Salem Hospital fills with Salemites on New Year’s Eve, as the vigil continues over Claire, Alex is brought in with a gunshot wound, and little Zack is rushed into Emergency. (I am never going to forgive Days for this last one – Never!)

PENTHOUSE – A replay of Alex arriving, calling out to Marlena at her bedroom door, then outside to the ledge, where John spots him, calls out, then shoots him. Alex falls. Lois stands over Marlena, ready to plunge the scissors into her, when Marlena abruptly wakes up wondering what that was. John bursts in, making sure Marlena is o.k., then questioning Lois as to what she is doing there. Marlena explains she let her in, yada, yada, and John tells them how Alex escaped and came here, gun in hand, to try and kill Marlena. She refuses to believe him. The camera goes outside to where we see Alex lying on the ground. Cops arrive, call for an ambulance, John & Marlena rush out. The cops ask what happened, John does his very good impression of Sergeant Friday from the old Dragnet series, as he rattles on about being ISA, and gives a verbal “police report” on how he stopped the attack. Marlena still defends Alex, refusing to believe he meant her harm. She talks about his phone call, warning her about Lois. But Dr. Banks insists that he was only trying to discredit her, since she knew the truth about him, and what he did to Marlena. Alex is not dead, a cop says the awning over the entrance is ripped, and probably broke his fall. (gee, first Marlena, now Alex falls from that penthouse and both live…..guess it is not as high up as we think) Ambulance arrives and gets Alex on a stretcher to take to the hospital. Marlena insists on going along, so John says he will go with her.

AT PARK & ELM ST, Bo is comforting Chelsea, telling her it was just a little accident, not to worry. Chelsea whines & moans about how she was being very careful, did not know what she hit, doesn’t know what happened, etc. etc. Bo says there was lots of black ice, she probably skidded, hit a snow bank, or a mailbox or something. Max arrives with the tow truck, checks the car, (which they are now saying is a truck), says the headlight is broken, and they would have an insurance claim. Chelsea has a fit, no, no insurance claim, no one can know. Bo starts to call Hope to pick them up, but again Chelsea has a fit, Hope must never know. She already thinks Chelsea is irresponsible, and Chelsea does not want to give her more cause. (yes, we are all rolling eyes here). Bo says he never lies to his wife, but Chelsea asks him if he told Hope about signing for the temp license and giving her his car tonight. Bo says he just did not get the chance. Max tells Bo that Shawn, Bo & he can probably fix the truck themselves. Bo lectures Chelsea about driving responsibly, that even though she was doing all the right things, accidents DO happen. Cue Chelsea to remember how she had the radio blasting, and was on her cell phone….all things she promised not to do…..when she “hit something”. She promises to finish the driving lessons and be the best driver she can possibly be, while making Bo promise not to tell Hope, that not telling is not lying. Max turns away, saying to himself, “and Chelsea dodges another one”.

SALEM HOSPITAL – The vigil over Claire continues. Lexie tells Belle & Philip that Claire now has acute liver failure, and it is hard to maintain her blood pressure. Belle insists that there is going to be a miracle that will save her baby. Outside the room, Victor & Kate argue about telling Philip AND Shawn the truth about Claire’s paternity. Kate insists she will not let him do that, Victor insists that Shawn has to know, he is going to tell him, and Kate had better prepare Philip. Bonnie arrives, sees Shawn hugging Mimi, which puts a big smile on her face, as she tells herself her baby is starting the New Year out right. Victor wants to talk to Shawn alone, so Mimi goes to see her mom. Bonnie is in her usual “take advantage” mode, but Mimi tells her how bad it is with Claire, and they want to take her off life support. Bonnie is, for a change, saddened, but Mimi tells her about Shawn proposing, which makes Bonnie nearly jump for joy. Mimi explains that under the circumstances, they are keeping it all quiet. Meanwhile, Victor talks to Shawn, who gives an impassioned speech about how much he loves Claire, the connection he feels, then goes on about proposing to Mimi. Victor learns that Shawn knows Belle & Philip love each other very much. Shawn draws a parallel between Victor & Caroline, Shawn & Belle….how neither can never be. He says he loves Mimi, she loves him, and he feels she would be good for him, that he will have the kind of life he wants with her. Kate tries to talk to Philip, but he asks her to leave, as he & Belle would like to be alone with their baby. Outside the room, Kate prays for a miracle. Victor comes up, admits he did not get a chance to say something to Shawn, as Kate says she did not tell Philip either. Shawn gets a message to meet his mother & Dr. Carver in the trauma unit. He panics, sure it is his dad. Bonnie tells Mimi to go with Shawn.

AT 3^RD & ELM ST., Hope is kneeling beside her son, Zack, crying as she tells him how much she loves him, that she is right there, that everything is going to be all right, and she is not going to leave him. Mrs. Morrison rushes out, sees them, cannot understand what happened, is rather hysterical as she tries to explain that Zack was in bed, and she does not know how this could happen. Hope tells her to go back into the house and call 911. We hear Zack whimpering (we do not see anything except his arm & hand, as Hope hold it, kissing it, assuring him all will be o.k.) Hope constantly talks to him, as we hear sirens, and she comforts him, telling him the ambulance will soon be there. He moans, and she covers him with her coat. Police arrive, telling her that all the units are busy, lots of accidents, & they will have to wait for an ambulance. Oh, no, not this mother, Hope is going to take him herself. The police say she cannot leave the scene. Oh, yes, she can and she will. She gives Mrs. Morrison her keys, tells her to bring her car here, she is taking Zack herself. She calls the hospital, leaving a message for Shawn to get Lexie and meet her in the Trauma Center.

Shawn arrives in the Trauma Center, no Lexie, no Hope, and does not know what is going on. Mimi comes in, and Shawn is getting panicky. Hope comes in, carrying a Zack (a big bundle of blankets, and we do not actually see him) yelling, help me. 2 nurses come with a gurney, telling Hope to put him down, but Hope cries that she cannot leave him, he is so scared. They reassure her, wheeling him away. She cries on Shawn’s shoulder, “I can’t lose him, I can’t lose my baby”. And the previews show…..

Lois to Marlena: If he recovers and you welcome him back with open arms, it’s only a matter of time before he kills you.

Bo as he holds Hope: Whoever did this to our boy, we’re going to find him Shawn, with arm around Mimi: What kind of person could hit a little kid and just keep driving

Sami to Austin: So, you think things are gonna work out between you & Carrie, huh?
Austin: Yeah

Lucas to Carrie: So it looks like you & Austin are gonna have a future together, huh?
Carrie: Yes

Barb

# posted by Early Edition @ 9:56 AM