Days of our Lives Recaps: The week of December 15, 1997 on DAYS

Comprehensive daily recaps for Days of our Lives, dating back to 1996.

Monday, December 15

by Soap Central

The show opens with Marlena and Roman watching a movie. It ends and Marlenasays "And theylived happily ever after." Roman tells her that they could have a happyending as well. He apologizesfor her jealousy earlier over the necklace and promises her no more jumpingto conclusions. Hetalks about how honest Marlena has been with him and he wants to do thesame with her (she triesto stop him, but he is like a charging bull). He tells her he will not hidehis feelings with her...nothingwould make him happier than to finish the wedding they had started. But, hesays he will not pushher...they can do it whenever she's ready. He tells her that John evenagreed to be his best man.Marlena is a bit taken aback by this announcement. He says that John mayhave bought her thenecklace, but he wants to buy her the ring that will go on her finger.(Marlena flashes back to her &John's conversation about the ring).

At Salem Place we find out that John is back in town. He rushes to thejewelry store to pick up thenecklace, but they are closed. He runs into Eric and they argue overMarlena. Eric tells him to stayaway from them. He wants a family Christmas. John tells him he may bedisappointed becauseMarlena loves him...not Roman. Eric calls Sami (more on that later) andwhen he gets off the phone,John is standing there waiting to use it. Eric warnshim that he had better not be calling Marlena. John politely tells him tomind his own business.

Later, John hooks up with Bo and they talk about Roman and Marlena. Bowants to know what'sgoing on. John says they are trying to protect Roman from the truth(hooey). The conversation turnstoward Billie and Bo says he knows how it is...trying to protect someoneand ending up hurtingthem. They talk about the Jack and Jen case. Bo got some news on it (moreon that later as well)and was going to tell Roman so John volunteers to do it for him. Bocan tell he was justlooking for a reason to go over there.

Later, Marlena and Roman are wrapping presents and John shows upin the hallwayvowing to tell Roman the truth TONIGHT! John tells them about the trip (heand Marlena cutlonging looks at each other... ) He tells themthat Jack has been caught.Marlena says "What next?" and decides maybe she had better go and be withLaura. Roman hugsher (as John watches on). Marlena offers him what looks like hot chocolateand they share a touch(he caresses her hand). Marlena gets a call from the hospital and takes itin the other room. John hasnoticed Roman watching him. Roman questions him about the necklace andtells him that he andMarlena have talked and were very honest with each other. Now he wantsEVERYTHING out inthe open. Does John think Roman knows EVERYTHING? Will he unintentionallyspill the beans?

In the Jungle Peter awakes covered in blood. He can't remember a thing about whathappened. He looks aroundand sees the dead tiger. He decides to head back to the compound. He getsconfused and realizesthat he is walking in circles and is lost and the headaches begin again.Finally he arrives at thecompound in the middle of the storm. He is beating on the door for Rolf tolet him.

At Titan Sami and Carrie are in the middle of an argument. Carrie vows to find outwhat Sami is up to andstop her. Sami swears that she has changed, but Carrie isn't buying it.Sami gets a call from Eric...heis coming over with a surprise. Austin and Kate are also talking and hepromises her that he will tryand protect her. He gives her obvious hints that for Christmas, he andCarrie are planning to haveher a family portrait made. Billie calls her (upset over Bo) and Kate takesoff. Later, Austin comesin to Sami's office looking for Carrie. She tells him that she and Carriehad a nice chat (Really?) andthat they may be on the road to reconciliation. Eric shows up andfinds Carrie in the hallway.She tells him of her suspicions that Sami is holding something over Kateand feels she is up tosomething. Eric says he can handle her...nothing is going to ruin theChristmas he has planned.Carrie tells Eric he did it once, could he help her expose Sami again? Samiasks Austin if he andCarrie can ever forgive her and he agrees. She hugs him just as Carrie andEric walk in. LaterCarrie questions Austin about it, but Eric and Sami come out of her officeand Eric tells them tocome on and go with them...he has got a surprise that includes them as well.

