SCENE ONE: JACK AND KAYLA ENTER THE DEVERAUX LIVING ROOM WHICH IS DECORATED FOR A PARTY. HARPER AND ANJELICA ARE THERE WITH OTHER GUESTS.

KAYLA: Sorry we're late.

JACK: It's really coming down out there. We had to take it slow.

HARPER: Well we were just beginning to get worried. We were afraid that maybe Kayla had another setback.

JACK: No she's going to be just fine. The doctor gave her a clean bill of health.

HARPER: Well that's something to celebrate the new year with.

SCENE TWO: JO BUMPS INTO STEVE AT SHENANIGAN'S AND TELLS HIM SHE HAS AN INVITATION TO THE DEVERAUX PARTY FROM JACK. SHE TELLS HIM THAT "BILLY" WOULD NOT TAKE NO FOR AN ANSWER. SHE SHOWS HIM HER MULTI-COLORED SHINY DRESS.

SCENE THREE: JACK AND KAYLA ARE HAVING THEIR PICTURE TAKEN AT THE PARTY.

REPORTER: And you say you don't remember what happened the day you disappeared from the hospital?

JACK: Canby, give it a rest. It's a holiday. Why don't you take the night off?

CANBY: Hey I'm just curious. That's all. It's not every day that a senator's daughter in law vanishes into thin air.

JACK: Kayla was sick. She was very disorientated. She didn't know what was going on. Fortunately a good samaritan came along, he found her and returned her to me.

KAYLA: Right.

CANBY: Who was this good samaritan?

JACK LEAVES WITH CANBY.

MELISSA: No it's okay. I want to talk to you. I want to apologize for the way I yelled at you the other day.

KAYLA: That's okay really.

MELISSA: No it's not. I had no right to say the things I did to you. I don't know what came over me.

KAYLA: Well you just care about Jack, that's all.

MELISSA: It's just that....he's a friend and I worry about him.

KAYLA: We all do.

MELISSA: I know and I know you'd never do anything to hurt him.

KAYLA: Well why don't we forget about this and stay friends, alright?

MELISSA: I'd like that.

JACK AND CANBY ARE TALKING ACROSS THE ROOM.

THEY WALK AWAY.

ANJELICA: (To Harper) We better keep an eye on Melissa tonight. The reporters would be thrilled if she started showing her claws to Melissa again.

CUT TO JACK AND KAYLA ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ROOM.

CANBY: Alright let's get a shot of Jack and his lovely bride.

THEY POSE FOR THE SHOT THEN JACK KISSES KAYLA AND IS DRAGGED AWAY BY CANBY.

KAYLA: Yes a campaign does wonders for him.

MELISSA: I think you have too.

KAYLA: Oh I think you give me more credit than I deserve. Look at Jack over there with his supporters. If anyone helped him recover, it was them. I mean nothing means more to Jack than his political career.

MELISSA LOOKS AT ANJELICA IN A STRANGE WAY.

JO ENTERS THE PARTY AND GIVES THE BUTLER HER COAT, REVEALING HER COLORED DRESS. ANJELICA SEES IT AND IS DISGUSTED.

JO: I didn't come here to help this evening. Jack invited me.

ANJELICA: Oh....oh. Of course how silly of me. Well I do hope you don't feel out of place and if you do it would be just fine with me if you made yourself comfortable in the kitchen.

JACK: Mrs. Johnson is not going to take one step in the kitchen tonight. She's my personal guest and I'm going to make sure she has a great time. Come right this way.

THEY WALK AWAY AND HARPER WALKS UP TO ANJELICA.

JACK HAS BROUGHT JO OVER TO MELISSA WHERE THE THREE OF THEM ARE LAUGHING. ANJELICA IS DISGUSTED AT JO'S BEHAVIOR AND WALKS AWAY LEAVING HARPER ALONE WATCHING MELISSA.

SCENE FOUR: MEANWHILE, ROMAN, ABE AND LEXIE SEARCH MELISSA'S APARTMENT AND FIND THE PILLS AND MORE LOVE LETTERS TO JACK.

