Nicole went out for groceries. She had to wear a baseball hat and look the opposite of her usual model self. But getting Eric back was worth exposing her bare face to the harsh elements without protection for an hour.

Nicole left Lucas alone so he could 'nap.' He knew that the medicine that he was taking was going to make him drowsy, so he didn't swallow the pill that she offered. Not taking the pain medicine left a throbbing headache, but he could deal with it long enough to make a phone call. The problem was she didn't leave a phone in the room.

So he slowly and painfully dragged himself into the living room. He couldn't find a phone line or cell phone anywhere, but Nicole had a laptop. He could at least write an email if no one was online.

Meanwhile Kate freshened up in the bathroom before returning to Mission Control. She saw Sami standing there, but she refused to say anything. Instead she picked up her phone and called Philip to see what the status on the test results were for the paternity of Nicole's thrown out child. The test had been delayed due to a strike, but Philip said any moment now hopefully.

Kate replied to the news, "Thank God."

Sami stopped talking to Carrie and Austin. Had Kate just heard from Lucas? Sami asked, "Have you found him?"

Kate was going to reply with a set down, but she saw the hope. Part of her wanted that hope that Lucas was found desperately. And she couldn't say what her first reaction was. So she shook her head no and explained, "Philip is about to get the DNA results."

Sami felt all her hope leave at once and all she could say was, "Oh."

Carrie tried to comfort Sami and replied, "At least you'll know if he's the father Sami."

Sami told Carrie, "I was just hoping for word. Lucas was in a car accident. Nicole checked him out of the hospital, and he hasn't called."

A phone rang in the office and Austin answered. It was a reporter asking for an update. Austin talked to the reporter before he hung up and said, "Carrie and I have something we need to do. Will you both promise no bloodshed if we leave for a few minutes?"

Sami warily replied, "If she promises to be truthful, I promise to be nice."

Kate was still on the phone with Philip but she replied, "If she promises to not bring up the past and promises the same truthfulness, I'll share what I find out."

Sami nodded her head and Kate seemed to understand it even though neither really said a word.

Carrie kept her mouth shut as Austin led her out, but in the hallway she said, "What's going on?"

Austin put his hand on her lips to quiet her as he replied, "I'll tell you in the car beautiful."

She wanted to kiss his finger that she put on her mouth. The urge was insane and yet powerful. She nodded her agreement and followed him to the car. He opened her door for her like a gentleman. She kept her promise not to ask until he was in the car with his door closed. She then repeated, "Where are we going?"

Austin answered, "The reporter had a creditable source that Nicole was spotted in a little town about an hour from the hospital."

Carrie gasped a little and said, "Oh Austin, why didn't you tell your mother or Sami? They're both so worried."

Austin started the car and answered, "That's why I didn't tell them. I want to check the source out myself and prevent any disappointment."

Carrie patted Austin's arm and told him, "You really are too good sometimes."

Austin answered, "I don't know about that. I believed the worst of my little brother from the moment we met. I was so afraid of losing you that I didn't think straight."

Carrie answered, "I did the same thing with Sami. My mother left me on my father's doorstep. My father almost died and I thought John was my dad. Then it turns out John isn't my father. Marlena was the closest thing to a mother I ever had and she was constantly despondent over John and I never wanted my life to be like Dad, John or Marlena's. Sometimes I look back and think I was looking for trouble because love isn't supposed to be as easy and open as it was for us at the beginning."

Austin laughed and replied, "Easy Carrie? When was our love easy? You hardly made my life easy. It was my fault your face melted with acid over my fight."

She laughed and said, "My dad thought you were all wrong for me."

He took her hand in his as he continued to drive. She took her shoes off and found a radio station playing some English songs and said, "I'm glad you asked me to go. Hopefully this time we'll find some sign of Lucas."

Back at Chez Salem Greta and Eric stopped unpacking her boxes and ran back to their room. They were dancing in a slow sensual lightly erotic dance and were slowly removing each other's clothing. Eric had yet to let her go of her waist from the last time he caught her. She was quite the happy captive in his arms and encouraged him to explore more of her.

