Chapter 50: We Could Be, Part 2 – Wednesday, November 16th, 2016

Memories from two different timelines can be confusing and hard to work through. While some played out exactly the same or close to it, some became something else. Was it worth it? I hope it was worth it in the end.

In a conference room at the police station, Bo sighed as he informed the commissioner, "Government officials took Alessandro's body for observation."

"We tried to fight it, but they didn't care about our investigation," Hope added.

With his hand on his chin, Martin paced in front of the bulletin board. He was frustrated they no longer had Alessandro's body, but he tried to focus on what they did have. "I'm glad this is over. I know Theo Carver saved us from more deaths." Turning towards the board, he sighed as he continued, "This town lost Jere Wentworth, Greg Montgomery, Zedekiah Pittman, Noël Fusco, Bailey Saunders, Charles Woods, Travis Wayne, and Joselyn Brown. Mayor White is hosting a vigil and dedication for all the victims Friday night."

Steve pointed out, "There are other victims who are still alive. Besides the mystery patient found in that secret lab, there are Delphi Blake-Lee, who is still in a coma, and Cameron Davis."

"Cameron is receiving treatment now with the help of his brother, EJ, and Rex to make sure whatever hypnotics he's under doesn't trigger him anymore," John shared.

Shaking his head, Martin promised, "We will make sure Cameron doesn't get a bad rep from us. His life has already been destroyed enough."

Sitting at her desk alone, Arianna received a text from Marco. She read it aloud: "What do you think about getting out of Salem for a while? Spain sound good?"

Arianna replied: "Spain? It sounds amazing. Why though?"

Marco swiftly texted back: "I need to get out of Salem. I also want to stay away from my mother since she doesn't want to be bothered by Joselyn's death."

Understanding Marco's frustration with his mother, Arianna replied: "When do we leave?"

(*)*(*)*(*)

Cleared and released from the hospital, Tony changed clothes and headed out of the hospital room. He managed to get some much-needed rest and fluids after being André's captive for so long. Unfortunately for him, he had two people waiting outside for him. "Anna… Renée…"

Determined, Anna stepped towards Tony first before Renée could. "You're clear to go, right? You're healthy enough to leave?"

Tony nervously answered, "Ye…"

Before Tony could finish, Anna slapped him across the face. She turned to Renée and said, "You can have him," before walking away.

Renée rushed into Tony's arms. She apologized, "I should have known something happened when you didn't arrive to Salem."

Creating distance with Renée, Tony rubbed his face. "This… between us… for it to continue, I need to know you're ready to step away from everything DiMera. Leave Salem and never return." After this last bout with André, he was ready to disappear and cut off ties with everyone.

Confused, Renée told Tony, "I came to Salem to claim what is rightfully mine. Now that we know father is dead, we can have that. I have his last will. I know EJ already knows it's the real deal even if he's not ready to admit it."

"I don't want this," Tony argued. "I love you, Renée, but this life isn't one I want. I considered it when I saw you standing in front of me breathing, but after this experience, I can't do it anymore. You weren't there…"

Renée continued to push Tony to reconsider what he was saying. "Tony…"

"I can see where your heart is," Tony interrupted. "I guess I have always known. This has to be goodbye."

Hurt, Renée looked to Tony sternly. She didn't want him to see this bothered her. "Goodbye then."

Ezra sat next to his mother's hospital bed while Peter stood nearby. "I can't believe Alessandro was the one who did this to mom. I really thought whatever you and mom are tied to was connected, but mom must have figured out he was the one responsible for all the hangings." He then remembered his strange encounter with Alessandro at the park.

Peter wondered if this meant Ezra would get off his back now. "He's dead now…"

"You had a serial killer staying in your house," Ezra released. He clearly wasn't done talking about this. Standing, he turned to his dad. "I question your decisions, but I don't think you're blind. Clearly you were too distracted to see what Alessandro was doing." After a deep sigh, he said, "I need to know everything you and mom are involved with. No judgments."

