Morgan Gets Caught in an Explosion
Jason got out of his car, and a tearful Morgan slowly got out of Julian's. Still on the phone, Jason promised that they could fix Morgan's problems. As soon as Morgan was out of the car, it exploded. Jason ran toward the car, looking and yelling for Morgan. He ran back to his own car for his phone and immediately called 9-1-1.
Tracy arrived at the Metro Court restaurant and sat with Hayden and Finn. Finn cut right to the chase and told Tracy about the conversation they'd overheard at the hospital. Tracy replied that she would know if the hospital was for sale, but Hayden said that the board member in question, Fred, didn't want Tracy to know about it. Tracy was horrified to hear that the hospital would be turned into condos.
Dillon looked through pictures at his desk. He picked up one of Kiki from the night of the Nurses Ball, and he smiled at the memory of their kiss and the subsequent conversation they'd had. "I'm finally getting my chance," he said happily. Tracy entered the office because she didn't want Dillon to be alone. He revealed that he hadn't been alone, and he informed his mother of his good news about himself and Kiki. She reminded him that Kiki was "involved" and that Morgan was unstable, but Dillon assured her that he could take care of himself.
Dillon knew that Tracy wasn't Kiki's biggest fan, but he hoped that she would one day appreciate Kiki like he did. Tracy responded that if Kiki made Dillon happy, then she would welcome Kiki "with open arms." She admitted that she clearly wasn't a good judge of character, and she informed him that the hospital could be sold because of what Paul had done. Tracy promised to fight hard for the hospital, and the two embraced.
Still at the restaurant, Hayden wondered what Finn would do if the hospital closed for good. Finn revealed that he had made a breakthrough in his research, and he liked his chances. An excited Hayden wanted to celebrate, but he reminded her that "progress does not mean success." Hayden predicted that Tracy would successfully fight the sale of the hospital, Finn would go back to work and find a cure, and he would finally be able to move on with his life.
Just then, Finn's phone went off, and he confided that it was time for his medicine. He begged her to stay and promised to return a few minutes later. When he was gone, Nelle approached the table with a drink and told Hayden that a man across the bar had sent her the drink, along with his card. The business card was for "Evan Lloyd, President" of DJT Financial Partners.
Finn was thankful that Hayden had stayed, but he was confused to see her drinking the tall drink when he returned. She updated him and handed him the business card. Finn thought it was "cheesy," but she thought it was "sweet." He wondered if she was going to respond. She thought she might call him. "For a job?" he asked incredulously. "No, for a date," she replied matter-of-factly.
In front of Morgan's house, Kiki left him a message. The guard had told her that Morgan wasn't home, so she needed him to call her. She needed to talk to him about something "important."
At the hotel, Sonny assured Carly that everything would be all right. She believed that they had "challenging times ahead" with Morgan, but Sonny thought that having faith would help. Sonny told her about his encounter with Griffin at the church, and how he'd realized that he needed to find peace in his heart. "It's a good thing I can hear what you're not saying," she responded with relief. She kissed him and related how happy he'd made her.
Sonny and Carly agreed to go home but bumped into Nelle on their way out. She informed Carly that she'd gotten Shawn Mendes tickets for Josslyn, and Carly happily hugged her. Just then, Kiki entered, looking upset and looking for Morgan. Sonny replied that Morgan wasn't with them, but he wanted to express his appreciation for all Kiki had done for Morgan. Carly wondered if all was well, and Kiki answered that she'd had a "misunderstanding" with Morgan earlier, so she wanted to talk it out.
Kiki suggested that there had been a miscommunication between her and Morgan. Carly asked Kiki to call when she found Morgan, and Sonny and Carly left. Nelle revealed to Kiki that she'd seen Morgan in bad shape at the Floating Rib earlier. After thinking about the kiss she'd shared with Morgan, she continued that Morgan seemed to think that he and Kiki were on the verge of breaking up.
Kiki explained that Morgan had heard her leaving a message for Dillon and had "lost it," but she'd assured him that there was nothing to worry about. Nelle offered to listen if Kiki wanted to talk, but Kiki needed to talk to Morgan before anyone else, or it would make things worse. She ran out of the restaurant, leaving Nelle. "You think it's hard on you, princess? It's a hell of a lot harder on Morgan," Nelle muttered.
Molly approached T.J. at the front of the Floating Rib, apologizing for being late. She stopped short when she saw his injured face and took out her phone to call the cops. T.J. briefly explained what had happened with Morgan, and he hoped that Jason would fix things like he'd said he would.
Inside the Floating Rib, Julian demanded to know how his car had been stolen. Pete, Julian's driver, sheepishly explained his need for a cigarette and leaving the keys in the car. Julian called the cops as Molly and T.J. entered. "Could this night get any worse?" Molly wondered after catching sight of Julian. However, she refused to let Julian "chase" her out of the bar, and she glared at him.
Minutes later, Dante entered the bar, and Molly overheard Julian explaining the situation to Dante. Julian accused Sonny of the crime, but Molly was worried that the thief had actually been Morgan. Dante approached the bar to talk to the bartender, but Molly and T.J. walked up to Dante. T.J. quietly told Dante that he thought Morgan had had something to do with the stolen car, and Dante told them to talk with him outside.
When Dante, Molly, and T.J. left, Julian whined about Dante not taking Julian seriously. Pete commented that Sonny had only taken Julian's car instead of his life.
Outside the bar, Dante called in T.J.'s story, and he told the "units" to go easy on the driver of the stolen car because it was his brother. When he was off the phone, T.J. explained what had happened in more detail. When T.J. was done, Dante's phone rang, and he answered it to Jason. Jason told Dante where he was and urged Dante to hurry over.
When Dante was gone, Molly and T.J. returned to the bar. Julian asked about Dante and if he'd mentioned Julian's stolen car. Molly spat that a stolen car was "a small price to pay for trying to kill my mom." Julian assured her that he would be sorry for that for the rest of his life. T.J. added that Dante had gotten an important-sounding call and had taken off.
Pete remembered that there was a GPS tracker on the car, so Julian pulled up the application on his phone. He found the location of the car and saw that it wasn't moving. They speculated on why. Pete offered to go to the location with Julian, but Julian fired Pete on the spot. Pete left, and Kiki bumped into Julian, wondering if he'd seen Morgan. Julian replied that Morgan had left the bar a while before. He added that Kiki needed to dump Morgan and find someone who deserved her. Kiki picked up her phone and left Morgan another message, begging to speak to him in person.
T.J. was hard on himself about not being able to stop Morgan from stealing Julian's car. Molly worried that, because Morgan was Sonny's son, Julian would make him pay, and he wouldn't let it go until he completely ruined Morgan's life.
Dante arrived at the scene, and Jason updated him on what had happened. Dante looked down over the cliffs and he wondered if Morgan had gone over with the car. A short while later, Julian arrived and saw his car down below. He demanded to know what had happened. Dante tearfully replied that the car had exploded, but he didn't yet have all the details.
At home, Sonny and Carly enjoyed a glass of wine before Sonny led Carly upstairs. The two made love. Later, Carly thanked Sonny for making her "the happiest woman on the planet." Just then, her phone went off, and she had to get to the hotel due to a crisis involving the sprinklers.
Later, Sonny called Carly, wondering if she was on her way home yet. She thought the crisis would take a long time to resolve. Neither had heard from Morgan, and Sonny thought their son just needed time. Carly urged him to get some rest, but he didn't want to go to bed alone. When Sonny was off the phone, Jason entered the house, dirty and injured, shocking Sonny. "It's Morgan," Jason told Sonny.
