December 1, 1997
Gregory & Olivia's Divorce
Olivia moves into Annie's house with Annie and Bette.
Cole tells Sean that Caitlin is alive.
December 2, 1997
Caitlin's Miscarriage
Caitlin goes to the doctor and finds out that the car accident has left her infertile.
Maria's Death
Meg tells Mark about Ben telling her that he hated Maria.
Ben asks Charles about his options for putting Maria behind him, so that he can be free to marry Meg. Charles recommends having Maria declared dead, because then Ben can claim a large life insurance policy he took out on Maria, which Ben claims he doesn't remember. Meg overhears Charles talking about the life insurance policy that Ben took out on Maria but leaves before she hears Ben say that he only wants to declare Maria dead so that he can be free to marry the woman he loves, Meg.
December 3, 1997
Ricardo's Rape Trial
Paula is subpoenaed to testify for the prosecution, and Elaine agrees to testify as a character witness for Ricardo.
Caitlin/Cole/Olivia/Gregory
Gregory, who had previously thought that the man who fell to his death from the cliff had been Cole, finds out that it was the hitman.
December 5, 1997
Maria's Death
Ben watches as Meg questions Quint, a fisherman who was friends with Maria, about the day that Maria died, and later he tells Quint to stay out of his business.
Gregory & Olivia's Divorce
Gregory threatens to take Olivia's baby away from her.
Ricardo's Rape Trial
When Ricardo smooches with Gabi and tells her that he belongs
with her and not Paula, Gabi tells him that she knows that he is just
trying to get her to drop the charges against him.
Eddie takes pictures of Gabi and Ricardo together, but when he decides
that he might have a chance with Paula if he can discredit Ricardo, he
tells Ricardo that the pictures didn't come out.
December 8, 1997
Caitlin's Miscarriage
Caitlin steals a pregnancy pad from a maternity clothing
store so that she can fake the final four months of her pregnancy.
While at the clothing store, she meets a woman who had been having infertility
problems who finally found a doctor who could treat her problem, giving
Caitlin hope that she, too, might be able to get pregnant someday.
Gregory & Olivia's Divorce
When Olivia voices her concerns about Gregory's threats to take her baby away from her, Bette suggests that Olivia tell Gregory that Cole, and not Gregory, is the father of her baby.
Maria's Death
Meg cuts a swatch from the sheets and makes arrangements to send the swatch to a lab to be analyzed.
The Liberty Corporation
Alex Mitchum returns to Sunset Beach and takes her place as the fourth major shareholder in the Liberty Corporation.
December 9, 1997
Caitlin's Miscarriage
Caitlin finds the money that Olivia paid Cole to take Caitlin away from Sunset Beach and keeps it as partial restitution for the baby she lost.
The Liberty Corporation
Casey gets a job that will get him more respect, as well as allowing him to wear more clothes, when he takes a position as the community liaison for the Liberty Corporation.
Maria's Death
Meg submits the sheet swatch to be analyzed.
Gregory & Olivia's Divorce
Annie decides to figure out how to use Alex and Gregory's friendship to break up Gregory and Olivia for good.
December 10, 1997
Gregory & Olivia's Divorce
Charles tells Olivia that the only way he can guarantee that she can keep the baby is if she is willing to divulge some of Gregory's more sordid secrets.
Ricardo's Rape Trial
Gabi, whose repressed memory flashbacks are coming more
frequently and becoming stronger, goes to Ricardo's apartment to look
for him.
She confesses her plan to ruin Paula's life, since their father always
compared Gabi badly to Paula. However, once she'd met Paula, she found
it impossible to hate her, and instead, Gabi decided to "become" Paula,
which, of course, includes having Paula's boyfriend.
When Ricardo asks her why she accused him of raping her, she bursts into
tears and says that she doesn't know why she did it.
Sean comes to visit Caitlin at the Bed and Breakfast where she is staying.
December 11, 1997
Maria's Death
As a first step toward having Maria declared dead, Ben runs a death announcement in the paper, which disturbs Meg when she sees it.
Ricardo's Rape Trial
Ricardo realizes that Gabi really does believe that she
was raped.
Ricardo and Gabi arrive at the courthouse for the trial.
December 12, 1997
Gregory & Olivia's Divorce
Olivia tells Cole that she intends to tell Gregory about her affair with Cole in order to keep him from taking her baby.
Ricardo's Rape Trial
The first prosecution witness, another police officer,
testifies that Ricardo grabbed Gabi's arms violently and that he told
her that if she didn't get out of his life, he'd hurt her a lot worse.
