Backstage at Liam's party, Hope and Liam agreed that Bill had given a heartwarming speech. She kissed Liam and told him to just be himself while addressing the crowd.
On stage, Bill introduced William Spencer III, and energetic music played as green laser lights flickered around the room. Girls wearing boxing gloves pranced through the crowd and onto a mini-stage in front of the bigger one. There was a flash, a microphone lowered from the ceiling, and the boxing announcer, Michael Buffer, appeared to give Liam a "let's ready to rumble!" introduction. Bill raised Liam's hand in the air as everyone cheered.
Hope watched backstage as Liam told the crowd that his father certainly knew how to throw a party. Liam hadn't known if he'd ever meet his father, but he'd never imagined it'd be someone like Dollar Bill Spencer. Liam said he already felt that his life was changing. Though he wasn't sure how true the "eligible bachelor thing" was, he planned to honor his father and make Spencer Publications' new image a reality. Thanking Bill, Liam stated, "You have given me a whole new life, and I'm so excited to start it."
After the speeches, everyone mingled. Donna asked why she hadn't seen much of Hope. Katie said Hope was keeping a low profile. Marcus chimed in to say that Liam had talked the reluctant Hope into attending the event. Justin called Liam a man in love, but Donna thought it had to be hard on Hope. "She's dating a Spencer. She'll get used to it," Katie responded.
Marcus meandered over to Amber to ask why she was standing in the corner instead of networking to find her next job prospect. She claimed she was just keeping her eyes open.
Nearby, Bill wanted to propose a toast, but Liam worried that it would jinx things. Liam sprinted from his father's side upon seeing Hope headed for the door. When he caught up to Hope, he tried to make her stay; however, she said she shouldn't be there, because the night wasn't about their relationship. He offered to duck out of the party, too, but she said that everyone was there to see him. "This is your life now. You can't ignore it," Hope reasoned. Liam replied that William Spencer III could do whatever he wanted.
Amber watched as the women whom Bill had hired to be Liam's escort party approached to lure Liam away from Hope. Liam didn't want to part with Hope; however, he relented when Bill called him over to take pictures with the escort party. A disillusioned Hope slipped out the door. Amber shook her head and then smiled as the girls huddled around Liam.
Amber called Oliver, who was preparing to take some proofs to Brooke. Amber said Hope had left the party, because it was "so not her scene." Amber, however, was loving how the press and women were fawning over Liam. Amber urged Oliver to visit Hope, and he asked what was in it for Amber. She said she was ensuring "hope for the future" - her future.
After taking press photos, Liam thanked Bill, who noted something wrong with his son. Liam conveyed that Hope had left unhappy, and Bill stated that she shouldn't have been there. Liam said that Bill wouldn't have left Katie out, but Bill countered that he'd built his image long before meeting Katie. Bill was proud of how Liam had risen to the occasion that night, but warned Liam not to throw it away to chase a girl. "The world is waiting for you," Bill said.
Liam questioned whether love was supposed to mean anything, but Bill replied that Liam was too young to know what love was. Offering his son some champagne, Bill stated that he was handing Liam the keys to the kingdom. As Liam drank the champagne, he worried that he'd disappoint Bill. Bill replied that Liam wouldn't do that, because he was a Spencer.
Liam mingled for a while, but returned to his father to say that he had to leave. Liam didn't feel that the "eligible bachelor thing" was him, and he said his head was spinning. Bill offered to call a car for his son, and Amber watched as Liam exited.
After the party, Katie and Bill discussed what a success it had been. Katie noted that Hope had left early, and Bill worried that Hope would be an obstacle. Bill wished that Liam would find the perfect girl later in life. "Like you did?" Katie asked. Bill agreed, and they kissed.
At Brooke's house, Hope answered the door for Oliver, who had Brooke's proofs. Hope said that her mother would be home soon. Brooding about the party, Hope admitted that she'd left it because she'd felt out of place. She bitterly explained that the night had been quite a production, and everyone had wanted a piece of Liam. Oliver asked if she and Liam had fought, but she said it wasn't like that. She was frustrated because Liam's whole world was changing.
