Blueprints For A Nuclear Bomb

Abby runs up to Nick and says she went back to the garage after her little fight with Max, but found it was dark. Max and Mimi's cars are still there. The electricity has been cut. She thinks something is wrong. Nick thinks she's sees too many horror movies. He goes to find the fuses.

Sami says, "I think it's totally cool Kate and EJ want me to be the face for all the Mythic products. It came down to Phillip and me and I won out because I actually have a face."

Lucas isn't impressed. Sami tells him to give her a break. Lucas says he doesn't trust EJ. Sami asks if he is jealous. "I would be if we were sleeping together," says Lucas. Sami feels the same way. She promises to make it right.

EJ interrupts, "Sami, pack you're bags. We're going to Alabama this evening."

Bo hums as he prepares a bottle of wine for his special evening with Hope. As he walks by, he accidentally tips over Hope's purse and finds the plane tickets. There goes the mood. Hope yells down and asks what's taking so long.

Willow decorates a pathetic little Christmas tree. Shawn comes in. She starts to put the star on top, but he stops her, "I can't do this any more. I need the apartment to myself. I owe it to Claire and Belle. We're done. Oh, and, by the way, merry Christmas."

Hope comes down and asks what's going on. She sees Bo has found the tickets. He asks her about them. She says she was trying to find the right way to tell him. She's only going away with Patrick because he dropped the charges against Bo, "So see, like everything else, it's your fault."

Bo asks, "So what – I'm not supposed to do anything? I'm not supposed to protect you?"

Shawn says they both knew it wasn't going to be forever, "It was just a thing." Shawn likes to use big words.

"A THING," screams Willow, "You sure liked the sex though, didn't you?"

"Things have changed," says Shawn.

Willow rants, "What am I supposed to do? Smile? Wish you good luck? This is a big deal! Did you think you were just getting a bunch of freebies? I have earned my right to be angry and you have earned your right to shut up and take what's coming!" Like father, like son.

EJ tells Sami they are going to Talladega to help get sponsorship for a racing team. Sami is reluctant but EJ tells her she has no choice. Lucas revs up his mouth. He figures EJ will butter her up and give her a couple of drinks and they will end up in a hotel room, "EJ will get what he's always wanted – you in his bed."

Nick tells Abby how he will get the lights back on by sticking a penny behind the fuses in the fuse box. It might be a fire hazard so they will have to be careful. Abby thinks this could be dangerous. Nick assures her they will be OK if they just watch it. "I'm not talking about the fuses," says Abby, "There was a black van hanging around the garage all night. It might be a trap."

Nick reassures her, "We will go in and see if the lights work. If they don't, we will call the cops."

"Good thought," says Abby, "Salem policemen are probably better electricians than they are cops."

Hope says she would ask for Bo's help if she thought she couldn't handle Patrick. She's a cop. She knows what she's doing. They argue. Bo thinks it's a mistake.

"He's just trying to get under my skin," says Hope, "When he realizes he can't, we'll call things off. We'll be back before you know it and it will be over."

"No. It won't."

"I can't break this promise," says Hope, "You will go to jail and I can't deal with that. Please let me handle it. Can you do that?" Bo stares.

Willow thinks Shawn isn't worth wasting her breath, "Belle is as sweet as apple pie but inside the apples are rotten. She is going to destroy you."

Shawn says Willow isn't exactly an expert in happy families. Willow says he's digging a hole for himself. He's trying to be someone he is not.

Shawn says, "You don't even know me."

"Yes I do," says Willow, "You like to live on the edge. You like fast cars and women who are fierce and independent and that's not Belle. You also seem to like women who have mental problems."

"My marriage just ended," says Shawn, "I needed to get Mimi out of my system. Belle is the one I want to be with."

Willow screams, "Then go to her but don't come crawling back when you are under her dark cloud that she carries everywhere. I'm totally finished."

EJ doesn't want to trade wisecracks with Lucas, "Stop whining and grow up."

Lucas stops holding his breath long enough to tell Sami she isn't going anywhere with this guy. EJ assures him he will be a perfect gentleman, "If you don't trust me, why don't you come along too. On me."

Abby thinks Nick is brave. Nick assures her he isn't. He thinks dark places are creepy. They go inside. Nicky immediately freaks out and tells her to hurry and find the switch. Abby flips the switch. The lights come on. The garage is a shambles. It looks like a Shawn drive-thru.