"There's…"

"Before you try to claim there's nothing for me to know, don't," Ezra interjected. "I really need to know if I'm going to be a part of this family. Also, if you want me to keep mom's being in the hospital a secret from Grandpa and Grandma Lee."

Peter glanced down for a moment before looking into his son's eyes. "I'll tell you everything I know."

Sitting in Nathan's office, Maxine couldn't handle the emotional stress she was experiencing. "I need some time off."

Nathan wasn't surprised. "I understand, Maxine. I can't imagine what this has been like for you. I know Cameron is confused."

Maxine didn't want to talk about this. "If you're okay with it, I'm going to head home after I leave your office."

"Of course," Nathan agreed. "If you need anything, let me know. Tell Cameron we're pulling for him to return."

Maxine gave Nathan a nod. She felt relieved to hear Nathan didn't doubt Cameron's character, but she also wondered if Cameron should stay out of Salem. "Thank you, Dr. Horton."

After Maxine left, Nathan had so much he needed to figure out for the hospital. He needed to talk to Sonny, and he needed to find a replacement for Joselyn's position. Lifting his head, he realized someone had entered his office. "Can I help you?"

When Nathan made eye contact with his visitor, he couldn't believe who stood in front of him. "Charlie, what are you doing here?"

Charlie Jannings stepped forward with his hands in the front pockets of his jeans. "I'm here to discuss our dad…"

Nathan wondered what this was.

Maxine had grabbed her things from her office and was on her way out when Celeste approached her. "Celeste. Do you have an update?"

Wrapping her arms over her body, Celeste moved her head to the side. "Not since the last. Do you plan to visit him soon?"

Maxine looked away. "I will when the time is right."

"The time is right now," Celeste pushed. Taking a step back mentally, she shared, "I am leaving Salem to help family. I know you're a good mother who cares, so I am asking you to watch over Cameron as you did when you adopted him."

Doubting herself, Maxine shook her head. "I wasn't a good mother. I didn't protect Cameron as I should have. His current situation is all my fault."

"What makes you believe this?"

Maxine clasped her hands together trying to push past the shame. She confessed, "When Cameron was a young boy, we went on an extended vacation. I found a nice secluded getaway spot in France. While we were there, Cameron got sick and I was forced to take him to the only doctor just outside of town. The infection Cameron had was supposedly common in the area. At least, that's what the doctor told me. I believe that's when it started."

"What started?"

"That's when André first started his plan to one day take control of our son," Maxine revealed before expounding, "The doctor said Cameron needed a blood transfusion. I wasn't a match, but somehow the doctor was. He used his own blood. As a scared and desperate mother, my gratefulness blinded me to see what was truly happening. The doctor also gave me a three-month prescription of these purple pills. It was a medication I never heard of before and was never able to find after I returned to nursing school. Cameron got better and that's all that mattered." Shaking her head, she lamented, "I failed Cameron so much."

Celeste felt her own guilt coming through. "I failed him as well. I had nightmares and visions of this coming. They weren't clear, but I should have put things together to stop this."

Maxine tried to excuse Celeste. "But Stefano erased Cameron from your memory. You didn't know he existed until recently. Then you were kidnapped before André even got to Cameron. Your hands were tied."

Celeste still didn't feel good about this. "There's so much you didn't know either. You did your best."

"I'm not sure I did," Maxine argued. "My husband, on the night he disappeared, warned me to keep Cameron out of Salem. It's as if he knew something bad would happen if he came here. I forgot it because not seeing him really tore me down. I needed to forget."

Celeste remembered how Maxine didn't want to talk about her husband before. Maybe she was ready to talk about him now. "I have heard Cameron believes he saw your husband around Salem recently. Who is he?"

With a deep breath, Maxine revealed, "Iago. Maybe he came to Salem to protect Cameron in secret."

Hearing Iago's name, Celeste grew nervous about leaving Salem. She didn't feel comfortable staying either. "If Iago is alive, promise me you'll be careful with him. Don't fully trust him with Cameron." She couldn't believe Stefano gave her son to Iago to be raised.

"Why do you say that?" Maxine wondered.

