Thursday, July 21, 2016

DAYS #96: Sheryl takes action, Sami finds out what Gabi's been up to! (06/30/14)

DAYS50-e1415825666426_zps2kbl6yv3.png
EPISODE 96
Written by A. Washington-Beeby
Story Consultants: ML Cooks, Nick Monarco & C. Nathaniel Richardson

  
Sami sits at the table at the Brady Pub, with Ari sitting on her lap, as Gabi and Kate sit with her. The three ladies continue their discussion about their situation with Nick.

SAMI: So? What did the skinny little twerp have to say for himself this time?

Kate puts down her coffee after having taken a sip, she tries to carefully finish her mouthful so as to quickly answer Sami.

KATE: Mm! Well, actually...it has nothing to do with what Nick's done, so much as what Gabi's done.

Sami looks at Gabi, worried and anxious knowing what Gabi's capable of.

SAMI: Oh God. Oh God, what did you do?

Gabi holds out her hand, trying to calm Sami down before she riles herself up too much.

GABI: No no no no no no nothing bad! I promise.
KATE: No! Actually, she might have done one of the smartest things any of us have thought of in awhile when it comes to that louse I've employed.

Sami looks back at Kate, then Gabi, still confused, and a bit annoyed.

SAMI: Okay? Someone wanna tell me what this great thing is?
KATE: Simple! Gabi's been tricking Nick into using again.

Sami looks at Gabi, an almost-horrified look on her face.

---
 
Justin and Tyler step out into the hallway outside Tyler's office at Titan, joking after their short meeting. After a laugh, they smile a moment, before the grave situation at hand hits them again.

TYLER: I uh...I want to thank you for coming by to help keep things rolling. I know it's not easy right now with Victor in the hospital.
JUSTIN: Think nothing of it. I needed the brief distraction, anyway. It's...it hasn't been an easy night.
TYLER: Well, I'm sure Victor will appreciate it.

Justin shrugs at Tyler's comment, smiling politely.

JUSTIN: I'm not entirely sure that Victor will be quite so enthusiastic, considering my...little act of disobedience at the last meeting.

Tyler shakes his head, immediately dismissive of Justin's lack of confidence.

TYLER: Nonsense. I think you'll be surprised. Look, I uh...I'll come visit Vic in the hospital later on...


Sheryl opens the door to her office, after her conversation with Jordan, and spots Justin and Tyler standing in the hallway. Before she's spotted, she stops and hides in the doorway of her office as the two men continue their discussion.

TYLER: ...Will you have everything ready to get the excavation equipment to the site for the weekend.
JUSTIN: Might take a couple extra days, just to handle the legalities and the contracts, but I see no reason why we can't start excavating for the tar sands by Monday.

 
Sheryl looks on, stunned by what she's hearing. Jerome and Jordan look on, worry in their eyes as they sneak over to Sheryl's side to overhear the conversation as well.

Outside in the hall, Tyler and Justin carry on, blissfully unaware of their company nearby.

TYLER: Well, as long as we get it started, hopefully we'll be able to convince the old man to sell within a few weeks. I don't want this to drag out any longer. The longer it drags on, the more press attention we get, the worse it is for business. You hear me?

Sheryl intones barely above a whisper from her position on the other side of the door, a smug smile on her face.

SHERYL: Loud and clear, Mr. Houston. Loud and clear.

---

 
Nick sits in the lab, headphones on, beaming from ear-to-ear. Percy motions to Nick, hoping to get his attention.

PERCY: Pardon me, Nicholas, but...what are the ladies discussing?
Nick slips the headphones off his head, still smiling as he looks up at Percy.
NICK: Ohh just the fundamentals of their plan...among other things.

Nick sets the headphones down on the desk in front of him, Percy stands to Nick's side, hanging on Nick's every word.

PERCY: Excellent! So what did we learn?

Nick steps over to grab his cell phone, and begins scrolling through.

NICK: Ohhh don't worry too much, Percy. Just know that we're getting everything in order. One step at a time.

