Kristen and Jack are standing near the doorway to Jack & Jennifer's house.  Jack has a stunned look on his face.  He can hardly believe what Kristen just told him...

"You what?"  he says.

"I said I want to help you find Peter!"  Kristen replies.

"You've got to be kidding, Kristen."  Jack says to her, with a confused look on his face.

"I'm not, Jack!"

"Peter is your brother!" he exclaims, as he raises his voice.  "Why the hell should I believe that you'd actually help me find out where he's hiding?!  How do you even expect me to trust you after everything you've done to me and my family?!"

"Excuse me, Jack!"  Kristen says to him, with a very furious look on her face.  "Apparently, you have a very short term memory.  Well, let me refresh it for you --  I just risked my own life today by testifying in court that Peter is alive.  Now Stefano has disowned me and probably wouldn't even care if I fell off the face of the earth.  I have nothing to lose and nobody to turn to anymore.   I need to do something worthy in my life.  I want to redeem myself to you and to Jennifer, and maybe even the rest of Salem."

"Kristen, forgive me if I find it difficult to believe you.  But all that I see standing in front of me is a woman who finally got a conscience and realized she couldn't live with herself knowing she sent an innocent man to jail for life for a murder that never happened.   So you did something noble for a change and admitted the truth.  Big deal!  Where were you last February when the judge threw me in that hell-hole?!  Huh?!  You know, I'll bet the only reason you admitted the truth in court today was so that you could get on John's good side again.  So you could have him again..."

"It's not like that at all, Jack!"  Kristen shouts back, sounding very hurt and frustrated.  "The truth is that I couldn't live with myself knowing how I've been hurting my best friend, Jennifer, and her family.  I just couldn't take it anymore.  After every horrible thing I've done to Jenn, I feel I owe it to her to help her find Peter.  She deserves to have some happiness in her life, for a change.  And I know that Peter is not the right man for her anymore.  I realize that.  So I think that I can be really helpful to both of you in finding Peter.  I have a pretty good idea where he might be hiding out.  And maybe, when we find him, I can convince him to give up his obsession with Jennifer."

Jack is laughing.  He doesn't believe a word that's coming out of Kristen's mouth.

"Kristen, you are truly something else, you know?  Truly!  Just listen to yourself.  Here you are -- a woman that's still living in delusions about your own relationship with John -- and you're saying that Peter should stop obsessing over Jennifer so she can be happy!  Have you thought of taking your own advice?"

Kristen looks at him with a bitter expression on her face.  She says nothing.  There's a silence for a few seconds.  Then, suddenly, a surprising thought occurs to Jack.

"Oh my God!  Why didn't I think of this sooner?  I know exactly why you want to help us.  You overheard John talking to me about helping me find Peter.  That's why you want to do this.  So you can find another way to manipulate yourself right back into John's life.  How pathetic!"

Jack is now really smiling and very proud of himself for figuring out what he believes to be the truth.  Kristen, on the other hand, looks visibly upset and offended by Jack's accusations.  She wonders why she even bothered showing up in the first place.

"Okay.  You know what, Jack?  I don't have to stand here and take this kind of garbage from you.  I can take a hint.  If you don't want my help, that's more than fine with me.  It's your loss, not mine."

Kristen turns around and begins to open the front door to leave.  Jack hesitates, almost to the point where he's about to tell Kristen to stay.  But he's too worried about the possibility that Kristen could be lying to him.  Perhaps she's even working for Stefano, trying to lead him into a trap, he thinks.  So he says nothing to her.  She quickly walks out the door.

Jack stands there for a few moments to contemplate what just happened.  He wonders to himself if he can truly trust Kristen.   "She did seem sincere," he thinks.  He looks at his watch and notices it's past 2 am.  He realizes that he better get upstairs before Jennifer notices he's not in bed.

Jack arrives in Jennifer's bedroom.  She is lying in bed, seemingly fast asleep.  Jack takes off his robe and climbs into bed.  He stares at his beautiful Jennifer, lying beside him so peacefully.  He can hardly believe that, after all these months, he is once again a free man.  He places his arm around her body and caresses her face.  "I love you, Jenn," he whispers, as he kisses her on the cheek.  "I won't let anyone hurt you.  I promise."  He gently places his head next to hers as he lays down to sleep....

A few hours later....

Jack is fast asleep now.  He is dreaming of him and Jennifer standing at the wedding altar.  The priest announces to the chapel, "I now pronounce you husband and wife.  You may kiss the bride."  Jack, his heart filled with love and happiness, lifts the veil to kiss his wife.  Suddenly, an overwhelming sense of terror comes over him.  He looks at his "bride" and realizes it's not Jennifer.  "Who the hell are you?  Where's Jennifer?  Where's my wife?  What have you done to her?!?!" he screams to the bride.  She laughs at him and doesn't answer.  The laughing becomes contagious as everybody in the chapel joins in on the 'fun'.

"Why are all you people laughing?!?!"  Jack screams in desperation.  "This isn't funny, you morons!!!  Where's Jennifer?  Where has she been taken?!   SOMEONE ANSWER ME, DAMMIT!!!"

