At General Hospital, Monica and Elizabeth chatted before Monica headed home and Elizabeth took a turn sitting with Nikolas. Monica encouraged Elizabeth to get some rest, but Elizabeth said that she wanted to be around when Nikolas woke up. She told Monica that Helena had called to check on Nikolas and that A.J. had dropped by to lend his support to Elizabeth. Monica thanked Elizabeth for giving A.J. a second chance then she departed.
Elizabeth sat by Nikolas' bedside and held his hand. She said that she wanted to tell him something that she would not say if he were awake. Elizabeth asked Nikolas if he thought that getting involved with Jason's brother, A.J., was wrong, like it had been wrong for Elizabeth to get involved with Nikolas. As Elizabeth asked that question, she had a vivid memory of Nikolas very sincerely telling Elizabeth that there had only been one time in the recent past when he had not thought of Emily and that had been a time he had spent with Elizabeth.
Elizabeth apologized and said that she did not know what had caused them to betray both Lucky and Emily. Elizabeth told Nikolas what a wonderful man he was. She said that he was not a typical Cassadine because he had a conscience, and he was not cold and cruel like his grandmother, Helena.
Elizabeth shed tears as she told Nikolas how ashamed she had been when Lucky had found out about her affair with Nikolas. She apologized for taking out the anger and hurt she had felt from Lucky, on Nikolas. Elizabeth remembered an ugly scene at the hospital, as well as the moment when she had told Nikolas that Aiden was not his son. Elizabeth acknowledged that she knew and appreciated that Nikolas had taken Spencer and moved to Europe to give Lucky and Elizabeth a fresh start.
Elizabeth thanked Nikolas and told him that Lucky had moved to Europe and did not intend to return. Elizabeth kissed Nikolas' hand and told him that she loved him. She said she was going home to tell her boys that their Uncle Nikolas would be well soon. Elizabeth rose, kissed Nikolas on the forehead, and left the room.
Outside, she paused and almost broke down. Grandmother Audrey approached, hugged Elizabeth, and asked how she could help. Inside the room, Nikolas' eyes fluttered open.
Michael visited Sonny at home. After catching Sonny up on news about Lulu's rescue attempt and Michael's visit to Carly, Michael asked about Sonny, who said that he was tired of losing people he loved, referring to Connie/Kate. Michael said that he hoped that the therapy worked. He inquired if Sonny knew which personality would emerge. Sonny said that he loved both women but had no idea who would walk through his door when the therapy was over.
Sonny said that going back and forth between Kate and Connie was tearing him up, plus it hurt Connie for him to be with Kate, and it hurt Kate for him to be with Connie. Sonny admitted that he sympathized with both women because he understood firsthand the debilitating effects of a mental illness and how that illness, if not controlled by medication, could take over and cause a person to do terrible things to their loved ones. Sonny added that he had high hopes that Connie/Kate's therapist would be successful at helping both personalities integrate.
Michael asked which woman Sonny wanted to emerge, but Sonny said that he was glad that he did not have to make a choice between the two women. Sonny told Michael about his early, tempestuous relationship with Brenda and about how he had also fallen love with Lily, despite having been forced to marry her. However, Sonny had been unable to stay away from Brenda and had been on the verge of leaving Lily when Lily had revealed that she had been carrying Sonny's baby.
Sonny had chosen to stay with Lily, but Lily's angry father had planted a bomb that had killed Lily instead of Sonny and Brenda, the intended targets. Sonny said that he had made the wrong choice and Lily had died. Michael asked if that was why Sonny's marriage to Brenda had failed. Sonny said that by then, Carly and Jax had also been in the mix.
Michael got a text from A.J. Michael told Sonny that he had to go because he and A.J. were working on a project to put ELQ back in the black. Sonny said that despite his feelings about A.J., he loved Michael and was proud of Michael's achievements. Michael said that he loved Sonny and that he was glad to have grown up with Sonny, who would always be his dad.
Michael hugged Sonny and said that he hoped that the woman that Sonny loved would soon return home. Later, as Sonny's memory was replaying Michael's last words to him, the doorbell rang. When Sonny opened his door, he was surprised to see his visitor.
Bobbie and Carly exchanged confidences at Carly's house. After Bobbie brought Carly up to speed on Lulu's kidnapping and Nikolas' condition. Carly launched into a litany of A.J.'s faults. Carly told Bobbie that A.J. was just as sleazy as ever, and that the only decent thing that A.J. had ever done was to get Carly pregnant. Carly said that she wished that Tracy would win the battle for ELQ so that she could get Michael out of A.J.'s clutches.
Bobbie gently reminded Carly that Carly had initially covered up that A.J. was Michael's biological father because Carly had wanted Bobbie's husband, Tony, to believe that he was Michael father. Carly was contrite and apologized for all the trouble she had caused. Bobbie told Carly that she loved her and nothing could change that.
Carly was tearful as she told Bobbie how Jason's death had left a big hole in her heart and caused her to appreciate more deeply the people that she loved. When Bobbie asked what Jason would want for her, Carly said that Jason would want her to be happy and that for a time she had thought that she was. Carly said that perhaps it was time for her to grow up and take care of herself instead of looking for someone else to do it. Bobbie encouraged Carly to be strong and to continue on that path. Carly said that if she stuck to it, Josslyn would have a stable home. Carly noted that Morgan had had the best home because he had been blessed with Jax as his father.
Carly mused sadly, that perhaps Jax's absence was the reason that Morgan no longer visited Port Charles. Pertly, Bobbie suggested that Carly could marry Jax again, but Carly thought that there was too much baggage. Carly asked about Bobbie and Scott. Bobbie said that Scott was deeply in love with Laura. Bobbie added that she no longer chased men who loved other women, and she hoped that Carly had learned the same lesson.
Bobbie assured Carly that if she just had faith in herself, her life would be happy. They hugged and exchanged "I love yous" before Bobbie departed. The doorbell rang as Carly was thinking about what Bobbie had said. When she opened the door, Jax greeted her.
In the Quartermaine living room, Tracy taunted A.J. as she toasted him with champagne and Pickle-Lila. A.J. screamed that Tracy had stolen the recipe from his office, but Tracy retorted that A.J. was the thief because Edward had left Pickle-Lila to her. Tracy told A.J. that she would find the missing heir, take ELQ away from A.J., and use Pickle-Lila to restore ELQ to its former glory.
A.J. said it would take time to get set up. Tracy said that she was one step ahead and had already arranged for a production facility and a supplier. A.J. had no retort and stormed out of the room. Tracy spread relish from a jar that had a paper tag that read "sample" on crackers. As she did so, she thanked and toasted her mother for creating the recipe in the first place and her father for having the foresight to leave it to her and for giving Tracy the opportunity to use her brain and ingenuity to figure out how to use Edward's bequest to save ELQ.
