Days of our Lives Recap, December 2, 2025: Rachel pleads with Brady not to leave her in Bayview

Here is what happened on Days of our Lives on Tuesday, December 2, 2025, when Rachel begged Brady not to leave her, Cat asked Rafe for help, and Marlena struggled with guilt.

What happened on Days of our Lives

Brady kisses Rachel goodbye on Days of our Lives | Image: Peacock

Gwen spotted Javi and Leo in Horton Town Square. As they started to walk away, Leo fumbled the ring. Gwen picked it up. Leo demanded the ring back. Gwen asked Leo if he had stolen it. “That was my mother’s ring,” Javi said. Gwen threw the ring into Leo’s hand. “And now it’s going to be Javi’s engagement ring,” Leo said. Gwen was surprised.

“Aren’t you happy for us?” Leo asked. With a forced smile, Gwen congratulated the men. Leo said he doubted Gwen’s sincerity. Gwen scowled at the couple as they made their way to the jeweler to have the ring sized. After the jeweler, Leo chatted about wedding plans as he walked with Javi through the square. Leo suggested that they ask Marlena to officiate the wedding, and Javi agreed. Gwen listened from nearby as Leo and Javi talked about a New Year’s Eve wedding.

At University Hospital, Cat asked EJ if it was true that Jennifer was attempting to take Chad's kids away from him. EJ confirmed that Jack and Jennifer had filed for custody. Cat admitted she had reached out to Chad, but she had not heard back. “Chad hasn’t been responding to anyone,” EJ said. EJ explained that Chad had left the Horton house to give everyone some space, but he had disappeared after that. EJ confirmed that Chad had missed Thanksgiving.

“No matter what kind of stress [Chad] was under, he would want to spend Thanksgiving with his children,” Cat said. Cat asked EJ if someone could be targeting his family. EJ refused to talk to the police. EJ assured Cat that his security team was looking for both Chad and Tony.

Worried, Cat reached out to Rafe, and they met up outside the pub. Cat told Rafe what she had learned from EJ. Rafe was unsure whether EJ had anyone looking for his brothers, because EJ might be to blame. Rafe and Cat went to the Salem Inn to search Chad’s room.

“No sign of a forced entry or struggle,” Rafe noted. Cat confirmed there was no wallet or phone. “Housekeeping said he hadn’t even slept in the bed,” Rafe added. “Which means he hasn’t been back since he checked in,” Cat countered. Rafe noted that other than Dimitri, all the missing people were children of Stefano.

In Marlena’s hospital room, Kayla confirmed that Marlena’s first Lyme disease test had been a false negative. “I do believe that the high doses of antibiotics we’re giving you for the carditis is also helping with the Lyme symptoms,” Kayla said. Kayla asked Marlena if she was okay. Marlena admitted that she was more concerned about Rachel than her Lyme diagnosis.

“I’m feeling pretty guilty, because I kept information about Rachel from Brady. And now he is rightfully upset with me,” Marlena explained. Kayla noted that Brady loved Marlena, and he would forgive her. Marlena asked Kayla if her grief or illness could have clouded her judgment. “I think that you made the best decision you could for Rachel,” Kayla said. “I have failed [Rachel] as a grandmother. I have failed her as a therapist. And now she is having to pay the price,” Marlena lamented. Kayla urged Marlena to rest and take care of herself.

At Bayview Hospital, Brady escorted Rachel to her room. “I hate this place, Daddy. Please don’t make me stay,” Rachel pleaded. Brady stressed that Rachel needed professional help to deal with her emotional health. “They can adjust your medicine, and they can monitor your feelings. And everybody here, everybody here, cares about you. And they’re going to help you,” Brady said. Brady assured Rachel that there were other kids and teens in the hospital for her to meet.

Brady promised that he would visit Rachel every day, and that once Marlena was out of the hospital, she would visit Rachel. “Couldn’t [Grandma] just be my doctor?” Rachel asked. Brady told Rachel that Marlena agreed that Rachel should be at Bayview. Rachel called Brady a liar.

“Grandma wouldn’t make me stay here. Neither would Mommy!” Rachel said. “Mommy would want you to get better,” Brady said. Brady gave Rachel a small baseball that John had given him when he was a kid. Brady said the baseball was a reminder of how much everyone loved Rachel.