SCENE FIVE: BACK AT THE PARTY, HARPER AND JACK ARE POSING FOR CANBY.

CANBY: Okay let's get a father and son picture.

JACK: Alright.

HARPER: My son is just like me. It's in the Deveraux blood. We're political animals. Grrrrrr.

JACK: Thanks a lot.

HARPER: You're welcome.

THEY WALK OFF AS JO AND MELISSA LOOK ON FROM OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE ROOM. KAYLA WALKS UP TO JO.

JO: Oh, Kayla! (They hug) Happy New Year.

KAYLA: You too. Are you having a good time?

JO: Oh, am I having a good time? I'm having the best time in my whole life. It's so wonderful to see you and Jack feeling well. (Jack is observing this from across the room.)

KAYLA: Well Jack loves campaigning.

JO: Being with you. That's what makes him happy.

KAYLA: Jo, I think Jack'll be okay no matter what happens.

JO: Thanks to you. I know that you and Steve gave up an awful lot but look what it did for Jack.

CUT TO JACK WALKING UP TO MELISSA.

MELISSA: I just wanted to thank you for everything.

JACK: For everything, the whole party. I think everyone is having a blast.

MELISSA: I think you should be thanking Anjelica. I mean I just helped.

JACK KISSES MELISSA ON THE CHEEK WHILE HARPER AND ANJELICA LOOK ON CONCERNED.

CANBY: Mr. Deveraux?

SCENE SIX: ANJELICA TELLS HARPER THAT SHE ALMOST FEELS SORRY FOR MELISSA BECAUSE JACK HAS NO IDEA HOW SHE FEELS. HARPER SAYS THAT UNREQUITED LOVE IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO BEAR.

SCENE SEVEN: ROMAN TELLS ABE TO GET A WARRANT FOR MELISSA'S ARREST.

SCENE EIGHT: STEVE IS SEEN LOOKING THROUGH THE WINDOW OF THE PARTY. KAYLA SEES HIM AND IS ABOUT TO GO OUTSIDE WHEN JACK NOTICES HER.

KAYLA: Yes, I was just going outside to get some fresh air.

JACK: If you go outside you're going to get another case of pneumonia.

KAYLA: It's just stuffy in here and I thought I'd go out and get some air.

JACK KISSES KAYLA QUITE PASSIONATELY.

KAYLA: It's little early isn't it? (She wipes her mouth.)

JACK: Oh, it must be New Years somewhere in the world. Come on, why don't we blow this pop stand and go celebrate on our own.

KAYLA: Oh we can't do that.

JACK: Sure we can. We can just walk out the door and keep walking. (He walks towards the door to the garden where Steve is hiding.)

KAYLA: No Jack! No! We can't go yet. I mean we've got midnight and....

JACK: Alright. We'll wait until midnight but when that clock strikes we're getting out of here because we have a lot of time to make up for. You know what I mean. (He starts to kiss her neck.)

ANJELICA: Uh, uh, uh! Break it up you lovebirds. Jack darling, I want you to meet the Taylors. Muffy is an old school friend of mine. Her husband is Leland and he just happens to be the mini mall king.

JACK: Oh.

ANJELICA: He has plenty of spare funds for campaigns.

JACK: Well, duty calls.

KAYLA: Yes.

ANJELICA: Come on lover. (They walk towards the Taylors.) Here he is.

JACK: Muffy....

ANJELICA: And Leland....

SCENE NINE: KAYLA GOES OUT THE DOOR AND INTO STEVE'S ARMS. SHE TELLS HIM SHE DOESN'T WANT TO GO BACK INSIDE AND WANTS TO GO SOMEWHERE ALONE WITH HIM. JO NOTICES THEM THROUGH THE WINDOW. THEY GO TO THE BACK OF THE HOUSE AND MAKE LOVE IN A OLD WAGON FILLED WITH HAY. CANBY HAS SEEN KAYLA SNEAK OUT AND DECIDES TO HIDE OUT AND TAKE PICTURES OF THEM.

SCENE TEN: BACK INSIDE JACK IS LOOKING FOR KAYLA.