Celeste shook her head. "That is for another time. I only came to you because I need you to protect Cameron. I believe EJ and Rex will help him, but he needs to see you there, too. I will visit when I can."

Maxine didn't like not knowing everything. She hoped Celeste would tell her more soon.

(*)*(*)*(*)

At The Salem Spectator, Jen, Harold, and Hannah worked together on a piece that would honor the victims of the Hangman Killer. "Hannah, were you able to get photos from the families of all our victims?"

Hannah nodded her head. "I have them all on this USB." She handed it to Jen so she could have them.

Leaning behind Jennifer, Harold glanced over her shoulder to proofread what was on the screen, but he couldn't continue. He stepped back and began to pace Jen's office. This was all so surreal for him.

"What are you thinking?" Jennifer asked Harold wondering if they should take a break.

Harold had to breathe for a moment before saying, "I'm thinking a lot. Jere was my favorite part of life, and he's gone. His light was taken from me, but I know his light still lives on in the things he was able to accomplish here. We had so many dreams for the rest of our lives, and now I have to do it alone. My heart is broken. I'm clearly feeling a lot, but I am able to find relief knowing the man who killed my husband is dead and off the streets."

Before she could rejoin the others in her mother's office, Abby received a text from Ian that read: "Are you interested in seeing a movie this weekend?"

Abby paused for a moment as she contemplated what going to the movies with Ian would look like. She couldn't hide her pregnancy at this point and wished to avoid being the talk of the town. On the flip side, Josh was closed off more than ever, and she wanted to have fun. Torn, she didn't know what to do.

(*)*(*)*(*)

When Chelsea and Frank entered the conference room at Hearth & Home, Philip greeted them. "Thanks for coming in today." They were there to discuss the non-profit he wanted to start to help veterans. Glancing at the others in attendance, he said, "I believe we're waiting on one more person."

Believing he knew who the final person was, Frank informed Philip, "T has something he needs to do so he can lend a voice and work with you on this project. He won't be here today."

Philip had forgotten about T and decided, "I'll contact T after the meeting. There is someone else I'm expecting." Just then, his phone began to vibrate in his pants. He grabbed it and told the others in the conference room, "I will be back," when he saw who was calling him.

After Philip walked out, Chelsea turned to Frank; she was still processing what he told her about Cameron before they entered the conference room. "I wonder who Philip is waiting for."

Frank shrugged his shoulders. His thoughts were on T and what he was about to do. "Do you think this presentation will take long?"

"I guess it depends on who Philip is on the phone with and who we're waiting on," Chelsea guessed. She studied the others in the room. "It looks like whoever we're waiting on will be sitting next to you."

Suddenly, Diego entered the room. He made eye contact with Frank and realized the only empty seat was next to his secret boyfriend. He tried his best to pretend he didn't know Frank as he took his seat.

Chelsea leaned on the table and looked past Frank. "Diego. I didn't know you were coming to this."

As Frank tried to ignore the people on both sides of him, Diego struggled in hiding his nerves because he didn't even see Chelsea there. "Philip, your uncle? Yeah… he called me earlier today and asked if I would sit in this presentation. I didn't know you would be here either…"

Chelsea noted Diego seemed nervous and wasn't sure what to make of it. She then realized Frank seemed uncomfortable, too. "Sorry, Frank. I'm totally in your space." She leaned back and decided to introduce the two. "Frank, this is my boss/fellow therapist, Diego Lopez. Diego, this is Frank Mattias, he works for my cousin, Sami and her husband."

"It's nice to meet you," Diego awkwardly released while Frank remained silent.

Chelsea caught on to the continued awkwardness and realized the two men wouldn't even look at each other. "Do you two already know each other?" When the expressions on their faces got worse, she studied Diego more. "You two… Diego… Frank is your…"

Frank immediately sat up and stopped Chelsea from saying anything else. "Stop," he whispered. "What are you talking about? I don't know Diego."

Pulling his phone out as a distraction, Diego felt unsure on what he should do or how to feel about Frank denying they knew each other. This was a moment he feared for a while because he knew Frank's desire to stay in the closet, but the way this played out was his worst nightmare coming to fruition.