Bo & Billie Bo apologizes to Billie. She wants to know if he loves her. He says hedoesn't want to hurt her, butshe says THAT is not enough to build a marriage on. Bo gets beeped andcalls the Grand CanyonRanger Station. They have an anonymous tip on Jack's whereabouts. Bo tellsBillie he has to go.She asks him to think about it and he leaves. After he is gone, she thinksshe MUST make Boforget about Hope and love her. Billie flashes back to when she and Bo were together in Rome, whenKate comes stomping inlike a wet hen. Billie asks how can she make Bo stop loving Hope. Billie isalmost ready to give upon Bo. Kate pushes her and tells her it's time to knock Hope off her highhorse and let her knowthat SHE has the upper hand. How? Billie asks. Kate says (get this!!) thatshe could take Sami'slead and get pregnant with Bo's child (Great advice, Kate!). Billie refusesto do that. She doesn'twant Bo out of obligation to a child...she wants him to love her. Katetells her that the obligationcould lead to love (didn't work for Sami, did it Kate?) Kate blames herselffor Billie's lack of selfconfidence and tells her that Bo is a fool if he lets her go. Billie saysshe can't MAKE Bo loveher...he must do that on his own. Kate is disappointed and almost spillsthe beans saying "You meanyou're just going to give up after everything that I've..." OOPS! Billiecatches it and demands toknow what she means. Kate stammers around, but the phone rings. Billieanswers it and it's Sami.She tells her she is going to be late getting home (WHY is she tellingBillie this??) She is goingsomewhere with Eric for a surprise.

In the Grand Canyon Jack is STILL climbing that mountain and talking to himself (insertdialogue from last week here).He dropped something. I don't know what it was, but he seemed to get reallyupset over it. Finallyhe reaches the top of the mountain, only to get caught by a park ranger.Jack tries to explain what'sgoing on but the ranger won't listen. (In his explanation, he refers toTravis as Trent Wallace). Hebegs the ranger to go to the cabin and check it out. The ranger says thatthe cabin has beenabandoned for years and is boarded up. No one goes there, especially sincethe mine shaft closed(it seems that it had an elevator...A-ha! THAT's how everyone used to getthere). He tells Jack he'staking him and calling the FBI...they can check it out. Back at the cabin,Jen hears a noise andhurries back upstairs. Travis has trouble with his key (giving Jen time toget back up). When hecomes in, there is no Jen. She comes out of the other room wet. TellsTravis she was taking ashower. He tells her that Jack isn't coming for her...he stopped him dead.Later, we see Jen cryingover Jack. Finally she composes herself and says she has to go on forAbby's sake. Travis comesout wet (with a towel wrapped around his waist) and makes it clear that heis a little on the "frisky"side. He says now, no one will interrupt what he has planned. Not so fast,Travis. Back at theranger station, the ranger uncuffs Jack to make a call and decks him. Hetakes off to finderJennifer.

Tuesday, December 16

by Soap Central

Jack puts on the ranger's clothes so he can get back to Jen without beingspotted. He says he isgoing to use the climbing gear so he can get back to Jen faster than if hetakes the long way downthe mountain like he and the ranger did. Jack manages to get back to thetop of the mountain andspots the cabin and is on his way to get Jen. In the meantime, Travis toldJen he wants her andstarted chasing her around the cabin. He is about to grab her when thephone rings - it's Peter -calling to say that he was detained and told Travis he better not harm Jenin any way or he wouldkill him. Travis gets mad at Peter telling he what to do so he storms outof the cabin and tells Jenthey will pick up where they left off when he returns. Jen knows she has toget out of there andheads to the cellar. She finds a shovel (probably the one he used to killhis parents she says) andstarts working on breaking out of the cellar. She finally breaks out and isfree about the time Jackmakes it to the mountain top.