Suddenly the telephone rang, interrupting them as they were about to kiss. Eric's lips were mere millimeters from hers when she sighed, "You better answer. It might be your sister or the hospital."

Eric answered, "Yes maam."

Sami heard her brother's voice on the line and she instantly told him, "Philip's getting the results from the hospital in a minute."

Eric told Greta. Greta nodded her head and turned on her computer to say, "I'll check for my messages while we wait. Maybe there's an email."

Greta signed online and saw a familiar screename. She didn't believe it.

Eric announced, "I'm not the father."

Greta looked up and said, "Lucas is online."

Eric told Sami what Greta just told him. Sami yelled at her brother, "Where is he?"

Greta meanwhile sent an IM saying, "Lucas?"

Lucas saw the screename and typed back, "You G. Is Sami there? I just sent her an email."

Greta told Eric, "He just emailed Sami."

Eric told Sami, "He just emailed you."

Greta typed in, "I told her. Where are you?"

Lucas answered, "I don't know. I was in an accident."

Greta typed back, "We know. Nicole checked you out of the hospital before Sami or Kate got there."

Lucas had a headache. Actually it was more than a headache and more like his body pulsing in pain. It took a second before he could type again, "Nicole told me that Sami left me to die."

Greta told Eric who told Sami. Sami told her brother, "Tell him that Nicole is a bitch."

Greta typed back, "Sami said that's a lie. She's been working with Kate to find you."

Lucas felt his wound pulsing so badly that he had to bite his lip to stop himself from yelling.

Greta saw no reply coming and told Eric, "Something must be wrong with the connection. Is Lucas the father?"

Sami asked Kate who answered immediately, "No. Victor is."

Greta hesitantly typed in, "The baby isn't yours or Eric's. You can divorce Nicole."

The words were blurry at first but he typed in slowly and painfully, "I want Sami."

Greta typed in again, "Where are you now?"

Lucas tried to blink away the blurriness that the pain was causing. He typed in, "In an apartment with Nicole. I'm too weak to get up. She"

Greta typed back, "She?"

Lucas continued what he was typing, "She was talking to some guy. She said I was the bait to get Eric back for her. Hold on."

Lucas pushed his feet off the bed. He tried to stand, but his knees weren't as cooperative this time. He almost lost his footing before he caught hold of something. Finally he made it to the window but all he saw was countryside. The vastness of the flat green land and some farming patches weren't distinctive in any way. He saw a huge horse that resembled Philippe, the horse, in Disney's Beauty and Beast running with some men chasing the animal in the field.

Greta told Eric, "I don't know what happened again. We're still connected but he's not typing."

Eric told Sami who said, "At least we know he's alive."

Kate meanwhile opened her email and said, "I have an email from him as well."

Sami asked, "What does it read?"

Kate wouldn't know Lucas was emailing her without Sami, so she felt obliged to keep her promise as well. She cleared her throat and said,
Dear Mom,
I was in a car accident. I don't know where I am at the moment. I
woke
up with Nicole Walker tending to me. Tell Will I love him and I'll be
home when I can walk without reopening my wound. Say it nicer than
that if you can. And mom if I don't show up in a few days on my own,
the police can trace the ip address of the computer to find a
location. Thanks. You're my rock mom.
Love,
Lucas

Sami started to tell Kate, "Call the police."

Kate was already picking up the phone and said, "I'm calling a computer specialist. He'll be faster than anyone that has to run through something at Salem PD."

Sami couldn't argue with that logic. She loved her father, Abe, Bo and Hope very much even if she had no faith in their police ability.

Greta continued to stare at her screen when suddenly she saw that he was typing again. She waited for the message before she told anyone.

Lucas came back to the computer and typed out, "I don't know where I am. There is a horse running and some farmers chasing."

Greta typed in, "Are you well enough to go outside and find help?"

Lucas felt lightheaded and weaker than he had in a long time. But if he could get out of his coma induced problems to stop Sami from marrying his brother then he could survive a little pain. He typed back, "I'll try to find some help."

Greta told Eric, "He's going for help."

Eric told Sami who replied, "He's feeling that well already?"