DVD #4A 12/25 Kayla arrives for the Brady Christmas festivities. Bo & Hope surprise the Brady’s by showing up and make the family’s night as the Brady's struggle to spend Christmas Eve without Marlena (who everyone thinks has died in an explosion set by Orpheus, though she is safely tucked away on a tropical island to return years later). Days Christmas montage as Kayla puts her present for Steve under the tree, and we see Steve look at a present for Kayla tucked in his Santa bag of presents.

Steve runs into Kayla in the park and tells her that Santa left her a present for her at his place. Kayla stares at it in shock and Steve urges her to open it, claiming it was left over in his Santa bag from yesterday. It is a beautiful necklace. She is in even more shock as he places it around her next and asks him if he likes it? Kayla tells him they are having a Christmas party for the children today and asks if he would like to come. He makes excuses that he is too busy. She asks him what he is doing later and tells him that he has a present from her under her parent’s Christmas tree. He seems uncomfortable with Christmas and makes excuses that he doesn’t know what he will be doing later nor where he will be.

Later at the hospital, Kayla arrives as Santa and the children are singing a Christmas carol. Doug asks Alice to share what makes Christmas special to her. She says she likes to think about the people she loves and commits herself to loving them even more and to showing them they are loved and that is what makes Christmas special to her (she looks pointedly at Bo). Kim says that for her it is children that make Christmas special to her, they are the hope for the future. Santa (Mike) says that the greatest Christmas gift is true love, so if you love someone you should let them know. Tom tells the Christmas story.

Kayla brings Steve his present. It is a cookbook, she tells him that his gift comes with an open invitation to go to her place and cook up something. She tries her hand at being flippant and claims she just found in a trash can as he laughs at her. She asks him to read what she wrote inside. He reads a sweet poem about love, “In the spring becomes a rose”. Touched he thanks her. They stare into each other’s eyes intently, and she asks him once again to join her for Christmas at her parents but he declines. She thanks him for her necklace as she touches it tenderly, and he kisses her sweetly and wishes her a Merry Christmas.

12/26 Steve comes into the clinic moaning, holding his head and tells Kayla he doesn’t feel good. She asks where it hurts? He then suggestively tells her to take him in the back and he will show it to her. Annoyed she tells him that he needs a brain surgeon. He says is this any way to treat a patient? Florence (Nightengale) never would have turned anyone away. Confident and smiling she points out that he isn’t really sick and he just came to see her. As he is talking, he spots the mystery woman again and tries to chase her down. When Steve returns to the clinic, he is surprised at patients coming in and the phone ringing off the hook as Kayla shares that her volunteer didn’t come in today. He surprises Kayla by staying and helping her, by answering phones and checking patients in as they arrive.

He puts one patient to work massaging another patient’s sore shoulder. Kayla comes out to make sure he is having patient’s fill out the incoming form. He shows her he has already done it. Kayla is impressed with Steve's contribution at the clinic and smiles with pride. She thanks him and tells him how terrific he is. He asks her to join him to eat. She asks if he is asking her on a date. He denies it and says he is going to eat and sometimes maybe someone will sit next to him. She tells him she has a lot of lab work to get sent out and she will be here for awhile before she is finished and she will be there for awhile. He is hungry and heads out.

He returns a bit later blowing on his harmonica and says he completely forgot to eat and now he is starving. She suggests that they go eat together, he plays dumb as if he had forgotten inviting her to eat. She asks him if he wants to go eat together or what? He laughs and tells her she is bossy. She claims he brings out the best in her. Steve sees the woman following him looking in the window and runs out and grabs her, demanding to know who she is and why is she following him?

12/29 Steve wants answers from the girl following him. The young girl (Adrienne) denies following Steve and won't answer him. She tells him she isn’t answering his questions. She declares that she isn’t following him. He holds her up against the wall and says she is going to answer him. She refuses to stand there and let him rant at her. He holds her face and tells her, “You better watch your step little girl”. She walks away when he let her go. He gets a weird look on his face, when Kayla comes out of the clinic and asks what's going on. Kayla observes that he looks like he has seen a ghost. He says maybe he has. Kayla says he looks really spooked and asks what is going on. He claims it is just really cold and she looks tired, so they should head out. He knows a place where they can relax and get something to eat. They know him there and he can get them in without a reservation, it is a no name private club.

Steve takes Kayla to his place for dinner. She laughs when they get there as he doesn’t have a kitchen nor even a stove. Kayla laughs at the gourmet meal he plans on making her on his hot plate. He promises that she will eat her words too! Adrienne walks by and looks at Steve. Kayla asks if he knows that girl? He claims no but looks after her oddly, memories stirred?

Steve sits Kayla at a candlelit table, and dons his chef hat as he prepares dinner. She puts on the French beret as he serves her dinner. He tells her it is a curry dish and sweetly feeds the tired nurse. She pays her compliments to the chef and they kiss sweetly. She admits that she was wrong and he is a master in the gourmet field. He tells her it is the nicest meal he has ever had in this joint with the most elegant guest. She tries to do the dishes but he exclaims that the maid won’t have anything to do. He also claims to be a master at the art of massage and she admits to being pretty sore. He asks her to unbutton a couple of buttons on her blouse so he can reach her tight shoulders and asks her to make herself comfortable. She lays down on the bed with her shoulders bare.

As he begins massaging her shoulders she sighs that she has died and gone to heaven. Steve tells her she got the gourmet meal and the massage and no one has had that treatment from him in a decade. She comments on how beautiful she is and begins kissing her neck softly calling her name only to realize she is sound asleep! He tells himself how innocent she is and what is she doing there with a man like him, but he is sure glad she is. He covers her with a blanket and tenderly kisses her goodnight and wishes her sweet dreams.

12/30 Kayla and Caroline help Neil with the guest list for the New Years party. They worry about Alex bringing his wife, Emma, and want to un-invite her. They hope maybe she won’t come. Kayla says she has never known anyone with as many enemies as Emma Marshall, who has just walked in and overheard this. Neil leaves to see a patient and Kayla tells Caroline that she would like to invite Steve to the New Year’s Eve party. Caroline is less than encouraging and points out that he isn’t really comfortable with these type of events. Caroline advises that having things in common is important, no just feeling weak at the knees at the sight of someone isn’t enough.

12/31 Kayla sees Steve at the park. She tells him she was looking for him. He swears he didn’t do it! She gets cold feet and says it wasn’t important. He is curious and so she continues and invites Steve to the hospital’s formal New Year’s Eve party with her. He makes up an excuse that he is all booked up but looks after her sadly when she leaves disappointed. Bo arrives to talk her into going and says she can dance with her brother. Steve shows up looking quite dashing wearing a tux to escort her. He tells her he has never been to one of these fancy deals before but has to warn her that if it is boring, he will have to leave.

Kayla says it will just take her a minute to change as Bo comments he thought she wasn’t going. She smiles and says she changed her mind. Hope comes downstairs and exclaims when she sees Steve looking so fine. Bo & Hope head out and Steve gives Kayla a bouquet of yellow roses. Steve stares at the gorgeous Kayla when she returns back downstairs. He gently puts on the necklace he gave her. She asks how she looks? He tells her she is the most beautiful woman he has ever seen. She drags him over to look in the mirror at the two of them together. He looks away feeing awkward, then gently kisses her fingers.