Seeing how uncomfortable the guys were, Chelsea swiftly apologized before leaning back in her chair. "I hope this meeting starts soon," she stated in an attempt to change the subject. Her thoughts returned to Cameron and the things André made him do. Cameron wouldn't allow her to visit him.

Outside of the conference room, Philip told Mimi. "I will call you back after my presentation. We can talk more about Tyler after."

"Thanks. I really want to get this moving forward."

(*)*(*)*(*)

Sitting with EJ and Sami in the DiMera mansion living room, Lexie tried to keep a smile on her face as she announced, "My mother, Theo, and I are leaving Salem for a while to help Theo hone his gift." She looked to EJ and Sami to see if they would respond but, surprisingly, they remained quiet. She continued, "I understand this is the worst time to do this. There's Renée, and also the fact that I'll have to drop out of the mayoral race insuring Rachel will continue as mayor, but I have to do this for my son."

Once he knew Lexie had said what she needed, EJ spoke up to assure her. "I understand. Please don't feel guilty about dropping out of the race because the presidential election didn't go our way. I'm certain Rachel will be game to work with us anyway."

"I hope so," Lexie breathed. "I also know you're concerned about Peter and Vivian joining the table."

"We're not exactly sure what it means," Sami admitted.

EJ took Sami's hand in his. "Peter is busy with Delphi, so we may not have to worry about him. Truthfully, I believe he is in over his head. Vivian, I am more nervous about."

Lexie crossed her legs and wondered, "Have you been able to connect with any of her family?"

Shaking his head, EJ replied, "With the news of Lawrence being alive, it seems the Alamain family is staying close and quiet. Melanie told me she would let me know if she heard anything from Nicholas."

Squeezing her husband's hand, Sami mentioned, "What about John? Vivian has always had a close bond with him."

Nodding his head now, EJ agreed though he did show some reluctance on his face. "John may be our way of figuring out what Vivian is planning. It may be time to bring him in on our plan."

Lexie's phone chimed. She had received a text. "It's Theo."

"Where is he?" Sami wondered. "You two are coming to Will's birthday dinner, right?"

"We are," Lexie answered before sharing, "Right now Theo is telling Ciara the news."

(*)*(*)*(*)

Theo put his phone away and told Ciara, "I promised my mom I would text her when I got here."

Ciara closed the front door of her home and led Theo to the couch. "It's crazy to see you out of the hospital. You were in there for so long."

Theo sighed. "I don't remember it, but my body seems to," he stated as he pulled on his arm to show it was sore. He then smiled hoping Ciara realized he was slightly joking.

Ciara did. "You said you had something important to tell me?"

Looking into Ciara's eyes, Theo remembered what Ciara said in his vision before he woke up. She confessed she loved him. They were partners. They were a team. His news would change all of that. "Ciara… I'm leaving Salem."

Unsure if this was the news Theo had to share, Ciara casually commented, "It's probably best you take some time before you come back to school. Good thing we have Thanksgiving break next week."

Theo struggled with hiding the sadness he felt due to Ciara misunderstanding. "It's likely I'll be gone for longer…"

"How long?" Ciara's voice revealed she was trying her best not to panic. "You'll be back for my party, right? I'll let you off the hook for set up." She tried to read him. "You have to be here for the school dance. The theme is We Could Be."

Theo could hear Rose Gold by Pentatonix in his head. That was the song he and Ciara danced to at the school dance in the future, but that wasn't going to happen. That moment wouldn't exist anymore. Shrugging his shoulders, he sighed in disappointment. "I'm not exactly sure how long I will be gone. It's not a vacation type trip. I'll be gone for a while."

Ciara didn't understand. "Where are you going? Are you moving out of Salem?"

"It's temporary," Theo quickly assured, but Ciara didn't seem to relax. "My mom and I are going with my grandma to help me hone my gift. It's a secluded place outside of the country. I'm not exactly sure where yet." He paused before revealing the last bit. "My grandma said it could take years."

Years? Ciara wanted to ask so many questions, but she could see Theo was just as afraid as she was. She had to be strong for him. She couldn't add to the stress she knew he was already experiencing.