Tracy was in a very good frame of mind when Monica got home. Monica was surprised and asked why Tracy was so cheerful. Tracy said that good food had a way of causing good feelings. She urged Monica to try the relish. Monica did and said that it reminded her of something from the past. Tracy jumped on that and asked if Monica meant the time when she had cheated on Alan and forced the Quartermaines to live in a room above Kelly's, where Lila had created Pickle-Lila.
When Monica asked about where A.J. stood in the scheme of things, Tracy said that what Monica had tasted was the sweetness of Tracy's victory and the bitterness of A.J.'s loss. A.J. returned to the room and threatened to kill Tracy. He seemed angry enough to strike, but Monica stopped him and said that she would handle Tracy. Reluctantly A.J. went to his room as Monica had demanded.
Once alone, Monica told Tracy that she had been thinking about Emily lately and about Emily's gift for knowing the difference between right and wrong. Monica said that Tracy had done Monica's son, A.J., wrong and that Monica was throwing Tracy out of the Quartermaine mansion, which Monica owned. Tracy said that she was not going anywhere. Monica responded that she would have the police arrest Tracy for trespassing.
Tracy blamed Alan for deeding the mansion to Monica as a wedding present. Tracy quipped that if Alan were not already dead, she would kill him herself. Alan's ghost appeared and told Tracy to do her worst.
On the Haunted Star, Helena held a gun on Laura, whom Helena called a source of unending pain. Just as she was about to pull the trigger, Dante appeared and shot the gun out of Helena's hand. More of Helena's goons appeared, and Dante opted to surrender, but when Helena ordered them to shoot Dante, Dante kicked over a table, grabbed his gun, and tossed another to Luke. Together they were able to subdue Helena's henchmen and capture Helena, who was crouching behind the bar.
Helena begged them not to shoot, but Luke said that they were in international waters and could do what they wanted. More of Helena's thugs poured into the room, but took no action as long as Dante held his gun aimed at Helena. Dante did not find Helena amusing. Dante said that he did not care about the feud between the Cassadines and Spencers because all he cared about was his wife. Dante told Helena to take him to Lulu and that if Lulu was alive, Dante would let Helena live.
Helena tried to make jests, but Dante said that a WSB infrared scan showed a body in one of the staterooms below deck. Luke and Laura went to find Lulu, while Dante held Helena at gunpoint. Dante told Helena that he intended to get Lulu and go home. Helena told Dante that he was deluded if he thought that it would be as simple as that.
Laura and Luke found a hooded figure, slumped in a chair, when they entered the stateroom. Both were astonished when they pulled off the hood and the prisoner's identity was revealed.
At the nurses' station, Epiphany answered the phone. "First floor nurses' station," Epiphany greeted the caller. Epiphany smiled when she heard her friend's voice then asked if Doris had enjoyed Frank's surprise. They chatted for a bit until Epiphany explained that she would have to call Doris back because a new batch of interns was expected, but Monica Quartermaine was nowhere to be found. Nearby, an orderly displayed Dr. Steve Hardy's portrait on an easel.
At the Quartermaine mansion, Monica informed Tracy that Tracy was no longer welcome to live in Monica's home. Tracy never understood why her brother had given the house to Monica. "If he wasn't already dead, I'd kill him myself," Tracy growled with frustration. "Here's your chance, Tracy," Alan replied as he appeared behind Tracy. Tracy had an expression of disbelief etched on her face as she faced Alan. However, Tracy quickly recovered then ordered Alan to leave her alone because she didn't have time to deal with a figment of her imagination.
"If Alan's a figment of your imagination, why do I see him too?" Monica asked in shock. Tracy's eyes rounded as she looked to her brother for answers. Alan strolled to the chair then sat down, so Monica told Tracy what she had seen Alan do. Tracy realized that Monica could see Alan, but it suddenly was no longer important to Tracy why they could both see Alan as long as they could. Tracy grabbed her brother's hand then told him how much she had missed him.
Monica walked up to lovingly caress Alan's face as she greeted her husband with tears of joy in her eyes. Monica asked if Alan was alive, so Alan explained, "Not quite." Monica didn't care because she was thrilled that he was there. Alan smiled as he warned Monica that he was about to make her happier. "Hi, Mom," Emily said as she suddenly appeared in the room. Tracy gaped with shock, while mother and daughter hugged.
Tracy questioned why Alan had appeared with Monica's "adopted waif" instead of Edward or Lila. Emily explained that Alan had needed backup, so he had asked Emily to help talk sense into Monica and Tracy. Monica and Tracy became defensive as they justified their actions. Alan and Emily patiently listened as Monica accused Tracy of sabotaging A.J. Tracy explained that A.J. had stolen her inheritance, but Monica remained unmoved and determined to toss Tracy out of the mansion.
Tracy doubted that Alan was there to approve of Monica's decision, so she asked him to tell Monica that Tracy was staying. Monica argued that Alan had never really cared for his sister, but Emily cut to the chase by suggesting that Monica and Tracy try to find a compromise. Tracy resented Emily interference, so Tracy reminded everyone that Alan and Tracy had despised each other's children. Monica disagreed because Alan had cared about Ned and Dillon. Tracy laughed at the suggestion that Alan had cared about Monica's ex-lover, Ned.
Tracy pointed out that Monica had a long history of affairs starting with Rick Webber. "No, no. Don't drag me into this," Rick said as he suddenly appeared in the room. Monica recovered from her shock then ran over to greet her old lover, Rick. Tracy was outraged that Alan hadn't done anything about Rick's unwelcome arrival, so Rick reminded Tracy that there wasn't much that Alan could do, since Rick was already dead.
Emily was equally annoyed with Rick's presence because Rick had seduced her married mother during quarantine at the hospital, while people had been dying all around them. Monica was stunned that Emily had known the details about the affair, so Emily admitted that they had a lot of "downtime" where Emily and Alan were. Tracy agreed with Emily's assessment about Rick and reminded Rick that he had been the one with a dead mistress in the attic. Tracy blasted Rick for what he and Scott had done because it had resulted in Laura's decade-long catatonic state.
Rick denied that things had happened the way that Tracy assumed, but insisted that he was there to bury the hatchet with Alan, not to discuss what had happened with Laura. Rick conceded that he and Alan had been lousy to each other, which no longer made sense, given their present state. Rick offered to let bygones be bygones and held out his hand. Monica beamed with joy when Alan shook Rick's hand. Emily suggested that if Alan and Rick could make peace then Monica and Tracy could. Monica and Tracy looked reluctant, but Emily pressed for a compromise because Alan had gone through a lot of trouble for Monica and Tracy.