They walk through the park and Steve looks at them both all dressed up and says this is some kinda of fantasy. She says no that this is reality. He tells her this is his fantasy and leans in and kisses her. She then asks him how much he wants to go to that party? He says that depends on how much she wants to go? She takes him and turns back towards her place. They sit in front of the fire, kissing. He asks her if she is sorry to have missed the party? She says no and asks if he is? He laughs and says no. She says it isn’t just every day he gets all dressed up like this and no one got to see him. He points out that he didn’t get all dressed up for other people. She says she wishes they could always be like this and asks him what took him so long? He admits to being afraid of her. She asks him if he is afraid now as she kisses him.

Suddenly a pounding at the door begins. Steve keeps kissing her and tells her not to answer it. The pounding continues so Kayla answers it and signs for a delivery and then sets it on the counter and goes back to Steve as they ring in the New Year together. He tells her that he has a feeling that this year is going to be a good one and they continue making out. He asks if she doesn’t want to see what was so important to be delivered on NYE or does she want to stand there kissing him all night? She votes for the kissing!

1/2 Steve & Kayla are making out on the couch and things are heating up. Just as they are about to make love, a rock shatters their window. Kayla opens an envelope that she received. It is a surveillance report on Kayla Brady by Steve Johnson. Kayla is stunned to realize that Steve was stalking her. He informs her that Kiriakis hired him to follow her. She wants to know why Victor would be interested in her? Steve suggests it was to possibly keep tabs on Bo. He swears it was just a job, he doesn’t know what it was for.

Kayla yells at him that he didn’t care who got hurt as long as he got paid. He reminds her that didn’t he tell her the is was going to happen sooner or later? Didn’t her entire family warn her against getting involved with him? She says maybe she should have listened to them, but she didn’t, she listened to her heart. He tells her that he never lied to her about who he was, he tried to protect her from getting involved with him. He told her to give up that beauty and the beast fantasy she had about him. She cries that she thought she was different, that he wouldn’t do those things to her. He points out that he didn’t know her then. She just sadly says again that she thought she was different. He tells her he has a good idea of who sent this. He suggests it was little brother, Bo. He would have access to his daddy’s file. She says that he wouldn’t do that to her. He says well now once and for all, she knows what a low life freak she is dealing with.

She cries that she thought they were finished with this game, the bad boy Steve that is never gonna change. Steve says she should just admit she made a mistake that she can’t handle someone like him. She says she can handle anything if she is dealing with the truth. She doesn’t understand why he couldn’t just come to her and say he was sorry. He informs her that he only followed her for a little while. She tries to piece it together. She figures he was following her in Cleveland as that was no chance meeting.

Then she has a sudden horrible realization, that he was the stalker who tore up her apartment and made those horrible phone calls. She shakily asks how could he do that? He admits that time it wasn’t for Kiriakis, but for Emma Marshall. She has another horrible realization that this was about Andrew! He shakes his head no that he had nothing to do with Andrew’s kidnapping. He had no idea what that witch was up to. He swears she hired him to scare her to get out of Cleveland, that is all, just to scare her not to hurt her or anyone else. As soon as he put it together, he went to Cleveland to try to find that little baby. He gave Shane the lead to Cleveland, and Steve sent Kayla the note that Dennison had the baby. He wants that baby back home as much as anybody, probably more. She looks at him with heart broken eyes as she tells him she no longer knows what is real and what is just a job. He sincerely tells her it is all real, the good parts that is. She tells him to leave. He stops at the door and calls her name with tears in her eyes but she just shakes her head. She sits alone by the fire crying as she thinks back to special moments between them, flashback montage time!

1/6 Kayla takes Max out for lunch. When he sees Steve enter Shenanigan’s he wants Steve to join them, but Kayla discourages the idea. Max gets upset when Steve won’t join them and runs out. Steve follows him and tries to explain that he and Kayla aren’t seeing each other anymore. He explains they argued over something, just like friends can do. Kayla hears Steve tell Max that he’s sorry he and Kayla fought. Max asks Steve if he likes Kayla and he admits that yes he likes her, he likes her a whole lot. He tells Max that it was his fault that he and Kayla fought and he hopes to make it up to her sometime if she will let him. Max spots Kayla and runs to her. He wants to know if Steve is going to have lunch with them now. Kayla shrugs and says it is up to Steve.

At lunch, Steve and Max tell silly jokes and they laugh together. Max says he is glad they are all friends again. Max wants to go to the bathroom by himself. While he is gone, Kayla says Steve didn’t have to join them. Steve replies she didn’t have to let him join them, but she didn’t want to disappoint Max. She says it was real nice what he said about her outside.

1/8 Adrienne begins volunteering at the Emergency Center. When Steve enters, he accuses her of following him. Steve tells her to stay away from him and Kayla. Adrienne insists to Steve she is only there to help Kayla, but Steve doesn't believe her. Steve is upset to find out that Adrienne is now volunteering at the clinic. She swears that she is not up to anything. He warns her to keep Kayla out of her little games and she has had enough aggravation because of him and she doesn’t need anymore. Adrienne promises she isn’t there to cause any trouble. Kayla is annoyed that Steve comes in and starts ordering people around. He should know how desperate she is for help. Steve wants to know why Kayla thinks she can trust Adrienne with drugs and money that are at the clinic. She snarks that he is one to be demanding trust, he turns around and walks out.

Kayla asks why Steve was yelling at her like that and wants to know if something is going on between her and Steve? Adrienne denies that she knows what his problem with her is. Kayla grumbles he seems to have a problem with all people. Adrienne observes that Steve really gets to Kayla. She responds, “Not anymore”. She arrives at Shenanigan’s to order lunch and when she sees Steve there, she cancels her order and walks out. He follows her and asks what she is doing? She is fired up. He admits that he shouldn’t have said anything about the girl she hired. Kayla realizes he isn’t about to change, even if it means losing him. He says he just has to be himself. Kayla argues he isn’t being himself, not his real self but the character of “Patch Johnson”. She accuses that he is the one putting space between them and he could solve it by just opening up.

Kayla points out that he could have made things okay between them on New Years’ Eve if he had just opened up to her. All he had to do was be honest and tell her how much he cared about her. She realizes he doesn’t trust her and that is what really hurts. She asks him why he can’t trust her? He says she knows him so well, she should know the answer to it. She is tired of him turning her questions back on her. She demands that he tells her how he is feeling, that is what someone does when they care. Steve doesn’t believe that if he would have been open with her that it would have made a difference between them. He says he is exactly who he is, he isn’t going to change, and something is always going to come up because of him that will hurt her. She argues all he has to do is to talk to her. She stares daggers at him, waiting for a response. He doesn’t believe that talking will change anything. He admits that there are things in his past that he doesn’t want to look at, doesn’t want to analyze, it is just too damn hard and he walks away. Adrienne is standing around the corner listening.

