EPISODE 179

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

 

Sheryl paces her apartment living room, livid after Nick's attempted betrayal. Jerome gets up from the sofa, trying to cool her off to no avail.

 

SHERYL: I can't believe it. I can't believe we were barking up the wrong tree the entire time.

 

Sheryl turns to face Jerome, pointing a finger up to Jerome's face as she curses Nick's name.

 

SHERYL: I'm gonna kill him, Jerome. I swear to God...
JEROME: You sure whoever dropped that stage light didn't do it for you already? Besides, it's not like he actually exposed you guys or anything...

 

Sheryl turns to look at the TV, shaking her head.

 

SHERYL: Nah. Nahhhh, I may not know Nick well, but I do know he doesn't do anything he doesn't intend to see through. One way or another. 

 

Sheryl sighs, shaking her head, while never taking her eyes off the TV.

 

SHERYL: So...it's time to finish what we started, and then get the Hell outta Dodge...

 

Jerome balks at Sheryl's assertion, which catches Sheryl's attention away from the TV.

 

JEROME: (laughs) You think you're actually gonna get Jordan away from Detective Loverboy? You need to be looking after your own ass.

 

Sheryl turns her head back to face the TV, almost mesmerized by what she sees.

 

SHERYL: Ohh, she'll come with me. Once I've finished what I need to do, she won't have a choice.

 

Sheryl smirks, trying to stifle a laugh, as the glare of the TV reflects in her eyes.

 

---

 

At the WXIR studio, there's chaos after a portion of the lighting rig directly above the soundstage has crashed onto the stage, narrowly avoiding crushing Nick, Nicole, and Anjelica during Nicole's TV special. 

 

By the doorway of the studio, Abby runs over to the studio phone, calling the producer in the control room.

 

ABBY: Yeah...end the broadcast?...Yeah, I'll let them know. Thanks.

 

Abby hangs up and turns to walk briskly into the action on the soundstage. She walks toward Nicole, who's on the stage finishing wrapping the episode before they race to a commercial break, to tell her what the control room said.

 

Nick sits back in his chair onstage, holding his head to try to soothe the intense pain and ringing in his ears after one of the lighting rigs fell from above the stage, narrowly avoiding crushing Nick. Alex and Will rush to the stage to check on Anjelica, who's okay, but shaken up in the chaos.

 

ALEX: Anjelica! You okay?

 

Anjelica puts a hand on Alex's shoulder, nodding emphatically.

 

ANJELICA: Yeah. Yeah. I'm fine. Just...a little stunned is all.

 

Percy and Nicole rush over to Nick's side to check on him, as Nick shakes with pain. 

 

PERCY: Nicholas! Are you alright??
NICK: P...Pills...

 

Nick is barely audible in all the chaos, but Nicole gets down on her hands and knees to check on him, a moment of genuine concern for her.

 

NICOLE: Nick...Nick, did you get hit?

 

Nick shakes his head, barely able to function without intense pain, as Nicole leans in close to him.

 

NICOLE: Okay, tell me what you need.
NICK: My p...my pills...in my bag.

 

Percy races over to Nicole and Nick with Nick's bag. They rummage through his     bag to find his pills. Nicole grabs them from the front flap, and Percy hands her his water bottle.

 

NICOLE: Thanks. Okay, Nick. I got your pills, and your water, okay? 

 

Nicole pops two pills from the pack, but notice they're chalkier than she's used to for the brand. Also noticing the brand isn't written on the pill, she's unsure for a moment, but hands them to Nick regardless.

 

---

 

Gabi approaches the Kiriakis Mansion, talking to EJ on her cell phone as she quickly walks up to the front door, rummaging through her purse for her keys.

 

GABI: (into phone) EJ, I will...no, he doesn't suspect anything, and besides, he isn't home right now, he's about to be on Nicole's TV special...I will be careful...I'll keep you posted, thanks.

 

Gabi hangs up, getting increasingly frantic as she can't find her key. After a frustrating moment, she does find it, and opens the door to the house.

 

Once inside, she sighs in relief at being left alone from Nick's suffocating presence. But as she turns to head upstairs, Adrienne comes around the corner from behind the stairs, and she isn't thrilled to see Gabi.

 

ADRIENNE: Gabi! Just the person I wanted to speak to.

 

Gabi rolls her eyes, as Adrienne gives her a stern glare, as she stops Gabi from going upstairs.

 

---

 

 

---

 

At Rafe's loft, Jordan finishes sweeping up the broken glass on the floor of the kitchenette, as Rafe walks over to check on her.

 

RAFE: Babe, you okay?

 

Jordan picks up the filled dustpan, opens the garbage can, and dumps the broken glass inside. She looks surly.

 

JORDAN: (sigh) Yeah, I guess.

