Due to the Memorial Day holiday, General Hospital did not air. There will be no "lost" episodes as a result of this scheduling change.
Regular programming will resume on Tuesday, May 27, and resume where the Friday, May 23 episode concluded.
In the neonatal intensive care unit, Sabrina gazed lovingly at her premature son as he rested peacefully in the incubator. She admitted that she was relieved that she had finally been granted permission to return to the room because she had hated being forced to watch her son through a window. Sabrina looked up when she suddenly heard a scratching noise at the window. She saw Patrick and Emma smiling at her, so she left the room to greet them.
Emma hugged Sabrina and then handed Sabrina a bouquet of flowers and a stuffed koala bear named Spencer. The flowers were for Sabrina, but the stuffed toy was from Emma's collection for her baby brother so the infant wouldn't be alone. Sabrina was touched by the special gifts and thanked Emma as they sat down in a small seating area near the window. Emma was curious what Patrick and Sabrina had named the baby, prompting Patrick to admit that the baby didn't have a name.
Sabrina explained that she and Patrick hadn't had a chance to discuss names because they had only learned about the baby's gender shortly before the baby's premature birth. Patrick suggested that it was good time to pick a name for the baby, but he wanted Sabrina to pick their son's first name. Sabrina confessed that she had wanted to name the baby Gabriella, after her mother, if the baby had been a girl, so Patrick, Emma, and Sabrina agreed that Gabriel would be a perfect name for the baby. The trio then discussed middle names. Sabrina surprised Patrick by admitting that she would like to honor Patrick and Emma by naming the baby Gabriel Drake Santiago.
Later, Patrick announced that it was time to take Emma to meet Ric and Cam for the play date. Emma was eager to check out the new swing set and rock wall at the park, so Sabrina thanked Emma for dropping off the gifts and then gave Emma a hug. After Patrick and Emma left, Sabrina went to the window and smiled at her son.
Later, Sabrina told Gabriel about his name when Patrick entered the NICU. Patrick confessed that their son looked like a Gabriel but then turned serious as he admitted that he knew why Sabrina had been reluctant to name their son. Sabrina realized that it had been foolish for her to think that it would hurt less if they lost their son before naming him, but she assured Patrick that she finally had hope and looked forward to a future with Gabriel.
Elsewhere at the hospital, Elizabeth smiled as she greeted Cam. She asked him to remind her to thank Patrick for picking Cam up from school so she could have a short visit with Cam before Cam and Emma's play date. Cam handed his mother an origami fortune-teller and then instructed her to play it. "Will you please have dinner with me tonight," Elizabeth quietly said as she read each section. She was impressed with her son's creativity, but pointed out that they had dinner together every night.
Cam confessed that he wasn't the one asking, so she was curious who was. "That would be me," Ric answered as he rounded the corner. Elizabeth quickly took Cam to a nearby waiting area and gave him a snack before she returned to Ric's side to agree to meet him at Kelly's after her shift. Ric quickly clarified that he intended to treat her to a special evening out, so he had arranged for a babysitter to watch the boys. He hoped that it hadn't been too forward of him, but Elizabeth flirtatiously decided to reserve judgment until she saw what Ric had in mind.
Later, Cam and Emma were eager for their play date, so Elizabeth asked Ric to go over the itinerary that he had planned for the kids. After he assured her that he would meet Patrick and Audrey in time to drop off the kids, he revealed that he had arranged for a car to pick Elizabeth up. Ric smiled seductively as he told her that all she had to do was get into the car.
In Lucas' hospital room, Luke cinched the breathing tube from the ventilator to restrict Lucas' airflow, unaware that Julian had approached the room. A police officer blocked Julian from entering Lucas' hospital room, but Julian glanced in and saw between the gaps in the mini blinds that Luke was trying to kill Lucas. Eager to get into the hospital room, Julian explained that he was Lucas' father, but the police officer insisted that Julian was not on the list of approved visitors and that Julian should be in jail. Julian informed the police officer that Julian had been released from jail and then marched into Lucas' hospital room despite the police officer's continued objections.
Luke immediately released the breathing tube as Julian ordered Luke to get away from Lucas. Seconds later, the police officer entered Lucas' hospital room, prepared to remove Julian by gunpoint, but Luke intervened on Julian's behalf and assured the police officer that Julian was Lucas' father and not a danger to Lucas. The police officer argued that Julian was a notorious mob boss, but Luke vouched for Julian, so the police officer reluctantly agreed to permit the visit.
After the police officer left, Julian approached his son's bed to assure Lucas that he was there with Lucas and that Lucas would be okay. Luke doubted that Lucas had heard Julian because Lucas had been heavily medicated. Julian angrily accused Luke of hiring the hit man to shoot Lucas and then trying to finish the job before Julian had entered Lucas' hospital room. Luke smugly asked what Julian planned to do about it and then reminded Julian that Lucas wasn't the only person close to Julian whom Luke could make a target.
Luke freely admitted that he wouldn't have a problem arranging for Alexis, Sam, or even Danny to be killed, but Julian refused to be intimidated because Julian was confident that he could keep his loved ones safe, knowing that Luke was the danger. Luke argued that Julian couldn't watch everyone all of the time, so Luke wouldn't hesitate to take out each person close to Julian until Julian was the last person standing. "Not if I turn you in," Julian quietly countered.
Luke warned Julian that Luke had a far reach, so sending Luke to jail wouldn't protect Julian or Julian's loved ones. Julian argued that Anna wouldn't allow innocent people to pay for Julian's crimes, but Luke scoffed at the idea that Anna would help Julian. Luke insisted that the only way for Julian to guarantee everyone's safety was for Julian to get back to work. "Isn't that right, Lucas?" Luke asked as he gently patted the top of Lucas' head.
Luke promised that if Julian returned to the fold then they could put everything behind him, but Julian pointed out that the organization was in shambles because Luke had lost control of ELQ and the police had intercepted the shipment of drugs. Luke insisted that those things had been minor setbacks and that he had a plan to rebuild the Jerome organization with Julian at Luke's side. Luke made it clear that Julian had a choice: rat out Luke to the cops and face the consequences or return to the organization.