At Metro Court Restaurant, Franco picked up a takeout order but feigned surprise when he noticed that his wallet was empty. Nelle assured him that he could pay with a credit card, but he claimed that he'd left his credit cards in another wallet. However, he assured Nelle that he knew Carly and that she wouldn't mind if he put the order on his tab. Nelle asked for his name, so he told her that he was Jason Morgan. Nelle snatched the bag of food out of his hand as she informed him that she knew Jason. "And you are no Jason Morgan," Carly added as she walked up.
Carly praised Nelle's instincts because Franco was a freeloader and not to be trusted. Franco pointed out that he and Carly had been engaged, but Nelle didn't recall Carly ever mentioning Franco. Franco took the bag of food and made a snide remark about Nelle being a good problem solver, but Carly was curious what the problem had been. Nelle explained that Franco hadn't paid for the order. Carly quickly took the bag away from Franco, but he asked her to reconsider because the food was for Elizabeth. Carly suggested that Franco get a burger from Kelly's, but Franco reminded her that Elizabeth had been willing to donate Jake's kidney to save Josslyn.
Nelle appeared perplexed as Carly handed Franco the bag of food and sent him on his way. Nelle admitted that she was surprised that Carly and Franco had been engaged, but Carly told her that Franco had been the worst mistake of her life. Carly invited Nelle to do a Google search on Franco but warned her that it would be disturbing. Nelle asked about Elizabeth, so Carly explained that it was a long story. She told Nelle how Jason and Elizabeth had agreed to donate their son's kidney to Josslyn when they had believed that Jake had died. Nelle admitted that Carly had a lot of fascinating stories.
Carly conceded that she had a lot of interesting stories to tell, but she acknowledged that she was not well liked. Nelle was surprised because everyone seemed to respect Carly. Carly chuckled and explained that people respected her money and Sonny's power. Nelle started to defend Carly, but Carly admitted that she'd been a wrecking ball when she'd been Nelle's age. Nelle was skeptical, but Carly confessed that she'd once "interfered" with her mother's marriage and had hurt a lot of people.
Nelle argued that everyone had done bad things in their lives, but Carly acknowledged that she'd taken it to another level, and people would confirm it. Nelle suspected that the people who didn't like Carly were jealous because Carly had it all: respect, a place in the community, a strong marriage, and a big happy family. Carly smiled and told Nelle that she might not have everything, but she had worked hard for what she had. Nelle confessed that she was even jealous of Carly and talked about her desire to become a teacher. Carly praised Nelle's career choice because she was certain that Nelle would be an excellent teacher.
Nelle appreciated Carly's vote of confidence, but Carly assured Nelle that it was well deserved. Nelle smiled and decided to show her appreciation, insisting that Carly go home and leave everything in Nelle's capable hands.
At Elizabeth's house, Elizabeth was surprised when she saw Sam on the doorstep. Sam explained that Jake had sent a text message asking Sam to drop off his math book because he needed it for school. Elizabeth thanked Sam as she accepted the book. Sam turned to leave, but Elizabeth sensed that Sam wanted to talk. Sam admitted that she did, so Elizabeth invited her inside. Elizabeth and Sam engaged in small talk until Sam shifted to a more serious topic when she told Elizabeth that she wanted them to find a way to get along, since they both had children with Jason and would be a part of each other's lives.
Elizabeth assured Sam that she wanted the same, but Elizabeth admitted that it would require Sam and Jason to accept that Franco was a part of her life. Sam respected that it was Elizabeth's life and business, but she couldn't expect Sam and Jason to give their blessing after all Franco had done to them. Elizabeth clarified that she hadn't been asking for Sam and Jason's approval -- she simply didn't want the couple to interfere. Elizabeth assured Sam that she and Jason could disapprove and pray that Elizabeth had a change of heart about Franco, but she didn't want it in her home or in front of her son. Sam promised to not try to stop Elizabeth, but she warned Elizabeth that she wasn't special because Franco would eventually turn on her as he had with everyone else.
Sam also made it clear that she didn't want to lay eyes on Franco. Elizabeth advised Sam not to turn around, prompting Sam to do just that. Franco stood in the doorway. Sam questioned why Franco had a key to Elizabeth's home already. Elizabeth admitted that Franco had been a great help by covering Elizabeth's expenses so she could focus on her recovery. Sam told Elizabeth that she was free to do what she wanted, but she reminded Elizabeth that Jason was Jake's father. Elizabeth assured Sam that she would never try to keep Jake from Jason and invited Sam to tell Jason.
Sam assured Elizabeth that she would because Sam had never lied to her husband. Tensions quickly mounted when Sam turned to leave at the same time that Franco approached Elizabeth and got too close to Sam. Sam shouted at Franco not to touch her, so Franco promised to respect Sam's personal boundaries. Sam warned Franco to stay away from her and her family as Jake entered the living room and asked if everything was okay. "Why are you fighting," Jake wondered. Elizabeth ignored the question and asked why Jake was out of bed. Jake admitted that he'd heard yelling and asked why Sam was mad at Franco.
Sam smirked at Elizabeth and waited for Elizabeth to explain. Franco admitted that he'd hurt Sam, but Jake didn't believe it because Franco was his friend. Franco hoped that he and Jake would always be friends, but Franco conceded that Sam was justified in her feelings toward him because there had been a time when Franco hadn't been a nice person. Franco explained that he'd had something growing inside his head that had driven him to do terrible things to a lot of people, especially Sam. Without going into detail, Franco revealed that he'd told a terrible lie, but Jake asked if Franco regretted the things he'd done. Franco solemnly assured Jake that he did, but he'd never apologized to both Jason and Sam because he knew that they would never forgive him.
Sam appeared surprised by Franco's sincerity as he added that he regretted his actions every minute of every day. Jake was curious if Franco still did bad things, but Franco pointed out that no one was perfect. However, Franco tried hard to do good things because he hoped that one day others would see what Jake and Elizabeth did -- that Franco would never hurt anyone like that again. Jake worried that it might take a long time, but Franco promised that it was fine because he wanted everyone to get along.
At the crash site, Julian walked up to Dante and looked over the bluff to ask if the wreckage below was his car. Dante looked away as he confirmed that it was. Julian wondered if the "idiot car thief" had driven it over the bluff, but Dante became upset and told Julian that he didn't know the details except that a witness had reported that the car had exploded. Julian was curious if anyone had talked to the "idiot" driver or if the driver had burned to a crisp in the car. Seconds later, a police officer approached Dante to give him an update on the search for his brother. Julian was shocked.
Dante gave the police officer instructions on the next phase of the search. After the police officer walked away, Julian recalled that Morgan had left the Floating Rib as Julian had arrived. Julian was curious if Morgan had lost control of the car, but he suddenly realized that there hadn't been any skid marks. With dawning horror, Julian realized that the explosion had been intentional, but Morgan hadn't been the intended target. Dante warned Julian to shut his mouth, but Julian was gone when Dante turned to look at him.
A short time later, Julian entered Ava's apartment as she poured herself a martini. Ava was surprised to see her brother, but he demanded to know if they were alone. Ava assured him that they were, so Julian pulled out a gun to check it as he told Ava that they were both in trouble. Ava disagreed because she was no longer in the "family business" and was not in need of protection. Julian informed Ava that she was wrong because someone had tried to kill him. Julian filled her in about the stolen car and explosion, but Ava pointed out that Sonny would be foolish to go after Julian on the heels of the explosion.
Julian gently explained that Morgan had been driving his car. Shocked, Ava refused to believe that Morgan would steal Julian's car, but Julian told her that Dante had been at the crash site and had confirmed it. Ava's eyes filled with tears as she asked if the police had found Morgan's body. Julian carefully revealed that the bomb had been designed to incinerate the car and obliterate whoever had been inside it, which meant that Julian had been the target. Julian was certain that Sonny had been behind the bomb, but instead of killing Julian, Sonny's own son had died.
