EPISODE 153
Written by A. Washington-Beeby
Story Consultants: C. Nathaniel Richardson & Nick Monarco
Story Consultants: C. Nathaniel Richardson & Nick Monarco
It's late, and Nick walks Gabi to the door of her apartment. They talk (mostly Nick talks, while Gabi pretends to listen), as they walk, arm in arm. As it's still raining, Nick holds a big umbrella over them both, protecting them.
NICK: So it's basically the biggest EDM festival in Europe, and...I think we should check it out.
GABI: That sounds really good, but...we're gonna be really busy this summer, with the shoots and everything, I just don't think that's gonna happen.
NICK: We can make time. I'll make sure of it.
Gabi smiles, trying to be gentle in her rebuffing Nick's offer.
GABI: We'll see. Ah...look, I'm heading in, thanks again for walking me home.
NICK: It's the least I could do. I'm glad you enjoyed yourself with me.
GABI: You know I always do.
NICK: Oh come on, we both know that's a lie.
Gabi rolls her eyes, knowing Nick's right, she laughs.
GABI: Yeah, I guess, you're right. But I'm serious. Plus, I'm really excited. So much is changing for me, and for you. I think things are really starting to look up.
NICK: I think so too.
Nick smiles, as he looks at Gabi. He hesitates for a moment, before asking his question.
NICK: You never answered me before about moving into the Kiriakis mansion with me. Now that I'm...well...now that it's mine.
Gabi looks down, her hands in Nick's. She smiles half-heartedly as she looks down. Knowing it's a bad idea, but having to hold in those thoughts.
GABI: Nick, I...I have to think about it. I mean...you know, everything's moving so fast, and...can you just give me a bit of time to think it over?
Nick raises his hand to Gabi's chin, and gently lifts her head up to look into his eyes. He smiles gently.
NICK: Gabi, I'm not gonna make the same mistakes I did before. No pressure. You tell me when you're ready.
Gabi smiles back at Nick as she responds softly.
GABI: Thank you.
Nick and Gabi share a long gaze into each other's eyes, before he leans in for a kiss, but is suddenly struck by a severe pain. He shouts out in agony, as a high-pitched ringing hits his ears. He holds his head, as he crumples from the pain. Gabi panicks, unsure what to do, as the rain soaks her hair and makeup.
GABI: Nick? NICK?! Are you okay???
---
Sami arrives back at the DiMera mansion, to find EJ at his desk. Standing soaking wet in the doorway to the living room, EJ looks over, pulling his reading glasses off his face. He attempts to stifle a laugh at his the expense of his partner.
EJ: You ah...I see you made it back in one piece.
SAMI: Save it.
Sami storms into the room, dumping her bag in the corner and making a beeline for the roaring fireplace.
SAMI: I didn't know it was gonna rain so I left my umbrella here this morning, and got caught in the storm on the way back from the office.
EJ looks on, curiously.
EJ: The office? You left hours ago. Did you go back?
SAMI: EJ, I had to. We had a situation on our hands.
EJ: Well, it would've been nice to have been kept in the loop, Samantha.
Sami turns herself toward the fire, speaking dismissively to EJ.
SAMI: I didn't have time.
EJ becomes agitated, getting up from his seat at the desk and beginning to grill Sami.
EJ: What does that mean? It would literally take you ten seconds to send me a text or something.
Sami turns her head, snapping at EJ before turning back toward the heat.
SAMI: EJ, Nick has controlling interest of Titan, I had to make sure we had everything in place to take him out.
EJ: I agree, that's smart, but shouldn't I be privvy to that?
SAMI: I'm telling you now, aren't I?
EJ: That's not the point.
Sami turns her body to face EJ, now exasperated by EJ's grilling.
SAMI: Look, FINE. I'll tell you what's going on. But you need to keep this to yourself. Okay?
---
Marlena sighs, as she sits on a barstool at the Brady Pub, next to Eric. Kim stands across from her, awaiting her answer to Kim's demand.