Monica wondered if Alan really wanted her to let Tracy remain in the mansion, so Alan confessed that he did. Tracy smiled victoriously until Emily informed Tracy that it was Tracy's turn to make a concession by calling a truce with Monica. Tracy reluctantly agreed, so Monica and Tracy shook on it. Emily thought that a hug would be more appropriate, so she urged them to hug. Monica and Tracy refused, so Alan, Rick, and Emily threatened to haunt them if they didn't hug. Monica and Tracy stubbornly dug in their heels, even when Emily explained that she needed to see Nikolas.
Alan begged Monica and Tracy to hug until they relented then awkwardly hugged with their eyes squeezed shut. Moments later, Tracy opened her eyes and announced that their visitors had left. Monica and Tracy quickly jumped apart and tried to make sense of what had just happened. Tracy attributed the entire event to a dream, but Monica insisted that they could barely stand to be around each other. "Now we're sharing dreams?" Monica asked in disbelief.
Tracy wondered if Monica had a better explanation. "What the hell was in that relish?" Monica asked.
At Greystone Manor, Sonny was surprised when he saw Brenda standing on his doorstep. "Hey, Brenda," Sonny said. She smiled at him and asked if she could enter. He invited her in then led her to the parlor. After Brenda sat down, Sonny asked why she was there. She confessed that she wanted to make sure that they could be civil to each other during the Nurses' Ball the following day.
Brenda saw the scorn in Sonny's expression, which she suspected stemmed from her not attending Robin's funeral. Brenda didn't offer an explanation, but she admitted that it was difficult to believe that a year had passed since her friend's tragic death. Sonny and Brenda reminisced about Robin until Brenda revealed that she had entrusted Robin with a letter that Brenda had asked to be given to Sonny when the time was right. "What letter?" Sonny asked.
Brenda knew that Sonny had been given the letter. Sonny recalled looking at the letter, but explained that it had been a difficult time in his life, so Jason had "handled it." Brenda wasn't surprised because Jason had been good for things like that. Sonny's temper flared as he asked her if she had been told about Jason's death. Brenda's tone softened as she admitted that Michael had called her. She offered Sonny her condolences but then returned to the topic of the letter.
Brenda wanted to know why Sonny hadn't answered it. Sonny admitted that he hadn't read it because he hadn't thought that it would make a difference. Brenda tearfully disagreed and explained that it would have changed everything. Sonny doubted that the letter had had the power to save their marriage, so she told him what it had said.
"Dear Sonny, I know things are bad right now. That would be an understatement, but I just want you to know that I did what I thought was right for my son," Brenda recounted. She explained that she had written that she had hated how vengeful and angry he had become, so she had been forced to make her son a priority by leaving. However, Brenda had hoped that time apart would help them both find perspective. She assured Sonny that she had never intended to give up on their marriage.
"I'm your wife, and I want to be with you," Brenda had written in the letter to Sonny. She had believed that their marriage had been worth fighting for, so she had told him in the letter that she would wait for him in Rome. Brenda recalled how anxious she had been waiting for Sonny to join her, but the day had never arrived. Sonny realized that was when she had sent him the divorce papers. Brenda smiled sadly as she admitted that she had heard that Sonny had moved on.
Sonny confessed that he had, but the woman he loved was gone. He had no idea when his love would return, or if, like Brenda, she was lost to him forever. Sonny confided that he wouldn't be able to look at Brenda without wondering "What if...?" Brenda quietly revealed that she had stopped by for another reason; she had wanted to let Sonny know that she was engaged.
Carly was delighted when Jax turned up on her doorstep. She quickly invited him inside then asked him why he was in town. Jax explained that he needed to talk to her about something. Seconds later, Josslyn appeared at the bottom of the doorstep and called out to her father with excitement. Josslyn ran into her father's waiting arms, while Carly happily watched the reunion. Jax surprised his daughter with a tea set, which Josslyn promptly took to her bedroom to play with.
Carly doubted that Jax had flown to Port Charles to give Josslyn a tea set, so she was curious why Jax was there. Jax handed Carly new divorce papers to sign then explained that there had been a filing problem, so the state of New York didn't have a copy of their first divorce papers. Carly realized that they were still legally married. She wasn't surprised that their divorce had turned out as difficult as their attempt to get married.
Jax smiled as he and Carly reminisced about the number of times that they had postponed their wedding and Carly's decision not to have a maid of honor, so that Jason could be her best man. Jax sobered as he offered Carly his condolences on Jason's passing. Carly thanked Jax and admitted that she would always miss her best friend. Jax thought that Carly appeared to have handled Jason's death surprisingly well, so she confessed that she had finally learned to stand on her own two feet, which she hadn't thought possible.
Jax assured Carly that he had always known that she'd had it in her. Carly turned wistful as she wondered how their marriage had failed. Jax blamed Sonny for always getting between them. However, Jax confessed that he would always admire Carly because she was a fearless one-of-a-kind woman. Carly wondered if perhaps the file mix-up was a sign to give their marriage another try. Carly admitted that she had recently ended a relationship that had forced her to reevaluate what was important.
Jax admitted that he didn't want to be Carly's fallback guy, so she quickly assured him that he wasn't that. According to Carly, he was the guy -- the man that she kept trying to get over. Jax apologized then explained that he had discovered the mistake with their divorce papers because he had become engaged. Carly was stunned when he revealed that he intended to marry Brenda.
On the Haunted Star, somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean, Luke and Laura entered a dark cabin then spotted a person, whose head had been covered with a sack, tied to a chair. Laura assumed that it was Lulu as Luke raced over to remove the sack. Luke and Laura were startled when they saw Ethan sitting in the chair. Luke quickly removed Ethan's gag. "Hi, Dad," Ethan said as Luke went to work untying Ethan.
Laura explained that Lulu had been kidnapped, so they had been looking for their daughter. Ethan realized that he was on the Haunted Star, so Luke explained that Dante had Helena and a couple of her henchmen held at gunpoint in the nightclub. Luke and Laura helped Ethan to his feet as the door suddenly slammed shut and was locked. Luke hoped that Dante could hold off Helena and her goons, so he went to work finding something to pick the lock with. "Never a dull moment with those Cassadines," Ethan remarked.