Later, Julian assured Ava that the guards were in place. Ava wiped away her tears as she tried to make sense of Morgan stealing Julian's car. Julian had no idea why Morgan had done it, but he reminded her that Morgan had been drunk. Ava insisted that Morgan had merely been tipsy, but Julian argued that it didn't matter because Morgan had had a natural chemical imbalance and shouldn't have been drinking alcohol while on "psych drugs." However, Julian doubted that it would matter to Sonny because Sonny would find a way to blame Julian for the tragedy -- even though Sonny had set everything in motion.
Ava blamed herself because she had known that Morgan was in trouble. Julian assured her that everyone had known it because Morgan's condition hadn't been a secret. Ava began to cry again, but Julian reminded her that Sonny had intended to kill him. Julian quietly admitted that he was glad Sonny hadn't succeeded. After Julian left to check on the guards, Ava recalled switching Morgan's medications with placebo pills. She dropped her martini glass as her memories shifted to how she and Morgan had started their affair and fallen in love. Ava dropped to her knees in grief, picked up a shard of glass, and threw it across the room in a fit of fury that quickly returned to grief as she wept uncontrollably.
At Greystone Manor, Sonny was concerned when he saw Jason and asked what had happened. Jason quietly told Sonny that something had happened to Morgan and added that there had been an accident. Sonny demanded to know what Jason was talking about, so he told Sonny that Morgan had gotten drunk at Floating Rib, had had an altercation with T.J., and then had stolen a car. Sonny was furious that Morgan had been drunk and behind the wheel of a car, but Jason asked Sonny to listen. Jason explained that he'd caught up to Morgan and had persuaded him to pull over, but the car had exploded.
Later, Sonny and Jason arrived at the crash site. Sonny ran to the edge of the cliff where Dante was standing, but Dante stopped his father from running down to the water. Sonny was frantic to find Morgan, but Dante assured Sonny that they were doing their best to search for his brother. Dante and Jason were forced to hold Sonny back from joining the search. Dante's voice cracked with emotion as he explained to Sonny that Jason had seen Morgan get out of the car, but the explosion had sent the car and Morgan over the cliff.
Dante promised his father that search and rescue teams were looking for Morgan, but Sonny reminded Dante that Morgan was a strong swimmer. Moments later, Sonny broke loose and ran to the river. Nearby, a police officer called Jordan to advise her to get to the crash site.
Later, Dante talked to Jason about the accident. Dante explained that a bomb had been planted in Julian's car, so there was little doubt in Dante's mind that Sonny had played a role in the botched hit. Jason didn't know what Dante wanted him to say, but Dante admitted that it wasn't necessary to say anything. Dante wanted Jason to know that Dante was aware that Sonny had tried to end the war with Julian, but the only casualty had been Dante's brother. Dante fought back tears as a police officer walked up to let Dante know there was a problem with Sonny.
A short time later, Sonny sputtered with outraged because he'd been handcuffed to a police car. Dante explained that it had been necessary to keep Sonny out of the water because Sonny had nearly drowned looking for Morgan. A police officer pulled Dante aside to share an update, while Sonny pleaded with Jason to remove the handcuffs. Dante ordered the police officer to unlock the handcuffs. After Sonny was freed, Dante broke the news that they had recovered some remains. Sonny denied that the remains belonged to Morgan and reiterated that Morgan was a strong swimmer, but Dante's expression filled with grief as he told his father that the remains would confirm what they all knew -- Morgan had perished.
After Sonny and Jason left, Jordan arrived and talked to Dante. Dante told her that everything pointed to a bomb, prompting Jordan to ask if Morgan had been the intended target. Dante explained that it hadn't been Morgan's car. Jordan suddenly realized that Morgan had stolen Julian's car, but Dante quickly reminded her that Julian had a lot of enemies. Jordan wanted to know where Sonny was. Dante revealed that Sonny had gone home to tell Carly that her son had died. Jordan agreed to give Sonny and Carly time to grieve, but she warned Dante that she intended to question Sonny.
Moments later, a police officer handed Jordan another piece of evidence. It was Morgan's cell phone, which showed missed calls from Kiki and Carly.
At Greystone Manor, Carly arrived home and noticed Sonny's absence. She kicked off her shoes and called him. The call went to voicemail, so she told him that she'd wait up for him.
Outside, Sonny and Jason stopped by the front door. Sonny checked his phone and saw a voicemail message from Carly. Jason suggested that he and Sonny take a minute to get their thoughts together before they went inside to talk to Carly. Sonny decided to talk to Carly alone. He told Jason to go home to Sam and the boys and let them know how much Jason loved them and would protect them -- unlike Sonny, who hadn't been able to protect Morgan.
Later, Jason stopped by Elizabeth's house to see Jake. Sam was alarmed when she noticed Jason's dirty clothes. Jason explained that he had been on his way home and had decided to stop by to see Jake. Jake ran to his father and hugged him. A short time later, Jason thanked Elizabeth for letting him spend time with Jake. After Jason left, Franco was surprised that Jason hadn't said anything about him being there. Elizabeth suspected that it was because something bad had happened.
Outside, Sam asked Jason what was wrong, but Jason promised to tell her when they got home. He wanted to focus on being grateful that they had each other and their son.
At Greystone Manor, Carly heard Sonny arrive home. Her smile vanished when she saw him standing in the doorway, wearing muddy, wet clothes. She immediately asked what had happened. Sonny told her that he'd been in the river and suggested that she sit. Carly refused because she realized that something was very wrong. Sonny warned her that what he had to tell her would hurt, so Carly braced herself.
Sonny's voice was filled with anguish as he started to tell her about the explosion and Morgan, but Carly refused to believe that her son had died and insisted on calling him to prove Sonny wrong. Sonny gently told Carly that their son was dead, but she insisted that she would know if something had happened to her baby. Eventually, Carly realized that it was true and fell to her knees and sobbed as Sonny held her.
At Greystone Manor, Sonny looked forlornly at a picture of Morgan as Jason wrapped up the call and reported that the phone number Sonny had given him had been disconnected. Jason hadn't been surprised because men who did double blind jobs tended to vanish, especially when things went wrong on a job. Sonny insisted that it had been an accident. "Tell me that you don't think I'm the reason my son is dead," Sonny beseeched.
Sonny assured Jason that he'd called off the hit and had reached the broker. Jason believed Sonny, but he was curious why the broker had disappeared. Sonny had no idea, but he intended to find out who'd been responsible for killing Morgan. Jason promised to get answers, but Sonny was tired of waiting and decided to find out what the police knew.
At the Quartermaine mansion, Tracy stood in the living room and spoke to a member of the hospital's board. She demanded to know why she hadn't been told about the board's decision to sell the hospital. Tracy was outraged when she was informed that she'd been deliberately left out of the loop and barred from the hospital. Tracy reminded the board member that her family had been on the hospital's board for decades and threatened to show up at the hospital. After Tracy ended the call, Ned walked in.
Tracy grumbled about the hospital's board members. Ned was concerned about his mother, but she assured him that she was resilient and focused on saving the hospital. However, she asked him to talk to Dillon because Dillon was stuck with Paul as a father. Ned cryptically told his mother that he was certain that Dillon had found a way to deal with the pain.
Shortly after Ned left, Monica entered the living room and asked Tracy about the shouting she'd heard. Tracy filled Monica in about the board's decision to sell the hospital to an investor who wanted to convert the hospital into luxury condominiums. Stunned, Monica instructed Tracy to wait while Monica changed clothes because Monica intended to accompany Tracy to the hospital.
