We Could Be, Part 2

by Julian Dimera

This continues We Could Be, Part 1. It begins two weeks after the events in Part 1. Thanks for reading! Will - CM, Chad - CD, Dario - FSM, Sonny - FS

21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21: We Could Be Surprised by the Unexpected – Monday, November 7th, 2016

"You're going to be alright," Delphi exhaled. She had done so throughout the day to remind herself she was still here. She was alive. She was still free.

Wheeling herself into her empty bedroom, Delphi felt relieved she hadn't heard anything concerning Zedekiah's threat. It had been twelve days since his death, so it seemed she was in the clear. If this was the case, she wondered if Alessandro was the one who saved her. If he was, then he still had the information Zedekiah claimed to have on her. This was a real struggle for Delphi. She felt so close to being able to take charge of her life once more, but this question of who or what saved her was too much of a variable for her to feel completely in control.

*Ring* Delphi's cell phone brought her out of her thoughts. She moved to her nightstand and grabbed it. Someone important was calling. "This is Delphine Blake-Lee. … You have nothing to worry about. Everything is in place."

Ending the call, Delphi turned her head towards the bedroom door and thought about the extra funding Kristen found going into Blake, Inc. The money did not come from her parents. She was responsible for the money as it was connected to drugs for The Families. It was part of her plan to make her place at the table official.

Delphi also managed to use the drugs to destroy JJ's life after she found out he was trying to dig up who was responsible for the drug business in Salem. "That snake's son should be rotting in jail." She hated Jennifer Horton almost as much as she hated her own family. "Peter's connection to Jade has to be connected to Jennifer and her son. He would do anything for her. He let Brady go for her."

Feeling anxious again, Delphi moved out of her bedroom and down the hall. It was quiet since Peter and Kristen were gone, but she hoped Alessandro was around. When she made it to the stairs, she looked up and debated on pulling herself onto the stair lift to search for him on the second floor.

Fortunately for Delphi, Alessandro walked out of a nearby room. "I did not realize there was anyone else here," he claimed.

"I find that hard to believe," Delphi refuted. "I've watched you carefully, and I know you are one who pays attention to as much detail as possible. How did Zedekiah manage to escape you when I sent you to follow him?"

Alessandro tilted his head. "Are you trying to imply something?"

Delphi crossed her arms and studied Alessandro closely. She knew better than to directly accuse him of being the serial killer, but the longer she thought about it, the more it made sense – even if she had her doubts prior. "There are certain areas about your life that you are not open about. You're out all hours of the night. Are you dating anyone? Do you date women?"

Showing some impatience, Alessandro looked to Delphi and said, "I enjoy the company of women. If you truly believe I have anything to do with those hangings, you are poorly mistaken. You are paranoid and need to clear your head before you destroy what you have here. I am assisting you, and if you do not want it, then I can leave. It will be your opportunity to lose though to be clear."

Backing down, Delphi shook her head. "You have proven your loyalty over the years, but I need you on your best performance. I need you in with the DiMera family."

Alessandro crossed his arms purposely wanting Delphi to see him as an amateur. "They won't let me in. I need to prove to them somehow that they can trust me. They know I want in though."

Looking away, Delphi mentioned, "Peter is meeting with EJ's sister, Jade, tonight to see if she has any info for us. Maybe she can provide what you need."

Nodding his head, Alessandro replied, "She just may be the key to all of this."

(*)*(*)*(*)

At The Chill, Will worked with Josh, Dario, and Qamar as they prepped the club for Safiya's album release party the next day. Checking his list, Will said, "We need three acoustic guitars on stage. We'll have to make sure they are still in tune before the party."

Noting how their intern couldn't keep his wandering eye off Will, Dario quickly volunteered, "Qamar and I will get them."

"Thanks," Will released.

After Qamar followed Dario to the basement, Will told Josh, "I need to make a call and then I'll be down to help you with lighting.

As Will climbed the stairs for the office, Josh focused his thoughts on what he could do with the special storage he was forced to keep on the premises. With Zedekiah dead, he needed to figure this out soon. He was running out of time. He needed to move now.

JJ suddenly entered The Chill. When he saw his brother-in-law, he quickly made his way over before Josh could disappear into the main storage room. "Josh."

Thrown, Josh eyed JJ intently. "What are you doing here?"

JJ decided to come out with it directly. "I need to talk brother to brother. I'm worried about Abby because she is really sad, and I think it could be potentially bad for her and the baby."

Josh didn't know what to say at first. He knew Abby and his in-laws didn't want JJ stressed about anything, so he tried to shut this conversation down. "Everything will be okay because I am here for Abby and my son. We're okay."

JJ saw Josh minimizing the issue with his response. "Is that true? Because you don't seem aware of how much my sister is struggling right now. Where is your head?"

JJ's question caused Josh to struggle mentally as he thought about where his focus had been in order to protect his family from his shame. He needed to get out of this conversation because he suddenly felt overwhelmed by everything. The last thing he needed was added pressure from someone who didn't have a clue. "JJ, you're too young to understand the struggles of a real adult."

JJ couldn't believe Josh said that to him. Hurt, he countered, "I understand struggles. I'm not sure why, but I can see you're pushing me away… maybe you're keeping me from knowing something."

Realizing he offended his wife's brother, Josh inhaled deeply before releasing, "JJ, I care about you and I want to be close, but Abby and the baby are my concern. You're just going to have to trust I will do what is best."

JJ realized he overstepped when he could finally see the concern on Josh's face. "I'm sorry." He felt guilty for making Josh feel bad. "I'm just worried because no one is talking to me about anything. I'm worried things are really bad."

"Things aren't too bad," Josh assured JJ. "It's just stressful."

"I'm sorry," JJ released once more.

"I'm sorry," Josh quickly echoed with sincerity. "I know you have your own struggles, and I shouldn't have pulled the young card on you. I promise I'm there for Abby. You don't have to worry about that."

JJ gave Josh a hug and said, "I'm here if you ever want to talk. I know how my sister can be sometimes."

With a nod, Josh said, "I appreciate that."