JACK: You haven't seen Kayla, have you?

MELISSA: No not for a while.

JACK: Me neither. I hope nothing's happened to her.

THE GUESTS ALL SING AULD LAND SYNE AND KISS EACH OTHER.

ABE AND LEXIE WALK IN THE DOOR WITH THE WARRANT TO ARREST MELISSA.

JACK: I can't understand where Kayla could have gone.

MELISSA FOLLOWS JACK ACROSS THE ROOM AS HE LOOKS FOR KAYLA. ABE WATCHES HER.

JACK: What?

MELISSA: Aren't you forgetting something?

JACK: What?

MELISSA: Happy New Year!

JACK KISSES HER ON THE LIPS THEN WALKS AWAY.

SCENE ELEVEN: CANBY CONTINUES TO TAKE PICTURES OF KAYLA AND STEVE OUTSIDE.

SCENE TWELVE: BACK INSIDE ANJELICA ASKS HARPER IF HE KNOWS WHY ABE IS HERE.

ANJELICA: Good Lord!

MELISSA OVERHEARS AND GOES TO HER BAG AND REMOVES A LETTER TO JACK. SHE GOES TO THE FIREPLACE. LEXIE GRABS HER AND ABE RETRIEVES THE LETTER.

ABE:

MELISSA: What?

JACK: What? What are you talking about? You're crazy. Arrested for what?

ABE: Suspicion of the attempted murder of your wife.

JACK: This is insane.

ABE TELLS HER NOT TO SAY ANYTHING AND TAKES HER AWAY.

MELISSA: Jack?

JACK: Wait. Wait a minute. What the hell is going on here?

SCENE ONE: MELISSA IS FINGER PRINTED AT THE POLICE STATION. MICKEY AND MAGGIE ARRIVE TO TRY AND GET HER OUT ON BAIL.

SCENE TWO: JACK IS BACK AT THE DEVERAUX MANSION. ALL THE GUESTS HAVE LEFT AND HE HAS HIS TIE UNDONE AND LOOKS VERY DISTRESSED. JO WALKS UP TO HIM.

JACK: Yeh, I guess so....No I'm not okay! This doesn't make any kind of sense. Why would Melissa try to murder Kayla?

JO: I don't know. She doesn't seem like the kind of person that would harm anybody but sometimes....people do things that we just don't understand.

JACK: Kayla! I haven't seen Kayla. Where is she?

JO: Well with everything that's been going on, I'm not really sure.

JACK: I haven't seen her since midnight. Excuse me Mrs. Johnson, um,thank you so much for coming.

JO: No wait, um, where are you going?

JO LOOKS VERY WORRIED AS HE LEAVES.

SCENE THREE: STEVE AND KAYLA ARE STILL OUTSIDE KISSING AND CANBY IS STILL TAKING PICTURES OF THEM. KAYLA AGREES TO STAY WITH JACK UNTIL ELECTION DAY SO HE WILL HAVE SOMETHING TO LIVE FOR HER BESIDES HER. STEVE TELLS HER THEY CANNOT LEAVE BILLY WITH NOTHING. SHE AGREES TO GO BACK INSIDE.

SCENE FOUR: JACK COMES BACK DOWN PULLING ON HIS COAT. JO TRIES TO STOP HIM.

JO: Jack?

JACK: What?

JO: Jack you know it just occurred to me. I think that Kayla's upstairs.

JACK: Why do you think she's upstairs?

JO: Well I talked to her a few minutes ago and she said she was feeling a little bit under the weather so I suggested that she go up and take a nap and I bet that's exactly where she is.

JACK: I'm going to go up and see her right now.

JO: No, no, you shouldn't go up there.

JACK: No that's alright. I won't disturb her.

JO: But you see you'd have to tell her about Melissa and that would upset her. Why don't you just let her stay here tonight?

JACK: No, no, she's not going to sleep here all night.

JO: Well, I just don't think it's a very good idea to wake somebody with bad news particularly with everything Kayla's had to go through. Why don't you just let her sleep till she wakes up?

