Patrick arrived home. He opened the door and saw Robin hanging stockings by the fireplace. Robin asked Patrick if was going to help with the decorating. Before he could respond, Mac entered with Emma, and Robin disappeared. Patrick sent Emma to put on her pajamas and said that they would finish decorating the tree after Emma was dressed for bed.
Patrick thanked Mac for taking care of Emma. Mac said he would do anything for either Emma or Patrick and noted that Patrick looked like he had just seen a ghost. Patrick said that he had. Patrick told Mac that he had just seen Robin. Patrick swore that he was not taking drugs and that it was the first time that he'd had a hallucination since he had gotten clean.
Patrick wondered if he was going crazy, Mac was very caring. He told Patrick that grief did crazy things to people and that just when a person thought that he had a handle on it, grief could blindside that person in another way. Mac shared that he had gone Christmas shopping for everyone in the family and that on his way back to the car, he had stopped short because he realized that he had not gotten a gift for Robin. Mac said that he had pulled out his phone and had been about to call to get a gift suggestion before it dawned on him that Robin was gone.
Mac told Patrick to cut himself some slack because it was Patrick and Emma's first Christmas without Robin. Patrick said that the previous Christmas with Robin was still as clear as day in his mind. Emma returned and wanted Mac to stay and help them decorate, but Mac said that he had to see Maxie in the hospital. When Emma worried, both Mac and Patrick quickly assured her that Maxie was not ill, but doing something incredibly generous and brave.
After the tree was trimmed, Emma asked if they could also hang a stocking for Robin, just in case Santa did not know that Robin's stocking was hanging in heaven and delivered Robin's presents to Emma and Patrick's home instead. Patrick was touched as he hugged Emma, and they hung Robin's stocking. After Emma was in bed, Patrick returned to the living room and looked at the stockings. The stocking with his name on it fell to the floor. When Patrick picked it up, he found a present addressed to him from Robin.
Sabrina and Felix journeyed to CoeCoe headquarters in New York City to meet with Lucy Coe about the Nurses Ball. Sabrina was nervous about meeting Lucy. Felix tried to calm her down as he told stories, which were seen in flashbacks, about Lucy the librarian and Lucy's red dress wedding. Sabrina became even more nervous when Felix admitted that he had embellished his relationship to Lucy, who he had never met, and that the reason that he knew so much about her was because he had read Lucy's biography.
Felix encouraged Sabrina to be strong, but as they were about to enter Lucy's office, senior VP Bree denied them entrance. Felix played his "top sales rep" card, but Bree told him she knew all the top producers, and Felix was not among them, and in fact, he was about to be replaced. Felix folded and was ready to leave, but Sabrina was made of stronger stuff.
Sabrina sat down and said that she would not leave until she was allowed to meet with Lucy because Lucy was the only one who could help them. Bree listened as Sabrina outlined the original purpose of the Nurses Ball and Lucy's unstinting contributions to it. Bree was touched and allowed Sabrina and Felix access to Lucy, who appeared delighted to meet them.
At General Hospital, Spinelli, dressed as Santa, kissed Ellie under the mistletoe. Ellie was delighted by the gesture, but said she had to go to her lab to prepare for the fertilization of Lulu's eggs by Dante's sperm. Spinelli went to the pediatrics ward to play Santa for the young patients.
After collecting his sperm, Dante and Lulu met up with Olivia and Maxie, who were waiting for them. When Maxie said that she had something to get off her chest, she recalled the conversation with Mac where Maxie had voiced her doubts about whether or not she was doing the right thing to act as a surrogate. Before Maxie could tell Lulu what was bothering her, Ellie interrupted and got the sperm container from Dante.
Olivia started crying about how happy she was for Dante and Lulu, and Maxie decided not to voice her misgivings. Instead, Maxie said that no matter what Olivia saw, she would not be carrying a talking dog. Dante responded that there would be no more visions from Olivia. Lulu rushed to assure Olivia that both she and Dante knew that Olivia did not control her visions.
Lulu left for her egg harvesting procedure, and Olivia went to the lab, but Maxie stayed with Dante, who thanked Maxie for making his and Lulu's dream a reality. Maxie guaranteed that the procedure would work and that there would be no dog babies. Lulu returned and said that the procedure had been successful and that her eggs were on the way to the lab. Both she and Dante were thrilled and full of optimism. Maxie was smiling as she looked on.
Olivia went to the lab and met Ellie in the hallway. Olivia demanded assurance from Ellie that there was no possibility of a mix-up in the lab. Ellie said that the hospital had closed all the loopholes in the chain of custody and that there would be no problems.
Olivia got hysterical when she saw what she thought was a vision of Spinelli holding the same puppy, Rocco, which she had seen in the vision Maxie had referred to. Olivia thought that she was hallucinating, but Spinelli was real and told her that Rocco had been helping him hand out presents in pediatrics. Spinelli said that he was on his way to return Rocco to his owners.
Olivia sounded crazed as she took the dog from Spinelli and told him that the dog was not going anywhere until she was sure that Dante's sperm had fertilized Lulu's eggs. Alone with the dog, Olivia told Rocco that she was not fooled by his cute puppy act, and she did not intend for him to interfere with the conception of her grandchild.
Mac caught up with Maxie at the hospital. He asked how she was doing. Maxie said that she'd had a moment of doubt but that her fears had been allayed. Mac asked what had changed. Lulu said that Dante had looked at Lulu as if Lulu were the only woman on the planet, and Maxie could not believe that anything could go wrong for two people who had that much love to give to a baby. She asked if Mac were disappointed in her. He told her that on the contrary, he was very proud of her.
Spinelli joined them and told Maxie that the fertilization was a go, and with any luck, Maxie would soon be with child. Maxie glowed. Dante took Lulu to the lab, where they peered through the window. They were overjoyed as they watched Ellie take the steps that would result in their baby.
At the clinic in Switzerland, Robert and Anna overpowered Dr. Obrecht and forced their way into a room where they found the real Duke shackled to a bed. Duke was overjoyed to see them. He called Anna his hero and kissed her hand. He urged them to free him so that they could flee Faison. Anna said that Faison was in custody. Robert plucked at Duke's face and was relieved to find that it was real.
Duke said that Robert could do any test he wanted to, but he urged them to move quickly because Dr. Obrecht was one of Faison's minions and would do anything that Faison asked of her. Robert left to pursue Dr. Obrecht. Duke told Anna how Faison had made Duke relive every memory. Anna complimented Duke on the little inconsistencies that he had thrown in. She said that it had been those little inconsistencies that had eventually led Robert to figure out Faison was masquerading as Duke.
Duke said that he had realized that a false memory had ruined Faison's plan because Faison had been very angry with Duke a few weeks before. Duke said that he had thought that Anna had been the one to discover Faison's plot. After thinking about it, Duke concluded that only Robin knew him well enough to have foiled Faison's plan. Anna told Duke about Robin's death and about the tip that she had gotten from Heather Webber that had eventually led her to the very clinic where Faison had been holding Duke.