Standing outside of the upstairs office, Will witnessed the entire exchange.

"So, have you heard my sister's album in full yet?" In the studio downstairs, Qamar was oblivious to the fact that Dario caught him crushing on Will earlier.

Dario grinned. "More than a few times," he revealed.

"I can't wait to hear the other tracks," Qamar stated with excitement. "I heard the pre-orders are already high."

Dario confirmed the news with a nod. When they got to the guitars, he passed one to Qamar. "So, find a guy you can trust yet?"

Qamar held onto the guitar and gave Dario an awkward look. "No one. I think I need to build on new relationships to find someone I can try things with."

Dario patted Qamar on the back. "I'm sure you'll find him." He wanted to be a positive influence, but he hoped Qamar didn't think Will should be that guy.

Back upstairs, Will helped Josh figure out lighting for the event; JJ was gone. "I know Chad and I say it a lot, but we really do appreciate how you have stepped up even more lately. We know this place wouldn't run as smoothly without you."

Avoiding eye contact with Will, Josh replied, "Well, I enjoy working and being here." He thought about the money he had taken from The Chill. No one had noticed yet.

Will knew Abby and Josh were stressed about the baby. His past with his mother helped him understand why, and JJ's quick visit helped confirm things. "We enjoy working with you, too, but I hope you know you will have to take time off. You can't fight us on this decision either. We won't let you work when your son is born."

When Qamar and Dario rejoined them, Will smiled at Qamar and added, "We have our new intern to help us while you're on forced paternity leave."

Josh wished he could enjoy his growing family, but the fact that he was in deep with some unknown business put him in a place where he feared what could happen while he was on leave. He planned on getting rid of the stuff in storage, but now that he knew Zedekiah was dead, he couldn't help but wonder if that was a warning to him.

Who was Zedekiah tied to? He used to work for The Salem Spectator with his mother-in-law and Kristen Blake. Josh wondered if that was a clue.

(*)*(*)*(*)

Meanwhile, EJ, Sami, Cameron, Chad, and Lexie met with Renée and Marco at the DiMera mansion. Even though EJ told Cameron he didn't have to be there, Cameron decided to come because he felt it was important to meet his sister.

"Is there anything you would like to know about us?" EJ offered Renée. He looked to his eldest sister knowing she could get in the way of their plans for the family's future. She could be talking to The Families just as he suspected Peter and Kristen of doing.

Renée raised her eyes and smirked at her son because there wasn't really anything she didn't already know. She turned to Sami and looked her up and down. "It's odd seeing you so grown up, Sami Brady." She had to push through the trauma she experienced the last time she was in the DiMera mansion to enjoy this moment. After her run-in with Joselyn, she knew she needed to be more patient if she wanted to succeed.

Sami cleared her throat. "It's DiMera now, and I'm sure it's not so odd considering you've lived in Salem while your son worked for your dad under false pretenses."

Before Marco could cut in, Renée swiftly clarified, "I promise you, my son had no clue of the family connection until recently. As I have mentioned before, I had to hide my true identity until father was gone. As most of you know, he doesn't do family relationships well."

Cameron figured he was the minority Renée hinted to. "And I am glad Stefano isn't around to destroy my life now that he's gone." It was hard keeping up with everything DiMera – the family appearances and disappearances in Salem especially – but he didn't want to show it. He felt the need to always keep his guard up. What if he was next?

Looking for a glass to grab, Renée said, "We should toast to that."

Lexie offered her sister a smile, but her mind focused on how Renée claimed she had to stay hidden until Stefano was gone. Renée also claimed she had their father's last will, which gave everything to her. Why would Stefano do that if Renée feared him? Lexie decided to hold onto this for now to discuss with EJ later.

Marco eyed his mother intently. Though he now knew Stefano's role in her life, he struggled because he still felt a strong loyalty to his grandfather. Focusing on EJ, he questioned, "So have you decided to try to screw my mother and me over?"

EJ held his wife's hand and answered, "We do not want to screw anyone over. We will treat everyone fairly as we transition together as a family." He turned to Renée and said, "We would like to see the document so that everything is dealt with in the proper way. It's important we work together as a family, and if you are willing, we all would like to be a part of your life and hope you will be a part of ours." In the back of his mind, he remembered Ignazio revealing the fact that Marco was not the father of Azzura's aborted baby. It was not the proper time to inform his nephew of that fact.

Renée studied EJ. While a part of her wondered if he and the rest of their siblings were sincere in wanting to be a family, she also didn't fully care. This had to be a play to bring her closer, so they could get a full read on her. She was already doing the same. "Marco and I would love that."

Surprised his mother agreed so readily, Marco managed to hide his shock and remained quiet.

Remembering the advice EJ gave him concerning The Chill, Chad came out of his thoughts when he made eye contact with Marco. His focus went to Frank. He was glad he and Frank worked well together.

Working inside the guesthouse, Frank received an email from a contact. The email contained footage from the different airports Wake Ptolemy traveled to and from before he showed up at Chad and Will's wedding. He skimmed through the videos and quickly caught on that T did not take the flight from Spain to New York or the one from New York to Florida. "Someone else used that alias to make it appear T came in from Spain."

Frank knew EJ and Chad were busy with Renée. He decided to do more digging to find out if someone was trying to cover their tracks or deliver a different message. He did feel relief since it appeared T didn't lie to him, especially after Chad suggested their friend could be responsible for the hangings. Taking a breath, he considered talking to T but decided to wait. He remembered Chad mentioning Will and Sonny trying to convince T into seeing Sonny's therapist, Diego Lopez. He knew he needed to get answers before T agreed to do therapy.

(*)*(*)*(*)

Feeling strange, Sonny sat with his parents and brother in the breakfast nook eating lunch. He brought them together hoping he could help them repair their relationship. "How are things going at JoJo's?" he questioned before rubbing the top of his head.

Adrienne placed her fork down and inquired, "I'm still waiting for you to make a guest appearance in the kitchen. I hoped with your brother living here, he would've convinced you by now."

