EPISODE 155

Written by A. Washington-Beeby
Story Consultants: C. Nathaniel Richardson & Nick Monarco

 

Will wakes up from a deep sleep, hearing his phone light up from an unexpected phone call. Through, half-shut eyes, he grimaces at the bright light of the vibrating phone, checking to see who's calling him.

 

It's Nicole.

 

WILL: Nicole? (sigh) She can leave a message.

 

Will puts down his phone, ignoring Nicole's call, and lays back down in his bed, next to Sonny. Before he can cuddle up to his fiancé, Will hears the cries from the next room of Arianna. Will sighs again, knowing Sonny is too deep in his sleep to get up.

 

As Will gets up, Will mutters to himself.

 

WILL: Daddy's coming.

 

Leaving the bedroom, he opens the door to find Gabi asleep on the sofa. Confused, Will steps over to Ari's crib, and smiles, trying to calm down the toddler.

 

WILL: Hey, honey. I'll get you something to eat in just a moment, okay? Daddy's gotta check on something first.

 

As Ari is soothed somewhat by Will's presence, Will steps away, toward the kitchen. Noticing that Gabi's bedroom door is closed, Will's curiosity gets the best of him, and he steps toward the door.

 

Will looks over at Gabi, with his hand on the doorknob. He braces himself for the worst, as he turns the knob.

 

Swinging the door open, he finds a sleeping Nick in Gabi's bed. His shocked outburst wakes everyone else up.

 

WILL: Nick?? Wh...what the HELL are you doing here?

 

Nick rouses himself, groggy and stunned by the sudden invasion.

 

---

 

Liam lays next to Jennifer in her bed, as she lays fast asleep. The morning sun peaking through the window of her room. He lays in bed, unable to fall back asleep, as he mulls over what he encountered the night before.

 

***

 

FLASHBACK TO EPISODE 151

 

Gabi stops as she looks over at Jennifer's date, realizing it's Liam, the man who's been supplying her with the pills for Nick. He looks back at her with a blank expression.

 

JENNIFER: Oh! Gabi, sorry, this is my date, Mr. Liam Frasier!
LIAM: Pleased to meet you.

 

Liam extends his hand to Gabi, taking hers in his, as he looks up at her, a wry smile. Gabi stands, stunned before him.

 

***

 

Liam sighs, debating his next move. He stares up at the ceiling as he silently thinks things over.

 

LIAM: (voiceover) I can't have Gabi drugging Nick...or the entire Titan takeover is dead in the water...Stefano won't be happy. Stefano's obviously kept EJ in the dark for a reason. I can't let Gabi get ahold of any more pills.

 

Jennifer stirs next to Liam, as she turns to face her lover. She smiles as she drapes her arm across his bare chest, and lays her head down.

 

JENNIFER: Good morning. 

 

Liam wraps his arm around Jennifer, looking down momentarily, but something still weighing heavily on his mind.

 

LIAM: How'd you sleep?

 

Jennifer catches onto Liam's intensity, and, through her sleepiness, makes an incisive comment.

 

JENNIFER: Pretty good. But I think maybe you didn't. Is something wrong?

 

Liam looks away, sighing as he tries to think of what to respond with.

 

---

 

EJ comes down the steps of DiMera mansion, emerging from his bedroom. He calls out to see if anyone's there.

 

EJ: Samantha? You up?

 

Hearing nothing, EJ, in his robe, looks about, before stepping into the living room. Spotting his tablet on the table, he picks it up, and sits down in one of the armchairs. 

 

The headline immediately pops up from the Salem Spectator website:

 

TITANIC TITAN: NOVICE NICK FALLON NAMED CEO AND MAJORITY STOCKHOLDER

 

Still baffled by the sudden shift in fortune for Nick, EJ reads the headline, frustrated, but contemplating a new strategy.

 

---

 

 

 

---

 

Kate steps out of the café at Horton Town Square, a to-go cup in hand, as she heads for work. Walking away, she spies Rafe, heading her way.

 

The two smile at each other, though somewhat awkwardly.

 

KATE: Good morning.
RAFE: Hey...you holding up?
KATE: Oh yeah. Nothing to worry about. I'm ah...I'm sorry about the last time we saw each other, I...I didn't expect to see a ring on Jordan's finger so soon.

 

Rafe nods, somewhat sheepishly.

 

RAFE: Yeah...circumstances. I ah...I thought something was happening to Jordan, and...it got me thinking.
KATE: Oh?
RAFE: Yeah, just...I realized I had to hold onto her. I've let too many people I care for slip away, and...I just didn't want to wait. You know?

 

Kate smiles, half-heartedly.

 

KATE: I do. But...(sigh)

 

Rafe looks at Kate, curious about what she's trying to tell him.

 

RAFE: What?

 

Kate hesitates a moment, unsure whether it's a good idea to finish her thought or not. Rafe persists.

 

RAFE: Come on, Kate. Out with it!

KATE: Okay, okay. Look...there is something...you need to know about Jordan, Rafe. Before you marry her.

 

Rafe looks at Kate, confused.

 

---

 

Gabi gets up from the sofa, where she'd been asleep, wondering what Will's shock is about.

 

GABI: Will? What the--

 

Will looks at Gabi, trying to hold back his shock at Nick being in Gabi's bed.

 

WILL: You...I wasn't expecting to see Nick here, that's...that's all. Just...

 

Gabi, still groggy, squints, as she holds the bridge of her nose momentarily, trying to stifle a bit of a wine hangover of her own.

 

GABI: Sorry, I should've texted you. Just...we were out late, and I knew you were bringing Ari home from the sitter's after dinner, but...then we got here and Nick had SUCH a bad headache...I didn't feel comfortable letting him go home alone so...