1/9 Kayla approaches Steve at Shenanigan’s. She questions Steve about him saying there were things in his past he couldn’t face. She wants a chance to understand the things in his past. He claims it was just a line he gave her. She doesn’t believe him. She says that they are making progress between them, and takes his hand. She tells him that they are getting closer despite all the roadblocks. She wants him to share his past with her so she can understand. Steve’s friend Joannie from the Cheatin’ Heart comes in and wants to talk to Kayla. So Steve walks away to give them some time alone. Steve stares at her and flashes back to Kayla telling him how much she cares about him and him kissing her. Joannie asks Kayla about giving her son up for adoption because she can’t afford to keep him. Meanwhile, Steve and Frankie play pool and talk about girls. Steve finds out what Joannie plans to do and he flips out says she can’t give her kid away and gives her money. Kayla tries to get Steve to open up about being abandoned by his own mother but he refuses.

1/13 Kayla and Steve talk about Kim’s arrest for Emma’s murder and the evidence against her. Steve offers to help. He searches for the evidence against Kim at the PD. He sees Roman coming into his office and sits on the table pretending to be relaxed and casual. Roman wants to know what the hell he is doing there? Steve can’t believe that Roman is letting his sister rot in jail. Kayla arrives at the PD to see Roman and ask him if there is any news? Kayla notices that Roman is upset. He tells her about catching Steve snooping around his office. Roman doesn’t like it as he doesn’t quit trust the guy. Kayla says that she told Steve about being upset about Kim’s arrest and he is just trying to help. Roman warns her that he could make things worse for Kim.

Kayla is upset with Steve for breaking into Roman’s office and snooping around. After she lectures him about it, she asks to know if he found anything out? He informs her that it doesn’t look good as they have a whole lot of evidence against Kim. He goes on that they found a vial of the poison in Kim’s room with her fingerprints on it. He says that since Kim believed that Emma was responsible for Andrew’s kidnapping, that revenge is a powerful motive. He tells her that they also found skin under Kimberly’s fingernails and the tissue matched Emma! Steve warns her that the system is what put her in jail. He is annoyed that she is so naive to believe in justice for the innocent. He warns her that this is just another example of them being two different people and evidence that they don’t belong together. She disagrees and says that they are on the same side of helping Kimberly. She just asks him to let Roman and Chris handle it as they are the professionals. Steve is sorry that he told her about all the evidence. He points out if they didn’t have the evidence against her that they wouldn’t have a case. He asks her to think about that.

1/14 Roman and Kayla discuss Kim's situation, and how he's not able to get any information, when Steve overhears and says he can help. Even though Roman wants him to leave it alone, Steve decides to help with Kimberly's case by breaking into the police office. Steve tells Frankie to ask Jennifer out now that she’s free. Steve takes evidence from the evidence room to help Kimberly (and Kayla) and is almost caught by Abe. Steve tries to assure Kayla things will be fine.

1/15 Kayla tells Steve about the missing evidence and he acts clueless. Just as he is about to kiss Kayla, Adrienne walks in and interrupts them. Steve tries to learn more about Adrienne, but she plays coy with him. Roman tells Kim and Kayla that the evidence being gone has made things worse. Kayla confronts Steve about the evidence and tells him it only made things worse for Kim and Roman. Then Steve gets caught returning the evidence. Kayla covers for Steve, but Roman arrests him anyway.

1/16 Kayla goes to visit Steve in jail and tells him she will get him out. Adrienne goes to the jail looking for Steve and Roman gives her the third degree. Kayla convinces Roman to release Steve. She takes Steve home with her, and suggests that he stay there and take a shower while she makes dinner. He starts taking his shirt off and she grins as she stares at his chest.

Meanwhile at her place, Adrienne has a picture of a young Steve, a train, and an article about a little boy (Steve) trying to kill Duke by setting the fire. A wet shirtless Steve comes down from taking the shower and takes Kayla over to sit in front of the roaring fire. She stares into his eyes and they begin kissing, finally having time alone together. She starts unbuttoning her blouse and just as she is about to slip it off, there is a knock on the door. Steve says he can’t believe this, and if it is one of her brothers that he is going to commit murder. Adrienne rushes in babbling about her place being broken into and needing a place to stay. Kayla offers to call Roman and send a squad car over there. Adrienne stops her and says nothing of value was taken, she just doesn’t feel comfortable staying there until the lock is fixed. Steve gets his jacket to take off and Kayla walks him to the door. He smiles at her and tells her that next time they move faster.

1/20 Steve comes over and jokes around, but then asks her if she wants to pick up from where they left off the other night. Kayla is agreeable and they start kissing. Adrienne comes in and interrupts them. Steve wants to know what she is still doing there? Kayla assures him that she won’t be there long and assures him they will have their time together. Adrienne says she will leave for the night but she first offers to cook dinner for Steve and Kayla to make up for interrupting them. He is feeling quite sarcastic and says he is in the mood for a Norwegian dish that Adrienne would have no clue how to prepare. Kayla asks Adrienne to leave them alone for a moment. She then asks Steve to behave as Adrienne is just trying to be nice by making them dinner. She then reminds him that the girl is leaving them alone ALL night. Steve stops arguing at this possibility and says all right, he will go for the dinner IF she promises him desert. She suggestively asks him if he can handle desert?

Steve stares at Adrienne as she lights the candles on their table. He comments that dinner smells good. She shares that it is Hungarian Goolash. Kayla comes down all dressed up and Steve just stares at her. When she asks how she looks, he says “Yum Yum’! While cooking Adrienne accidentally sets her sleeve on fire and screams for Steve to help her. Steve jumps into action and puts the fire out and then holds her. Kayla pulls her over to look at her but Adrienne says that she is okay. Kayla tells her this needs to be treated and Kayla will take her in for treatment. Steve has a flashback to his childhood when he set the fire as to kill Duke. Kayla returns to find Steve sitting in front of the fire staring. Adrienne apologizes again for ruining their dinner. Steve yells at her that he is tired of her apologizing. After Adrienne goes to her room, Steve tells her that this was a lot of fun and they will have to do it again sometime. Kayla wants to know why he is acting like this? He says he doesn’t like fires, he isn’t Smoky the Bear. She tells him that she knows he is disappointed but they will have time together soon.

1/22 Steve comes into the clinic and finds a quiet and distracted Kayla. He gently touches her cheek and tells her that he has been thinking about her? He asks her what she is doing tonight? Is she alone at the loft? She tells him that Adrienne has moved out. Her distraction continues and Steve wants to know what is wrong. She admits that she is worried about Adrienne because she hasn’t heard from her since she moved back home. Kayla heads out to go check on her. Steve doesn’t want her to go by herself to a slum area. Kayla tells him that she grew up in this neighborhood and she can take care of herself. He laughs that every time she says that she gets into trouble! She determines that she is going so of course he will go with her. Steve and Kayla go to Adrienne’s to check on her and find her sick and living in a dump. Kayla tells her that she can’t live like this. Steve blurts out that it is a dump. Kayla says that she is just going through a bit of bad luck. Adrienne says nothing has gone good for her since she hit Salem and maybe she should just go back to where she came from. Steve adamantly agrees, and Kayla gets annoyed with him.