Later, while Gregory is questioning him, the officer testifies that Ricardo
protected Gabi when she followed him on the stakeout.
While testifying about the night in question, Gabi has another flashback
of her childhood, freaks out and says that Ricardo raped her. When Gregory
asks her if she accused Ricardo because she loved him and that she wanted
Ricardo to love her in return, she breaks down and says that she'd never
want anyone who hurt her that way to love her.
Paula testifies that, based on her experience with rape victims, she had
no reason to doubt that Gabi had been raped. Gregory asks Paula the traditional
question about whether she believes that Ricardo could be capable of committing
rape and, in keeping with tradition, Paula can't answer the question.
Maria's Death
Ben gets a phone call telling him that someone is snooping around the Mariah, and when Ben goes to check it out, Quint comes to visit Meg.
December 15, 1997
Ricardo's Rape Trial
Paula testifies that Ricardo was furious with Gabi and
that Paula pulled her gun on him, but then she says that she may have
overreacted. However, when the D.A. asks if in Paula's professional opinion,
Gabi appeared as if she had been raped, Paula says that she did.
Ricardo insists on taking the stand in his own defense, against Gregory's
advice. During questioning, Ricardo tells the full, unvarnished truth
about what happened the night he slept with Gabi. When the D.A. asks him
if he raped Gabi to pay her back for ruining his relationship with Paula,
he doesn't answer the question. Rather, he demands that Gabi tell the
truth.
Caitlin's Miscarriage
Caitlin realizes that she has to return to Sunset Beach to stop Cole from reading the letter in which she told him about the miscarriage. Olivia gives in when Cole tells her that it would dishonor Caitlin's memory to tell Gregory about their fling.
Maria's Death
Quint tells Meg that Ben will kill her just like he killed Maria. When Quint says that Maria's fears about Ben are detailed in her journal, Meg decides that Annie put Quint up to coming to see her. When Ben arrives at the Mariah and a fisherman tells him that no one has been near the Mariah all day, he rushes back to his house. Ben arrives home and throws Quint out. Ben tells Meg that Quint never thought that Ben was good enough for Maria and that Quint has evidently decided that Ben isn't good enough for Meg either.
December 16, 1997
Vanessa/Michael/Virginia
Virginia finds the passcode for Vanessa's answering machine and listens to her messages. She seems intrigued to learn that her rival seems to have befriended Tyus. Vanessa finds a potential ally in Alex. Virginia suggests to Tyus that he ask Vanessa out on a date. Virginia realizes that the patient in Cedar Oaks may be Vanessa's mother, whom she never talks about.
Ricardo's Rape Trial
When Gregory confronts her with the scrapbook she was keeping on Paula and Ricardo, a weeping Gabi reveals that she confused her experience with Ricardo with her childhood molestation at the hands of her father.
December 17, 1997
Vanessa's Mother
Virginia calls Cedar Oaks pretending to be Vanessa and learns that Vanessa has never visited her mother in the hospital.
Caitlin's Miscarriage
When Sean drives Caitlin back to Sunset Beach, she rushes to Cole's apartment and finds him holding her letter. Before he opens it, she tells him that the letter is a "Dear John" letter and that, since she has decided not to break up with him, he doesn't need to read it.
Ricardo's Rape Trial
When Gabi finally admits that Ricardo never raped her, that it was her father, Lorenzo, who raped her, the D.A. drops the charges against Ricardo.
Paula & Ricardo
Paula apologizes to Ricardo for doubting him.
December 18, 1997
Jade & Cole
Jade turns up on Cole's doorstep, upset that she hasn't seen Cole for nearly a year. Jade thinks that he's pulling his tradtional Christmastime scam of getting engaged to the young daughter of a wealthy family.
Caitlin's Return
When Gregory tells Sean about seeing Caitlin in his house
after coming home from work, Sean says that it was an apparition of Caitlin
caused by his guilt about causing her death.
Olivia faints when she sees Caitlin walking into Annie's house.
Maria's Death
Meg, decides to tell Ben about finding the sheets and scissors, but they are interrupted, first by Annie, and then by Mark. Meg goes to the closet to look at the sheets and leaves the compartment open. After Meg leaves the house, Ben finds the open compartment.
December 19, 1997
Caitlin's Return/
Annie & Gregory
Caitlin allows Olivia to think that she's still pregnant.
Olivia and Caitlin go to see Gregory.
