After the funeral ends, inside of St Luke’s Church,

Marlena approaches Bo and Hope

"Hello you two"

Bo

"Hey Marlena how are you?"

Marlena

"I am good. I mean what more can I ask for? The devil himself is finally dead. I think this calls for a celebration."

Bo

"Well we all know he is the Phoenix. I am sure he will rise again. Just like he always does."

Marlena

"I don’t know Bo, I like to hope and pray he is gone for good. It keeps me going." Looking at Hope

"Hope, are you ok? You haven’t said a word?"

Hope, arching her eyebrow

"I’m not drunk if that’s what you’re asking." After saying that Hope storms off, heading outside.

Marlena

"Oh my, I didn’t mean to upset her."

Bo

"It’s not your fault Marlena. Something is seriously wrong with Hope. The scariest thing is, I don’t know what’s wrong with her nor do I know how to fix it."

Megan Hathaway, hiding in one of the confessional’s has just witnessed Hope’s latest outburst. Having seen her enemy walk outside, Megan decides to not pass the opportunity to strike at her arch enemy. Megan sneaks out the confessional and goes to confront Hope.

Episode: 225, Megan vs. Hope

Written by ML Cooks

Victor holding Celeste and with Lexie on the other side of him walks up to the front of the church to view Stefano’s picture, which is taking the place of Stefano’s body. Stefano is smiling, deviously in a pin stripe suite looking into the eyes of his mourners. Even in a picture, The Great Dimera still sends chills through Celeste’s spine

Lexie

"I can’t believe my father is really dead."

Celeste

"Alexandra darling, you shouldn’t believe it. He’ll be back. He’s not done with us yet."

Victor

"Celeste, the paper said he out of a moving ambulance and rolled down a mountain. Surely the old man could not survive that."

Celeste

"You’d be surprised. Stefano is full of surprises. My cards tell me he has more in store for the residents in Salem. Evil hasn’t left Salem yet. He’s waiting, for the right moment. He’ll be back." Then they all hear a voice say

"Still up to your old antics I see." Victor, Lexie and Celeste turn around and see Peter Blake with Kristen.

Celeste

"Peter Blake. Stefano’s adopted demon seed."

Kristen

"You better watch your mouth. Peter has never been found guilty of anything."

Victor

"Kristen Please! Your as bad as the next one. Faking a pregnancy! Hiring a bucked tooth dummy who believes in vampires to impersonate you. You held Marlena hostage. The list goes on."

Peter

"And who are you supposed to be? Shouldn’t you be in a retirement home? You look like you’re about to croak any minute."

Lexie

"Alright Damn it that’s enough! This is my father’s funeral and I will need everyone to respect that. Take the drama outside. Have some dignity Please!" Lexie storms off.

Victor

"This isn’t over son. Not by a long shot. I may be old, but a force still to be reckoned with. Don’t let my silver lining fool you. Your old man is dead and you are nothing with out him. I’m a Kirakis and don’t you ever forget that." Looking at Celeste " Come Celeste let’s grab a seat." Celeste and Victor walk off.

Maggie walks over to Marlena and Bo

Maggie

"Hello Bo, Marlena"

Marlena

"Maggie, it’ nice to see you."

Bo

"Yes it is."

Maggie

"I saw Hope storm off. Is everything ok?"

Bo

"That’s a good question. No one seems to know. Maybe I should go after her."

Marlena

"I don’t think that’s such a good idea. Hope may just need some space right now to get through whatever it is she’s going through."

Maggie

"I agree with Marlena. Hope seems so disturbed these last few weeks. I really noticed it when she came back from that island."

Bo

"I did too. Something must of happened on the island that’s making her act this way."

Marlena

"Indeed. She’s hiding it and doesn’t know how to handle it. That could be why she’s been drinking."

Maggie

"We have to do something. Being an a drunk doesn’t help anything. I should know."

Marlena

"You’re right."

Bo

"It all sounds good, but how in the hell do we reach out to her if she just pushes every one away?"

Maggie, looking out in the guests to see who else has arrived,

"Well would you look at that."

Marlena

"What?"

Maggie

"Peter Blake has come back to Salem." Bo, Marlena and Maggie watch Peter and Kirsten talk.

Peter

"We haven’t gone to see Tony yet. Let’s go over to say hi."

Kristen, having a flash back in her mind of Tony/Vince raping her

"No! I don’t want to go anywhere near that Bastard!"

Peter, looking at his sister with concern

"Kris, what’s the matter? What did Tony do?"

Kristen

"I don’t want to talk about it. Don’t ask me no more. I’m just glad you’re here now." She says hugging her older brother. Peter wonders what is going with Kirsten and Tony. He tells himself he is going to find out.

As Tony and Anna mingle with other guests, Anna looks on at Kirsten, wondering what did she walk in on that day at the Dimera mansion when Kirsten shot her in the stomach.

"I need some answers. And Tony or Vince or who ever in the hell he wants to be today is ginving me any." She says in her mind.

"Tony, I’m going to talk to a few friends."

Tony, smiling at her pecking on the cheek

"Hurry back."

Anna walks over toward Kristen. Just as Anna is about to say something to Kirsten, she sees Nicole Walker..DiMera walking into the back of the church. Nicole smiles at Anna "Damn it. Not now Nicole. Not today. Please don’t tell the world you’re a Dimera today."

Before anything else can happen, a voluptuous woman wearing a form fitting red dress, with big over sized glasses to cover her face and a red scarf walks into the church. Everyone wonders who is the glamorous, out of place woman.

Meanwhile, outside St. Luke’s, As Hope walks past some statues, taking in the cold air, Megan walks into her path.

"Lonely and cold out here isn’t it Hope?"

Hope ignores Megan by turning the other way.

Megan

"Aww what’s the matter? Not feeling so fancy today ugly face?"

Hope turns back around to face Megan with a look of rage in her eyes.

Megan, reaching in her coat pocket, pulling out a small bottle of gin

"I got something for you. I knew you would need it."

Hope

"You thought wrong Bitch!" Hope takes her two hands and wraps them around Megan’s neck. Hope has a flash back of Killing Gina by smothering her. Hope felt so much rage and anger that she’s having those same’s feelings right now as her grip around Megan’s neck gets tighter and Megan’s once pale white face is turning blue. Megan takes the bottle she had in her hand in the face of a death grip, bashes Hope in the head with it, causing it to shatter and the alcohol soaks into Hope’s clothes. Hope passes out from the blow to her head, falling to the ground.

Megan

"I win. Ha Ha! Megan says and walks back into the church to spy on the deziens of Salem once more. Hope continues to lay on the cold snow filled ground, unconscious....