Sami, Eric, Carrie and Austin get all the things on their list and Ericsays they have one more stop (atree) before heading to Marlena's. Sami asks Eric if Carrie knows what theyare up to and he saysno and she says she sees that she is not the only one that can scheme. Hesays he is not hurtinganyone when she asks well what about John. He doesn't have much to say asthey head off tocomplete the adventure. John is at the penthouse thinking that Roman knowsall because he said thatMarlena told him everything but before John can say anything Marlena showsup and says that yesRoman knows that the necklace was a gift of friendship. John realizes thatRoman still does notknow about him and Doc. All of a sudden you hear laughter coming fromoutside and the doorbellrings. It's the gang with a tree and all the trimmings. Eric says they aregoing to have an old fashionBrady Christmas. He does a good job of excluding John from the happenings.Carrie looks at someof the ornaments and talks to Marlena about them when Marlena spots the one fromSami and Eric's firstChristmas. She shows Sami and Sami asks if they were happy then. Doc saysyes and you can tellSami hopes for the same this year. With everyone decorating, Carrie speaksto John and says she issorry for him not being able to be with Marlena. John says he is not a partof this family but she saysshe is and hugs him. Sami and Eric don't like it but Marlena is touched byCarrie's actions. Romanfixes his famous eggnog and they all are toasting. Sami tells of her newjob at Titan and Roman saysthat he hopes she gets all she wants to which she comments that she will.(Sami asked Austin totake Will to see Santa, but when Austin said that Lucas should be the one to take Will, shelied and said that Lucassaid he didn't have time to do it. Austin said he would think about). Johnis feeling really out of place and makes an excuse to leave. Roman goes tomake more eggnog soMarlena uses the chance to scoot out into the hall before John can get onthe elevator. She says sheis sorry for this but John says he understands that it is important forRoman to have a goodChristmas. He says he is sorry if he is not patient it just that he missesher so much. He says he lovesher and she says she loves him and they share a very sweet kiss. He headsout and Marlena heads backinside where all the decorating is done. The tree is lit and music plays aseveryone gathers round thetree. Carrie and Austin are very cuddly and Sami is very jealous. Romanwishes Doc MerryChristmas and she does the same as he puts his arm around her and kissesher on her cheek. Ericand Sami seem very pleased with themselves.

At Kristen's, she is so happy to have John Jr. and says it will be a goodChristmas for him. She putshim down in the playpen to sleep when the doorbell rings. It's Stefano and sheis worried he will see thebaby. She remembers the threat he gave her to leave Elvis with Susan. Shetries to get him to leavebut he asks her what she is hiding. She says if he must know she justwrapped his present anddoesn't want he to see it (well if it's wrapped what does it matter?!). Shesends him to get someeggnog (we switched from tea to eggnog for the holidays) and she grabs John Jr.who is in the playpenbehind the tree and pulls the bottle out of his mouth (that was smart) andhe cries. Stefano comes inwhen he hears the crying to see Kristen has the baby. She lies and saysthat she was going to havehim over tomorrow to spend the day with the baby and that Susan was lettinghim spend the nightwith her. He can't believe it but Kristen says that she and Susan have beengetting closer. Shenotices the papers and is concerned Stefano will see them and he does but shegrabs them from himand says they have to do with Tony's estate. Stefano wants to see them but thephone rings - it's Peter.Peter got back to the compound where Rolf is making the cure into a pillform. He's can't guaranteeit will work but hopes for the best. Stefano tells Kristen about the junglemadness and what is going onwith Peter.

Susan is wandering around Salem Place very upset that Kristen tricked herand got little Elvis fromher. She remembers signing the papers and then Kristen telling her that thebaby was hers now. Sheworries now that Kristen won't protect Elvis from Stefano as she promised andshe dreams of the futurewith Elvis, Kristen, and Stefano playing poker and drinking. She arrives andtells him to stop drinkingand he asks who she is. Kristen says remember I told you about your mother.He says she gave himup and tells her to get lost. Susan is so upset by all this (she iscarrying Lisa Marie around andtalking to her) and is going to go back to the convent but then she thinksthat Sissy will be upset thatshe let Kristen trick her. She continues walking around and ends up down onthe pier where John isalso hanging out. He is thinking about Doc and is wondering if Doc willfall in love with Roman againas they spend time together but then he says no that Doc loves him and theywill be together. All ofa sudden he hears someone crying and looks over to see a woman...

