Episode # 10223
Tape Date: 12/1/05
Air Date: 1/5/06
Director: Herb Stein

Summary: The party at Sami’s place winds down…Philip and Belle (joined by Caroline and Alice) continue their prayer vigil for Claire…Bo and Max work to repair his truck, as the cops collect evidence on the hit and run…Alex has surgery…Zack’s condition is worse than thought.


At Sami’s…things are winding down as Austin and Carrie congratulate her on a successful party. They think that maybe she is starting off the new year on the right foot. Sami tells Carrie she is glad she came and jokingly tells her if she ever needs a wedding dress, she has a closet full. Lucas and Eugenia keep an eye on Sami and both are sure she is up to something. (BTW, we learn that Nicole ran off to do business…right…on New Year’s Eve?...never mind last time we saw her she was 3 sheets to the wind). Lucas and Eugenia try to figure out why Sami is being so nice to Carrie and even consider that she may know the truth about the HighStyle CEO. Sami and Carrie clean up the mess as Carrie questions her about being so supportive. Sami swears she has learned from her past mistakes. Austin agrees that Sami has changed. Lucas tells Eugenia that none of this matters once Carrie learns the truth about the takeover…she will hate Austin. Austin tells them that he must call it an evening, tomorrow is a big day…they are closing a deal. Carrie questions him about it, but he gives no details. Sami reminds him it is late and he and Carrie wish each other a Happy New Year and kiss. As everyone prepares to leave, Eugenia advises the “Samster” to stay out of trouble in the new year. Carrie thanks Sami again as Sami tells her she hopes she gets everything she deserves in the new year. Carrie, Lucas and Eugenia all leave as Sami notices that Nicole guzzled down all her vodka. Austin helps her clean up as they talk about when Will was younger. She asks him if he thinks things will work out for him and Carrie. In the hallway, Eugenia says her tipsy goodnights and leaves. Lucas and Carrie go to his apartment, talking about the party and he asks her if she thinks she and Austin have a future and she says yes. He asks her if she is buying Sami’s total support and she admits to being suspicious, but is not going to worry about it. Lucas asks her how it can work between her and Austin with her working in California and she thinks they can work something out…besides she cannot turn her back on her employees. Sami and Austin talk about the takeover with him being so excited about the deal, but still is upset that he didn’t get to talk to the CEO. Sami tells him no use worrying about it, it’s a done deal. Lucas informs Carrie that Austin has changed this time around and that he has a “take no prisoner” attitude and thinks that he just may hurt anybody to get ahead, and attributes that to Nicole. He thinks that Austin is only thinking about the bottom line. Sami asks Austin if he has any second thoughts and he says the CEO will end up hating him. Sami says it doesn’t matter…it was a good deal.

The Vigil around Claire’s Bed Continues…with Philip and Belle now joined by Alice and Caroline. Belle thanks them for being there as she refuses to give up and vows to hold out for a miracle. Alice says all they can do is pray. Caroline invites Alice to go to the chapel with her but Alice says that God can hear her just fine right there. Caroline offers a prayer and asks that God’s will be done. She prays that if there is a family out there who lost a child that they will do something good and life-giving in their loss. She also prays that God will watch over that family during their grief and all families in need. After the prayer, Belle says it sounded as if they were praying for someone to die. Alice says no, they are praying for life. Belle wants to go and check with Lexie, but Philip says they should stay there with Claire and live in the moment…Lexie will let them know if there is any change.