He looks towards the back of the chapel and sees Stefano standing there, and laughing hysterically.

"YOU!!   YOU'VE TAKEN JENNIFER!!!!  DAMN YOU, STEFANO!!"  Jack furiously grabs Stefano.  "YOU BETTER TELL ME WHERE SHE IS, DiMERA!!!!"

Stefano continues to laugh at Jack's face.  Jack, feeling a complete sense of terror and panic, pushes Stefano out of the way and runs towards the main entrance to the chapel.  He opens the door and glances at the parking lot.  Suddenly he notices a woman wearing a bridal gown who is  being pushed into a limousine.  There's a man inside the limo.  Jack realizes that the bride must be Jennifer.  He runs towards her in a panic.

"JENNIFER!!!  NO!!!  I WON'T LET THEM TAKE YOU!"

As Jack runs as fast as he can towards the limo, the door slams shut and the car begins to speed off.  "NOOOOO!!!"  he screams in terror.

"NOOO!!!  JENNIFER!!!   NO!!!"  He falls to the ground and cries in despair for his beloved Jennifer.
............................................

Jennifer awakens from her sleep by Jack's terror-filled screams.  She realizes Jack is having a nightmare and leans over to wake him up.

"Jack!  Jack!  Wake up!"  she says as she nudges his arm.

Jack suddenly awakens.  He open his eyes and notices Jennifer's face close to his.  He grabs her close to him and embraces her.

"Oh, Jenn!" he says as he's stroking her hair.  "Thank God you're safe!  I just had the worst nightmare imaginable."

Jennifer's head is resting on Jack's chest.  He is still holding her close, almost afraid to let her go.

"It's okay, Jack," she says to him softly as she caresses his arm.  "I'm right here.  It was just a bad dream."

"No, Jenn," he says, with complete fear in his voice.  "No, I wish it were just a bad nightmare.  But the truth is that my nightmare could easily become reality."

Jennifer feels a sense of panic and lifts her head so she can speak directly to Jack's face.

"What are you talking about, Jack?"

"I..." he hesitates, with a panicked sound to his voice.  "I just had a dream that... that you were kidnapped... by ... Peter."

"Jack," she whispers gently as she strokes the side of his face.  "I know you're worried about my safety.  But honestly, you don't have to be.  Now that you're out of jail, we have all the time in the world to spend together.  Nobody -- not even Peter Blake -- can harm me when I'm with you."

"I'd sooner die than have anything happen to you and Abby," Jack says with tears in his eyes.  "I love you and Abby more than life itself.  I will do everything in my power to protect the two of you."

Jennifer feels so much love for Jack.  She leans over and kisses him gently on the lips.  Jack puts his hand on her back and pulls her closer towards him as they continue to kiss.

After a few minutes, they stop kissing and Jennifer places her head on Jack's chest.  She closes her eyes to try and fall asleep.  A minute later, a thought begins to cross her mind.  She vaguely remembers hearing the sound of a door knock from a couple hours ago.  She raises her head to speak to Jack.

"Jack, did someone come to the door while I was asleep?  Or was I imagining it?"

Jack pretends to act confused.  He doesn't want Jennifer to know about Kristen's impromptu visit.

"Uh, no, Jenn.  It was all in your mind..."

"Hmm... you don't sound so convincing, Jack.  You sound like you're hiding something.  You know you can't do that with me.  I know you so well that I can always tell when you're hiding something from me.  So what is it?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," he says to her with a nervous laugh.  "Nobody was at the door, Jenn.  You're starting to sound slightly paranoid."

"I don't think so, Jack,"  she laughs sarcastically.  "The last time you kept something from me it had to do with hiding your reason for pleading guilty to Peter's supposed murder.  And now you're lying again.  I can tell.  So what are you trying to protect me from this time?"

"Nothing, Jenn..."

"Jack!  Come on!  I can handle the truth!"

Jack knows he won't win this war of words with Jennifer.  So he decides to fess up and tell her the truth.

He takes a deep breath and says,  "Well, I guess you'll find out the truth eventually.  As a matter of fact, there was a knock at the door a few hours ago.  It was Kristen.  She was the one that showed up at our house at 2 am, no less."

"What?!"  Jennifer exclaims, with a shocked expression on her face.  "You can't be serious!"

"I am serious, Jenn!"

"Well, why was she here?  What did she want?"  Jennifer asks.

"Nothing..." Jack replies.

"Nothing?!  Please, Jack!  For heaven's sake, would you please stop keeping information from me in order to "protect" me?  I'm not a baby, Jack.  I can handle it!"

Jack seems a little bit embarassed that he is treating Jennifer in such a condescending manner, even if his motives for doing so are noble.

"You're right, Jenn.  I apologize.  The truth is that Kristen came over to offer her help."

"Her help?  What kind of help?"

"Helping us find Peter..."  Jack replies, matter-of-factly.

"Finding Peter?"  Jennifer says, completely stunned.  Jennifer hardly knows what to think or what to say.

"I know, Jenn.  That's exactly what I thought when I heard her say that to me."

"So what did you do, Jack?"

