John walks into Brady's office and catches him in the middle of Kristen. John sneers. Kristen smirks. Brady's pecs quiver. As Brady zips up his pants, John sarcastically tells them he was planning a double date. Eventually, he yells and storms out. Brady runs after him and Kristen gets giddy. Out in the park, Brady tries explaining what happened. His father cringes. Brady insists that he wanted her and she tried to stop it. John is disgusted and thinks he's mad with grief. After Brady walks away, John wonders what to do now.

Outside of the pub, Kate vents to Will about Nick being a dink. She tells him that Fallon turned down her job offer. Kate asks if he trusts Nick. Will waffles and says Nick just wants to take care of Gabi. She's impressed that he's standing up for him and assures him that the father of Gabi's baby will have a good job. Meanwhile, Adrienne stops by Caffeinated to complain about the chandelier earrings Victor bought her. She thanks Sonny for the scarf he got her. They begin discussing Will. She tells him that the most important thing is 'keeping things good' with the person he loves. When she gets home, she finds Kate on her way out. She tries to be friendly. Kate snipes about her 'appalling' hostility to Will. Adrienne admits she was wrong about him and tells her what a sweetie Will is. They both want what's best for the lads. "This doesn't mean we have to start having lunch together," says Kate. Adrienne agrees.
 
At the church, Eric assures Gabi that anything she tells him remains in confidence. Sami barges in to babble about the wedding. She lectures her brother until Nick arrives. Gabi tells him they need to come clean with the priest. Eric orders his sister to leave them alone. When Sami walks out, she bumps into her son in the foyer. He wants to run in after she tells him Gabi seems to have something on her chest. His mom stops him so he sends Gabi a text. He argues with his mom. She suddenly blurts out that she knows what's going on. Back inside, the couple bickers. The priest guesses there is something they are not telling him. Will's text comes through, urging Gabi to do what's right for the baby. Sami barges in again and Gabi explains that she's more than three months pregnant. It's embarrassing to admit she had sex with Nick right after they met. Sami sneers at her brother, accusing him of making Gabi feel bad. He throws her out and tells the couple that he and the bishop have already approved of their marriage.

Marlena mopes outside the square about sending John to catch his son in the act. She decides this was a mistake and tries calling John. No answer. Hope arrives. Marlena fills her in about what she did and kicks herself. When Hope putters off, Kristen shows up to gloat. She saunters off as Hope returns. The shrink calls John again but he doesn't want to speak to her. Meanwhile, Kristen returns to her room and drinks champagne. John arrives and angrily arches an eyebrow. At that moment, Marlena barges into Brady's office and demands to know what's going on.

John shows up at Kristen's to ask her what's going on with Brady. He wonders if she has feelings for his son. "You're such an idiot," she says. She tells him about Brady's 'mind-bending virility'. He accuses her of trying to make him jealous. She admits this is all about what he did to her. He can't believe that he believed that she had reformed. Kristen reminds him about leaving her at the altar, just as she'd finally learned how to love. He threw her away like trash. "I'm taking your son away from you," she says. "You're such a bitch!" he groans. He starts shaking her. She giggles. He threatens her until security arrives. John leaves.

Marlena shows up in Brady's office and surmises that John was there and angry. Brady explains that he's become romantically involved with Kristen. She puffs. Brady assures her that none of this was intentional. He's scared that she's so quiet. When he explains that John walked in on him in an 'intimate' moment, Marlena shudders. He hopes she can accept Kristen being in his life. She can't. Outside, she runs into John as he walks into the pub for a drink. After he has a few, he tells her that Kristen is using his son for revenge. They head out to find him. Meanwhile, Kristen calls Brady over to her room. She tells him that his father came after her and security had to show him out. They worry and he assures her that things will work out in time. As they kiss, John kicks the door open and yells, "Get the hell away from her!"
 