At Metro Court Restaurant, Dillon stopped by to say hello to Kiki before he headed to work. He admitted that he'd woken up with a smile on his face despite everything going on with Paul. Kiki confided that she had as well then glanced at her phone. Dillon noticed her frown and asked if everything was okay. Kiki explained that she had received a concert download of a band that she and Morgan loved. Dillon feared that she might be having second thoughts about ending things with Morgan, but she was determined to do things the right way by telling Morgan what was in her heart before she moved on with Dillon.
After Dillon left, Ava entered the restaurant and approached her daughter. Ava explained that she had something important to tell Kiki and warned her that it wouldn't be good. Kiki and Ava retreated to a quiet corner where Ava broke the news that Morgan was gone. Kiki was shocked that her mother would say something like that, but Ava assured Kiki that it was true. Kiki decided to prove Ava wrong by calling Morgan, but her heart sank when the call went unanswered. Kiki dissolved into tears as Ava held her. Kiki wanted to know the details, so Ava revealed that Morgan had been drinking because he'd apparently seen Kiki and Dillon during an intimate moment.
Kiki denied that she'd ever been intimate with Dillon and quickly blamed Morgan's medications because he had seemed off for quite some time. Kiki was distraught, so Ava urged Kiki to return home with her. Kiki refused because she felt overwhelmed by everything. Ava watched helplessly as Kiki ran off.
At Crimson, Ned exited the elevator. He was surprised when Dillon greeted him with a smile and announced that he had decided to move on with his life. Ned was pleased, but he suspected that someone special deserved the credit for Dillon's good mood. Dillon confirmed that he and Kiki had talked. Ned hoped it meant that Dillon wouldn't be slamming any more hooks into the boathouse door, but Dillon had no idea what Ned had been referring to. Ned told Dillon about the discovery that Ned and Olivia had made, but Dillon denied responsibility for the deed and questioned why Ned and Olivia had been in the boathouse.
Dillon admitted that he liked Olivia and advised Ned to follow his lead and take a chance. Ned chuckled and agreed to think about it as Kiki arrived. Ned exchanged a quick greeting with Kiki and left. Dillon immediately noticed that something was wrong and asked if Kiki was okay. Kiki began to weep. Dillon held her until she composed herself enough to tell him about Morgan. Dillon quickly offered his condolences and assured her that she could lean on him.
Kiki explained that she couldn't be with Dillon because they were the reason that Morgan had snapped. Dillon reminded Kiki that they hadn't done anything wrong, but she argued that it didn't matter because Morgan had felt her pulling away. Dillon insisted that Morgan had had mental health issues, but Kiki countered that Morgan was dead because of them. She admitted that being with Dillon would be wrong, and she fled. In the elevator, Kiki played the music of Morgan's favorite band then curled up on the floor and wept.
At Metro Court Restaurant, Lulu met Laura for breakfast. They chatted about Spencer's new school until Laura's phone rang. She looked at it but let the call go to voicemail. Lulu admitted that Kevin had told her everything about his relationship with Laura, including that he'd written a book. Laura assured Lulu that she'd forgiven Kevin and added that he was a good friend. Lulu asked if there was a chance for more because Kevin's feelings for Laura seemed genuine. Laura explained that she was hesitant because people inevitably proved her wrong whenever she extended them her trust.
Later, Olivia joined Lulu and Laura. Lulu received a text message from Dante, so Laura assured her daughter that it was fine to leave. After Lulu left, Laura admitted that she missed being young and so in love that she couldn't wait to spend every free moment with her love. Olivia informed Laura that she still felt young at heart. Laura promised to keep it in mind, but Olivia knew that Laura had a good thing going with Kevin. Laura admitted that things had become "complicated." Olivia was curious how Kevin had screwed things up.
Laura admitted that Kevin had broken her trust. Laura conceded that things might have been different if she hadn't had the rug pulled out from under her several times. Olivia thought it was a shame for Laura to give up someone who made her happy because she was afraid of getting hurt again. Laura wondered if Olivia spoke from experience.
Later, Olivia was working behind the bar when Ned walked up. He told her about his talk with Dillon and assured her that Dillon hadn't been responsible for the hook in the boathouse door. Olivia was certain that it had been Julian, but Ned admitted that he had his doubts because Julian had seemed genuinely surprised that Ned and Olivia were dating again. Olivia remained unconvinced, but Ned pointed out that it didn't matter because Julian knew the truth, and there was no reason to keep sneaking around.
Olivia conceded that perhaps Julian had been an excuse because she'd been afraid of messing things up with Ned. Ned admitted that he'd missed what they'd shared and refused to see the new Doctor Strange movie without her. Ned didn't want to pressure her, but he wanted her to know how he felt. Ned started to leave, but Olivia called out to him. Ned was startled when she ran over and passionately kissed him in the middle of the restaurant.
Nearby, Laura called Kevin to let him know that she would love to have dinner with him.
In the squad room, Dante looked up when Michael arrived and asked why Dante had wanted to see him. Michael explained that he'd been out of town on business and had just recently returned. Dante realized that Michael hadn't talked to Sonny or Carly, so he told Michael that he had something to tell him about Morgan. "I'm sorry, but our brother is gone," Dante said as his voice cracked with emotion. Shocked, Michael started to deny it, but Dante assured Michael that it was true.
Dante reluctantly explained that Morgan had been killed by a bomb planted in a car. Confused, Michael wondered who would target Morgan, but Dante revealed that Morgan hadn't been the intended target because he'd been driving Julian's car. Michael realized that no one had wanted Julian dead more than Sonny had. Seconds later, Sonny and Jason entered the squad room. Michael glared accusingly at Sonny and demanded to know how the bomb had ended up in Julian's car.
Jason suggested that they find a private place to speak, so Dante pointed to the interrogation room. Dante started to follow the group, but a police officer called out to him because she wanted to give him Morgan's phone. Dante looked at the damaged phone in the evidence bag as the police officer offered her condolences.
In the interrogation room, Michael asked if Sonny had made a move against Julian but had killed Morgan instead. Michael begged his father to tell him that he was wrong and reminded Sonny that Julian had a lot of enemies. Sonny promised to explain everything, but Michael was infuriated because he knew that Sonny intended to tell him that Julian had been the intended victim, not Morgan. Sonny insisted that he had no idea how it had happened, but Michael argued that Sonny had put the whole thing in motion and had given the order. "That's enough," Jason said as he stepped forward and offered to take Michael home.
Michael was furious because Sonny had recently told Michael that vengeance was expensive and would cost Michael the rest of his life if Michael tried to go after Paul. Sonny had insisted that Paul hadn't been worth it. "Was Julian worth it?" Michael coldly asked.
At Greystone Manor, Carly was asleep in bed and dreaming of Morgan until Bobbie softly woke her up. Carly groggily asked why her mother was there, so Bobbie gently explained that Sony had called because Carly had been in bad shape the previous evening. Carly was initially confused but suddenly recalled that she and Sonny had been harsh on Morgan when they'd found out that he'd been expelled from school. Carly regretted how she had treated Morgan because he'd worked hard and had done his best. She vowed to tell her son how much she loved him when he arrived home from work.
Bobbie asked Carly to stop because Morgan would not be returning home. Carly's temper flared as she insisted that Bobbie had been referring to a nightmare that Carly had had. Bobbie explained that it hadn't been a dream and revealed that she'd been forced to give a distraught Carly a pill the previous evening to help Carly sleep. Carly jumped out of bed and ran to the living room with Bobbie close on her heels. Carly stopped short when she saw Sonny's muddy jacket and suddenly recalled Sonny telling her about Morgan's accident.