Nick puts his phone up to his ear as he turns to Percy and winks.
---

 
Eric walks over to the corner of Nicole's room, grabbing his jacket, leans over to a partly-clothed, who is rummaging through her closet for her red dress she intends to wear to their wedding later in the day.

He gives Nicole a kiss before he heads out to sort out the final wedding details. Nicole and he linger in their kiss a moment, breathing in the moment for as long as they can. Once their kiss ends, both smile with satisfaction in their eyes.

NICOLE: Love you too.

Eric closes the door to Nicole's bedroom and heads out. Nicole, left behind smiles happily, with a slight sense of worry in her eyes.

She turns to face the mirror in the bedroom, putting the red dress she's taken from the closet up against her. She looks up from admiring the dress, and sees Sami standing behind her, a focused, enraged look in her eye.

She shrieks, as she turns around in a panic.

No one's there. She breathes in deeply, relieved yet again.

NICOLE: Damn it, Nicole. You have to relax. You've got this far, you have absolutely no reason to think you won't make it all the way.

Nicole's phone rings, causing Nicole to jump again.

NICOLE: DAMMIT!

Nicole takes a second to catch her breath before reaching to her bedside table, and seeing who's calling.

It's Nick.

Nicole rolls her eyes, unsure if she even wants to answer.

---


---

Sami looks at Gabi, incredulously.

SAMI: You WHAT?
GABI: I had to! I didn't know what else to do, and EJ thought...
SAMI: EJ?? 

Sami tries everything to stop herself from shouting out in the middle of the pub. Instead, she leans in, nearly hissing her words to Gabi.

SAMI: You mean you've been scheming with my husband to trick your crazy ex-, who, might I add, only gets CRAZIER when he's hooked on pills, to get hooked on his crazy pills again! GEE! What could possibly go wrong with that?
GABI: It was supposed to be a simple, one-time thing. I asked EJ to do something to get Nick back behind bars.
SAMI: And this was the great plan. Hm?

Gabi sighs as Ari begins to fuss. Sami picks the toddler up and puts her back in her high chair, as Gabi reaches out to her daughter, hoping to calm her down. She grabs a bottle from her bag, and hands it to Ari as she continues.

GABI: Look, all that was supposed to happen was that I was supposed to feed him a pill or two, leave them behind and then get Hope to find them in his apartment and arrest him, but she didn't find them.
SAMI: What do you mean, she didn't find them?

Gabi shrugs in response as she carries on.

GABI: I have no idea! She just said she couldn't find them, and I KNOW I put them on his shelf in the bathroom. So I had to get a new pack and...went from there.
SAMI: Well, how do you know he's even taking them?

Kate interjects, putting her coffee down again, as she looks knowingly Gabi's way as she answers Sami.

KATE: Mm! You'd know without a doubt from the way he was acting in here yesterday.
GABI: Definitely. He was a mess, and he ran out of pills, so...

Sami looks at Gabi inquistively.

SAMI: So you're saying he found them again.
GABI: I guess.
SAMI: So is that when...

Kate raises her hand again, interrupting Sami.

KATE: When I found out? Yes. I was really impressed. I didn't think she had it in her.

Sami looks on, not sure how to feel at this point. She looks between Kate and Gabi, who both seem sure they're on the right path, though Gabi slightly less so.

SAMI: Okay, but...what happens now? I mean, how are we gonna get him locked up so he can't use what he has against us?
GABI: Well...the guy I'm getting the pills from...he...

Gabi leans in close to whisper her next statement.

GABI: He also gave me someone's perscription pad.

Sami looks on, a bit impressed.

SAMI: Okay! Not bad. So...when are the cops gonna get him?
GABI: That's...kinda what we need to figure out. Hope won't dig into it anymore.

Sami rolls her eyes, knowingly.

SAMI: She wouldn't.
KATE: Well...maybe you could ask Rafe to look into it, Gabi?

Sami nearly spits out her coffee, pleasantly surprised by Kate's idea.

SAMI: MM! Yeah! That's a great idea! Ask Rafe to look into it, get his sympathy and let him know how much Nick scares you without, you know, giving too much away, obviously.

