The Rat And The Big Cheese

Nicole paces. Sami is lying on the couch. Nicole smacks Sami and takes a seat. They all brood. The landlord won't let them out of the lease on Brandon's old apartment. Austin says he is responsible. He advises them both to start looking for other jobs. They insist they aren't going anywhere.

Victor comes to see Lucas. He congratulates him on a job well done, "I knew I picked the right man when I picked you, after Kate badgered me into it and Austin and half the city of Salem turned me down. But now Austin has met his match."

Belle wails, "I don't know what I will do if I lose her. I feel so guilty. She needed me and I wasn't there."

Phillip says, "Trust me honey, Claire knows you love her."

Kate watches, "According to hospital records, there is no way you can be Claire's father."

Alex comes up and asks Kate if she has heard the bad news.

John tells Marlena she doesn’t even know Alex. She knows she was married to him. That's enough for her. She needs to be with the first man she loved. John won't accept it.

Abby stares out of the window. She wants Jennifer to do something. Jennifer wants to know just what that would be. Abby suggests Jennifer should call the hospital, because Abby hasn't learned yet how to pick up a phone and dial it herself.

Hope goes through pictures. Bo says, "Mrs. H will love the website, www.losers-and-boozers.com ." They talk about the upcoming party. Hope feels blessed. The phone rings. Bo picks up. Hope's cell rings. It's a phone-a-thon. Frankie tells Hope he is on the bridge and it looks like a bad accident. Bo got the same news. The intrepid cops are on the way to save the day.

Frankie stares into the water. Billie and Patrick arrive. They are looking for Jack too. Frankie speculates it could be Jack's car that went into the river, "And if it was, Jack could be dead."

Phillip asks Belle if she wants to go to the chapel. Belle doesn't want to leave Claire.

Alex tells Kate, "It looks like my future won't be with Marlena and yours won't be with John. What are you doing for dinner this evening?"

"What are you talking about," asks Kate.

"You've lost the person you love."

Kate says, "Believe me John and Marlena are the last thing on my mind right now."

John vows he won't lose Marlena to Alex, "I know you don't remember, but we've had a long history of happy times. We have a family. Belle, Brady, Eric, Sami. If you turn your back on me you are turning my back on them. I'm begging you. If you look into your heart you will realize you would never abandon your family."

Jennifer calls the hospital. She asks if Jack has been brought in. Nurse Molly can't find anything. Jennifer is relieved. She tells Abby Jack and Frankie will probably be there any minute.

Ho and Dope arrive at the tragic scene. Frankie says the paint on the guardrail is the same color as Jack's car. Patrick offers to help. Bo says he can handle it by himself.

Billie says to Frankie, "You think that was Jack's car, don't you?"

"If it is," says Frankie, "I am not sure it was an accident."

Billie says, "I talked to him and I made him realize how hard it would be for Jennifer. He would never do that to Jennifer. He loves her too much. It can't be Jack's car. It can't be."

Patrick asks Hope how she is doing. She's not doing too well. She tells Patrick Jennifer's car went off this bridge once. She tells Patrick the story of Jennifer and JT in the car, "I thought I had lost JT, Patrick, and then I got him back. It was a miracle. Then I lost him again. Standing here brings back the awful memory. Why Jack? Haven't he and Jennifer been through enough?"

A cop comes up and says, "The surveillance camera captured the license plate of the car skidding on the bridge. It's registered to a Jack Devereaux."

Austin says, "You guys are so cool. But I'm not sure my company has a future."

The girls insist they can turn things around. Austin beats himself up, "Don't overextend yourself. That's business 101." Sami and Nicole turn on each other. Austin asks for a moment alone with Sami.

Sami tells him getting rid of Nicole is the best thing to do. "You are so totally out of line," says Austin.

Nicole goes into Lucas' apartment. She sees Victor standing there, "Well, well, well, if it ain't the rat and the big cheese."

Lucas tells her to leave. Nicole won't go until she tells Victor how Lucas stole the Clear Visage account. Victor says, "It sounds like you're a sore loser, Nicole. This is business. Hardball. Lucas won. You got what you deserved." My hat's off to you, Lucas." He asks Nicole to join in a toast to Lucas. Victor and Lucas clink their cups as Nicole showers Lucas.

"I can't believe you did that," yells Lucas.

Nicole says, "I only drink the real thing and only with people I like. Or with people I don't like. Or alone, or whatever. This isn't over. I swear I will help Austin find a way to kick your ass and the two of you won't know what hit you." She storms out.

Phillip and Belle stare at Claire. She is their little angel. Phillip says, "You have no idea how much I love you both. I will do everything I can to protect you."

Kate watches and tells Alex Belle has been so good for Phillip, "If Phillip loses Belle or his baby he will be devastated."

"He might just get lucky," says Kate, "I wasn't thinking when I said that."

Alex says, "Pain and loss are part of life, Kate. It's how we deal with them that matters."

Kate says, "It sounds like you're talking about yourself. I won't give up, ever."

Marlena insists she isn't turning her back on her family. She resents what John has said. She has deep feelings for Alex. That's her decision. Period.

Jennifer stares. Abby shows her Jack's Christmas present. It's a locket with "DAD" on the front. Inside is a picture of Abby and Jennifer. Abby decides to wrap it up and give it to Jack at the Thanksgiving party. Just in case. Jennifer yells, "We are not going to lose him. Do you understand me?"

