In front of Clint, Antonio and Viki, Tess announces that she is not going anywhere until Nash returns to her. Viki tries to explain that they don't want to eliminate "Tess" since she's a part of Jessica. Clint adds that they will not keep Nash from her once he does return to town and explains that no one can tell you who to love. Tess finally agrees to go to the loft with Antonio. There, Jessica emerges when Antonio shows her the things he bought for the baby and announces that he is ready to be a father to her child even if it's not his. Tired of arguing with Dallas, Clint leaves Llanfair. Viki uses the time to clear the air with Dallas. Barely alive after the beating, Nash remembers happier times with Tess. Confronting him at the gym, David takes his frustration out on Kevin who reminds him he earlier congratulated him and Kelly on their engagement. David boasts that he said that for Kelly's sake. Kelly is hurt after Dorian refuses to be happy for her now that she's engaged to marry Kevin. When David spots Dorian and Clint having drinks at the bar together, Dorian lets him think that she's dating Clint. Fantasizing that Natalie has come to take him home after his name has been cleared, Cristian seeks a meeting with his attorney so he can get out of prison. Meanwhile, John remembers happier times with Natalie as he works out.
Todd receives support from Blair in the form of a visit, but he's annoyed that she's shared their thoughts on Margaret's murder with Spencer. They realize they will have to rely on themselves to solve the murder and get Todd freed and start off by figuring that Margaret swam underwater and was met by someone on shore. That person strangled her and threw her back into the water. Obviously, there's someone out there who wanted her dead too and while Todd suggests that it was Ginger or McNaughton, Blair has reasons for why it wasn't either of them.
David berates Dorian for hanging out with Buchanans as an amused Spencer looks on. He does own up to Dorian's accusation of his blackmailing David to stop the wedding, stating that he was looking out for David's best interests. Dorian tells the brothers off, while also indicating that they're crazy to try to take on the Buchanans as David badmouths them. Spencer suggests that he and his brother just get even with them and though David wavers, more than once, he decides against it. He also doesn't want to know about Spencer's plan. Blair finds Spencer and mentions that Todd is more concerned about the doctor's intentions than his search for proof of his own innocence. They just need to find out the truth about Margaret. Spencer flashes back more than once to himself ordering Margaret to stay away from Blair and her kids.
Antonio and Jess share some tender moments. She agrees to a paternity test to find out who the baby's real father might be.
Nat gets stuck having to talk to John about work and tries to be nothing but professional, calling him lieutenant instead of by his name. He wants to remain friends but she only wonders what they would possibly have to talk about since he killed their friendship with his actions. He's afraid she'll hook up with the wrong person due to her feelings over both Cris and himself. Feeling ashamed is only part of what he should feel, she tells him in response. There's no person she would get together with who would be worse than him. She learns of the possibility of Cris getting out of jail and hopes he does. What he did is not his fault. She won't be there for him though.
Duke and Adriana finish up some holiday shopping and are about to get hot and heavy when they're interrupted by Rex. He and Bo have arranged for Adriana to visit her cousin; she has to go now. Duke informs Rex that he and Adriana are back together; Rex urges him to live up to his status of hero because she deserves it.
Evangeline lets Cris know that she's presented his case to the Supreme Court in Harrisburg and all they can do is wait for the decision. He shows her the divorce papers he's received but he wants to get Natalie back as well as deal with John. He won't sign the papers. Adriana visits and forgives Cris for killing Tico. She knows he wouldn't have done it if he was in his right mind and cuts him off before he can even apologize for the crime. He's always given her good advice. She tells him about Duke.
Dorian leaves a message for Asa recommending that they need more information against Spencer. Adriana asks about it but Dorian ignores her, asking about her daughter's own life instead. She's not happy to hear that she and Duke are back together, not happy to hear that Adriana is torn between Duke and Rex, wishing that there were a third choice.
Rex pays Todd a visit after receiving an envelope with money from him. Todd has a favor to ask.
Cris gets the news; he's been freed!
Dallas comes to Llanfair for a talk with Clint. Evangeline advises Hugh to drop the charges against her client now that new evidence has come to light about Margaret Cochran. Blair sees red after spotting the latest edition of "Craze." Meanwhile, David blasts his brother for planting the magazine cover story about Todd.
Jessica and Natalie give their delighted mother a cameo which matches the ones she presented to them several years earlier. John agrees to stand in for Bo during the annual holiday tree lighting in Angel Square.
Carlotta cries tears of joy to learn that Cristian has finally earned his release from prison. Dallas explains to a stunned Clint why she's breaking off their relationship. A seething Blair confronts David. Kelly and Kevin look forward to spending Christmas as a couple once again.
Nash lies unconscious in a California hospital following his beating at the hands of Restin's goons. Ignoring his protests, Blair informs David he's fired. Viki offers Clint her sympathies on the news about Dallas. Dorian warns Spencer to stay away from her niece but the doctor continues to ingratiate himself with Blair. Michael asks Marcie if they can try again. Lindsay presents Jamie with a locket containing photos of them both. Viki watches with narrowed eyes as Dorian flirts openly with Clint.