At the time, Anna had concluded that Heather had been playing mind games. However, in light of this new information, Anna wondered if Robin might also be alive. Duke said that anything was possible and that if Robin were alive, he and Anna would find her.
Dr. Obrecht escaped to Robin's room, but instead of freeing Robin, Dr. Obrecht said that she had to eliminate Robin before Robin's parents found her. Robin begged to go back to her daughter, but Dr. Obrecht feared what Faison would do to her if she did not follow his instructions. Robin realized that Robert and Anna were in the clinic and started screaming for them. Dr. Obrecht stuck a gag in Robin's mouth, but not before Robert heard Robins screams.
Robert rushed into the room and pushed Dr. Obrecht away from Robin. He removed the gag and the leg restraints, but Dr. Obrecht rushed at Robert with a syringe before he could free Robin's hands. Robert struggled with the doctor who managed to plunge the syringe into Robert's chest. As Robert sank to the floor, Robin demanded to know what the syringe had contained. Minutes later, Anna and Duke entered the room. Anna cried out, "Oh, my God!"
Outside of the hospital's lab, Ellie wondered how Lulu was doing. Maxie assured her that Lulu was fine, so Spinelli admitted that Maxie had hoped to see the embryos. Ellie explained that the lab needed to remain a sterile environment, so she couldn't let Maxie inside. However, Ellie promised that she had inseminated Lulu's eggs with Dante's sperm, so the embryos were incubating. Spinelli praised Ellie, which appeared to annoy Maxie because she stomped off. Spinelli decided to check on Maxie, so Ellie returned to the lab.
In the hallway, Spinelli called out to Maxie. Maxie stopped and explained that being near the lab had been unsettling because it was a reminder of what had happened to Robin. Spinelli imagined that it was worse around the holidays, so Maxie admitted that she couldn't stop thinking about the family that she had lost. Spinelli wondered if perhaps Maxie was worried about the family that she was about to create. Maxie reminded him that the baby wouldn't be hers, but Spinelli argued that carrying the baby for nine months would bond Maxie and the baby in a special way.
Maxie admitted that she was freaking out because a part of her wondered if she had agreed to be the surrogate for the wrong reasons. "What could be the wrong reason?" Spinelli asked. "You," Maxie quietly replied. She confessed that she feared that she might be using the surrogacy to forget that she loved Spinelli, but he didn't love her back. Meanwhile, Ellie had rounded the corner, but then quickly stepped out of sight to listen when she saw Spinelli and Maxie.
Maxie was curious if Spinelli had picked Ellie because he had been in a relationship with Ellie or because he hadn't loved Maxie. Spinelli conceded that he had hardly been able to contain his joy when Maxie had revealed her feelings to him. He had been tempted to scream that he chose Maxie over Ellie, but he had refrained. Ellie's eyes filled with tears as she silently ran off. Meanwhile, Spinelli explained that he hadn't been able to continue to wait for Maxie, so he had moved on and had met Ellie.
Spinelli appreciated that Ellie was open with her feelings. He admitted that he saw a future with Ellie, but a part of him would always love Maxie. Spinelli confessed that he would have taken Maxie back if he hadn't met Ellie. He insisted that she didn't need to be a surrogate to feel important because she was a wonderful person. Maxie was touched and confessed that their talk had made her realize that the surrogacy was the right thing to do.
After Maxie left, Spinelli returned to the lab to talk to Ellie. Ellie wiped away her tears and told him that he didn't have to spell things out for her. Spinelli appeared baffled as he watched Ellie walk away.
At CoeCoe Cosmetics, Sabrina and Felix met infamous Lucy Coe. Lucy assumed the young couple was there because they were top-selling sales representatives, known as "Golden Ducks," so she invited them to call her Lucy. Sabrina revealed that they lived in Port Charles and had sought Lucy out because they needed Lucy's help with the Nurses Ball. Lucy smiled as she confessed that she had fond memories of the annual event. Sabrina admitted that she had heard that Lucy had been a driving force behind the ball, so Sabrina had hoped that Lucy would agree to underwrite the event.
Lucy confessed that she was strapped for cash, so she suggested that Sabrina and Felix approach people like the Quartermaines, Todd Manning, and even Sonny Corinthos. Sabrina revealed that, for various reasons, none of the people that Lucy had mentioned could help. Sabrina and Felix pointed out that Lucy had a successful cosmetics empire, so they couldn't understand why Lucy couldn't help. Sabrina insisted that it was more important than ever to host the Nurses Ball because Robin had died the past spring. Lucy had known Robin and had heard about the tragedy. Sabrina revealed that Robin's brilliant neurosurgeon husband was committed to keeping Robin's legacy alive to ensure that Robin's life had stood for something.
Sabrina decided to call Patrick so that Lucy could talk to him, but Patrick's voicemail picked up. Lucy explained that it wouldn't help to talk to Patrick because her assets had been frozen. Sabrina and Felix were shocked, so Lucy confided that she had been accused of setting up a pyramid scheme. Lucy assured them that the charges were false, but she wouldn't have access to her money in time to help with the Nurses Ball. Sabrina and Felix were disappointed, but Sabrina decided to leave her phone number with Lucy in case something changed. "Red velvet cupcake," Lucy said as she studied Sabrina's coloring.
Felix grinned because he had recommended the same shade of lipstick to Sabrina. Sabrina smiled and handed the slip of paper to Lucy. Later, Lucy thought about the past Nurses Balls that she had emceed. Afterwards, she picked up the piece of paper with Sabrina's phone number scribbled on it.
At the Drake residence, Patrick looked at the DVD that had a note from Robin attached, instructing him to watch it alone. Patrick slid the DVD into the player and then sat down to watch. Robin appeared on the television screen with the previous year's Christmas tree in the background. Patrick's eyes filled with tears as she explained that he had just left the room to put Emma to bed and that they'd just enjoyed a wonderful Christmas Eve together as a family. Robin reminded him of how she had cried when he had given her the deed to the land where they had planned to build their dream home. He had assumed that they had been tears of joy, but in truth, she had cried because she had realized that she would never see their home built nor have the opportunity to have more children with Patrick.
Robin confessed that her HIV status had deteriorated, so she only had a short time to live. Patrick wept as he watched his wife talk about how she had been reluctant to ruin their Christmas by revealing that her drug protocols weren't working. Robin had wanted to have one last happy Christmas as a family, so she had kept quiet about her condition. She confided that she intended to hide the DVD, so that Patrick wouldn't find it until 2012.
Robin anticipated that Patrick would be sad and having difficulty moving on without her, so she implored him not to cut himself off from the possibility of finding love again. She explained that she wanted their daughter to grow up in a happy home, so Patrick needed to open his heart. Patrick wiped away tears, unaware that his cell phone was vibrating as Sabrina called. Meanwhile, Robin's message continued as she revealed that she had picked someone out to replace her.
"Liz," Robin said. Robin explained that Liz would be perfect because Patrick and Liz were already friends, and she would make a wonderful mother to Emma. However, Robin realized that women were probably lined up for Patrick, so she assured him that she didn't mind if he picked someone else, but she threatened to haunt him if he picked the wrong woman.