Kayla offers Adrienne a job as a full time receptionist at the clinic. Steve can’t believe she is doing this. Kayla tells her not to worry that she will take care of her and get her healthy. Steve freaks out when he finds a toy train in a drawer. He demands to know where she got it? Kayla doesn’t understand why he is making a big deal about this. Adrienne says she can’t remember, she picked it up in a thrift store. He remembers playing with it as a child. Adrienne stares at him hopefully as it is obvious he remembers the train. Kayla tells her to gather her things as she is going home with Kayla. Steve tells her that she can’t move Adrienne into her place. He wants her to at least think about it for a few days. Kayla says it is just a temporary thing until she gets enough money to get a better place. Later at home, Steve has a flashback of his mother giving him the toy train and him promising to keep it forever. He gets upset and knocks stuff around and says, “She took my train”! Meanwhile, Adrienne talks on the phone to someone about getting to know Steve. She says she can’t give up but she doesn’t know how he will react.

1/23 (jumpy) When Steve comes into the clinic, Kayla asks him what he is doing tonight? Steve gets a twinkle in his eye at the thought of being alone with her and asks what she had in mind. Then he remembers and starts loudly talking about her little friend. Steve tells her that he isn’t in the mood for a menage a trois. Kayla points out that they have his place. He doesn’t think his place is good enough for her. She says she isn’t worried about the decor, she is more interested in him. He tells her about the street noise that comes up. She observes that didn’t seem to bother Bo & Hope when they lived there. He realizes he is fighting a losing battle, one he wants to lose and agrees to pick her up when she gets off work for their romantic evening alone together. Adrienne asks Kayla questions about Steve. Adrienne observes that Steve sometimes runs with a rough crowd and wonders why she is attracted to him? Kayla tells Adrienne that Steve has one of the finest souls of anyone she has ever known, and no matter what he has done, she just can’t stop seeing that. She continues that if he likes you, there is nothing he wouldn’t do for you and Kayla considers herself very lucky knowing him, jut being his friend.

Steve has flowers, champagne and an ice bucket, new throw pills and a carpet to spruce the place up. Frankie shows up and laughs when he sees the throw pillow. He laughs that he can see that Steve is busy and Frankie has to leave for Alice Horton’s birthday party. Steve teases that isn’t Alice a little old for him. Frankie responds by observing that he has plans to have Kayla come over? Steve hits him with the throw pillow and Frankie leaves laughing. Joannie shows up and tells Steve she needs his help. He invites her in and she shares that she needs $200 as she is about to be evicted. He has some cash but it isn’t enough. He asks where she and her little boy will sleep tonight? He postpones his date with Kayla so he can play pool to pay Joannie’s rent. Kayla misunderstands when she sees Steve playing pool, instead of going on their date. Kayla is hurt and swears that he isn’t going to do this to her again. Steve calls looking for Kayla and Adrienne tells him she left. When Kayla returns, Adrienne tells her that Steve called. An upset Kayla doesn’t want to hear about it. She tells Adrienne that she has work to do. A sad Steve goes home all alone not realizing the misunderstanding.

1/27 Steve goes into the clinic looking for Kayla. Adrienne tells Steve that she isn’t there. After he leaves, Kayla comes out of the back room and says she doesn’t ever want to see Steve again! Adrienne says she really hated lying to Steve. She asks Kayla if maybe it would help if she talked to Steve. Kayla doesn’t want to hear it. Steve cancelled their plans to play pool, though Kayla would have waited for him all night if he had a good reason. Kayla determines she is through with Steve. Steve sees Adrienne at Shenanigan’s and starts questioning her about where Kayla is. She is having a really hard time lying to him. He knows she is lying and that Kayla was there this morning. He grabs her arm and notices a bracelet on her wrist. He quietly asks her where she go it as he stares into her eyes. He tells her he doesn’t know what her story is but he is going to find out. He doesn’t trust Adrienne and goes to her place and snoops through her stuff.

Kayla walks in and catches him searching. Kayla demands to know what he is doing. Steve knows she is up to something and he is trying to protect Kayla. He tells Kayla that she is a filthy liar as she told him that Kayla wasn’t at the clinic today. Kayla admits that she asked Adrienne to lie for her because she didn’t want to see Steve. He is shocked. Kayla continues she also told Adrienne to tell him that she doesn’t want to ever see him again. Kayla is obviously angry at him for making plans and then not showing up. Adrienne comes in and demands to know what Steve is doing there. He says that he has his secrets too. Steve points out how Adrienne has moved into Kayla’s life, her job at the clinic, and living at the loft. Steve warns Adrienne that she may have been able to fool Kayla but she doesn’t fool him and warns her to watch herself. After he leaves, Kayla asks her if there is something she isn’t telling her? Adrienne claims she doesn’t know why Steve doesn’t like her. Kayla heads over to demand Steve tell her why he doesn’t like nor trust Adrienne. She demands to know why she should believe him? She tells him that she is sick and tired of being the only one that says things in this relationship. She tells him to just forget it, she won’t bother telling him anything ever again. Hurt, he says that is good and closes the door on her.

1/29 A couple of goons hassle Adrienne on the streets and stop her from walking by. They creepily start touching her hair. Kayla comes upon them and tells them to stop touching her. She tells Adrienne they are leaving but the guys block her passage. Steve comes around the corner and demands to know what is going on. Kayla tells him that she doesn’t need his help, that she can handle this herself. He knows she is in over her head so he pretends to walk on by and leave her to it. Of course a minute later as the guys start pulling on her clothes saying he can take her back to his place, she calls out for Steve! When he doesn’t respond, she asks him if he is really just going to stand there while one of the goons pulls on her scarf and touching her hair. He laughs that he thought she could handle this herself? She asks him to get over here please! Steve comes to their rescue and tells them to blow off as the ladies aren’t interested in their attention. Steve warns the guy that if he doesn’t want to look like Steve (and he points to his eye patch and scar) that they better beat it. They promise to see him again. Steve says he better not ever see them around these women again.

Steve asks Adrienne if she is leaving town seeing her with her suitcase. Kayla tells him that she is his new neighbor as she just rented a room above Shenanigan’s. They go into Shenanigan’s and Adrienne asks if shouldn’t they go sit with Steve. Kayla says he has probably had enough of them today. Adrienne can’t help herself from going over to his table though. He just grabs his newspaper and turns away, obviously not interested in talking to her. Hope comes in and asks Kayla how things are going with Steve? Kayla tells her they aren’t on good terms at the moment. She fills her in on Steve standing her up the other night to play pool. Hope doesn’t believe he would do that, but Kayla says she saw him with her own eyes and leaves. Hope notices Steve at a table and joins him. She immediately questions him about why he stood Kayla up? He tells her there is a lot about that she doesn’t understand. He sees a goon go up the stairs towards Adrienne’s and he suddenly takes off.