Sami looks over at Kate, who's smiling and nodding in agreement with Sami.

SAMI: Gee, Kate. You know, I've never known you to have good ideas, but I guess everyone has one or two in them now and again.

Sami smiles at Kate, who gives Sami a cutting glare in return as she sips her coffee.

---

Nicole picks up her phone and answers, her irritation plain in her voice.

NICOLE: (Into phone) What?

...

Nick stands in the lab, while Percy stands behind him, cleaning some test tubes, but obviously listening into Nick's conversation.

NICK: (into phone) I need you to cover something this afternoon.

...

NICOLE: (into phone) Can't. I'm busy.

Nicole hangs up the phone and tosses it back on her bedside table.

She picks up her dress again, but before a second passes, the phone rings again.

Nicole picks it up, again it's Nick.

NICOLE: (into phone) You know, you seem to think you're the only priority in my life right now, and I have to break it to you, Nick, you're not.

...

NICK: (into phone) You might want to reconsider. If you know what's good for you.

...

Nicole stays on the line, dead silent. Nick's threatening words continue through the phone.

...

NICK: (into phone) We're organizing the first formal protest of the EnerNext project today on Percy's property. It's last minute, but I think I can convince some of the treehuggers in the Outdoor Rec program at Salem U to come along. So what do you say?

Percy's head sticks up from the sink, surprised by the news that he'll have company on such short notice. Nick looks his way momentarily and winks.

...

NICOLE: (into phone) Look, Nick, any other day, you know I'd be all over this, but I CANNOT today. Under ANY circumstances. You understand? Besides, isn't this way too short a notice for a protest? Like...at least schedule it for tomorrow.

...

NICK: (into phone) It can't wait, Nicole. Be at the Titan Lab for 1pm. Don't let anyone see you come in. Don't be late.

Nick hangs up the phone.

...

Nicole tries in vain to stop Nick from unilaterally making these plans.

NICOLE: (into phone) Are you deaf, I can't...Nick??? NICK! DAMMIT!

Nicole resists the urge to throw her phone across the room, instead setting it down on the dresser in front of her. She sighs, not sure what to do next. She stares at herself in the mirror, as though the reflection were another person.

NICOLE: So, what do we do now, Nicole? Risk Sami and Marlena finding out about your wedding and crashing it...if you even get that far...or piss off your blackmailer. (sigh)

Nicole turns around, and begins to pace the room nervously.

NICOLE: There's only one thing I can do. Try to convince Eric to postpone the wedding. And take my chances with Sami and company.

Nicole scowls as she thinks of the potential for the Bradys to ruin her big day.

---

Sheryl steps back into her office, where Jordan and Jerome are waiting.

JEROME: What were they saying?

Sheryl grabs her laptop and quickly opens it on her desk, while scrolling and  typing away furiously, she gives Jerome hasty instructions.

SHERYL: I need you...to head to Salem U. Round up all the environmental studies students, outdoor rec, anyone you can convince to come out to...

Sheryl quickly scrawls out something on a scrap piece of paper, and then hands it to Jerome.

SHERYL: ...this address.

Jerome takes the paper and studies it a moment, before looking up at Sheryl. Jordan looks over Jerome's shoulder, before interjecting with a question of her own.

JORDAN: ...And just what exactly are we doing out there?

Sheryl looks at Jordan, a bit exasperated.

SHERYL: That's Nick's lab assistant's house. You know, the one they're trying to steal the land from and dig up all the oil underneath? You know, like, why we came here?

Jordan looks at Sheryl blankly.

SHERYL: I want to start a protest. The old fashioned way.

Jordan looks at Sheryl, then at Jerome, still confused. Sheryl speaks emphatically, and slower.

SHERYL: They just said that they're going to start digging by Monday, and to send the equipment out ASAP. And we have to make absolutely sure...that that. Doesn't. Happen.

Jerome and Jordan both look stunned.

