Episode # 10214
Tape Date: 11/16/05
Air Date: 12/22/05
Director: Herb Stein

Summary: Nicole urges Austin to seal the deal and sign the papers…Carrie makes a possible life-changing decision…Jen decides to move on alone…as Frankie leaves town…John gets incriminating information about Alex.

In LA…Nicole stops Austin from calling the CEO of Highstyle and urges him to sign the papers, but he is determined to talk to the CEO first. He calls and talks to (a clearly tipsy) Becky, but Carrie isn’t there, they are having their office Christmas party. She walks in and Becky gives her the phone. She hears him say his name and ‘accidentally’ cuts him off and pretends like no one was there. Becky shoos her back to the party as she tells Becky to just put the phone on voice mail and join them. Meanwhile, Nicole continues to badger Austin, telling him that they need to buy the company now and they need to do house cleaning…starting with the CEO. He calls back and talks to Becky who takes down his name and number and says she will have the CEO call him back. After she gets off the phone, Shirley (the cleaning lady) comes in and Becky asks her to clean the office. Austin realizes he forgot to ask the CEO’s name (this is really getting ridiculous) and is going to call back but Nicole stops him. She tells him that she is sure he won’t get a call back and the CEO is incompetent. She says they need to make their move NOW, before Lucas or someone else beats them to it. Later, we see Carrie giving Becky a Christmas bonus and she is speechless. She has a gift for Carrie as well. (It looks like a Rolling Stones book or album collection, can’t tell, but it is called “40 Licks”). Becky talks about Carrie’s date with Lucas but Carrie insists it wasn’t a ‘date’. Carrie asks about the message, but when Becky searches her desk, can’t find it and realizes that Shirley must have thrown it out. Becky can’t remember the name either and says it was ‘Reese’ or something like that. Carrie tells her not to worry, if it is important, they will call back. They talk about spending Christmas with family and Becky is tired about being questioned by family members about getting married. Austin is anxious to talk to the CEO and wonders why she hasn’t called back. Nicole is still pushing him to make a decision and move quickly. He finally gives in and signs the papers as Nicole celebrates. Carrie tells Becky that she has made a decision…she is going home to Salem for Christmas and wants to see Austin, to see where they stand. Nicole makes a toast to their relationship, as Austin corrects her and says “business” relationship. He wants to get back to Salem for Christmas and goes to pack as she says to herself that in the new year, she is going to make him all hers. Carrie tells Becky that she can’t believe she is going to do this, but she can’t let Sami put him through hell again.

At Kate’s Hotel…John stares out the window, but can’t see what is going on, the blinds are closed. It is killing him to know what Alex is up to. He has flashbacks of watching them earlier. Kate calls about Clarie and learns that she is still critical and says they should pray for a miracle (if Lexie was MY doctor, I’d be praying as well ;-) John tells her that the ISA is still digging into Alex’s past and is sure they will find something. He gets a message from Agent Nash that someone who knew Marlena in medical school is coming to see him. A Doctor Lois Banks arrives, telling them that she was a friend of Marlena’s and knew Alex as well. As they sit, John fills her in on what is going on now with Alex and Marlena. Dr. Banks is upset that Marlena would trust him again. She tells them that Alex is brilliant, but not suited to treat patients. He never loved Marlena at all…she was an obsession and he was relentless in his pursuit. She tells John that he should do whatever it takes to get her away from him. He is extremely dangerous…a Jekyl and Hyde type of person. She says he was abusive and Marlena lived in fear of him constantly. He was a monster and abused her emotionally, verbally and physically. John asks her if she would be willing to testify to this if necessary and she says yes. After she leaves, John tells Kate that he is getting his wife back…how’s THAT for a Christmas miracle?