At the hospital, Britt thanked Liz for helping with a patient, so she invited Liz out for a drink as a show of appreciation. Liz was surprised because she and Britt had never socialized before. Britt recalled a couple of times when they had talked, but confessed that her night was free because Patrick had blown her off. Liz decided to take a rain check because she had picked up the newly released DVD of Christina Comes Home for Christmas, which she planned to watch with Cameron and Aiden.
Britt confessed that she had never liked the old black-and-white movie and then complained that it was always on television. Liz admitted that it was a tradition to watch it in her household, so she had wanted to surprise her boys with the DVD. At the mention of children, Britt pounced on the opportunity to reveal that she had offered to help Patrick and Emma decorate the Christmas tree, but Patrick hadn't called her. Britt was certain that Patrick was strongly attracted to her, so she couldn't understand why he had suddenly pulled back. Liz pointed out that perhaps Patrick had simply wanted to decorate the tree with his daughter.
Britt questioned Liz about the sudden cold shoulder. Britt suspected that it was because Sabrina had talked about her. Liz suggested that they not act like they were in high school, but Britt believed that she was entitled to full disclosure, since she was certain that Sabrina had a crush on Patrick. Britt wanted to know what Sabrina had said, but Liz refused to betray Sabrina. However, Liz reminded Britt that Liz and Sabrina worked together on the Nurses Ball committee. Britt was curious if Liz found it odd that Sabrina had decided to make the Nurses Ball her pet project.
Liz had no idea what Britt was talking about, so Britt accused Sabrina of using the Nurses Ball to make a move on Patrick. "It's nothing but 'Robin, Robin, Robin'," Britt complained. Liz admitted hat Sabrina would be better for Patrick than Britt could ever hope to be. Britt was certain that Liz was joking, but Liz made it clear that she was very serious. Liz accused Britt of intentionally showing Sabrina the hotel room key, so that Sabrina would know about Britt's hook-up with Patrick. Britt insisted that she wasn't ashamed of her love life, like "some people."
Liz called Britt out for attacking people where they were most vulnerable. Britt was unapologetic, so Liz warned Britt that everyone saw how Britt treated Sabrina like dirt when Patrick wasn't around. Liz was confident that Patrick would eventually see Britt for who she really was because Britt was transparent. Britt bragged that Patrick enjoyed her company more every day. "But he didn't call you tonight, did he?" Liz asked. Liz insisted that Sabrina, unlike Britt, understood that Patrick was grieving.
Liz was certain that Patrick would rather be with someone genuine like Sabrina rather than a spiteful person like Britt. Moments later, Britt's phone rang. Britt smiled smugly as she greeted Patrick. Patrick apologized for not calling her earlier, but he invited her over for a drink. Britt quickly agreed to meet him and ended the call. "I'm sorry, you were saying?" Britt asked with a smirk.
Later, Britt arrived at Patrick's house. Patrick explained that her offer to help him and Emma decorate the tree had reminded him of everything that he had lost when Robin had died. Britt assured him that she understood and then surprised him with eggnog and bourbon. She then asked where Emma was because she had picked up Christina Comes Home for Christmas for them to watch. Patrick admitted that it was one of his favorite movies and then asked her how she had managed to get her hands on a copy because every place that he had tried had been sold out of the DVD.
Patrick insisted that they watch it right away. He gently removed Robin's DVD from the player and then inserted the movie. Later, Britt handed Patrick a tissue, so that he could wipe away a tear during a touching part of the movie and then cuddled up next to him.
At the hospital, Liz dug through her bag, looking for something. One of her coworkers asked her if everything was okay, so Liz revealed that she had picked up a Christina Comes Home for Christmas DVD and a game for Cameron, but the DVD was gone.
Later, Liz spotted Sabrina, so she asked Sabrina about the trip. "Two words: epic fail," Sabrina answered. Sabrina explained that Lucy had been their last hope, so Sabrina decided to go to Patrick's house to tell him that the Nurses Ball would not happen in 2013. Liz advised Sabrina to wait, but Sabrina remained determined. Liz gently explained that Patrick had company.
At the clinic in Switzerland, Anna was horrified when she saw Robert on the ground with a large syringe sticking out of his chest. Robert's eyes were open, but he was unresponsive. Duke fetched a pillow to place under Robert's head as Anna begged Robert not to die. Robert fought his way to consciousness to repeatedly mumble, "Find her." Duke dashed out to find a doctor, while Anna stayed with Robert and pleaded with him to keep fighting.
A short time later, Duke returned with a doctor in tow. The doctor quickly examined Robert, but didn't know what to do to help him. The doctor decided to fetch Dr. Obrecht, since it was her wing, but Anna explained that Dr. Obrecht had hurt Robert. Meanwhile, Duke discovered a vial with a label that indicated that it had contained profonol. The doctor warned Anna that there was nothing that he could do to help Robert, but Anna implored the doctor to help.
The doctor decided that he could try one thing, so he ran out to fetch what he needed. Later, Robert appeared to be resting as Anna, Duke, and the doctor stood next to the bed. The doctor explained that there weren't any guarantees, so all they could do was wait. Duke insisted that Robert was too stubborn to die, so he was confident that Robert would recover. Anna hoped that Duke was right, especially since Robert appeared to have been trying to tell her something.
At an undisclosed location, Robin struggled against the ropes that bound her tightly to a chair. Dr. Obrecht ordered Robin to be quiet. Moments later, someone entered the cabin. Robin glared at the person as Dr. Obrecht explained that Faison had been captured. Jerry Jacks smiled charmingly as he dismissed the doctor. After Dr. Obrecht left, Jerry knelt down in front of Robin as he tried to figure out what he was going to do with her.
At Kelly's, Molly was eager to know if Alexis had filed court papers to sue Connie for stealing Molly's manuscript, Love in Maine. Alexis dropped the manuscript on the table, as she demanded to know if Molly had written the sexually explicit novel titled Lust in Maine. Alexis revealed that she had picked up a copy of the manuscript from the publisher to read what her daughter had written. Alexis had been horrified when she had discovered that the book had been "riddled with sex," each scene more graphic than the last. Molly insisted that her book was a romance. T.J. was curious what the small tabs along the edges of each page were, so Alexis explained that they were "hot spots" that represented sex scenes in the book.
Shocked, Molly assured her mother that her lead characters didn't kiss until the thirteenth chapter. T.J. confirmed what Molly had said because he had read the manuscript. Molly and T.J. realized that Connie had been responsible for the changes to the manuscript, so Alexis decided to have a chat with Connie and Todd.
Connie entered Todd's office and announced that they had a big problem. Connie revealed that Johnny had had an attack of conscience and had decided to confess to killing "those people." Todd didn't appreciate Connie's lack of respect by referring to his granddaughter and Hope's father as "those people," but he wasn't concerned about Johnny confessing because Todd and Johnny had recently discussed the ramifications. Connie warned Todd that Johnny had had a change of heart, so they needed to figure out a way to stop Johnny. Todd claimed that he was willing to take his chances, but Connie didn't believe him because she was certain that Johnny had been holding something big over Todd's head, in order to force Todd to hire her.