Laura was curious how Ethan had been captured, so Ethan told her that he had been staying at Lucky's flat in Dublin. Laura feared that Helena had abducted Lucky, too, but Ethan assured her that Lucky hadn't been at the apartment. According to Ethan, Lucky had decided to go to Africa to help orphaned children, which was something that Lucky had been thinking about for a while. Luke was curious if Helena had given any clue as to what had happened to Lulu.
Ethan explained that he had listened to a message from Nikolas warning Ethan that they were in danger when Helena and her thugs had appeared. Ethan hadn't heard the entire message, so he had no idea where Lulu might be. Ethan admitted that Helena had been disappointed that she had missed Lucky, but she had been content to use Ethan to keep Luke distracted. Luke grumbled that Helena and her "winged monkeys" had been working overtime to get to Luke's children; however, he was curious what Helena hoped to keep Luke distracted from.
Luke and Laura told Ethan about the replica of the Ice Princess that Helena had left for Lulu. Ethan wondered why Helena would want Lulu, since Helena had never expressed an interest in his sister before. Laura suspected that Helena had hoped to hurt both Luke and Laura, prompting a snarky remark from Ethan about Helena. Laura chuckled because Ethan had sounded just like his father. Luke warned Laura and Ethan that they would likely be outnumbered when he opened the door, so they would have to work together.
Laura hoped that it wouldn't be a problem for Ethan, but he assured her that he didn't have an issue with it because he loved his sister. However, Ethan wanted Laura to know that he deeply regretted any pain that he might have caused her by the revelation that he was Luke's son. Luke made it clear that Ethan was never to apologize for his existence. Laura assured Ethan that she had no ill will towards him, especially since Lucky and Lulu had made it clear that they each loved their brother. Moments later, Helena, flanked by two of her lackeys, burst into the cabin.
Helena and the henchmen led Luke, Laura, and Ethan at gunpoint to the deck of the ship. Laura demanded to know where Dante was. Laura feared the worst when Helena bragged that Dante hadn't been a match for a Cassadine. Ethan was curious what Helena's intention was, so Helena explained that they shouldn't underestimate a mother's need to avenge her sons. Luke told Helena to "shut up" about her sons and tell him where Dante was. Helena cryptically informed them that Dante wouldn't be a problem.
Helena reminded everyone that she had been about to shoot Laura when they had been rudely interrupted. Luke offered his life in exchange for Laura's, so Helena decided that she would not shoot anyone. "Laura is," Helena added.
At the hospital, Audrey approached her granddaughter as Elizabeth exited Nikolas' room. Audrey explained that she had stopped by the hospital to check on Elizabeth and to watch as Elizabeth's grandfather's portrait was hung in the boardroom in honor of what would have been Steve Hardy's 50th anniversary at the hospital. Elizabeth felt terrible that she had forgotten what day it was, but Audrey reminded her granddaughter that Elizabeth had had a lot on her mind because of Nikolas. Elizabeth thought that there should have been more done for Steve than simply hanging a portrait of him in the boardroom because her grandfather had been the heart and soul of General Hospital. Audrey pointed out that Steve wouldn't have wanted anyone to make a fuss over him.
Elizabeth felt bad that the rest of the family couldn't be there to mark the special anniversary, since Elizabeth's sister, Sarah, was in Monterey; Elizabeth's parents were in Asia; Audrey's son, Tom, was in Africa; and his son, Tommy, had recently finished medical school. Elizabeth confided that if her cousin were anything like the rest of the Hardys then Tommy would soon be practicing medicine in some exotic locale. Audrey hugged Elizabeth as Elizabeth smiled sadly. "We really are scattered, aren't we?" Elizabeth asked.
However, Elizabeth was certain that her grandfather would be thrilled that so many of the Hardys had followed in Steve's footsteps by pursuing a career in the medical field. Audrey sensed that Elizabeth remained troubled, so Elizabeth confessed that she wished that their family had made more of an effort to remain in touch because it got lonely sometimes, especially with her brother, Steve, gone. Audrey reminded Elizabeth that Elizabeth still had her "Gram." Elizabeth smiled lovingly at Audrey as she confessed that she had no idea what she would do without her grandmother.
Later, Elizabeth explained that Alexis had decided to spend the night in Nikolas' hospital room, so Elizabeth was ready to pick up the boys then head home. Audrey wanted to see her great-grandsons, so she decided to go to the daycare center with Elizabeth.
At the first floor nurses' station, Patrick greeted the new interns. He pointed to the portrait of Steve Hardy as he explained that Steve had been General Hospital's first and best chief of staff and that they were all there because of Steve. Patrick revealed that Steve had died in 1996, but doctors continued to aspire to be like Dr. Hardy, although most realized that it was impossible. One of the interns wondered if Patrick had worked with Dr. Hardy, so Patrick revealed that Dr. Alan Quartermaine had been the chief of staff when Patrick had started working at the hospital.
Patrick led the interns on a tour of the hospital as he told them that the current chief of staff was Dr. Monica Quartermaine. An intern was curious if Monica was related to Alan, so Patrick explained that Monica was Alan's widow. Another intern recalled hearing about a "Mr. and Mrs. Intern" program. Patrick chuckled as he confirmed that the rumors about the program were true. Patrick then informed the interns that doctors might be the brains of the hospital, but the nurses' were the heart.
Epiphany praised Patrick for the insightful remark. Epiphany told the interns about the Nurses' Ball and its purpose. Patrick let the interns know that they were permitted to attend for free. After Epiphany ordered the interns to get to work, Patrick and Epiphany returned to the nurses' station. They talked about Patrick's own days as an intern and his desire to leave a lasting legacy for a new generation of doctors. Epiphany wondered if Patrick was up to the challenge. "I guess we'll have to ask someone in fifty years, won't we?" Patrick replied.
Later, Audrey and Elizabeth stood before Steve's portrait as Patrick walked up. Patrick hoped that the portrait had met with Audrey's approval, so she assured him that it had. Patrick confessed that it would be intimidating to have Steve watching over them during the board meetings. Elizabeth suddenly recalled that Audrey's golden anniversary was right around the corner. "Well, I guess it is," Audrey replied.
Audrey thought about a time, many years before, when she had danced with Steve. Steve had nervously asked her how he had been doing. She returned to the present as Elizabeth told Patrick that Audrey and Steve had had quite a love story. According to Audrey, life was filled with stories crossing over each other. Patrick agreed because he had often wondered if Robin would have sought him out if his father, Noah, hadn't worked at General Hospital. Patrick insisted that the hospital had changed lives, including his own.
Elizabeth thought about how many lives had been touched by the hospital and how many stories had passed through General Hospital over the fifty years. "Stores of rivalries, stories of love, stores of heartbreak, stories that left us on the edge of our seats. The things about all those stories...we never know how they'll end," Patrick said. Moments later, Epiphany told Patrick that he was needed in the operating room.