Theo didn't know what to make of Ciara's silence. He knew she had to be really upset if she didn't have anything to say. Hearing a loud but familiar noise outside, he moved towards one of the windows. "I guess JT is almost done with your dad's motorcycle."

Noting Theo was trying to fill the silence, Ciara commented, "My brother Zack's best friend is a bit of a jerk. He doesn't like Chelsea." It was strange having to face Zack's death again. It made her feel very uncomfortable about a lot of things. "Carver." She did not want to talk about JT.

Theo turned around to face Ciara again. "Yeah?"

Ciara looked into Theo's eyes and admitted, "It won't be the same without you. You are so brave for doing this."

"You make me feel braver," Theo immediately replied. "I'm going to miss you so much, Ciara Brady."

Ciara pulled Theo into a hug. "It definitely won't be the same without you. I had to get used to going to school without you, but I thought things would go back to normal. Us. A team."

Theo pulled away, but he kept his focus on Ciara. "You'll be fine. In fact, you'll be more than fine. Don't stop being yourself. You're the real deal."

Ciara's eyes began to water as she pulled Theo into another hug. "Dammit, Carver. I'm really going to miss you."

(*)*(*)*(*)

At the pub, Caroline managed to corner her grandson behind the bar. "You've got quite the crowd in here today."

Wondering why his grandma decided to visit, Andrew nodded his head. "Yeah. Did you want me to cook you up something?"

Caroline waved her hand and said, "No. I'm fine. Maggie and Victor are headed to the hospital for an appointment, so I asked them to drop me off here so I can check in with you."

Nervous now, Andrew fearfully questioned, "About what?" He hoped it was about the pub. That he could handle.

"You don't really have to ask," Caroline noted. "I know things have been great here for you and Gabi, so I want to encourage you two to take another step forward."

Andrew sighed and released, "I don't really want to talk about Gabi and my feelings for her, which, by the way, are simply platonic."

Caroline tilted her head and shared, "I didn't want to talk about your supposedly platonic feelings for Gabi. I meant you and Gabi should look into hiring more kitchen staff so you can take proper breaks. Your next step for the pub."

Andrew couldn't believe he put his foot in his mouth. "Oh…"

Caroline crossed her arms and said, "If you want to talk about those feelings, we can head back into the office."

"I'm good," Andrew released awkwardly.

Caroline looked the place over, "Where is Gabi anyway?"

Andrew took a deep breath before answering, "She is headed to Salem U to meet with T's father."

Suddenly, a man stood up from the bar and walked by Nicole and Jack on his way out.

"I'm considering a job change," Nicole confessed to Jack.

Jack was thrown by Nicole's sudden announcement. It was the last thing he expected. "What are you…"

Before Jack could finish his question, Brandon entered the pub and interrupted. "Nicole, I really need to talk to you… alone."

Nicole could see Brandon wasn't at his calmest. Something had to be wrong. She looked to Jack and said, "I'll be back." She followed Brandon outside, where they took a seat on a bench. "What's up?"

"It's Lexie," Brandon revealed. "She's leaving town… for a while."

Nicole understood why her brother was upset. "I'm sorry. You two have gotten close especially over the past few months."

Brandon nodded his head. "I know." He took a deep breath and asked, "What do you think I should do?"

"What should you do?"

Brandon explained his dilemma more clearly. "I don't think I can just wait anymore. I don't know if I should tell her how I feel."

As Nicole took in the seriousness of Brandon's question, Melissa entered the pub. When she saw Jack, she checked in. "Happy hump day. I hope yours is better than mine."

Jack thought about what Nicole said before Brandon interrupted. "The jury is still out. What's been bad about yours?"

Moving her hair from her face, Melissa shared, "I keep getting calls from my ex-husband, Pete. He won't leave me alone. I am actually contemplating blocking his number."

"Maybe it's serious," Jack suggested.

"I don't care," Melissa quickly countered. "I just want to focus on something else. He keeps expecting me to fix things for him, but I won't. I really need a distraction from all this."