KAYLA SNEAKS IN THE DOOR BEHIND JACK.

JACK: Kayla! Where have you been?

KAYLA:

JACK: (He takes her hand.) Honey, you're freezing. Are you alright?

KAYLA: No, I'm fine, really I'm fine. It was just a little stuffy in here.

JO: I better be going. (She and Kayla exchange looks.)

JACK: Alright, thank you Mrs. Johnson.

KAYLA: So....what happened to the party?

JACK: Kayla. There's something I need to tell you.

KAYLA: What's happened?

JACK: Well, the police came. That's why the party ended early.

KAYLA: The police? What were the police doing here?

JACK: They arrested Melissa.

KAYLA: Melissa! What for?

JACK: Attempted murder. They think she's the one that's been trying to kill you.

KAYLA: You say Melissa tried to poison me?

JACK: Please, let's just sit down.

KAYLA: But Melissa and I are friends. Our family are friends. I just don't believe it.

JACK: All I know is that Abe Carver came in with his partner, Melissa sees him and she pulls this paper out of her purse and tries to throw it in the fire.

KAYLA: Paper? What paper?

JACK: I don't know what paper but Abe was really interested in it. He jumped in, grabbed the paper out, then he arrested her and took her away.

KAYLA: I just can't believe it. She'd have no reason to try and kill me. It's just ridiculous.

HARPER: I'm sorry to say but it's not as ridiculous as it appears at first.

JACK: Do you know something that we don't?

HARPER: Hmmmm....

ANJELICA: Harper just tell him.

HARPER: It appears that Melissa did have a motive. You, Jack!

JACK: What?

SCENE FIVE: AT THE POLICE STATION, MELISSA ADMITS THAT SHE LOVES JACK BUT SHE ONLY WROTE THE LETTERS AS A WAY TO GET HER FEELING OUT WITHOUT HURTING ANYBODY. SHE HAS TO SPEND THE NIGHT IN JAIL BEFORE MICKEY CAN BAIL HER OUT.

SCENE SIX: JO WAITS FOR STEVE TO COME HOME AND ASKS HIM WHY HE WENT SEEKING OUT WITH KAYLA AND HURTING BILLY. SHE TELLS HIM MELISSA HAS BEEN ARRESTED.

SCENE SEVEN: MORNING AFTER AT THE DEVERAUX'

ANJELICA: Good morning! Don't tell me you've been right here all night?

JACK: We just couldn't stop talking about what happened.

HARPER: Well life has dealt some surprises before but nothing like this.

ANJELICA: Well pardon me but I don't know what you're moping about. Surely you're not unhappy Kayla?

KAYLA: What are you talking about?

ANJELICA: Well if someone was trying to poison me and the police had that person in jail, I'd put on my party shoes and dance the night away.

KAYLA: Melissa's a friend of mine, Anjelica.

ANJELICA: Was!

JACK: We spent so much time together. I thought I knew her.

ANJELICA: Well you apparently didn't know her as well as you thought you did sweetheart.

JACK: We were friends, we were pals. If she really loved me all that time....I don't know, could it be true?

HARPER: I find it hard to believe myself. Not that she was in love with you but that this sweet, willing industrious girl was in actuality a cold blooded murderer.

KAYLA: I just don't believe it.

ANJELICA: Well the evidence shows that she did it and it won't be the first time that a sweet willing industrious girl turned out to be a murderer.

JACK: Anjelica!

ANJELICA: Well don't look at me Jack. I'm not making this up. Kayla did you tell him?

JACK: What are you talking about?

ANJELICA: Well the other day I went into Shenanigan's and there was Melissa Anderson making a complete spectacle of herself in front of the entire restaurant. She was berating Kayla for mistreating you Jack.

JACK: I didn't know about this.

KAYLA: Well it's not nearly as dramatic as Anjelica makes it sound. Melissa was just a little emotional and well that doesn't make her a killer.

HARPER: Kayla's right. One incident doesn't mean a thing. You have to look for a pattern of events.

ANJELICA: Okay well how about the one that Melissa always managed to be the one who brought you your meals, your cups of tea, your medicine. That girl was forever bringing you something on a tray.

