Spitting Image

Lucas snorts into the phone, "I need all the information you can gather on a company called Highstyle. I don’t care what time it is. Eugenia, if you're going to work for me, you have to be available 24-7. Email me the information as soon as you get it. I'll email the proposal to Victor." He hangs up the phone, "...Otherwise known as another nail in Sami, Nicole and Austin's coffin."

Sami rails about Nicole's idiotic idea. Nicole says, "This is the best thing we have to guarantee a successful future for Austin's company!"

"The only future you are trying to guarantee," says Sami, "is a future in Austin's bed."

Phillip talks to Claire, "You will be fine. The doctors will do everything they can to get you well. You have to keep fighting." Kate watches and flashes back to getting the blood type info.

Phillip asks if Kate is OK. "I am just worried about Claire, and I'm tired. I am also worried about you and Belle." She flashes back to Shawn and Belle hugging, "I know you have to be exhausted. And where is Belle right now?"

"She is with Shawn," says Phillip, "Which is where she should be right now."

"It can't be true," wails Abby.

Jennifer says, "This has to be a horrible mistake."

Bo tells her all he could recover was the license plate.

"So it's possible Jack is alive," Says Jennifer.

"No," says Bo, "He's toast. But at least you won't have to stand in line for hours at the license bureau getting new plates."

Hope says, "Patrick and Billie have gone back out to search."

Jennifer wants to know why there aren't more people out looking for Jack. Bo says, "With this ice storm, the fire and police departments are resourced out to the max."

Phillip says he asked Shawn to look after Belle while he watched the baby. Kate wants to know why it couldn't be John and Marlena. "They went home," says Phillip.
Kate thinks he should be with Belle, "You're her husband."

"She's really sick, Mom. I don't get it. Just a few hours ago she was fine," says Phillip.

"She's going to be all right because she's a fighter," says Kate, "Just like her father. Just look at how he recovered from his motorcycle accident. Nothing is going to happen. She will pull through."

"Yeah," says Phillip, "She will." His leg pain kicks up, pun intended. Kate tells him he should be sitting down. She helps him into a chair. Lexie walks up to them. She and Kate go off to talk.

Kate says, "Lexie, he's been through so much he can't lose her now."

Abby says, "He can't be gone."

"You're right," says Jennifer, "He's not. He will come home to us."

Bo gets off the phone, "The fire department has heavy equipment down at the river."

Jennifer freaks, "When they bring the car up, Jack will be alive. We did a talk show segment on how to survive in a car in the water." She shows them, "You get into something like a fetal position just like this, where your head is right next to your butt and you kiss your ass goodbye." Despite everyone's protests, Jennifer insists on going down to the accident scene.

Nicole says, "I am not interested in getting Austin into bed."

"You are such a liar," says Sami, "You're always leaning over to give him an eyeful every time you're around him. Get over yourself. You want him and you know it."

Nicole flashes back to when Austin left Salem. He likes her voice on the phone. Nicole asks if he is sure about leaving. As sure as he can be. She has to let him go. A peck on the cheek and oh, the pain.

Then Nicole flashes back to making the pool bet with Austin. "OK," she says, "I admit it, but so do you."

"ME," asks Sami. Flashback to Austin and Sami ant Chez Rouge. "Whatever happened between us is in the past. You're hurting. I have to help you get through this," says Austin.

Nicole snaps her out of it. "Yes, you, Sami, but Highstyle has nothing to do with this. It's strictly business."

"Yes," says Sami, "Austin's business. And because of you we're buried in debt."

"What're we supposed to do," asks Nicole, "Sit around until the loans come due? The best way to use these loans is to acquire this company. I heard Lucas telling Victor they are interested in it. We have to get to this company before Titan does."

"I think this is a big mistake," says Sami.

"I think you're wrong, as usual," says Nicole, "And Austin agrees with me."

Sami says, "If this fails we're ruined."

Nicole asks, "Don't you have anything better to do than stand here and be negative?"

"Yeah, I do," stammers Sami, "I have to talk to Lucas about... Will."

