As Gabi’s Reunion With Stefan Hits the Skids, EJ Sees Something He Wishes He Could Unsee!

As the first official Peacock episode begins, Alex shares with Stephanie a whole lot of good news. Not only is Sonny recovering, but thanks to her efforts, Titan managed to avoid a PR disaster and actually saw the stock go up a bit. He suggests they celebrate with cosmos. She, however, reminds him that his behavior is inappropriate, as their relationship does not and will never extend beyond business. Pointing out she started on the racing circuit, she makes it clear she knows exactly how to handle guys like him, adding that it violates all kinds of HR policies to ask her out, especially after having received a firm “no.” After he promises to never ask her out again, Stephanie exits to meet with another client. 

Johnny admits to Ava that he likes having her around and soon, the two are making out atop her bed. She tries to stop kissing him. “I’m old enough to be your… “ she stops herself, adding, “I’d rather not say the ‘m’ word!” They discuss all the reasons they shouldn’t do this, including that she — having recently lost her husband — recently saw him wandering around. “I think I’m losing my mind,” Ava admits. Johnny suggests EJ might be responsible, given that he has a history of having gaslit women. 

In the main living room of the DiMera mansion, Li reminds EJ that he was closer to Jake than most of the dead man’s real family. What with the memorial service over, EJ suggests Li beat a hasty-but-tasteful retreat, which the other man promises to do as soon as Gabi is done saying her final farewells to Stefan. “How long does it take to say farewell to a guy who has been dead four years?” asks EJ, adding that Gabi’s heart clearly still belongs to “my dead brother.” 

More: The cast speaks out on the Peacock move!

Things between the men get testy, with EJ suggesting Gabi might not be as over Stefan as she insists, and Li telling DiMera to mind his own business. “Stefan was my brother, and you and Gabi are on a mission to consolidate power at DiMera, so it’s very much my business,” insists EJ. Li insists it’s not a mission, it’s love. They switch gears to discuss Li’s new hire, Ava, with EJ saying she’s as shrewd as she is off her rocker. 

Eventually, Ava tells Johnny nothing is going to happen between them, because she needs to heal. That said, the way he has defended (and pursued) her has, she admits lifted her spirts and been good for her ego. Of course, at that moment, EJ walks in and assumes — given that they are in bed — that his son and Ava made love. EJ kicks her out of the mansion, but Johnny warns that if she goes, so does he. “Win/win,” declares his father. The pair decide to move into the Salem Inn, with Johnny saying he can sleep on her floor. “It doesn’t have to be about sex,” he says, adding with a grin, “but by the way, I kinda love tha tmy dad thinks it is!” Johnny makes it clear he didn’t try to sleep with her to stick it to his dad, but because he genuinely likes her. They essentially form a mutual-admiration society. 

Bracing herself, Gabi tells Stefan’s urn  that as much as what they had was wonderful, she needed to move on. Despite being engaged to Li, she admits that he was the love of her life and always will be. But before she can walk out of the crypt, in walks the man about whom she was just speaking! “Hello, Gabi,” says Stefan. When she calls him Jake, he recoils, asking why everyone keeps confusing him with someone else. 

Reeling, Gabi points out Stefan can’t be who he claims to be, as she donated his heart to Julie. But Stefan says the magic words — Dr. Rolf — and she eventually becomes filled with joy and pulls him into a kiss. He pulls away, saying he can barely stand the sight of her. As she’s begging Stefan to remember her and their love, a stunned Li enters the crypt. Upon learning it’s Stefan, not Jake, Li makes sure the newly-resurrected guy sees the rock on Gabi’s finger, then announces their engagement. 

Chanel and Allie deliver 9,999 campaign cookes to Abe and Paulina. (Whoops, 9,998, as Allie has just polished off another.) But the cookies — which say Vote For Abe — are no longer acceptable. Why? Because Abe’s no longer running… Paulina is! Later, Allie and Chanel cross with Alex, who asks their help with getting over Stephanie.”I’m not a schmuck,” he declares (all evidence to the contrary), adding that he understands “when a woman says no, she means it. I really just wasn’t used to hearing it before I moved back here!” Reflecting on the “good old days” when he was all about sex, he wonders how he’s supposed to stop feeling needy and pathetic following Stephanie’s rejection. Chanel suggests the best way to get over Stephanie would be for Alex to have a no-strings-attached hook-up. And he, of course, proves himself the skeeze he claims not to be by suggesting a three-way. Instead, the ladies suggest he consider Stephanie a bump in the road to finding someone special. He thanks them, saying he respects that they’re not into the threesome idea, claiming that thanks to Stephanie, he has a better idea of what it’s like to only want to be with one person.

Stephanie preps Paulina for an interview, suggesting that Abe take part as well, because they are a great power couple. Paulina admits she was worse-than-unlucky in love until finally she met Abe, and Stephanie looks at them wistfully. “Sometimes,” says Paulina, “you think you know what you want — and what you don’t — but it turns out you don’t have a clue!” As she’s reflecting on those words over a drink, Alex walks in… and Stephanie suggests they celebrate their victory together. “It’s just one drink, and it’s business… “ 

In the final moments, Gabi wants to take Stefan to the hospital so he can get his memory of her back. But he points out that she’s the one who seems to be forgetting that he was in a happy relationship with Chloe until Gabi came along and ruined everything! As Ava and Johnny hoped, EJ loses his ish upon finding out they are moving in together, saying she is a cougar who is using his son. (Amusingly, as they’re exiting, Ava does a great cougar impression!) Outside Sweet Bits, Chanel and Allie agree they don’t want anyone but each other. Just then, Johnny and Ava surprise them with the news of their co-habitation at the hotel. And after Stefan reads Gabi before walking out, Li tries to hide his glee at the way things have gone… 

Next on Days of Our Lives: Three beloved residents fall under the weather, and Rafe asks questions he probably shouldn’t.

As Days of Our Lives begins a whole new chapter on Peacock, flash back on its incredible history with our incredible photo gallery of moments you probably don’t remember as well as ones you’ll never forget. 

Days of Our Lives is now airing exclusively on Peacock. To make sure you never miss an episode, and to take advantage of a special $1.99 a month offer, click here. Please note that if you purchase something by clicking on a link within this story, we may receive a small commission of the sale.