Annie finally gets somewhere with Gregory, but Gregory pulls away from
smooching with her when Caitlin and Olivia arrive.
Gabi & Ricardo
Just after Gabi tells Mark that she hates herself for what she did to Ricardo, Gabi and Ricardo bump into each other on the beach.
December 22, 1997
Jade & Cole
Jade, who refuses to believe that Cole has reformed, tries to seduce him.
Caitlin's Return
Gregory is overwhelmed with joy at the sight of Caitlin,
who secretly plans to get even with her parents for the death of her baby.
When Gregory begs Caitlin to forgive him, Caitlin tells him to prove that
he has changed by throwing a lavish wedding for her and Cole, which he
agrees to do.
Maria's Death
When Ben confronts her about the sheets, Meg tells him that she saw the scissors and sheets in the studio and that she didn't tell him about it because she thought that it was one of Annie and Tim's mind games. Ben tells Meg that after Maria died, he destroyed Maria's studio and that later, not knowing that Meg had been in the studio and seen the mess, he cleaned it up. Ben later takes the box with the sheets in it to the Deep and sets fire to it.
Gabi & Ricardo
When Gabi tells Ricardo that she can't forgive herself for what she did to him, Ricardo shows compassion for her.
December 23, 1997
Maria's Death
Meg tells Mark that Ben knows that she discovered the sheets and scissors and she tells him the story about Ben trashing the studio. Meg receives the lab report, which she tears up and throws in a wastebasket, unread.
Caitlin's Miscarriage
When Olivia mentions Caitlin's baby, Caitlin breaks down, about to tell Olivia about the miscarriage, but is interrupted by Sean. Caitlin renews her resolve to keep her miscarriage a secret until after she's had a second opinion about her infertility.
Cole & Caitlin
Gregory offers to move Cole and Caitlin into a condo. Cole tells Gregory that all he wants is to make Caitlin happy, which Gregory seems to accept, even though Gregory admits that he still doesn't like Cole.
Jade & Cole
Jade watches a videotape of her and Cole fooling around and calls directory assistance for the address of the Richards house.
Madame Carmen's Predictions
Vanessa receives a gift certificate to see a psychic and
she when she goes, she takes Gabi and Meg.
Madame Carmen tells Gabi that she has been under a shadow, which has been
lifted, that she will be taking a short journey, and that she will find
true love in Sunset Beach.
Carmen tells Vanessa that a door is about to be opened, and that once
that door is opened, it will be too late to prevent what will inevitably
happen.
Grogan
Ben meets Grogan on his boat and tells him that he needs Grogan to go "out there" and make sure that everything's all right.
December 24, 1997
Christmas 1997 -
Richards Family
While Gregory gives a touching Christmas toast, we see
each of his family members' thoughts.
Olivia: You should be [spending Christmas alone this year]. God, I don't
know how much more of this I can take.
Cole: Oh, please. Give me a shovel.
Caitlin: If you really loved me, Daddy, you wouldn't have tried to steal
my baby.
Sean: I don't need to rent The Nightmare Before Christmas. I'm
living it.
Spike: Grrrrrr
Christmas 1997 -
Ben & Meg
Ben gives Meg a deed for an island with a house on it.
Olivia & Gregory's Divorce
When Olivia tells Cole that she needs to leave Gregory for the sake of the baby, Cole says that he needs her to stay with Gregory for the sake of the baby -- if Gregory has no motivation to take the baby from Olivia, Olivia will be there for the baby.
Jade & Cole
Jade shows up at the Richards house, claiming that she's
a caterer that Cole hired.
When everyone leav es the living room for a moment, Jade leaves the videotape,
which she has wrapped and put Caitlin's name on, under the tree.
Madame Carmen's Predictions
Carmen tells Vanessa that her cards relate to her mother,
a journey, and romance.
Carmen tells Meg that she sees a white dress and water in her cards.
She says that Meg, Gabi and Vanessa will take a journey together and that
on the journey, something will be lost, something will be gained, and
for one of them, nothing will ever be the same.
After Meg, Gabi and Vanessa leave her shop, Ben shows up, and it's obvious
that he and Carmen know each other. Carmen tells Ben that she told Meg
about a trip that Meg is going to be taking across water, but that Meg
left before Carmen finished.
The final card denoted danger, possibly death.
Vanessa's Mother
Virginia goes to Cedar Oaks pretending to be Vanessa and arranges to be left alone with Lena. Lena, thinking that she's talking to Vanessa, orders Virginia out of the room, which piques Virginia's curiosity.