Hope suggests Frankie go back to the house. Jennifer will need him if the news isn't good. They get bad news. The divers can't get there because they are handing another emergency. Bo says, "Let's get those wetsuits out. I'm going in." I hope they have someone ready to rescue both Bo and Jack.

Lucas tells Victor he isn't worried about Nicole. Victor tells him not to underestimate her. Lucas says he is working on a new company – High Style. He shows the portfolio to Victor. Victor thinks it looks promising. Lucas says he can have a proposal on Victor's desk in the morning. Nicole listens as Lucas tells Victor they have to move fast.

"Dammit," says Nicole, "That was the company I was working on."

Austin tells Sami Nicole is jut trying to help. Sami says, "All she wants to do is sink her manicured nails into you."

"These were my decisions," says Austin, "My gamble. My loss."

"The only time you gambled and lost was when you hired Nicole," says Sami, "Getting involved with Nicole could spell disaster."

Nicole strolls in, hears it all and says, "You're wrong, Sami. I have exactly what we need to get back in the game." A real company with real money and people who know what they are doing?

John says he can't just let Marlena go. "That isn't up to you," says Marlena, "I don't think you and I belong together." She remembers Kate's massage and says, "I doubt it will take long for you to get over me."

"Well," says John, "You're wrong again. I love you, Doc. I told you I'm willing to wait until you regain your memory. Can't you work with me a little bit? Tell Alex you can't be with him yet. I accept you don't want to be with me right now. But you shouldn't be with anyone right now. So why not wait a little while until you put all the pieces together?" Marlena cries.

Belle says Phillip makes her feel better. He always knows what to say or do. Belle goes to see Marlena.

Kate sighs. Alex assures her, "Claire will be fine. But you and I may take a while to recover." He leaves to make an airline reservation.

Kate thinks she has to work on finding a way to keep Phillip from finding out Claire isn't his daughter.

Hope wants Bo to let Patrick help. Bo doesn't trust him. Hope says he should. Bo relents. Hope gives him one last kiss.

Patrick asks Billie, "You still love him don't you?"

"Not the way you think," says Billie, "Bo is Chelsea's father."

"Just come back to me, OK," says Hope. Bo jumps into the drink. Patrick handles the air hose. "Please find Jack and, Dear God, bring them both back alive," says Hope.

Abby tells Jennifer they both know this will probably be their last Christmas with Jack. Frankie arrives. Jennifer wants to know what is going on.

Victor likes the way Lucas is handling things. He tells him, "Austin, Sami and Nicole are a tenacious group. They are fighting for their lives." Victor wonders how Lucas can handle competing with Sami.

Lucas tells Victor he and Sami are through.

"Sami could be your Achilles Heel," says Victor, "There is a part of you that will always love her. She is the mother of your son. Can you separate Sami the mother from Sami the business rival, and will your feelings for her stop you from going in for the kill?"

Nicole tells the group they need to get back to work. Lucas is making a play for their new takeover target. She thinks they should use the money they borrowed to take over High Style.

Sami says, "This is just another one of Nicole's lame ideas."

"You wouldn't know a good idea if it bit you in the butt," says Nicole. She turns to Austin, "What are you going to do, Austin?"

Lucas reminds Victor, "You go against my mother every day in business."

"We've been divorced a long time," says Victor, "It hasn't always been easy. There have been times I wish we agreed for Phillip's sake. You still haven't answered my question about Sami."

"Sami and I are finished," says Lucas, "Sami, Austin and Nicole are the enemy. If they get in my way, I'll bury them."

"It's election time, Austin," says Nicole, "Who are you voting for – Sami or me?"

"Work up a proposal," says Austin.

Austin walks away. Nicole says, "Get used to it, Sami, I win. You lose."

Alex arranges for an airline seat, "Just one seat, please. And I won't be needing a return ticket."

Kate says to herself, "Phillip will be devastated. Maybe the baby really is his. Maybe this is just a huge mistake. No... Shawn is the father."

CONTRARY TO PREVAILING THOUGHT IN DOOL-LAND, THE US CIVIL WAR WAS THE UNION VS. CONFEDERACY NOT THE SHELLEs VS. SHIMIs!

Alex picks up on it, "Why would he lose Belle?"

Phillip listens, "Mother?"

John and Marlena keep it up. Marlena yells at John, "You and I are done!" Belle walks up and screams, "NO! Tell me this isn't happening." The audience sees Belle and thinks, "Tell me this isn't happening."

Jennifer whines, "Frankie, please, if you know anything about Jack, please tell me."

Frankie insists he couldn't find Jack. Jennifer frets. Jennifer yells, "Frankie, where is he?"

Frankie says, "Jack's kind of inundated right now."

Patrick says he doesn't feel right about this. No signal from Bo. It seems Bo went to the bottom of the river, saw a pile of rusty beams and wedged his foot between a couple of them. Bo struggles.


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Kate says, "Which means that Belle lied, which means Shawn is the Baby's father."

"You're the only one I want to be with," says Mimi. Ditto for Shawn.

Marlena tells Alex, "I don't want a divorce. I don’t want you to go."

Hope says, "Bo can't last under that icy water much longer." Billie says, "And if he couldn't with a wet suit and oxygen..." Hope wonders, "What if none of them make it back?" Bo does the dead-man float.