Elizabeth smiled as she watched Patrick sprint away because it never ended. Audrey assured her granddaughter that Steve wouldn't have had it any other way. Audrey approached Steve's portrait then touchingly said, "My Rock of Gibraltar. Happy anniversary, Darling." Everyone gathered around the nurses' station began to clap.
The episode ended with a message from everyone at General Hospital:
At Carly's house, Carly thought that Jax was insane for getting engaged to Brenda. Jax realized that Carly didn't like Brenda, so Carly quickly clarified that she despised Brenda for being a "pathetic narcissistic person." Carly insisted that Brenda only loved herself, so Carly couldn't understand why Jax would get wrapped up with Brenda again. Jax tried to explain how he and Brenda had rekindled things, but Carly continued to rant about Brenda.
Eventually, Jax wondered if Carly was interested in hearing his side of things or if she intended to keep talking over him. Carly invited Jax to have his say, so Jax told her that he and Brenda had remained in touch when they had left Port Charles. Jax would take Brenda and her son, Alec, out on the town whenever he visited Rome. Jax confessed that he and Brenda had reconnected as time had passed. Carly continued to bristle, so Jax reminded her that he and Carly had signed their divorce papers the previous December and that Carly had moved on with someone else.
Carly recalled that Jax had once said that the secret to winning was knowing when to walk away. "Why can't you take your own advice and walk away from Brenda?" Carly asked in frustration. Jax insisted that he was going to marry Brenda, but Carly argued that the engagement was just a means for Brenda to get a reaction from Sonny. Carly was certain that Jax knew it, deep down inside, but he was too stubborn to admit it. Carly believed that Brenda had decided to marry Jax because Brenda had failed to get a reaction out of Sonny when Brenda had first left.
Carly doubted that Jax would ever be happy with Brenda because Sonny was the only man that Brenda wanted. "Not this time," Jax argued. Carly was curious if Jax knew where Brenda was. He assured Carly that Brenda was at the hotel, waiting for him, but Carly bet a million dollars that Brenda had gone to Sonny's place. Carly imagined that Brenda was tearfully telling Sonny about the engagement and talking about missed chances. Jax denied it and ordered Carly to sign the divorce papers.
Carly claimed that she needed to look over the papers first. Jax insisted that they were the same papers that she had signed before, but Carly refused to sign them. Jax made it clear that he expected her to give him the signed divorce papers at the Nurses' Ball. Carly was not pleased when she realized that Jax intended to attend the charity event with Brenda. Jax made it clear that Carly couldn't make him doubt his love for Brenda and then left. "Well, Jax, I'm about to do you a huge favor," Carly quietly replied as the front door slammed shut.
At Greystone Manor, Sonny quickly recovered from the shock of Brenda's engagement news. Brenda suspected that Sonny had something to say about the engagement, so she invited Sonny to speak his mind. Sonny wondered what she expected him to say, so Brenda suggested that he congratulate her. "Congratulations. Now you can go ahead and leave," Sonny replied. Brenda started to walk out, but Sonny had one question to ask her. He reminded her of why she had left him, so he was curious why she had turned up on his doorstep to tell him about her wedding plans.
Brenda argued that she had sent Sonny a letter and that she had waited for him for nearly a year before sending the divorce papers. Sonny asked if marrying Jax had been part of her plan all along. Stunned, Brenda denied that she had planned anything, but Sonny didn't believe her because he saw a direct correlation between her engagement to Jax and her showing up at Sonny's house. Brenda insisted that not everything was about Sonny, but she conceded that perhaps things might have turned out differently if he had read her letter.
Sonny suspected that Brenda's decision to marry Jax had to do with Sonny, but Brenda claimed that she had agreed to marry Jax because of how she and Jax had always felt about each other. According to Brenda, she and Jax were happy and finally able to be together. Sonny remained skeptical because he couldn't understand why she had felt the need to tell Sonny about the engagement.
Meanwhile, Carly used her key to let herself into Sonny's home. She quietly crept to the closed parlor door when she overheard muffled voices. Carly smiled with satisfaction as she eavesdropped on Sonny and Brenda's conversation.
In the parlor, Sonny accused Brenda of marrying Jax as a way to get back at Sonny. Brenda denied it, but Sonny didn't believe her. He was certain that Brenda had agreed to marry Jax because she had been hurt when Sonny hadn't showed up in Rome. Brenda continued to deny it, prompting Sonny to wonder if she had hoped that he would talk her out of the marriage. Brenda assured Sonny that he was wrong; she had simply wanted him to hear the news from her, not someone else. Sonny pointed out that she could have sent him an email, so Brenda reminded him that he had torn up her last letter to him.
Sonny explained that he had been in a freefall, so he had been afraid to read the letter that Brenda had written to him because he believed that everything had been lost to him. "What if it's not?" Brenda asked. Sonny reminded her that she was engaged to Jax, so Brenda admitted that she hadn't known that Sonny hadn't read the letter. Brenda suggested that if he had then Sonny might have gone to Rome, and everything could have been different.
In the hallway, Carly grinned as she tiptoed to the front door and left, unaware that she had dropped her scarf.
In the parlor, Sonny gently reminded Brenda that they couldn't change the past, so all they could do was deal with the consequences of their choices. However, he doubted that Jax would make Brenda happy. Brenda ignored the remark as she decided to head to the hotel before Jax returned. She confessed that she didn't want Jax to know about her visit with Sonny. Sonny offered to give Brenda a lift, but she assured him that she could drive herself. Sonny told Brenda that it had been good to see her.
At Metro Court, Jax bumped into Michael as Michael was exiting the elevator. After a warm greeting, Jax told Michael about the engagement. Michael wondered how Carly had handled the news, so Jax admitted that she hadn't taken it well. Michael wasn't surprised. Jax revealed that there had been a glitch with the divorce and that Carly refused to sign the papers to finalize the divorce. According to Jax, Carly was certain that Brenda had only agreed to marry Jax to provoke Sonny into action.
Jax conceded that there had been a time when Carly might have had a point, but Jax and Brenda had discussed it, so Jax trusted that Brenda was marrying him for the right reasons. Jax confided that Carly had also suggested that Brenda was with Sonny at that very moment, but Jax was equally certain that Brenda was waiting for him in their hotel room. Michael didn't want to keep Jax, so he promised to catch up with Jax at the Nurses' Ball. Later, Jax entered his hotel room, but Brenda was not there.