Todd tried to laugh it off, but Connie realized that she was onto something. She suspected that Johnny had proof that Todd had been involved in the baby switch. Todd denied it, but Connie didn't believe him. "Oh, my God. You really switched the babies, didn't you?" Connie asked when Todd stopped defending himself. "What?" Alexis asked from the doorway.
Todd tried to distract Alexis by asking her what she was doing in his office, but Alexis demanded an answer to Connie's question. Todd insisted that there wasn't a shred of proof that he had switched the babies, but Alexis reminded him that the burden of proof was different in a civil court versus a criminal court. Todd claimed that he and Connie had just been playing around, so Connie wisely backed him up. Alexis decided to get to the point of her visit by warning Connie and Todd that she intended to stop them from publishing Molly's book.
Todd denied that he had known that it was Molly's manuscript, but Alexis argued that Molly had trusted him to keep the novel safe and out of Connie's clutches. Connie was curious if Alexis had any proof that Molly had written the book. Alexis vowed to get it, but decided to give them the opportunity to work things out peacefully. Alexis expected things to get very messy if they went to court, if there had been any kernel of truth to what she had overheard from the doorway.
After Alexis left, Todd chastised Connie for stealing Molly's manuscript, but Connie pointed out that Todd wasn't in a position to judge. However, she suggested that they could let Alexis decide which of them had wronged one of Alexis' daughters more. Todd conceded that Connie had a point, so he agreed to help her deal with Johnny.
At the Zacchara penthouse, Johnny recalled ranting to Connie about how tired he was with her constant blackmail. He decided that the only way out was to confess to his crimes, so that Connie no longer had leverage over him. Johnny snapped to the present when Diane knocked on the door. Diane assumed that he had called her because Connie was in trouble again, so she reminded him that attorney/client privilege extended to him because he paid the bills.
Johnny explained that he had called Diane so that she could work out a deal for him to turn himself over to the police. Diane was curious what Johnny had done, so he told her that he had been responsible for shooting out Anthony's tires, which had led to the deaths of Starr's daughter and fiancé. Diane advised Johnny to think things through carefully because confessing to shooting out Anthony's tires would make Johnny a prime suspect in Anthony's murder. Diane reminded him that Heather had only been charged with burying Anthony's body, not Anthony's murder.
Diane explained that Hope and Cole's deaths were felonies because Johnny had been in a commission of a crime when he had inadvertently caused the crash. Johnny insisted that he couldn't keep living under Connie's thumb and lying to everyone he cared about. Diane conceded that it probably wasn't easy, but she assured him that life in Pentonville would be worse. She suggested that he have a chat with Michael about what it was like to go to the prison, but Johnny was determined to get Connie off of his back.
Diane explained that the crux of the problem was that Johnny wanted to be free of Connie, but he wasn't willing to face the legal consequences of murdering three people. Johnny reminded Diane that she had managed to get A.J. out of trouble and that she had successfully defended Sonny and Jason on numerous occasions. Diane revealed that A.J. had been able to provide the police with critical information about someone on the FBI's Most Wanted list that had aided in the man's capture. Diane was curious if Johnny had similar information about someone that the authorities were more interested in than Johnny.
Johnny revealed that he had incriminating evidence against Todd Manning, so Diane admitted that she couldn't act on that information because Todd was her client too. Diane insisted that it would be a conflict of interest to defend one client by convicting another. Johnny offered to pay Diane more than what Todd paid her, but Diane refused. She asked Johnny to give her some time to figure things out, but Johnny was determined that Starr and Carly would hear the truth directly from him.
Diane doubted that Starr and Carly would understand or forgive him for what he had done, so she threatened to drop him as a client if he confessed to anyone. Shortly after Diane left, Todd and Connie entered the apartment. They called out to Johnny, but he wasn't there.
At the apartment, Michael asked Starr to stop cooking breakfast because he was afraid that he might get used to it. Starr smiled and invited him to have a seat, but Michael had to leave to meet with A.J. about ELQ. Starr's smile faded as she confessed that she had something important to discuss with Michael before he saw A.J. Starr apologized for not discussing it with him sooner and then told him about her theory that A.J. had set Sonny up at the gym to tarnish him in Michael's eyes.
Michael refused to believe that A.J. would do such a thing, but Starr insisted that all the pieces fit. She told him about what she had discovered when she had returned to fetch A.J.'s jacket. Michael argued that even if A.J. had goaded Sonny, it didn't justify what Sonny had done. Starr agreed, but she was certain that A.J. had intended to drive a wedge between Michael and Sonny. Michael resented the suggestion that A.J. would deliberately sabotage Michael's relationship with Sonny.
Starr quickly clarified that she wasn't trying to choose sides, but she felt that she owed it to Michael to tell him what she suspected because they had promised to always be honest with each other. Michael appreciated Starr's concern, but he suggested that her own experience with Todd might have jaded her. Starr urged Michael to keep an open mind because Sonny and A.J. were not above using sketchy tactics when they felt cornered. Michael wondered if Starr had talked to Sonny because she sounded a lot like him.
Starr revealed that Connie had been at the gym when Starr had arrived. Michael hated all of the fighting between his parents, especially on the first anniversary of Abby's death. Starr felt terrible for Michael and apologized for upsetting him. Michael admitted that he missed Abby because she had gotten him through some very difficult times, but he was happy that he had found Starr, especially after losing Jason.
After Michael left, Starr looked at a picture of her, Hope, and Cole that had been taken just prior to their arrival in Port Charles. Starr confessed that the pain of losing loved ones became easier as time passed, but she would never stop missing Hope and Cole. Starr tearfully kissed the picture. Moments later, someone knocked on the door. It was Johnny.
At the Quartermaine mansion, A.J. reviewed his list of top shareholders, and who they would each side with. He realized that he needed Sam's shares on his side. Moments later, Sonny and Shawn entered the parlor. A.J. demanded to know who had let them in, so Sonny revealed that it had been Tracy. Shawn showed A.J. the text message from Michael on Sonny's phone as Sonny accused A.J. of deliberately goading Sonny in the boxing ring, so that Michael would walk in on Sonny beating A.J. up. A.J. couldn't believe that Sonny had the audacity to suggest that A.J. was responsible for Sonny not being able to control himself.
Sonny insisted that he despised A.J. on a good day, but that A.J. had made certain to push Sonny to violence for Michael to see. A.J. was curious if Sonny expected him to say "I'm sorry that you can't control your emotions." Sonny snarled that A.J. had gotten what he had deserved, but Michael hadn't. Sonny warned A.J. not to use Michael as a weapon by hurting Michael to get to Sonny. A.J. denied that he would ever hurt his son, but Sonny didn't believe A.J.
