Episode: 10224
Directed by: Phil Sogard
Tape Date: 12/2/06

In the wee wee hours of New Years morning…we find Jennifer and Frankie baking cookies and showering; Salem's finest solving a crime in record time; and University Hospital having a very busy night. Have the tissues handy folks, you'll need them. MAJOR KUDOS to Kristian Alfonso (Hope) and Renee Jones (Lexie) for heartwrenching performances tomorrow.

AT JENNIFER’S
Jennifer finds Frankie folding clothes in the kitchen. He admits not having clean clothes which required he wash them that late. She admits not being able to sleep, so she decided to make cookies for the kids. He agrees to help and she tells him she’s glad he stayed. Later he says he didn’t have any choice to stay, but will when he’s healed. Jennifer tells him that she’s decided she doesn’t want him to go. She’s very comfortable having him there, but doesn’t want to be dependent on him. He laughs saying right now he’s dependent on her. She repeats she wants him to stay. Frankie loves the great smells in the kitchen and says it brings him back to when Mom (Caroline) made cookies when he was a kid. Jennifer repeats she doesn’t want to be dependant on any man as it would make her feel unfaithful to Jack. She remembers whatever she saw in the garden and him telling her to move on. Frankie knows she’ll always love Jack but he is there because he’s her friend and nothing more. He hobbles over for a cookie and she wants to give him a thank you hug…but he hasn’t figured out how to shower in the cast and concerned about how he smells and holds her back. She offers to help him shower and he accepts. Later he’s in a towel and a plastic bag over his cast. She offers to help him in the shower without peeking and he's not too sure about it, agrees. Jennifer turns on the water and promises not to look as she helps him in the large shower stall. He washes himself as she looks up. He slips and starts to fall and she grabs him. They end up face to face in the shower. He tells her to go dry off and said he’ll hold onto a wall. Jennifer looks in the mirror and wonders what’s wrong with her. Her husband is barely dead and she wanted someone else to kiss her already. We see Frankie, dry and towel around his waist, as he leans against the wall listening.

MAX’S GARAGE
We see Salem’s finest arrive at the garage as Chelsea ponders inside if she might have hit a small animal or something. Max said they’d be dead if she did in that big thing. Caroline calls Max and tells him about Zach. Chelsea is upset to hear about Zach and they both rush to the hospital as she tells Max she loves that little guy. The police spot the SUV inside, but no one is there now. They find the door unlocked and figured they should check it out. They decide to run the SUV’s plates to see who owns it and find the damage to it and tread marks correlate to the ones at the scene. They learn it’s Bo’s SUV.

AT THE HOSPITAL
Alex is still unconscious, but remembers what happened years ago. It was Lois who was using Marlena as a punching bag, saying she couldn’t have her man. His monitor starts beeping as we seeing crazy Lois sneering down at him. We see back to when he came to Marlena’s aid after Lois beat her. Lois (in her doctor’s coat) hides when a nurse comes to check on him. She hears the nurse tell Alex he has to calm down and injects something into his IV before leaving. Lois rubs his head saying she has something even better, something that won’t let him wake up. She tells him she’s going to take care of him once and for all. Alex remembers her saying the same thing years ago and is grabbed by two men in white coats. Marlena hugs him, thanking him as we hear Lois screaming while being pulled down the hall. She vows to get rid of him, then his precious Dr. Marlena. She hears Marlena and Belle outside the room and decides to get rid of Marlena first while she has the chance.

Marlena rushes up to ICU looking for Alex. Belle spots her mom and happy that she decided to come after all, hugs her. Marlena remembers that Belle is her daughter and Belle is so happy to have her mom back and the two hug. They go in to see Claire (where did Philip go?) and Marlena can’t even imagine what Belle is going through, but is there for her now. Marlena tells her that amnesia may stop her from remembering, but not from feeling. She knows she’s her mother and can’t bear to see her in pain. She will help Belle get through whatever she has to and the two say they love each other. Belle returns to her daughter, encouraged by Marlena’s visit.

Shawn is very angry at what’s happening to his family and blaming God for picking off his family one by one. Mimi tries to comfort him and suggests they get some fresh air or go to the chapel, but he refuses.