Dvd #4B The guy has come into Adrienne’s room and grabs her. As she screams and struggles to get away from him, a lamp goes crashing to the floor and Steve bursts into the room and demands the guy let her go. Steve tells the creep that if he ever sees him near this girl again, he will be one sorry dude and chases the guy off. Adrienne tearfully thanks him for protecting her like that. She shakily starts to tell him that she is his sister but Kayla walks in and asks what happened interrupting her. Kayla stops by the mansion to see Hope. She tells Hope about Steve saving her twice when thugs were a problem. He makes her crazy as she doesn’t understand him. She keeps hanging in there as she keeps thinking he will open up, but then he brings down this wall between them and shuts her out. Hope asks when this happens and Kayla admits, it is when they begin to get close. Adrienne goes to Steve’s to tell him who she is and finds him falling down drunk. She helps him into his place and puts him to bed. He tells her that he never meant to hurt her. Adrienne kisses him sweetly on the forehead and he touches his hand to where she kissed him as she leaves.

1/30 Adrienne shows up the next morning to talk to Steve and is once again interrupted by Kayla. Steve angrily tells her that he doesn’t ever want to find her in his place again. She tells him that she was just trying to help. He yells at her to stay away from him, that he doesn’t want anything from her. Kayla watches as Steve brings Joannie into Shenanigan’s and orders whatever she wants to be put on his tab. After Steve leaves, Kayla calls her over to join them and asks how things are going. Joannie fills her in on Steve playing pool to raise some money. She felt bad as when she went to Steve’s place it was all decked out for a date. Kayla and Adrienne share a flask on Steve's doorstep, waiting for him to return. Kayla gets tipsy and stumbles into Steve’s arms when he arrives home. Kayla tells him that she was waiting for him to talk to him. Kayla tells him that she found out why he stood her up the other night, was to help Joan to pay her rent. She says she knows he stood her up cause he is a great guy. She tells him that he can’t change her mind, as she knows he is a great guy. Then she hits him that he didn’t tell her the truth. She knows he doesn’t like to share that he is a good guy but Kayla already knows so he doesn’t have to hid it from her. She half passes out in his arms.

Steve accuses Adrienne of getting Kayla drunk to get something out of her. Adrienne denies it and says she doesn’t want anything from Kayla. Steve observes that he knows she wants something from him and if he ever finds her at his place again, he is going to assume she is looking for trouble. Steve picks her up and carries her home to her bed. Once there, he tries to get her to bed. She undresses down to her slip and starts taking his shirt off and starts kissing him. He is tempted but tries to get her to go to bed and tells her he is going to go home and take a cold shower. She tells him he can’t leave and wants him to stay. She pulls him down into bed with her and they start making out as Kayla is feeling frisky. Just as it looks like she has talked him into spending the night with her, she falls asleep on him. When he gets up to leave, she sleepily says she thought he was going to stay? He gets back into bed with her, with all of his clothes on and just holds her as she falls back asleep in his arms.

2/3 A hung-over Kayla wakes up to find Steve in a towel and wants to know what happened last night. He teases her but admits they didn’t sleep together. He tells her that if she is disappointed, he has time right now. Kayla softly says that if something was to happen that she wouldn’t want to sleep through it. He promises that there would be no way she would sleep through it. She is feeling really bad and he gets her up and tells her they have to get some food into her. Caroline arrives Kayla’s. Steve answers the door without his shirt on and then hurriedly puts it on. Caroline says she has been trying to call them. Kayla starts assuring her that things aren’t as they look. Caroline doesn’t care about that and shocks Steve when she tells him that she is glad he is there. She then shares that Max is in the hospital after being shot. Kayla and Steve arrive at the hospital. While they are waiting for word on Max, Kim tells Kayla about her trial and her feelings for Shane. Mike tells everyone that Max will be fine. Kayla comforts Steve about Max.

2/4 Steve drops Adrienne's purse at the clinic, and when he goes to pick up the contents, he finds a picture of himself as a child and a clipping of the fire. Steve takes the clipping and goes to the park and sits and remembers Duke beating up Jo and little 5 year old Steve setting the fire to stop him from hurting his mother. Steve wonders why Adrienne has a clipping of it in her purse. Steve confronts Adrienne and demands to know why she has been following him, sneaking into his room, and carrying around his picture. She asks him who he thinks she is? He doesn’t know.

2/5 Adrienne asks Steve who she looks like, who does she remind him of? He yells that she looks like his mother but he knows she isn’t her! She tells him she's his sister. He calls her a liar and determines that he doesn’t never had a sister. Steve goes to visit Max at the hospital, Frankie is there by his side. Max is scared and has stopped talking again. Kayla comes in and as she sits with Max, holding him, Steve has a flashback to his mother holding him when he was a little boy and walks out of the room. He runs into Adrienne near the nurse’s station and they have more works. Kayla watches as Steve and Adrienne argue, and asks what's up? Adrienne tells Kayla to ask Steve what it is about. A worried Frankie tries to sneak Max out of the hospital. Steve finds the boys in the stairwell and convinces Frankie to bring Max back. After he gets Max settled back in his room, he goes home. Steve cries alone in his bed while remembering his past. Kayla comes to the door and tries to get Steve to let her in, but he won’t answer. He walks to the door and cries, and after she leaves, he falls sobbing to the floor.

2/6 Kayla wants to know who Adrienne is, but Steve won’t tell her. Kayla points out that he looks like he has seen a ghost. She wants to know what is going on between him and Adrienne? He tells her that there are some things about him that she is never going to know and if she can’t handle that, that is her problem. Hurt, she cries that whatever is between him and Adrienne is more important to him than Kayla is and walks off. When Adrienne walks into the pool hall and finds Kayla on her way out, she asks her if Steve told her? Kayla says no but had to try. Steve continues to refuse to talk to Adrienne. Adrienne calls her mother and tells her that she told Steve but he doesn’t believe her and she needs something to convince him that she is his sister.

Later, Adrienne finds Steve and tells him a story about him helping a bird with a broken wing when he was a boy. She tells him the only person who knew about him helping that bird was his mother, their mother. She asks him what it is going to take for him to believe her? He says okay, she is his sister and she smiles in relief. He continues that he doesn’t know her and she is a stranger to him and walks away from her. She goes back up to him and says that he has to have questions about his family? He has no desire to dig up his past, that was a long time ago. She continues that she knows he set the fire to try to kill him. Steve says he was just playing with matches and they sent him away. Adrienne tells him that she knows he wanted to kill him as she grew up in that house and she wanted to kill daddy a thousand times.

Kayla runs into Bo at the courthouse. He notices that she is upset and asks her what the problem is? She claims to have a headache and he asks if this headache has a name? A frustrated Kayla warns Bo not to start with her, not today! He follows her into Roman’s office as she tries to get away from him. He tries to get her to tell him about what is going on with Steve. She says she doesn’t need a lecture from him. Bo points out that he knows Steve and perhaps he can help her understand him? She asks him about Adrian and Steve’s background. He doesn’t know Adrienne and tells her that Steve never discussed his childhood. Bo tells her that Steve has had a lot of women and he doesn’t want her to become one of his many. Bo compares Steve to the Titanic, that 90% of him is hidden like an iceberg. He warns her that he is incapable of opening up and being honest with her. Kayla knows that there is something in his past that is stopping him from opening up and she thinks Adrienne knows what it is. Kayla runs out.