Sonny demanded that A.J. admit that he had goaded Sonny to set Sonny up. "So what if I did?" A.J. asked. Sonny and Shawn smiled with satisfaction because it had sounded like a confession to them. A.J. acknowledged that he had said some harsh things in the ring that had needed to be said, but what had happened after that had been entirely on Sonny. A.J. admitted that Sonny was predictable because Sonny always exploded into violence whenever Sonny was hit with some hard truths, which was exactly what Michael had seen.
A.J. resented Sonny barging into A.J.'s home to blame A.J. for Sonny's loss of temper and to then accuse A.J. of being a coward. A.J. pointed out that Sonny hadn't even had the "guts" to face A.J. without a henchman. Sonny quickly dismissed Shawn, prompting A.J. to wonder if Sonny intended to shoot him. Sonny argued that it was A.J.'s style to shoot people in the mansion as he reminded A.J. of Alan's shooting and A.J.'s attempt to kill Jason in front of Michael. Sonny was confident that A.J. would self-destruct, so all Sonny had to do was sit back and wait for it to happen.
Later, A.J.'s eyes strayed to the crystal decanters of alcohol on a serving cart as Sonny's accusations and insults replayed in his head. A.J. started to reach for a decanter of amber liquid, but then opted for some water. Moments later, Michael entered. A.J. warmly greeted him, but Michael wanted to know if A.J. had set Sonny up at the gym.
At Kelly's, T.J. checked out Connie's edits. Molly was disgusted by the changes that Connie had made to the manuscript because the story had been about romance not sex. T.J. conceded that Connie knew how to write a hot sex scene, even though stealing Molly's manuscript had been wrong. Stunned, Molly wanted T.J. to show her an example of what Connie had written that he had liked. T.J. found a passage and instructed Molly to read it.
"With her final piercing cry reverberating through the boat, Hank slowed down his pace, drawing out the pleasure," Molly read. Molly's brow furrowed because she had no idea what any of it had meant. T.J. leaned towards her as he flirtatiously offered to show her sometime, but then Shawn suddenly appeared. Molly and T.J. sat up straight when Shawn asked them what they were doing. Molly revealed that they had been reading the changes that Connie had made to Molly's manuscript without Molly's permission.
Moments later, Alexis arrived. Molly was curious how everything had gone with Todd and Connie. Alexis admitted that Todd and Connie had denied everything, but Alexis was confident that she would make Todd and Connie pay for stealing Molly's book.
At the Zacchara penthouse, Todd was annoyed that Connie didn't know where her husband was. Connie feared that Johnny had decided to unburden his soul, so she wanted to go the police station to stop him. Todd ordered Connie to wait and then called his "guy" at the police station. The man quickly assured Todd that Johnny hadn't been there in the last twenty-four hours. "Thanks Jonesy, you're the best," Todd said as he ended the call. Connie relaxed, certain that Johnny didn't have the "cojones" to confess to Starr.
Todd didn't understand why Connie was concerned about Johnny confessing because it would absolve her of shooting out Anthony's tires. Connie explained that Johnny wouldn't hesitate to have her institutionalized and that the hole in Kate's memory about that fateful night was the only thing that kept Connie around. Todd decided to call Carly and Starr to find out if either of them had seen Johnny.
Carly made it clear that she didn't have any reason to talk to Johnny, so Todd called his daughter.
Meanwhile, at the apartment, Starr sensed that something was troubling Johnny. Johnny noticed the picture of Starr, Cole, and Hope, which Starr had been looking at prior to his arrival. Starr confessed that she was glad that they had talked because she understood that Connie had blackmailed him into marriage. Johnny insisted that Starr needed to know what Connie was holding over his head. Starr suspected that it had to do with Anthony's murder, so Johnny admitted that he had killed his grandfather.
Starr assured Johnny that she didn't think less of him because of it. Starr reminded him that Anthony had been a horrible person who had refused to help Starr rescue her family as they teetered on the edge of a cliff. Johnny explained that there had been more to the story. "Johnny, did you kill someone else?" Starr asked nervously. Johnny confessed that he couldn't begin to tell her how much he regretted what he had done.
Starr wanted to know who Johnny had killed. Johnny struggled to find the words to tell her that he had been responsible for Hope and Cole's deaths, but Starr's phone rang before he could utter a sound. Starr intended to ignore the call until she noticed that it was her father. Johnny asked her not to answer the call, but Starr explained that she had to. Starr told Todd that she would call him back because she was in the middle of something with Johnny, which sent Todd into a panic.
Todd pretended to have a heart attack. Horrified, Starr ordered him to take an aspirin and then offered to call an ambulance. Todd told her that he would make the call, but he implored her to meet him at his office. Starr ended the call, explained that she had an emergency, and then dashed out the door. Frustrated, Johnny followed her out of the apartment.
At the penthouse, Connie wasn't impressed with Todd's antics. Todd assured her that the ruse had worked because it was clear that Johnny hadn't confessed to Starr, since his daughter hadn't sounded as if her world had been torn apart. However, Todd warned Connie that things weren't working with Johnny, so they needed to find a permanent way to stop Johnny from confessing. Connie wondered what he meant. "I think you know what I mean," Todd replied.
Connie pointed out that Starr was on her way to Manning Enterprises, so Todd ran out the door, while Connie gave their problem some thought. Later, Johnny arrived home and called out to Connie. He was relieved when she didn't reply. He grabbed a bottle of booze, unaware that Connie lurked at the top of the staircase, spying on him.
Starr raced into her father's office, calling out to him. Seconds later, Todd arrived, but he stopped short in the reception area when he heard Starr in his office. He quickly dropped to the ground and faked a heart attack. Starr heard him and ran to his side. Frustrated that the ambulance wasn't there yet, Starr started to try to help him. Todd was ticklish, so he burst out laughing. Starr was livid when she realized what her father had done, so she demanded to know what was going on.
Carly entered Kelly's, but stopped when she recalled her last encounter with Johnny in the diner, when he had revealed that he had never told her the real reason why he had married Connie. Carly returned to the present when Sonny entered the diner, grumbling about A.J. Carly was furious when Sonny told her that A.J. had deliberately provoked him so that Michael would witness Sonny attacking A.J. Carly was curious how Michael had handled it. "Not well," Sonny replied.
Sonny didn't regret hurting A.J., but he hated that he had played into A.J.'s hands. Carly wanted to track A.J. down to have a talk with him, but Sonny stopped her. Sonny assured her that A.J. would eventually revert to old patterns and drive Michael away without Carly or Sonny's help. Carly hated that Michael believed A.J.'s lies, but Sonny insisted that they needed to respect Michael's wishes by letting Michael make his own choices. Moments later, Todd called Carly to find out if she had seen or talked to Johnny. "Why the hell would I?" Carly asked.
Todd claimed that he had been worried that Johnny would try to approach her again. Carly thanked him for his concern and then ended the call. Sonny was curious what was going on with Todd, but Carly didn't know. However, she worried that she and Sonny were underestimating A.J. Sonny assured her that he had faith in their son. Carly softened as she assured Sonny that Michael was Sonny's son in every way that mattered. Sonny credited Jason with helping to mold the man that Michael had become.
Moments later, Sonny announced that he had to get to the hospital because Dante and Lulu were taking the next step in having a baby via surrogacy.
