was the right decision, like you said. And I must say, I was surprised to learn he’s actually on my side of this case I have against Xander. Which starts tomorrow, as you may know.

Yeah, I heard. I heard. And I mean, shouldn’t you be at home, getting ready?

Actually, I would be doing that, but my lawyer quit on me just a little while ago. So…I need to hire a new one, obviously.

Wow. That’s pretty short notice.

Yeah. Well, that’s why I figured it had to be someone I know. So…

How’d you like to be my lawyer, Belle?

[scoffs]

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