Oliver reasoned that two people could grow together and work through changes. He stated that their past relationship hadn't survived, but Hope and Liam were strong. Oliver was sure they could work it out, if that was what they wanted. Hope thanked Oliver for being supportive. She grabbed her keys to leave and said she'd been wrong to walk out on Liam. Oliver tried to deter her from going by saying that the party had probably ended; however, Hope left anyway to go to Liam's apartment.
At Liam's apartment, Liam entered the dark living room and tripped on a chair. He sat up and reeled in pain. He appeared to be dizzy and disoriented, and then he passed out on the bed. Amber crept into the apartment and slipped beside him in bed. "Liam...Liam, are you okay?" Amber knowingly whispered. She kissed his cheek and grinned to herself.
At home, Brooke walked downstairs in her robe to the beautifully decorated living room with a Christmas tree and poinsettias. She called out for Hope, but received no answer. Brooke called Stephanie's cell phone and asked if Dayzee had mentioned anything about Anthony, the man from Skid Row who had helped Brooke find Stephanie after they had been in the amusement park.
Stephanie said that she had a meeting scheduled with Dayzee and promised to ask about Anthony. At Insomnia, Stephanie met with Dayzee, and C.J. showed up at the empty coffee shop. Stephanie wondered why the shop was so desolate, and C.J. said that he had closed it. He offered the last cups of coffee to Stephanie and Dayzee.
Stephanie wondered why he had closed such a successful business, and C.J. said that he lived in San Francisco and really couldn't travel back and forth. He added that since his mom, Sally Spectra, no longer lived in town, he needed to sell it.
Dayzee explained that Sally had been a very good friend. Stephanie said that the last she had heard, Sally had enjoyed time in the Caribbean with a "bevy of body builders."
C.J. agreed and said, "Mom's definitely in heaven. That's for sure." He added that Sally would get a kick out of him sharing the last pot of Insomnia coffee with Stephanie. He said that he hated to sell the coffeehouse. He excused himself to pack up in the kitchen.
Stephanie told Dayzee that the coffeehouse had been more of a community gathering place. Dayzee said that it appeared to be a neighborhood institution. Stephanie told Dayzee that Brooke had asked about Anthony because she had been worried about him. Dayzee said that she had not heard from Anthony and needed to find him because the holidays were hard on him and all the Skid Row people without jobs.
Stephanie suddenly said that she had an idea that would help everyone and offer jobs to Dayzee's friends. Stephanie planned to buy Insomnia and hire Dayzee to handle daily operations.
Stephanie said the coffeehouse could address the needs of the community with something concrete. Dayzee excitedly agreed. She hugged Stephanie and thanked her. Dayzee said she was going to hire some of her friends for Insomnia, but Stephanie stopped her. "Tell them to come to Dayzee's," Stephanie said which indicated that she planned to change the name of the coffeehouse.
At Brooke's, Hope entered and said that she had been out for a walk to clear her head. Hope admitted that Bill Spencer had gotten to her at the party when he had introduced Liam as William Spencer III, the world's most eligible bachelor. Hope regretted her behavior.
Brooke told her not to be so hard on herself, but Hope said that the entire evening had been over-the-top. Yet, she acknowledged that she should have been there to share in her boyfriend's success and in his great moment with his dad. She realized that she had been angry with Bill's behavior and had taken it out on Liam. Brooke tried to convince Hope that Liam would understand. Hope said that she had tried to call Liam, but his phone had gone straight to voicemail. Hope worried that she had not been able to reach Liam all night or morning.
Liam awakened in his apartment with a huge bruise on his head and blurred vision. He thought that Hope was in bed next to him, but he was shocked when he found Amber. Liam said the room was spinning, and he panicked at the sight of Amber. He immediately accused her of being "out to get him." Amber spoke to him in a singsong voice and she wondered why he didn't remember their night together. "We had lots of fun," she said.