Alone and depressed, David drowns his sorrows on Christmas Eve. Cristian's appearance at the Angel Square tree lighting causes a stir among the citizens of Llanview. Blair explains to her sorrowful children why they can't visit their dad for the holiday. Adriana encourages David to stop wallowing in self-pity and get into the spirit of the season. Viki asks Cris to give Natalie more time to adjust to his re-emergence. Hugh icily congratulates Evangeline on the dramatic scene she staged for her client's return to town. Meanwhile, Cris fields questions from eager members of the press as Natalie watches from the sidelines. Rex finds Adriana praying in the chapel. Spencer helps a grateful Blair distract Starr and Jack to keep their minds off of Todd. Michael grouses to John about Cristian using Christmas Eve as his own star turn. Tess pressures Jessica to let her out so she can return to Nash. Cris informs Natalie he's not giving up on their marriage. Later, Evangeline offers an unhappy Natalie some words of support. Clint is astonished when Viki cautions her ex to stop cozying up to Dorian. Kelly invites Kevin to move in. A loving message from Blair cheers Todd in his cell.
At Llanfair, Natalie goes through a box of Christmas decorations that Viki has brought down from the attic. She is disturbed when she comes across she and Cristian's old Christmas stockings, and she has a flashback to a happier time.
Meanwhile, Cristian has stopped by Antonio's loft to visit his brother and Jessica. Jess fills him in on her DID, and Cristian is understandably surprised. Antonio answers a phone call from Natalie, who asks to speak with Cris. Natalie asks him to come by Llanfair, and he leaves with the promise of seeing Antonio at Carlotta's for Christmas dinner. Jessica expresses concern over Nash's whereabouts, and Antonio wants to know who is talking: Jess or Tess. Jessica is upset that Antonio can't tell the difference, but he explains that he's not used to seeing Jessica care about Nash. He is visibly upset, and Jessica tells him that she is worried, because she saw the way Nash looked when he talked about Tess; it doesn't make sense that he would not show up when he promised to. Suddenly, Tess fights for control, warning Jessica that something awful has happened to Nash. Antonio takes Jessica in his arms and promises to keep her safe.
In California, Nash lies beaten and bruised in the hospital bed. The nurse allows him to call Tess from his cell phone, but before he can make the call, a police detective stops by to interrogate him about the attack. Nash doesn't want to press charges and asks the detective to go away. The detective refuses, insisting that the attacker could cause harm to other people. Nash confesses that he deserved the beating, because he had done something bad to the daughter of the man who hired the thugs. When the detective finally leaves, Nash places his call to Tess, but the phone rings without being picked up.
At the hospital, Blair pulls the beard off of Santa to reveal Asa, who is volunteering his time. They trade insults back and forth in typical fashion. Asa congratulates her for the derisive article on Todd that appeared in "Craze," but Blair points out that David wrote the piece (and that she fired him for doing so) and that she is still one hundred percent in Todd's corner. Asa's insults turn nasty when it comes to Spencer, who is accompanying Blair at this party. Spencer holds his own, but Blair comes to his defense. She then takes the kids in order to make a last ditch attempt to see Todd, and Paige makes a comment to Spencer about Blair slipping through his fingers. Spencer warns her not to make him angry, but Paige says that he's not the only one with a secret. Spencer thinks he can continue to hold the fact that she is a murderer over her head, but Paige insists that she knows something big that is all about Spencer!
Bo, Renee, and Matthew enjoy each other's company at the hospital. John stops by, and Bo has an intense conversation with him. He orders John to see a psychiatrist if he wants to remain in his position as Chief of Detectives. John is furious and storms out of Bo's room, but at least Bo gets the go-ahead from Paige to leave the hospital that night! Bo and Matthew are excited about their plans to finally build the tree house.
Evangeline stops by the prison to deliver Todd a gift of Nelson Mandela's autobiography. She tells Todd that the fact that Margaret could swim doesn't prove anything, but the gift is a sign that he has her full support. She vows to start compiling a list of suspects who could have strangled Margaret, but her real gift is yet to come: once she leaves, Blair, Starr, and Jack arrive to wish Todd a Merry Christmas!
When Cristian arrives at Llanfair, Natalie demands that he take the ornaments and stockings. He says that they belong to both of them, and that he doesn't want them. Natalie insists that she will throw them out, and Cristian tells her to do as she pleases. She holds up the divorce papers and asks him once again to sign them. When he refuses, Natalie screams at him to give her back her freedom, telling him that she could never love him after what he did to her. Cristian ignores her and pulls her into a passionate kiss, to which she responds. After he pulls away, Natalie asks him why he did that; he points to the hanging mistletoe. He leaves Llanfair, and Natalie is visibly shaken. Meanwhile, John has come on to the terrace with a box of chocolates and witnessed the kiss through the window. He watches Natalie with a sad expression on his face ........