Wednesday, December 17

by Soap Central

Abby is helping put ornaments on the tree at Jenn's house. Mike is concernedthat Laura is going alittle overboard with Christmas this year, but Mickey assures him she'sjust trying to compensate forJack and Jenn's absence. They comment on the great hot chocolate Maggie made. Abby said it's just like mommy's hot chocolate.Mickey gets a call saying that Jack escaped the ranger. He tells Laura thatJack would be muchbetter off in custody as there's now a shoot to kill order on Jack. Laurafreaks, Abeneeds to tell them to forget about Jack and concentrate on Jennifer and Peter.Mickey and Mike saythey aren't going to forget a man who assaulted one of their own, besidesall they know is he is aconvicted murderer. Laura asks Mike to say Abby's prayers with her, butshe's going to the onlyother person who knows Peter is still alive besides her and Stefano. Mikepleads with her not togo to Kristen's, but Laura insists. Later Mike comes down stairs and saidAbby's finally asleep. If heread that story one more time, HE would have been asleep. Mike, Mickey andMike hope Jennifer willbe found soon. Unless someone finds Peter Blake, Jack will be back in prison.

Kristen is remembering saying Susan saying goodbye to Elvis and her. Shedreams of telling Johnthat they have their baby back and John apologizing for the way he'streated her and he's glad to beback with them. The doorbell rings and Illiana goes to get it. Kristen asksher to take the baby upstairs and she'll get the door. Laura's there toappeal to Kristen's goodness somewhere in her. Kristen saidshe wants Jennifer away from that madman too. Laura said Peter or Travis andsets Kristen off. Lauracovers and appeals to Kristen again by asking if she wouldn't be doing thesame thing if HER babywere in the same position if it had lived. She knows she loved Susan's babytoo and we hear a babycrying. Kristen said it's Illiana's sister's baby and she's watching itwhile her sister is doing someChristmas shopping. Laura begs Kristen to tell her if Jennifer is with Peter yetand safe? Laura,remembering her professional interpersonal skills, lashes out to Kristenthat both she and Stefanowant Peter to have Jenn. If Kristen helps them, John willsee the good in her.Kristen considers it.

At the pier, John runs up and finds Susan caught on the pier while she wastrying to jump in thewater . He rushes over to help the lady, not realizing it's Susan She'scrying about losing her baby in the water and John panics sayingELVIS and is starting to peal off his leather jacket when she cries no, saveher, and he asks who? She tells him Lisa Marie and he tells her to calmdown and scoops her out ofthe water. Susan hugs the wet doll and tells John she can't lose Lisa Marietoo. He thinks she'sfinally given up on Elvis Sr., and she said Elvis could never be the fatherto that devil vampire boy.She tells John she really did love him and wished her baby could grow upbig and strong like him.John hugs her and comforts her. He assures her that Marlena and him wouldalways be there forher. If anything's bothering her, she can come to them. Susan remembersKristen telling her that theadoption was legal and she can't do anything about it. John asks her ifthere's anything he can do.He asks where Elvis is, and she said with someone who can protect him fromevil. He tells her thatthey can go back to the penthouse, Belle and Brady loved having her around. Susan asks John about him and Marlena. He tells herit's complicated, but yeah, they are going to get together. She asked if heand Marlena don't getback together, would he go back to Kristen? He said no, and she should knowmore than anyoneelse why, because Kristen is mean, mean, mean. Susan agrees quietly, she ismean. Johntells her he's so comfortable with her and hopes she's the same way withhim. She tells him herparents are dead. He tells them she has her sister and son to be with onChristmas. She says sissy isalways busy feeding the homeless on Christmas. He tells her she can spendthe day with him,Marlena, Belle and Brady. John offers to take Susan back to the convent,but she said it'snot that far, she'll be ok. She assures him Elvis is with someone who'llprotect him and again, hefigures she's talking about Sister Mary. John leaves, and Susan said shecouldn't tell him because hewould hate her for signing that paper for giving Elvis up. Only one personcan help her now.

