DAYS #100: Liam's country rendezvous, Nicole meets her new assistant (07/04/14)

EPISODE 100
Written by A. Washington-Beeby
Story Consultants: ML Cooks, Nick Monarco & C. Nathaniel Richardson

Nicole walks into her office, a touch frantic, as she carries the garment bag holding the dress she's set to wear to her wedding to Eric later in the day. Stressed, she yammers on to herself as she gets herself ready for the day.

NICOLE: Alright, Nicole. Let's get this meeting over with and then we can do what we've been waiting to do. Marry Eric.

Nicole hangs her garment bag up, then unzips it, looking inside to see her dress. She smiles widely, admiring the dress.

NICOLE: It's funny. You can wear a dress a million times and...suddenly it becomes so special.

Nicole hears a knock at her office door, causing her to turn around, coming back down to Earth.

NICOLE: But first, let's find out what our fairy godmother wants.

Nicole walks toward the door, still talking sarcastically to herself.

NICOLE: Knowing my luck, she'll turn me into a pumpkin.

Opening the door, Sami stands there, a broad, saucy smile on her face. She stands with Abigail.

SAMI: Nicole! Good to see you.

Sami marches straight into Nicole's office, as Abigail reluctantly follows.

NICOLE: Sami...I wish I could say the same.

Nicole nearly shuts the door behind her, before stopping herself upon seeing the garment bag on the other side of the doorway. She smiles awkwardly before stepping back toward her desk, where Sami and Abigail are waiting.

NICOLE: So!...Boss...

Nicole rolls her eyes as she says 'boss', the words parting from her mouth, dripping with sarcasm.

NICOLE: What can I do for you?

Sami looks up from her seat before Nicole's desk, smiling with a very sarcastic look in her eye.

SAMI: Well, Nicole. I have some excellent news for you.

Nicole stops before Sami, looking down from above, hands on her hips. She responds to Sami with a phony excitement.

NICOLE: Let me guess. Staff cuts! My salary’s too high so unfortunately, you’ll be terminating my contract!

Sami and Nicole fake sharing a laugh before Sami responds, still smiling smugly.

SAMI: Ohhh no, not at all. However, Nicole, since you've been known to do some....rather....controversial work as of late...I think it would be best if you had an....assistant.

Nicole looks at Sami, her face drops as she looks back behind Sami at a sheepish Abby. Her eyes immediately look back at Sami, a bit displeased by the news.

NICOLE: ...Assistant. As in...
SAMI: Yup. 

Sami looks back toward Abigail, a big smile on her face, almost laughing.

SAMI: Abigail, meet your new boss.

Sami turns back toward Nicole, who looks on, staring Sami down intently, as Sami looks back, almost laughing, knowing that she's gotten to Nicole.

---

Daniel gets up from his chair, and begins to pace the room as he talks with Laura.

DANIEL: Now, you're absolutely sure that Liam's working for the DiMeras.
LAURA: Daniel, unless my hearing's worn down over the years and I haven't noticed...he absolutely was speaking to EJ. There's no question.

Daniel pauses in his tracks, looking solemnly at the ground with his back to Laura. Laura looks his way, concern plain on her face as well.

DANIEL: (sigh) Okay, yeah, that settles it then...

Laura approaches Daniel, a stunned look on her face.

LAURA: What do you mean by that?

Daniel takes a second, sighing as he contemplates how much to tell Laura about what he's figured out about the situation.

DANIEL: Well...I mean, I had...sorta...pulled together some things I remembered about Liam and...yeah, I'm convinced. This guy is definitely bad news.

Daniel turns around to face Laura, the colour drained from Laura's face as she realizes Daniel is dead serious.

LAURA: You know something, don't you.
DANIEL: I...nothing I can really....confirm. But...yeah, we gotta stop this guy, before he hurts Jennifer, or JJ, or Abigail. Or you.

Laura looks on, mortified by Daniel's realization.

---

---

Nicole sighs, as she stands over a smug Sami, and an awkward Abigail.

NICOLE: I'm being given an assistant?

Sami stands up from her seat, folding her arms as she holds onto her smug smile, knowing she's irritating Nicole.

SAMI: Oh, now, don't feel like this is anything but a good thing, Nicole. This means your workload will be halved, and yet...you can take on so many new stories.
NICOLE: Okay, look, I know what you're actually doing, Sami. You've got your little...friend here to be my "assistant", when she's actually going to be your spy. Trying to see what I'm doing that you could fire me for, maybe? That seems...hmmm...kinda your M.O.