At the hospital, Patrick recalled leaving Sabrina a message requesting that she return his call because he wanted to talk to her about something important. Patrick returned to the present to check his phone. He was disappointed when he saw that there hadn't been any missed calls or new voicemail messages from Sabrina. Moments later, Patrick bumped into Elizabeth. He was surprised because he had thought that she had left. Elizabeth explained that her grandmother, Audrey, had offered to watch the boys, so that Elizabeth could check on Nikolas and then head to rehearsal for the Nurses' Ball.
Elizabeth thanked Patrick for everything that he had done to honor her grandfather, Dr. Steve Hardy, because it had meant a lot to her and Audrey. Patrick wondered how Elizabeth was holding up with all the drama involving Nikolas and the Spencers. She confessed that spending time with her grandmother had been exactly what she had needed. Patrick agreed that it was important to have special people like Audrey in one's life. Elizabeth sensed that something was troubling Patrick, but he quickly tried to brush it off.
Elizabeth realized that it had to do with Sabrina, so Patrick told Elizabeth about the message that he had left for Sabrina and Sabrina's lack of response. Elizabeth was surprised that Sabrina hadn't called him back, so she suggested that perhaps Sabrina had been busy with the Nurses' Ball or her phone might have been broken. Patrick suspected that Sabrina was happy with the new man in her life, Milo, so she was avoiding Patrick. Patrick realized that he had missed his chance with Sabrina, but Elizabeth disagreed. Patrick decided to change the subject by reminding Elizabeth that she was late for rehearsal.
A short time later, Patrick spotted one of his patients wandering the hallway. The man assured Patrick that he felt better then confided that he had been looking for his favorite nurse, Sabrina. Patrick explained that she wasn't there, so the man admitted that he couldn't believe that someone hadn't scooped Sabrina up yet. Patrick confessed that someone had, prompting the patient to comment that Patrick was a lucky guy, but Patrick admitted that it wasn't him.
In the ballroom, Lucy supervised everyone as they worked to set things up for the Nurses' Ball. Felix became distracted watching Milo help Sabrina with some wall hangings, so Lucy barked at Felix to get to work. Lucy confessed that she was worried because she hadn't seen the new choreographer yet. Felix was curious if she had been referring to Metro Court's handyman. Lucy nodded then confided that she hadn't realized that Richard Simmons had been such a diva.
Nearby, Molly struggled to write lyrics for the song that T.J. had composed. T.J. was curious how she was doing, so Molly explained that she felt pressured and couldn't find the right words. T.J. offered to give Molly some space to work, so he walked over to Milo.
In the hallway, Sam encountered the handyman who had agreed to choreograph the Nurses' Ball. They decided to officially introduce themselves, so the handyman revealed that his name was Anton Ivanov. He hoped to get an opportunity to dance with Sam, but she insisted that she wasn't a dancer. Anton pointed out that it was his job to teach her, so he promised to draw out the dancer in her. Sam recalled watching celebrities dance on a television show, so Anton revealed that some of the celebrities turned out to be very good dancers.
In the ballroom, T.J. remarked that things appeared to be going well between Sabrina and Milo. Milo confessed that he had done something underhanded to make certain that Patrick Drake didn't get between Sabrina and Milo. T.J. was impressed when Milo told him about the erased voicemail message, but Milo explained that he felt bad about what he had done. Sabrina walked up in time to hear the tail end of Milo and T.J.'s conversation, so she was curious why Milo felt bad.
Milo quickly changed the subject by offering to help Sabrina with another project. Moments later, Lucy called out to T.J. to join her on the stage. After T.J. walked away, Sabrina pushed for an answer because she had heard her name mentioned. Milo was saved from having to answer when Lucy asked everyone to gather at the stage to rehearse the opening number. Sabrina made it clear that she intended to continue their discussion later.
T.J. returned to Milo's side, while everyone gathered for the opening number. Milo confessed that he felt like he had dodged a bullet, but he remained uncomfortable about lying to Sabrina. T.J. argued that all was fair in love and war, but Milo explained that he didn't want Sabrina to be with him because Milo had manipulated and lied to her. Milo insisted that he wasn't a good liar, so he had decided to be honest with Sabrina.
Lucy was delighted when Anton entered the ballroom, so she asked Molly for the lyrics to the song. Molly explained that she had a rough draft ready, but it wasn't good. Lucy snatched the laptop out of Molly's hands to read the lyrics herself. Molly breathed a sigh of relief when Lucy announced that the lyrics were good. Next, Lucy had Anton listen to T.J.'s music to make certain that it would work for the opening number. Anton gave the music a thumbs-up, so Lucy decided to get the rehearsal underway.
Sam was happy that Molly's lyrics would be used for the Nurses' Ball. Molly hoped that their mother approved, especially since Alexis was worried about Nikolas. Molly confided that she hated being related to the Cassadines because all of them, except for Nikolas, were horrible. Sam insisted that Nikolas wouldn't want Molly to worry about the Cassadines.
Lucy asked Molly to step in for Epiphany and for Sam to take Elizabeth's place during the rehearsal, since neither nurse was there. Anton was pleased when Sam reluctantly agreed. Anton immediately took advantage of the opportunity by showing Sam how to move her hips.
Moments later, Elizabeth arrived. Sabrina quickly approached her friend to find out why Elizabeth had been late. Elizabeth revealed that she had been talking to Patrick, so Elizabeth was curious why Sabrina hadn't returned Patrick's phone call. Sabrina had no idea what Elizabeth was talking about, so Elizabeth advised Sabrina to talk to Patrick.
Nearby, Sam quickly left the stage when she saw Elizabeth. Anton was disappointed, but Sam explained that she preferred to work behind-the-scenes. Felix quickly jumped in to take Sam's place and ask Anton to show him some hip moves. A short time later, Felix took a break to gush to Lucy that he thought that Anton was into him. Meanwhile, Anton continued to flirt with Sam.
On the deck of the Haunted Star, Luke reminded Helena that he had killed her "seedy spawn" and "maniac" husband, so if she was trigger happy then she should shoot him, not Laura. Helena decided that Laura should be the one to do the shooting and handed Laura a gun. Luke chuckled because Helena was the only person that Laura would shoot. Laura refused to shoot anyone, so Helena threatened to kill Lulu if Laura didn't kill Luke's son, Ethan.
Luke warned Helena that it hadn't been a smart move to arm Laura, but Helena wasn't concerned. Helena made it clear that if Laura tried to shoot Helena then Helena's "guards" would open fire on Luke, Laura, and Ethan, which meant that Lulu would remain in danger. Laura refused to kill Ethan, so Helena pointed out that Luke wouldn't hesitate to sacrifice Nikolas to save Lulu. Ethan invited Laura to shoot him if it would shut the "shrieking harpy" up. Laura insisted that Ethan was innocent.