Rolf finally gave Peter a new shirt and hopes the new drugs work. WhilePeter's hot to get back toJenn, Rolf informs him he can't leave. The airstrip is washed out and it'llbe days or weeks before hecan leave. Rolf reinforces to Peter to take 2 pills every 8 hours untilthey're all gone, it's imperative. Instead of laying down like Rolfsuggested, Peter uses the phone tocall someone to pick up Jennifer for him. He hangs up saying Stefano won't helphim. He's glad Peteris feeling better, but he's on his own. Rolf tells him he should staythere longer to make sure themedicine works. Peter calls Kristen for help with Laura in the background.Peter tells her someonehas to go to the Grand Canyon and get Jennifer for him. Laura asks who it is.Kristen said it's a collegeroommate, want to talk with her, but Laura can tell something is wrong.Kristen tells Peter to callback tomorrow, but he keeps telling her he needs her help. When she asksfor a phone number,Laura grabs the phone away from Kristen and asks if it's Peter. If he lovesJenn as much as he sayshe does, tell her where Jennifer is! Peter doesn't say anything and hangs up.Laura figures out that Peterdoesn't have Jennifer and questions Kristen. Kristen tells her to leave as shedoesn't like her answers.Laura appeals to the pain that Kristen felt when she lost her baby andthat's how Laura feels now.It's working. Kristen says she's sorry and Laura leaves. After Lauraleaves, she said if John everfound out, he wouldn't have anything to do with her. She's on her way backnow as she has herbaby back and a great chance of getting John back now that Roman andMarlena are together.Peter goes to leave and notices a shed. He asks Rolf what's in the shedand Rolf said a plane. Hedidn't tell Peter about it as it's his only way out of the jungle if thenatives come after him. Peter saidhe's taking the plane and Rolf holds up the gun saying no, you're not.

Jack is beating the bushes down looking for Jenn. At the cabin, Jennifer shouldhave just lurched out of the door after knocking the padlockoff instead of talking to herself, as Travis and his gun came down andstopped her. Now he'spointing the gun at her. A helicopter is now circling over Jack with thespotlight searching for him.Jack realizes the ranger must have reported him . Jennifer and Travishear the helicopter. He tells her they're probably getting Jack's body offthe cliff. Jennifer tells Travis let'sget our gear and meet Peter at the rendezvous location. She looks down atthe shovel on the floorand Travis sees where she's looking. He asks her if she knows and to tellhim. He said the shovelwas buried down there, same with the clothes. He then finds his journal. Heknows she found out hekilled his parents and said you reporters, always have to be looking aroundand digging up dirt onpeople. His parents were hateful people and called him a loser. They madehim go to counselingand deserved to die. He won't have any problems killing her or Peter if hecrosses him. Travis disappointed them by never making the first team infootball, but he was damnsmart. He was going to disappear and change his name he was so smart. Hewaiting till they openedup their gifts and then he gave them their gift, the shovel. He's readinghis journal with his backturned to Jenn. She picks up the shovel and as he turns, whacks him in theface with it. She take thekeys out of his pocket and pulls herself up into the cabin. Just as shegets up in the cabin, he pullsher leg and yanks her back into the cellar. They struggle and Jennifer actuallyrides his back while they'refighting. He falls back down on the ground and is unconscious. She takeshis gun and climbs backup into the cabin. This time she puts the floor back into place and pushesa dresser over the hatch.She goes outside and closes the cellar down and puts a rod through the handlesand rushes off into the woods. Jack finally comments that the helicopterswent somewhere else to search andnow he can look for Jenn. He gets to the cabin and finds the ropes Jennifer wastied up with, thinking he'stoo late. Jenn's trying to figure out how to get off the cliff. Should sheclimb down or use theabandoned elevator, but she doesn't know where she is. All she knows is shehas to get away fromthat cabin as much as possible.

Jenn figures she'll have to climb down the mountain in the night and withoutany gear, but then tripsover a log and is unconscious. Jack is in the cabin and the helicopter iscircling around it. He hearspounding in the cellar and wonders if it could be Jennifer. We see Travisbeating on the trap doorwith the shovel

Thursday, December 18

by Soap Central

Abe and Lexie wander through Salem Place doing Christmas shopping. They runinto John and tell him about Jack's assault of the park ranger. While theyare talking, Stefano comes up to them and asks Lexie to give him a hint onwhat she wants for Christmas. Lexie says that the only thing she wants isfor Stefano to tell them where Peter is so Jack can be free. Stefano playsdumb, and John says that he will never tell them. Abe says Stefano would sellPeter out in a minute if it were to his advantage. John leaves to find Romanand Marlena, and Stefano goes his own way.