At the hospital, Maxie called out to Spinelli when she saw him at the nurses' station. She assumed that he was there to see Ellie, so he explained that he had stopped by to check on Maxie because he knew it was the big day for the embryo implantation. Moments later, Mac walked up to let her know that it was time for the appointment. "Say goodbye to my vacant uterus," Maxie joked as she followed Mac down the hall.
In the conference room, Lulu and Dante were anxiously awaiting Maxie's arrival. Maxie was curious why they had asked to see her before the procedure. As if on cue, Alexis entered and apologized for being late. Maxie was stunned when Lulu and Dante explained that they wanted Maxie to sign some legal documents. Maxie feared that Lulu and Dante didn't trust her, but Dante pointed out that they wouldn't have asked Maxie to carry their child if they didn't trust her.
Dante assured Maxie that the legal papers were just for everyone's protection including Maxie. Maxie wondered what she needed protecting from, so Dante explained that she wouldn't be legally obligated to take care of the child if something were to happen to Lulu and Dante. Alexis suggested that Maxie view it as a prenuptial agreement. Maxie relaxed and signed the documents.
In the hallway, Alexis asked how Mac was holding up. Mac admitted that he feared that Maxie would wake up in five months and regret what she had done. Alexis doubted it because Maxie had grown into a remarkable young woman that Mac should be proud of. Mac assured her that he was, but Maxie never ceased to surprise him.
Elsewhere, Spinelli caught up to Ellie, but she insisted that she was working and in a rush, so she didn't have time for him. They passed Olivia, who stopped Ellie to ask if the Petri dish in Ellie's hand contained Olivia's grandbabies. Olivia was delighted when Ellie confirmed that they were Lulu and Dante's embryos. After Ellie left, Olivia noted that Ellie had seemed eager to leave. Spinelli was certain that he was to blame.
A short time later, Olivia spotted Lulu and Dante kissing in the hallway. Dante warned his mother not to say anything about puppies. Olivia promised that her visions were the furthest things from her thoughts, so Lulu suggested that they stay positive. Maxie, who had changed into a hospital gown and was in a wheelchair, joined them. Lulu wondered if Maxie was ready for the procedure, so Maxie assured her that she was.
Lulu and Dante promised to be with Maxie every step of the way. Mac handed Maxie the phone so that Maxie could talk to Felicia. Felicia wished her daughter well, so the nurse suggested that they get going. "Where's Spinelli?" Maxie whispered to Mac, but Mac didn't have an answer. Maxie tried to hide her disappointment behind a bright smile as she was wheeled away.
Olivia and Mac were waiting for word about the procedure when Sonny arrived. Mac wasn't pleased to see Sonny, but Olivia reminded them that they needed to focus on Maxie, Lulu, and Dante. Later, Lulu and Dante told Olivia and Sonny that everything had gone well and that Mac was with Maxie. Dante was certain that it wouldn't take long for them to confirm that the procedure had worked.
Later, Spinelli called out to Ellie as she left Kelly's. She asked him if he had followed her, so Spinelli admitted that he had. Spinelli wanted to know why she had been avoiding him, so Ellie explained that she didn't want to be with a man who wanted to be with someone else. Spinelli appeared perplexed, so Ellie confessed that she had overheard Spinelli admit that he had been thrilled when Maxie had declared her love for him. Spinelli didn't deny it, but he regretted that Ellie hadn't stuck around long enough to hear the rest of what he had told Maxie. Ellie was stunned when Spinelli revealed that he had told Maxie that he could picture a future with Ellie.
Ellie asked if he was truly over Maxie. Spinelli recalled confessing to Maxie that he would have accepted her declaration of love and had fallen into her arms if he hadn't been with Ellie. He looked down at Ellie as he assured her that she was the one that he wanted to be with. Ellie beamed with joy, so Spinelli asked her to be his date on Christmas Eve. Ellie happily accepted and admitted that she would gladly spend every other holiday with him.
Spinelli and Ellie kissed until the alarm on Spinelli's watch beeped. Ellie realized that it had been timed for Maxie's procedure, so she invited him to call and check on Maxie. Spinelli insisted that it wasn't necessary.
Inside the diner, Carly carefully avoided Alexis at the counter, but Alexis decided to follow Carly to the table to see how Carly was holding up. Carly confessed that, other than fearing that A.J. would take Michael away from her, she was fine. Alexis pointed out that Michael knew that Carly and Sonny were his parents and assured Carly that Carly was a good mother. Carly was surprised by the praise because she knew that Alexis hated her. Alexis suggested that hate might be too strong of a word and then left.
Moments later, Johnny called Carly to implore her to meet him at the penthouse because he had something important to tell her. Carly would only agree to think about it and then ended the call. At the penthouse, Connie managed to sneak up behind Johnny and bash him over the head with a bottle. Johnny immediately crumbled to the ground, unconscious.
At the Quartermaine mansion, Michael demanded to know if A.J. had set Sonny up at the gym. A.J. tried to evade the question, but Michael wanted a straight answer. A.J. thought about Sonny's accusations about A.J. not having learned anything over the years and it only being a matter of time before A.J. self-destructed. A.J. recalled how smug Sonny had been when Sonny had bragged that he wouldn't have to do anything to make it happen. A.J. returned to the present and admitted that he had set Sonny up at the gym.
Michael was furious and accused A.J. of being everything that everyone had warned him about. Michael felt humiliated because he had been stupid enough to want to get to know A.J. Michael started to leave, but A.J. called out to him. A.J. begged Michael to hear him out because nothing was black or white. Michael reluctantly gave A.J. five minutes.
A.J. pointed out that he could have denied setting Sonny up, but that wasn't the kind of man that A.J. wanted to be. A.J. conceded that he had fallen back into old patterns, but he assured Michael that the incident hadn't been planned. A.J. insisted that he had gone to the gym to make peace with Sonny, but A.J. had gotten scared that he might lose Michael. A.J. realized that he didn't really have Michael, but they had managed to forge more of a relationship than they'd ever had. A.J. had become desperate at the thought of that slipping away.
A.J. explained that it had been torture, knowing that Sonny and Carly had raised Michael to believe that A.J. was the devil. Michael argued that A.J. had never done anything to prove Sonny and Carly wrong. A.J. agreed that he had done some reprehensible things, but he pointed out that Sonny had too. Michael assured A.J. that he knew that Sonny wasn't perfect. A.J. insisted that was his point; Michael had been raised to love and respect Sonny, but at the same time, Sonny and Carly had groomed Michael to hate A.J. A.J. pointed out that Michael had only heard Sonny and Carly's side of things, not A.J.'s.
A.J. acknowledged that goading Sonny had been stupid, but A.J. had wanted Michael to see the side of Sonny that A.J. had always known. A.J. admitted that Sonny had reacted the same way that Sonny always reacted, with threats and violence -- because Sonny was a bully -- rather than ignoring A.J. or walking away. Michael confessed that as much as he hated what A.J. had done, Sonny should not have reacted as he had.