Julian didn't think that it was much of a choice, but Luke shrugged his shoulders and then offered to give Julian some time to mull things over. At the door, Luke admitted that he liked Lucas and would be pulling for him, but Julian barked at Luke to get out.
At Kelly's, Dante met with Lulu and Rocco to grab a bite to eat. Dante asked about Lucas, so Lulu admitted that it had been touch and go for her cousin, but Lucas had stabilized and was expected to make a full recovery. Lulu was curious if there had been any leads about the shooting, prompting Dante to reveal that the hit man had been found dead in the park. Lulu was shocked because she had been in the park with Rocco the previous evening.
Lulu quickly filled Dante in about Rocco's restless night and her encounter with Luke. She shuddered at the thought that she and Rocco had been close to an area where a man had been murdered. Dante agreed as he took his son from Lulu and confessed that it was frustrating that they couldn't question the hit man to find out who had hired the shooter.
Lulu decided to change the subject by revealing that she had made an appointment with her gynecologist to discuss the surgical options that might help Lulu carry the last frozen embryo to term. Dante was clearly surprised by the news. Lulu apologized and conceded that she had acted on impulse. However, she appreciated that it was a big step that she should discuss with her husband first, so she offered to cancel the appointment.
Moments later, Anna called Dante to ask him to return to the police station because Scott had arranged for Julian to be released on bail. Stunned, Dante ended the call and told Lulu about the recent development with Julian. Lulu had no idea what had possessed Scott, but Dante changed the subject to return to their earlier conversation by assuring Lulu that he didn't want her to cancel the appointment as long as she was just exploring their options. Lulu smiled with relief and then began to pack up Rocco to take him to the piers to feed the ducks. Moments later, Tracy called to ask to meet Lulu to talk about Luke.
On Sonny's private island, Ava relaxed on a lounge chair as a waiter offered to make Ava a frozen cocktail. Ava declined because she didn't expect to be on the island much longer. She explained that Sonny had sent someone to fetch her, so she would be leaving within a few hours.
Moments later, Ava's cell phone rang. It was Kiki demanding to know where Ava was. Ava claimed that she had left town for some much-needed rest and relaxation, but Kiki suspected that her mother had disappeared to avoid being arrested along with Julian. Ava conceded that she had heard about Julian's arrest and Lucas' shooting, so Ava asked about her nephew. Ava was relieved when Kiki assured Ava that Lucas would make a full recovery, but Ava blamed Julian for what had happened to Lucas.
"The things that Julian gets himself involved in," Ava muttered. Kiki didn't buy her mother's innocent act and asked if Ava had known that Julian had been trafficking drugs. Ava vehemently denied any involvement in the drug trade and then explained that she had been distancing herself from Julian for quite a while because Ava and Julian had had different ideas about how to run the organization. Ava then confessed that she had been sharing inside information with Sonny for quite a while.
Kiki was curious if that was all that Ava had been sharing with Sonny. Ava was startled when Kiki confronted Ava about Ava's tryst with Sonny in the crypt on the day of A.J.'s funeral. Ava became defensive and reminded Kiki that Kiki was far from innocent because Kiki had once betrayed Morgan with Michael. Ava immediately regretted the comment, but Kiki argued that the situations had been completely different unless Ava was in love with Sonny. Ava apologized for the remark and then clarified that she and Sonny had gotten caught up in the heat of the moment because both Ava and Sonny had been in a bad place at the time.
Ava insisted that she and Sonny had put it behind them, but Kiki argued that it wasn't possible as long as Morgan remained deeply hurt by what Ava and Sonny had done. Ava conceded her relationship with Morgan was in shambles, but Ava was confident that Sonny and Ava were on decent terms. Kiki was happy for Ava that things were well between Sonny and Ava, but Kiki pointed out that Morgan had been deeply hurt.
Ava vowed that things would be different when she returned home because Ava was determined to be a better person. Kiki was skeptical, but Ava insisted that Ava wanted a fresh start beginning with Kiki. Ava asked Kiki to meet for dinner the following evening. Kiki reluctantly agreed, but wondered when Ava would return home. Ava explained that Sonny had arranged for someone to pick her up, so Ava expected to be back in Port Charles later that night.
At Corinthos Coffee, Carly explained to Sonny that A.J. had recorded A.J.'s conversation with Ava prior to the shooting. Carly warned Sonny that Ava had lied about why A.J. had been at Ava's apartment and then played the recording. Sonny turned it off when he heard A.J. accuse Ava of murdering Connie because Sonny refused to believe it. Carly admitted that it had been easy for all of them to believe the worst of A.J., but she promised Sonny that they had been wrong about A.J.
Sonny remained in denial because Connie had written A.J.'s name in blood when he had asked Connie who had shot her. Carly explained that A.J. had dropped the gun on his way out of Connie's office and that Ava had picked it up and then had shot Connie, so the initials that Connie had written in blood had been Ava Jerome's initials. Carly urged Sonny to listen to the rest of the recording and then resumed playing it. The truth of what Carly had told him hit home when Sonny heard Ava coldly confess to killing Connie to keep Connie from revealing Julian's true identity to Sonny.
Shocked, Sonny realized that A.J. had been trying to name Ava as Connie's killer when Sonny had shot A.J. As the truth sank in, Sonny became choked up with emotion. "I killed an innocent man," Sonny said. Sonny's anger returned as he realized how Ava had manipulated him by isolating him from his loved ones until Ava had been the only person that he had felt that he could trust. Sonny was horrified that he had been in league with Connie's killer, but Carly quickly reminded Sonny that Ava had fooled everyone because Ava was both evil and smart.
Sonny demanded to know who else knew about the recording, so Carly admitted that Franco had heard it, but she quickly assured Sonny that Franco wouldn't say anything. Carly conceded that she had been tempted to edit out the part that had incriminated Sonny in the shooting and then turn the recording over to the police, but Carly had realized that Ava wouldn't hesitate to turn on Sonny. Carly refused to allow Sonny or Michael to be hurt by the truth. However, she was curious what Sonny intended to do. "I'm gonna kill her," Sonny answered with deadly menace.