Roman, Marlena, and Eric go to Salem Place to do some last-minute Christmasshopping. They seem happy together, laughing and joking like a regularfamily. Roman starts talking about John and Kristen's problems again (nosy,isn't he?) and suggests that they invite John and Kristen over for Christmas,so that they can see how a loving family behaves. Eric goes off to find somefishing lures for Shawn, leaving Marlena and Roman alone. Roman remarks thatEric is a remarkable young man with unlimited potential. Marlena agrees witha smile. Roman says that although Sami doesn't seem to realize that you can'texpect people to do something just because you want them to, Eric appears tohave escaped that trap. Marlena's smile becomes a little fixed, as sheremembers the pressure Eric has been putting on her to stay with Roman. Justthen, John, who has been looking for them, walks up. He tells Roman that hehas just spoken to Abe and Lexie and found out that Jack had assaulted thepark ranger who arrested him, and is now considered armed and dangerous.Marlena and Roman react with dismay, and Roman goes to find Abe to discuss thecase. As he leaves, he tells Marlena to ask John about Christmas. John sitsdown and asks, "What about Christmas?" Marlena tells him of Roman's plan tohave John and Kristen over for Christmas. John says there is no way that'sgoing to happen - he can't play out the charade with Kristen any more.Marlena says it makes her sick to see Kristen hanging all over him. John saysthe only way they are going to be free of her lies is to tell Roman the truth,and asks Marlena when that is going to happen. Marlena says that Mike will betaking a blood test after the holidays, and if Roman gets a clean bill ofhealth, they can tell him then. John says he hopes so, not only for his ownsake, but for Roman's. Marlena says none of this would be happening ifKristen hadn't lied. John walks around the table to comfort her, and Ericwalks in on their embrace. Hostilely, Eric says he's glad it was himself andnot Roman who walked in on them, and accuses John of being unable to keep hishands off Marlena. Marlena tells him he has no right to talk to John thatway. Eric tells John to just leave them all alone so his mom and dad can behappy together. John tells Eric he is losing patience with him, and thatMarlena has chosen to be with him, John, and there is nothing Eric can doabout it. Eric leaves, obviously angry, and Marlena says that Eric will neveraccept their love. John is about to go, but before he leaves, he asks Marlenaif she has noticed anything strange about Susan. Marlena asks why, and Johnsays he saw Susan on the pier and she appeared to be very upset. Marlena askswhere Elvis was, and John says Susan told him Elvis was safe - at the convent,he assumes. Marlena breathes a sigh of relief, and tells John aboutoverhearing Kristen talking about getting her baby back, and seeing Susan atKristen's house later, obviously hiding something. John says that Kristenmust be having delusions of winning him back, thinking that Marlena will staywith Roman. He says that Kristen has no right to the child, and Marlena saysthat Kristen may believe she does have a right. John asks what she means, andMarlena drops the bombshell: she and Celeste believe that Stefano DiMera isthe baby's father. John stares at her with disbelief.

Roman finds Abe and Lexie and they discuss Jack and Jennifer's case. Abesays that he is not satisfied with the way the case is being handled, and it'stime for more drastic measures, especially in the face of the new orders. Hetells Roman and Lexie that the new orders are for anyone who sees Jack toshoot to kill. They are horrified, and Abe tells them he is going to fly downto Arizona to get a closer look at the operation. Lexie offers to drive himto the airport, but he tells her to finish her shopping; a car from thestation will pick him up. Lexie says that while he is gone, she will work onStefano. Abe tells her to stay away from Stefano; he can't be trusted, andAbe already has too many loved ones in danger to think of the woman he lovesmost in the world being in danger, too. Lexie says she can handle Stefano.

In the jungle, Rolf holds a gun on Peter and warns him not to take theairplane, Rolf's only means of escape from the jungle. Peter pretends toacquiesce, but then disarms Rolf and gut-punches him, giving him time toescape with the plane. Rolf watches Peter go and then calls Stefano and tellshim what the situation is. Later, when Rolf steps outside the compound, he ishorrified to find that Peter's bottle of pills to cure his jungle madness hasfallen to the ground. He knows that Peter will now be a danger to himself andanyone else he meets.

Peter disguises his voice (rather effectively) as Rolf's and asks forinstructions from the tower to go around the storm. He manages to get clearand is on his way to the States, blissfully unaware that his pills are on theground at the compound.