Sami calls Rafe and blabs about Gabi's dress. He meets up with Nicole at the church for their 'date'. Sami keeps sending him pictures of the dress. Nic vents about his ex being involved in the wedding. She tells him about all of her failed marriages. Meanwhile, EJ shows up at the pub dressed in a tuxedo. Sami almost falls over. She gets dressed. They go outside and kiss. Johnny watches them through the window. They head to the square. Rafe and Nicole arrive. She teases him when he gorps at Samanther. EJ bustles off to get his 'special champagne'. Sami stares at Nicole, who blows her a kiss. Nic orders Rafe to go and talk to Sami. He and Sami share some awkward small talk. They discuss Syd. Her new laughing penguin is named 'Rafe'. Meanwhile, Nicole runs into EJ at Caffeinated. "It's my ex-ex-ex husband," she says. She grabs his champagne bottle and they wrestle over it until he gets his pants wet. Nic teases him as she tries to dry his crotch. She complains about living in a convent and acts drunk. "I'm sure you are the only drunk nun in town," he says. They can hear the countdown beginning. Nic leaps into his arms and begins kissing him. Outside, Sami and Rafe are awkward. She's about to walk away when he takes her hand. They begin kissing.

At the Horton house, Abby wants to play Monopoly with her mom. Meanwhile, Chad stands around at Caffeinated thinking about Abby and how neither of them have any New Year's plans. He decides to drop coffee off at the Horton house. Jenn insists that he join them for Monopoly. She's impressed that Chad is better at it than her daughter. When she putters off to pop some corn, Abby tells him she's glad he stopped by. After awhile, her mom calls to say that she's gone out for a walk. When midnight comes, Chad and Abby high five and then kiss. Across town, Eric is chatting with Daniel at the hospital. They discuss Nicole and the priest assures him that she has moved on. After the priest leaves, Jenn shows up just in time for midnight. As the fireworks go off outside, she and the doctor kiss.

John kicks open Kristen's door and barks at his son to get away from her. He accuses Brady of being insane and insists that Kristen is using him. Kristen sits and sobs. John squints. The security guard arrives and says that the hotel has a no tolerance policy for violence. After issuing a warning, he leaves. Brady asks his father to leave. "I'm not leaving you alone with this woman ever again," John says. Brady promises Kristen that things will be fine and takes his father off to talk. They go outside and Brady admits that keeping his new relationship a secret was a mistake. John warns him that the DiMera has an insatiable appetite for revenge and has been using him to get it. "You're just an unsuspecting pawn," he says. Brady refuses to accept that what he has with her is a lie. He accuses his father of being jealous. They go around in circles. When John calls her a 'manipulative bitch', Brady punches him to the ground. They pummel each other. Back in Kristen's room, Marlena tells her that it's 'game over' for the 'evil wretch'. Kristen doesn't seem too convinced. "Your first language really is melodrama, isn't it?" Kristen snipes. She lectures the shrink about keeping things from John and taunts her about her sex with Brady. She also hints that John has been lying to her to protect her ego. She claims he's 'jealous and irrational' over her. Marlena moans about how she loves Brady and wants to protect him. "He's a grown ass man," Kristen says, warning her that she might be her step-daughter by next year. Marlena leaves in a huff. She finds John and Brady beating each other. Kristen arrives and pants in excitement.

At Caffeinated, Sonny notices that Nicole is climbing on EJ's face. Elvis gets her off. Will wanders over and asks EJ where Sami is. Elvis fumes and storms off. Nic tells the lads that she was just diverting EJ to help Rafe and Sami get together. She bustles off. "Does that one come with an instruction manual?" Sonny asks. "Would you want to read it if she did?" Will responds. They look forward to the new year and kiss.

As the ball drops, Rafe and Sami smooch in the square. Gabi and Nick bustle over to moon about the wedding. EJ runs over, dips Sami and gives her a kiss. This is awkward for everyone else. Once EJ gets his tongue out, he babbles to Gabi about what a great wedding planner Samanther is. The Hernandez clan walks off. EJ explains to Sami that he was waylaid by Nicole. They drink glowing champagne. He gets a text from work and has to take care of it. He leads her off to his office. He's had a romantic meal prepared for them. He announces that this is the first date of their latest 'iteration'. She says he's really changed. Lucas calls to say Allie has a fever. Sami thanks EJ and leaves after a kiss. She thinks of Rafe as Elvis toasts to the woman he loves. 

