The Young and the Restless Spoilers: Nick Explodes Seeing Ian with Mariah and Tessa – Jordan’s Devious Trap for Sharon Tightens!

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In the Neil Winters Jazz Lounge, Danny tells Christine, Lauren, and Michael how love managed to get him there through the storm. He says there was nothing that would keep him from welcoming in the New Year with the love of his life. Being back in his arms feels so good to Cricket. They dance and sing. She knows how determined he was to get back for his son too. Seeing Danny meant everything to him, she says. It meant everything to Danny to hold his son. He could see his grief and it breaks his heart. She’s just grateful he’s there since his wisdom and strength are exactly what his son needs right now. As he spins her around the floor, he explains he moved things around his schedule so he’ll be staying. She has a suite upstairs for them. He knows it’s only been a couple of days but he missed her.

Cricket and Danny get a table and he asks if she’s ready to hit the road with him again. She says she’s all his again. Daniel interrupts them and admits he came back hoping they’d run into each other and catch up. She heads off to her suite and Daniel sits down with his father. Danny is sorry he didn’t come sooner. His son knows he was busy being a rock star. All that matters to Danny is being a good father. His son admits he’s not doing well. A year ago he was debating with Heather about whether Die Hard is a Christmas movie and now he wakes up to her empty side of the bed. Every day is spent worrying about Lucy and how she’s coping. Amazingly, Phyllis has been the rock through all of this and helped to keep his daughter safe. But his mom is also angry and desperate to fix things. He feels a need to protect her from her own impulses, especially in this nightmare with Sharon. Danny wishes there was something he could do. He knows he’s living with a lot. “It’s too much,” Daniel admits. He’s not looking forward to another 364 days without Heather. His father urges him not to underestimate his strength and courage. He just needs to ride out the grief and remember there are people who love him. The next time he feels like he’s about to explode, he should call him and he will be there for him, even if he has to take a break in the middle of a concert. He and Lucy will always be his priority. Hugging his son, Danny tells him how much he loves him.

Christine joins the father and son as Danny talks about how Lucy knows all his songs and every dance step. His son thanks him for reminding her that life goes on and it’s okay to be happy. Danny says they could do it sooner than later if he thinks she should get away. They ask him along and he agrees…when the timing is right. They make plans to hang out with Lucy and teach her Danny’s famous pasta sauce.

At the table, Jack and Diane toast to saying goodbye to 2024. That year almost brought them to their knees. She knows they still have a lot of work to do but she’s hoping the new year will be a fresh start for them and their son. As they dance, she reminds him that one of the coupons she gave him for their anniversary was for a night of dancing. She whispers what else he can redeem when they get home.

Lauren and Michael dance and he kisses her neck. She threatens him with a good time and tells him how happy she is. That makes her feel guilty given what Phyllis is going through. He reminds her that she hates his guts right now. Lauren thinks she’s also still hurt by seeing Danny with Christine. The lawyer worries Phyllis means it when she says their friendship won’t survive him being Sharon’s attorney. His wife is sure that she will eventually forgive him. They’ve forgiven some pretty large transgressions from her. “Before the next century, I promise,” she says. He’d rather forget about their friend so he can just focus on his beautiful wife.

Diane and Jack interrupt. He asks Lauren to dance and Michael warns that he better not let his devilish charm woo her away. Diane sits down with the lawyer and reminds him they have some unfinished business to discuss. He assumes she’s talking about how she lied to him about her marriage falling apart like he was just some shlub. He thought they’d regained trust after he paid for her funeral. Diane says it was all for a good reason. She’s willing to fill him in on all the details and hopes he will forgive her. After she recounts her story, he admits that it was clearly inspired by love for her son. He knows what mother’s love is like since he is married to a wonderful mother and had a horribly narcissistic one. Given how much she risked, he says she’s condemned to be his friend forever. They hug.