Sami, rolling her eyes, responds glibly to Nicole's attack.

SAMI: Oh come on, Nicole, I'm hardly that transparent. Gotta keep you on your toes. No, Abigail is here because you're being given carte blanche to pursue an expansive investigation into the story I know for a fact you've already done a fantastic job covering for the station. EnerNext.

Nicole's face changes as she hears Sami's words, her face slowly shifting to a wry smile.

---

Noelle steps around the corner in the hallways of Titan, and finds Alex and Will shaking hands, their eyes locked onto each other. Will has an intense gaze that catches Noelle's attention. She clears her throat, and Alex and Will are jolted out of their gaze and handshake.

ALEX: Oh, Noelle! Hey, honey! I...Will and I were just...
WILL: We were just clearing the air about some...misunderstandings about our...working relationship.

Alex looks uncomfortably at Will before looking back Noelle's way.

ALEX: Yes...exactly. So! Uh, why brings you this way?
NOELLE: Oh, I just...I came to give you an update on Victor.
WILL: Oh! How's he doing? Maggie was feeling optimistic when I saw her this morning.

Noelle looks Will's way, a bit of an artifice to her smile as she answers his question.

NOELLE: Well, just that Daniel is going to keep him in the induced coma for a bit longer, but that he's progressing well after the bypass, and there's so far no complications.
WILL: That's good to hear.
ALEX: Definitely. Ah, well...look, since you're here, Noelle...did you want to...I dunno, maybe grab lunch?

Noelle turns her attention back to her husband, wrapping one arm around his back as she snuggles in close to him, her other hand stroking his tie. She looks at Will directly, sensing he's a threat.

NOELLE: Oh definitely. Any time I get to spend with my husband is time well-spent.

Will looks on, a bit of a menacing glare in his eyes, before quickly looking up at Alex again.

ALEX: Did you want to join us, Will?
WILL: Oh, no no! You two go on ahead. I have to finish up the press release for the oil sands, get those facts cross-referenced and change some words around. Deadline's looming!

Will smiles at the couple before him, as he turns to walk into his office.

WILL: You two lovebirds enjoy yourselves.

Noelle responds, almost bitingly. Alex remains oblivious to the tension between Noelle and Will.

NOELLE: Oh we will! Don't you worry.

Will shuts the door to his office, and leans against it, his face immediately dropping as he bangs the back of his head against the door in frustration. Will mutters to himself softly.

WILL: Why did he have to be Sonny's brother. Why, why, why, why? (sigh).

---

Laura stands facing Daniel in Daniel's office. She hesitates to ask her next question, almost afraid of the answer.

LAURA: I ummm...I hate to ask but...what did you remember about Liam?

Daniel leans back against his desk, shaking his head while holding up his hand to Laura.

DANIEL: I can't get into that right now, Laura. Just know...Liam Frasier has gotta be stopped. Sooner rather than later.
LAURA: So...what are we gonna do to stop him? I mean, Daniel, I don't wanna get JJ any more involved in this than he already is.
DANIEL: Well, Laura, he might have to get a whole lot more involved. Honestly, I want you to back off from this a bit, I'm more worried about you than him. JJ's a young guy, and he's street smart, he can definitely take care of himself.

Laura looks at Daniel, an incredulous look on her face.

LAURA: Daniel Jonas, what are you trying to say? I'm a helpless damsel in distress?
DANIEL: No! No, not at all. I'm just saying...I want you to be safe. Because if anything goes wrong, Jennifer will need her mom more than anyone else.

Laura nods, understanding what Daniel's saying. She looks at him closely.

LAURA: You still love her, don't you?

At that moment, a voice pipes up from behind the two of them.

JENNIFER: Whether he does or not, he's with Billie now, and I'm happy with Liam, so whatever Daniel feels or doesn't feel...

Laura turns quickly toward the door to see Jennifer standing inside the doorway, while Daniel looks up, jolted by her interruption.

JENNIFER: ...is really no concern of mine. 

Daniel looks over to Jennifer, who looks back his way coldly.

---

Liam pulls up down the winding country lane, approaching a modern-looking log cabin home. He stops the car and steps out of the car, then looks at the house. Large windows, and another car in the driveway with out of state license plates. He studies everything carefully before parking.

The door to the house opens, catching Liam off guard. Looking at the person in the doorway, he smiles warmly.

LIAM: You finally made it. Good to see you again.

---