EPISODE: 10493
DIRECTED BY: Phil Sogard
TAPE DATE: 12/21/06

Belle and Shawn find shelter, Chelsea turns a leaf, Sami confronts EJ; Lucas is given an option by Victor (is it just me or are we back to under 30 crowd taking over?)

CANADIAN HIDEOUT
Belle and Shawn are given shelter by Merle (I believe it's Max Gail, the same actor that played Wojohowitz on Barney Miller) who’s helped draft dodgers for years. They’re taken into a clean dorm type of room with other people. He tells them to keep their cell phones turned off 24/7 as they can be traced (great advice!). There’s a pay phone in the hall with a bucket of quarters and to keep calls less than 3 minutes. Belle and Shawn thank him and promise not to stay very long or need too much. He asks them if they’re really the baby’s parents and not kidnappers. They say Claire is their daughter and the system is trying to take her away from them. He pulls out a map showing what countries don’t have an extradition treaty with the U.S. They read Algeria, Bangladash, and finally Russia. Merle comments how Russia’s a socialist paradise.. Shawn mentions it hasn’t since the wall came down, but he’s clueless about the wall. They ask to borrow his map to study. He agrees, but advises them to choose carefully as they’ll be there for a long time. Shawn asks Belle how her Russian is. Later he counts their cash..$300, saying that won’t even get them to Montreal. She offers to sell her wedding ring. He asks if she has second thoughts about taking off and she’s more worried about if he has. Claire must be sleeping as they step aside and he tells her what happened before is history and Claire is with her mom and dad and that’s all that counts. She can’t believe she’s saying this, but he reminds her of her dad. He’s flattered, saying it’s the nicest thing she could say to him. She asks if it’s safe to call home and he h as one phone that might not be tapped.

CHEZ ROUGE
Victor and Lucas chow down while Victor orders Lucas to fly to Toronto to find Claire and bring her home. Lucas’ reply, sorry boss, can’t do. Vic’s not happy by that response, but Lucas explains this is not Titan business and he doesn’t want any part in Victor’s blood feud. Victor retorts Philip is his brother, but Lucas says he sides with his cousin and he should send Philip to get Claire back if that’s what he wants. Victor says he can’t as he doesn’t trust Philip. The war changed Philip, plus losing Belle and Claire, he couldn’t handle it. He wants Lucas to find them and convince them he and Philip won’t press charges if they return. Lucas asks if he’s sincere in that. Lucas asks what if he finds them and they don’t agree. Victor says it’s his job to convince them to return, Claire is his, oh and Philip’s of course. Lucas realizes it’s not an option for Belle and Shawn and refuses, saying he’s proven his loyalty to Victor business wise, but this is personal. Victor disagrees and tells him to choose whose side he’s on. Victor gives him a choice…get on the next flight to Toronto to bring Claire home or start checking the job want ads. Victor can’t believe he’s refusing and promises to blackball him with other jobs as well. Lucas tells him he’s proud he’s not his son and to take his job and shove it if this is the way he’s insisting it is. He walks away and Victor looks a little remorseful.

NICK AND ABBY
Nick calls Abby (from the hospital) to tell her about Chelsea and Billie’s request for him to get Chelsea a job at the hospital. He explains his boss is the picture of the real Lonely Splicer. She tells him to just let Chelsea know there weren’t any openings. His boss walks in and after he hangs up with Abby, tells Nick that they have a job opening for a new Lab Assistant, asking if he knows anyone who’s not afraid of rats. We return to Nick looking in his microscope when his boss comes in saying he has a promising candidate to interview. Chelsea walks in and sees them together as Nick tries to hide him. Chelsea sees Dr. Shane Patton and identifies herself as his Dark Angel. Nick comes out of his trance realizing that can’t happen when he’s asked again to recommend someone for the lab assistant job of long hours and low pay, but having him as their doctor. Nick remembers Abby’s advice about telling Chelsea there aren’t any jobs available.