Kayla finds Steve outside his place playing his harmonica. He is shut down but she tries to reach him by saying he knows Adrienne and she has the power to hurt him. He tells her no to even try to understand. She asks him not to push her away. She thinks he has been alone long enough, and it is okay if he doesn’t want to talk about it. She pulls him into her arms and he begins to sob heart wrenching cries as she holds him and comforts him. She promises him that it doesn’t always hurt and it will be okay.


2/10 Steve waits in the hallway until Adrienne leaves and then breaks into her place. He sees a picture of their mother and goes over to it and holds it tenderly. Adrienne returns to find him holding the picture and observes that he recognizes her, that he hasn’t seen his mother since he was five years old. She can tell by the way he is looking at the picture that he really does care. He claims he was just curious. She shows him other pictures of her mother with Adrienne, and with Steve as a baby. She continues to show him pictures, another of him with his toy train. She continues to comment that it is amazing how much they look alike, that he can tell they are family. He tells her that he doesn’t give a damn about her or her “mama” and they aren’t family. He starts yelling at her that he has gotten this far without you people so why does he need him know. He says he doesn’t have a home and he doesn’t have a mama, she gave him away.

Adrienne cries that their mother needs him, that maybe her reason for giving him up wasn’t good enough, but she needs him now. As Adrienne sobs, Steve tells her that nobody ever helped him. Adrienne says okay, she tried, she gave it a shot. He wants to know what she is going to tell “her”? She cries that she thought if she could just find her big brother that he could help them, that he could help her figure things out. As she lay in bed listening to her father beat her mother, she would tell herself that Stevie would know what to do. Steve turns to leave, and Adrienne cries is that it, he is just going to leave? Steve says he doesn’t owe you people anything and they aren’t his problem. They are screaming at each other as Kayla comes in and demands to know what is going on? Adrienne tells her that she has to go home due to family problems, her mama needs her. Kayla questions Steve about him being involved in this? She starts yelling that these two think she is really naive and she has never done anything to hurt either of them and all they tell her is lies. A fed up Kayla tells them that she is finished with this and they can keep their secrets.

Kayla walks in on Steve and Adrienne arguing and says she’s tired of the secrets between the two of them and leaves. Steve follows her to the clinic and tells her that he does have secrets. She realizes he has no intention of telling her what is going on? She cries that she thought they were special together. He tells her she isn’t the problem, the problem is inside of him and there are just things he can’t talk about with anybody. He asks her to leave it alone, to just let it be. He asks her if she can do that? She tells him honestly that she doesn’t know. Adrienne comes in crying and tells Kayla that she will be there until Friday so she has time to replace her. Kayla follows Adrienne out and asks her if she needs any help? Adrienne tells her that what she needs, Kayla can’t give her. When Kayla goes back inside, she asks Steve if couldn’t he just help Adrienne out? He says no he can’t. Kayla says okay, but just wishes she could help him. He tells her that she already has by trusting him and not pushing. He kisses her softly on the check and hugs her before he turns to leave.

2/12 Steve comes into the clinic and Adrienne asks if he came to say goodbye. He says that he thought she would be gone already. She tells him not to worry, that she will be gone tomorrow. When he just stands there she asks what he wants? He says he doesn’t want anything from her. She says she was stupid to expect anything, just because he is her brother? He tells her that she thought wrong. She asks what is he going to do now, pretend she never existed? Kayla walks in as he says to Adrienne that he knows who she is but he doesn’t care. Kayla is surprised to hear him say it out loud. Adrienne walks into the back and Kayla is curious. She says she knows she said she wouldn’t ask him about it, but if he wants to talk.

He notices her gown and she tells him it is for the Centennial Celebration that night. He says he might like to go if she doesn’t have anyone taking her? He declares she is getting an award and she should have an escort. She softly asks if he is asking her to be his date? He smiles and says he has to go and make himself look human and walks out. When he walks back in to ask what time he should pick her up, he finds her holding the necklace he gave her. He asks her if she is going to wear that tonight? She says yes, that she picked out the dress special to wear with it. She observes it looks like it was made a long time ago and asks where he got it? He says it was his mother’s. After he leaves, Kayla notices the matching bracelet that Adrienne is wearing. When Kayla asks her about it, she shares that was her mother’s and there was a necklace that matched it but it was lost. After Adrienne leaves, Kayla realizes that Adrienne is Steve’s sister.

When Steve arrives to pick her up, Kayla tells him about seeing Adrienne wearing a matching bracelet that belonged to her mother. She asks him if Adrienne is his sister, if that is the secret that he has been keeping from her? Kayla says that it is wonderful that he has had a sister show up after all this time. He asks what makes Kayla think that Steve wanted to see Adrienne? He didn’t grow up in a big happy family the way Kayla did, and it doesn’t mean the same thing to him that it does to her. She tells him that his sister is a part of him. He argues that she is a stranger. Adrienne walks in and asks if Steve finally told her. Kayla says she figured it out on her own. Kayla says she knows she agreed not to discuss this but that was before she found out they were brother and sister. Steve argues that she doesn’t know anything about this. Kayla begs him not to let Adrienne walk out of his life, doesn’t he want to know about his family? Steve says he doesn’t have a family and starts to walk out. He tells her he is going to a party and asks if she is coming?

They attend a performance of Melissa and Lars dancing. Afterwards she tells him about wanting to be a ballerina as a child. She asks Steve what he wanted to be when he was a child? He says he just wanted to be older. He tries to explain to her that he didn’t have happy childhood memories. He remembers being given away, of being a scared kid thrown into an orphanage. He says the day he left that place he swore to himself that he would never be afraid of like that again. She asks him if he has never felt fear about his feelings since then? He tells her she could never understand. She offers to try if he will let her, he knows she would try but he doesn’t think she ever will be able to understand.

A beaten Jo shows up at the Emergency Center and collapses into Adrienne’s arms.

2/13 Kayla finds Steve playing pool. He realizes she is there to talk to him about Adrienne as she is leaving town today. She says it is interesting that he is aware of what day it is. She gives him a Valentine and tells him that maybe he needs some cheering up today. She mocks him and doe an imitation of him saying, “It is just another day Sweetness”. He stops her when she is leaving and tells her she is forgetting her Valentine’s Day present. He grabs a wrapped gift from behind the bar as she gives him a huge smile. She is touched by his gift which makes her laugh. She doesn’t understand how he can be so thoughtful and then be the same guy who is letting his sister walk out of his life? She offers to talk to her. He stops her and demands that she stay out of it. He gets upset and she determines that he must care or he wouldn’t be so upset. She warns him that this is a mistake and he is going to figure this out later on down the road when it is too late to do anything about it.

When her mom passes out in her home, Adrienne tracks Kayla down and calls her for help. Kayla asks what happened to her? Adrienne says she tripped and fell. Kayla reports Jo needs to be in the hospital. When they arrive, Kayla asks her again who the woman is? She points out that she believes the woman has some pretty serious internal injuries and may need surgery. Kayla wants to know if she has any family in town. Adrienne arrives at the pool hall and insists that Steve follow her and that she will drag him if she has too. Adrienne brings him to the hospital and Steve demands to know what is going on? Adrienne tells him that there is someone there that she wants Steve to see. Kayla realizes that isn’t Adrienne’s friend but her mother. Steve stands in the door of his mother’s room, first time he has seen her since he was five years old. She recognizes him and asks him to come closer as he gets tears in his eye. She cries out, “Stevie” and he really starts crying.