Carly's eyes filled with fresh tears as she admitted that Sonny's words hadn't made any sense to her. Carly began to sob as she recounted the events of the previous night when Sonny had arrived home. Bobbie held her daughter as Carly wept.
Later, Dante arrived. Carly wanted answers about the accident, so Dante asked to speak to Carly alone. After Bobbie left, Dante explained that Morgan had been getting out of the car when the bomb had exploded. Carly couldn't understand who would target her son, but Dante revealed that it had been Julian's car. Dante explained that Morgan had been drinking throughout the night, and the bartender had taken Morgan's car keys, but Carly refused to believe that Morgan would risk mixing alcohol with his medications. Dante assured Carly that it was true because T.J. had encountered Morgan in the parking lot where Morgan had punched T.J. and stolen the car.
Carly listened in disbelief as Dante told her about Jason's attempt to pull Morgan over and the explosion as Morgan had gotten out of the car. Dante added that the bomb had been meant for Julian. Carly demanded to know if Sonny had had anything to do with the bomb in Julian's car, but Dante refused to answer. Carly began to cry as she told Dante that she had begged Sonny to stop. Dante reminded Carly that he was still a police officer and begged her not to say anything that he might be forced to act on later. Dante handed her Morgan's phone, told her how sorry he was for her loss, and left.
At Metro Court Restaurant, Ava bumped into Bobbie and extended her condolences. Bobbie thanked Ava, but she wondered if Ava had ever truly loved Morgan. Ava tearfully admitted that she had loved him very much and revealed that there had been a time when Morgan had been the only one who had seen the good in her. After Bobbie walked away, Ava entered the elevator and began to cry.
At the police station, Dante was agitated as he entered the squad room. Restless, he went to the interrogation room, closed the door, and began to throw things around as he vented his anger and frustration. Moments later, Lulu arrived. She was alarmed when she saw Dante through the interrogation room window and quickly entered to find out what had upset her husband. Dante revealed that Morgan was dead, and he might have to arrest his father for killing his brother. Lulu was certain there had been a mistake, but Dante admitted that it wouldn't have been the first time one of Sonny's children had been caught in the crossfire.
Dante tearfully admitted that Morgan had been the first Corinthos he'd met when he'd first arrived in Port Charles. He began to cry as he added that Morgan had had his whole life ahead of him. Lulu wrapped her arms around Dante and held him.
At the Quartermaine mansion, Monica returned to the living room to fetch Tracy, but Jason and Michael entered. Michael explained that he needed to take time off from work because Morgan had been killed by a car bomb. Monica was shocked and offered her condolences, but Tracy insisted that things like that happened when a city turned a blind eye to the violence around them. "Come on, Tracy," Jason said, but Tracy refused to apologize because they all knew that the bomb had been part of Sonny's never-ending pursuit of revenge. Jason advised Tracy to "step back," but she informed him that he'd lost any right to say anything when he'd turned his back on the Quartermaines.
"That's enough," Monica said. Monica insisted that Morgan's death had been a tragedy, and Michael needed his family -- including Jason. Monica suggested that she and Tracy leave to deal with the hospital crisis while Michael spent some private time with Jason. After Monica and Tracy left, Michael told Jason that Morgan had likely stolen the car because he'd been manic, and none of them had been paying attention. However, Michael was adamant that the person who had planted the bomb in the car was responsible for Morgan's death. Jason reminded Michael that Julian had had a lot of enemies, so it might not have been Sonny, but Michael doubted that Jason truly believed that.
At Greystone Manor, Carly looked at Morgan's cell phone then searched the room for a phone charger. She quickly plugged it into the wall and charged Morgan's phone. Carly sat on the floor and played the voicemail message she had left for Morgan. Seconds later, Sonny walked in. After the voicemail message ended, Carly told him it had been the last message that she had left for their son, but Morgan had never heard it because he'd been in a car with a bomb that had blown their baby boy up. Carly's eyes filled with tears as she held up a picture of Morgan during his younger years and angrily repeated that their beautiful little boy was dead.
"And you killed him," Carly shouted as she smashed the picture on the floor and wept inconsolably. Sonny's expression crumbled as he began to cry.
Maxie was delighted when Lulu stopped by because Maxie was eager to plan a fantasy New Year's Eve wedding. Maxie talked about the significance of the date to her and Nathan, but she stopped when she noticed that Lulu hadn't been paying attention. Lulu's eyes filled with tears as she told Maxie that Morgan was dead. Shocked, Maxie offered Lulu her condolences and hugged her. Lulu pulled herself together and revealed that it appeared that Sonny had been responsible for the tragedy. She told Maxie about the stolen car and the bomb that had killed Morgan.
Lulu admitted that it was terrifying to be a parent and think about all the things that could go wrong. Maxie agreed and added that Nathan was about to find out -- even though she doubted that Charlotte was his daughter. Lulu was curious how Maxie would feel if Charlotte was indeed Nathan's child. Maxie admitted that she didn't want Claudette in her life, so she was hoping that Claudette had lied. However, Maxie was determined to support Nathan on the off chance that Charlotte was his daughter. Lulu thought Charlotte would be lucky to have Maxie as a stepmother, but she was curious where Charlotte was.
Maxie explained that Claudette had hidden Charlotte because Claudette had been involved with a dangerous man that Lulu was familiar with. Lulu was stunned when Maxie told her about Claudette's connection to Valentin.
In the squad room, Jordan and Nathan looked at crime scene photos of the explosion that had killed Morgan. Jordan hoped the Crime Scene Unit gathered enough evidence to point them to the person who had planted the bomb. Nathan knew that Jordan was counting on the person naming Sonny as the one who had ordered the hit on Julian. Jordan realized that if they were right, then Sonny was living out a parent's worst nightmare. Jordan told Nathan that he'd understand what that meant when he had a child of his own.
Nathan was curious when Dante had left. Jordan revealed that she had sent Dante home earlier because he'd worked through the night. Seconds later, Dante entered the squad room, ready to work. Jordan wondered how Dante would feel if they were forced to arrest Sonny. Dante assured her that he'd step down from the investigation, but he needed to find out what had happened to his brother. Moments later, T.J. walked up, but he offered to return later if Jordan was busy.
Jordan asked T.J. to stay, so T.J. extended his condolences to Dante and asked if his mother wanted a statement. Jordan admitted that she just needed a hug.
Later, Jordan and T.J. entered the park and sat on a bench to talk about Morgan. Jordan felt bad when T.J. revealed that Molly was a mess over her cousin's death. Jordan promised to let T.J. get back to Molly, but first she wanted to talk to T.J. about the person who had planted the bomb in Julian's car. T.J. knew she was referring to Sonny. Jordan acknowledged that Sonny was the most likely suspect, but T.J. insisted that Sonny loved his children. Jordan reminded T.J. that she was a parent and thanked God every day that T.J. was still with her because it was a parent's job to love and protect their child.
Jordan recalled how close she'd been to losing T.J. when he'd been abducted and Sonny had been shot in the warehouse. She became emotional as she apologized for everything she'd done, but T.J. assured her that he'd forgiven her. T.J. hoped that she could do the same for him because he felt responsible for Morgan's tragic death. T.J. explained that he'd known instantly that Morgan had been drinking and had offered Morgan a ride, but Morgan had been determined to steal a car. T.J. thought he'd managed to talk Morgan out of it until Morgan had punched him and taken off in the car.
Jordan insisted that T.J. had done everything in his power to stop Morgan, but T.J. disagreed because he hadn't called the police. T.J. realized that many things had gone wrong for Morgan, but Jordan insisted that Sonny had planted the bomb in Julian's car. She hoped that T.J. finally saw the true cost of Sonny's lifestyle because T.J. had spent years romanticizing and respecting Sonny. T.J. explained that all he knew was that his friend was dead and that he was one of the last people to see Morgan alive. Jordan backed off and assured T.J. that she was there for him.