 

Rafe takes the dustpan out of Jordan's hands, and put them on the kitchen island. He then takes Jordan's hands in his and steps in close to her, speaking playfully to try to break Jordan's tense mood.

 

RAFE: I don't believe you!  Come on! I saw your face when Nick started talking on the TV, you were white as a ghost.
JORDAN: Yeah,well...I mean, anytime a person gets a lighting rig dropped on them, I get....faint of heart.
RAFE: Well, thank God you're not an ER nurse then, hm?

 

Jordan loosens up a bit, trying to stop from laughing at Rafe's attempts to make her smile.

 

RAFE: Look, seems like everything's okay at the studio, just relax.
JORDAN: Ugh, yeah. Sorry, just...it looked intense and I just...I guess I'm just a big bleeding heart.

 

Jordan laughs nervously, while Rafe brushes her hair away from her face.

 

RAFE: I know. It's what I love about you.

 

Rafe turns and opens the garbage can, pulling the bag out.

 

RAFE: Look, I'm gonna...take this out. It's getting pretty full, so...I'll be right back, okay?
JORDAN: Okay.

 

Jordan smiles, as Rafe kisses her gently on the lips. He smiles as he pulls away, grabbing the bag of garbage before stepping out of the loft.

 

Jordan watches Rafe as the door closes behind him, breathing a sigh of relief as she thinks over her situation with Nick and Sheryl.

 

JORDAN: Alright, Jordan. Nick didn't actually show your picture. You're still safe. (sigh) You're still safe.

 

Jordan turns the heat off on the stove, going to lift the pot off the stove when she hears a knock on the door.

 

Jordan puts the pot back down, walking quickly over to the door, as she calls out to the person on the other side.

 

JORDAN: One second!

 

Jordan opens the door, expecting Rafe on the other side, but is stunned when it isn't.

 

JORDAN: Rafe, did you forget your key--

 

It's Roman. Jordan's stomach drops, as her mouth hangs open, stunned and scared. Roman looks on, confused.

 

---

 

In the Kiriakis foyer, Gabi rolls her eyes at Adrienne, then attempts to walk past Adrienne to get upstairs to her room. Adrienne moves to  stop her dead in her tracks.

 

ADRIENNE: I would...like to talk.

GABI: Adrienne, I don't have time right now, okay--
ADRIENNE: You need to make time. Because I am worried about you right now, okay?

 

Gabi rolls her eyes, trying very hard not to snap at Adrienne.

 

GABI: You don't have to worry about me. Okay? I'm fine.
ADRIENNE: Maybe for now. 

 

Gabi folds her arms, very uncomfortable with Adrienne's line of questioning, but keeps tight lipped.

 

ADRIENNE: But I know it's just a matter of time before Nick does something to harm you, or Sonny, or Will. And anything he does to any of you will hurt Ari. 
GABI: Adrienne, Ari is my number one priority.
ADRIENNE: Well, then prove it. Leave Nick, and move back in with Will and Sonny.
GABI: I can't do that.

 

Adrienne gets impatient with Gabi, beginning to speak more tersely, though remaining quiet so as not to raise alarm to anyone else in the house.

 

ADRIENNE: Why not? Honey, I can see the fear in your eyes. Believe me, I've been there. Don't leave it until it's too late.

 

Gabi doesn't respond to Adrienne, instead stands with her arms folded, looking away, as Adrienne stares intensely at her.

 

ADRIENNE: Gabi...I'm serious. I'll be keeping an eye on you and Nick. I want you to be safe. For Ari's sake.

 

Adrienne turns and walks toward the living room. Leaving Gabi behind feeling tense. She turns and quickly heads up the stairs.

 

---

 

At the DiMera Mansion, EJ is stood at the safe in the living room, behind Stefano's portrait. Believing he's alone, he's opened the safe, and is rummaging through to find something.

 

As he rummages, he finds an oddly-shaped key with a number on it. He studies it for a minute, never having seen said key before. He furrows his brow, before putting the key in his pocket. As he does, Sami enters the room, tablet in hand, prompting EJ to quickly shut the safe.

 

SAMI: EJ!
EJ: Samantha! You ah...you surprised me.

 

EJ obscures the safe with Stefano's portrait, as Sami looks at him curiously.

 

SAMI: You ah...you don't have to hide from me. I know there's a safe in there.
EJ: No, I know, I just...ahmmm...you know. Needed something. So how are you feeling?

 

Sami walks over to the desk across the room, setting the tablet down. She turns back to look at EJ, who is walking her way.

 

SAMI: Better. I mean, I'm still mad at my mom for what she's putting my dad through, but...

 

Sami shrugs, as EJ stands facing her, smiling warmly at her.

 

EJ: I understand. 
SAMI: Thank you, by the way. Thanks for listening. I know I haven't been...the easiest to get along with lately.