COP SHOP
EJ is brought handcuffed to the open detectives office area where Sami is waiting to talk to him (eating crackers from a ziplock bag in her purse and carrying a bottle of water). She puts the bag in her purse before EJ steps into the room. He looks up saying he’s not dreaming..she’s the most beautiful woman he’s ever seen. The two quip back and forth about Lexie and how Sami blackmailed her at one time. He resents having to prove himself and the police have no proof he shot John. He was waiting in the boathouse for her to run away to Paradise with her. He knows she set him up and can forgive and forget. He goes on about feeling so complete in her arms that night (in the front seat of Lexie’s sedan? LOL) She calls him smooth, like a well oiled snake. He dares her to go to her daddy and take all her evidence she thinks she has, knowing they don’t have anything on him. They quietly chat as she asks what he did with Lexie and Tek..are they in Italy being tortured DiMera style or did he kill them and leave them in the woods? He calmly replies he hates she thinks so badly of him. She mentions what he did to John too. He’s surprised she’s forgiven John and she says he (EJ) is the only one she hates. He’s glad she hasn’t gone totally Mother Teresa on him after they made love that time. She refers to it as rape, but he insists she wanted it too. Sami says she hated every second of his slimy pawing her, but just wanted to make sure he realizes that she didn’t tell anyone about that night and to leave her family alone. She’s clearly repulsed by him, but it encourages him even more as he tells her his team of lawyers are going to convince the DA to free him. He plans on restoring his business and relationships and wants her to work for him again. She backs up saying, no, no , no and he tells her to think on it. All she wants is his promise not to be dead next to Lexie and Tek in a swamp and he kisses her hand, saying her wish is his command. He stares her in the face saying he could never hurt her, the mother of his child. She lies, saying she was using protection that night. EJ tells her maybe next time… and she stares him in the eyes and tells him there won’t be a next time Elvis, or I’ll kill you. He comments she sounds serious about that. She warns him whatever he’s planning, to keep her and her family out of it. He tells the empty room….yes dear, you can count on that…

Later a handsome detective tells EJ (who was just being taken back to his cell by a young officer with mouth open in surprise) that Roman (not Commander Brady) informed him the DA ordered his release. EJ gets his personal belongings and is told to get out after signing his release. EJ complies (wow, lots of cops doing paperwork in the office) He calls and gets Kate’s voice mail saying he’s “sprung” and suggests a business meeting, clothing optional.

SAMI & LUCAS’ APARTMENT
They both return home about the same time. He was there first and surprised she wasn’t there cooking like he thought. She tells him she was walking the mall and surprised when he goes on about her not leaving a note, etc. She promises to do so next time and asks about his meeting with Victor (being he ate with him, it’s a good thing she wasn’t cooking!). He tells her about what Victor wanted, his refusal and being fired. She tells him he can get another job, but he explains Victor’s blackballing him. She suggests getting a job herself, but he puts his foot down saying no, he committed to support their family and will, which takes her back a little. She argues her being pregnant is the WRONG answer, it’s not 1957 and women work until they’re about to give birth all the time now. He taps his head agreeing, saying STUPID MALE PRIDE 3 times, LOL…cute. He kids he’ll probably be asking if they want fries at Burger Barn, LOL, but she has more confidence in his ability. She asks him to keep their pregnancy secret under the circumstances so people won’t pity them and will keep Roman privy to their news. They exchange I love yous and kiss.

THE PUB
Chelsea joins Abby. Abby thought about Chelsea’s suggestion she also go to college and decided to do so. She’s signed up for the full 16 units. Chelsea walks over and gives her a big hug in excitement. Chelsea is so excited and rambles on about sororities, studying together, etc. Chelsea promises to protect Abby if the other gals get mean as she’s the queen of it. Chelsea has drempt of a big house with other people, someone to clean up after you and a sorority mother to give you advice. She gets choked up as she tells Abby about a memory she had of her mother watering the lawn at sunset and how protected she felt. Lonely Splicer did that to her too and brought her own attributes out in the open that she should remember. Abby reminds her Billie’s always been good to her and Chelsea says she’s got her own life to deal with, citing almost walking in on her with someone. Abby tells her she’s reading too much into a one night stand, but Chelsea figures Billie cares more for that guy. Nick arrives and they tell him about going to college. Chelsea asks Nick about a job and he says he checked with the department heads, nothing’s available. She thanks him for checking and lets it go at that. Abby splits as she promised to work a shift at Chez Rouge for Maggie and Chelsea hugs her goodbye, again looking forward to setting the college world on fire together. Alone, she asks Nick if he has any idea who her mom’s boyfriend might be. He chokes when she reminds him about the belt she found and if he’ll help her find him. She says she’s kidding and he’s an amazing friend and a great guy and appreciates him. She kisses him on the lips to prove she’s sincere. Nick is speechless, literally, saying he has to go, but she asks him to celebrate her going to college with her, suggesting they.get some food and go out to the damn (isn’t it still winter there?). He agrees. On the way out the pay phone at the pub rings and Nick doesn’t figure it’s worth answering, but Chelsea stares at it, trying to decide if she should….(it’s Shawn)…as the previews roll….

MIMI to MAX: Conner said those bones, they’re my father’s.

CHELSEA TO NICK: I’ll do it, I’ll do it for the money…

BELLE TO SHAWN: Shawn, we’re talking about Africa.
SHAWN: We can take care of Claire.
BO to ROMAN (and STEVE): Can we talk about this later? I mean this whole thing…

ROMAN: No, it involves a stolen delivery truck, So no, we need to talk about it right now…(Steve nods)…

As the credits roll..Linda