 

Sonny emerges from the bedroom, less than pleased by Gabi's explanation. Nick gets up as well, heading for the doorway of Gabi's room. He leans, exhausted, against the archway.

 

SONNY: Well I'm deeply touched that you're so concerned about your slimy ex-fiancé's well-being. You could put that much concern in for your daughter's well-being too, you know?

NICK: Sonny, don't blame her for this. Okay?

 

As Nick finishes his sentence, Gabi receives a phone call. Clamouring for her phone, she uncovers it under the blankets she slept under on the sofa.

 

It's EJ.

 

GABI: (into phone) Hey...uh...this is a...not a good time.

 

...

 

EJ stands, fully dressed and ready for the day, in the DiMera living room. He sips on his morning coffee as he responds to Gabi.

 

EJ: (into phone) Well, unfortunately, Gabriella, I don't have any other time, so...meet me at the Pier in one hour.

 

...

 

GABI: (into phone) Ah...sure.

 

Gabi hangs up, looking apologetically at the others in the apartment.

 

GABI: I have an emergency meeting for my new job. So...I have to go get ready.
SONNY: I thought you hadn't decided yet on who to sign with.

 

Gabi gets up from the sofa, hastily grabbing her keys, her phone, and heading toward her room to grab a change of clothes and a towel.

 

GABI: That's what the meeting's about. Kate came to TBD last night, trying to outbid Sami...so now I have to make a decision as to which way to go. So...I'll see you all later. Hopefully I don't look too shabby for having just got up, but...I'm sure I'll figure it out. Nick...I'm glad you're okay.

 

Nick gives Gabi a tired smile as he steps out of her bedroom dooway. Gabi walks toward him, then looks Nick up and down with an awkward smile as she then shuffles past him.

 

NICK: Thanks, Gabi.

 

As Gabi steps into her room, closing the door behind her, Sonny looks over at Nick, menacingly.

 

NICK: I think I'd best be leaving.
SONNY: Yeah, I think you should.
NICK: Guys, I'm...I'm sorry for crashing here last night unannounced. It won't happen again.

 

Will looks back at Sonny, before they both turn to a sheepish Nick. Nick gives a half-hearted smile as he grabs his bag and heads out the door. Just before closing the door, Nick turns back, and mentions something to Sonny and Will.

 

NICK: Oh! Before I forget, tell Gabi she can give me an answer anytime. There's no rush.

 

Sonny looks on, arms folded. He appears irritated by Nick's request.

 

SONNY: Sure.

 

Once outside, Sonny snaps at Will.

 

SONNY: Do you see? This is exactly why I want all this to stop, Will. This plan is putting us all in danger.
WILL: Don't you think I know that? We don't have any choice now. We are too far in to turn back now. Gabi, my mom, my grandmother? All their futures are at stake now. 

 

Sonny shakes his head, unmoved by Will's dedication to the plan to take Nick down.

 

---

 

EJ prepares to head off from the DiMera living room to meet Gabi at the pier, but is stopped in his tracks as Sami walks in. She looks at EJ with a tepid smile.

 

EJ: There you are!
SAMI: Here I am. You ah...you heading out?

 

EJ stands back, awkwardly as Sami grabs a cup from the tray and pours herself some coffee.

 

EJ: Ah yeah. We ummm...Gabriella and I need to go over something.
SAMI: Is it to do with Nick? Because if it is, I should probably know about it, don't you think?
EJ: Ah...yes. I suppose. 

 

Sami waits a moment before turning to face EJ, expectantly.

 

SAMI: Well? I'm waiting.
EJ: It's...I think Gabi needs to get in even closer to Nick, and hopefully she can snag those photos that...Greetings man has taken of you and Kate trying to help drown Nick in the river.

 

Sami begins to interject, but EJ continues, stopping her from rebutting by raising his voice slightly.

 

EJ: If she can get those pictures...and destroy them...we may all be in the clear, and Nicholas won't have a single bit of leverage against you, and Gabi won't have to entangle herself in Nick's life any further.

 

Sami looks back at EJ, not sure whether she approves of this plan or not.

 

---

 

Liam lays in bed next to Jennifer, with a serious look on his face, though he's trying to hide it.

 

LIAM: No...no, nothing's wrong.

 

Jennifer looks down at Liam, giving him a skeptical look that Liam immediately recognizes.

 

LIAM: Seriously!

JENNIFER: Come on, you've been distracted ever since we ran into Gabi at Club TBD last night. I mean...it seemed to me like that was the first time you two had met, but...you've been...
LIAM: Sorry, no, no, it's...it wasn't Gabi. 
JENNIFER: Well, then...what's wrong? Honey, you've been so distant.

 

Liam looks down, keeping himself in check, as he attempts to explain away his mood.

 

LIAM: Sorry, just...the renovations at my house are going slower than I wanted.
JENNIFER: Oh, Honey, I'm sorry. 

 

Jenn puts her arm on Liam's shoulder in comfort. Liam looks up, smiling half-heartedly as he continues.

 

LIAM: Yeah, I...I was supposed to have the place painted on Saturday and...they just texted me last night saying it'll be another week, then the roof needs to get done.

 

Jenn interrupts, responding excitedly.

 

JENNIFER: Well, there's only one thing to do, then!

 

Liam's brow furrows in confusion, as Jenn excitedly gets out of bed, and heads for her closet to pull out clothes to wear.

 

LIAM: Wh...what are you (laughs) where are you going?
JENNIFER: We're gonna go get some paint and paint your house, of course!

 

Jenn smiles widely, as Liam sits upright in her bed, a stunned and worried expression on his face, which Jenn begins to spot, as her face drops.

 

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