Alex avoided looking at his parents for a moment because he recognized what Sonny was doing. He couldn't have any part of Sonny's attempt in repairing his relationship with his parents even though his mother could be quite charming. Focusing on Sonny, he commented, "Well, with everything that's happening here, I think Sonny may have his hands full at the moment."

Taking Alex's bait, Justin turned to his youngest. "What's keeping you busy here?" He figured it related to Ignazio somehow.

Sonny felt a chill go through his body. "Nothing… everything is fine." He felt a strange tension in his body and became aware of the fact that he was unable to relax like normal.

To keep the focus off him, Alex cut in, "You already told mom and dad about Ignazio, right?"

Adrienne saw the discomfort on Sonny's face and stepped in for him. "He already told us, and he's handling it the best he can."

"Have you told them about how it's causing tension between you and Dario?" Alex questioned his brother without skipping a beat.

Dropping his hand onto the table, Sonny tilted his head and gave Alex a look to question his reason for asking that. "Dario and I are fine."

Alex allowed confusion to show on his face, but then he backed off. "I think I just said something I wasn't supposed to say. I'm sorry."

Adrienne knew Sonny was lying and couldn't help her concern. "Sonny, you know you can talk to us about whatever."

Sonny remained adamant. "Dario and I are fine." To appease Adrienne, he announced, "In fact, we set a date for the wedding. Dario and I are getting married on December 10th."

As Adrienne clasped her hands with excitement, Justin smiled and leaned forward into the table. "So, you went with the two plus eight date… that's exciting."

"Is this why you invited us over for lunch?" Adrienne questioned next. "Are you telling us more? Are we finally getting details?"

Even though this wasn't how he wanted to focus on Sonny and Dario's relationship, Alex was happy that his parents were distracted by their other son. "We're almost a month away. What else have you and Dario discussed?"

Sonny's legs began to shake under the table. He was feeling overwhelmed and couldn't believe Alex put him in this situation. The truth was he and Dario hadn't set a date even though they had previously talked about having it on the tenth, but now it was official, and he had to tell Dario he made the decision without him. This was a mess.

"We just set the date," Sonny finally replied. He didn't want to make any more decisions without Dario. "From here, we get to make all the official arrangements. We'll probably have the wedding here and the reception at JoJo's."

Adrienne's excitement continued to grow exponentially. "Have you decided on the menu?"

"No," Sonny quickly answered with some frustration. He wanted this conversation over, but he recognized he shouldn't have snapped at his mother. "We still need to decide, but I promise I'll let you know with enough time." Rubbing his head again, his eyes went down as he said, "I'm not feeling too well."

Adrienne swiftly placed her hand on Sonny's forehead and admitted, "I didn't want to say anything, but you looked under the weather when your dad and I arrived. You have a slight fever."

Justin stood up from the table as his wife continued to dote on their youngest. "Need anything? Where's your medicine cabinet?"

Alex stood up as well to help. "I'll show you where it is."

Putting his hand out, Sonny stopped them. "No, it's okay. I'll take care of it. I'm sorry, but I think I need to end this early." When Justin and Adrienne agreed, he said, "I'll walk you out."

After walking his parents out, Sonny closed the door and turned to Alex. A part of him wanted to question his brother's behavior, but he wasn't sure he wanted to mess with it since he felt off inside. "I'm going to take a nap before my shift," he decided.

Before Sonny could walk away, the front door opened. Ignazio stepped inside. Seeing his brother's fiancé and future brother-in-law there, he wasn't sure if he should greet them or say nothing at all. He chose to speak. "I will get out of your way."

Sonny really wished Ignazio would get out of his way, but he knew he couldn't tell him that. Dario deserved better. "Forget the nap. I'm going into work early."

Ignazio remained in place and watched as Sonny headed up the stairs. He figured he should give him some space before he walked to his room. After some silence, he began his trek towards the stairs.

Moving quick, Alex stepped in Ignazio's way to say, "You need to leave. It should be obvious your presence is making things difficult for Sonny." After making direct eye contact with Ignazio for a few seconds, he moved out of his way.

(*)*(*)*(*)

Manny took a seat outside of Mandalay Café waiting for Arianna to arrive. He felt anxious and took a sip of his decaf hoping it would help calm his nerves. Reflecting over his interactions with his garage assistant earlier that day, he remembered how Noah kept trying to make plans with him after work tonight. Noah also made a joke that really got to him so bad that it haunted him now. "Why did he have to say that?"

Spotting her brother, Arianna joined him and commented, "I see you couldn't wait for me to get a drink."

Standing, Manny tried to escape the thoughts running through his mind. "I'll go back inside with you."

Hearing a slight tremble in Manny's voice, Arianna noted her brother was on edge. "Did you ask to meet because there's something you need to say?"

Manny rubbed his hands against his legs. "I asked you to meet because I needed to get out of the garage," he admitted.

The garage was usually the place Manny escaped to, not from. Worried, Arianna wondered, "Is it Gustavo? Did he do something?"

"No," Manny quickly denied it. "Have you arrested anyone for the hangings?"

After shaking her head, Arianna asked, "Why do you ask?"

Manny couldn't escape what was boiling inside at this point anymore. "I'm avoiding Noah at the garage because he brings out a part of me that I don't like."

Arianna was aware of Manny's attraction to Noah because Gabi told her. "Manny, hermano, you know there is no shame in being attracted to another man. I know you're aware of this fact because of how you encourage Dario with Sonny."

Looking down, Manny admitted, "I'm struggling with my sexuality, yes, and I also know the murderer is killing gay men… Most likely due to his sexual identity issues." He took a deep breath before fearfully asking, "Am I a suspect?"

Completely thrown by Manny's question, Arianna quickly shut the idea down. "You are not and will not be a suspect because you have never been that type of person. Why would you even make that connection and go there?"

Even if he heard Arianna's assurances, Manny explained, "Noah joked with me earlier about me being the killer because of how shy I can be at times."

Shaking her head, Arianna countered, "Shy is how you've been for some time. You haven't been the confident guy we knew growing up."

"Well, my choices in the past have stayed with me," Manny reminded his sister.

