Return to Summaries PageThis episode aired the day after New Year's, January 2, 1996, but the scenes actually begin on New Year's Eve. Everyone is still in Aremid and have spent their Christmas holidays there. Jude is missing and Peter is frantic that he has two loose cannons to deal with. Jack, of course, is loose cannon number one in Peter's eyes.
(Transcribed by Salem)
Jack and Sarah enter a very lively and festive Red Dragon Inn. They are wearing winter clothing.
Sarah -- You must have some plans for tonight, Jack. It's New Year's Eve.
Jack -- (as they unbutton their coats) Yeah, yeah, I've got plans. I'm going to go to bed and pull the covers over my head and wish that 1995 never happened.
Sarah -- Well maybe 1996 will be better.
Jack -- (their coats are now off) We it couldn't possibly be any worse, now could it.
Sarah -- In all the romance that I've read. (Jack mumbles a mmhhmm) People in love are always together when the clock strikes midnight.
Jack -- Are they?
Sarah -- It's a sign that they belong together.
Jack -- (he smiles) Well, I'll be lucky to even see the woman that I love tonight, let alone be with her.
Jennifer comes up from behind.
Jennifer -- Hello Jack.
Jack -- (turns around in shock) Jennifer.
Jack gently pushes Sarah to the side and guides Jen to a table.
Jack -- Sarah, uh excuse me for a just a . . . Jen what are you doing here?
Jennifer -- I came to tuck Abby in for the evening.
Jack -- Hey, why don't we go upstairs and read her a bedtime story. She loves it when mommy and dad read to her.
Jennifer -- She was asleep when I left her Jack. Besides, I'm waiting for Peter.
Jack -- Okay.
Jennifer -- Why don't we sit down. Did you find anything out about Jude?
Jack -- (sits near the front door) Uh, no. Not since he tried to attack Hope.
Jennifer -- I'm so glad that she didn't get hurt.
Jack -- Yeah. Well she may have hurt him when she escaped. We should check some of hospitals and see if anyone has checked in with a stab wound or something like that.
Peter enters and can see Jack and Jennifer at the table together.
Jennifer -- That's a good idea.
Peter -- Hello. How's my beautiful wife? (he kisses her)
Jennifer -- Fine. Jack and I were just talking about how to find Jude.
Peter -- (sits next to Jen) Were you. Well I think that Jude is far away from Aremid by now.
Jennifer -- Well maybe not. And if we did find him, maybe he could tell us something that would clear John's name.
Peter -- Jen, all the evidence points to John's guilt.
Jack -- Yeah, well we are going to prove that he is innocent. And the way to do that is to find Jude. I'm sure he's going to have a lot to tell us a lot about who he was meeting here in Aremid.
Peter -- Can't you see that this is another one of Jack's schemes to get close to you?
Jack -- (angry) Hey, I'm just trying to prove that John is innocent.
Jennifer -- (like a mother with two boys) That's enough . . . (to Peter) Peter, it's New Year's. Didn' t you have plans for us?
Peter -- Yes, yes I did. And they don't include Jack.
Jack -- Fine. (looks at Jen) Happy New Year, Jennifer.
Jennifer -- Happy New Year Jack.
Jack gets up and grabs hi coat and exits the Inn as Jennifer and Peter kiss.
Jack -- (now outside) I'm going to find St. Clair and get him to talk. I wonder why Peter is so sure that he has nothing to say (wets his lips with his tongue).
Peter and Jen are still at the pub and Peter is upset that they were not able to go away on their honeymoon. Jennifer is not upset. She claims that she is with the one she loves. Peter leaves to arrange a romantic evening with Jen. Bo enters and Jen tries to get him to admit his feelings for Hope.
Hope is alone at a picnic table when she hears someone approaching. She is extremely nervous.
Hope -- Who's there?
Jack -- (he slowly steps forward) It's me.
Hope -- (mad and lightly hits him) Jack, don't do that! For a second I thought . . .
Jack -- Thought I was Jude St. Clair.
Hope -- No . . . He's probably out of the country by now.
Jack -- Well I hope not. Because I think he can tell us something and clear John of Tony's murder.
Hope -- Bo and I would love to nail that man.
Jack -- So what are you doing to ring in the New Years.
Hope -- (waves her arms in the air) You're looking at it. What about you?
Jack -- Same. (he pauses) I keep thinking about all the New Year's Eves that Jennifer and I spent together. We always used to do something special.
Hope -- So did Bo and I. (goes to sit on the table) Oh boy.