Liam said that he remembered nothing, and wondered why he had a huge knot on his head. Amber explained that after Hope had walked out on his party, Amber had followed Liam home to make sure that he was all right. Liam remembered nothing, including how Amber had removed his clothes.
Liam stammered that he could not have done anything with Amber because he loved Hope. Amber told him to chill, but she added that they had definitely spent the night together. Liam experienced dizziness and blurred vision. Amber suggested that he needed someone to look at his head because he seemed to have fallen after the party.
Liam said that he felt sick, and he went into the bathroom. Amber told herself that her plan to win the world's most eligible bachelor had already started working. "And he thinks we made love," she said as she giggled. She realized that Liam probably had a concussion because he had passed out on the bed and had not moved when she removed his clothes.
Liam returned, and Amber said that she liked him. She said that she felt bad that he had been freaked out about their night together, but she was available to him to talk or do anything else he wanted. Liam begged her to back off. Amber got dressed.
Hope called and apologized. Liam also apologized to Hope and shared that the night had been a disaster after she had left. They exchanged "I love you's." Amber massaged Liam's shoulders, and he asked her to leave and never tell Hope what had happened.
At Brooke's place, Brooke and Katie shared thoughts about how grateful they were for the past year's blessings. Brooke mentioned that her husband, kids, and family were all healthy. She added that Stephanie was doing well in her battle against cancer. Katie agreed that she and Bill had also been blessed.
Brooke said that her heart had broken for less fortunate families and the homeless who suffered during the holiday, specifically Anthony, whom Brooke had met on Skid Row. She recalled that Anthony, a homeless singer with a bad foot, had lugged around his belongings all day. He had helped Brooke find Stephanie. Brooke, said, "Now, I wonder who is watching out for him?"
Brooke added that the people that she and Stephanie had met had formed a community on Skid Row, where they took care of one another. Brooke called Stephanie, who was with Dayzee. Brooke asked Dayzee if she had seen Anthony, but Dayzee told Brooke that no one had seen Anthony in quite a while. "It's as if he doesn't want to be found," Dayzee said.
Brooke was worried that something had happened to Anthony, and Dayzee promised to help her locate Anthony. After Brooke had hung up, she told Katie that the people on Skid Row had nothing. They had lost everything due to illness, job losses, and home losses.
Brooke recalled that the Logans had lost their mother and Storm, but they always had one another to lean on. Their family had never worried where they would live or sleep. And they had always had a roof over their heads and plenty to eat. She said that she was convinced that few people had cared about Anthony.
Brooke wanted to go downtown to find Anthony, but Katie discouraged her from heading to Skid Row alone. Brooke was insistent, so Katie planned to tag along to find Anthony. Katie suggested to Brooke that they needed to gather coats and blankets to deliver to the mission.
At Insomnia, C.J. agreed to sell the coffeehouse to Stephanie. C.J. hugged Stephanie and handed her the keys to the business that he had founded, Stephanie reminded C.J. to wish Sally well, and C.J. promised to do so.
Dayzee and Stephanie discussed how they planned to work through the holidays. Pam and Thomas arrived at the coffeehouse with the Christmas tree and decorations from the Forrester mansion, and Stephanie discussed decorating the coffeehouse for the holidays. Stephanie instructed Thomas to decorate until it was overdone and then add some more. Pam was shocked, and reminded her sister that Stephanie had always said, "less is more."
Stephanie said that she wanted the homeless to celebrate the holidays in style because she was convinced that they had not celebrated in a very long time. Dayzee added that Stephanie was giving people an opportunity to work and earn wages -- something they all had wanted.
Marcus entered after he had hung up the exterior sign that said "Dayzee's," and he told Stephanie that it added to the neighborhood. Thomas reminded his grandmother that they would be unable to reopen to the public before Christmas. Stephanie agreed, but she told everyone that she planned to hold the Forrester family Christmas dinner at Dayzee's with invitations to Dayzee's friends from the mission.
