As children, Eric (originally Jensen Ackles) and Sami had been sent for schooling in Colorado — because you always learn better in the Rockies. Sami returned to Salem as a teen, but Eric stayed behind for a few years before coming home. He timed it just perfectly enough to blow up Sami’s wedding to Austin by revealing that Will was Lucas’ child and not the groom’s!
Eric met Nicole when she was a waitress at Java Cafe and decided she’d make a great model for Countess Wilhelmina where he was working as a photographer. Then he decided she’d make a great girlfriend, HR nightmare be damned.
Eric’s relationship with Nicole became strained due to issues from her past and Sami murdering her fiancé, Franco. (Typical Sami, right?) Granted, skinny dipping with with Greta Von Amberg probably didn’t help. Well, it probably helped Eric.
Nicole moved on to marry Lucas and Eric ramped up his affair with Greta, but that didn’t mean the two young lovers were done sleeping together! And how could they resist? Just look at those, er, bedroom eyes Eric was giving Nicole. Or maybe don’t.
The whole Greta/Nicole/Salem thing came crashing to an end when Eric got into a car accident at a railroad crossing. He then got a heavenly trial, was sent back to earth and decided he’d had enough. It was time to leave Salem.
Twelve years after the accident Nicole, was stunned to see that Eric (now played by Greg Vaughan) had returned to town — as a priest! That heavenly trial really must have gotten to him. He soon offered Nicole a job at his church and we started sensing another HR nightmare coming up…
Eric began experiencing nightmares due to terrible things he had witnessed while working as a photographer in Africa. Nicole helped him cope and their feelings for one another continually grew, though he wouldn’t break his vows. But Lord, they got close!
Kristen blamed Marlena for her break-up with Brady, so she took revenge by drugging Eric and raping him. As his memory gradually began to come back, he accused Nicole of raping him, but then Victor got hold of Kristen’s video and played it — just as she was about to marry Brady!
The church kicked Eric out after Kristen’s tape came out, and Nicole and Daniel worked to clear his name. Kind of. She found evidence that would allow him to re-enter the priesthood, but hid it from him when they became engaged. Que sera, sera!
Nicole was shocked, shocked when Eric accused her of lying to him. He was right of course, Jennifer told Eric the truth about her deception before she could convince him to elope… but she was still shocked!
Unable to forgive Nicole, Eric’s old love from Africa, Serena turned up and wanted to get back together. She also wanted some smuggled diamonds, but do we hear they’re a girl’s best friend. Alas, the whole scheme led to him declaring his love for Nicole and Serena falling victim to the Necktie Killer.
Eric was driven to drink after Serena died and Nicole chose to be with Daniel. He was driving under the influence and got into an accident that took Daniel’s life, hurt Jennifer, and nearly killed Brady. So… that wasn’t good.
A guilt-ridden Eric had a one-night-stand with Jennifer, who wound up addicted to painkillers following the accident. Shockingly, that didn’t fix everything, so he turned himself in and was sentenced to five years in prison.
Eric then went on a slew of good deeds that included stopping the Governor’s daughter from taking her own life, rescuing Hope when she escaped from prison and helping her to clear Hattie’s name. He got an official pardon and life was good! Ish.
Once back in Salem, Eric began dating Jennifer, but when she kept a secret about Nicole from him, he dropped her like a bad habit. Eric came to Nicole’s rescue a couple of times back in Xander’s bad days before she disappeared and was (wrongly) presumed dead.
Eric developed feelings for Sarah Horton, but then Nicole was discovered alive, and Sarah let Eric go. Next Sarah had his baby, which Nicole hid from him, but the tot turned out to be Brady and Kristen’s daughter. Xander had swapped the kid out for Eric and Sarah’s dead baby because love. Also, our heads hurt.
Once the whole baby debacle was over, Eric got down on one knee and proposed to Nicole. The two were finally married in a summer ceremony after nearly two decades of buildup… at which point he left for the Congo. For almost a year.
By the time Eric came back the following summer, Nicole had been left alone long enough to give into Xander’s considerable… charms. So this time we can’t blame him for fleeing town once more. Well, we can, since the fling probably wouldn’t have happened if he hadn’t left the first time!
Eric finally came back the next Christmas, shared a touching moment with Nicole, then got hot under the priest collar as he exorcised his mom and faced down his demons. Once done, he skipped town once more, blithely unaware at how much he botched evicting Satan!
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