New Year's Eve is a special occassion. It marks the end of the year and signals a time for new beginnings. For couples, it is looked upon as a romantic occassion. Who doesn't want to be with their true love when the clock strikes midnight? The evening of December 31st is a special night every year, but this year it is even more significant. It not only marks the end of the year, but it also marks the end of the century. A new millenium is soon approaching and there are many things I'd like to see happen with the characters on Days of Our Lives. One of the things I'd like to see happen is for the Y2K to affect the chip in Hope's head, but now I'm getting off-subject. This column is being written to focus on our favorite couple -- Eric and Greta. Sure, I have many wishes for them in the new millenium. However, I will concentrate more on that one special evening and how I'd like to see them share it together.

It's a myth that whoever you're alone with on New Year's Eve when that clock strikes midnight will be the person you'll spend the rest of your life with. Whether that's really true or not, I don't know. But it's awfully romantic, don't you think? I told this myth to a friend of mine once and she replied that last New Year's Eve, she spent it alone with her dog. And while she loves her dog dearly, Fido is not exactly her ideal mate. So I guess the myth goes right out the window because of that. But now I'm going off on a tangent again. For this column's purposes, let's just suspend disbelief and believe that it's really true: the person you are with when midnight finally approaches is the person you were meant to be with.

Picture this -- it is nighttime in Salem...... December 31st, 1999. The time is currently 11:55 p.m. The setting is outdoors. Snow covers the ground and the trees. The vision is like a winter wonderland. But it is not snowing. That let up a few hours ago. The sky is now clear and displays a whole multitude of shining stars. The moon must have been aware of this significant event because it chooses to come out full tonight -- a full moon. The trees have Christmas lights on them that give the whole place a very romantic atmosphere. The air has a chill in it, but it is not blistering cold. It is almost perfect.

Greta brings her hands up to her mouth and blows into them, trying to warm herself. She is dressed in a beautiful white gown. Over it, she has on a long fur coat with a big hood on the back. Eric looks over at her and thinks to himself that she looks like an angel. A small breeze comes their way and it causes Greta's hair to blow with the wind. A vision of beauty, Eric thinks to himself. Eric is dressed up in his tuxedo and also has on a black overcoat. They had just come from the Penthouse Grill, where the Brady and Horton families were celebrating New Year's Eve together. Greta and Eric had a good time with them, but wanted to be alone when the new millenium began.

Eric reaches into the right pocket of his overcoat and pulls out a black velvet box. Greta looks at it curiously and wonders what it is. Eric explains that it is a little gift he bought for her and tells her to open it. Her hands shaking, she reaches for it and slowly opens up the box. Inside is a heart-shaped gold locket. She gasps at how beautiful it is and delicately takes it out of the box. She opens up the locket and sees a tiny of picture of herself and Eric in it on one side. Greta smiles at the sight, then sees a little message next to it that reads, "All my love..... Eric". Tears well up in Greta's eyes. She tries to say something but cannot. Eric smiles at her reaction. No words were needed. Eric knew Greta and could sense her feelings just by looking at her. He takes the necklace from Greta and places it around her neck. Greta lifts up her hair to make it easier for him, and starts laughing when she senses that Eric is having a difficult time hooking the latch together. She teases him and asks if he can do this sometime in this millenium. Eric laughs and finally gets the necklace on properly.

The time is now 11:58. Two more minutes. Greta looks up at the stars and comments how beautiful it is. Eric tells her to pick one and make a wish on it. Greta's eyes scan the stars until they finally rest upon the perfect one. She then closes her eyes and makes a wish to herself. Eric asks her what she wished for but Greta refuses to tell him. After all, she says, it wouldn't come true if she told. Eric lets her off the hook and also picks a star and makes a wish to himself.

Midnight would be there any second now and they both knew it. Eric smiles at Greta as he pulls her closer to him. He reaches his hand out to her face and gently caresses her cheek. They gaze into each other's eyes as their lips continue to grow closer to each other. Finally, their lips meet and the kiss they share is full of emotion and passion. They hold onto each other for dear life, not ever wanting to let go. As they kiss, bells are heard ringing. Midnight had come and the new millenium had just begun. Eric and Greta continue to kiss as light snow begins to fall on them. Little did they know, both of their wishes came true -- their hearts, their souls, and their lips were connected to each other when the clock struck midnight.....

Well, this is the way I'd personally like to see Eric and Greta spend New Year's Eve. Whether or not the Days of Our Lives writers will write it this way remains to be seen. But this was my own vision, my own imagination, and I hope you enjoyed reading it.

Written by Grace