---

Monday, July 4, 2016

DAYS #95: Nicole preps for her wedding, Jordan, Sheryl, & Jerome plan their attack (06/27/14)

DAYS50-e1415825666426_zps2kbl6yv3.png
EPISODE 95
Written by A. Washington-Beeby
Story Consultants: ML Cooks, Nick Monarco & C. Nathaniel Richardson

 
Nicole rolls over in bed, looking over to a sleeping Eric. She smiles at him lovingly, feeling grateful for the presence of the man she loves so much.

While she looks at Eric, she thinks back to her exchange with Nick after Nick found the documents Nicole had hidden linking Kristen and Dr. Ckyka's drugs to Eric.

***
FLASHBACK TO EPISODE 32


Nick leans on his desk in the Titan lab, casually, as Nicole stands, angered, with arms crossed in front of him.

NICK: Don't worry about that part. I'll handle it. You just stick to building a case against Titan and EnerNext, and keep building community resistance against it. I'll handle everything else.

Nicole shakes her head at this entire scenario with disbelief.

NICOLE: And I'm supposed to what? Trust you?? Really?

NICK: If you do the right thing? Absolutely. Nicole, you can help a lot of people with this. All kinds of people who don't have a voice right now. And you can do this and have everything you want in your life. Eric, the respect of the journalistic community, a fantastic career. I will make sure you can have those things. But you have to do exactly what I ask of you. Or else...

Nick points towards the door Percy walked out of.

NICK: ...your future ends here. It's up to you
***

Nicole snaps out of her trance, shaken yet again by Nick's machinations.

NICOLE: So much for all that. If I don’t get out from underneath that narcissistic little worm, he’s gonna own my ass for the rest of my life.

Eric stirs, having been awoken by Nicole's talking to herself.

Opening his eyes, he smiles at Nicole.

ERIC: Good morning.

Nicole smiles back, a warm, loving look in both their eyes.

NICOLE: Good morning. Did you sleep well?

Nicole leans in and pecks Eric on the lips, as Eric smiles back, he nods slowly.

ERIC: Yeah, I did. And you know what else.

Nicole rests her head on her hand, scooching in close to Eric, intrigued by what he's going to say.

NICOLE: What?
ERIC: I had a fantastic idea while I was dreaming.
NICOLE: Ooo, sounds exciting. Tell me, tell me, tell me!
ERIC: What if you take the afternoon off, and you and I...go to City Hall HERE to get married?

Nicole looks at Eric, worried by his suggestion.

---

  
Jordan turns around to see Jerome standing in the doorway of Sheryl's office at Titan. Jerome smiles and waves casually at Jordan and Sheryl.

JEROME: Morning, Ladies!

Jordan looks back at Sheryl, disgusted that the wool was pulled over her eyes so easily.

JORDAN: This?? This is why we came here? I should have known you'd try to pull something like this--
SHERYL: What choice did I have, Jordan? 

Jordan is stopped in her tracks by Sheryl's interruption. Sheryl stands, an icy stare directed at Jordan, with her arms crossed. She walks toward Jordan with a casual intensity that makes Jordan nervous. Sheryl nearly hisses her next words out.

SHERYL: You know, every time we start on a project, you and your little...romantic entanglements seem to get in the way somehow. And I don't know if I like it very much.
Jordan folds her arms, finally standing up for herself.
JORDAN: Oh, MY "romantic entanglements", hm? I should ask you what all this stuff with Lucas is about.
Sheryl nearly laughs in Jordan's face.
SHERYL: You KNOW there was a reason for that. We had to get close to the bigwigs in the company. This was a way to get the inside track. Besides, we had a little fun along the way.

Sheryl gives a wry smile as she looks away from a confused Jordan, as Jerome raises a finger, chiming in.

JEROME: So...when we're all done with our little...powwow here...when we gone get to actual business?
JORDAN: As soon as I figure out why the hell you're here at all!

Jerome steps back dramatically, pretending to be taken aback by Jordan's snapping at him.

---

Gabi sits at the Brady Pub, her baby carriage parked next to her booth while she sips coffee, awaiting Kate.


Kate walks into the room, smiling as she steps over to Gabi.

