Stefan and EJ’s ‘Truce’ Leads to the Revival of an Old Alliance — and Xander and Alex Nearly Come to Blows!

As we get into Salem, Li and Gabi are eating another breakfast he made, and he thinks it’s a good sign she didn’t push her plate away. He promises he’ll do anything to make her happy, but when she tries to leave, they get into it about tracking her phone and sneaking around with Stefan.

Li brings up the clause again and warns her that any funny stuff with her ex will ruin her chance of running DiMera. Gabi, as Li says, is more determined than ever to get those shares and run DiMera with Stefan. As she tries storming out, she runs into Johnny just about to knock.

He came to see Wendy, but Li tells Johnny she went to talk to Tripp at the hospital. “I guess the two of them have… gotten pretty close since he moved in here.” Johnny leaves as Li smugly tells him he had something very important to talk to Tripp about. Li doesn’t trust Johnny, and Gabi calls him out for judging people on trustworthiness. Before Gabi can leave, he gives her a gift from her favorite store. She’s excited and then sees papers inside the box. He has a business proposal that Gabi partners with the store and start a new company, just like Gabi Chic.

He’s crazy. She can’t take this on right now or even think about a name. He offers a few with “Shin” in the name. Er, no, she’s not going to get distracted from the DiMera CEO position or Stefan. Li says he’s just doing everything he can to help her reclaim herself — then gets a message and has to run.

At the DiMera mansion, EJ and Stefan sit down for a chat. EJ calls his brother out for turning back on his promise that he’d forgiven him for not saying anything about his brainwashing. “Is this war?” EJ asks. Stefan doesn’t hesitate to answer: “Damn right it is.”

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EJ gives Stefan credit for the drug, and Stefan congratulates him for figuring it out and turning it back on him. Stefan gets some coffee, then the two spar more over whether it’s drugged or not. Stefan wonder what Stefano would say about EJ falling in with Li, and EJ says that if Stefan had ever met their father, he wouldn’t need to ask. Then they get into the importance of family, and spar over sleeping with Abigail — at least she and Chad weren’t married and she was in her right mind when EJ did it.

EJ says Gabi isn’t to be trusted. Success is all that matters to her, and if Stefan gets in the way, bye-bye. False. They love each other. They then move on to Johnny, and Stefan says he should thank him, while EJ says Johnny enjoys aggravating him, but he’s still his son. Stefan muses that he’s got a lot of Brady in him with that sense of right and wrong.

They then agree that neither one wants to risk DiMera with their war. EJ says he has to accept that Gabi’s on her way back and he may have to accept running the empire with her in the mix. But there’s six months before that’s decided. EJ pours a drink and they toast to their truce. “To family. And to two prodigal sons who joined forces to hold onto an empire.”

EJ sends a text that makes Stefan suspicious, but EJ says he’s got nothing to worry about “from me.” Stefan then leaves for the office and EJ promises Stefano’s portrait that he can still destroy him. He was, after all, taught by the best.

At The Spectator, Xander’s flabbergasted with Gwen’s claim that she slept with Alex. He doesn’t believe it, but Gwen assures him it’s true. It had nothing to do with Xander, though. They met, had some drinks and had some fun. Xander says Gwen’s just another notch on his cousin’s bedpost, but she’s not fazed. He doesn’t want to see her hurt, but Gwen throws it back that he takes care of that plenty.

Gwen isn’t having any of Xander’s concern. She’s over him. Also, as he himself told her, the paper is hers to run, he should leave. He still has half an interest, though, and he wants to protect it. Fine, but leave her outside life alone. The fight some more and he storms out saying maybe next time they can be civilized, only for Gwen to scream when he’s gone.

Back at the Salem Inn, Alex calls Leo out for ruining his life with his column, then threatens him. “When I am through with you, you will not be able to whistle anything!” Leo says he had no idea it would tank Alex’s job and tries to apologize. He just wanted a strong first column. Alex says that if Leo keeps his name out of that “skeevy little column” he might let Leo live.

Alex gets ready to leave saying Maggie wants him in the office by noon. (Wow. Life is rough when your family owns the company…) Leo wants details about his “romance” with Gwen, but Alex accuses him of trying to get dirt for his column. No way, Gwen wouldn’t even allow it. She owns the paper after all, and she’s Leo’s best friend. He then warns Alex not to hurt her. They’re just friends, she’s fine, Alex says.

Wendy visits Tripp at the hospital with coffee, feeling bad about what Johnny did. Tripp assures her it wasn’t her fault. He then has a breakfast burrito and just as Wendy is wiping a bit of food off his face, Johnny walks in and sees them giggling together. He strides over and promises he’s there to make things right and explain to Tripp’s supervisor what happened. Tripp says it’s fine. He got a slap on the wrist. It’ll be fine unless Johnny stirs it up again. Leave it.

In the show’s last few minutes, Xander warns Alex to stay away from Gwen when they run into each other in the square. Back off, or Xander will make him pay. “You gonna dress up like a clown again?” Xander asks how things are going with Aunt Maggie and Alex says neither of them can stand him, so they’re fine. They then get into who’s worse to women. “Stay away from Gwen. Or you will regret it.”

As Leo arrives at work, Gwen is trying to deal with Julie’s Place dropping their advertising. Then when Leo asks for Alex details, he’s thrilled that Gwen already told Xander. She can use Alex to make his cousin jealous! But she’s not interested, so he suggests making him “suffer” instead. Johnny, meanwhile agrees to butt out and offers another apology. Tripp walks off after thanking… Wendy for breakfast. She, in turn, appreciates Johnny trying to make it right and admitting he was wrong. She’s proud of him.

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Stefan shows up at Gabi’s door and kisses her. She freaks, saying he needs to be more careful. No, no, it’s fine, he’s got exciting news. He made a truce with EJ — so it’ll be easier for them to oust him in the long run. “EJ is not going to see it coming.” At the DiMera’s Li shows up and says he doesn’t like being summoned by EJ. Fine, but they’re going to be secret allies. EJ wants to help him hold onto Gabi. Permanently.

Next on Days of Our Lives: Steve and John leave Salem to track down Megan, and Marlena and Kayla run into a very familiar face!

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Find out everything you need to know about how low EJ can go in our photo gallery of his life.