Jack smiled and decided to take a chance on making his hump day better. "How about a date?" he quipped.

Melissa made eye contact with Jack. "Excuse me? What did you say?"

"I'm asking you out on a date," Jack stated as he lifted his eyes. "What do you say? I hear I am good at distracting."

Melissa smiled now. "Sure. Dinner tonight?"

"It's a date."

(*)*(*)*(*)

Meanwhile, Qamar and Joy sat outside enjoying the decent weather while they had a break between classes. "I'm so ready for break next week."

"Same," Joy released. "Though I'm not sure if I'm ready for my parents being nosey about college life 24/7. I may need a lifeline."

Qamar smiled as he promised, "We'll definitely hangout. I'll probably need a break from my parents as well. I know my sister has something planned for her album."

"Oooo… can we be groupies?!" Joy got excited just thinking about it.

With just as much excitement, Qamar shared, "I am already ahead of you. I designed some unofficial hoodies for my sister, and they should arrive sometime this weekend. I ordered you a large!"

Joy couldn't wait. Clasping her hands together, she was about to ask a question, but she spotted someone approaching them. "JJ…"

Qamar thought Joy was about to say something about JJ. "What about him?"

"Hey, you two," JJ exhaled through some obvious nervousness. "Q, do you have a moment?"

Joy immediately answered for Qamar. "He does actually. He has more than a few moments."

After Qamar traded a glance with Joy, JJ took a deep breath before saying, "I know I messed up. I won't go into details about that to avoid any further discomfort, but I will unashamedly say that you are my best friend. I still want to be your roommate if you're okay with it."

Joy smiled at Qamar causing him to grin back at JJ. "I can't stay mad at you, JJ." He managed to let go of the fear of his future roommate figuring out his secret. "I still want us to be roommates. We should go to the office now and get that settled officially."

Kind of surprised by how quick all of this happened, JJ pointed back in the direction where his car was parked. A smile formed on his face. "I left my stuff in the car. I'll be right back."

After JJ left, Joy winked at Qamar and asked, "Everything okay… Q?"

Inhaling, Qamar nodded his head. He tried to stay positive. "Everything is great and I'm going to keep it that way for as long as I can." He continued to push back what Jade told him concerning JJ's discomfort with gay people.

Noting how Qamar suddenly became nervous, Joy grabbed his arm and squeezed it. With a playful look, she encouraged, "Don't worry. We've got each other to power through and suffer together in this misery."

Qamar immediately laughed and pulled Joy into a hug. "I love you so much, Joy."

Joy squeezed Qamar tight. "I love you, too."

Outside of the dean's office, T nervously looked to Gabi, Carter, and Safiya and wondered, "Will this work?"

Safiya adjusted her dark sun hat over her face before sharing, "Your dad should be out soon to walk me into his office. He doesn't know you're here."

T began to anxiously slap his hands against the sides of his legs. "I don't know if I can do this."

To help T, Gabi handed Carter over to him so his arms would be full. "You can do this, T. We're here for you."

The dean walked out of his office ready to greet Safiya. He was so excited he didn't even notice the others were there as well. "I hope you coming here means you're going to perform on campus soon. I know your brother goes here. I've got my eye on him."

Safiya forced a smile as she adjusted her mother's ring on her finger. "I'd love to do a concert here sometime, but I am here because a special friend needs my support."

"A friend?" Mr. Winchester released in confusion.

"Dad," T released catching his father's attention.

Dean Winchester noticed his son, Gabi, and Carter for the first time. "I… I don't understand. Tad?" It didn't make sense how he was seeing his son standing in front of him.

T, who was still holding Carter, moved closer to his dad. "It's me. I'm alive. I survived."

The dean immediately went over and pulled T and Carter into a hug. "I… We were told you died. How is this possible? You're with your son! This is so wonderful!"

Trying to push through the discomfort of being hugged, T managed to breathe deeply before pulling away. "Dad, I need you to know Carter is safe. I trust Gabi with him. She has been a great mother to him, and I never want that to change."

"I need to call your mother," Mr. Winchester swiftly responded. "We should discuss this with her as well before anything is decided."