Sonny grabbed his jacket and then started to leave, but Carly begged Sonny to stop. She didn't want him to do anything that he might regret, but Sonny pointed out that she had known what would happen when she had given him the recording. Sonny explained that he couldn't allow Ava to get away with what Ava had done. Carly knew that she couldn't change Sonny's mind, so she told Sonny to be careful. Sonny thanked Carly for having his back and then left.
On the island, Ava left Sonny a voicemail message asking him to return her call because she wanted to know what was going on. She admitted that it had been her understanding that she would be leaving the island that day, but the day was almost over. Ava heard a noise in the doorway, so she turned and saw Sonny smiling at her pleasantly, but the smile didn't reach his eyes.
In Sonny's office, Carly picked up a framed photograph of Sonny and Connie. She told Connie that Sonny knew the truth, so Carly hoped that Connie could finally rest in peace.
At the hospital, Alexis was surprised when she saw Julian and immediately asked how he had managed to get out of jail. After they hugged, Julian explained that he had been granted bail because it appeared that Scott had lacked sufficient evidence to hold Julian until a trial. Julian muttered that he was grateful that things had worked out as they had because he had made it to the hospital in the nick of time. Confused, Alexis asked what he was talking about, so Julian was forced to cover his slip by claiming that he had managed to sneak in a visit with his son during a rare fleeting moment when Bobbie hadn't been at Lucas' bedside.
Alexis admitted that she had returned from spending time with Bobbie, so she offered to talk to Bobbie on Julian's behalf. Julian was curious if Alexis thought that it might help, but Alexis conceded that it was unlikely to work. Julian didn't blame Bobbie for holding Julian responsible for Lucas' shooting because his son had been shot as a warning to Julian. Alexis was stunned when Julian admitted that he had talked to his boss and that his boss had confirmed Julian's suspicions. Julian realized that the only way to protect his family was to return to the mob, but Alexis objected because she believed that Anna could provide Lucas the protection that Lucas needed.
Julian explained that others close to Julian would be targeted like Alexis, Sam, and even Danny, but Alexis urged Julian not to return to the mob. Julian insisted that he couldn't trust Anna to keep his loved ones safe once Anna had what she needed from him, so Alexis admitted that she didn't know if she could remain with Julian if he returned to the mob because he would be walking in a path of blood. She begged Julian to reconsider and assured him that she loved him. After a brief kiss, Alexis walked away.
At the police station, Anna grumbled to Dante about Scott's decision to release Julian from jail. She admitted that she had reached out to Scott several times, but Scott had refused to return her calls, so she had no idea why Scott hadn't objected to Julian being granted bail. Dante suggested that Scott might be corrupt, but Anna surprised Dante by explaining that they had more important matters to discuss. She led him to the interrogation room and then explained that she had to release Jordan Ashford because Dante had "fumbled" the Miranda warning when he had arrested Jordan.
Dante was outraged at the suggestion and assured Anna that he had done everything correctly because he was a good cop. Dante wanted to confront Jordan about the allegation, but Anna stopped Dante to explain that Jordan would be released from jail and that Dante's mistake would be the official story to explain the charges against Jordan being dropped. Dante's anger turned to confusion, so Anna revealed that Jordan was an undercover Drug Enforcement Agency agent who needed to return to her undercover work. Anna promised that Dante would be exonerated once the operation was over and that his record would be cleared, but she had needed the cover story to help Jordan.
Dante was stunned that they hadn't been informed of Jordan's assignment sooner, but Anna explained that there had been concerns about the department's reliability because of Anna's connection to Duke. Dante imagined that Dante being Sonny's son hadn't helped either. However, he pointed out that there had been sufficient evidence to put Julian behind bars, so he couldn't see the benefit of Jordan going back undercover. Anna explained that the DEA was after Julian's boss because Julian wasn't in charge of the Jerome organization.
Later, Anna called Jordan's supervisor to inform him that Jordan would be released from police custody with Jordan's cover intact. Anna ended the call when she saw Julian appear in the doorway. She was surprised that Julian was at the police station rather than out celebrating his freedom, so Julian explained that he had made a decision to cooperate with the police by revealing the name of his boss.
In the holding cell, Jordan paced and shouted for a guard, demanding to speak to Anna. The guard appeared and announced that Jordan had a visitor. She perked up at the thought that it might be T.J., but her spirits flagged when Shawn rounded the corner. After the guard walked away, Shawn explained to Jordan that T.J. didn't want to see her. Shawn pointed out that it shouldn't surprise her because Shawn had warned repeatedly what would happen if T.J. found out what Jordan had really been doing for the Jeromes.
Jordan imagined that Shawn was delighted by her predicament, but he assured her that he had never wanted her to end up behind bars. He offered to find her a lawyer who would get her out of jail, but Jordan declined by reminding him that Julian had managed to be released, so she was confident that she would be too. Shawn was stunned that Jordan appeared to remain loyal to the Jeromes after what had happened, but Jordan refused to apologize. Jordan promised that she knew what she was doing, but Shawn didn't have a chance to question her further because Dante joined them. Shawn was shocked when Dante informed Jordan that the charges against her had been dropped and that she was free to go.
At Metro Court Restaurant, Luke sat down next to Carly at the bar and then remarked that she looked like "hell." Carly explained that she was concerned about her brother, but she was surprised that Luke wasn't out leading the search for the gunman who had shot Lucas. Luke claimed that he intended to leave the search in Anna's capable hands because Bobbie needed the support of her loved ones rather than Luke trying to chase down a "dimwit homophobe." Carly was startled that Luke thought that Lucas had been the target of a hate crime.
Luke insisted that it was the only explanation, but Carly disagreed because Lucas' father was a crime boss. Luke claimed that he hadn't considered that angle, but conceded that she had made a valid point. Carly noticed Franco's arrival, so she excused herself and then approached Franco. After an affectionate greeting, Franco asked about Lucas, so Carly gave him an update.
Franco offered to take Carly home, but she admitted that she wasn't ready to face Morgan. She feared that Morgan would take one look at her and know immediately what was wrong. Franco realized that Carly had talked to Sonny about the recording, so he was curious how Sonny had taken the news. Carly conceded that Sonny had reacted as expected to learning that Ava had murdered Connie. Franco was surprised that they were all still standing because he would have expected Sonny to scorch the earth. "Give it time," Carly quietly replied.