 

Sami steps in closer to EJ, as EJ gives her a hug, Sami finally feeling comfortable again in his arms.

 

EJ: It's alright. That's what Laura's been helping us with, right?
SAMI: Yep.

 

From outside the room, they hear the sound of stilettos clicking as the front door to the house shuts. Then Kate's voice rings through the foyer and into the living room, preceding her arrival.

 

KATE: It's alright, Harold, it's just me.

 

As Kate enters the room, Sami and EJ turn Kate's way, Sami folds her arms with a smirk.

 

SAMI: You do realize you don't live here anymore, right?
KATE: And for that I'm much better off, I assure you. (sigh) We need to talk. Something's come up. Something big.

 

Sami and EJ look curiously at Kate.

 

EJ: Why? What's happened?

 

Kate's eyes light up as she tells Sami and EJ her news.

 

KATE: Well...I just got back from the police station.

 

Kate saunters over to the bar, pouring herself a drink as she continues.

 

SAMI: Okay?
KATE: Abe asked us all to meet there, because they're fairly certain that they not only have Sheryl and Jordan dead-to-rights, they also may have Nick.
SAMI: Well, that's fantastic news! When will we know?
KATE: Well, they'll likely have everything figured out by tomorrow night. So, I say...we toast.

 

Kate holds up her glass in front of her, smiling as much as she's able to.

 

KATE: Because in 24 hours, we will finally be well rid of Nicholas Fallon.

 

Sami and EJ look on skeptically, as Kate takes a sip of her drink, looking happy as a pig in mud.

 

---

 

Back at the WXIR studio, Abby finishes up another call up to the control room.

 

ABBY: Okay. Thanks.

 

Abby hangs up the phone and steps away from the wall the phone's against, revealing Nick standing behind her. Now cooled off thanks to his medication, he approaches Abby, who is taking notes with her tablet, not noticing Nick's presence.

 

Nick softly calls out to her.

 

NICK: Hey, Abigail.

 

Abby looks up from her tablet, before sighing and then turning around.

 

ABBY: Nick. 
NICK: I ah...I'm sorry your first show didn't work out...quite how you...or I wanted.
ABBY: Yeah, well...these things happen. Excuse me.

 

Abby goes to step away from Nick, but Nick grabs her by the upper arm, stopping her.

 

NICK: Abby. Wh...what's wrong?
ABBY: Nothing's wrong, Nick.

 

Abby forces Nick to let go of her arm, but hesitates to walk away from him.

 

NICK: (sigh) Abigail, if something's bothering you, you can tell me, you know. I mean, we used to be really clos--

 

Abigail turns around suddenly, snapping at Nick.

 

ABBY: Yeah, Nick. Used to be. 

 

Abby backs down, but continues to speak to Nick, looking down so as to be less confrontational.

 

ABBY: A lot's changed since then. Especially with you. Look, I'll be fine, thanks for checking on me.

 

At this moment, Will, Alex, and Anjelica approach, putting an end to Nick and Abby's tense conversation.

 

WILL: Hey, Abs. Ahh, Alex and I are gonna take Anjelica back to the Kiriakis house, did you need a ride to your mom's?
ABBY: No. No, I'll be fine. I got...I got a lot to do with Nicole to wrap the production up anyway, so...I'll be awhile. Thanks though.

 

Abby gives them a faint smile, before walking away to get back to work. Alex and Will look at Abby as she walks away, their faces filled with worry. After a tense moment, Nick smirks at Will, who glares back at him.

 

NICK: What? You're not gonna offer me a ride, Will?
ALEX: Nick...

 

Will stops Alex from continuing, putting his arm out in front of Alex to indicate it. Will replies to Nick with a stern, almost-catty tone.

 

WILL: You know what, Nick. Sure! We'll give you a ride. You're all headed to the Kiriakis house anyway. Besides, you and I have a few things we need to discuss anyway.

 

Will gives Nick an intense look, while Nick tries to hold in a laugh, amused by Will's apparent lack of self-control.

 

ALEX: Come on, let's go.

 

As they start to walk off, Nick feels his cell phone buzz in his pocket. 

 

Pulling it out, he sees the call is from Sheryl. He immediately ignores the call, and follows the others out of the studio.

 

Behind them, on the soundstage, Nicole kneels down by the broken lighting rig. She looks at the cables meant to keep the lighting rig in place. She notices a number of them have clear cuts across them. She sighs, realizing what this means.

 

Nicole is snapped out of her investigation by Abby, who walks on stage to check on her.

 

ABBY: What is it?

 

Nicole looks momentarily at Abby, before looking way up above her. Abby's eyes follow suit.

 

NICOLE: Someone cut those wires. They meant for this to happen. And I don't think this is the ending they wanted, either.

 

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