2/16 As Steve’s mother calls out, “My son”, he shakily covers his eye patch not wanting her to see it. She tells him that she is sorry as Adrienne listens from the doorway. He walks outside and cries. Kayla tells him that she knows he is hurting from his mother giving him up, but her injuries are serious and she needs him right now. Kayla warns him that his mother could die. He says that his mother died a long time ago. She shares that a family is the most important thing that you can have. He cries that he never had a family. Kayla points out that those people are his family but he denies it. He says that woman in their gave birth to him but then she gave him away and he doesn’t owe her anything. Kayla isn’t thinking about Jo, she is thinking about him. He tells her he hasn’t needed those people since he was five years old. Kayla tells him that if he walks away now that he is giving up more than he could ever imagine. He cries that he isn’t the one who gave up.

Steve’s mother is taken away for surgery. Steve has left the hospital and walks down on the docks as he has more flashbacks to his childhood with his mother. He goes back to the hospital and sits by his mother’s beside as she is in recovery after her surgery. He cries to his unconscious mom that she said she would come back to get him, but she never did. He is mad at her and he doesn’t understand what she did but he doesn’t want her to die. He tries to put his hand on her shoulder to touch her but just can’t bring himself to do it and walks away as Kayla watches from the hallway. Kayla joins Adrienne at Jo’s beside later on after Steve has left. Kayla asks Adrienne if she knows who did this to her? Adrienne says yes she does. She shares that maybe this time, they will go away some place where he will never find them. Kayla finds Steve down on the dock. He tells her that he doesn’t want to talk right now. Kayla tells him that she thought he would want to know that the surgery went well and Jo will be fine. He claims that he doesn’t care. Kayla says that it is okay he is angry with his mother for what she did to him but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t love her. He yells at her to stop trying to turn some low class strangers into a white picket fence family. He does not care about those people and he never will.

2/18 (beginning of scene missed) Adrienne argues with Steve at Shenanigan’s. She declares that mama was right about him not being willing to help them. She tells him that as soon as mama gets better, they will be leaving town. She slams his toy train down and says she wanted to return something that belongs to him. Steve walks in to see his mother, surprising Adrienne. She gets excited that he is there to help them. He declares he never said anything about helping and just came to see her. Adrienne tries to throw him out and not let him see their mother. When he starts yelling at her, she says he is just like “Him” and asks Steve is he going to hit her now? Jo stops this and warns Adrienne to never say that again. Adrienne leaves to he can talk to Jo.

Steve tells Jo it is time she gave him some answers. Jo tells him that coming to Salem was all Adrienne’s idea, Jo didn’t want to interfere with his life now. He wants to know why she gave him and his little brother up? She gave her babies away for “him”. She tells Steve that she did it because she loved him. She asks him to think about if he had grown up in that house. After the fire, she had no choice but to take him away in order to protect him as Duke would have killed him. She understands how he feels but asks him to just let it go. She tells him that he may be mad at her and may hate her but he will not tell her that she did not love her kids. He just stares at her as she says this. After he leaves the room, she jokes out a sob. Kayla is reeling after Kimberly is sentenced to life in prison. Steve goes to see Kayla. She asks if he is okay? He says he is but snaps at her to not start asking a bunch of questions. He then says he is sorry that he shouldn’t have come here. She stops him from leaving and tells him that they don’t have to talk and asks her to stay. He tells her he knows she has had a bad day but he just needs her right now. She brings him back into her place. He tells her that he went to the hospital to see his mother. She tells him it is okay, that he doesn’t have to talk and they just sit together comforting each other.

2/20 Steve goes to the hospital to check on his mother and Kayla tells him she's doing better. She asks if he would like to see for himself? He claims he was just checking to see if she was gone yet and turns to leave. She stops him from leaving and tells him that she is healing nicely and will be leaving the hospital soon. Kayla tells him that she hopes she will see him later.

Adrienne comes running out of Jo’s room and begs Steve that she is going back to him and he will kill her. They have to stop her! Steve urges Adrienne to go back in and stop her then. Adrienne tells him that she has tried but she isn’t getting anywhere. He can’t believe she would go back to him. He agrees to talk to her to get Adrienne off her case. Steve demands to know how Jo could go back to him. He asks her if she has ever heard about divorce? Jo says she will go back to him to protect her children and keep Duke away from him and Adrienne. He walks into the lounge and tells Adrienne that he can’t do anything to get through to their mother as she is insisting she is going to go home. Adrienne begs him to try harder! He doesn’t understand why she thinks he has all the answers. Adrienne storms out.

Steve tells Kayla that he doesn’t understand why she can live with this freak after all of these years. He doesn’t know why he even bothered. Kayla offers to be there for him if he wants to talk or just be with someone. He tells her he just needs to be alone for now and she kisses him goodbye. Steve and Adrienne's father arrives at the hospital and comes into Jo’s room bearing flowers. Adrienne is shocked to see him and asks him how he found them? He promises to take care of them. Steve comes into the room and sees Duke there and stares him down.

2/23 Duke recognizes Steve and begins berating him. Steve grabs him and throws him up against the wall threatening to kill him. A horrified Kayla hears the commotion and tries to break it up. Kayla asks what is going on? Adrienne introduces Duke as her father. Steve screams at him that he has a lot of nerve for showing up. Neil comes in and tells them that he can hear them all the way down the hall. Neil suggests that they leave and give Mrs. Johnson a chance to rest. Jo tries to explain to Adrienne and Kayla why she has to go back to Duke, in order to protect her kids. She points out they both saw what just happened here.

Steve follows Duke out and menacingly tells him that they have some catching up to do. Duke plays innocent about beating up on Jo. Steve tells him to leave town. Duke tells her that his mother threw him out and she doesn’t need anything from him. When Duke calls Steve son, he warns Duke not to call him that. When he does again, Steve grabs him. Kayla bursts in and breaks it up. Duke points out that things didn’t work out so well for Steve last time he tried to interfere. After Duke walks out, Steve tells Kayla that he is the only person he ever wanted to see dead. Kayla asks Steve if he wants to talk. Steve cries that he beat her every day. Steve tells Kayla about his childhood and the fire where he tried to kill Duke when he was a kid. Kayla is shaken by this information. He tells her that he couldn’t take all the yelling, the crying, the sound of his hand cracking up against the side of her face, and his baby brother screaming at the top of his lungs. Kayla cries as Steve tells her the details of that night. Steve declares as long as he is alive, they will never have any peace.

Steve tells Jo and Adrienne they can stay with him and he’ll protect them. Jo continues to say she has to go back to Duke. She tells Steve that Adrienne should stay with Steve but she has to go back to him. She tells Steve that his father will never accept her leaving. After he leaves, Kayla tells him that he did the right thing by offering. He tells her that he shouldn’t have gotten involved. She says but he did, and ever after everything that has happened, he still wanted to do the right thing. She tells him that he is a very special guy.