Arianna remained firm with Manny. "It's time to let that go before your entire life disappears, hermano."

Breathing in, Manny wondered if he could still be so easily manipulated.

(*)*(*)*(*)

In Jack's office at the news station, Nicole shifted in her seat. "Should we try to get answers from Jade? If we manage to find her, we can push her a bit to tell us something if EJ's not around."

Jack leaned back in his chair and looked up at the ceiling. "The problem is actually cornering Jade without EJ knowing." He hated that EJ and Sami stood in the way of his ability to get answers.

"Knowing EJ, he probably already knows the info we're needing," Nicole released with some annoyance. "There's no way he's letting Jade keep a big secret like that from him. We may need to find another way to figure out who this Kaleb Rockstone is."

An abrupt knock on Jack's opened office door brought Jack's and Nicole's eyes towards the entry. John and Hope stood there. "Sorry for intruding…" John released.

Wondering why John and Hope were there, Jack sat up in his seat and questioned, "I hope you have something interesting for me."

Hope eyed John before turning her attention to the two reporters in the room. "John and I are here because we know you worked closely with Noël Fusco."

Wondering why the topic was on Noël, Jack clarified, "Noël works with a lot of people here. Did he do something illegal? Is that why he's been absent?" He doesn't seem the type."

"I'm afraid not," Hope answered confusing Jack and Nicole. "This is off record since this is part of an investigation. Noël's body was found hung from a tree in his backyard. Apparently, his body was there for a while. It was only discovered because the neighbor noticed a bad smell and finally grabbed a ladder to look over Noël's tall wooden fence."

Nicole stood and turned around in shock. "I thought Noël simply took some time off and didn't tell us," she admitted.

"Was he known to do that?" John swiftly asked.

Ignoring John's question, Jack realized, "Another gay man has been killed. The serial killer is still at it."

John turned to Hope with some discomfort. Both knew now that the serial killer hadn't taken a break as they initially believed. "Can you tell us anything about the last time you saw Noël?"

Jack and Nicole looked to each other. Jack took the lead. "It was here. He came in because the higher-ups wanted us to do an investigative report on the hangings in Salem… we told him to be careful."

"Any particular reason why?"

Nicole faced Hope and answered, "Well, he's gay and we know this serial killer or whatever is attacking gay men."

"There was also this UPS guy," Jack inserted suddenly. "Yeah. There was a UPS guy that Noël mentioned when he first came in. This guy was really attractive to him, and we told him to be careful."

John and Hope looked to each other wondering if they could use anything Jack and Nicole were giving them. They needed a new lead.

(*)*(*)*(*)

With his cell to his ear, Ian told his brother, "We should have dinner tonight if you're free." As Martin responded, Ian noticed Daniel walking in his direction. He quickly cut Martin off and said, "I'll call you back," before ducking into a private waiting room.

"Ian?" Abby caught him off guard. She was in the room trying to calm herself after her checkup. "What are you doing?"

Ian placed his cell in his pocket and felt it vibrate. He knew it was most likely his brother calling because he ended their call so abruptly, but he didn't bother with it. "I needed a place to hide," he admitted.

Eyeing the empty seat next to her, Abby asked, "Why are you hiding?"

Ian walked into the room more. "It's kind of a long story, but I'm avoiding Dr. Jonas. I don't want to relive my past mistakes, even if I probably should." When she looked in his direction again, Ian realized he was telling all of this to Abby. "Sorry for intruding. You probably want to be left alone."

Abby felt her heart experience a pang of nervousness. She was told in her appointment she needed to avoid stress at all costs and to find something she enjoyed to avoid it. "When have I ever wanted to be left alone…"

Finally taking a seat next to Abby, Ian smiled and said, "I'll stay then. What are you doing here?"

Glancing at the time, Abby claimed, "I'm just hanging out here for a bit before I have to meet my mom for lunch."

Ian still wondered why Abby was at the hospital but decided not to ask in case she didn't want to talk about it. "The baby okay?"

Abby didn't want to discuss the baby. She pulled her hair from her face and asked her own question. "So… is Salem a new start for you?"

Shrugging his lean shoulders, Ian surmised, "I suppose. I lived here before, so it's kind of hard to make it new, but I'm hoping it will be better than my last experience. It helps that my brother's in town this time. It helps you are, too."

Suddenly feeling lightheaded, Abby's heart pounded as she closed her eyes. She leaned her face forward and kissed Ian because of what he said to her.

Surprised, Ian went with it.

(*)*(*)*(*)

"I need research done as soon as possible," Alessandro spoke into his phone. "I need to know if what I am experiencing could be a side effect or effects from what occurred at Maison Blanche."

"I'm unsure if I should come out of hiding yet, Mr. DiMera," a familiar voice told Alessandro. "It may be unwise."

Alessandro shook his head and spied Kate sitting alone at a table in Java Café. "Do whatever you feel is necessary, but I need answers as soon as possible." Ending the call, he put his phone away and commented under his breath, "EJ is not taking my calls. I may have to approach him in person – directly."

Kate scrolled through her contact list on her phone when Alessandro approached her. She glanced up and gave him a confused look. "Can I help you?"

Alessandro took a seat across from Kate. "I apologize, but I am captivated by your beauty. I noticed you as soon as I entered."

Kate studied the café before asking, "Do I know you?" She noticed the man across from her was smooth but rather young.

"Was I wrong to sit with you?" Alessandro wondered looking deeply into Kate's eyes.

Kate still didn't understand what was happening. Lowering her phone, she confidently answered, "If you want to sit there, I will allow it… but I must warn you, I bite."

With a smirk, Alessandro replied, "I'm counting on it."

When Kristen entered Java Café, Kate noticed how Alessandro glanced at her. Her presence seemed to bother him. "All of Stefano's children are invading Salem these days," she commented. "Some are even coming back from the dead just like their father."

Alessandro tilted his head in confusion. "Returning from the dead?"

A part of Kate wondered if the man across from her could be connected to Stefano somehow. "His oldest daughter returned to Salem this weekend at my grandson's birthday party. I couldn't attend, but I heard all about it from my son. 'Renée is alive!'." Shaking her head, she mumbled, "Let's hope there are no more surprises when it comes to the DiMera family.