KATE: Good morning! I hope you slept well because we have important business to get to.
GABI: Slept as well as I could. Ari was up a few times crying out for Sonny and Will last night.

Kate looks at Gabi, a worried look on her face.

KATE: They weren't home?
GABI: No! They had gone to Victor's for a family dinner, I guess to...celebrate their engagement and then....

Gabi pulls the newspaper out of her purse, dropping it on the table in front of Kate. The headline reading:

TITAN MAGNATE VICTOR KIRIAKIS IN HOSPITAL

Kate looks on, stunned by the news.

---



---

 
Kim looks at Lucas, concern plain on her face. Lucas picks up on this immediately and tries to cool her nerves.

LUCAS: Look, I'm worried about him too, but...if it makes you feel any better, he seemed to me to be pretty lucid once we got him warmed up.
KIM: Yeah, well...it's not that I'm worried about. He seems to go in and out of these....spells. Marlena's not even sure of what it is.

Lucas looks at Kim, incredulous.

LUCAS: What? I mean, it's obviously some kind of...dementia or...something. I'm just...I'm just surprised it's hit him so hard, and...so out of the blue.
KIM: Yeah. You and me both.

Kim pauses a moment before thinking of a solution.

KIM: Hey, Lucas. Umm...I just...I had a thought...if you could help me take Roman to Hope's...Marlena's there and...well...maybe we could finally get this whole ordeal over with.
LUCAS: Yeah! Sure, I'd be happy to help.


Roman walks back over to the table, ready to sit down.

ROMAN: Well, I'm hungry. Who wants some breakfast?

Lucas looks up, then at Kim, wondering who should take the lead here. After a second, Lucas starts.
LUCAS: Uh...Roman...I actually...I gotta head into work, but...I can drop you off somewhere. Or maybe take you and Kim?
KIM: I was going to visit Hope. I know she has the day off.

Roman takes a moment to think, before nodding slowly.

ROMAN: Yeah. Yeah that's fine. I have some things to ask her to do over the weekend anyway, so...
KIM: Perfect. Let's go, then.

Kim puts her arms around her brother's waist as they head out. Kim turns her head back toward Lucas and mouths "thank you" to him. Lucas nods in reciprocation.

---

Gabi continues discussing the previous night's events to a stunned Kate.

GABI: So they were at University Hospital all night with Maggie and the family.
KATE: My God, a heart attack?
GABI: Apparently it was minor, but...they just have him in an induced coma for the time being...you won't find that in the paper, Sonny called me earlier.

Just as Gabi finishes, Sami arrives, a serious look on her face.

SAMI: You heard about Victor too, hmm?

Kate looks up at Sami, still a bit taken aback by her ex-husband's health woes.

KATE: Yes, I just heard. I...I mean I can believe it, he's certainly no spring chicken but...
SAMI: Yeah, I was pretty surprised too.

Sami looks over at her granddaughter in the stroller in front of her. Her face lights up upon seeing her.

SAMI: Oh my GOODNESS! Who's this??? Good morning, Arianna!

Gabi smiles, watching Sami play with her daughter, before looking to Kate, inquisitively.

GABI: So...what are we all meeting for? I thought we sorted everything out yesterday.
KATE: Not quite. I asked Sami here because Sami needs to know exactly what your plan is to take down Nick, or else he's going to put all three of us in jail.

Gabi looks at Kate with surprise.

---

 
Maggie sits by Victor's bedside at University Hospital, the grief on her face as he lies in his coma. She watches him wordlessly, and solemnly, only disturbed by the sound of the hospital room opening. Will pokes his head inside.

WILL: Hey Aunt Maggie.

Maggie turns to see Will, and smiles, reaching out her hand for his. Will steps into the room and takes Maggie's hand, sitting down next to her. She holds her smile through her tears as they both look on at a peaceful Victor.

MAGGIE: He's gonna be okay.
WILL: Daniel gave you an update?

Maggie nods. She breathes a sigh of relief as she carries on.