As Jack and Lauren dance, she notes how happy he is. He’s enjoying it while he can. She admits she’s still skeptical of Diane, especially after their public fights. It was so uncharacteristic of him to live out the lie and pull in his friends and family. It’s cruel. He hears her. They talk about resolutions. She’s fond of all her bad habits and doesn’t want to let them go. Jack has a few and suggests she resolve to be a little more generous to Diane. She thinks she already deserves credit for being civil. Jack knows how generous she can be. Lauren isn’t leaping to be friends with Diane. Phyllis is furious with her enough already. Jack says his wife is not a bad person. She deserves another chance and maybe if she is kind to Diane, others will follow suit.

Jack and Lauren return to their spouses. He gathers that Diane’s meeting with Michael went well. Toasting, she says it was the perfect start to the new year. Laughing, Michael says that tonight has been fine. Lauren goes out of her way to compliment Diane on her necklace and its meaning. Jack suggests they all do this again some time. “Why not,” says Lauren, drinking. Michael is ready to head home for sleep. Diane thanks him for forgiving her. “What are friends for?” he says.

Outside of Society, Mariah is shocked to see Ian holding Tessa. She yells at him to get away from her and demands to know what he did. Ian claims he was only trying to help, as Mariah gets her wife to breathe. Wheezing Tessa says she felt like she was going to die. After she helps her up, Mariah demands again to know what Ian did. Nick shows up before he can explain. He offers to get woozy Tessa to the hospital but she says whatever it was has passed. Faith points out to her father that Ian is standing there. Nick fumes. Tessa explains that he didn’t hurt her. Nick explains he’s Ian Ward. The clergyman insists that he’s been reformed and came to the city to work as a prison chaplain. He has come in peace. Nick asks why he needs an alias if that’s the case. Ian says people can be judgmental and tries to leave them to their evening. Before he can, Nick corners him and tells him he better start praying for real. He orders Faith to call the police. She stomps inside and Ian says that Faith comes from a tribe of strong women. He explains that he saw Tessa having an asthma attack and cleared her air waves. Mariah growls at him to stay away and walks her wife inside.

Ian tells Nick his tale of how he wants to redeem himself. Nick thinks that’s impossible because he’s pure evil. When Ian reaches into his jacket, Nick grabs his arm and warns him not to try anything. When Nick relaxes his hand, Ian shows him his official ordination and urges him to call the prison to confirm that he’s a chaplain. None of this means anything to Nick. Faith comes out to say the police are on the way. Nick orders her back inside. “She is becoming quite the young woman,” Ian says. That sets Nick off. He grabs him by the collar again and gets threatening. Ian continues to insist that he only came back to make amends. Nick reminds him that he terrorized his mother, shot his father, and set Newman Tower on fire with dozens of people inside. Ian doesn’t expect to make up for all that but will make the effort anyway. Nothing he can do will make Nick forget these things. A cop arrives and Nick tells her to arrest this man. He says that Ian is claiming to be a chaplain but it’s a crock and he belongs behind bars. Ward urges the cop to check on his credentials. The Newman insists he’s a threat to everyone in town and he wants him arrested. Ian claims he’s not a threat to anyone and he may have actually saved a life.

Inside Society, Mariah wishes that Tessa would go to a doctor. She’s drinking water and feeling better. But how could she not have recognized Ian? Her wife assures her she has nothing to apologize for. Tessa points out she showed him a picture of their daughter. Mariah is sure he will crawl back under whatever rock he came from. She admits that she has a hard time even looking at him. He’s evil and destroyed her entire childhood. Faith comes over to check on them and Mariah worries that whatever her wife had won’t just heal on its own. They need to figure out what it is. Tessa will see a doctor after this drama with the “horrible man” is over. Mariah continues saying that he’s like the devil himself. He sucks you in and corrupts you. She flashes back to waking up to him while in a wedding dress. She can’t understand how he was let out of prison. What really terrifies her is why he came back to Genoa City. The girls notice that it is past midnight and Sharon never showed up.