Alessandro wondered how he missed this news. He wondered if Renée returned to Salem for the reason he expected. He needed to find out. "I hate to cut this short, but I must leave your side for now."

Kate watched as Alessandro stood up, took her hand in his, and softly kissed it. He left right after. "For now?" she whispered to herself wondering what that meant.

With her eyes set on her destination, Kristen approached the table where Jen sat. "Hi…"

Jen, who was waiting for Abby, looked up at Kristen. Before she could say anything, her phone dinged. "Excuse me." She rummaged through her purse until she found it.

Jen received a text from Abby that read: "I'm not feeling good. I can't make it to lunch. I'll check in later after I take a nap."

Noting Jennifer now seemed worried, Kristen commented with genuine concern, "I hope everything is okay."

Jennifer looked up again. She almost forgot Kristen was standing there. "I think it is. Did you need something?"

Kristen motioned her head towards the empty seat next to Jen. After Jen gave her the go ahead, Kristen sat down and anxiously revealed, "I know this is probably a conversation you don't want to have, but I need to do this. I am in a place where Brady and I are getting closer, and as I try to navigate that bond, I have realized I need someone besides my brother to help me." She mentally shook her head knowing Peter wasn't really helping her.

Jennifer had an idea where this conversation was going, but she also didn't want to assume or jump the gun. "What are you looking for, Kristen?"

"I want to be your friend again," Kristen released. "I need someone I can trust. I know we have our past issues, but even with them, you still manage to be kind and not hateful towards me. You've allowed me to talk to you when I needed to – you're doing it now."

Jennifer showed some uncertainty in her face. "I don't know if I can give you what you need," she answered honestly as her thoughts went to Zedekiah.

Kristen persisted. "I don't have friends. I know it's my fault because I've made some horrible choices. I've tried with my sister-in-law, but she's not a good influence. She's not a decent influence on my brother. That's the reason I came to you instead of her when I knew Peter was doing something completely ignorant. Only you could convince him not to shoot Brady and ruin his life or others' lives. You're honest in a way that doesn't tear people down even if it's something people don't want to hear."

Even with how strange this was, Jennifer could see Kristen was reaching out for assistance. She couldn't just deny her and leave her with nothing. "We can try," she ultimately released. "I'm not perfect, and I don't know if I can be what you need. Things in my life are stressful and busy, but I can try to be your friend." Jennifer thought about her story knowing Kristen was adopted by Stefano. She was not sure if that perspective was needed in her story at this point even if she wanted to get a full picture.

With a sigh of gladness, Kristen wanted to give Jennifer a hug, but she refrained. "Thank you. Can we start now?"

Since Abby canceled their lunch plans, Jennifer readily agreed, "Yeah. I have some time." A part of Jen was curious to know if Kristen knew anything about Zedekiah's death because Harold was hurting, and a killer was still on the loose.

"Great!" Kristen said with excitement. "I'm having dinner with Brady tonight, and I could use some advice."

Jen got comfortable in her seat as she mentioned, "I've noticed you and Brady are spending a lot of time together." She wondered if Brady was helping Kristen separate herself from the influence Stefano had in her life.

Her close connection with Brady was still hard to accept at times. Kristen shared, "We have progressed towards a deeper relationship. Marriage has even been mentioned."

Noting the look on Kristen's face, Jen wondered, "Are you afraid you will mess things up?"

"I always find a way to do so," Kristen admitted. "A darkness seems to always follow me no matter how much I try to escape it."

Jen shook her head and empathized, "That must be hard to live through." Even if she felt bad for Kristen, she struggled with fully engaging with her. "What about Zedekiah's death? Do you blame yourself for that?"

Kristen denied it before saying, "This isn't what I want to talk to you about."

Lost in her desire for the truth, Jen continued, "It's just strange how Zedekiah's body was found hung on a tree outside of The Salem Spectator. There's just too much of a connection there."

"Oh." Kristen sat back in her seat and recognized what was happening. "You don't trust me. I was dumb to think we could start without working through everything I did to you. If you have any questions for me, I will answer them."

Jen saw an opportunity in front of her, but she also needed to tread carefully. Avoiding talk about Zedekiah for now, Jen focused on something else she was always curious to know. "When I came back to The Salem Spectator, I found a file on Greta in the office you gave to me when you were parading around as Diana. Why did you have a file on Greta?"

Kristen awkwardly placed her hands on her lap as she hopped on her seat so her back was now straight. She forgot all about Greta's file. "When Maddalena rescued me from that sex trafficking ring, there was talk of trying to bring Greta into the mix because of what Stefano did to her. Maddalena was set on Stefano facing everyone he damaged in his lifetime."

"Did you try talking to Greta?"

With a nod, Kristen answered, "Greta didn't want any part of returning to Salem."

"Hmmm." Jen's response was a short one because she was processing what Kristen had shared.

Kristen leaned forward and rested her hands on the table. "There's more though," she revealed. "I was going to use Greta for my own gain. I needed Greta's money and notoriety, so I could move on to what I wanted for my life."

Jen didn't know what to say at first, but then she asked, "Is that the issue you're having with Brady? Do you think it's possible you are using Brady for his wealth and connection to Titan to get what you still want?"

Kristen glanced down for a moment before returning her eyes to the woman across from her. "I know you're aware of how I tried to use Brady before, but I promise you that is no longer the case." She looked down again as she confessed, "My struggle is that I'm not sure if I can have both power and love. I love Brady, but there are times Blake, Inc. seems to get in the way of that, and then Brady's devotion to Titan and his family seem to get in the way of Blake, Inc."

"So there's no way to make both work?"

Taking a breath, Kristen shared, "I believe I can have both. I've talked to Brady about leaving Titan and working with me, but he isn't biting yet. He pretends like I never asked." She considered the timing wasn't right.

Jen nodded her head to show Kristen she understood where she stood with Brady. "Is there a way you can offer Brady a job with you, so it feels less like you're rescuing him – that it's a move forward for him?"