Jack -- Yeah, there's nothing like being with the one you love at midnight on New Year's Eve. (joins her on the table) Sarah says that if two people truly love eachother, they are always together at midnight on New Year's Eve.
Hope -- Really?
Jack -- Yeah, she says that's what happens in the romance novels she reads. For two lovers, no matter what obstacles are keeping them apart, if they are together at midnight, it means they will get together that year.
Hope -- Oh the wide eyed innocence of youth.
Jack -- Yeah.
Hope -- Well it doesn't look like I'm going to be with Bo when the church bells chime at midnight. According to Sarah's theory, I'd say that Bo and I aren't going to be together next year.
Jack -- (confident) Ya you will.
Hope -- (looks at him) You know something that I don't know?
Jack -- No. But I think you know something that I don't.
Hope -- (she is confused) How can I be with Bo tonight.
Jack -- It's easy. You just ask him.
Jack gets up off the table and turns to walk away but Hope grabs him by the arm.
Hope -- No, wait a minute. I'm not setting myself up for rejection again. No way.
Jack -- How do you know that you are going to be rejected?
Hope -- I'm not willing to take the chance. Not again.
Jack -- Since when is Hope Williams Brady afraid of taking a chance?
Hope -- Since he broke my heart. And he chose Billie.
Jack -- Well the Hope that I remember would consider that as a challenge. She'd go after the man that she truly loved. Come on Hope you are a fighter.
Hope -- Maybe I've been knocked down to many times recently.
Jack -- But Hope, you just get back up again. Consider the rewards if you win. You get the man that you love. Your family back again. I'd give anything just for a chance to have my family back but I lost that chance. You have to go for it.
Hope -- Maybe you're right.
Jack -- I am right. Even Sarah says that true love is magical and that anything can happen. Bye Hope. (he walks away)
Hope -- Goodnight. And thanks.
Peter's surprise for Jennifer is a natural hot spring in the mountains near Aremid. Hot and cold meet as the steam from the springs rises to the icy trees that surround it. Jennifer gets undressed, but Peter has forgotten the glasses for the champagne and must return for them.
Jack in the meantime, has been walking aimlessly and stumbles across the springs, and Jennifer. Her eyes are closed but she hears footsteps.
Jennifer -- Peter, hurry up. It is absolutely heaven in here. Peter?
Jack -- (just stares in awe at Jennifer for a moment) It's not Peter.
Jennifer -- (looks up) Jack! (uses her hands as a shield for two unmentionables) What are you doing here?
Jack -- I was just going for a walk.
Jennifer -- Did you follow Peter and me?
Jack -- (quickly) No. No. What are you doing here all by yourself?
Jennifer -- Well I'm not all by myself. Peter went to get glasses for champagne. We are planning on spending a very romantic New Year's Eve here. Alone.
Jack -- Sure. Fine. I was just leaving. (walks past her to the other side of the springs)
Jennifer -- Jack. Wait. Could you hand me that towel up there. I can't reach it.
Jack -- (bends down and passes the towel to her) Sure. Sure.
Jennifer both uses the towel to dry her face and shield her body from Jack who is still bent down by the spring. In the distance, there is a faint sounds of bells ringing.
Jennifer -- What's that?
Jack -- Oh that's the church bells. Lou, the bartender, told me that in Aremid they count down the chimes to midnight. And I'm here with you. (smiles with glee) Maybe Sarah was right.
Jennifer -- (confused) What are you talking about?
Jack -- Uh, uhm nothing.
Peter -- (sneaks up and doesn't see Jack) Jennifer Blake! (Jack gets up and Peter sees him) What are you doing here, Jack?
Jennifer -- It was an accident Peter.
Peter -- Yeah right. Well goodbye, Jack. I have no intention of welcoming in the new year with you.
Jack -- (nothing can spoil his mood now) Well . . . (smiles) Happy New Year anyway.
Jack walks away and is optimistic.
Jack -- Seeing Jennifer here was no accident. It was a sign. Maybe there is hope for us yet.
Jack meets up with Hope once again. She wasn't with Bo at midnight but he explains that he was with Jennifer at midnight. Hope doesn't want to burst his bubble but says that Sarah's romance novels are just a fantasy.
Jack -- Yeah, well it's a nice fantasy so I'm just going to hold on to it.
Bo shows up and Jack wishes Hope a Happy New Year and kisses her before leaving the couple alone. In the woods Jack thinks he spots Jude St. Clair and runs after him. This could be a better night that he originally thought.
END