Laura was certain that Lulu wouldn't want one of her brothers to die to save Lulu, so Helena offered Laura the option of shooting Luke. Luke was curious why Helena would give someone else the courtesy of ending his life instead of doing it herself. Helena claimed that she knew what it felt like to have an unfaithful husband, so she wanted Laura to have the satisfaction of ending Luke's life the same way that Helena had enjoyed slitting the throat of Mikkos' mistress. Helena urged Laura to avenge herself because Luke had raped Laura, cheated on her, driven her to madness, and then had abandoned Laura to rot in an asylum, while he had married another woman.
Helena reminded Laura that Luke had always despised Nikolas and had called Laura's firstborn child names. Helena assured Laura that Laura could break Helena's curse if Laura killed Luke. Luke carefully agreed with Helena as he urged Laura to take the only out that had been presented to Laura. Meanwhile, Luke carefully moved, so that Laura ended up between him and Ethan. Helena and her thugs were caught off-guard when Laura tossed the gun to Luke then dropped to the deck with Ethan, while Luke fired off three shots.
Helena's henchmen fell to the ground dead. Dumbfounded, Helena looked at Luke. "Say goodbye, old woman," Luke growled as he shot Helena point-blank in the chest. Helena collapsed as Laura gasped in shock. Luke quickly checked Helena's pulse. "Ding dong, the witch is dead," Luke announced. Laura was rattled because Helena looked harmless. She couldn't believe that Helena was dead after tormenting them for so many years.
Ethan suspected that Helena had never expected Luke to actually shoot her. Luke explained that Helena hadn't realized that the game had been played out. Ethan couldn't understand what had driven Helena to go after Luke. Luke pointed out that Helena had been insane, so she hadn't needed a reason. Luke's only regret was that he hadn't killed Helena thirty years earlier. Laura suddenly realized that Helena had been the only person who knew where Lulu was.
Luke quickly searched the ship for any sign of his daughter, to no avail. Luke became concerned when he noticed that one of the henchmen had some kind of device with a blinking light in his ear. As if on cue, Laura heard the distant sounds of ship horns as the ships closed in on the Haunted Star. Luke was certain that it was Cassadine reinforcements, so he ordered Ethan to take the launch and leave. Ethan refused, but Luke insisted that they needed a decoy, so Ethan hugged his father and then left.
Luke handed Laura a gun as a bright light from one of the ships lit up the deck. She was curious if he had a plan. Luke assured her that he did and reached for her hand. "Here we go again," Luke said as they watched a ship draw near.
Bobbie arrived at Carly's house to pick Carly up for the Nurses Ball, but Carly announced that she had more important plans. Bobbie couldn't imagine what could be more important than the Nurses Ball, prompting Carly to recall the conversation that Carly had overheard between Sonny and Brenda the previous evening. Bobbie sensed that Carly was plotting something, so Carly admitted that she was simply protecting the innocent and making certain that the guilty were punished.
In Jax and Brenda's suite, Jax showered, while Brenda thought about her talk with Sonny when Sonny had confessed that he had been afraid to read the letter that she had given to Robin because he had been in a freefall after Brenda had walked out on their marriage. Jax entered the room and immediately noticed that Brenda had seemed distracted. Jax was curious what Brenda had been thinking about, so she admitted that she hated his ex-wife for not signing the divorce papers.
Jax assured Brenda that Carly would give him the signed divorce papers at the Nurses Ball. Brenda imagined that Carly hadn't reacted well to the news about the engagement, so Jax revealed that Carly had accused Brenda of agreeing to marry Jax to get a reaction out of Sonny. Jax also confessed that Carly had been certain that Brenda had gone to Sonny's house to try to reconcile with Sonny.
Later, Jax was curious why Brenda wasn't ready for the ball. Brenda confessed that she hated getting ready for events like the ball because it reminded her of her modeling days. Jax pointed out that she was only attending the event, so she could relax and enjoy the evening. Brenda disagreed because she suspected that she would have to deal with Carly all evening. Brenda couldn't understand why Carly couldn't focus on Carly's own "pathetic" life, so Jax explained that Carly was just protective of him because Carly feared that Brenda would hurt him. Brenda couldn't believe that Jax had defended Carly to her, but Jax assured Brenda that he had made it clear to Carly that Brenda loved him and didn't have any intention of rekindling things with Sonny.
"Right? I mean, you weren't at Sonny's last night, were you?" Jax asked as someone knocked on the door. Brenda assured him that she hadn't been at Sonny's house as she opened the door. Carly stood on the doorstep with a smug smile. Brenda demanded to know what Carly was doing there, so Carly claimed that she was there to make certain that Brenda and Jax were satisfied with their room. Brenda insisted that all they needed from Carly was for Carly to hand over the signed divorce papers.
Carly promised to give Jax the signed divorce papers at the ball, but Carly expected Jax to have a million-dollar check for Carly. "Excuse me?" Jax asked. Carly told Brenda about the bet that Carly had made with Jax and then admitted that she had heard Brenda's denial about visiting Sonny. Carly informed Jax that Brenda had been at Sonny's house the previous evening; Carly knew that because Carly had gone to Sonny's house after Jax had left and had overheard Brenda asking Sonny for reconciliation. "Have fun at the ball," Carly cheerily said as she sailed out of the room.
Jax demanded to know if what Carly had said was true. Brenda insisted that Carly couldn't be trusted because Carly wanted to break them up. Jax pushed for an answer until Brenda tearfully admitted that she had gone to Sonny's house to tell him about the engagement. Jax was furious and wanted to know why she had lied to him. Brenda insisted that she hadn't wanted to upset Jax, but Jax wanted to know if Brenda had tried to work things out with Sonny.
Brenda explained that she had wanted closure because she had written Sonny a letter that she had assumed that Sonny had read. Jax realized that Brenda had wanted Sonny to work things out with her, so Brenda quietly admitted that it was true. Jax refused to spend another minute with Brenda, but Brenda desperately tried to salvage her relationship with Jax by suggesting that they skip the ball and leave town. She begged Jax not to let Carly break them up, but Jax confessed that Carly had saved him from making a huge mistake.
Jax credited Carly with making him see that Brenda was irreparably damaged and that he couldn't save her. Brenda refused to believe that it was over, so Jax walked out.
Carly returned home and discovered Sonny, dressed in a tuxedo, sitting in her living room. She was curious when he had started to let himself into her home, so he revealed that it was only fair since she had entered his home uninvited the previous evening. Sonny held up the scarf that Carly had dropped while she had been eavesdropping on his private conversation with Brenda. Carly told Sonny about Jax's visit and her certainty that Brenda had been at Sonny's house. Sonny insisted that it was none of Carly's business, but Carly disagreed because Jax was Josslyn's father.
