"As a storm hit Pine Valley, Dimitri's gun fired and Edmund collapsed to the ground. Through the thunder and lightning, Tad heard the shot and raced back to the crypt. Dimitri screamed at the top of his lungs for Tad to call the paramedics. Tad bent over Edmund's body and searched for a pulse. There was none. Dimitri refused to believe that Edmund was dead, but the cold reality soon hit him. In a fit of rage, he'd shot and killed his own brother.
Jack returned to his hotel room at the Valley Inn by himself. He may not have wanted to start off his New Year alone, but he wasn't about to let his pride get in the way of Bianca's recovery. He started to undress and to the shower. While he was in the bathroom, one of the hotel's maids slipped into the room completely disregarding the Do Not Disturb sign on the front door. Jack heard a noise and returned to the room to see who was there. Wearing the tiniest of French maid's outfits and a blonde wig, Erica put on her best French accent and attempted to seduce Jack. Of course Jack knew that the maid was Erica and Erica knew that Jack knew it was her, but that didn't stop them from teasing each other. Erica plucked a chocolate from her bustier and offered it to Jack. Jack leaned over and readied to plant a kiss on the maid's lips, but he told her that his significant other would never forgive him if he kissed her. Erica spoke highly of Jack's girlfriend. Before long, the two were in each other's arms. After making love, Jack fell asleep. Erica quietly got dressed and tried to slip out of the room. Jack woke up and asked her to spend the night with him. Erica worried that Bianca would wake up and not be able to find her. Jack had a simple suggestion: Spend the night and return home in the wee hours of the morning. He was sure that he could come up with something to occupy her time.
Gloria asked Joe to drop her off at Stuart's house. Sensing that Gloria would be at ease with Stuart, Joe obliged her. Stuart was obviously concerned for his friend. Gloria broke down in tears, but asked that Stuart not feel sorry for her. In her mind, she'd gotten what she deserved. Gloria wondered if she'd ever find happiness and, citing some of the condescending things her mother had said to her, claimed that God didn't feel that she deserved to be happy. Stuart fended off the harsh words and told Gloria that she, more than anyone, deserves happiness. He pointed to all of the charity work she does---reading to the blind, volunteering at the shelter, among other things. Still Gloria felt like a fool for falling for Dimitri's lies. She kicked herself for trusting Dimitri while accusing Tad of betraying her. All the while, she chuckled to herself, it was she who had been betraying Tad. Stuart took Gloria in her arms and did his best to comfort her.
Adam referred to the heavenly image as "Joy." In his mind, Adam knew the angelic figure. The woman beckoned Adam, but she disappeared as abruptly as she'd appeared. Jake walked on to the patio and asked Adam what he was up to. Adam told the doctor that he had seen a woman in white. Jake commented that nearly all of the women at the party had been wearing white. This one was different, Adam snapped. She was floating in the air. Jake worried that Adam was suffering from another mini-stroke, so he checked his vital signs. Everything checked out okay, but Jake suggested that Adam return to the hospital and undergo another series of tests. Adam wasn't about to return to the hospital. Allie overheard the dispute and backed up Jake's suggestion. Adam thanked Allie for her heartfelt advice, but still wasn't about to make an encore appearance at the hospital. Once Adam had left, Jake asked Allie if she planned on telling him her tale of woe. Allie changed her mind about 'fessing up and told Jake that she didn't want him to get tangled up in her web of lies. Jake turned around and walked out on Allie. Allie chased after him and hoped to offer an explanation. She told him that it was best that he didn't know what she'd done. Jake rolled his eyes and snapped that the "best you didn't know" line is one of the oldest lines in the book. Allie explained that Jake would be an accessory if she told him. And being an accessory, she noted, could end him up in jail. Allie was determined to keep Jake out of a prison uniform. Now Jake was all ears. He assured he was on her side---no matter what---and begged her to tell him the truth.
Dimitri kneeled on the ground and leaned over his brother's body. "Oh my poor brother," he blubbered. "I'm so sorry." Edmund's eyes fluttered and suddenly opened. Dimitri leapt to his feet and stumbled backwards. He called Edmund a "heartless bastard" for tricking him into believing that he'd been killed. Edmund explained that the magician had slipped Dimitri's gun out of his pocket, replaced the bullets with blanks, and then returned the gun once again. Only Dimitri could make himself out to be the injured party. Edmund reminded Dimitri that he was the one who pulled the trigger---not the other way around. Still, Dimitri accused Edmund of being the bad guy in it all. In his arrogance, Dimitri failed to realize that he nearly lost his brother---forever. Tad and Edmund gave up on a reformation and walked out on Dimitri.
Tad and Edmund realized that their plan only batted five hundred. Yes, Gloria was free of Dimitri, but the old Dimitri was still lost inside of a monster. Tad tried to convince Edmund not to give up on his brother, but Edmund didn't have the energy to continue. He washed his hands clean of his brother.
Adam returned to the patio and looked up into the sky. He called out for Joy to return, but she was nowhere to be found. His eyes slowly crossed and his mind wander. He saw a vision of Joy in a coffin. Suddenly, his face turned pale.
Tad returned home. As he opened the front door, he saw something moving in the bushes. He turned and saw a woman dressed all in white running from the rain. It was Joy.
Back at the crypt, Dimitri's breakdown continued. He stood in the rain and taunted the heavens. He asked the Gods to do their best to impress him. He called for lightning to strike him, but it didn't. Again his arrogance flared. "I don't need you," Dimitri shouted as he looked upwards. "I refuse to be vanquished. No one---not even God himself---can stop me.""
- Soap Central