Kristen wanders around her mansion gloating over her latest acquisition -Susan's baby. She tries calling the convent to check on Susan, but learnsthat Susan is not there. Kristen hopes that means Susan took her advice andis going out of town. The doorbell rings, and Kristen opens the door to findScott, her lawyer, there. Scott tells her the papers have been filed, andafter a brief hearing, she should have sole custody of Elvis. Kristen isecstatic to hear it, but as Scott is leaving, the doorbell rings again.Stefano comes in and asks what Scott is doing there. Kristen says it's morepaperwork about Tony's estate. Stefano asks if there is a problem, and Scottsays everything is under control, and leaves. Kristen brings baby Elvisdownstairs to see his father. Stefano asks how long Elvis is going to bethere, and Kristen says for a few days while Susan is out of town. Stefanoexpresses amazement that Susan would let Kristen take care of Elvis for a fewhours, let alone a few days. Kristen says she is doing him a favor by keepingan eye on Susan and cultivating a friendship. Stefano seems to accept theexplanation, but tells Kristen not to get too close to the baby. Stefano getsa phone call from Dr. Rolf, telling him that he gave Peter the cure, but Petertook Rolf's airplane and left to find Jennifer. Stefano is happy that thingsmay finally be going smoothly for Peter, and warns Kristen not to betray herbrother, regardless of her feelings about Jennifer. Then he tells her aboutseeing Roman and Marlena together at Salem Place, and that they seemed veryhappy. Kristen says she is sure Marlena will stay with Roman out of guilt,and John will be hers. She tells Stefano she has an ace up her sleeve, butwon't say what it is. Stefano warns her not to tell anyone that he is Elvis'father, and Kristen assures him she's very good at keeping secrets.

Susan sits on a train going to Capital City, despondent over her loss of babyElvis, but determined to find "the one man who can help" her get her babyback. She doesn't say who that is. While on the train, she has a dream thatElvis Presley sits next to her and tells her that everything will be allright, and that she is a good woman and she should forgive herself. She wakesup saying "Merry Christmas," and a woman who has come to sit next to her asksif there is anything she can do to help. Susan says no thanks, the only manwho can help her is in Capital City.

On the mountain at the Grand Canyon, Jennifer, who is lying unconscious afterfalling in the woods, has a sudden nightmare vision of Travis coming after herwith an axe. She wakes up alone, lost, and scared, and although she isdevastated by the news of Jack's death, she tells herself she has to keepgoing, for Abby's sake. She sees a wolf growling at her, but manage to throwsomething and scare him off. Meanwhile, Jack hears the banging on the floorof the cabin and, thinking it's Jennifer trying to escape the cellar (I guess itnever occurs to him to call down and make sure), moves the furniture and letsout - Travis, wielding the shovel he used to kill his parents. Travis andJack struggle briefly, but Jack wins and shoves a gun in Travis' face,demanding to know where Jennifer is. Travis tells him that Jennifer escaped aloneinto the woods. Jack doesn't believe him at first, but finally, he realizesthat Travis would have no reason to protect Peter, and tells Travis to getback down into the cellar. Travis tries to convince Jack to take him along tohelp find Jennifer, but Jack isn't buying it, and he knocks Travis back downinto the cellar and boards up the floor again. Jack runs out into the woodsto find Jennifer, while Travis, swearing to kill Jack and his "bitch," findsan axe in the cellar and begins to break out. Jack wanders through the woodslooking for Jenn. He hears a rustling and doesn't know if it's Jennifer or apark ranger, so he doesn't call out. Jennifer, a few feet away, hears Jackrustling around and thinks it's Travis coming to get her, so she hides. Theypass within a few feet of each other. Jennifer finds the entrance to an oldmine elevator and remembers that Travis said people used to use it to get downthe mountain. She wrenches a few boards from the door and opens it. Shesteps inside - and screams as she plummets down the shaft. Jack hears herscream, and realizes with horror that Jennifer is nearby and in danger.