Moments later, Ric approached Carly and Franco's table. Carly immediately bristled at the sight of Ric. Ric introduced himself to Franco, but Carly quickly added that Ric was Sonny's half-brother and the man who had locked Carly in a panic room when Carly had been pregnant with Morgan because Ric had intended to give the newborn to Elizabeth. "I also do birthday parties," Ric sarcastically added. Franco was curious if Carly wanted Franco to beat up Ric and then take Ric's lunch money, but Carly assured Franco that it wasn't necessary because Ric would eventually find a way to ruin his own life as well as the lives of a few others.
Ric pointed out that Carly was hardly in a position to talk because of her relationship with a serial killer. Franco took exception to the insult and clarified that he was an artist, but Ric countered that Charles Manson was reportedly an artist as well. After Ric walked away, Franco confided that Ric might actually be worse than Sonny, but Carly made it clear that she didn't want to discuss Ric. Franco returned to the topic of Sonny, so Carly revealed that Sonny had left for the island with the intention of killing Ava.
Franco reminded Carly that he knew the effect that it had on a person to be responsible for another person's death. He feared that Carly would feel responsible for Ava's death because Carly had told Sonny the truth, but Carly confessed that she didn't have any qualms about it. Carly believed that Ava would get exactly what Ava had deserved.
At the bar, Ric checked with the bartender to find out if Ric's table was ready. Luke struck up a conversation by offering to buy Ric a drink, but Ric declined because Ric wasn't interested in spending time with people who spread slanderous rumors about him. Ric admitted that he knew that Luke had been telling everyone that Ric was the mastermind behind the Jerome organization. Luke explained that it had been a logical conclusion to make because of Ric and Sonny's acrimonious history. Ric insisted that those days were behind him and that Sonny and Luke were looking at the wrong person if they thought that Ric was trying to take Sonny down.
Luke pretended to have doubts about Ric's innocence, so Ric warned Luke not to cross Ric, or Luke might find out that Ric could be just as dangerous as Sonny. After Ric walked away, Luke smiled.
Moments later, Olivia walked up to the bar. Luke greeted Olivia and then confided to her that Ric was entertaining a date on the terrace. He urged Olivia to toss Ric out of the hotel, but Olivia confessed that she didn't care. She revealed that it had only been fun to hate Ric when she and Sonny had been together. Luke was stunned to realize that Olivia and Sonny were no longer a couple, so he urged Olivia to have a seat and then invited her to confide to him. Olivia was reluctant, but Luke reminded her that they were friends, so he wanted to help.
Olivia revealed that Sonny had cheated on her with Ava Jerome. Luke's eyes rounded with surprise, but his attitude instantly changed as he turned up the charm to assure Olivia that she could do far better than a man like Sonny. He tried to persuade her to leave with him, so they could speak privately, but Olivia refused and suggested that Luke return home to his new bride. Luke reluctantly agreed, but he warned Olivia not to trust Ric because Ric was a threat. Luke slowly leaned close, gently kissed Olivia's cheek, and then left.
Olivia left the bar and then stopped by Carly's table to let Carly know that Olivia intended to head home for the evening. Carly sensed that something was troubling Olivia, so Olivia conceded that she wasn't any worse than Morgan. Concerned, Carly asked what had happened to Morgan. Olivia seemed surprised that Carly hadn't heard about what had happened, so Carly explained that Carly and Franco had just returned from a trip out of town. Carly was shocked when Olivia explained that Morgan and Ava were over because Sonny had slept with Ava.
Carly suddenly recalled her conversation with Sonny in his office when he had ranted about how Ava had isolated him. She realized that Sonny had been on the verge of revealing that he had slept with Ava. Carly returned to the present to assure Olivia that Olivia would never have to worry about Sonny and Ava sleeping together again, but Olivia was curious how Carly could be certain of that.
On the restaurant's terrace, Elizabeth was surprised when Ric greeted her with a private candlelit dinner for two. Elizabeth was curious how he had managed it, so Ric admitted that he had made the reservations under the name Barney Rubble. Elizabeth chuckled and then blushed when Ric continued to romance her by showering her with compliments.
After dinner, a violinist stepped forward to serenade Ric and Elizabeth. Ric invited Elizabeth to dance, so she accepted. As they danced, Ric opened up about his feelings for Elizabeth and then surprised her by asking her to spend the night with him. Ric assured her that he didn't want to push her, but Elizabeth confessed that she didn't want their perfect evening to end, so she agreed.
At the Quartermaine mansion, Tracy greeted Lulu but wondered where Rocco was. Lulu explained that Alice had taken Rocco to the kitchen for a snack. "That's my step-grandson," Tracy complained, but Lulu distracted Tracy by asking why Tracy had called. Tracy admitted that something wasn't right with Luke, so Tracy needed Lulu's help. Tracy quickly filled Lulu in about Ned's accusation that Luke had threatened to kill Ned and then make it appear like it had been a suicide. Lulu was relieved when Tracy quickly assured Lulu that Tracy hadn't believed Ned's accusation, but Lulu was curious why Ned would say something like that.
Tracy explained that Ned had obsessed with protecting ELQ's interests from Luke's greedy hands. Lulu conceded that she couldn't blame Ned, but Tracy defended Luke and argued that Ned had refused to accept that Luke was a changed man. Lulu agreed with Tracy because Lulu had seen with her own eyes that Luke and Tracy's relationship was genuine, but Lulu also knew that her father's history couldn't be ignored. Lulu was curious how Tracy had handled the situation with Ned, so Tracy confessed that she had ordered Ned to leave.
Lulu considered the problem solved, but Tracy admitted that it might have been easier to dismiss Ned's outrageous allegations if Luke hadn't been disappearing without a word, returning without any plausible explanation, and behaving as if he had been keeping secrets. Lulu pointed out that it was typical behavior for Luke, but Tracy disagreed. "This is a whole new level," Tracy explained. Tracy admitted that she didn't even know where her husband was at that moment and that he had missed dinner with Tracy the previous evening without any word.