At the Church…Bo and Hope are outside as he is upset over Chelsea. Hope hugs him, telling him things will get better. He tells her that he has had enough of Chelsea’s drama (as have all of us) and suggests they go back inside. Everyone is gone now but Jennifer and Frankie. She is busying herself, saying they should take the flowers to the hospital to cheer up patients. Frankie says he needs to go and pack…IF that is what she wants. Bo offers to go with him and give him a hand and they leave. Hope tells Jen she is making a mistake and urges her to stop Frankie.

Jennifer continues to gather flowers but Hope tries to get her to talk about Frankie. Jen swears she doesn’t need him there to take Jack’s place. She can stand on her own two feet. She gets a bit angry with Hope and tells her that Jack was the love of her life and will always be everything to her. Hope asks if she is sure she wants Frankie to go and if she feels guilty because deep down she fears that she has feelings for him. Jen apologizes for snapping at Hope but she says it just doesn’t feel right. Hope think that in Jen’s ‘visit’ from Jack, she was hoping he would tell her to send Frankie away but he didn’t. She tells her that she shouldn’t feel guilty for being ‘unfaithful’ to Jack. Hope asks her to change her mind and ask Frankie to stay. She says she doesn’t mean romantically but as a friend. But Jen says she just lost her husband and she wants to grieve in her own way…she doesn’t want Frankie there to comfort her. She wants to spend Christmas alone with her children and her memories of Jack. She tells Hope it is over…drop it.

Meanwhile, Frankie is packed up and tells Bo that he is leaving because Jen wants him to…if it were up to him he would stay. Bo says that is obvious as Frankie admits he never got over Jen. Bo urges him to just tell her he wants to stay. Frankie says he loves Jen, but she doesn’t want him there, but Bo won’t drop it, telling him not to give up. He tells Frankie about how when Hope was Princess Gina and kept pushing him away, but he wouldn’t give up. But Frankie says it is different…Jen wants to be on her own right now and he must respect her wishes. Bo tells him that Abby and ‘little JJ’ sure could use a father figure and urges him to not walk away. When they return to the church, Bo is still working on him but he tells Bo he is there to say goodbye. Bo and Hope leave to take Zack to see Santa.

At the Java Café (I think that’s where they are)…Bo and Hope arrive with Zack, who rushes to Santa (Hmmm…no line?) Zack promises he has been a good boy and proceeds to tell Santa what he wants for Christmas. Hope cries as Bo reminds her to get out the camera. She begins snapping shots and says these are the moments you hold on to. Bo laughs that must be SOME list Zack is giving Santa, being he has been there a long time. As Hope snaps shots, she says that kids grow up so fast…just look at Shawn and Chelsea. Realizing her blunder, (that Bo missed out on Chelsea’s childhood) she apologizes and says maybe they could ask Chelsea if she has any pictures of when she was growing up to share with them. Zack excitedly comes rushing back over, talking about how fun that was and suggests that they go sit on Santa’s lap as well as all laugh.

Back at the Church…Frankie goes over to Jen to say his goodbyes. He tells her that he knows she will be okay and apologizes for overstaying his welcome. She tells him that both she and Jack loved having him there. He tells her if she needs anything to just let him know. He says he respects her decision and she says he should just go (as tears flow). He says he hope she finds peaces and wishes her and the kids the best in the new ;year as she hugs him (crying). She wishes him a Merry Christmas as he kisses her and leaves. Jen stands alone in the church (with Jack’s picture behind her) as she cries…And the previews show…

Roman (to John): Damn it John…we have to find her. (John): I know exactly where he’s taken her…

Belle (in the chapel): Christmas is a time for miracles…God, please let me know that my daughter is going to be all right…

We see Shawn reading the Christmas story to the children at the hospital…

Abby (to Jen): Why did Daddy have to leave us now? (Jen): He IS here! (as we see Jack watching them from outside the window…is he real?...or a ghost?)…

And the credits roll
Laney

An extra treat...1999 pictures of our Salemites and the Horton's Christmas tree ornaments on MikeR's Spoiler Companion (link on upper left side of the page). ENJOY!! and thanks MikeR!!