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At the Horton house, Julie calls Maggie and tells her that the Horton Christmas Eve is canceled for the first time ever, and they’ll hang the ornaments when people can get here and are in the mood to celebrate. After she gets off the phone, she cries, but then hears the door slam.

Eli and Lani Come Home!

Lani and Eli surprise Julie for Christmas and explain that the twins are at Abe and Paulina’s, but can’t wait to put their ornaments up. Eli then notices the very bare tree. Julie explains they canceled the festivities since it didn’t seem right to celebrate.

Julie is sorry they came home to an unfestive house, but she can’t wait to see the twins. Eli promises his grandma they’ll get this place looking like Christmas in no time.

Lani surprises Julie with Christmas cookies that the twins made, and EJ comes down with the boxes of ornaments. Eli suggests they hang just a few tonight and pulls out Alice’s ornament first. One by one, they begin putting ornaments on the tree: Alice’s, Tom’s, Julie’s, and finally Doug’s.

They all share a group hug, and Julie thanks them for what they’ve done for her today, but also for talking to her on the phone throughout this ordeal with Theo and Chad. They kept her strong.

More: Unwrap photos from soaps Christmases past! 

Time to Open the Crypt!

Jada and Rafe head to the DiMera mansion, as they firmly suspect the DiMeras have been in their family crypt the whole time, after tips from the groundskeeper and Leo.

More: Who is Daytime’s biggest Grinch?

In the crypt, we’re treated to a replay of Kristen knocking Peter out with a femur. Tony manages to get the vial of gas from him, and it’s still sealed. Kristen freaks at the thought she may have killed her brother, as he fell and impaled himself on what appears to be one of the bones. Chad grabs the key from Peter, as Kristen cries, “I’m so sorry, Peter.”

Tony helps Kristen out of the crypt, and EJ and Chad carry the still-unconscious Theo into the house.

Back in the mansion, Jada and Rafe haven’t found a trace of the crypt key, when suddenly, Tony and Kristen call out. Rafe helps get Kristen into a chair as Tony explains she’s sick, and Theo’s badly injured in the crypt. Rafe rushes off towards the crypts, and soon returns with Chad, Theo and EJ. They get Theo onto the sofa as Jada calls for medical assistance.

Rafe asks what happened, and Kristen and the others explain that it was Peter’s doing. Kristen says he’s in the crypt, and she may have killed him. Rafe rushes off again, and the others explain Theo’s injuries to Jada, as well as Peter’s plan to kill them with Sarin gas.

More: It’s been how many years since MarDevil first terrorized Salem?

Jada speaks with Tony outside and learns Kristen saved them all, and Peter broke her out of prison and kidnapped her with the rest of them. The ambulances soon arrive.

The paramedics check out Theo, who is still unconscious, but his vitals are strong. Chad tells Theo, “Because of you, we get to spend Christmas with our families, and your family will be so happy to see you. We all love you.”

Tony and Jada return, and the hazmat team has contained the gas. Jada questions Kristen about Peter kidnapping her, and she cries that he was a good brother most of their lives. EJ suggests they finish the questioning later with Kristen’s attorney present.

When Kristen and EJ get a moment alone, she vents at him for their deal that she would go to prison to save her daughter, and now Rachel is in Bayview. She blames him and wishes it were EJ who died in that crypt.

Meanwhile, Rafe is with Javi and other paramedics outside the crypt. Javi explains that it’s too soon to tell if Peter, who is bloody and on a gurney, will make it. Javi says they need to treat this as a spinal injury. Suddenly, Peter codes.

Back at the mansion, Javi arrives and explains Peter is alive, badly injured, and on his way to the hospital. Theo is being taken to the hospital as well, and Jada needs to get all their statements before she can let them go.

Rafe speaks with Statesville, the BOLO on Kristen has been lifted, and he then asks everyone what happened to them. EJ explains how he was taken, and that he hasn’t spoken to Peter in decades. EJ quickly surmises Rafe thinks he was in on this with Peter. Rafe tells him they both know what he’s done, and one day, he will get him.

Jada calls Abe to inform him of Theo’s condition, and Paulina and Abe head to the hospital. Rafe says forensics found a camera hidden in the crypt, and a pouch in the planter outside with syringes and a burner phone. There are also human remains in the crypt.

Rafe asks if they know who they are, and Chad explains that Theo believed they could be Dimitri or Stefan, and that Peter claimed Stefan is dead. Rafe says they reached out to Vivian and Stefan to warn them about the abductions, but they haven’t heard back. The DiMeras explain that Peter was inspired by Vivian’s burying her enemies alive, and he’s lived with years of resentment towards them.

More: Is Stephanie’s stalker tied to Peter?

The News Begins to Spread

At the hospital, Kristen is in a wheelchair in the hall and trying to get through to someone at Bayview to talk to Rachel, but they refuse because it’s past phone privileges. Chad tells her that she’ll get to see her tomorrow, and now that everyone knows the truth… Kristen refuses to allow the truth to come out; she’s willing to go back to prison to protect her daughter. Chad doesn’t fight her on this, and is sorry for what she’s gone through.

Back at the Hortons, Julie takes a call from the hospital, and she’s thrilled it’s Chad. He says they are all at the hospital, and he’ll fill her in on everything. He asks to talk to Thomas and Charlotte. Julie explains that Jack and Jen took them to Boston to keep them safe, but he must call them right away as they’ve all missed him. Julie says Lani and Eli are here and asks about Theo. He fills her in that Theo was hurt, and they don’t know any more.

At the hospital, Rafe calls Cat to tell her they found Chad and the others in the crypt. Meanwhile, Chad gets off the phone with Jennifer, the kids are out sledding, and they’ll call him as soon as they get in. Chad then asks EJ if he wants to call Johny, but his brother says no.

In the Show’s Final Moments

At the hospital, Tony tells his brothers that he talked to Anna, and she’s catching the next plane to Salem. Jada and Rafe need all of them to come to the station and sign their official statements. Chad thinks this can wait; it’s Christmas Eve, so Jada agrees to let them come in after Christmas.

Tony tells his brothers that he wouldn’t have gotten through this without them. They all exchange Merry Christmases, but no hugs. Meanwhile, Rafe gets off the phone with Vivian, who confirms Stefan is dead and she’s sending him proof. He realizes he must break this news to Gabi.

Javi tells Chad that Abe and Paulina are with Theo, and he’s stable. Kristen has been admitted and is on antibiotics until she can be moved to the prison infirmary. Javi then brings up Peter and asks if he has a next of kin or power of attorney. Chad has no idea. Javi says someone has to decide whether to use extraordinary measures to keep Peter alive.

At the Hortons, Julie tells Eli and Lani she wants them to go to the hospital to be there for the Carver family.

Finally, EJ heads to the back secret lab and kneels before the green capsule. He says, “I’m sorry for what happened, so sorry.” (What’s he sorry for? That Theo is critical? Is it Lexi in there? And was EJ in on this with Peter?)

Next on Days of Our Lives, Brady confronts Kristen and Marlena surprises Rachel.