Bo tries to reassure Hope that Lexie will take good care of their son. Hope tells him she can’t help but remember seeing him lying there in the road all alone. She remembers yelling at him because he left a few toys in the kitchen that morning and hopes he’s not remembering that. She remembered promising to see him in the morning and Bo said it’s a promise she’s going to keep. He decides to call the station for any news. We see memories of taking him to see Santa Claus and him dressed as Santa at Jennifers. Doug and Julie arrive. When asked, Bo tells Julie they’ll find the bastard that hit Zach as Doug comforts Hope by telling her that Zach is tough like his mom and dad and not going anywhere. He tells Hope that “what ifs” never help anyone. Alice joins them and tells Hope they must have hope as they hug. Hope blames herself for not making Zach understand not to go out alone and Doug tells her she need to stop blaming herself or the driver and to focus their positive energy on him and put their trust in God for Zach’s recovery instead. Shawn walks up saying God doesn’t care about his family. I don’t have close captioning, but swear she says Zach at first, then Shawn as she tells him that’s not true.

Max and Chelsea arrive and she rushes into Bo’s arms. Later she tells Bo how Zach’s saying he loved her and accepted her as his sister right away was the best Christmas present she got. She loves him and would do anything for him. He doesn’t deserve this. First her parents get hit by a drunk driver and now this happens to Zack…she walks off with Max in her wake.

Julie asks Mimi how Shawn is doing and Mimi tells her. She tells Julie it’s hard to watch the man you love and are going to marry go through this…which catches Julie off guard. Mimi tells her their engagement just happened and they weren’t going to tell anyone under the circumstances. Julie confirms she always thought Shawn would marry Belle, but their family needs something positive like a wedding now. Mimi says she loves Shawn and he loves her and they’ve been through some rough times. He’s the best thing that’s ever happened to her (buh bye Rex I guess). Julie says loving him is the best thing she can do for Shawn right now and they hug.

Lexie is in surgery (they really need more doctors at that hospital, LOL!) and is asked if she’s okay. She tells them she is and tells Zach that mommy, er, Aunt Lexie is right there. Later the assistant surgeon (?) tells her the CT scan showed there was too much damage and there’s nothing they can do. Lexie cites her "Failure is not an Option" mantra and continues to work on Zach. A nurse comes in and says the MRI showed Zach is brain dead. The other doctor tells Lexie she is a doctor, not God, and can’t save him. He had massive head trauma and never really had a chance. She takes off her bloody gloves and washes her hands as the other doctor offers to tell the family. She says they’re her friends and will do so. She calls Abe and asks him to come to the hospital. She breaks down saying she needs him. The two cops arrive at the hospital wondering how they’re going to tell Detective Brady it was his SUV that hit his son. Bo’s on the phone as Shawn rants to Hope, Doug and Alice about how God is always testing them. Hope knows it’s not fair, but not to blame God. She tells him she’s seen first hand how prayer helps. Chelsea and Max return just as Lexie comes out and her look alone tells Bo and Hope what happened. Hope says no, no, no a few times and screams, jumping up and down (one of the most heart wrenching scenes I've seen on DOOL in ages) as Bo wraps his arms around her, staring at Lexie in shock himself, mouth open….as the previews roll…

Frankie watches a video Jack made for him, telling him that he promised him. Jennifer loved him (Frankie) once and he knows she can do it again…

Mimi tells Shawn they’ll get the person who did it and put them in jail. Shawn says no, if he gets his hands on him, he’s dead. Chelsea is watching nearby, crying.

John walks up as Lois stands over Marlena smirking…(Marlena’s on the couch asleep). He asks her what she’s doing.

Hope to Bo: “They’re not turning off the machine. You’re not taking my son from me.”

As the credits roll..

If you want to see Hope's reaction before tomorrow...go to
http://www.nbc.com/Days_of_our_Lives/

look down the left hand side till you find "Hot Moments" click on Daytime tab, then Days of our Lives. When it loads, choose the first picture (of Bo holding Hope) and get the Kleenex ready. It is VERY emotional.

Linda