Lulu smiled knowingly as she assured Tracy that Tracy didn't have anything to be concerned about. Tracy realized that Lulu knew something, so she begged Lulu to reveal what was going on. Lulu reluctantly explained that Luke had been planning to surprise Tracy with a special honeymoon. Tracy appeared skeptical, but Lulu assured Tracy that it was true because Lulu had bumped into Luke and the travel agent in the park.
Shortly after Lulu left, Luke arrived home. He claimed that he had been at the hospital, but Tracy assured him that it wasn't necessary to lie because she knew about Luke's plans to take Tracy on a honeymoon of a lifetime.
On Sonny's private island, Ava left a voicemail message for Sonny, asking him when someone would arrive to pick her up because it had been her understanding that she would be returning home by the end of the evening. She ended the call when she saw Sonny standing in the doorway. Sonny quietly approached Ava as he removed his jacket and then rolled up his shirtsleeves. Ava nervously began to ramble until she finally asked Sonny what was wrong.
Ava feared that it might involve Julian, but Sonny assured her that Julian remained locked up behind bars. Sonny then proceeded to play cat-and-mouse with Ava to keep her off kilter as he slowly confronted her about her lies. Ava was taken aback when he admitted that he knew that she had shot Olivia. Ava tried to deny it, but Sonny warned her not to lie to him because he knew that she had threatened to expose Sonny's role in A.J.'s shooting if Shawn had mentioned anything to Sonny.
Ava insisted that it had been an empty threat and then claimed that she had never intended to hurt Olivia. Ava admitted that she had been gunning for Franco because Ava had been desperate to protect Kiki from Franco. Ava reminded Sonny what Franco had done to Michael, so she was certain that Sonny could appreciate Ava's concerns for Kiki.
Ava's continued to try to salvage things with Sonny, but Sonny's fury slowly mounted as Ava kept twisting the facts around to paint herself as a victim. Eventually, Sonny's temper flared as he revealed that he knew the real reason that Ava had tried to cover up A.J.'s death. Ava was shocked when Sonny conceded that he had killed A.J., but Ava had murdered Connie.
At the lake house, Alexis arrived home and was delighted when she saw Nikolas waiting for her. She called out to Molly, but Nikolas explained that Molly had gone to the library to study for exams. Alexis smiled awkwardly when he added that Molly had invited Alexis to "ping" Molly if Alexis had any doubts. Nikolas realized that things remained rocky between Alexis and Molly, so Alexis confessed that it wasn't easy for her to trust Molly again after what had happened with T.J., but Alexis was trying. Alexis set the phone down to prove her point, but seconds later Alexis received an alert.
"Don't judge me, it's a work in progress," Alexis muttered as she picked up the phone to confirm that Molly was at the library. Nikolas smiled, so Alexis changed the subject to ask why Nikolas had stopped by. He claimed that he had been concerned about Alexis, following the shooting, but Alexis reminded him that they had talked about it on the phone earlier that day, and she had assured him that she was okay. She wanted to know the real reason for the visit, so Nikolas confessed that he was concerned about Elizabeth.
Nikolas opened up about how he had felt hurt when Elizabeth and the boys had suddenly moved out and that he was worried about Elizabeth's decision to give Ric another chance because of Ric's history. Alexis was curious if her nephew had talked to Elizabeth about his feelings and concerns, so he told Alexis about his encounter with Elizabeth at the hospital when he had kissed Elizabeth and Elizabeth had made it clear that there wouldn't be a romantic relationship between Elizabeth and Nikolas.
Nikolas was surprised when Alexis confided that Ric had mentioned wanting to rekindle things with Elizabeth, so he was curious how the subject had cropped up. Alexis explained that Ric had wanted to assure Alexis that Ric was not in charge of the Jerome organization, but Nikolas was skeptical of Ric's innocence because of Ric's past. Alexis appreciated that Nikolas wanted Ric to be the bad guy because it would clear the path to Elizabeth, but she assured Nikolas that Ric had sworn on Molly's life that Ric was not Julian's boss.
Nikolas claimed that he simply wanted to make certain that Elizabeth and the boys were safe. However, he conceded that he also wanted Elizabeth back. Alexis wondered if perhaps Nikolas hoped to fill the void of losing Britt with someone that Nikolas couldn't have. Nikolas quickly clarified that he had been in love with Britt, but Elizabeth had always been in his heart, and he had questioned his engagement to Britt even before he had learned about Ric's intentions to ask Elizabeth for another chance. Nikolas insisted that a part of him would always love Elizabeth, but Elizabeth being with Ric worried him because Ric had always been up to no good.
In the interrogation room, Julian told Anna that he was ready to cooperate with the police and reveal the name of his boss. Anna suspected that Julian wanted to work out a deal to avoid jail time, so Julian conceded that he hoped to stay out of jail, but his primary goal was to protect his family. Julian admitted that Lucas' shooting had been a message from Julian's boss, so Julian didn't have any qualms about handing the boss's head on a sliver platter to Anna. Anna remained skeptical, but Julian promised that he had proof to confirm that the man he intended to identify was indeed the head of the Jerome organization.
Anna rejected Julian's offer because she refused to squander the opportunity to send him to jail by working out a deal. She insisted that Julian didn't have anything to offer that would compare to the satisfaction that she and Duke would derive from knowing that Julian was behind bars. Julian wasn't surprised that Anna was only interested in a pursuing her personal vendetta against him, so he had gone over her had by contacting her boss. Confused, Anna wondered who Julian was talking about.
"That would be me," Scott answered as he entered the interrogation room. Anna was livid that Scott would consider working out a deal with Julian in exchange for Julian's boss's name, but Scott made it clear that he intended to give Julian full immunity to get the drugs off the streets of Port Charles. However, Scott made it clear that he wouldn't sign off on anything until he saw what Julian had to offer.
Julian led Scott and Anna to a computer and then went to work as he explained that a man using shell companies and an alias had bought Barrett Enterprises. Julian admitted that he had decided to find the man behind the alias -- "Liam Cunning" -- as insurance. After a few more keystrokes, Julian's file appeared on the monitor, so Julian showed Scott and Anna who Liam Cunning really was. Anna and Scott were shocked and conceded that the information was ironclad proof and enough to put Julian's boss away for life.