MAGGIE: He did. Apparently the heart attack was minor and he just needs to take it easy for the next few months.
WILL: Well, that's not gonna be easy with everything going on at Titan right now. Who's he gonna have help him?
MAGGIE: Well...he has Tyler, and Justin...though I'm not sure how Victor will feel about Justin handling his affairs right now, what with them at each other's throats about the EnerNext project.

Will nods in understanding. He puts his hand on Maggie's shoulders.

WILL: I'm going to do everything I can to help. And if you need anything, I'm always there for you, okay? Me and Sonny.

Maggie smiles even more broadly as she looks lovingly at Will.

MAGGIE: Thank you, Will.

Maggie and Will share a warm hug, before Will gets up from his seat.

WILL: Speaking of EnerNext...I have to get to work. I'll be back at the hospital a bit later, I'll see if I can have Gabi come by with Ari, maybe they'll help...I dunno...improve the mood around here. Heh.
MAGGIE: I'd like that. Thanks again, Will.

Will looks back at Maggie as he stands at the door.

WILL: No problem, Maggie. I'll see you later.

Will opens the door, exiting the room, leaving Maggie behind as she turns back towards her ailing husband. A few more tears roll down her face as she speaks to her husband.

MAGGIE: Your nephew is going to marry a wonderful young man, Victor. I know you'll be very proud.

And when you wake up, I am going to make sure that you live your best life every day.
Maggie takes Victor's hand in hers, squeezing it tightly.

MAGGIE: I'm not going to lose you, Victor. I can't.

Maggie tears up as she holds Victor's hand, raising it to her mouth and kissing it gently.

---

Jerome laughs at Jordan's histrionics, shaking his head at her.

JEROME: You know, you really got to calm down, you're stressing yourself for nothing.
JORDAN: Nothing, eh?
JEROME: Yeah, nothing. I'm just here to help you guys get this whole EnerNext business over with, and get them to stop drilling for oil in old man Percy’s backyard. Why is that such a problem?

Jordan rolls her eyes, knowing that's not the whole of it. Jerome continues as Jordan turns away from him.

JEROME: Look, let's get down to this, okay? I gotta get moving. It's a busy day.
SHERYL: Yes! Finally, someone's talking some sense around here. Now!

Sheryl leans against her desk as Jordan and Jerome pull up chairs around her desk. She commences as though giving a presentation.

SHERYL: First thing's first. We know, in order to take down EnerNext, and Titan, before they can destroy the entire city's environment with oil production, we have to have a subtle plan of attack that will not go detected. That...

Sheryl extends her hand toward Jerome, looking at Jordan the entire time.

SHERYL: ...Is where Jerome steps in.

***

From the Countess W lab, Percy steps into the lab with two cups of coffee, one for himself, and one for Nick, who sits in front of his laptop, headphones on, listening into Sheryl, Jordan, and Jerome's meeting with a wide smile.


Percy steps toward Nick, who laughs to himself, shaking his head at their plan. He places the coffee in front of him, prompting Nick to jump a bit.

NICK: Oh! Thanks, Percy.
PERCY: I presume Miss Connors and Miss Ridgeway are setting everything in motion right now?
NICK: Ohh yes they are. And it sound amazing.

Nick smiles as he slips the headphones back on, his smirk never leaving his face.

***

Sheryl continues, blissfully unaware that she's being spied on from within the building.

SHERYL: Jerome has prepared a virus for us that will, as I told you before, give us hundreds of terrabytes of information about Titan and EnerNext's inner workings, all the dirty little secrets they have, and access to their assets and holdings. Once we have that data, the system will immediately infect and corrupt all the files in that section of their server. It works quickly and silently, bypassing all of the company's firewalls, as though it were working from within.

Jordan and Jerome sit, listening intently to Sheryl carry on. She walks around to the other side of her desk, sitting down at her executive chair.

SHERYL: Once the entire system is corrupted, we expose the inner workings of Titan's shady deals, and make off with all the money. And disappear.

Jordan looks on, in confusion.

JORDAN: Well, wait...how do they not trace it back to us? I mean...
JEROME: Trust me. I've tested this software quite a few times before I brought it to Sheryl. No one even knows it's running until it's done. It's totally undetectable.

