Episode # 10233; Tape Date: 12/15/05; Air Date: 1/19/06; Director: Herb Stein

Summary: Kate makes a generous offer to Mimi (but she has ulterior motives of course)…Frankie decides it best if he leaves…John comes to Marlena’s rescue, but gets the wrong impression…Chelsea stays quiet (and lets Billie take the rap) despite Max & Abby’s best efforts to change her mind.

In the Pediatric Ward of the Hospital…Shawn and Mimi get coffee as they talk about Kate blurting out their “secret”. They say it’s not what they intended, but glad everyone now knows. Mimi says she is just lucky to be marrying him. In Claire’s room, Belle and Philip say they are happy for them. Kate goes on and on about how wonderful Mimi is. She is just glad that Mimi found happiness again after Rex left. She says she is a great influence on Shawn. Everyone is smiles, but Belle’s eyes tell a different story. After Belle leaves, Kate tells Philip she has an idea to help Shawn and Mimi. Mimi goes to call Bonnie to tell her the news about Claire. Shawn is in the lobby having a flashback of his dream of Zack when Belle walks up. She asks him if he is thinking about the dream. They sit and talk as Kate and Philip watch from the nursery. She has told him her plan and he approves. Belle and Shawn don’t know what to think of their dream, especially the part where he said they would end up together. Mimi gets off the phone with her mom as Kate has tracked her down and tells her they need to talk. She says she is sorry for blurting it out about their engagement but Mimi is okay about it. She tells her that her mom is thrilled, but knows she can’t afford to throw the wedding she would like to. Kate tells her she has a wedding gift for her…and as her first assignment for Basic Black is to elope with Shawn. Mimi is confused but Kate explains she wants to pay for their wedding and honeymoon but Mimi asks what’s the catch? Kate explains that she go and have a wonderful time, but when she returns, she is to write an article about it for Salem Style Magazine. Belle asks Shawn what if he weren’t with Mimi and she wasn’t with Philip, would they be together now? Shawn tells her that they have both moved on and a dream doesn’t mean they throw it all away. It just wasn’t meant to be. She is impressed with his level of maturity as he says the old Shawn is gone. Mimi is thrilled with Kate’s gift as she assures her it will be incredible…and it is simply a thank you for all she has done for Philip, Belle and Claire. She rushes off to discuss it with Shawn. Shawn tells Belle that life is to short for ‘what-if’s’ It is time to move on…and he is happy for her…and now he is doing the same with Mimi. She congratulates him and they hug…just as Mimi walks up and sees them. Belle hugs her and congratulates her as well. Philip comes out and wishes them the best and hopes that they end up just as happy as he and Belle are…but Belle looks crushed.

Jen and Frankie…(Actually there is nothing new here…basically the same dialogue we have been hearing for days now). He admits he still loves her, even though he knows she will always love Jack. She appreciates his honesty and is flattered. He admits the main reason he returned to Salem was to see her again and he didn’t come back sooner (while Jack was presumed dead before) because of her feelings. Then, he learned that Jack was really alive and stayed away. He says he should have never returned at all. When he arrived, Jack didn’t know he was dying. Then he talks about Jack finding out and getting his idea of Frankie replacing him and how he wore him down over time. They go back and forth here (time for the FF button). Jen has a flashback of them in the shower and feels guilty about her feelings as she admits she wanted him to kiss her. He says he should have left the day Jack died, but stayed out of selfishness. She asks him about other women in his life as he rattles off a list, but none could compare to her. He says he knew he could never replace Jack but he kept on and on and he couldn’t say no to him. They both agree that they can never be together now. He gives her his card with all his numbers on it and tells her if she needs anything to just call…he will be there. But he knows she will be fine. He takes his bags, ready to leave, saying this is for the best. He kisses her goodbye and leaves. (What, Jen…you can’t even help the poor guy on crutches out to his car?) After he leaves, she cries as she looks at Jack’s picture…asking how could he do this to her. From outside, Frankie looks in and quietly says he loves her…always has…always will.