Inspired, Kristen released, "You may be onto something with how Brady is."

Realizing she got lost in discussing Kristen's issues with Brady, Jen sat back in her seat and glanced to the side trying to figure out a way to return to Kristen's offer of answering her questions. She crossed her arms over her chest before returning her eyes to the front of her. "Can you tell me what you know about Zedekiah's death?"

With the sudden shift in conversation, Kristen got the hint that the only reason Jen helped her was to get answers about Zedekiah. She felt hurt, but she told Jen, "Zedekiah was trying to tell me something before he disappeared. He died before he could tell me something important." She knew she couldn't blame Jen for being curious. No one was perfect.

Jen placed her hand over her chin. She wondered what Zedekiah wanted to tell Kristen.

(*)*(*)*(*)

At Chad and Will's mansion, T walked down a staircase in the foyer because Safiya had arrived with lunch and called out to him from the bottom of the stairs. Since he didn't see her standing there anymore, he wondered if she headed towards the deck or the dining room. Before he could find out, the doorbell rang.

T's heart began to beat a little faster as he grew nervous suddenly. He didn't know why, but he had this fear that his parents found out he was alive and were now standing on the opposite side of the door. Maybe it was due to Jeannie's recent visit reminding him of Drew, the man who rescued him and could be keeping tabs on him.

Safiya entered the foyer and noticed T stood frozen in front of the door. "T, do you want me to see who's here?" When T simply turned to her to do something, Safiya walked over to the door and cracked it open. "Oh, hey, Gabi."

Gabi, who was standing outside with Carter, had a bag in her hand. She smiled at Safiya. "Hey. I didn't expect to see you here. Is T around?"

Safiya was set on saying no because T seemed spooked, but T snapped out of his daze and moved to the door, so Gabi could see him. "Hey, Gabi."

Safiya opened the door more, so Gabi and Carter could walk inside. "Come in."

Gabi looked to T as Carter asked his mom, "Why are we here, Mama? Is Tio Dario here?"

"I need to talk to my friend, T," Gabi answered.

Carter immediately pulled his mother down to whisper, "That's my daddy's name."

Taking the hint that Gabi wanted to be alone with T, Safiya said, "I'll be on the deck. Let me know if you need me." She questioned if she should stay close just in case.

After Safiya left, T looked to Gabi and Carter. "You need to talk to me? If you're about to ask me to babysit, I don't think that would be a good idea…"

T's nervousness was contagious. Taking a breath, she cut in, "I came to introduce Carter to you." She remembered she brought T food from the pub and handed it to him. "I still remember your fave from the pub."

T took the bag of food and looked inside. Gabi did remember, and he realized maybe she was the one who told Eric what his favorite was before. "Thanks."

Returning to why she was there, Gabi announced, "This is Carter."

Unsure he understood what was happening, T placed the food on a nearby table and kneeled to shake Carter's hand. "Hi, Carter. I hope I don't scare you too much."

Gabi felt her heart stop when T said what he did. She looked at Carter and noticed he seemed anxious around T as well. Her son had to be confused because Carter had seen photos of his father before, but T didn't exactly look the same either. T had been through so much. "It's okay, Carter." She made eye contact with T as he stood up again and said, "This is an important meeting because there's something you need to know."

T noticed Gabi couldn't look away. "What do I need to know?"

Taking a deep breath, Gabi knew she couldn't reveal the truth in a direct way because of Carter's presence. "He's meeting his father for the first time."

Father? T looked down at Carter and for the first time he saw himself in the young boy's face. He returned his eyes to Gabi and when she didn't look away he realized this wasn't a joke or a game. "My son…" His thoughts immediately went to how old Carter appeared as he processed the news. He had lost so much time with his son. It didn't make sense why Gabi didn't tell him before, and it bothered him how Gabi watched him like something was off in his head.

Gabi continued to intently watch T hoping she made the correct decision. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner. I guess it was a shock to see you again when I thought you were…"

T nodded his head to show he understood, but the truth was he was still processing the news that he had a son. He remembered letting his friends know he was alive at Chad and Will's wedding and seeing Gabi and Carter there. Coming back to Salem brought more surprises than he thought he would find. It was almost too much.

Carter grabbed his mother's hand and pulled it. "Mama… is he okay?"

T watched as Gabi assured Carter everything was fine. His thoughts went to his parents; panic began to set in. "Do my parents know?"

"They do," Gabi answered right away.

T looked away as his heart began to beat faster and harder. "No," he released as he covered his face. He then suddenly went to the door and locked it. Turning to Gabi, he said, "You need to stay here. You can't leave. You have to stay here."

Carter quickly grabbed his mother's leg in fear. "Mama… I'm scared," he cried holding on with all his might.

Gabi picked up Carter to hold him. "T, I'm not going to let anything happen to Carter. We will be okay."

"You don't understand," T raised his voice. "There is so much danger out there! There is destruction waiting to happen! There is death!"

Hearing T's voice from the other side of the house, Safiya rushed back to the front foyer. She saw Gabi holding Carter as she carefully tried to keep some distance from T. Quickly moving in front of T, Safiya gently whispered, "T, you're safe here. Will you take my hand? Do you want me to hold your hand?"

T eyed Safiya as she slowly placed her hand in front of him. He tried to control his breaths realizing he lost himself in his anxiety. Grabbing Safiya's hand, he exhaled, "I am so sorry. I was scared."

"I know," Safiya softly released before repeating, "…but you're safe, okay? You're not in danger. You're safe."

Gabi continued to hold Carter, who wouldn't let up on his strong grasp on her. She didn't know what to do. "T… We are safe. If you want to talk, call me. We can talk in private without Carter."

Embarrassed, T nodded his head. He saw how scared his son was and didn't want to scare him more. "I'm sorry," he told Carter. "I'm sorry I scared you."

Gabi left the mansion with Carter after unlocking the door. Safiya continued to hold T's hand and said, "You should eat something. I know you're hungry." Even though T had shut her down before on seeing a therapist, she hoped T would agree to see Sonny's therapist, Diego.

