Encountering Dimitri in prison, Lucas says, “Well, well, well. If it isn’t the bastard who kidnapped my mother.” Dimitri calls kidnapping a strong word, especially since Kate was very well taken care of. Lucas is just happy to see Dimitri in there, warning that Pentonville has a habit of taking a man’s spirit. As Lucas taunts him about the cops catching him, Dimitri corrects him. He turned himself in for love.

As they snipe at each other in the Square, Melinda reveals to a stunned Paulina that she is now an adoption attorney. In fact, she just helped Eric and Sloan get a beautiful baby boy. Paulina is happy for Eric, but Sloan is another story. After disparaging her former nemesis, Paulina saunters away.

Kate visits Abe at John and Marlena’s. As they sit with Christmas cookies from Sweet Bits, he tells her he had a nice Thanksgiving with Paulina. He understands why she had his heart, but he still has no memory of her. She hopes he falls madly in love with Paulina all over again and gets a clean slate. It’s something she wishes she had with Roman, who remembers too many of her mistakes. But what’s really important is that they find love with someone who accepts them, warts and all. Urging him not to give up hope, Kate turns to leave. She opens the door to Paulina.

At home, a confused Eric listens to the adoption attorney’s apology for the adoption not going through. Sloan confesses the first adoption fell through because of her past. She felt guilty he wasn’t going to be a father because of her, so she didn’t tell him. He forgives her and expresses regret she went through that alone. Also, he knows she is a kind and loving mother, so she can forget about what those jerks said about her.

After Eric’s left, Melinda rushes to Sloan who tells her how she’s constantly putting out fires, like Nicole believing Jude was her son. Melinda thinks the DNA test was a good thing since it “proved” the baby wasn’t hers. Sloan counters she still has Dimitri to worry about. Melinda has an idea of how to keep him quiet.

Nicole angrily demands to know what Leo is doing at her house. He says it’s about her baby. Nicole shouts that her baby is dead and there’s nothing he do to bring him back. “What if that wasn’t true?” Leo asks. As Nicole yells at him to leave, EJ rushes up. Leo begs them to let him explain, but EJ threatens to send him and Dimitri to prison forever if he doesn’t leave. He slams the door on him.

Inside the mansion, EJ promises to get a restraining order on Leo. He suggests they have some tea to mellow out, but Nicole needs some air and some alone time. After she’s gone, Leo creeps in through the secret door. EJ pulls out his phone to call the cops, but Leo tells him his baby is alive.

In Pentonville, Lucas can’t believe Dimitri gave up his freedom for Leo Stark. Dimitri shares he also gave him a way to make a better life for himself. Hopefully, he’s cashing in as they speak. Cut to Leo holding his jaw while splayed out on the DiMera mansion floor. EJ seethes over his cruelty. Leo begs him to hear him out, but EJ violently pushes him toward the door.

Later, EJ talks to Stefano’s portrait, wishing he had his father’s strength in the face of loss. Outside, Leo says, “That’s what you get for trying to do the right thing. A closed fist to the face from a surly Englishman.” As he laments falling off the horse, his demeanor hardens. “You are going to get right back on it,” he declares, stalking away.

In prison, Lucas doesn’t buy Dimitri’s did-it-for-love shtick and blames him for Nicole losing her baby. Lunging at him, Dimitri throws Lucas up against the wall. “You have no idea what you’re talking about,” he snarls.

Nicole runs into Eric, who’s with Jude, in the park. He starts to leave, but Nicole assures him she knows this is not her baby. As they sit, Nicole shares how EJ suggested they have another baby, but it’s not what she wants right now. When Eric asks why, she explains this was her miracle baby, but she lost him anyway. She can’t go through that again. She’s done. “I’m never going to have another child,” she says through tears.

Nicole then tells Eric how Leo came by to talk about the baby, which just brought everything back. However, when she told him there was nothing he could say to bring her child back, he said that wasn’t true. She wonders what he meant by that. Jude fusses, causing Eric to leave, but not before offering to listen anytime she wants to talk.

Alone at John and Marlena’s, Paulina tells Abe an outfit she saw while shopping reminded her of him. She shows him the bracelet he gave her last Christmas. She’s worn it every day since. Abe apologizes for not remembering Christmases past. She invites him to join her and Chanel for this Christmas, where they can make new memories. He happily accepts. After she leaves, Kate texts Abe a photo of him and Paulina on their wedding day. He grins.

At Sloan’s, Melinda suggests solitary confinement in a supermax prison with no access to visitors would be a more appropriate place for Dimitri, considering the severity of his previous crimes. She’ll call her contact to get him transferred today. Sloan doesn’t know how to thank her. Melinda tells her to cherish every day with her son.

Entering the prison visitors’ room, Kate yells at Dimitri to get off Lucas. Obliging, Dimitri angrily saunters away. When Kate warns Lucas to be careful with Dimitri, Lucas assures his mother he’s tight with his poker buddy, the warden. He’ll get him a nice job in the kitchen, where he’ll be the one dicing up mackerel.

EJ finds Nicole alone on the park bench. He puts his arm around her as he sits. She leans into him and cries.

As Sloan anticipates putting the past behind her, Leo comes to the door. “We need to talk,” he gravely says.

Next on Days of Our Lives, Steve and Jada reminisce, and news spreads about Chad and Stephanie’s relationship woes.

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