Stephanie suggested that the café could also offer free lunches every Tuesday and Thursday. She pointed out that the Forresters had plenty to share and that everyone wanted love in their lives. She promised plenty of that, and Marcus hugged Dayzee. Stephanie reminded everyone that they all had different gifts to share.
On Skid Row, Brooke and Katie unsuccessfully quizzed residents about Anthony's whereabouts, but no one had seen him. Brooke worried that Anthony had been sick or hurt. After Brooke and Katie had searched for an extended period, Brooke admitted that she was probably wrong about just walking around to find Anthony. She remembered her first meeting with him.
She flashed back to Anthony's philosophy "safety is in not having anything that anybody wants." And she remembered when Anthony had said, "There are days that I would give my good kidney just for a chair."
Katie and Brooke stumbled upon Paul, a man that Brooke had met at the mission. When she asked about Anthony, Paul reiterated Dayzee's comments that Anthony had not been see in a while. Brooke reminded Paul that she had left her phone number at the mission for Anthony. Brooke lamented that looking for Anthony was like "searching for a needle in a haystack." She and Katie discussed that Los Angeles had the largest population of homeless people in America.
Katie said that it was getting worse all the time, and Brooke agreed that the homeless population included educated people, families, and the unemployed. Brooke worried that organizations that had provided services to the homeless had been maxed out. Brooke and Katie agreed that more people needed to become involved. Katie said that it was a huge problem, but she wanted to help. Brooke recommended that Katie focus on trying to help one person just as Brooke and Stephanie had done.
Katie and Brooke continued searching for Anthony, and Brooke heard singing in the street. She realized that it was Anthony. When Brooke and Katie found Anthony, he appeared to have been hurt, with scratches and cuts all over his face and nose. Anthony asked Brooke if she had lost her friend again because he remembered that he had helped her locate Stephanie the last time Brooke had been to Skid Row.
On Skid Row, Brooke located Anthony on a sidewalk with a broken guitar. Observing his bruises, she asked what had happened to him. He said he'd disagreed with some guys over who should have his stuff, and he'd lost the argument. They'd taken his CDs and his money. He wished they'd taken his guitar instead of damaging it. "Not my best week," Anthony concluded.
After introducing Anthony to Katie, Brooke said she'd been searching for him. Recalling the kindness he'd shown her, Brooke said she couldn't stand to know that he was on the streets. She asked him to go with her, but he stated that he was fine where he was. Brooke persisted because he was hurt, and the weather was getting colder by the hour.
Brooke received a call from Ridge, who informed her that Stephanie and Dayzee wanted the family to meet at the coffeehouse for a surprise. Once the call had ended, Anthony thought of Dayzee and mentioned that he'd been out of touch with her. When Brooke said Dayzee had also been worried about him, he decided to leave with Brooke and Katie.
Brooke took Anthony home with her. She set out toiletries for him to shower with, and he seemed overwhelmed by her graciousness. Anthony spotted Ridge's guitar in a corner. As Anthony admired it, Brooke mentioned that Ridge didn't play it much anymore.
Katie arrived with clothes for Anthony, which she'd picked up at Forrester Creations. A grateful Anthony left to clean himself up, and Katie rushed off to meet Liam and Bill at home for dinner. Brooke looked back at Ridge's guitar, and she smiled to herself.
At Dayzee's, the Forresters decorated, and Eric griped that he was always the last to know things. Stephanie said CJ had been desperate, and she'd decided to seize the opportunity to buy the coffeehouse. She wanted Dayzee's to be a place where everyone felt welcomed. While she hoped more economically stable patrons could pay full price for items, she planned to charge those with lesser means whatever they could afford. Thorne said she wouldn't make much money, but Stephanie hoped she'd profit in other ways that really counted. She asked if it were okay for the Forresters to have Christmas with Dayzee and her extended family. Eric smiled, and he, Stephanie, and Felicia hugged each other.