In the interrogation room, Dante talked to Nathan about Morgan's death and the possibility that Sonny had been responsible for the bomb. Dante admitted that Morgan's death didn't seem real because Morgan had been working hard to put his life back on track. Dante regretted that he hadn't been there for Morgan because Dante had been too concerned about Sonny and the fallout of Julian's acquittal. Dante felt like a failure because he hadn't been able to get through to his father, and his brother had paid the price. Dante couldn't imagine what Sonny was going through because Dante wouldn't be able to go on living if he'd done something to hurt Rocco.
Nathan agreed with Dante even though Nathan hadn't met his daughter yet. "Until now," Claudette said from the doorway as she held a little girl's hand. Dante smiled as Claudette introduced Nathan to Charlotte. Charlotte appeared shy, so Nathan knelt down to officially introduce himself to his daughter. Dante was happy for his partner and congratulated Nathan. Nathan smiled and asked Charlotte for a hug.
Nathan was touched when Charlotte wrapped her arms around his neck and squeezed. Claudette grinned because she had imagined the moment for a long time, but the reality was much better. Claudette suggested they go to the park to feed the ducks, so Dante urged Nathan to take the rest of the day off. Nathan told Charlotte there was someone he wanted her to meet before they went to the park.
Later, Lulu entered the squad room and hugged her husband. She asked how he was doing, but he shrugged and told her that he was there. Lulu empathized but shifted gears to tell him that she had found out why Claudette had been hiding Charlotte. Lulu was surprised when Dante mentioned that he'd met Nathan's beautiful daughter earlier, and he couldn't imagine anything that would justify Claudette keeping Nathan away from his daughter. Lulu explained that Claudette had had a good reason -- Claudette had been hiding Charlotte from Valentin.
At the apartment, Maxie was on the phone with Georgie when Nathan arrived home. She quickly wrapped up the call and asked if everything was okay. Nathan opened the door and ushered in Charlotte and Claudette as he introduced Maxie to his daughter. Nathan admitted that he'd been eager for Maxie to meet Charlotte. Maxie pasted on a smile, kneeled down, and offered Charlotte a cookie. Charlotte smiled shyly and accepted the offer, but Claudette informed Maxie that Charlotte had had a bagel on the way over.
Claudette turned to Nathan to tell him that it was a mistake to be there because Charlotte needed time to get to know him first. Nathan pointed out that Charlotte seemed fine, but he acknowledged that she was quiet. Claudette blamed it on Charlotte's shyness around strangers, but she was confident that with time she would call Nathan "Daddy." Nathan assured his daughter that there wasn't a rush, but Maxie asked to speak to Nathan privately. Nathan and Maxie retreated to a corner where she told him that she'd been willing to accept Charlotte until she'd met the little girl. Maxie insisted that there was no way Charlotte was his daughter.
At Greystone Manor, Michael sat in the living room and listened to Kiki's voicemail messages on Morgan's phone, imploring Morgan to call her because she needed to talk to him. Moments later, Michael picked up a picture of Morgan. He stared at it until Jason appeared in the doorway. Michael explained that Carly was in the bedroom and had asked not to be disturbed, while Sonny had gone out because Sonny had wanted to be alone. Jason revealed that he was there for Michael, but Michael assured Jason that it hadn't been necessary, since Jason had spent most of the morning with him.
Michael admitted that he felt a tremendous amount of guilt because he'd failed Morgan by not being a good big brother. Michael insisted that he should have stayed on top of things to make certain that Morgan had been taking his medications, but instead, Michael had practically ignored Morgan the past few weeks when Morgan had needed him most. Jason reminded Michael that he'd been grieving Sabrina's death and added there was nothing that could have saved Morgan from the explosion because Morgan had been a victim of terrible circumstances. Jason didn't want Michael to blame himself, but Michael was filled with regret.
Jason pointed out that Morgan had been a grown man who had never expected Michael to bail him out. Michael argued that it was what family did for each other, but Jason insisted that Michael had always been there for Morgan since the day Morgan had arrived home from the hospital, and Michael had been the first person to hold his newborn brother. Jason added that Michael had been the first person to love Morgan and to give Morgan his loyalty, and the first person to accept and forgive Morgan. Jason urged Michael to take credit for all the good things he'd done for his brother because Morgan had loved Michael.
At Crimson, Nina showed Dillon a gift basket that she intended to drop off at Carly's house. She felt that it was inadequate, but Dillon explained that it was a gesture intended to pay tribute to the family for the loss they had suffered and to bear witness to the pain they had endured. Nina was touched by the insight and asked if Dillon would help her put her feelings on a card for Carly. Dillon didn't think he could help, prompting Nina to question if it was because Kiki had chosen Morgan over him. Dillon confided that Kiki had decided to break things off with Morgan, but everything had changed when Kiki had learned about Morgan's death.
Dillon revealed that Kiki refused to be with Dillon because she felt incredible guilt over Morgan's death. Dillon explained that Kiki believed she had let Morgan down, which had led Morgan to spiral out of control. Nina advised Dillon to make Kiki understand that Kiki was wrong, but Dillon admitted that it hurt Kiki too much to look at him. Nina was certain that it was Kiki's pain talking and encouraged Dillon to go to Kiki and stay even if she pushed him away.
Meanwhile, Franco let himself into Kiki's apartment and saw her curled up in a corner. He immediately sat down next to her and wrapped his arm around her as she wept. Kiki tearfully told him that she had intended to break things off with Morgan because she had wanted to be with Dillon. Franco wasn't surprised because he knew that Kiki had been unhappy with Morgan for a long time. Kiki cried that she'd failed Morgan when he had needed her the most and broken her promise to Carly by allowing Morgan to think they had a future together when she had really wanted Dillon.
Kiki told Franco that Morgan had seen her with Dillon and had thought they'd been making love. Franco wondered if it was true, but Kiki insisted that she and Dillon had only kissed. Kiki realized that it had been wrong and disloyal because she hadn't been able to stop thinking about Dillon since the Nurses Ball. Kiki believed that it was her fault that Morgan had gotten drunk and stolen a car, but Franco argued that Morgan had known it had been dangerous to mix his medications with alcohol. Franco was adamant that Kiki was not to blame for what had happened, but she was distraught and asked to be alone.
A short time later, Franco showed up at Crimson, looking for Dillon because Kiki was in a bad place. Nina told Franco that he was in luck because she had sent Dillon to console Kiki. Franco was relieved because he hadn't known what to do for Kiki except find the guy that Kiki liked. Nina smiled and admitted that Franco would have made great father. Franco admitted that it was easy to be parental with Kiki and Jake because they didn't share his or his mother's DNA, but Nina insisted that a parent was a parent was a parent and that to love a child was to be loved by one.
Franco was curious if Nina had considered foster care or adoption, but she cryptically told him that she'd been working on her options. However, she conceded that she would have loved getting pregnant. Franco felt bad that she hadn't gotten her wish, but he told her that biological parenthood was not all it was cracked up to be. He pointed out that sometimes biological parents hurt a child far more than a stranger ever could.
In Kiki's apartment, Kiki sat on the sofa, crying and listening to Morgan's favorite music until Dillon knocked on the door and called out to her. He begged her to open the door because he wanted to help her through her grief. He assured her that she could hit him, cry on his shoulder, or do whatever she needed. Kiki remained silent as Dillon assured her that he would remain sitting in the hallway if she didn't open the door because he refused to leave her alone. He asked for a sign that she had heard him, so she turned off the music and approached the door.