Friday, December 19

by Soap Central

John can't believe it at first when Marlena says that she thinks Stefano isthe father of Susan's baby, but after they compare stories, all the piecesstart to fall into place, and they are both convinced it is true. They aresure that Kristen is up to something evil, but Marlena says that if she is,the last thing she will do is tell them. John says that maybe the best way todraw her out is to catch her off guard. He tells Marlena that if he appearsto give Kristen what she wants - the belief that John has forgiven her andwants to give them another chance - she may slip up and tell them what she isdoing. Marlena looks apprehensive, but agrees to let him try. John goes overto Kristen's house, where she has been talking to Stefano, who warns her againthat she has no part in his plans for Elvis and better not even be thinking ofinterfering. When she hears John in the house, Kristen makes Stefano hide.She goes downstairs and starts talking to him, and is elated when he says thathe thinks Marlena and Roman are growing closer and she is shutting him out ofher life. He tells Kristen that he has forgiven her for her evil deeds and iswilling to give her another chance. Kristen, of course, is beside herselfwith joy and glee, and hugs him happily. Just when she is about to mentionhis extra special Christmas present, John hears what sounds like a babycrying. Kristen tries to distract him, but he goes upstairs to the nursery.Kristen fears he will find Elvis up there and it will all be over, but hefinds no baby in the crib (Stefano has apparently removed him). He hears theradio and asks Kristen why she was listening to the radio in the nursery. Shesays that she likes to sit there and remember the good times when they were afamily. John says that still, he could have sworn he heard the shrill cry ofa baby. Kristen says it must have been a Kenny G. song (the best one-linerDays has had all year!). John leaves and Kristen hugs herself with joy. Shedoes not tell him about the baby just yet because she wants it to be exactlyas she had pictured it.

Meanwhile, Susan gets to her destination in Capital City - a seedy bar withprostitutes and lowlifes. She asks the bartender to tell Thomas that Susanwants to see him. The bartender says that NO one sees Thomas without anappointment. Susan gets pushy for once and tells him to just go tell Thomasthat Susan needs his help. He goes, and comes back with a surprised look onhis face, saying that Thomas will see her now. Thomas sits in a booth,surrounded by three hookers, who leave when Susan arrives. All that isvisible of Thomas is black clothing and a black hat and sunglasses (kind of aMichael Jackson disguise). He never speaks, either, but when Susan pleads hercase and asks him to come back to Salem to help her, he nods in agreement.

Marlena runs into Celeste at Salem Place, where Celeste tells her aboutturning up the death card in Susan's tarot reading. She says that it does notnecessarily mean death, but possibly the loss of a loved one, such as a child.Marlena and Celeste are so nervous about Susan that they decide to go to theconvent to check on her. The sister at the convent tells them she will go getSusan, but when she comes back, obviously distressed, she tells them thatSusan, her baby, and all her things are gone.

Peter lands his airplane somewhere outside the U.S. for refueling. He tellsan airstrip employee that he has just flown through the storm and is on hisway to Arizona. The man tells him to get a night's rest, because it is a longflight, but Peter says that he has to get to the Grand Canyon tonight, for thesake of a woman. The employee laughs knowingly and warns him again to becareful. Peter gets up into the air and calls Travis to let him know that heis going to be landing soon.

Jennifer falls partway down the mine elevator shaft, but manages to catchherself on an elevator cable. She inches agonizingly up the cable (stronggirl!), praying to herself, while the cable begins to unravel above her. Asplit second before it breaks, she makes it back onto the platform. Shecrawls out the door and rests - only to be discovered by Travis. Travis isfurious with her for escaping and locking him in the cellar and tells her thatit is all over now, and she and Jack will pay. Jack finally arrives and holdsa gun on Travis, but Travis holds his gun on Jennifer and tells Jack to drophis weapon or he will kill her. Jack drops it and begs Travis not to hurtJennifer. But Travis tells him to forget it, and to say goodbye. As Travisaims the gun, a helicopter suddenly appears overhead. The distraction allowsJennifer to knock Travis' arm, so that the bullet hits Jack, but only in thearm. Travis assumes he has killed Jack (again) and runs off with Jennifer.Jack is only down for a few minutes and chases after them. He catches up withthem on a ridge line very near to the meeting spot with Peter. Travis andJack struggle briefly, and suddenly, they both pitch off of the cliff into theravine below. Jennifer screams with horror and tries to see what happened,but has no luck. As she is sobbing in disbelief, she suddenly feels a hand onher shoulder. She freaks out and struggles, until she realizes that the manholding her is Jack! Jennifer is stunned and so relieved that she can barelyspeak. Jack tells her that Travis fell to the floor of the ravine and issurely dead, while Jack only fell to a ledge a few feet below. Jennifer sobsand thanks God that they are both alive and the whole nightmare is over. Jackholds her and tells her that he will never let anything hurt her again, andthey kiss passionately.