T agreed softly. "I am hungry." He remembered Gabi brought him food from the pub and grabbed the bag. "Gabi and Carter brought this for me."

Safiya took the bag from T. "I'll put the food I grabbed for you in the fridge for later. You can eat this now."

Outside, Gabi put Carter in his seat before getting in her car behind the wheel. She glanced at her phone and decided to check in with Justin when she got home.

Parked down the street, Gustavo watched Gabi drive off and considered approaching her about T.

(*)*(*)*(*)

Back at Salem University Hospital, Cameron handed Sonny a cup of coffee. Both were in Cameron's office catching up on Sonny's probation and family issues. "I'm concerned because Joselyn told me you haven't been to therapy in a while."

Sonny took a sip of coffee and instantly felt a bit better. "I've been busy. I know that's not an excuse." He thought about everything he was currently dealing with – Ignazio, Dario, Alex… the list went on.

"You're living with Ignazio now, right?" He considered stopping by.

Cameron's question caught Sonny off guard. "I am, but it's only temporary," he answered.

Nodding his head, Cameron mentioned, "That has to be stressful."

Sonny wasn't really in the mood to talk about Ignazio. Dario's brother was the reason he started his shift early. He only wanted to focus on work. "No offense, Cameron, but I think I'd rather leave the family talk to my sessions with Diego."

Cameron lowered his head to show he understood. He questioned why Sonny was so closed off and wondered if he should be concerned. "Your probation period is close to being done. You need to make sure you do everything you need to do – those therapy sessions especially."

Sonny finished off his cup of coffee. "Don't worry. I will schedule with Diego. I won't cancel again."

After giving Sonny a nod, Cameron put out his hand towards Sonny and offered, "Want another cup?"

Sonny gladly accepted. "Thanks. I think I'm low energy today."

"I've got you covered," Cameron stated pouring Sonny another cup of his special brew. "I'll be off soon if you want to stop by for more later. I'm hoping to convince Chelsea to have dinner with me tonight."

(*)*(*)*(*)

Feeling a headache coming, Theo walked downstairs into his living room only to find all the lights were out. He wondered where his mother was and decided to check the kitchen. Once he entered, he noted the light in the room had a celestial blue tint to it. The kitchen was also crowded with people working on things separately. He didn't understand what was happening.

Theo spotted Pastor Carlson sitting at the table shaking his head. The man who knew his father's family was talking to himself. Theo heard him say, "I need to continue praying for delivery. I'm unsure Lexie can survive another loss."

Brandon joined the pastor with a plate of food in his hand. "Do you want a grilled cheese sandwich? I have more than I need for myself."

Theo approached the two men and tried to talk to them, but he quickly realized they couldn't see or hear him. They didn't acknowledge him at all, and when he tried to touch them, it felt like nothing – just air.

Moving on, Theo hoped he'd find his mom to ask her if she was losing someone else as Pastor Carlson mentioned. His thoughts went to his dad and he felt an emptiness on his wrist. He looked down and realized he didn't have his dad's watch on. It was missing, but there was something else around his wrist. He had on the beaded bracelet he used to wear to block his gift.

An older man approached Theo abruptly. "Don't give in. You don't need to change the future or interfere in any way. It will only curse your life."

Theo shook his head at the man because he knew this wasn't happening. This wasn't real. He needed to find a way out of this vision.

Theo began to make his way through the crowd. He noticed a plate of oatmeal raisin cookies on the counter and looked around because he knew Ciara had to be close. Those were her favorite, and he believed Ciara had to be a clue on how to get out of his vision.

Theo never found Ciara, but Ciara suddenly found him when she grabbed his wrist. "You found your bracelet!" she released with excitement in her voice. "Did you find it in Chad and Will's garden?"

Confused, Theo asked, "Why do you think I found it there?" He didn't know where he found it, but he figured Ciara was trying to tell him something about Chad and Will's garden.

"A lot of things and people get lost in that garden," Ciara said matter-of-factly.

Theo turned his head when he spotted his mother rushing over. He found Lexie. "Mom!"

Filled with fear and concern, Lexie wondered, "Have you seen your grandmother? Maybe you can use your gift."

Ciara joined Lexie and encouraged Theo. "It could work since you had a vision of Stefano's death."

"Can you feel my mother's presence?" Lexie urged.

Theo randomly heard a guitar playing from the other room. "I think I know where I need to go," he whispered to himself wondering what his gift was trying to tell him. Running out of the kitchen, he found himself in one of the rooms in Maddalena's old mansion in Salem. He found himself back in time. He did not understand it.

Pulling himself off his bed, Alessandro left his guitar on his dresser. He did not understand why Theo was giving him an intense look. "What are you doing?"

"Who are you?" Theo asked.

Alessandro smiled. He didn't particularly feel threatened by the kid. "I am one of your great-aunt's servants. I'm not important," he lied.

Theo moved closer to Alessandro. His eyes studied the man in front of him as if he was taking an inventory. "You will be discovered."

Confusion filled Alessandro because he did not understand why Theo would say that to him. He perked up when he suddenly heard Lexie calling out for Theo from the hall. Giving Theo his attention again, he instructed, "You need to go."

Theo didn't budge. "You have nothing to worry about because my mommy doesn't know you."

"Do you know me?" Alessandro asked with great anticipation.

Before Theo could answer, Lexie entered the room. She swiftly got between them and motioned Theo out. "I'm sorry my son is so curious. Are you new?" She realized she had never seen Alessandro before.

Alessandró shook his head and said, "I am no one." He hoped Theo would stay quiet.

Lexie apologized again, noted the guitar on the dresser, and then left the room with her son.

Finding himself in the kitchen again and out of the strange flashback in his vision, Theo looked to his mom when she asked, "Does 'No One' have your grandmother?"

Theo tried to find clarity in what he had experienced thus far, but it was a struggle. "I don't know yet," he admitted. He turned to study the crowd and saw familiar faces spread throughout the room even if he didn't know everyone personally. He saw Jere, Greg, Zedekiah, and Noël rudely walking through the crowd. They bumped into Kate and Joselyn, who were talking to each other at a random but familiar bar he knew wasn't part of his real kitchen.