"No," T interjected. "I will tell mom when I'm ready to see her again. I'm only doing this now to ensure Carter gets the best care."

The dean tried to play it cool, but he needed his son to know, "T, I love you and so does your mom."

With a nod, T held, "I know, but I need to build my life before I let the two of you wreck me again."

From a safe distance, the man who had left the pub earlier watched Gabi and Carter closely. With his phone to his mouth, he reported, "I have eyes on the woman and the boy."

(*)*(*)*(*)

Gustavo and Piero arrived outside of the facility where Cameron was receiving treatment. Before going inside, Gustavo stopped Maddalena's gardener to discuss their mission. "With the news of my son, André, taking control of Alessandro's body, I have to wonder if André has placed 'Alena's body somewhere." He couldn't believe he had been talking to his son when he believed he was working with his grandson.

Piero nodded his head. "It all connects, signor. André murdered some of Salem's citizens the same way he murdered my signora, but André is dead."

"Yes," Gustavo acknowledged. "Which is why we are here. André managed to control Cameron and get inside his head. Perhaps Cameron has the answers we seek. Perhaps he knows where I will find my love."

Piero turned his eyes to the entrance of the facility. "I will get the answers you seek, signor. No matter the cost."

(*)*(*)*(*)

Sitting across from Brady at JoJo's Southern Steakhouse, Kristen couldn't escape the isolation she felt in her life. "I feel like I have no family. I don't believe it's supposed to be this way."

"I feel the same," Brady admitted. "I'm glad we have each other. Maybe we can form a family. Maybe that is enough."

Kristen wondered if Brady just hinted he wanted to get married, but she didn't want to ask him out right. Either way, she hoped their relationship was enough. "Maybe it is."

Experiencing the same vulnerability as Kristen, Brady revealed, "Sometimes, I have fleeting thoughts of just leaving Titan, but I know I'm not ready to say goodbye to it."

With a nod, Kristen said, "I understand because there are times when I wonder if holding onto Blake, Inc is a lost cause. Peter and Delphi keep secrets from me."

Shaking his head, Brady complained, "I'm tired of the lies and secrets."

Near the kitchen, Alex managed to get Victor on the phone. "Great-uncle, something has changed. Sonny is talking to Dario again. Things aren't exactly great, but I have seen Sonny smile again when looking at Dario." He felt conflicted because he felt happy that Sonny was able to smile again, but with what Victor told him about Dario, he wanted to save his little brother.

Disappointed, Victor replied, "We may need to drop our concerns for Sonny and Dario then. If they're meant to be, then they are."

Confused by how Victor was ready to drop this, Alex argued, "But you told me Dario was bad news for my brother. You said we had to get him away from Sonny so Sonny could get his life back."

Victor grunted to show he wasn't exactly happy about this either. With the revelation of Stefano and André taking over Alessandro's body, he felt he had no time to waste. "I want to focus on who wants to rise above everything and succeed in life no matter what. I know you're hungry. I know you want to rise."

At another table, Kate met with Will and Chad for her grandson's birthday. "I'm glad we managed to schedule this. Life has been pretty crazy."

Chad nodded and agreed. "You can say that again."

Lost in her thoughts, Kate processed aloud, "I can't believe I was sleeping with three DiMera men at once."

"We don't really have to talk about this," Will interjected as he tried not to think of his grandma sleeping with Alessandro, Stefano, and André at the same time.

Kate gladly agreed. "You're right. That's all behind me now. I am so happy T, Frank, and Chelsea are working with Philip. I'm happy Lucas was understanding when Philip and I told him the news. I am also glad Theo warned everyone and saved my life, and I am extremely happy to be here sitting and having lunch with you."

Will didn't want to imagine a birthday without his grandmother. "As much as I appreciate you taking me out for lunch on my birthday, I am most appreciative of the fact that you're still here – alive." He knew there were so many that couldn't say the same. He grabbed Chad's hand because even though his husband claimed he was okay, he knew Charles's and Stefano's deaths still impacted him.