2/24 Kayla arrives for Hope’s Baby Shower at Doug’s Place. Bo asks her what is going on with Steve? He says she gets this look when something is up with Steve. She asks him if he knows anything about Steve’s family. Bo points out that he doesn’t know much, that when Steve doesn’t want to talk about something, he won’t discuss it. Kayla tells him about his sister, mother and father showing up in Salem. Bo runs out when he spots Orpheus and plays it off that he just saw an old friend. Kayla saw the look on his face and she surmises if Orpheus is in Salem that isn’t good for any of them.

2/25 Kayla goes to see Steve about helping his mother. He tells her that he tried and Kayla offers to talk to Jo. Steve laughs that she is asking for permission as he knows that she will talk to her anyway but he does not argue it. She happily says that his family is going to be safe.

Meanwhile, Adrienne is still trying to persuade Jo to leave Duke, as he arrives early to pick her up. Adrienne tells Jo and Duke she’s going home with them to try to force Jo to leave him. Jo says no, but Duke loves the idea. Adrienne asks if they can stop by her place so she can pick up her things. When Jo tries to talk her into staying in her new place with her new job, Duke interrupts and says that no she belongs at home. Jo insists on Adrienne staying in Salem and they start arguing her fate. As their voices raise, Neil comes in and offers if Jo isn’t feeling up to leaving yet that he can arrange for her to stay a few more days.

While Jo is signing release forms, Adrienne runs out to the hallway and calls Steve and tells him that she is leaving with Duke. She tells him that she agreed to go home with them, Steve can’t believe she is going to do that. She tells Steve that Jo doesn’t want to go with him, she is afraid. She fills him in on the argument in the hospital and he was about to hit her. She shares that they are going to stop at her apartment and she wants him to meet her there and he agrees. Neil tells Kayla that Jo has checked out of the hospital and they are headed to Adrienne’s. Kayla calls Adrienne’s and Steve picks up the phone. He tells Kayla he’s not going to let Jo go back to Duke and he will do whatever he has to. Neil encourages Kayla to call the police.

When Duke enters, Steve warns him that he isn’t taking either of them anywhere. When Duke ignores him and continues to pick up Adrienne’s things, Steve warns him that he is NOT taking them and he will have to kill Steve to do it. Steve and Duke are fighting as Steve tells him he is going to leave his mama alone. Kayla rushes to Adrienne’s to stop Steve from going after Duke. As she is trying to stop them from fighting, Duke hits her in the face and she falls to the floor and looks up at him in shock and horror.

2/26 Steve pulls a gun on him. He tells Duke that he has just hit his last woman. Kayla tries to talk Steve down. He says he is tired of talking and it he is done with Duke and he deserves to die. Kayla jumps in front of Duke and refuses to watch him commit murder. Steve says that he deserves to die. Kayla continues to refuse to move. She says he is acting like an animal and murder isn’t right no matter what he has done. Kayla says she may not understand but he doesn’t have to be like Duke. If he kills him, he will be in jail the rest of his life and that is no way to help his family. Jo enters the room and is shocked to see Steve with the gun and a bloody face. Duke tries to get her to leave with him and when she agrees Steve yells at her to listen to him. He tells her for once in his life to do what is best for her, that he isn’t little Stevie any longer and doesn’t need her to protect him. He asks if she really wants to go back to being beaten every night and waking up to being a bloody bruised mess every morning. She admits that she does not want to go back to that.

Steve warns Duke to leave and he does so claiming that he loves his family. After he leaves, Jo worries if she did the right thing by not leaving with him. If she goes with him, she can save them as they do not know what kind of man he is. He tells her they no longer need her to protect them. Kayla offers to get an injunction against him so he can’t come anywhere near them. Kayla tells her about a battered woman’s shelter that will protect her, help her feel better about herself and to start a new life. She encourages that they have an opening today. Jo thanks Steve very much.

Steve, Kayla, Adrienne and Jo arrive at the shelter. She is welcomed and relieved and feeling safe. She can’t believe she can get Duke out of their lives. Jo wants Adrienne to stay at the shelter with her but she says she can take care of herself. While Jo ad Kayla are filling out forms, Steve talks to Adrienne. He is worried about her and thinks she should stay there for awhile too as she will be safer. She argues that she can take care of herself. He asks if she can at least stay a few days with Kayla. She won’t do that either so he gives her his gun for protection.

Steve and Kayla pick up some of Jo’s things from Adrienne’s place. He asks if she thinks Jo will be safe in that place? She says yes, they will take good care of her. He tells her that it was a good idea. She shares that he scared her today, the look on his face and the way he held the gun, that he looked like he could have really pulled the trigger. He tells Kayla that if she hadn’t stopped him, he would have killed Duke. Kayla says that after meeting Duke and seeing the way he treats his family that she understands Steve’s anger. He says he will still do what he has to do to keep him away from Jo. Kayla admits that she understands now why it was so difficult for him to open up to her, that his memories were so painful. He kisses her cheek where Duke hit her and tells her that he never wants to see her hurt. He wants to keep her away from everything bad. She asks just as long as he doesn’t keep her away from him and asks him not to do that.

3/2 Steve and Kayla relax as they think the family drama is over. He invites her out for the evening, to go out for dinner and dancing. He seems surprised when she says yes. He teases her that didn’t her mother ever teach her to be coy and flirt with a man and not just agree so easily. Adrienne comes in to cover the clinic and so Steve and Kayla head out. He is surprised when she wants to go to play pool and tells him she got an urge to “shoot a couple of tables”. She points out a game of pool is relaxing. He warns her not to try to hustle a hustler and then figures out she has been practicing as she tells him she is pretty good. She wants to play for a buck a ball and he wants to know where she learned to talk like that? He suggests that he wants to play for kisses instead.

Steve’s friends are cheering her on with every shot and Steve wants to know why they don’t cheer for him. He is told that he isn’t as pretty as she is. He tallies up the math and tells her that she owes him ten kisses! He wants her to pay up right now! She is embarrassed as the crowd cheers them on, and they are both laughing as she kisses him and she counts up the kisses. he admits she has gotten good at playing pool and he gets a kick out of watching her and tells her how cute she is playing pool.

Duke shows up at the Emergency Center and tries to get Adrienne to tell him where Jo is. She claims she doesn’t know but he finds the brochure for the women’s shelter when he searches her purse. Duke calls Jo and threatens Adrienne if Jo doesn’t come meet him. When Jo shows up, Duke beats her. Adrienne rushes to get Steve and Kayla and tells her that daddy found their mama and is beating her. They rush to the clinic, and Steve pulls him off of Jo.

The police come in and restrain Steve and Duke. Steve tells them to look at her bruised face and that he beats her. One of the officers notices that the bruises on her face look fresh and ask her if she wants to press charges. Steve is furious when Jo refuses and says she fell. The officers take Duke out and tell him they are going to give him a ride. Steve yells at her how long she is going to protect him and why did she leave the shelter to come back to him? She says he was going to hurt Adrienne and she had to stop him. Steve points out that all she had to do was tell the cops and have him arrested. Jo says she couldn’t do it as he is her husband. Steve tells her this is sick and then asks her if she is okay. She says yes and he offers to take her back to the shelter.

**The End**