Theo rubbed his head realizing this could be his longest vision ever. He still needed to figure out what was going on, so he could get out. Returning his focus on Lexie, he directed, "We need to find Grandma Celeste because she'll know what to do."

When Theo noticed a shadow outside, Lexie told her son, "I'll check upstairs."

"I'll go outside," Theo responded feeling anxious. He then said, "I don't want to split up with you."

Lexie placed her hand on Theo's shoulder and assured, "I can take care of myself, but I need you to be careful and come back to me."

Theo gave his mom a hug before heading outside, but once he took a step out the back door, he stepped into a strange building. Walking through a dark and musty hall, he discovered Celeste and Tony tied up to some strange pipes. Someone was holding them captive.

Celeste told Tony, "Theo will save us. He will uncover who has us."

Once again, Theo tried to talk to Tony and Celeste, but they didn't see or hear him either. Hearing a sound come from behind him, he turned around when Tony said, "I wonder if he's back." Theo decided he needed to find out who 'he' was.

Theo took a step out of the room and found himself standing inside the Blake mansion. He spotted a masked figure quietly walking into a room filled with books. Moving quickly, he wanted to see where this figure was going and noticed Delphi was sitting in a chair with her phone in her hands. Something was about to happen, and Theo did not like the feeling that hit him in the pit of his stomach.

Suddenly, the masked figure turned towards Theo because he had gotten too close. "You don't belong here," he avowed.

Feeling a chill crawl down his spine, Theo noted how the celestial tint suddenly became darker. He couldn't help but scream as fear completely consumed him. His eyes closed for a moment to escape it, but he heard yells, screams, beeps, cracks, and swinging nooses surrounding him.

When Theo opened his eyes, he saw himself passed out in his kitchen. It was empty now. Everything went black.

(*)*(*)*(*)

Later that night, Peter met with Jade secretly in the park. "You managed to sneak out…"

Jade nodded her head. "EJ and Sami are engrossed with alternative elements including each other, so it wasn't laborious."

Peter still looked around to make sure EJ didn't have anyone secretly following his sister. "I know I usually ask about business, but I wanted to know if Kristen and I should be threatened by Renée's return to Salem. She claims to have some stake in DiMera Enterprises."

Jade raised her eyebrow. "Is my brother continuing his desire to exclude you from the crucial decisions?"

Peter simply placed his hands in the front pockets of his slacks and shrugged his shoulders. "EJ will never trust me unfortunately. I'm glad I can trust you."

Reflecting on her own place in life, Jade commented, "Existence on the outside is dreadful."

"It is," Peter affirmed. "So, do you know anything?"

Jade placed her right hand on her hip. "I am not abundantly cognizant. EJ and the others plan to gladly receive Renée into the family fold. Their desire is to comprehend her motives to discern her threat level." Jade wasn't sure how she felt about her brother's plan because she felt he had done the same to her when she moved to Salem.

With an appreciative look upon his face, Peter encouraged, "You know plenty. Never doubt yourself."

Jogging through the park, Ezra stopped when he saw Jade talking to his father. "What's going on here?" he said under his breath. He continued to watch Peter and Jade unnoticed.

(*)*(*)*(*)

Alone. Delphi sat alone in her designated chair in the library. No one was in the house, so she tried to pass the time by reading a book. It wasn't working though. She was too restless.

Throwing the book on the coffee table next to her, Delphi shook her head. "I continually tell myself my life will change, but here I am… sitting alone while everyone is out there living their lives. I'm ready for it to be my time. I don't know if I can be patient any longer."

Pushing through the negativity, Delphi balled her fist with desire. "I am better than this. I am so close to having more power and more control. I won't be held back by my family. I will be free again even if I have to get rid of the dead weight in this house."

Delphi grabbed a phone with a voice changer connected to it. She was set to make a call but someone from behind suddenly grabbed her neck. Her hands quickly reacted as she reached for whoever was trying to choke her out.

When she wasn't having any luck, Delphi reached for the book on the table next to her. She stretched out her arm as much as she could and was able to grab it. Looking up at her masked attacker, she threw the book and hit him on the head causing him to let her go.

Delphi began to catch her breath, but she knew she had to think fast. She pushed herself out of the chair and into her wheelchair. When she heard something hit the floor, she realized she dropped her phone. "Shit." Looking up, she saw the masked figure coming for her. She needed to get out of there.

Rolling out of the room as swiftly as she could, Delphi headed down the hall and turned the corner, so she could get to the front door. Unfortunately, she was going too fast as she turned and fell to the ground when her wheelchair tipped over.

Delphi didn't stay down for long though. She couldn't just give up. She pulled herself up on her hands and began to move herself towards the stairs. "Come on…" she said under her breath.

"Why are you even trying," Delphi's attacker called out as he slowly walked towards her. "We both know how this ends tonight. You on a tree in your backyard."

Taking in what the man in black said to her, Delphi realized she was being attacked by the serial killer. She didn't have time to ask why though. She needed to find a way to get out of this. She prayed Peter, Kristen, or Ezra would arrive and save her. She couldn't die. Not like this!

The masked man laughed. He grabbed Delphi by her legs and pulled her towards him.

Delphi was completely caught off guard when she realized her body was going in the opposite direction that she wanted. She turned her head and saw her attacker had grabbed her legs. "No!"

"There's no escaping this." Turning Delphi around, the disguised figure picked her up by placing his hands around her neck to choke her out. "I'm sorry, but you know too much."

Delphi felt her weight pulling her towards the floor as she tried to breathe through the strong hands that held her in the air. Trying as hard as possible to break his hold on her with her own hands, Delphi kept her eyes on the aggressor who held her life in his hands literally. The black mask. Who was underneath? Was it who she thought it was?

Letting go, she reached out to pull off the mask. If this was it, she wanted to know if she was right about everything. She managed to unmask her attacker and was surprised to see she was wrong in her assumption earlier that day. Shocked to her core, Delphi did not understand… how could it be him?