As Thomas, Marcus, and Dayzee finished decorating, Pam arrived wearing Ann's Christmas sweater. Dayzee excitedly squealed when her friends arrived next, and the coffeehouse was suddenly bustling with family and new friends. Hope and Ridge entered, and Stephanie welcomed the crowd to Dayzee's, though it hadn't officially opened yet. Stephanie said she considered them all to be family, which meant they ate together and cleaned up together.
After Stephanie's short speech, Ridge expressed his surprise about her new business venture. Whip and Taylor arrived, and they talked to Stephanie about her reasons for founding Dayzee's. Stephanie felt that Dayzee had saved her life, and the coffeehouse was a fitting way for Stephanie to leave her mark on the world. Dayzee said the place would make a difference, and each person who walked through the door would be inspired to make a difference, too.
As the celebration continued, Taylor found a distracted Dayzee standing by the window. Dayzee expressed her concern for her friend, Anthony, whom she hadn't seen him in a while. Taylor reassured Dayzee, and Whip text-messaged Taylor to meet him across the room. When she arrived, he tricked her into standing beneath the mistletoe, and they kissed.
Brooke and Anthony entered, and Taylor scowled when she saw Stephanie greeting Brooke. Dayzee threw her arms around Anthony, and Stephanie was delighted that Brooke had actually found him. As Ridge and Dayzee made Anthony comfortable, Brooke asked Stephanie what was going on with the "Dayzee's" sign. Stephanie shrugged, joking that she'd traded fashion for espresso. Brooke sensed that there was more to it than Stephanie's newfound love for coffee. Stephanie said she'd explain everything soon, but first, she wanted to talk to Anthony.
Brooke and Stephanie joined Dayzee, Anthony, and Ridge at a table, and Stephanie expressed her gratitude to Anthony for helping Brooke on Skid Row. Stephanie wanted to repay him with a job offer. He said she'd done enough for him already, and he didn't think he'd be much good because of his foot. Stephanie replied that she didn't care how fast he could walk; she just wanted to give him a job. "God bless you...Thank you," an emotional Anthony replied.
Stephanie got everyone's attention again to thank them for being there. She said they'd each experienced hard times, but what mattered most was that they were all together in that moment. She felt that she was alive for a special reason, and they were that reason. She said they were all a family and a village, and reaching out could change someone's life. "And if you change their life, your life will be changed...Giving is living. Remember that. Merry Christmas to all of you," Stephanie concluded.
As a song about miracles played, Stephanie conversed with some of the people she'd met at the Mission. She learned that Tony, the former soldier, had reconnected with his mother. Antoine Reyes, whose whole family had lived in a single room at the Mission, had gotten an interview for the Section Eight Housing program. Carolyn, a volunteer at the Mission, said her wish was for everyone to have a special place to go for Christmas, "and not be on Skid Row."
At Dayzee's, the Forrester holiday party continued. Talking with Whip, Taylor noted that Brooke and Stephanie had really bonded. Whip thought it was normal for that pair to call a truce during the holidays, but restart their war later. Taylor sensed that something significant had changed between Brooke and Stephanie, and it made Taylor feel left out. Shaking off her thoughts, Taylor decided to focus on kissing under the mistletoe instead of brooding.
Eric played "Jingle Bells" on the keyboard, and the guests sang along. Afterward, Pam passed out her lemon bars, and Carolyn and Kevin, who headed the Skid Row shelter, remarked to Felicia that she was lucky to have Stephanie as a mother. Felicia agreed, admitting that she hadn't always appreciated that fact. Nearby, Hope said the "giving is living" phrase had resonated with her, and Stephanie replied that taking it to heart it could change one's life.