Dillon was relieved when Kiki opened the door. She invited him inside but didn't close the door because she wanted him to know that seeing him didn't help her. She explained that the last time she'd seen Morgan, they had argued because Morgan had accused her of making time for Dillon rather than Morgan. Kiki was filled with regret because she couldn't stop thinking about her last voicemail messages to Morgan and how she had wanted to see Morgan to end things with him to be with Dillon.
Michael stood in the hallway and overheard Kiki's confession. Furious, Michael stormed into the apartment and demanded to know if she had intended to break up with Morgan. Kiki's eyes filled with fresh tears as Michael slammed the door and blasted her for betraying his brother. He admitted that he'd heard Kiki's voicemail messages and had heard the familiar self-pity in her voice when she was about to do something she knew was wrong. Michael accused her of failing Morgan because she'd been too absorbed with Dillon to make time for Morgan when he'd been spiraling.
Michael angrily accused Kiki of killing Morgan, but Dillon pulled Michael back and ordered him to shut up. Dillon realized that Michael was grieving, but he insisted that it hadn't given Michael the right to take it out on Kiki. Michael realized that Dillon was Kiki's new hero and wished Dillon luck. Dillon resented Michael's callous words, but Kiki admitted that Michael was right because she had bounced from guy to guy and did whatever she wanted without worrying about who was hurt. Kiki tearfully confessed that she couldn't stand to look at herself.
Dillon told Kiki that it was the guilt talking, but she argued that he was wrong because she had justified kissing him before she had ended things with Morgan. Kiki cried that she couldn't live with herself and ordered Dillon to go because she couldn't look at him without seeing what she'd done to Morgan. Hurt, Dillon left. After Kiki closed the door, she apologized to Michael. Michael admitted that he was sorry, too, because it had been wrong of him to attack her like that. Michael conceded that they each could blame themselves for what had happened to Morgan, but it wouldn't change anything because Morgan would still be gone.
Michael added that losing Morgan would hurt for a long time.
At Maxie and Nathan's apartment, Maxie told Nathan that it was obvious that Charlotte wasn't his daughter because she looked nothing like him. Claudette was offended, but Maxie was unapologetic. Claudette announced that she was done and started to leave, but Maxie warned Claudette that they were far from over. Nathan asked Maxie to stop, but Maxie refused to until Claudette stopped trying to pass Charlotte off as his daughter. Claudette feigned outrage and told Nathan that she refused to expose Charlotte to Maxie's inability to accept the truth.
After Claudette and Charlotte left, Maxie questioned when Nathan would wake up and realize that Claudette had been playing him. Nathan was disappointed that Maxie had called Claudette out in front of Charlotte, but Maxie insisted that it wouldn't have been necessary if Claudette hadn't lied and perpetrated a fraud. Maxie realized that Nathan already loved Charlotte, but she reminded him that they needed a paternity test to confirm Claudette's claim. Nathan admitted that the paternity test was not a priority, prompting Maxie to wonder if Nathan was desperate enough to be a father that he'd believe Claudette's lie.
Nathan pointed out that there was a chance that he was Charlotte's father and reminded Maxie that he'd already lost years with his daughter. He admitted that he'd never forgive himself if he lost Charlotte for good. Maxie understood how Nathan felt and promised that if Charlotte was his daughter, then it would be a blessing to be stepmother to a little girl who was a piece of Nathan. Nathan relaxed, but he worried how he'd smooth things over with Claudette. Maxie assured him that she had the solution.
In the park, Claudette and Charlotte sat on a bench. Claudette assured the little girl that she had missed her and hated when they were apart. However, Claudette promised that everything would be okay because Charlotte would get to know her father, and he would love his daughter as much as Claudette did. "And there's nothing she can do about it," Claudette added as she hugged Charlotte. After Charlotte scampered off to play, Claudette promised that she'd tell Charlotte one day what she'd done to keep the little girl safe. Claudette was confident that it had been worth it.
Moments later, Claudette's phone rang. It was Nathan. Claudette informed him that it wasn't a good time because their daughter was still upset about what had occurred at his apartment. Nathan asked her to hear him out and promised that she wouldn't regret it. A short time later, Claudette and Charlotte returned to the apartment. Nathan explained that Maxie had something to say, so Claudette gave Maxie her undivided attention. Maxie claimed that seeing Charlotte had hit her harder than she'd expected.
Maxie acknowledged that it had been completely wrong of her to react as she had and apologized to Claudette. Maxie loved Nathan and wanted to do what was best for her daughter. She promised that she looked forward to getting to know Charlotte and being her stepmom. Claudette sent Charlotte off to play then leaned close to Maxie to let Maxie know that she hadn't believed a word of what Maxie had said. Nathan seized the opportunity to drag Claudette into the hallway for a private word, while Maxie offered Charlotte some juice. Claudette objected to leaving her daughter behind, but Nathan ignored her and closed the door to let her know that all three adults had to work together to keep Charlotte safe.
Nathan reminded Claudette that she'd told him about their daughter for a reason. Claudette smiled, satisfied that she'd made the right decision. She praised his take-charge attitude, but Nathan led her back to the apartment and announced that he had to get back to the station. He promised to see Maxie for dinner and started to leave, but Claudette decided to gather up Charlotte and follow Nathan out the door. In the hallway, Claudette thanked him for persuading her to return because it had been the right thing to do. Claudette invited Charlotte to hug Nathan, so he kneeled down to wrap his arms around his daughter.
In the apartment, Maxie dropped a drink pouch into a plastic bag as she talked to someone at a facility about a paternity test. She assured the person that she had the sample ready for testing.
At Metro Court Restaurant, Alexis sipped on sparkling water as Sam walked up to meet her mother. They exchanged greetings, but the conversation quickly turned to Morgan's tragic death. Alexis asked how Jason had been holding up, so Sam admitted that on the outside, he seemed fine, but it was an act, because on the inside, he was falling apart. Sam explained that Jason had seen the explosion. Alexis felt awful for Jason, but she knew that Morgan had stolen Julian's car, which meant that the bomb had been intended for Julian.
Sam filled Alexis in about the hours leading to Morgan's death, but she acknowledged that it was unclear if Morgan had known it was Julian's car. The discussion turned to Sonny and his possible role in Morgan's horrific fate. Sam was curious how Alexis would have felt if Sonny had succeeded and Julian had been killed. Alexis was surprised by the question, but Sam admitted that she'd thought about it too. Sam insisted that Morgan hadn't deserved to die because he'd been young and had had his whole life ahead of him, but as angry as she was at her father, she didn't wish Julian dead. Alexis felt the same way.
Alexis clarified that she wanted Julian to live a long and miserable life with his suffering growing exponentially each passing day, but she couldn't help but think that it would have solved a lot of problems if Julian had died.
At Crimson, Julian stopped by to drop off the financial reports, but his eyes landed on the fruit basket. He realized that Nina intended to give it to Sonny, which he was certain Sonny would appreciate. However, Julian suspected that Sonny had expected people to drop off flowers and fruit baskets with Julian's family rather than Sonny's. "Lucky you, Julian," Nina said without a hint of sincerity. Julian insisted that he'd been lucky because Sonny had intended to kill him and had killed his own son instead. Julian added that it was a guilt that Sonny would have to live with the rest of his life.
Nina made it clear that she wasn't interested getting between a Corinthos and Jerome family squabble and entered her office. Julian followed her, but Scott arrived looking for Julian. Julian hustled Scott into the reception area as Curtis arrived to talk to Nina. Nina instructed Curtis to close the door and asked if he had news about getting her a baby. Curtis told her that he did but added that it would not happen. Curtis regretted that he'd failed her, but he thought it was for the best because they'd been talking about buying a baby from the black market.