In the Trauma Unit…Lexie tells Marlena, John and Lois that Alex is losing blood and needs surgery. Marlena refuses to believe that Alex was out to hurt her but John is still convinced he was (as Lois has flashbacks). Marlena tells John that Alex told her that Dr. Banks was the threat. Later, they are in the waiting area as Lois fetches them tea. Marlena is still refusing to believe that Alex was trying to hurt her and that he was upset that Lois was there. John says Alex just wanted to shut Lois up. But Marlena is sure that Alex couldn’t have done those things to her. They argue about his shooting Alex but John swears he did what he had to do to protect Marlena. Lois says that Marlena is acting just like she used to, defending Alex. John thinks that Alex somehow brainwashed her to turn her against him. She says that everyone is TELLING her that Alex is dangerous, but she has never seen it. She reminds John that HE was once Stefano DiMera’s pawn…a trained killer. Lois tells Marlena that if Alex survives, it is only a matter of time before he kills her. Marlena says she just wants the truth. John reminds her of the photo she saw…she just doesn’t want to accept it. The nurse comes in and tells them that Alex is out of surgery and has been transferred to ICU but is still in critical condition.

At Max’s Shop…They have hauled Bo’s truck there to check it out (as Chelsea has flashbacks). She thanks Bo for promising not to tell anyone. Back at the scene, the cops vow to find out who is responsible. Later, they are canvassing the neighborhood and have found tire treads. Max tells Bo the damage isn’t that bad (a dented fender and a broken light) so Bo tells him to do what he needs to. Chelsea is still worried about losing her license and adamant about Bo not telling Hope, for fear she will never let her forget it. He says he won’t go out of his way to tell her, but if it comes up, he will. He asks her if she plans on telling her mom and Chelsea doesn’t want her to know either. At the scene, the cops find fragments of the light and some paint chips as well. Bo tells Chelsea and Max he needs to get back to the hospital to check on Claire (as he fills them in). He decides to call for an update and notices his phone is turned off (Hope had been trying to call him). Chelsea admits to turning it off earlier. He sees a ton of messages from Hope and calls her. He gets her on the line and she tells him to get to the hospital NOW and he rushes off. The cops at the scene have learned from a neighbor that they saw a tow truck from Max’s garage about a mile away as they wonder if it could be the same vehicle that hit the kid. After Bo leaves, Chelsea looks at the damage and tells Max she feels so selfish with her problems, considering what Belle and Philip are going through. Max tells her she is lucky she didn’t hit someone or hurt herself. She is sure she only hit a pothole and swears that she will never talk on the phone again while driving.

At the Hopsital…Zack is wheeled off to the Trauma Center as Hope breaks down, trying to explain to Shawn what happened (flashbacks of her finding Zack). They rush in there, Shawn demanding to know who did this. Lexie (who is paged while with Alex) comes and is shocked to find the hit and run is Zack. She examines him and says that he has a severe head injury and trauma to the spine. Hope says she shouldn’t have moved him but Lexie assures her she did the right thing getting him there. Hope tells them that he squeezed her hand and was talking and thinks that is a good sign. Lexie orders a CAT scan as Hope rushes to call Bo. Shawn and Mimi stand over him and cry as his blood pressure begins to drop. Shawn talks to his little brother, talking about how they lost JT and it almost killed them, but the God sent him to them. They can’t lose him too…begging him to live. Later, Bo arrives as Hope meets him, telling him what happened. Bo is in shock as he asks Lexie how bad it is. She tells them that he is bleeding around his brain and they need to stabilize him, but he needs surgery immediately. Bo bends down, talking to his “tiny man”, telling him he will be okay. Shawn asks what kind of bastard could do this as Bo vows they will find out just WHO did this to Zack. Lexie tells them they are taking him to surgery as the monitors start alarming and his blood pressure is dropping. Bo and Hope are freaking out as the previews show…

Marlena (to Belle): I know that you are my daughter…and I am your mother…(Belle): and you are here now…

Jennifer (to herself in the mirror): You were in that shower with him and you wanted him…you wanted him to kiss you (as Frankie overhears)…

Lois (to an unconscious Alex): First I’ll take care of you…then I’ll get rid of Marlena…

Hope (crying to Bo): I promised him that I’d see him in the morning… (Bo): And that’s a promise you’ll keep…

As the credits roll…
Laney