At the Quartermaine mansion, Tracy was overjoyed that Luke had planned to surprise her with the honeymoon of a lifetime. Luke nervously wondered what had given Tracy that idea, so she told him about her visit with Lulu. Tracy insisted that she had pried the information out of Lulu, but Tracy was anxious to know when the honeymoon would begin. Luke claimed that he had planned to take Tracy out to dinner later that evening and then whisk her to the airport, where they would board a plane bound for their secret honeymoon destination. Tracy begged Luke for a hint to where they were going, so she knew what to pack, but Luke insisted that it wasn't necessary because they could buy what they would need when they arrived.
Tracy kept pushing for a hint until Luke finally suggested that she pack a little bit of everything. Resigned, Tracy told him that he was the most wonderful husband in the world and then left to throw some things into a bag. Luke immediately made a phone call to order a mystery person to throw together a honeymoon trip for Luke and Tracy.
Moments later, the doorbell rang, so Luke called out for Alice to answer the door, but Alice hadn't heard him. Luke ended the call and then marched to the door. He demanded to know what Julian was doing there, so Julian assured Luke that he would make it quick. Julian revealed that he had done as they had discussed by identifying the head of the Jerome organization. However, Julian pointed out that they both knew that the man was innocent.
Luke was pleased that Julian had made the right decision by returning to the fold and admitted that he had anticipated Julian's cooperation. According to Luke, Luke had taken the precaution of planting evidence in the man's room to support Julian's claims to the police. Luke then shifted gears to explain that he had to leave town for a while to take Tracy on a honeymoon. Luke expected Julian to continue running the organization until Luke returned. Julian agreed and then left.
A short time later, Julian arrived at the lake house to talk to Alexis. Julian claimed that he had decided to continue to sever ties with the mob by going to the police and naming his boss. Alexis was relieved and asked who Julian's boss was.
At ELQ, Michael was hard at work when Kiki entered with a bag of food. He was startled when he realized that it was already past nine in the evening, so Kiki insisted that Michael stop working long enough to have dinner. She tempted him by revealing that she had picked up all of his favorites. Michael thanked her then began to eat as he asked how her day had been. Kiki confessed that she had talked to Ava and that Ava had been away on vacation.
Michael was surprised when Kiki confided that she might have made some headway with Ava because Ava had promised to be a better person when Ava returned from the trip. Michael was happy for Kiki, but he was curious what had prompted Ava's sudden desire to be better. Kiki reluctantly explained that Ava felt remorse for hurting Morgan by sleeping with Sonny. Michael was stunned, but he was hurt when he realized that Kiki had kept him in the dark about what had happened because Michael hadn't been there for his brother when Morgan had needed him.
Kiki apologized and then admitted that she had only wanted to protect Michael. Michael made it clear that he resented people trying to protect him from things because it was far worse when he was blindsided. He insisted that he would rather be told the truth than have someone try to spare him from pain. Kiki admitted that she felt the same way and apologized for not telling Michael sooner. Satisfied, Michael confessed that he couldn't imagine how Sonny and Ava had ended up together.
Michael wanted to know when and where Sonny and Ava had ended up together, but Kiki didn't think that the details were important because Sonny and Ava had made it clear that it had been a one-time thing. Michael reached for the phone to call Morgan, but Kiki didn't think that it was a good idea. Michael agreed to wait to talk to Morgan and then started to go back to work, but Kiki quickly distracted him by slipping off her blouse.
After Michael and Kiki made love, Kiki fell asleep. Michael returned to his computer to work until Kiki woke up. He explained that he had needed to finish something up, but Kiki smiled when Michael tapped on the keyboard a few more times and then returned to her side.
In Ric's suite at Metro Court, Ric and Elizabeth kissed until she pulled away. Ric worried that he was rushing her, but she assured him that she had made her choice. However, she wanted to check on her children, so she made a quick phone call.
After Elizabeth ended the call, Ric handed her a drink. Elizabeth downed it in one gulp, prompting Ric to smile as he explained that liquor should have been sipped. Elizabeth apologized as she sheepishly confessed that she was nervous because things had never gone well for them in the past. Ric promised Elizabeth that he was not the same guy that he had once been and that he would do whatever was necessary to prove it to her. Elizabeth asked Ric to promise her that he would not hurt her again if she took the next step with him.
Elizabeth suddenly noticed that Ric was wearing the watch that she had given to him on their wedding day in 2003. Ric confessed that he hadn't worn it in years, but had changed his mind the previous year when he had realized that he didn't have to keep it in his drawer or his love for her in the past. Elizabeth recalled that Ric hadn't been the man that she had thought he was when she had married him, but Ric assured Elizabeth that he had changed and no longer had anything to hide from her. Elizabeth smiled as Ric kissed her and then made love to her.
Later, Ric and Elizabeth snuggled under the covers as Ric held her tightly in his embrace and declared his love for her. He confessed that he couldn't imagine looking at her perfect face and not loving her, but Elizabeth quickly reminded him that she was far from perfect. Ric disagreed but then changed the subject to confess that he wanted their relationship to last.
Moments later, Anna knocked then demanded that Ric open the door. Ric donned a robe and went to the door. Anna, flanked by several policemen, pushed their way into the hotel suite to inform Ric that he was under arrest. Anna quickly apologized when she saw Elizabeth huddled under the covers, but Anna returned her focus to Ric to hand him a search warrant as she explained that Julian had named Ric as the head of the Jerome organization. Elizabeth's eyes rounded with shock as Ric denied the allegation.
On Sonny's island, Sonny confronted Ava about murdering Connie. Ava tried to deny it, but Sonny insisted that he had a recording of Ava confessing to the crime. Panicked, Ava demanded to know where he had gotten the recording, so Sonny admitted that Carly had given it to him because Carly had never trusted Ava. Ava accused Carly of doctoring the recording, but Sonny's temper flared as he explained that A.J. had made the recording when A.J. had figured out that Ava had killed Connie.
Sonny became enraged as Ava tried to insist that A.J. had been the killer, but Sonny knew that Ava had killed the woman that Sonny loved to keep Connie from revealing that Derek Wells was Julian Jerome. Sonny was furious that Ava had murdered Connie to protect Julian and had then framed A.J. for the crime.