KIM: Marlena. Promise me you won't run a DNA test on Roman.
Marlena sighs again, closing her eyes, before shaking her head. She looks at Kim and responds with conviction.
MARLENA: You know I can't do that.
KIM: Marlena, that's a cop out and you know it. Roman needs Valerie to be focused on what's wrong with him right now, and getting him treatment, not focusing on some hairbrained idea that he may not be who we know he is.
MARLENA: But that's exactly it, Kim. What if the cognitive degradation is related to his true identity? What if he isn't your brother and your brother is out there somewhere, trying to get home to Salem?
KIM: And what if he's not? Marlena, it's been 20 years! Something would've come up by now, surely.
MARLENA: Not neccessarily. Not if Stefano's involved.
Kim sighs, certain Marlena's being extremely optimistic.
KIM: What if you're right, Marlena? What if Stefano did send this...impostor to Salem, but then the real Roman did actually die while on that assignment all those years ago like we thought? Hmm? Then what?
Marlena looks back Kim, struggling to answer her question.
---
---
Sami stands, arms folded, facing EJ in the DiMera living room. Her hair still soaking from the storm outside, as she explains what she's been up to.
SAMI: Nick was trying to goad Kate and I into turning on each other over Gabi. I guess he wanted to do some kind of divide and conquer and try to manipulate Gabi into trusting him over us. But Kate and I figured it out, and we're playing along for Gabi's sake.
EJ: How did that go?
SAMI: So far so good. Nick's totally snowed, Gabi's on a date with him, making him think she's falling for him again. Thank GOD that's a big charade.
EJ: Is it?
Sami nods, certain of her answer.
SAMI: Yeah. She's terrified of him. I'm surprised you didn't see it before.
EJ: I did, but...frankly, that girl should be acting instead of modelling because I know she's pulled the wool over our eyes once before where Nick was concerned. That's why I tested her this morning.
Sami looks baffled by EJ's statement.
SAMI: Tested her?
EJ: That's what I was trying to tell you earlier. I paid Gabi a visit this morning. I wanted to sort of...gauge her reaction when I gave her a gift I'd been planning to give her.
SAMI: Okay...I'm afraid to ask...what was the gift?
EJ hesitates for a moment, before sighing and responding.
EJ: I gave her a gun to keep with her in case Nick tries to hurt her or Arianna.
SAMI: You did WHAT?!
Sami looks at EJ, aghast at his decision.
---
Gabi steps toward a visibly suffering Nick as his headache worsens. Nick drops the open umbrella, an leans against the wall by Gabi's apartment doorway. Deeply concerned by his sudden pain, Gabi coaxes him toward her door, all the while getting herself wet.
GABI: Nick! Nick, okay, it's gonna be okay. We just gotta get you inside. Okay?
Nick, wincing from the pain, barely hears Gabi through his pained grunts. Trying to maintain control over his breathing, Nick holds his head, as Gabi tries to open the door.
GABI: Okay, we got you.
Once open, Nick and Gabi stumble through the door to the darkened apartment. Gabi grabs Nick's umbrella and closes it behind her. Closing the door and turning on the light, Gabi walks Nick over to her sofa, and peels his wet blazer off his shoulders, throwing it on the floor.
Afterwards, she lays him down, fluffing up pillows for him to lay on.
NICK: Nnnng, hm...Gabi, please....please, my medication.
GABI: Okay. Okay, I'm getting it.
Gabi runs over to grab his blazer, and rifles through it in a panic, before finding the nearly-empty bottle in one of Nick's pockets.
Gabi turns quickly to face Nick, then has a moment of realization, as she becomes aware of what's happening and who she's dealing with. A sudden rush of calm comes over her. She stares at Nick for a moment, seeing him writhe in pain on her sofa.
She bites her lower lip, as she holds the pill bottle in her hand, and contemplates her next move. She then looks down at the desk drawer, where she placed the gun EJ had given her earlier in the day, and contemplates opening it.