Sami can't believe EJ just asked Lucas to go on the trip, "He works for the competition." Lucas says he has time to do it. EJ says it's settled. He goes to meet a friend before they leave. He'll send a limo to pick them up.

Lucas takes out his cell phone to call Kate and ask if she will watch Will while they are gone. Sami stops him and says he isn't going.

Roman asks Abby about the black van. Abby is clueless. Nick rambles on about how the mind works and if she just closes her eyes she might be able to picture the license plate. Mercifully, Roman shuts him up. Abby insists she didn't see the license plate. Roman asks if anybody had it in for Max. Abby tells him about Max and Mimi going on the wild goose chase for Phillip.

Ho and Dope go over the same old territory. She pours on the kisses. Bo caves in. He says she can go on one condition, "If you ever get the feeling that something isn't right, call me."

A knock at the door interrupts their conversation. Willow comes in. Hope tells her this isn't a good time. "I need to talk now," says Willow, "Your son just dumped me. I want to know what you're going to do about it."

EJ arrives at Chez Rouge. He opens his briefcase and goes through it. He goes over to Shawn's table and apologizes for being late. He asks if Shawn has eaten. Shawn isn't hungry. He just wants to talk. EJ has an important message for him to deliver. He gives him the cash. Shawn says, "I can't work with you any more, EJ."

Roman asks about Max mentioning Victor. Abby says he didn't ever mention him. A cop tells Roman they sent a car to Mimi's house and couldn't find her. They can't find Max either. Abby overhears, "They have been kidnapped haven't they? Or even worse." Roman sees Shawn Sr. walk in and excuses himself.

Nick assures Abby things will be OK. Abby tells him about her fight with Max, "Now I may never be able to say I'm sorry." Wah.

Sami tells Lucas this is her first chance to prove herself to Mythic. Lucas says he will support her. Sami doesn't want to be the new exec shackled to her boyfriend. She rants, "You said that I'm so spineless that a couple of compliments and some drinks from EJ and I'll jump into bed with him. Lucas, is that really what you think of me?"

Willow asks if Hope and Bo think she is pathetic. "Oh, no," says Hope, "Wacko, yes. Pathetic, no. I think you are hurt and angry."

Bo asks what she expects them to do, "Our son is a grown man. We don't interfere in his business."

Willow, like the rest of us, can hardly stop laughing, "Give me a break you're all over his personal life."

Hope asks for a moment alone with Willow.

Willow says, "Your husband hated me from the start. But I loved your son."

"I'm sorry you got hurt," says Hope, "There is nothing I can do. You knew Shawn and Belle had a baby together."

"So what," says Willow, "You're having a baby and not rushing to be with the father." The referee steps in and penalizes Willow for a low blow.

EJ is cold. Shawn says, "EJ, I'm grateful but..."

EJ interrupts, "How do you think you will keep that new apartment without a job?"

"I'll find something else," says Shawn, "I think it's time I move on. I don't feel comfortable. People don't pay messengers what you are paying me. My dad tells me I need to be careful."

EJ picks right up on that one, "I thought I employed a man. Not a little boy who needs his daddy."

Shawn says, "If you had nothing to hide you'd tell me what is in the envelopes. You are a hell of a driver. I respect your accomplishments. I thought this job would be as a mechanic. I hate Patrick – it makes me crazy just to look at him."

"You must look at him a lot," says EJ.

"I think it would be best if I just stopped working for you," says Shawn.

Roman goes over to talk to OMB. He says he would have come to the pub to fill him in after he left the garage. OMB says Caroline is just sick about this and he's worried about Max himself. Roman says they don't know what is going on. In other words, the investigation is going normally for the Salem PD. They don't even know that Max and Mimi were there when the place was ransacked. He promises they will find them.

Abby tells Nick about the argument she had with Max, "Max admitted he likes Mimi and isn't interested in me." Tears. Nick says once Max is back and safe, she needs to tell him how she feels. Abby says he knows how she feels. Apparently, along with his other talents, he's clairvoyant, too.

Hope says, "Well, you must've done a lot of research into my personal life."

"No," says Willow, "It's just that Shawn and I have talked about it." She rants about Belle. Hope tells her to stop. She won't let her talk about Belle like this. Willow says Hope needs to tell Shawn what is important is his happiness, "If what makes him happy is me, then he should go for it."