Rafe, his sister and Nick walk through the park. The cop sends them home. Nick and Gabi drop by Caffeinated and run into Will. They have some awkward small talk. "If you ever call me 'gay boy' again, I'm going to have to beat the bigotry out of you," Will threatens. "I'm shaking in my boots," Nick says. He sarcastically apologizes. Will won't have his child raised by a bigot. Nick reminds Will that he messed up Gabi's life and refuses to let him mess with their lives. Over at the bar, Gabi asks Sonny if they can have a clean slate for Will's sake. He offers to tolerate her as long as she behaves. Sonny and Will go back to his place. Will notices Sonny's tin of New Year's resolutions. He reads last year's was, "Get Will Horton to fall in love with me." They make out. Meanwhile, Rafe meets up with Nicole at the church. He quizzes her about what she did to EJ and insists that he's not going to be stuck in the triangle again. She doesn't buy that and says the best version of Sami is the one with him. He tells her about their kiss and she teases him.

THURSDAY
January 3, 2013
I'm Such An Ass.

Sami is in her office thinking about Rafe when EJ shows up. He gets flirty and claims he's been thinking about her obsessively. He rubs his nose into her cheek. Eric interrupts. He tells his sister about the fight. Sami asks EJ if this is his sister's fault. The Bradys stalk off.
 
Nicole joins Rafe at Caffeinated and wonders why he's sporting a 'devilish smile'. She demands some answers. He claims that he has 'crossed the Rubicon' with Sami and EJ will be a thing of the past. She tells him that women like to be pursued. She drives this home for ten minutes but he wants to leave the ball in Sami's court. He asks her if she has an agenda where EJ is concerned. "EJ is as attractive to me as a school bus fire," she says, declaring that she is giving up men for her career. She tells him all about her church gig. He teases her so she tells him to get off his high horse. Nic thinks she's ruined things with Eric by being a 'biotch'. He suggests she apologize to the priest. She hopes Rafe will get what he wants but is sure Sami will ruin his life.
 
At the hospital, Kayla checks John over and says he has some bruised ribs. Marlena arrives at the nurses' station and Maxine lets her know that there was no serious damage. Kristen strolls in. The shrink lectures her until Kayla calls her away. Marlena goes in to see John. "I'm such an ass," he complains, apologizing for doubting her. Feeling guilty, she's about to make a confession when Sami and Eric bumble in. John informs them of the affair. Sami thought Brady 'the gullible nitwit' had more brains than to fall for Kristen. Everyone tries to stop Sami from running off. That fails.
 
Shirtless and bruised, Brady is being checked out by Cameron down the hall. He recalls his brawl with John but won't talk about it. When the doctor departs, Kristen comes in. She sobs, "I did a terrible thing." She blames herself. He still wants her. She thinks they should split up. Brady refuses. She leaves when Cam returns and runs into her brother in the waiting room. She bluntly fills him in. He worries that this could lead to 'utter disaster'. "Mmm-mmm," she says. He complains that this could ruin his plans for Samanther. Meanwhile, Sami runs after Eric. He orders her to stay in the hall with Kay. The doctor tips her off that EJ is down the hall with Kristen. Sami hunts them down and accuses Kristen of being 'creepy, disgusting and despicable'. Kristen insists she's innocent. EJ has to drag Sami out when she lunges at his sister. Stefano sends Kristen a text. She texts back, writing that this will be the best year of her life. Later, Eric confronts Brady. He doesn't want to listen to a lecture from the priest. "Is this one of those commandments that I never heard of? Thou shalt not go to bed with thy father's ex-whatever," Brady complains. Cameron interrupts. Brady orders Eric to go. The priest finds Sami yowling at EJ in the hall. She refuses to talk to the DiMera and stomps off with her brother.

At the church, Eric orders his sister to calm down. She has a tantrum and flounces off. Moments later, Nicole meets up with Eric and apologizes if she offended him last night. He's distracted and tells her to forget about it. By the way he's staring into space, she senses he's upset about something. He refuses to explain and flounces off. Meanwhile, Sami arrives in the square and angrily shoves litter into the garbage until Rafe spots her and smirks. Back at the hospital, John asks Marlena what was on her mind before they were interrupted. Kayla interrupts before she can explain. Marlena runs into EJ in the hall and warns him that his sister is a dangerous sociopath. Meanwhile, Kirsten manages to slip into John's room. He claims he's done with her. "We're just beginning," she declares.

FRIDAY
January 4, 2013
Rotting In Their Cesspool Of Hate.