---
Marlena stands up from her barstool, looking at Kim with compassion. Eric gets up from his stool, as well, surveying the situation.
MARLENA: Kim, I get it. You don't want to lose your brother all over again...but you could have him back, and back to stay.
Kim looks back at Marlena, unmoved.
KIM: I could, but if you don't start looking for a treatment for the disease that's eating his brain, then we WILL lose him, Marlena.
ERIC: Aunt Kim, you know we're all trying to find answers.
KIM: Eric, I'm not blaming you for this. But you don't want to be doing this test any more than I do.
ERIC: I have my own reasons.
KIM: That's fine.
ERIC: But I also think that what Mom's saying has merit.
Kim looks back at Marlena momentarily, nodding before responding to Eric.
KIM: Okay. That's fine. You...you do what you want. But let me make something very clear. If Roman doesn't get the treatment he needs in time, and my brother dies? I'm putting that on you, Marlena.
Kim storms off to the staircase, headed away from a distraught Marlena. Eric pulls his mother into a hug, as a song begins to play.
---
As the song continues, Billie and Daniel lay together in Daniel's living room, sharing their blanket after making love. Billie's arms around Daniel's naked torso, as Daniel points up toward the LED lights on his ceiling.
DANIEL: See, I put a big dipper right over there.
Billie laughs as she squints, trying to see the constellation Daniel attempted to replicate.
BILLIE: That looks more like a soup ladle, but...I'll play along.
DANIEL: Hey! Never criticize an artist in his own studio. Got it?
Daniel teases Billie playfully, as they laugh together, before Billie cuddles in closer to Daniel, looking into his eyes with a loving warmth.
BILLIE: You know...I'm really glad I went to get that coffee.
DANIEL: Are you?
BILLIE: Mmhmm. This has turned out to be a beautiful night after all.
Billie leans in to kiss Daniel's lips. He smiles after she does, savouring the moment.
DANIEL: I think so. And in here, there isn't a cloud in the sky.
BILLIE: Heh, yeah, you're right.
Daniel looks at Billie, but notices a certain sadness in her eyes.
DANIEL: You okay?
BILLIE: Yeah, why?
DANIEL: I dunno, just...after you ran into Kim earlier, I just...I worried that she might've said something to upset you or...
BILLIE: Nooo, no no no. I'm used to Kim's anger toward me, it's more....it's more that I'm worried about her, really.
Daniel looks surprised, as Billie's expression changes, and she stares off momentarily from Daniel.
DANIEL: Worried? About Kim Brady?
BILLIE: Yeah. She's got a lot on her shoulders. Theresa, her mother's health declining, Roman going through...I dunno, I guess it's dementia? Being separated from her husband for so long? Your children? That's....that's gotta be so hard on a person.
DANIEL: Well...she'll be fine, I think. She's stronger than she seems.
BILLIE: Yeah, but...being alone like she is? I couldn't imagine dealing with all that without you.
Billie moves in to where her face nearly touches Daniel's. They look adoringly into each other's eyes, as Daniel shifts his body to face Billie's, as he moves his arm up to Billie's face, gently carressing her face. He responds softly to her.
DANIEL: You'll never have to find out the answer to that. I'll always be here.
Daniel and Billie share a tender kiss, as Billie leans into the kiss, and the two roll over, preparing for another round of lovemaking.
...
Back at the Brady Pub, as Kim descends the staircase, and looks out on a now-empty pub (save for the lone bartender cleaning up), Kim walks into the room slowly.
She puts a hand on the bartender's shoulder and smiles half-heartedly.
KIM: You're good for tonight, hun. Thanks.
The bartender heads back into the kitchen to pack up to leave, as Kim shuts off most of the lighting.
As the song ends, she leans against the bar, and thinks over the problems facing her. Missing her daughter, and her son, her husband, and the slow decline of her brother and mother.
Kim is emotionally overwhelmed by a sense of grief, and begins to sob uncontrollably.
---