As a Christmas gift, Dayzee presented Stephanie with a handmade book filled with Dayzee's favorite quotes from inspirational women. The quotes were the same ones that Stephanie had found in Dayzee's tent on Skid Row. Dayzee remarked that she'd found another woman to look up to. "Oh, let me get the shovel," Stephanie joked, realizing that the new woman was herself. Stephanie and Dayzee decided that they'd hang the quotes around the coffeehouse.
Brooke went outside and returned with Ridge's guitar. "You don't use this anymore, right?" she asked Ridge. He scoffed in disbelief as Brooke strode over to Anthony with the instrument. Ridge tensed, but he stood silently as Brooke told Anthony that she and Ridge felt bad about what had become of Anthony's guitar. "Merry Christmas," Brooke said, holding Ridge's guitar out to Anthony.
Anthony was astounded by the couple's generosity and asked if Ridge were sure he didn't want it anymore. "Well..." Ridge began, but Brooke interrupted to say that Ridge had only played it back when he was a "player," serenading all the women. Ridge asked Anthony to take care of his "baby," and Anthony promised to cherish it.
Later, Brooke stood beneath the mistletoe and called to Thomas. "You've gotta be kidding me. Do something," Taylor said to Ridge. Brooke took Thomas to meet Anthony, and Taylor expressed embarrassment. Kissing Taylor's forehead, Ridge assured her that she didn't have to worry about Brooke and Thomas anymore. Whip scowled as he witnessed the moment.
Stephanie pulled Taylor aside to introduce her to Kevin. Taylor grinned when Kevin recalled that Taylor was Stephanie's best friend. He recruited Taylor to consult on mentally ill residents at the shelter. After he strode off, Taylor said she was grateful to still be Stephanie's best friend. Stephanie wondered why that would ever change.
Taylor guessed she was being overly sensitive. She felt alone in dealing with her issues about the "Taboo" campaign, and she worried that she'd lose Stephanie to Brooke. Stephanie replied that Taylor wouldn't lose her. "Until I die," Stephanie added and hugged Taylor.
Across the room, Ridge remarked that Brooke looked happy. He wondered if she knew what he was thinking. She guessed that he thought it was the best Christmas ever. "No, you gave away my guitar," the brooding Ridge corrected.
Ridge claimed that he'd had the guitar for years, and it held sentimental value. Brooke offered to pry it out of Anthony's hands. Watching Anthony stroke the guitar, Ridge decided that it needed to be played instead of gathering dust. He had a feeling that the streets of Los Angeles would never sound better.
As the festivities continued, a large group of children entered to enjoy the party. The kids received cookies and gifts. Stephanie smiled at them, and Eric guessed that she was happy. She said everything was as she'd envisioned. She hoped that her end wasn't near, but Eric said that no matter what happened, he, her children, and her grandchildren would continue the fight.
Stephanie realized that she'd wasted a lot of time hurtling toward death instead of living life. She said she'd lived her daily routine of having breakfast, going to work, and calling Brooke the "slut from the valley." Eric replied that Stephanie should stop doing that, but Stephanie assured him that Brooke knew that Stephanie was just teasing.
Eric didn't think the world was done with Stephanie yet. He felt that the cancer hadn't arrived to take her from him, but to galvanize her to do more with her life. He asked if he could give a speech, and Stephanie wondered how much eggnog he'd had. "Why do you always have to ask me that?" he asked, getting up to speak.
Eric called for everyone's attention to pay homage to Stephanie. He expressed confidence that Stephanie would beat the cancer, but if he happened to be alone the next holiday, he promised to see to it that everyone lived up to her ideals. Eric called Stephanie a pain to deal with, but said he wouldn't trade her for anything in the world. "This year," Stephanie added. Eric corrected, "This year or any," and promised to cherish every moment they had left together.
After Eric's speech, Anthony played the guitar, and he and Dayzee sang, "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas." As he broke down the melody at the end of the song, Anthony sang, "Merry Christmas, Brooke...Thank you for the guitar, Ridge...Stephanie, we love you...."