Michael revealed that Sonny had always had to fight for everything, so while Sonny was violent, he wasn't a bully. A.J. wanted to know how he could make things up to Michael, so Michael demanded that A.J. not set Sonny or Carly up again. Michael also wanted A.J. to promise not to lie. A.J. agreed to be truthful with Michael and vowed to be a man that would make Michael proud.
Lucy arrived at the Quartermaine mansion and pushed her way past Alice. Lucy proclaimed that she had once been the lady of the house, but Alice had no idea who Lucy was. Lucy revealed that her name was Lucy Coe and that she was the owner of CoeCoe, a cosmetic company. Lucy tried to give Alice makeup tips, but Alice wasn't interested. She promptly tossed Lucy out, along with the sample of makeup that Lucy had given to her. Lucy quickly found the spare key above the door and let herself into the mansion.
Alice was nowhere in sight, so Lucy tiptoed to the parlor door and eavesdropped on A.J. and Michael's conversation. In the parlor, A.J. was hopeful that Carly would change her mind about voting against A.J. when she realized that Michael was determined to have a relationship with A.J. Michael reminded A.J. that A.J. had promised not to pull any more stunts with Sonny and Carly. A.J. assured Michael that he would leave Sonny and Carly alone, but Tracy was another matter.
Michael didn't understand why A.J. and Tracy couldn't work together for the good of ELQ. A.J. explained that Tracy was determined to keep A.J. locked out of the company, so A.J believed that his only option was to replace Tracy as CEO. However, A.J. assured Michael that Tracy was welcome to remain a part of ELQ. Michael warned A.J. that Carly was unlikely to change her mind, so A.J. revealed that it was critical that they get Sam's shares on A.J.'s side.
Michael didn't think that Sam would be in the mood to discuss ELQ business because she had to get through the holidays without Jason. A.J. explained that they had to move fast because Tracy would pounce on Sam's vulnerabilities. Michael was reluctant to stoop to Tracy's level, but A.J. insisted that the future of ELQ was at stake. Lucy quickly ducked out of sight as A.J. and Michael walked through the foyer and left. Moments later, Lucy slipped in the parlor.
At the penthouse, Sam showed Daniel the special ornaments hanging on their Christmas tree. She explained that the phoenix represented her, the dragon represented Danny's father, and the third ornament represented Danny because he was born in the year of the dragon. Sam was certain that Jason would be happy that they were all together on the tree and then suggested that perhaps they might get a Christmas miracle with Jason's return. She jumped when someone knocked on the door.
Sam prayed the whole time she walked there for Jason to be standing on the other side of the door, but it was Tracy sporting a Santa hat and bearing gifts. Sam saw through Tracy's attempt to lavish her with expensive gifts. Tracy was curious if Sam hated Tracy or A.J. more and then quickly reminded Sam about all of the terrible things that A.J. had done to Jason's loved ones and Jason. Tracy insisted that ELQ was Danny's legacy, and then warned her that A.J. would run it into the ground. Sam assured Tracy that Danny would be fine without ELQ. Tracy pointed out that ELQ was also Michael's legacy and that Michael was susceptible to A.J.'s manipulations because Michael wanted to have a relationship with his biological father.
Tracy thought that the speed with which A.J. was turning Michael against Cary and Sonny was staggering. Tracy insisted that it was up to them to protect Michael, but Sam doubted that Tracy would care if it didn't somehow benefit Tracy. Tracy didn't understand why that meant that Tracy herself should stay neutral.
Tracy whipped out a proxy that she asked Sam to sign. Tracy explained that the proxy would only give Tracy temporary control of the Sam's eighteen shares, but that Sam could regain control of them at any time. She handed Sam the pen, but Sam was reluctant to sign the document without reading it. Moments later, someone knocked on the door. Tracy jumped up to answer the door as she urged Sam to sign the papers.
Tracy was furious when she saw A.J. and Michael standing on the doorstep. She immediately slammed the door in their faces, but Sam ordered Tracy to let them in. Tracy reluctantly stepped aside as A.J. and Michael entered the penthouse. A.J. complained that Tracy had broken his toe, so Tracy suggested that he use his head the next time. Sam made it clear that Michael was always welcome in her home.
A.J.'s eyes narrowed when he spotted the proxy. He begged Sam not to sign it because he wanted the chance to redeem himself. A.J. believed that he owed it to his grandfather, father, and brother. Tracy pointed out that A.J. had tried to kill two of the three people that he had just mentioned and then accused A.J. of manipulating Michael. A.J. insisted that he had a right to have a relationship with his son, but Tracy argued that Sonny and Jason had been Michael's fathers. Tracy snidely added that Michael had been better off being raised by a mobster and a hit man than by A.J.
A.J. reminded Tracy that at least his son talked to him. A.J. was curious when Tracy had last talked to Dillon. The bickering continued until Sam warned A.J. and Tracy that she would not tolerate their behavior in her home. Sam informed everyone that she had made a decision, so she went upstairs to sign the proxy, while Michael held Danny. A short time later, Sam returned to the living room with two pieces of paper. She had decided to give A.J. and Tracy nine shares each. A.J. and Tracy pointed out that they would remain deadlocked, so Sam advised them to find someone who could break the tie.
At Manning Enterprises, Starr was livid when she realized that Todd had faked a heart attack. Todd admitted that he had exaggerated, and he complained that she had hurt his ribs when she had tried to administer first aid. Starr demanded to know what was going on, but Todd became evasive. Starr quickly figured out that Todd had pulled the stunt when he realized that she had been with Johnny. Todd stomped into his office and then began to wrap his aching ribs with duct tape, while he grumbled that Johnny was a low-life scum who didn't have the courage to go after Todd directly.
Starr realized that Todd was afraid that Johnny would tell her something that her father didn't want her to know. Todd denied it, but Starr was certain that she was right. She knew about Todd's involvement with the baby switch, so she wondered what else Todd was hiding. Todd agreed to answer her question provided that she told him what she and Johnny had been talking about. Starr thought about Johnny's admission that he had killed Anthony, so she told her father that it was none of Todd's business. Starr decided to get the answers from Johnny and left.
At Kelly's, Carly called Todd but reached his voicemail. She explained that Johnny had begged her to meet with her, so she had hoped that Todd would talk her out of it.
At the Zacchara penthouse, Connie was poised to plunge a sharp letter opener into Johnny's back as he lay unconscious on the ground, but Carly's knock stopped her. Connie tried to wait for Carly to leave, but Carly kept knocking and calling out to Johnny. Eventually, Connie went to the door to find out what Carly wanted. Carly explained that Johnny had invited her over to explain the real reason that he had married Connie. Connie offered to answer Carly's questions, but she warned Carly that Carly wouldn't like the answers. Carly followed Connie to the living room, unaware that Connie had tucked Johnny's unconscious body under a table behind the sofa.