Up on the Roof of the Hospital…Loony Lois pushes Marlena off the rooftop as Alex gets there. John has arrived and finds Alex is not in his room and goes looking for Marlena. He goes to her office and sees the mess (from the fight) and is frantic, sure he is too late. Alex pushes Lois away and tries to pull Marlena (who is clinging on to the ledge by her fingers) to safety. Lois comes up behind him and whacks him over the head with the pipe and he collapses. She crawls over to the ledge and begins to pry Marlena’s fingers loose (doing her “this little piggy” routine) as Marlena begs for her life. Alex pulls Lois away and holds the pipe over her head, poised to strike. John comes charging out the door onto the roof, gun drawn. Lois yells that he is trying to kill them as John hears Marlena’s screams for help. He rushes over and pulls her to safety. Then he goes after Alex…then Marlena begins yelling it was Lois, NOT Alex who was trying to kill her.

Outside the Hospital…Abby comes rushing up to find Max (she is the one he called for help) asking what is wrong. Inside, Hope is going ballistic on Billie. Billie is trying to explain how she came to be driving Bo’s car. She says she was just getting home from a business trip and her car broke down. She saw Bo’s car (and knowing where he kept the spare key) took it. (Using Chelsea’s story) she says she thought she hit a pot hole in the road and didn’t go back to check. She says only later did she discover she hit Zack. Bo says this is wrong…she shouldn’t do this as Hope is yelling at the cops to arrest her. The cops start reading her Miranda rights but Bo tells them to stop. Outside, Max has told Abby the whole story, leaving her shocked and even more so to learn that Billie is covering for Chelsea. Max begs Abby to help him convince Chelsea to tell the truth. Hope turns on Bo, asking what is WRONG with him as Billie insists they arrest her. Hope is yelling for them to get her out of there before she kills Billie herself. Max and Abby come in to find Chelsea going to pieces and drag her into the hallway. Abby urges her to step in and tell the truth…trying to convince her that eventually the truth WILL come out. They tell her the longer she waits, the worse she will look and how the sooner the better it will be for everyone…including herself. Eventually, they get through to her as she says they may be right and makes up her mind to do it. But she says she needs to talk to Bo and Hope first. With Max and Abby for support, they go back inside. Bo is trying to explain to hope and she is hysterical, yelling that he is protecting Billie again. He admits that he is protecting someone…but not Billie. Hope looks over and sees Chelsea crying and says “Oh my God…it’s Chelsea”. She thinks that Bo is trying to protect her (considering all she has been through already this year) from the fact that her mother is a murderer. Hope wants Billie arrested NOW as she lashes out at Bo for ALWAYS putting Billie first, over her. She begins yelling she hopes that Billie rots in prison as Bo tries to restrain her. Hope storms off as he quietly tells Billie this isn’t over…the truth will come out. But Billie begs him to keep quiet…this way only one life (hers) will be ruined. Chelsea (witness to all this) runs outside, with Max and Abby on her heels. The cops cuff Billie and lead her out of the hospital past Chelsea, Max and Abby. She tells Chelsea everything will be fine…remember she loves her. Chelsea hugs her and tells her that she loves her too, but she can’t…but Billie says ‘yes you can…everything will be fine”. Then the cops take her away. Abby and Max plead with Chelsea to speak up, but she says she can’t. Bo goes to Hope and tells her that they took Billie in. He tells her that he is sorry and she apologizes as well. She says she understands that he was only trying to protect Chelsea after all she has been through. She cries as Bo holds her and she says Zack is gone, but at least now the person who is responsible will pay…justice will be done. Freeze frame on Bo’s troubled face…as the previews show…

Bo: When I tell Hope the truth, she will turn her back on me…and I can’t let her go through this alone…

Carrie (to Lucas): What kind of heartless person would do this to my employees?...

Austin (to Sami): Carrie is the CEO of HighStyle…she is the person whose life I just destroyed…

Hope (to Roman): She stole Bo’s car and committed a hit and run…what do you call that…what is it…if it isn’t murder?...

And the credits roll…
Laney