Sonny warned Ava that both he and Ava would go to "hell" for what they each had done to A.J., but Sonny was determined that Ava would get there first. He pulled out a gun and aimed at Ava. Ava pleaded for her life and suggested that Sonny exact his revenge by giving the police the recording of Ava's confession. Sonny refused to consider it, so Ava continued to beg Sonny to spare her life. Sonny was curious if Connie had made similar pleas before Ava had pulled the trigger and then walked away while Connie slowly bled out and died in agony.
Ava tearfully implored Sonny not to make the same mistake that he had made with A.J., but Sonny insisted that Connie had been his past, present, and future. Sonny resented that Ava had stolen not just Connie's life, but A.J.'s life, as well, but Ava explained that there was something that Sonny didn't know. She warned him that if he killed her then her death would not be the only one on his conscience. Sonny assured her that he was well aware that he had killed an innocent man, but Ava clarified that she had been talking about their family.
Confused, Sonny pointed out that he and Ava didn't share any family members. Ava reached for Sonny's hands, clutching the gun, then slowly lowered it until it pointed at her womb. "I'm pregnant," Ava explained.
At the Quartermaine mansion, Tracy found a note from Luke in the foyer explaining that he had to tie up a loose end, but he promised to meet her at the airport.
Meanwhile, at Miscavige, Luke approached an orderly guarding a door. Luke asked about the patient in the room, so the orderly invited Luke to see for himself. Luke looked through the window then ordered the orderly to open the door. Moments later, Luke entered the room and faced a man seated in a chair, who had been restrained by a straitjacket.
"Well, hello, friend," Luke greeted the man. The man was revealed to be the real Luke, whose head had been shaved. The real Luke's eyes tried to focus on the imposter, but it was clear the real Luke had been heavily sedated.
At the Floating Rib, Morgan knocked back a shot of alcohol and then rudely ordered the bartender to fetch another drink. The bartender insisted that Morgan had had enough to drink for one night, but Morgan resented the bartender's attitude and objected, so the bartender called the bouncer over, and together, the two men started to physically remove Morgan from the bar. Olivia saw what was going on as she entered, so she quickly intervened on Morgan's behalf by promising to take care of Morgan. After the bartender and bouncer grudgingly agreed to leave Morgan in Olivia's hands, Olivia led Morgan to a nearby booth to talk to him about his broken heart.
Morgan tried to spare Olivia's feelings by not revealing exactly why he was upset about his breakup with Ava, but Olivia assured Morgan that she knew that Sonny had slept with Ava. Morgan realized that Olivia could appreciate the pain that he was in, but he blamed himself for what had happened between Sonny and Ava because Morgan had persuaded Ava to flip on Julian. Morgan was certain that Ava's cooperation had turned his father on, but Olivia argued that only Sonny and Ava knew why they had slept together. However, Olivia insisted that Morgan was not to blame for what had happened.
Olivia was startled when Morgan suddenly kissed her and then suggested that they go to her place and spend the night together. She quickly made it clear that she would not sleep with Morgan because he was her son's half-brother and Carly's son. Olivia refused to be like Ava by taking advantage of Morgan's vulnerability and warned Morgan that revenge was always a mistake. Morgan realized that Olivia was right, so he apologized for kissing her. She joked that she'd had worse and then offered him a few more words of encouragement before making certain that he made it home safely.
On Sonny's private island, Ava took Sonny's hands in between hers and then lowered the gun that he was holding until it pointed at her abdomen. "I'm pregnant," Ava revealed. Sonny immediately accused her of lying in a desperate attempt to save her life. Ava didn't deny that she wanted to live, but she assured him that it was the truth, and she could prove it. Sonny was shocked when she pulled a pregnancy stick out of a wastebasket that showed a clear positive result. Sonny accused Ava of planting the pregnancy test, but Ava pointed out that she couldn't have possibly known that Sonny would arrive on the island to confront her about her lies and secrets.
Ava claimed that the baby was Sonny's, but Sonny remained in denial, so she conceded that it was possible that the baby was Morgan's. Ava explained that she and Morgan had always been careful, but they had become a little reckless when Sonny had forbidden Morgan to see her. She reminded Sonny how impulsive Morgan could be, but Sonny refused to consider the possibility that his son, who was barely out of his teens, might be the father of Ava's child. Sonny claimed that he had known from the start that Ava was a "whore," so anyone could have gotten her pregnant, but Ava assured him that she had only slept with Morgan and Sonny since arriving in Port Charles.
Sonny aimed the gun at Ava again, but was he unable to pull the trigger, knowing that she might be pregnant with his child or grandchild. Ava smiled with satisfaction, but Sonny made it clear that he didn't trust Ava, so he intended to take her back to Port Charles and then find a doctor of his choosing to confirm that she was pregnant. Ava was curious what he planned to do when he learned that she had told the truth. She swallowed nervously when Sonny explained that he would wait nine months to kill her.
In Ric's hotel suite, Ric desperately tried to explain that there had been a mistake because he was not the head of the Jerome organization. Elizabeth sat in bed, her eyes rounded in shock, as Anna revealed that Julian had named Ric as the head of the organization and had provided solid proof of Ric's guilt. Ric was stunned when Anna claimed that a money trail had led directly to Ric, so Ric insisted that he had been framed. Moments later, a police offered walked up to hand Anna an evidence bag containing a gun.
Ric denied any knowledge of the gun, but Anna noticed that it was the same caliber of gun that had been used to shoot Lucas Jones. Desperate, Ric turned to Elizabeth and beseeched her to believe that he had been set up. He promised Elizabeth that he hadn't done anything illegal, but Anna advised Ric to get dressed because she had to take him to the police station. A police officer stepped forward to drag Ric away as Ric tearfully proclaimed his innocence to Elizabeth and promised that he would find a way to prove that he was nothing like the man that he had once been.
Later, in the interrogation room at the police station, Ric paced until Anna walked in. Ric was confident that she had realized her mistake, but Anna assured Ric that the evidence was stacked against him. She explained that ballistics had matched the gun that had been found in his hotel suite to the bullets extracted from Lucas Jones and the hit man in the park. Stunned, Ric insisted that the gun had been planted in his room, but Anna revealed that Ric's fingerprints had been found all over the gun. Ric argued that it was impossible, so Anna suggested that Ric save it for the judge because Ric was under arrest.