December 25, 1997
Pre-Empted
December 26, 1997
Christmas 1997 - The Richards Family
Caitlin's Miscarriage Olivia & Gregory's Divorce
When Olivia reiterates her resolve to divorce him, Gregory
says that he won't let the baby be raised anywhere but in his house.
Telling Sean that he knows that he can't buy Sean's love with gifts, Gregory
gives Sean $15,000 to give to the Toys for Tots fund.
When Gregory gives Caitlin the deed to the condo on the beach that he
had promised her, Cole is upset, but Caitlin accepts.
Christmas 1997 - Ben & Meg
Meg gives Ben an antique wristwatch which she had inscribed "To S.B. I'll love you forever. Dorothy," which makes Ben flash back to Maria telling him that she'll love him forever.
Jade & Cole
Caitlin, Olivia and Gregory all nearly watch the videotape, but they are interrupted.
Olivia & Gregory's Divorce
After Gregory seduces Olivia, she tells Gregory that it hasn't changed her decision to divorce him.
Terror Island - Prelude
Ben invites the Surf Centralites to a New Year's Eve party on Meg's island.
Caitlin's Miscarriage
Caitlin tells Tyus that she has a friend who had a miscarriage and asks him for the name of a fertility specialist.
December 29, 1997
Maria's Death
When Ben sees the lab report, he realizes that Meg sent in a swatch of the sheets to be analyzed. When Meg sees the lab report that Ben has pieced back together, she confesses that she ordered the report, but that she never read it. Ben calls a hacker to help him get into the computer at the lab, and we see that the red substance wasn't paint after all, it was blood.
Terror Island - Prelude
Grogan tells Meg that it's difficult to get to and from the island because of the tides, so once you're on the island, you're there for the night. Sean invited Elizabeth to the party, since his original date, Amy, can't make it. Gabi and Mark arrive on Grogan's boat with supplies and Mark stops Gabi from opening one particular duffel bag.
Jade & Cole
Cole finds out that Jade has been researching Ben. Jade tells Cole about the videotape that she left for Caitlin to find, and Cole leaves to stop Caitlin before she watches the videotape. Caitlin plays the tape, but she is distracted and doesn't watch it.
December 30, 1997
Annie & Gregory
When Annie puts the moves on Gregory again, they are interrupted by Alex. Alex tells Gregory that if he wants to get back together with Olivia, spending time with Annie isn't the way to do it.
Jade & Cole
Olivia watches the videotape and substitutes a tape of Caitlin's ultrasound for the tape of Cole and Jade. She doesn't believe that the tape is more than a year old, and she warns Cole to keep Jade away from Caitlin. Cole warns Jade that she'll be sorry if she doesn't stay away from Caitlin. Jade cases Ben's house.
Caitlin's Miscarriage
Caitlin makes an appointment with the fertility specialist that Tyus recommended.
Maria's Death
Ben recommends that they request another copy of the report to clear up any doubts that Meg still has about the stains, but Meg says that she believes Ben when he says that they're paint stains. Ben doctors the report to say that the stains are paint and then he decides that he needs to do something about Mark.
Terror Island - Prelude
Elizabeth, Sean's date, arrives and Gabi introduces herself. Unfortunately, Gabi mistakes Elizabeth for Amy, and Elizabeth stomps off in a huff. Later, Elizabeth stows away on the boat, deciding to keep hidden until they arrive at the island, but, unbeknownst to her, she's being watched. Ben calls Meg from his car phone to tell her that he won't be able to make it for the trip.
December 31, 1997
Terror Island - Prelude
Grogan tells Sean that there are no phone lines and that cell phones don't work on the island. Elizabeth finds Mark's video camera, turns it on and sets it aside. She looks through Sean's bag, in which she finds something that startles her. Elizabeth is attacked by someone in a skull mask.
Annie/Gregory/Alex
Alex flashes back to the kiss that she and Gregory shared when she told him about her cancer and wonders what that kiss meant to her. Olivia overhears Alex corner Gregory about his kiss with Annie.
Caitlin's Miscarriage
Caitlin arranges for Tim to drive her to her appointment with the fertility specialist.
Jade & Cole
When Sean asks Jade about her confrontation with Cole,
Jade tells Sean that he accused her of overcharging him. Olivia worries
about Sean being in close quarters with Jade when Cole explains that she's
on the way to the island.
Cole is looking around in Annie's house for the videotape when Annie,
clad only in a tiger- striped bath towel, finds him.