Nina was disappointed, but she asked Curtis to turn over his research because she intended to take over. Curtis refused, since she was his friend, and what she proposed was illegal. Upset, Nina stormed out of the office.
In the reception area, Scott told Julian that Carly had been bluffing with the eviction and that he could keep her tied up in court for years. Julian was pleased, but Scott warned him that Julian had bigger problems because in Sonny's warped criminal mind, Julian was responsible for Morgan's death. Scott urged Julian to get out of town, but Julian refused. Scott wished Julian luck and started to leave, but he stopped to let Julian know that there might be a way to neutralize Sonny. Scott pointed out that Sonny couldn't cause trouble if he was locked up behind bars for planting the bomb in Julian's car.
After Scott left, Nina sailed past Julian with Curtis hot on her heels. Julian asked why Nina was upset, so Curtis explained that he'd turned down a job. Julian perked up because he had an opportunity for Curtis. Julian offered to pay Curtis to investigate the explosion and find out who had planted the bomb in the car. Curtis pointed out that Julian could leave it to the police, but Julian doubted that the police would work hard on the case. Curtis conceded that Julian had a point, but Curtis remained reluctant because he wanted a job with the police.
Julian assured Curtis that the police would hire Curtis without hesitation if he solved the case. Curtis realized that Julian had a point, so Julian sweetened the offer by promising to pay generously and top it off with a bonus. Curtis agreed to take the job and promised to get in touch with Julian when he had information.
A short time later, Curtis followed Nina into the office as she promised that she was fine. She assured him that she respected his position, but she needed time to figure out what she would do next. After Curtis left her office, he stopped to call T.J. and left a voicemail message asking T.J. to return his call because he wanted to talk about Morgan. Meanwhile, Nina was on the phone, discussing business, when she noticed that her basket of fruit was gone.
In the master bedroom at Greystone Manor, Carly thanked Michael for returning. Michael reminded his grief-stricken mother that they had to keep each other going. Carly agreed and admitted that she had wanted to let him know that she and Josslyn were returning to her house. Surprised, Michael promised to support her and wondered how long she intended to stay away. Carly insisted that she didn't have a choice, but Michael assured her that Sonny was grieving too. Carly's temper flared as she told Michael that Sonny should be in pain.
Michael begged Carly to make certain that it was the right thing to do, but Carly told him that if she'd done the right thing, then Morgan would still be alive. Carly explained that she had spent months -- since Kiki's shooting -- begging Sonny to stop the violence and retaliation. Carly admitted that she had resorted to threats and even had contemplated leaving Sonny, but Michael wondered what his father's response had been to everything that Carly had said. Carly became frustrated as she told him that Sonny had called her crazy and had accused her of not understanding.
Carly added that it didn't really matter what Sonny had said because it was his actions that mattered, and his actions had led to her son's death. Carly immediately regretted her outburst and apologized because she knew that Michael had worked hard to rebuild a relationship with Sonny and didn't want to throw it away. However, she reiterated that she couldn't remain in the house one more night and hoped that Michael would understand. Michael hugged his mother. Carly was grateful that she still had Michael and Josslyn, so Michael promised that the three of them would help each other.
In the living room, Sonny poured himself a drink as Kristina walked in and immediately ran into his arms to give him a hug. Kristina couldn't believe that her brother was gone because she had always thought that Morgan would be there for her forever. Josslyn was in tears as she stood at the bottom of the stairs and called out Kristina's name. Kristina quickly hugged Josslyn who revealed that she kept expecting to wake up and find out that it had all been a horrible dream because none of it felt real. Sonny appeared shattered as he listened to Josslyn and Kristina's exchange.
Josslyn was curious if the funeral was out of town. Confused, Sonny wondered why Josslyn would think that. Josslyn explained that Carly had told her to pack a bag. Alarmed, Kristina turned to her father for answers because she had her suspicions about Carly's intentions. Moments later, Carly and Michael entered the living room with bags in tow. Carly asked Josslyn to go to her room and wait for Carly to fetch her, but Josslyn wanted to know where they were going. Michael suggested that he and Kristina take Josslyn to the park to spend time with Avery and quickly hustled his siblings out the door.
Sonny asked if Carly had intended to leave him without saying a word. Carly explained that she had planned to get Josslyn settled in and return one last time to talk to Sonny. Sonny flinched at the finality in Carly's tone. He was stunned that she'd leave him when their son had just died, but she asked what other choice she had. Carly insisted that she should have done it a long time before, when she had first begged him not to let his need for revenge control him. Sonny argued that he'd called off the hit, but Carly screamed that he'd been too late because Morgan had been drinking and behind the wheel of the car when Sonny had had his epiphany.
Moments later, the doorbell rang. It was Nelle. Nelle entered the living room and immediately picked up on the tension. She offered her condolences and carefully explained that people at work wanted to know how they could help. Carly tearfully explained that she had no idea if she could even have a funeral for her son because Sonny and Carly's "beautiful, passionate, erratic, amazing son" had been blown to bits. Sonny rushed forward to comfort his wife, but Carly pulled away and angrily ordered him not to touch her. Carly insisted that there was nothing left to say and asked Nelle to get the bags and meet her at the car.
Nelle appeared concerned as she watched Sonny walk to the bar and pour himself a drink. She quickly picked up the bags and walked out.
In the park, Michael carried Avery as Kristina and Josslyn trailed behind. He apologized to Avery for taking her away from the sandbox, but he admitted that he and his sisters could use one of Avery's smiles. Avery giggled, and Kristina told Josslyn that siblings should always do their best to take care of each other. Michael asked Josslyn to take Avery to the swings, so Josslyn took the toddler and walked away. Kristina demanded to know what was going on between Carly and their father, but Michael advised Kristina to calm down. Kristina refused because she was furious that Carly would blame Sonny when it was Julian's fault that their brother was dead.
According to Kristina, Julian had tried to kill both Alexis and Sonny, and Sonny had tried to do what the courts had failed to accomplish. Michael ordered Kristina to lower her voice, but Kristina wanted people to stop blaming Sonny for Morgan's death. Josslyn stood near the clearing with Avery in her arms as she asked why people would blame Sonny for Morgan's death. Before Michael or Kristina could reply, Nelle arrived and offered to take Avery home because she thought Sonny could use the company. Michael agreed and thanked Nelle for helping out.
After Nelle and Avery left, Josslyn demanded answers. Kristina explained that Julian had gotten away with a lot of terrible things, and Sonny had been forced to retaliate, but Michael didn't like the direction of the conversation and told Kristina to stop. Josslyn asked to speak to her brother alone because she wanted to know if Sonny had planted the bomb in Julian's car. Kristina decided to check on Molly and left. Michael conceded that it was possible that Sonny had been responsible for the bomb in Julian's car.
Moments later, Carly entered the park. Josslyn ran to her mother's arms and cried that she knew what Sonny had done. Michael left his mother and sister alone to talk. Carly promised Josslyn that they would get through it together, but Josslyn disagreed because they wouldn't have Morgan. Josslyn finally understood why her father had always hated Sonny, and she regretted that she had thought being a mobster was cool. Josslyn admitted that Jax had been right about Sonny all along.
At Greystone Manor, Sonny smiled when Nelle arrived with Avery. However, he admitted that he'd sent Graciela home, and he wasn't in a good place to take care of his daughter. Nelle offered to look after Avery and took his daughter to the nursery for a nap. Moments later, Sonny answered the phone. His expression turned menacing as he authorized a visitor. Sonny walked to the door and opened it. Julian stood on the doorstep with a fruit basket.
