Days of Our Lives - DAILY UPDATES

At the mansion, Rolf sets down his suitcase and finds Stefano in the great room. "It's not what it looks like," Rolf stresses. Stefano tells him to relax, and declines the Strega, Rolf offers. They've things to discuss. Stefano says Rolf's loyalty means the world to him. Rolf admits when he was gone, he was never far from his thoughts. They stop gushing and Stefano says it's good to be back. He has to go underground for a while, he says, and needs Rolf to keep some papers safe. He snaps a chess piece in half, much to Rolf's chagrin. "Those chess pieces are over a hundred years old!" Stefano needed to make a point. Rolf wants to know if Stefano has seen Marlena. He hasn't, and tells Rolf that he's coming with him. Rolf finds it impossible, because the lab is gone. Stefano is angry. Rolf tried to salvage it. Stefano says half brother or not, he's finished. He calls Marlena and John benevolent and destructive and revenge will be sweet. He's going to raise a whole new generation of DiMera's more powerful and invincible than ever!

At the hospital, Kayla begs and pleads to see her son, but he's being examined. Roman tells her to relax and wants to know their story. Steve explains that Stefano kidnapped the baby. Roman isn't surprised, but reassures the two that this will stop. Dr. Lopez sends a nurse to bring Joe to his parents and Steve worries about Joe. They know what Stefano is capable of. Kayla comforts him. "Don’t go there. It'll make you crazy."

John enters Marlena's hospital room and asks Lexi if Marlena has a fever. Lexi told him to stay out. She can't reassure him. She notices her brain activity spike. Sami arrives and Lexi thinks Marlena's regaining consciousness. Sami rushes to her side, but she doesn't wake up. Lexi plans to run more tests on her and Lexi shows John the antidote for the toxins that Stefano's man allegedly poisoned her with. John tells her there is nothing alleged about this. Lexi looks down, uncomfortably, and Sami thanks her for all she has done. They aren't sure who saved Marlena's life, but it wasn't Kayla, who synthesized the drug. John is confused. Sami says she can tell John cares about her mom. "You love her, don't you?" He doesn't understand love, he admits. Sami tells him he'll know it when he feels it, and it'll break his heart when he feels like he's losing someone he loves. John admits he's been even more concerned about Blondie since Stefano targeted her during the lock down. He's not sure if it's love. Sami asks if he's hung up on Ava. John doesn't answer, so Sami assumes he's leading Marlena on and asks him to let her go. John asks her to stop. He's trying to process everything that has happened over the last few weeks, unsuccessfully. Sami apologizes. She's in no position to judge, since she's not the only one on shaky ground when it comes to romance. Sami grins and John laughs. Sami needs to see her kids. John hopes Marlena will be awake when she returns. Sami says goodbye to Marlena and tells her to fight. "She's got to get better," says John, to God. He wants to make a deal with anyone just so Marlena can get back on her feet. He tells Blondie to wake up. He has something important she might want to hear. John admits that her pain, caused by him, affected him residually. He tells her she's important to him and needs to come back to him. Lexi arrives with the results. John worries. "Is she going to be okay?" She should be! Suddenly, Marlena opens her eyes. She doesn't speak. John welcomes her home and tells her these past few hours were strange. He thinks about his discussion with old John. He tells her he knows what to do now. He wants to try to work on their relationship. "And maybe even their marriage." He asks her what she thinks. He calls her Doc, and thinks a part of the old him is inside him, just like she wanted. Marlena finally speaks. "Who are you?"

In a stairwell, Tony and EJ discuss that Stefano's unpredictability allows him to survive. EJ wishes he hadn't tainted this empire he built. They agree that Stefano's a master of self-delusion. He doesn't see anything wrong with what he has done. "Even this," says EJ, with a wave of his arm. "Chemical warfare, for goodness sake." They laugh, but Tony says this is the time to take back their birthright from John Black. EJ's not sure if he wants to continue their father's legacy, but Tony wants to put dignity and respect to their name. EJ admits John has been good to him, but Tony finds John a liability. They know there will be war against Stefano and John. They hug and EJ tells his brother that he's with him. Tony goes to Anna, while Nicole finds EJ. She asks if this is the infamous stairwell. EJ knows he hurt her but they didn't have anything serious. Nicole knows, but she poured her heart out to him. She says people pour their heart out to their hairdressers and it doesn't mean they love them. He asks if she's in love with him. "No, I didn't say that." He's not even really her type. She thinks he's cruel and insensitive, like other men. EJ apologizes and tries to explain, but Nicole thinks he's a liar. He didn't lie when he told her he cared for her and had feelings for her. Nicole thinks he has gall to admit his feelings for her after kissing Sami. EJ calls Sami the mother of their children, and it's different. Nicole doesn't care. She takes off, hurt.

Stefano and Rolf hear EJ and Sami arrive at the mansion with the kids. They hide. While Sami goes to get the rest of the baby items from the car, EJ notices a drink on the desk. "Father." Sami returns and asks EJ what's wrong. He doesn't answer, and when Sami goes to get a bottle, she finds the broken chess piece. EJ is confused. "Why did this upset you?" Sami says it's the queen. Stefano used to call Marlena the Queen of the Night. EJ didn't know the story. Sami says it proves Stefano has been there. She is angry when she figures EJ knew. Sami wants to leave - now! EJ wants to stay and double security, and will not allow him to drive them out of their home. They argue.

Nicole finds Lucas elsewhere in the hospital and asks how he is. He's good and glad this happened. It enforced his decision about Sami. Nicole adds, sarcastically, "But she's always been so loyal to you!" She's happy for him and thinks he's better off without Sami. Chloe arrives and agrees. Lucas needs to focus on Allie, and leaves Chloe behind. Chloe feels like she was blown off. Nicole understands this only too well, and Nicole asks if she can buy Chloe a coffee. Chloe accepts, and jokes. "You drink something other than booze?"

Nicole and Chloe drink coffee and toast to standing strong against the forces of Sami, and her influence over their men. Nicole discusses EJ and how attractive she finds him, but is furious for trusting him. Chloe blames Sami, and wonders what would happen if Sami wasn't in the picture. Sami always shoots herself in the foot in relationships, though they do as well. They toast to Sami. "Coming up empty!"

Elsewhere in the hospital, Roman says it's only a matter of time before they capture Stefano. Steve is impatient. Tony arrives and overhears this and when he finds out what Stefano did to Joe, he is astounded. Tony has no idea where Stefano is, but he wants to help in the search. Roman can use the help. Kayla and Steve go home.

Tony finds Anna and she tells him she's doing fine. He tells her that Stefano took Joe, but returned him. Anna finds Stefano to be a maniac. Tony knows, and tells her that he and EJ made a pact. They're taking back the DiMera name! Anna doesn't want him to, but he needs to clean up his legacy.

Lucas arrives at the DiMera mansion. He wants to take Allie away.

Next on Days Of Our Lives:

Stephanie asks, "Where's your sister?" Max says, "I'm sure she's on a beach somewhere soaking up the sun, while we rot in this hole!"

Sami says, "It's about us." Lucas reminds her that there "is no us."

Trent says, "Well, when my wife's not happy, I'm not happy." Nicole tells him to go to hell!

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