Colleen Dies! Jack Blames Victor!
This week, Patty's reign of terror leaves Colleen dead and Jack blaming Victor for the tragic loss of his young neice.
"Jack feels he should have protected Colleen, that he's responsible for her being in Patty's grasp," explains Peter Bergman. "But the Victor thing could not be any clearer. None of this would have happened if Victor had not brought Patty to town."
After Jack finds Patty and discovers Colleen unconscious by the lake, Patty yanks out a gun and stops Jack from calling 911. In the middle of the insanity, Victor shows up to "fix" the situation, but Jack thinks he's only trying to "save his own ***." Says Bergman, "Victor knows all the damage Patty has done, and he's there to shut her up."
Victor tries persuading Patty to give up the gun, "because she'll pay too big a price for shooting Jack and he isn't worth it," says Bergman. "When Victor diverts Patty, it suddenly occurs to her that he is responsible for all of this. Patty turns and shoots Victor.
Three times in the chest! Jack is in complete shock. "This is crazy," says Bergman.
Realizing what just happened, Patty escapes. Jack calls 911 just as J.T. and Paul arrive. While Paul runs after his demented sis, J.T. and Jack wait for the ambulance to arrive.
Once they arrive at the hospital, Jack holds out hope that Colleen will be alright. "As long as her heart is beating, he keeps telling himself she'll be okay."
Later, a doctor delivers some heartbreaking news to the Abbott and Newman clans: Colleen isn't breathing on her own and the chances of Victor surviving his gunshot wounds are slim. When Ashley arrives with Adam, Jack explains how Victor is involves in this whole mess. "Jack's not equipped to tell Ashley a bunch of lies. He's at his wit's end," explains Bergman. "He needs Ashley to know what is going on -- why Patty shot Victor -- because Victor was responsible for bringing Patty to town."
Meanwhile, Traci and Steve are given even more devastating news. "They learn Colleen is brain-dead," reveals Bergman. "Jack is just decimated. No sooner does Jack get this information, than out comes Victor's doctor with great news. It looks like he's going to be okay. That sends Jack over the edge. He cannot believe this beautiful young girl dies because of Victor, and he gets a second chance. it's wrong on every front imaginable."
Jack lunges at Victor's hospital room door, screaming that he should've died and not Colleen. "It's ugly," admits Bergman. "Paul and Nick have to drag Jack out of there. It's hard to imagine anything that could make Jack loathe Victor any more, but here's another reason."
In the midst of the devastation, "Jack looks around and sees this family that he told his father he would look after, and it's a mess," says Bergman. "He has a sister who's almost in the nuthouse. Another sister who just lost her only child. And his niece, the kindest, sweetest girl, is dead. Jack's done a horrible job keeping his family from harm, and it's going to weigh on him heavily."