Lucas tells Eugenia she did a great job. He'll call her if he needs anything. Sami knocks at the door. Lucas booms, "I'm working, Can't it wait?"

"No," says Sami, "It's about Will."

"OK, hold on," he answers the door, "What is so damned important?"

"I'm going with you and Will to his parent-teacher conference," says Sami, "I want to know what happened to his A in math. Are you helping him with his homework? You don't even remember your times tables. I wonder if Victor knows that."

"The tests are killing him right now," says Lucas, "He's distracted. You're breaking his heart."

"You broke his heart when you broke up with me," says Sami, "Can I come in?"

"What for?"

"I just want to talk to you," she says, "I hate being alone with Nicole. She's driving Austin's company into the ground." Lucas lets her in.

Lexie says, "Kate, I honestly don't think Belle and Phillip will lose Claire. At this point we have to stay positive."

"I believe that," says Kate, "I can't help but think if they did lose Claire how they would ever handle it."

"Abe and I know first hand what it's like to lose a child," says Lexie, "When we found out the baby we adopted belonged to Bo and Hope it tore our marriage apart."

Kate says, "I remember when I lost Austin and Billie I thought my life was over. That's why I'm so overprotective. I don't want that to happen to Phillip. She's his baby."

"Of course she is," says Lexie, "But, the most devastating thing I ever heard of was one time in Salem a couple had a kid who was actually theirs. They simply didn't know how to deal with it."

Chaos reigns and rain rains at the bridge. Jennifer swears, "Jack wouldn't leave us like this." They have to restrain her from diving in.

Nicole ponders, "Sami is so wrong. Highstyle is the perfect company for us to take over. And I'm going to steal it right out from under Lucas' nose. No one plays dirty better than Nicole Walker."

Lucas tells Sami, "Just don't get the wrong idea. I'm just doing this for Will and because I feel sorry for you because you got involved in my brother's stupid company. I can't believe Austin was dumb enough to let you back into his life."

"I can't believe we can't be civil," says Sami.

"I can't believe we wanted to spend all the Days Of Our Lives together, but that was a farce because you wanted my brother the whole time, didn't you" says Lucas, "Austin feels sorry for you. He felt sorry for you back then and he feels sorry for you now. Get used to it."

Sami says, "Is that why you were with me? If you really loved me you could forgive me."

Lucas says, "If you really loved me, you'd understand I deserve better than you're able to give me, dammit!"

"All right," says Sami, "I think I'm going to leave now."

"Go ahead and leave. I don't care!"

"Dammit Lucas," she screams, "I miss you!"

"You miss me," he says softly, "You made your choice. Now you're stuck with Nicole instead."

Sami says, "She's a nightmare. You were right about her all along. And she is driving Austin's company into the ground. She has this harebrained idea about taking over this company named Highstyle. And I'm telling you it's going to ruin Austin's company... GASP! I wasn't supposed to say anything. Please promise me. You can't tell Austin and Nicole I said that."

"Relax," says Lucas, "I won't. Takeovers can be risky. You should talk Austin out of listening to Nicole. Listen... I have to get back to work."

"OK," says Sami, "Thanks for listening."

"See you tomorrow," says Lucas.

Sami asks, "What's tomorrow?"

Lucas reminds her, "The parent-teacher conference."

"Oh, yeah..." Lucas shuts the door.

Sami stands in the hallway, "Mission accomplished! Now Lucas will go after that company and Nicole will look like a fool. Austin will fire her and I will have saved him from her, and I will be right where I want to be."

Lexie says, "Kate, Belle and Phillip are deeply in love. You know that better than anyone. Their marriage is strong. Phillip has been such a support. No matter what happens, they will get through this."

"I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure they do," says Kate, "Do you have any idea about the test results."

"The tests are time consuming," says Lexie, "We don't want to rush. Are you OK?"

"I'm just tired," says Kate, "I'm going to stay, though, because Phillip might need me."

Lexie goes off to check on things. Kate goes back to Phillip. She asks about the leg. Phillip says it's OK. Claire is awake. Phillip thinks she has his eyes. He asks if she looks like he looked when he was a baby.