At the lake house, Alexis was overjoyed when Julian claimed that he was out of the mob and that he had cooperated with the police by revealing the name of his boss. Alexis threw her arms around Julian and then asked who he had been answering to. Julian tensed as he advised Alexis to prepare herself because she wouldn't like his answer. Alexis was shocked when Julian quietly claimed that Ric had been his boss. She refused to believe it because Ric had sworn on Molly's life that Ric had not been mixed up with Julian's organization.
Julian shifted uncomfortably as Alexis' eyes filled with tears and she begged him to tell her the truth. Julian recalled Luke's threats against Julian's family, so Julian carefully explained that he would do anything to protect his children. Julian insisted that he was to blame for Lucas' shooting, so Julian was determined never to let anything like that happen again. Alexis continued to have doubts about Ric's guilt because she couldn't imagine how Julian and Ric had ended up in league together.
Julian claimed that Ric had approached Julian while Julian had been in the Witness Protection Program because Ric had been desperate to take down Sonny. Julian admitted that he had liked the idea of reclaiming his father's territory because he had been living a lonely soul-crushing existence in the Witness Protection Program. Alexis' eyes welled up with tears as Julian assured her that he hadn't known about her or her connection to Ric until Ric had arrived in Port Charles. Alexis' burst into tears as the enormity of the situation hit her because she realized that the news of Ric's arrest would shatter Molly's heart because Molly idolized Ric.
Julian wavered as he saw the raw pain etched on Alexis' face, so he started to tell Alexis the truth but a knock at the door cut him off. Fearing that it had something to do with Ric's arrest, Alexis ran to the door, but she stopped short when she saw Elizabeth standing on the doorstep. Elizabeth tearfully begged for Alexis help because Ric had been wrongly arrested for crimes that Ric hadn't committed. Alexis gently suggested that Elizabeth talk to Diane and then explained that the police had strong evidence against Ric. Elizabeth tensed when Alexis mentioned what Julian had told Alexis.
Elizabeth realized that Julian was in the house, so she pushed her way into Alexis' home to confront Julian. "You bastard," Elizabeth said as she accused him of lying and planting a gun in Ric's suite. Julian was genuinely surprised about the gun and assured Elizabeth that he hadn't known anything about it. Elizabeth turned to Alexis to ask if Alexis believed Julian. "Yes, I do," Alexis quietly admitted. Disgusted, Elizabeth stormed out.
Julian was filled with remorse and guilt as he repeatedly apologized and then confessed to making many mistakes. Julian felt like everything had spiraled out of control, so he begged Alexis to promise him that they would get through the mess together no matter what. Alexis kissed Julian and then promised him that he had nothing to worry about. Julian decided to head to the hospital to check on Lucas when Alexis picked up the phone to call Molly. After Julian left, Alexis reached Molly and then asked her daughter to return home.
Meanwhile, a dazed Elizabeth returned to Ric's hotel suite, but a police officer blocked her from entering the room because it was an active crime scene. She explained that she had left her cell phone behind, but the police officer informed her that it would be returned to her in time if it was determined not to be relevant to the investigation. After he shut the door, Elizabeth stood in the hallway in a semi state of shock.
At the Miscavige Institute, the man posing as Luke faced the real Luke, who was confined to a straitjacket and sported a shaved head. The imposter smiled down at Luke and then confessed that it was hard to believe that the "drugged-out, wasted, broken weakling" before him was the real Lucas Lorenzo Spencer. "And I'm not," the imposter added with a Cheshire grin. Luke looked up at the imposter with glazed eyes.
The imposter bragged to Luke that it had taken a lot of planning and studying to pull off the plan to replace Luke. According to the imposter, he had spent years watching Luke and had waited for an opportunity when Luke would resort to form by racing to someone's rescue as Luke had done when Luke had found Carly in the boathouse. The imposter confessed that he had made the switch while Luke had been stuck in the institute with Scott, so it had been easy to step into Luke's life without anyone being the wiser.
Luke tried to make sense of what the imposter was saying but had a difficult time because of Luke's heavily sedated stated. However, the fog cleared a bit when the imposter began to taunt Luke about reuniting with Tracy and then persuading her to get married. The imposter showed off his wedding ring as he conceded that his true interest was Tracy's fortune and ELQ, but he had performed his husbandly duties to Tracy's satisfaction. "Keep your filthy hands off Tracy," Luke managed to growl in outrage, but the imposter merely laughed.
Luke insisted that Tracy was a good woman and that Luke would hunt the imposter down and make the imposter beg for death if the imposter hurt Tracy. The imposter pointed out that Luke wasn't in any position to do anything about it because Luke's mind was on a high grade of mind-numbing drugs that had turned Luke's brain to mush. The imposter bragged that Luke was as helpless as Tracy and then continued to push Luke's buttons by taunting Luke about the imposter's sex life with Tracy. Furious, Luke spit into the imposter's face.
The imposter was not pleased as he wiped the spit from his face, but rather than retaliate, he announced that he was headed out of town with Tracy for an extended honeymoon, thanks to Luke's "loudmouthed" daughter. The imposter then informed Luke that Luke had a new grandson who had been named Rocco, but the imposter assured Luke that Luke would never meet the child.
The imposter then changed the subject by conceding that perhaps it was best to leave town for a while because mistakes had been made and plans had gone awry. However, the imposter remained confident that he could still obliterate the "son of a bitch" Sonny Corinthos. The imposter was pleased that Sonny had no idea where the real threat was because Sonny foolishly viewed Luke as nothing more than a harmless mobster without any connection to the business.
The imposter then began to talk about how he had framed an innocent man to take the fall for the crimes that the imposter had committed. The imposter was confident that the man would never beat the charges because the evidence that the imposter had planted had been damaging. The imposter explained that he had drugged the man, slipped into the man's hotel suite when the man had fallen asleep, and then had planted the man's fingerprints on a gun before stashing it in the room for the police to find. The imposter was pleased with the effort that he had made to ensure that the man would be sent to prison.
As the imposter started to leave, Luke asked who the imposter was. "Wouldn't you like to know," the man answered and then left.