KAYLA: She's my friend. She's just trying to help.

ANJELICA: With friends like her, who needs enemies as they say!

HARPER: I think we should all keep an open mind on this.

JACK: What bothers me is that she could have been in love with me all that time and I didn't even notice.

HARPER: Does that mean you're convinced she did it?

JACK: No. It means I'm very insensitive.

ANJELICA: Well excuse me but that doesn't mean you think she's innocent, does it?

JACK: No, no it doesn't mean that either but....uh....if the police say they have evidence then....

HARPER: I believe that's the right approach Jack. Look let's leave it up to them. You know....they are the ones who are responsible. Melissa will stand trial and the whole thing will come out in court.

JACK: Kayla come on!

KAYLA: What.

HARPER: Where are you going?

SCENE EIGHT: STEVE GOES TO SEE MELISSA AND TELLS HER HE WILL TRY TO FIND THE REAL KILLER. AS HE IS LEAVING THE JAIL, JACK AND KAYLA WALK IN.

JACK: What are you doing here?

STEVE: I was here to see a friend.

KAYLA: You talked to Melissa?

STEVE: Yeh I talked to her.

KAYLA: Do you think she did it?

STEVE: I don't know, it's hard to say.

JACK: Well who did do it?

JACK ATTACKS STEVE

THEY CONTINUE TO FIGHT AND KAYLA TRIES TO DRAG JACK AWAY FROM STEVE.

ABE COMES ALONG AND BREAKS THEM UP.

STEVE: That's none of your business Jack. Now he's in here because I let him in here. He wanted to see Melissa and I saw no harm in it.

JACK: He's not here for Melissa. He's only here for himself. He always is.

KAYLA: Jack, take it easy would you? We don't want to make a scene here right? The press have already had a field day with the Deveraux family today.

JACK: You're right!

ABE: What are you two doing here?

JACK: Well I came to see you if you've got a minute?

ABE: Just.

KAYLA: Why don't you go ahead Jack. I'll wait here. Go on.

JACK LEAVES AND ABE WARNS STEVE TO LEAVE BEFORE JACK GETS BACK. KAYLA TELLS STEVE THAT JACK NEARLY CAUGHT THEM AT THE PARTY.

SCENE NINE: MELISSA IS PACING UP AND DOWN THE JAIL AS JACK WALKS INTO THE VISITOR'S AREA.

MELISSA: Jack! I didn't think you'd....I'm so glad to see you.

JACK: I had to come in Melissa. I had to tell you how I feel about all this.

MELISSA: How do you feel?

JACK: I'm mad! No, I'm not, I'm furious! I can't believe that anyone would think you could do this.

MELISSA: Jack. You don't know how good it is to hear you say that.

MELISSA LOOKS DOWN AWAY FROM JACK.

JACK: It is, isn't it!

MELISSA: Yes! I've loved you for a long time Jack but I could never tell you. I knew how you felt about Kayla.

JACK: Melissa I'm so sorry.

MELISSA: Sorry for what? You didn't do anything.

JACK: I....If I'd realized sooner....I don't know.

MELISSA: Then you're not angry?

JACK: Why would I be angry?

MELISSA: My being in love with you! All of this. I mean I thought I was going to cause you this terrible scandal and ruin your the election.

JACK: Melissa, I don't care about the election....All I care about is you and getting you out of here. And that's what I'm going to do, I promise you. (She leans forward and their hands touch through the wire.) Don't you worry about a thing. Everything's going to be alright.

MELISSA TURNS TO FACE THE GUARD.

SHE TURNS BACK TO FACE JACK AND HE HAS GONE. HER HAND IS ALONE ON THE WIRE.

SCENE TEN: STEVE AND KAYLA ARE STILL TALKING OUTSIDE THE JAIL. HE TELLS HER TO BE CAREFUL BECAUSE NO ONE IS SURE WHO THE KILLER IS.

SCENE ELEVEN: MEANWHILE HARPER TELLS HIS LAWYERS HE WANTS MELISSA TRIED AND CONVICTED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.