According to Connie, Johnny had married her because they had had the best sex that Johnny had ever had. Carly knew that Connie was lying because the marriage hadn't even been consummated. Carly had noticed that Johnny cringed every time Connie's name was mentioned. Carly demanded to know where Johnny was, but Connie claimed that she had no idea. Connie told Carly that Johnny had taken an overnight bag, but Carly insisted that she had seen Johnny's car in the garage. Connie suggested that perhaps Johnny had taken a cab.
Carly was determined to find Johnny, so she started to leave, but she stopped when she heard a noise from where Johnny was stashed. Connie denied that she had heard anything, so Carly warned Connie that things between them weren't over by a long shot and left. Moments later, Todd called to warn Connie that Starr was on her way over to the penthouse. Connie assured Todd that Johnny wouldn't be a problem anymore and ended the call. She then looked at a pair of sharp scissors and advanced on Johnny, who remained unconscious on the ground.
At the hospital, Monica asked for a moment of Liz's time. Liz worried that something was wrong, so Monica admitted that she wanted to thank Liz for treating A.J.'s injuries. Monica knew that there had been plenty of nurses on duty, so Liz could have pawned him off on someone else, but she hadn't. Liz insisted that she had just been doing her job and that she was in no position to judge A.J. because Liz's own life was far from perfect. Monica realized that she had never properly apologized for the way that she had treated Liz when Monica had learned the truth about Jake's paternity.
Monica admitted that she hadn't had the heart to blame Jason, so she had taken it out on Liz, which was wrong, especially in light of the secret that Monica had kept about A.J. Liz appreciated that Monica had been deeply hurt. Liz knew what it was like to lash out in pain, and she was certain that A.J. did too, so all they could do was try to be better. Monica thought that that was generous of Liz. Liz clarified that she didn't mean to imply that they couldn't backslide; she conceded that it was bound to happen to one of them sooner or later.
Monica didn't have any illusions about A.J., but she hoped that Liz was wrong. Monica realized that A.J. had made mistakes, but he was trying to atone for them, so she wanted someone in his life who had struggled with some of the same things that he had and who would be a good influence in his life. Liz smiled politely at Monica's unspoken request for Liz to be that person in A.J.'s life.
At the Quartermaine mansion, Lucy snooped around the parlor and spotted a thick report with ELQ's logo printed on the cover page. She was stunned when she realized that Tracy was the company's CEO. Moments later, Alice entered the parlor and immediately demanded to know what Lucy was doing there. Lucy admitted that she had used the spare key to get in. Lucy once again bragged that she had once been the lady of the house, but this time, Monica heard Lucy's comment.
"Oh, you belong in a house all right, but not for ladies," Monica told Lucy. Alice was curious who Lucy was, so Lucy revealed that she had been married to Alan Quartermaine. Monica clarified that Alan had married Lucy during the time that Monica and Alan had been briefly divorced. Alice decided to go to the kitchen, but she invited Monica to call her if Monica needed help.
After Alice left, Monica demanded to know why Lucy was there. Lucy claimed that she had wanted to pay her respects because she had heard about Edward's passing. Lucy insisted that she had been devastated, but Monica pointed out that Lucy had skipped the memorial service. Lucy explained that she hadn't wanted to intrude. Monica laughed and ordered Lucy to leave. Lucy argued that Alan would never have treated her like that, but Monica reminded Lucy that Lucy had also missed Alan's memorial service.
Monica hustled Lucy out of the door and then tossed her coat and the sample bag at her. Later, Alice served Monica some tea and asked about Lucy. Alice thought that Lucy looked like trouble, but Monica assured Alice that Lucy was harmless, unless Lucy ran into a man with a fat wallet whom Lucy could seduce. Monica immediately changed her mind because she realized that it would be wise to keep an eye on Lucy, since trouble tended to follow Lucy.
In the hospital's elevator, Sabrina confessed that she dreaded telling Patrick that she had failed to secure the financial backing for the Nurses Ball. Sabrina insisted that Lucy had been their last hope, but Felix refused to believe that Lucy's company would go bankrupt before he reached Golden Duck status. Sabrina spotted Patrick at the nurses' station with Britt as Sabrina and Felix exited the elevator. Patrick smiled when he saw Sabrina, so he asked if the trip to New York City had been a success. Sabrina struggled to find the words to tell Patrick about what had happened, but Britt smugly guessed that it had been a failure. Felix bristled, so he insisted that the trip had been a "smashing success."
Patrick didn't notice Sabrina's shocked expression as he congratulated and hugged her. Britt pulled them apart on the pretext of giving Sabrina a congratulatory hug too. Britt confessed that it was a miracle that Sabrina had pulled it off because Britt had read about Lucy's financial difficulties in the newspaper. Patrick was curious what Britt was talking about, so Britt gladly told him about the government freezing Lucy's assets. Felix assured Britt that Lucy didn't have any money troubles.
Sabrina was forced to back up Felix's story by explaining that Lucy had been upfront about the investigation and that Lucy had assured them that the charges were unfounded, so Lucy would sail through the investigation with flying colors. Britt remained skeptical, but Felix insisted that Lucy's personal finances were secure. Patrick relaxed and praised Sabrina for having found the right person to sponsor the ball. Sabrina smiled awkwardly and then excused herself and Felix because they had a ball to plan. Britt wondered if Patrick had noticed that Sabrina seemed "weirder" than usual.
Moments later, Sabrina demanded to know what Felix had been thinking when he had lied to Patrick about Lucy's financial support. Felix refused to let Britt have the last word, but Sabrina pointed out that they couldn't continue to lie because Lucy wasn't in a position to help. Liz walked up and admitted that she felt terrible that things hadn't worked out with Lucy.
Liz was surprised when Felix admitted that he might have implied that the resurrection of the Nurses Ball was all but assured. Sabrina explained that they couldn't continue to lie to Patrick, so she started to go to the nurses' station to confess the truth to Patrick. Felix stopped Sabrina because "Brittch" had been the reason that they had lied in the first place. Sabrina reminded him that the intention of the ball was to honor Patrick's late wife, so it wasn't right to let him believe that the ball would happen when it wouldn't.
Meanwhile, Britt thanked Patrick for inviting her over for a drink and assured him that she had enjoyed their time together. She promised to give him and Emma space over the holidays because she knew that it would be difficult for him, but she wanted him to know that he could count on her if he needed someone to talk to. Patrick smiled just as Sabrina asked to speak to him. Britt informed Sabrina that Britt and Patrick had been in the middle of a conversation, but Liz explained that Sabrina had something important to tell Patrick.
Britt wondered if it was about the financial backing for the ball. Sabrina stammered as she tried to tell Patrick the truth, but Felix spotted Lucy approaching the nurses' station. Lucy warmly greeted Sabrina and hugged Felix. Moments later, Lucy noticed Liz. Lucy hugged Liz and remarked how beautiful Liz was. Lucy's eyes lit up with interest when she saw Patrick, so Sabrina quickly introduced Lucy to him.
Lucy quickly offered her condolences as she told Patrick that Robin had been a bright light in her life. Sabrina smiled with relief when Lucy announced that she was eager to get working on the Nurses Ball. Meanwhile, Britt couldn't hide her frustration as she scowled at everyone.