"Spitting image," says Kate, "If you can spit pretty far. When I see her I see how much you love her."

Phillip says, "I wish she looked like her mom."

Kate says, "I just hope she doesn’t have her mother's brains. That's your daughter. There's no doubt about that."

"Being a father has changed me," says Phillip, "Without that little girl, I don't think I would want to live. I have everything I ever dreamed of."

Kate vows, "Nothing will ever change that."

"From your lips to God's ears," says Phillip, "From God's ears to the trash can."

Jennifer goes berserk at the bridge. Abby chimes in. Frankie hugs them both. Jennifer struggles, "I can't believe it. He's coming home."

Hope tells Bo, "She can't accept what's right in front of her."

Bo says, "Yeah, that this whole storyline is the most ridiculous thing in the history of television." Bo says they really won't know anything until they bring up the car. And then, of course, they still won't know anything. Hope says she will never take their life together for granted.

A fireman tells them they are ready to bring up the car. Jennifer tells them to hurry. Bo tells Hope he wishes Jennifer wasn't there, "It will be such a shock when she sees Jack's body."

Lucas tells Victor what Sami said. He thinks they have to set something up tonight, "When our friends down the hall wake up, Highstyle will belong to Titan. I will arrange to fly out tonight... The company jet? That would be great."

Nicole finishes the proposal, "This takeover plan is a thing of genius. I'd let you check it out, Sami, but you wouldn't understand it. Soon we will be moving into Brandon's loft. Isn’t that ironic? Your first ex-husband will be living in your second ex-husband's loft. Or is it the other way around?"

Sami threatens, "You are going to wind up in the cold on your ass."

"Face it," says Nicole, "I win. You lose. You are such a loser!"

"No Nicole," says Sami, "You are the loser.

"Oh, good comeback," says Nicole.

Sami says, "Your takeover scheme is going to go down. I guarantee it."

Nicole asks, "What the hell did you do this time?"

Sami lies, "I haven't done anything."

"Then how can you guarantee this plan will fail," asks Nicole.

"I wasn't speaking literally," says Sami, "If Austin listens to you, he will bury his company before it gets off the ground. I tried to tell you and Austin you were taking an unnecessary risk with the loans."

"The worst thing we could do is nothing," says Nicole, "You have to take chances in business."

"Now you sound like a cheesy business video instead of a cheesy soap opera," says Sami.

"I don't care what you think," says Nicole.

"I hope you are right," says Sami, "I care about this company as much as you do. When this fails you will be back in the gutter where Victor tossed you."

Nicole insists, "This plan absolutely cannot miss.

Lucas is in the Highstyle offices. He opens the door and stares, "OMG, it's you."

Kate tells Phillip, "Belle needs you now more than ever."

"Shawn and Mimi can take care of her," says Phillip, "They care about Claire like she is their own. Why is this happening? I feel like I'm going to lose it all."

"I'm not going to let that happen," says Kate, "I would do anything to ensure your happiness."

"I realize this will come as a shock to you but, you're not God," says Phillip, "you can't guarantee Claire will be all right, can you?" Phillip goes back to Claire.

Kate thinks, "Whatever I have to do, you will never know that baby isn't yours."

The mud-caked car sits on the bridge. Jennifer yells for them to get Jack out, "HURRY." Bo pries open the door and water gushes out.

Editor's Note: we ran this back several times and did freeze frames. There appears to be a human hand in the car. Judge for yourself...

Of course, we understand it is meaningless either way. The writers never let little things like facts stand in their way.

Jennifer screams, "Where is he? Where is my husband?" FF



Previews
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Phillip says to Claire, "I don't know what I'd do if anything happens to you. I'll tell you one thing. I'm not gonna wannna live any more."

Nicole tells Sami, "I'm a businesswoman. You're a wannabe. You're lucky Austin's giving you a chance."

Jennifer yells, "Unless you can show me his lifeless body my husband is alive. Do you hear me... All of you."

Hope mumbles, "God has a plan. Or Jack had a plan. Brady, if you know something, you'd better tell me right now."