July 27, 2006

[Loud music plays]

Della: Nick! Baby, I missed you so much. Give me a kiss, lover. Mmm.

Kayla: Who the hell are you?

Della: I'm his wife. Who the hell are you?

Kayla: I'm his wife. How could you be married to another woman and not tell me?

Kayla: What's going on here, Steve?

Della: Steve?

Kayla: Are you married to her?

Steve: No, listen, this is Della. Della, meet Kayla. She's not my wife. I'm not married to her.

Della: We may not have tied the knot, not officially, but we have an arrangement here. Who is this chick? Why is she calling you Steve, and why does she think she's your wife?

Steve: Della, listen. You know how I never had any memories of my past?

Della: Uh-huh.

Steve: Right, well, you know, it turns out I'm not Nick. I'm this dude Steve Johnson. I got a wife and a kid. I got a town full of people who know me who thought I was dead.

Della: Oh, little miss perfect, your wife, and you had a kid with her. Don't tell me -- he even changed diapers. I don't think so. Not the Nick we all know and love. I mean, I'm sorry you lost your husband, but just because my man looks like a dead guy --

Steve: It's true. I took a DNA test. I am the guy. I'm Steve Johnson.

Kayla: And if you're as close as you say you are, why didn't you know all that? Where did you think he was?

Della: Look, you don't know nothing about us. You don't know anything, so stay the hell out of it.

Steve: Cut it out, Della. Hey.

Della: You could have at least called me, Nick. I was worried about you. So, you've been with family all this time?

Steve: Yeah, that's right. And right now, all I'm trying to do is figure out what happened to me.

Della: Forget about that, baby. That was a past life. This is your life now. Come on. Let's have a beer and catch up. I missed you, baby.

Steve: All right, listen -- listen, Della. Here's what I got to do -- just give me a minute. I got to talk to Kayla.

Della: Make it fast, okay?

Steve: Kayla, can you come over here and sit down with me? [Sighs] I'm really sorry about this.

Kayla: When were you gonna tell me?

Steve: You knew I had another life, you know? You never asked me any questions about it, so I didn't offer.

Kayla: I was afraid to.

Steve: I'm an idiot. I should have found a way to mention it to you.

Kayla: I just don't get it. We've been talking about trying to get our old life back and you have this other woman? You don't tell her about Jack. You don't tell her about the DNA test or going back to Salem. How serious is it? Do you love her?

Steve: Kayla, listen, if you think I've been living like a monk all these years --

Kayla: No, of course not.

Steve: I mean, I've been with a few -- well, several women over the years.

Kayla: I don't need details, really. I'm just asking about Della.

Steve: Della and I -- we've been on again, off again for quite a while now.

Kayla: She said she was your wife.

Steve: You know what I think, Kayla? I think that the life I've been living is nothing like what you're used to.

Kayla: I don't know what you mean.

Steve: I mean everything -- Della, this place. I saw the look on your face when we walked into this joint.

Kayla: You don't understand. The Steve Johnson that I fell in love with a long time ago is not that different from Nick Stockton.

Steve: How's that?

Kayla: You had a favorite dive just like this. It was called the cheating heart. And we used to go there together all the time.

Steve: Well, looks like I've just reverted to my old ways. Everyone eventually finds their own level. I guess I found mine the first time I looked in the mirror. Saw the tattoos, scars, one eye. But the bottom line is I'm not the right kind of guy for you.

Kayla: Don't say that. Don't even think it. You said that you would fight for us. You said --

Steve: Listen, being back here has just made me realize that this is the kind of place a guy like me needs to be.

Kayla: No, you need to be with me, your wife.

Steve: Until I can remember you, you're just my wife on paper.

Kayla: On paper.

Steve: I'm sorry, Kayla. I think you're beautiful. You're a good person. But until I can remember you -- and that may never happen -- I can't be in your life as a husband.

Kayla: But on that airplane, all you talked about was finding clues to figure out how you got here and why. You never even mentioned this place until we were almost here. You certainly didn't mention Della until her arms were wrapped around your neck and she was kissing you. Were you just playing me? Was this just some way for you to get back home?

Steve: No, I swear, it wasn’t.

Kayla: I mean, did you just come back to Salem and hang out with me and Stephanie and sort of, you know, weigh out your options and decide that your family just wasn't interesting enough for you?

Steve: No! That's not right. But the truth is, Kayla, even though we share a daughter, I don't feel the same connection to you that you feel toward me.

Kayla: I see.

Steve: I know that's not what you want to hear. I'm sorry. Please try to understand.

Kayla: I know when you first came back to Salem, you didn't want to stay.. But I thought after each passing day that you were more and more convinced you wanted to be there. I think that you knew that's where your heart was. And I think deep down you know that's true.

Della: Sweetie, you want to dance?

Kayla: [Scoffs]

Steve: Are you serious? No, not right now.

Della: Well, suit yourself. Just one question to help you sort this all through.

Steve: What?

Della: Do you remember making love to this woman? I didn't think so. But you remember us making love. This is your life, Nick. Right here with me -- this is where you belong. You're a good guy, a great lover, and I'm not giving up on you. And I know you're not giving up on me either. I'll wait for you over by the bar.



Kayla: That was nice.

Steve: I'm sorry, Kayla. I never should have brought you here.

Kayla: Don't you want to remember your past with me?

Steve: I don't know.

Kayla: You don't know?

Steve: I just don't know if I'm any good for you. I could even be dangerous. What if the DiMera’s come after you and Stephanie because of me?

Kayla: Listen to you. You're sounding like a family man, but you're trying to protect me for all the wrong reasons. It was hard enough for me to live without you when I thought that you were dead. But to live without you knowing that you're alive and with someone else? I don't think I can do that.

Steve: But if I can't remember you as my wife, how can I be your husband?

Guy: Hey! Hi!