Jordan raises her eyebrow, still unconvinced.

JORDAN: And what about Nick?
SHERYL: Nick Fallon is a non-factor. Because we can mask this file to appear as though it's originating from any computer, all we have to do is set it to appear as if it’s running from his laptop. As long as he's connected to the Titan server, we're all set to go.

Sheryl smiles as she looks Jordan straight in the eyes, catching Jordan slightly off-guard.

SHERYL: I told you he'd make a great fall guy, didn't I?

Jordan looks worried now, she starts to raise her voice, almost in panic.

JORDAN: Well, then why would we have to leave Salem?

Sheryl and Jerome roll their eyes, Sheryl throwing her hands up at Jordan.

SHERYL: Here we go again.
JEROME: Why would you wanna stay?
JORDAN: None of your business!

Sheryl gets up from her seat, frustrated and steps toward Jordan angrily.

SHERYL: Jordan, you can't stay behind unless you want to get caught. Because I am directly linked to you. And how long before even the idiots at the Salem PD put two and two together and figure out you're really Kaylie Matthews from Mississauga?

Jordan looks away, annoyed at the knowledge that Sheryl is probably 100% right. Sheryl walks past Jordan, breaking her intense glare with Jordan as she heads for the door.

SHERYL: You need to get over this little fantasy you have of happily ever after with Rafe, Jordan. It's never gonna happen.

Jordan sits, taking her glasses off as she starts to tear up, realizing the inevitability of the end of her relationship.

---

Nicole stirs as she gets out of bed. Eric walks back into the room, putting his cell phone down.
Eric turns to face Nicole, a smile on his face.

ERIC: Well, Daniel's good for 2pm. Did you get ahold of Chloe?

Nicole is distracted with worry, and barely hears what Eric has to say. After a moment, she snaps out of her thoughts and replies.

NICOLE: Oh...uh...yeah. She...thankfully she had today off so she'll be here around 1.

Eric notices Nicole is less than enthused in her response. Worried, he walks over to Nicole, who is still sitting at the edge of the bed.

A worried look on his face, he wraps his arm around her, prompting her to lean into him.

ERIC: You sure you wanna do this?
NICOLE: I am...but I...I just worry that this isn't the best place to do it...I mean...Eric, what if Sami or Roman or Marlena find out about this? I mean...they're gonna be livid...
ERIC: And that's exactly why we're doing this in a hurry. Look, I told you, this isn't going to be the big, romantic ceremony as of yet. We have time to get married on our own terms, our family, our friends, the big wedding...but...let's get the legalities out of the way first and we can deal with our families later.

Nicole nods, understanding Eric's idea.

NICOLE: I get it. I’m just really worried.
ERIC: Well, don't be. It'll be just fine.

Nicole smiles weakly as she stands up, heading for her drawer.

NICOLE: I'm gonna have to get ready for my...half day of work.

Nicole turns to face Eric, a cheeky smile on her face.

NICOLE: Should I wear white?

Eric and Nicole share a laugh as Eric shakes his head.

ERIC: Naaah, you'd never pull of the innocent virgin look.

Nicole gasps in mock-disgust.

NICOLE: That's it! The wedding's off! (laughs) Maybe I'll just wear red to spite you.
ERIC: (laughs) Okay. You take care of that. I'm gonna head off to get everything ready.
NICOLE: Sounds good. I'll call you when I'm heading out.
ERIC: Perfect. I love you.

Eric, grabbing his jacket, leans over to Nicole to give her a kiss before he heads out to sort out the final wedding details. Nicole and he linger in their kiss a moment, breathing in the moment for as long as they can. Once their kiss ends, both smile with satisfaction in their eyes.

NICOLE: Love you too.

Eric closes the door to Nicole's bedroom and heads out. Nicole, left behind smiles happily, with a slight sense of worry in her eyes.

She turns to face the mirror in the bedroom, putting the red dress she's taken from the closet up against her. She looks up from admiring the dress, and sees Sami standing behind her, a focused, enraged look in her eye.

She shrieks, as she turns around in a panic.

---