"I told her we weren't interested...."

"You what?!" Jennifer says angrily, with a shocked and mad look on her face.  "How could you say that to her before you even gave me a chance to talk to her and find out what's going on?"

"Well you were sleeping, Jennifer.  I didn't see a reason to wake you up.   It was pointless to call you downstairs when I knew Kristen was lying through her teeth.  I don't trust her, Jenn.  Not after everything she's done to us,"  Jack replies, sounding much more calm than Jennifer.

"But Jack, maybe Kristen was being honest with you.  Maybe she really has changed.  If she is honestly willing to help us then she could be the key to finding out where Peter is hiding.  She's his sister.  He'd probably try to contact her eventually.  And if he did, maybe she could appeal to the tiny little sense of compassion that Peter still has within him and convince him to give up on me."

Jack is completely stunned and frustrated with Jennifer.

"Jenn, how many times have I told you that Peter doesn't have any humanity or compassion at all within him?!"

"Listen, Jack.  I'm not naive.   I know Peter's a jerk.   And I'll never forgive him for every rotten thing he's done to you and to me.  But I know that deep down within Peter, there is still an ounce of compassion that exists.   I know that Kristen and I can appeal to that little bit of humanity left within Peter and convince him to turn himself in to the authorities.  I'm sure of it."

Jack is completely shocked.  He is feeling completely frustrated.

"I can't believe what I'm hearing from you, Jenn!  Do you honestly think Peter would give up on you so easily after every horrible thing he has done this past year to keep you and I apart?"

"Maybe......"

Jack interrupts, "No, Jennifer!  I'm sorry to burst your bubble.  But the truth is that Peter and Kristen are true DiMera's!  They won't do anything out of a sense of compassion or goodness.  Everything they ever do in life is for purely selfish reasons.  So, no, there's no way in hell I'd ever allow myself to get involved with Kristen and have her help me find Peter."

"You're being unreasonable, Jack."  Jennifer gets up from the bed and puts on her robe.  "Kristen has offered us help and you quickly refuse her without even thinking about it or consulting me, for that matter.  Really, Jack!  You know as well as I do that we need all the help that we can get to find Peter.  And if it means having to trust Kristen's word and believe her, well then that's just the chance we'll have to take.  Maybe she is willing to turn her life around and help us.  You can't assume she isn't."

Jack is about to shout at Jennifer to protest what she's saying.  Instead, he takes a deep breath and speaks calmly to Jennifer.

"Jenn, listen.  I know you're a very trusting woman, by nature.  In fact, that's one of the many reasons why I fell in love with you in the first place.  But sometimes you're too trusting of people.  And that puts you into dangerous situations...."

"Well, thanks a lot, Jack.  It's nice to hear you call me 'naive'!"  she says to him, sarcastically. "I'm going downstairs to get some tea."

Jennifer walks out the bedroom door.  Jack feels upset that he's hurt Jennifer's feelings.  He gets up from the bed and runs to the foot of the staircase to catch up to her.  She's already in the living room though.  "I'll wait until she comes back upstairs," he thinks.  "Then I'll apologize to her for hurting her feelings."  He walks back towards the bed and lies down.

Meanwhile... downstairs in the living room....

Jennifer is sitting on the couch and her hands are covering her face.  She sits there for a few minutes, trying to think of the options available to her and Jack.  Suddenly, Jennifer rises from the couch and walks towards her purse.  She opens it up, and grabs her cellphone.  She begins to dial a phone number.

"Hello?"  the caller says to Jennifer, with a sleepy voice.

"It's me.  Jennifer.  I'm sorry to wake you up at this early hour.  But I think it's important that I speak to you as soon as possible."

"Jennifer..."  Kristen replies, clearly happy to hear the voice of her one-time best friend on the line.  "Yeah, sure.  I'll meet you.  Just give me the time and place and I'll be there."

"This isn't a social visit, Kristen.  I heard about you visiting Jack early this morning."

"Oh!"  Kristen's tone of voice becomes more serious.  "I didn't think Jack would mention it to you.  He practically threw me out the door."

"Yeah, well, Jack didn't make it very easy for me to find out.  He was rather evasive.  But I finally got him to admit the truth."

"Okay.  So what do you want to do, Jenn?  Where do you want me to meet you?"

"Um... Salem Place.  At Johnny Angel's?  Around 11 am today?  Is that okay with you?"

"Yeah.  Eleven today is fine with me.  I'll be there."

"Kristen, before you hang up, I just wanted to ask you a favour."

"Sure..."

"Not a word to Jack, okay?  I don't want him finding out about this meeting.  I'm sure you realize he doesn't trust you.  As for me, I don't exactly trust you either.  But I'm willing to remain open-minded and hear all the facts from you.  So I'll see you then."

"Yeah, see you.  Goodbye."  Kristen hangs up the phone.

Jennifer stands there, wondering if she's doing the right thing.  She doesn't like the idea of going behind Jack's back.  But she has to do everything in her power to find Peter in order to protect her family's safety.  Even if it means having to ally with a woman she called a 'monster' less than twenty-four hours ago......
 
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