Kate spaced again. She wondered what life in Salem would have been like if André had killed her. Shaking her head to escape the fearful anxiety, she changed the subject. "So, are you two doing anything special tonight?"

Chad proudly held Will's hand and excitedly answered, "We're having a small dinner with Sonny, Dario, T, and Safiya. We may hang out in the pool." He knew Will had no idea the entire family was coming over for dinner.

Curious, Kate questioned, "Are Sonny and Dario doing okay?"

Will shrugged his shoulders before glancing to his husband. "Things are still a bit rough. Chad and I are planning something to help Sonny and Dario connect one night at The Chill soon. They just need a little push." He thought about how their brunch plans were rightfully canceled because of what happened to Joselyn, Stefano, Alessandro, and André.

"A little push?" Kate's eyes widened. She studied Will and wondered if her grandson was following her footsteps in matchmaking.

Catching on to Kate's thoughts, Chad cautioned, "Don't worry. Will and I aren't coming up with a reason for Dario and Sonny to share a bedroom and fall in love."

With a proud grin, Kate countered, "Hey, my plan worked for you two. Don't knock it."

"There's no way we'll ever knock your plan," Will promised. "Dario and Sonny have their own story. They're in love already. They just need to be reminded of it."

(*)*(*)*(*)

Finding Dario in the kitchen, Sonny kept his distance but still managed to release a "Hey." He wanted to check in because of what Dario experienced very early Tuesday morning. The father he never knew was dead again.

"Hey," Dario released as he put the juice back into the fridge. He stalled. "Did you want some?" He was surprised to see Sonny out like this, but he didn't want to make it a big deal in case it pushed Sonny into hiding again.

Sonny shook his head. "No juice for me. Are you… okay?" He hated how difficult talking to Dario felt.

Closing the fridge, Dario rubbed his arms while he silently nodded his head. He then realized Sonny was waiting for a verbal response. "Yeah. It's been weird, I guess."

"Very," Sonny acknowledged remembering how he discovered Mathieu's body. He closed his eyes and tried to escape the scar that left him. "Do you…"

Sonny didn't finish his question, so Dario tried to help him. "Do I what?"

Sonny wanted to ask Dario if he needed to talk about André and Alessandro's deaths, but it was too hard. "Do you know what you're doing tonight?"

Dario continued to rub his arms, but he was now doing so in a faster pace. "We're invited to go to Will's birthday dinner, remember?"

"Oh. I'm not sure I'm ready to do something like that."

"You don't want to go?" Dario questioned as he remembered he poured himself a glass of juice.

Sonny felt bad, but this was honestly the first time he had left his bedroom. "I do, but with everything that's happened, I'm not sure I can be fun. Relaxed. I know I should go."

To encourage Sonny, Dario suggested, "You should do what you're comfortable with."

Nodding his head, Sonny got an idea. "I could try to bake something for Will."

"I can help," Dario offered feeling a bit brave suddenly. "We can even watch a movie while we bake."

Sonny smiled as his heart began to flutter. "We can do that."

Dario smiled in return. "You can pick out a movie. I just remembered Alex told me I received a package today."

Before Dario could leave, Sonny stopped him. "Hey. Wait. I have a therapy session scheduled with Diego next Friday. It would be nice if you could join me." He figured he would have an easier time talking to Dario with Diego's help. He wanted to help Dario through this.

"I'll go," Dario agreed. As he exited the kitchen, he found himself smiling because Sonny seemed invested in himself and them again. He hoped this continued.

Finding the package near the front door, Dario picked it up and placed it on a small decorative table nearby. He grabbed a knife from his pocket and cut the tape to open the box. Inside, he found a medium-sized music box. "What is this?" He glanced at the box and noticed there wasn't a return address.

Dario pulled out the music box and studied it for a moment before putting it down. "I wonder who decided to give this to me." As soon as he opened it, a purple dust sprayed out. Dario immediately inhaled it and almost sneezed. Music began to play.

"Dario!" Sonny called out. "I picked out a movie if you're ready."

"Coming!" Dario shouted back. He studied the music box as the Swan Lake theme continued to play.

THE END