“And when you’re lonely or sad or mad, squeeze it really tight, just like you’d be squeezing my hand,” Brady said. Rachel cried, and Brady held her. “What if I don’t get better?” Rachel asked. Brady assured Rachel she would. A nurse asked Brady to leave. Brady told Rachel he loved her. Rachel said she was sorry, and she pleaded for Brady to stay. “I need you to be strong. I need you to be brave,” Brady whispered. “I want to go home!” Rachel cried out. With tears in his eyes, Brady hurriedly walked out as Rachel screamed for him.

At Belle’s request, Paulina met with her at the penthouse. Belle told Paulina about Rachel. “I’m trying to be a good aunt, sister, and daughter. But I do recognize that I’m also the DA, and I have an oath of office to uphold,” Belle said. Belle argued that she could not move to vacate Kristen’s judgment until she was found. Paulina sighed.

“So Kristen, she was protecting her daughter all along. That’s why she confessed,” Paulina noted. “I think she was counting on Rachel never remembering the events of that night,” Belle said. Belle recommended that the case not be handled by the juvenile justice system, but instead with therapy. “I’m going to petition the court to keep her records sealed. And well, I just didn’t want to make any decisions before looping you in,” Belle said. Paulina asked about EJ.

“EJ knew before any of us did,” Belle said. Belle explained that EJ had acted to protect Rachel and respect Kristen’s wishes. “I will talk to him. I will make sure he’s on board with my proposal,” Belle said. When Belle asked Paulina if she could proceed with the mental health route for Rachel, Paulina said she could not sign off on Belle’s plan until hearing from EJ.

When Belle arrived at the hospital, Kayla confirmed that Marlena had Lyme disease. “I knew it! I knew this was EJ’s fault,” Belle argued. Kayla promised to talk to EJ, and she urged Belle to focus on Marlena. Kayla told Belle that Marlena was upset about Rachel. “I’ll be there for her, just like she’s always there for me,” Belle said. EJ said hello as he walked over. With a scowl, Belle walked away.

“She didn’t seem too pleased to see me,” EJ said. “Her mother almost died because of you,” Kayla said. Kayla argued that EJ’s budget cuts had compromised the integrity of the lab. EJ countered that his cuts had saved the hospital from bankruptcy. EJ added that the hospital had a history of mistakes and altered paternity tests.

“But it is under your watch that the lab is understaffed and underpaid, which is a recipe for sloppiness. And patients like Marlena are having to pay the price,” Kayla argued. EJ offered to divert money from Kayla’s salary to the lab. Kayla countered that they should shut down EJ’s secret lab instead.

In Marlena’s room, Marlena asked about Rachel. Belle admitted that Paulina did not want to commit to Belle’s plan to handle the matter through the mental health system. “I’m the DA and I’ll do everything I can to protect Rachel,” Belle promised. Marlena noted that the most important thing was for Rachel to “recover and heal.”

Belle went to EJ’s office after she talked to Marlena. EJ asked if she was there to apologize. Belle laughed. “I’m sincerely sorry about your mother,” EJ said. Belle told EJ that Rachel had remembered the shooting. “I know that you’re the one that pushed Kristen into that confession because you were so desperate to prove Johnny’s innocence,” Belle argued. Belle added that everything was worse for Rachel because of EJ’s actions.

Belle told EJ about her plan to handle Rachel’s case through the mental health system. “I only want what’s best for my niece,” EJ said. Belle warned EJ that if he acted against Rachel, she would go after him for his part in Marlena’s misdiagnosis. After Belle left, EJ noticed his copy of “Wuthering Heights," and he remembered someone having read it to him. “Why do I know that voice?” EJ said.

Brady visited Marlena and told her about what had happened at Bayview. “And my heart is pretty much torn out,” Brady said. “I can’t even imagine how difficult it must have been for you to walk away from Rachel,” Marlena said. Brady admitted that Rachel had asked if she could go home and let Marlena treat her. “I didn’t have the heart to tell her that you had let her down when you made this reckless decision that could have cost Sarah her life and maybe even unraveled Rachel’s completely,” Brady said. Marlena apologized.

Brady told Marlena that he wanted Marlena to get better, and he wanted her to focus on her health. Marlena promised to talk to the Bayview doctors, but Brady declined. “I’m not going to stop you from seeing Rachel, because I don’t want to punish her. But I don’t want you involved in her care,” Brady said. Marlena teared up as Brady walked out.