EJ asks just what Shawn thinks is in the envelopes. He opens the one he has and shows it to him. Shawn's head spins as he looks at the numbers on the page. "It's not blueprints for a nuclear bomb," says EJ.

"Coulda fooled me," says Shawn.

"It's business figures," says EJ, "You need to grow up and take responsibility for yourself."

Lucas reminds Sami of his track record with women. He's not exactly Jesse Owens. Carrie and Nicole cheated on him, "This is about EJ. He attacked you. He says he wants to have your baby." Sami insists Kate is wrong about that. Lucas asks, "What if there was some hot babe at Titan slobbering all over me?"

"Did hell freeze over," asks Sami, "But you're right. I'd destroy the bitch."

"Exactly," says Lucas, "And it wouldn't have anything to do with trust. So don't tell me I can't go to Talladega with you and EJ."

Sami says he is right. But she asks him to be a bigger person than she could be. They have to trust each other eventually. She asks him to let her go and prove she is worthy of his trust.

Abby whines, "I could've warned Max before they tried to hurt him."

Nick the Geek says, "No. If you would've come back here to do that, you could be missing, too."

Abby says, "I'd rather die with him than live without him." Hugs.

Hope tells Willow the conversation is over. She is sorry Willow got hurt, but she will not interfere, "Good night, and good luck." Translation: Good night and good riddance.

Willow gives her parting shot, "Shawn will be sorry he treated me like this and so will you." She storms out.

"She scares me," says Hope, "Shawn has to figure things out on his own. I think he's finally coming to his senses. What he has of them."

Shawn hands the envelope back to EJ, "I might regret this but I have to do what's right." He gets up to leave.

"SIT DOWN," orders EJ. Rin-Tin-Tin obeys.

"Do you see how I made you do that," says EJ, "You are weak just like your dad. If you want out just listen. The business we did is confidential. The money I paid bought your silence. Now, go away."

Shawn gets up and starts to leave. He turns and says, "I'll keep my mouth shut, but if my dad is right I'm gonna tell him everything I know and you will find out just how weak I am."

Willow gets back to the apartment. She yells for Shawn. Nothing. She bawls over the Christmas tree and puts the star on top. More bawling. Who does she think she is, Belle? She ransacks the place. Rage. Crying, "You wanna end this Shawn? OK lets end it!" She storms into the bedroom and comes back with a pile of clothes. More ransacking.

Bo says it's late and he is tired. Hope says it's late, "But I'm not tired."

Bo crawls out of his clueless void and says, "I missed a sign, didn't I?"

"Yeah." Kisses.

Nick gives Abby a hankie. She thinks she is a coward. She ran away. Nick says she could have gone home and said nothing but didn't.

"Max is with Mimi, not me," she whines.

"The police will find them," says Nick, "When they do, you will be a hero. If you weren't my cousin..."

Abby says, "You're in Salem. That's not a problem. Thanks for being here and everything." They leave.

Lucas can't believe he's saying this but he tells Sami to go on the trip. Sami thanks him and says this is a big step for them. "It better be a big step," says Lucas, "I'm sick of cold showers." Sami rushes around and says she has so much to do. She heads for the apartment.

Lucas comes out of the office and takes out his cell phone. He leaves a message for Victor. He will need a couple of personal days.

EJ finishes his drink. He tears up the note he showed Shawn and pays. He leaves.

Willow continues her rampage. She pulls matches from her purse. She finds liquor in the cabinet, takes a swig, pours the rest of it on the pile of clothes, strikes a match and drops it. It'll be a hot time in the old townhouse tonight.

Shawn comes back and sees smoke rolling out from under the door. He tries to open the door, but it is chained. He sticks his head into the opening and yells, "Willow? Can you hear me? Are you in there?" FF.


Previews
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Bo tells Hope, "There's part of me... I feel like a failure."

Marlena says, "No. You're not going in there. John, it's not me, it's you they want. We've gotta go before it's too late."

Willow screams at Shawn, "You wanted a home for your precious daughter. Will now it's gone. Deal with it."

EJ says to Sami, "Why don't we go upstairs to my suite, get a bottle of champagne, and we can celebrate your new deal as the new face of Mythic? What do you say?"