Sonny argued that Carly had no right to spy on him, but Carly was certain that Sonny would want to know if his and Jax's roles had been reversed. Sonny argued that it wasn't about him, so she needed to stay out of Jax and Brenda's business. Carly revealed that it was too late because she had told Jax about Brenda's visit with Sonny. Carly didn't want Jax to end up brokenhearted because Brenda was addicted to Sonny.
Sonny started to leave, but Carly asked him to wait for her because she wanted to attend the ball with him. She promised him that she only needed ten minutes to get ready, so he sat back down on the sofa. Pleased, Carly confessed that she looked forward to the evening because she had saved her ex-husband from a "man-eating snake."
Duke stood in the doorway of the ballroom, watching Lucy rehearse one of the dance numbers for the Nurses Ball. Mac walked up with Mr. Marbles perched on his arm and greeted Duke. Duke chuckled as he asked about Mac's dummy, so Mac introduced Mr. Marbles. Duke was certain that Mac's act was going to be the highlight of the evening. "At least the highlight of Felicia's evening," Duke added. "But not Frisco's," Mr. Marbles replied.
Duke cautioned Mac to be careful about the Frisco jokes because it gave the impression that Mac felt threatened by Frisco. Mac clarified that what he felt was a deep desire to pummel Frisco. Duke was surprised when Mac revealed that Felicia had confessed that she loved Mac and Frisco. Mac had been down that road before with Felicia, but it had always ended with Felicia taking off when Frisco beckoned. Mac refused to give up on Felicia, but he insisted that she needed to make a choice once and for all.
Duke empathized with Mac's predicament, but Mac pointed out that Duke had a fighting chance with Anna because there wasn't another person in the picture. "I'm competing with myself," Duke explained. Mac refused to believe that Anna had objected to Duke "dabbling" in a little criminal activity when Duke had been a "straight-up gangster" when Anna had first fallen in love with Duke. Mac suspected that Anna had used the excuse as a means to push Duke away, so she could avoid facing her fears. Mac believed that Faison had made Anna afraid to trust her own judgment, so he urged Duke to give Anna a reason to trust Duke.
Nearby, Sabrina struggled to push a clothing rack filled with couture gowns. Felix was excited until Lucy informed Felix that all of the gowns were for Lucy. Lucy explained that the host couldn't appear in the same gown all night, so Lucy intended to wear a different gown each time she stepped on stage. Moments later, Kevin arrived, so Lucy ran up to greet him. Lucy admitted that she was nervous about the evening, so she was delighted that Kevin was there to calm her.
Lucy's joy turned to disappointment when Kevin revealed that the hospital in Seattle had called to let him know that one of his patients was in crisis. Lucy pointed out that she was in crisis, too, because it was the first Nurses Ball in ten years. Kevin assured her that he wouldn't skip the ball if he could help it, but his patient needed him. He was confident that Lucy would sail through the evening without any problems. Lucy insisted that she had terrible stage fright, so Kevin gave her a pep talk and promised to be there with her in spirit.
Moments later, Lucy spotted Duke, so she and Kevin approached Duke and Mac. Duke hoped that Kevin didn't mind that Duke would be dancing with Lucy. Kevin explained that he had to leave, so he wanted Duke and Mac to take care of Lucy. Mac promised that they would make certain that Lucy ended up on stage in her "scanties" as was her custom. Lucy playfully smacked Mac and made it clear that it was one tradition that she intended to break. Kevin was pleased because he preferred that Lucy's lingerie remained for his eyes only.
After Kevin left, Lucy dragged everyone to the stage for one last rehearsal. Mac performed his ventriloquist act for Lucy, but she wasn't impressed. Lucy advised Mac to polish up the jokes about Frisco if Mac didn't want to die on stage with his wooden puppet. Afterwards, Lucy and Duke practiced their dance number. Lucy was pleased with the final rehearsal, so she ordered everyone to get ready for the 2013 Nurses Ball.
Meanwhile, Sabrina asked Felix if there was a way to retrieve a deleted voicemail message. Felix suspected that there was, but he didn't know how. Sabrina explained that Elizabeth had mentioned that Patrick had left Sabrina a message, but Elizabeth had refused to elaborate. However, Sabrina has sensed that the message was important. Felix suggested that Patrick would call back if it was important. Sabrina agreed, so she set her phone down and went back to work getting things set up for the ball. A short time later, Sabrina noticed that she had missed a call from Patrick.
At the Drake residence, Patrick and Emma were eating dinner when Emma decided to go to her room to change into her ball gown. Patrick gently advised Emma against it because he didn't want her to get her dress dirty, but Emma wanted her father to see the dress. Patrick explained that he would rather be surprised when he saw her at the ball. Emma smiled brightly and then confided that her duet with Sabrina would be the best performance at the ball. Patrick returned the smile until Emma began to talk about Sabrina's new boyfriend, "Magic Milo."
According to Emma, Felix wasn't happy about Sabrina's relationship with Milo because Felix liked Milo. However, Emma explained that Milo didn't like boys. Emma recalled Felix mentioning Milo's abs, so she was curious was abs were. Patrick told his daughter to finish her dinner and warned her not to gossip. Afterwards, Patrick stepped away to call Sabrina. The call went to voicemail, so he asked what time Sabrina intended to pick up Emma. Moments later, the doorbell rang.
Patrick assumed that it was Sabrina, so he ended the call and dashed to the door. He was surprised when he saw Noah standing on his doorstep. Emma ran into her grandfather's waiting arms. Patrick was curious why Noah was there, so Noah explained that he intended to attend the Nurses Ball because it was a worthy charity and it honored Robin.
Later, Sabrina arrived to pick up Emma. Patrick introduced Sabrina to Noah, but Noah already knew Sabrina. Noah explained that Sabrina and Emma talked to Noah on Skype whenever Sabrina watched Emma. Patrick looked uncomfortable when Sabrina and Noah chatted like old friends about some of the women that Noah had recently dated.
After Sabrina and Emma left, Noah remarked that Patrick and Emma were lucky to have found someone like Sabrina. Patrick agreed, but Noah sensed that his son was holding something back. Patrick confessed that he'd recently had a moment of clarity. Patrick told Noah about Sabrina's heartfelt confession and Patrick's panicked reaction.
Patrick had realized later that Sabrina had quietly helped him put his life back together after Robin's tragic death. Patrick conceded that he had feelings for Sabrina, but it was too late because Sabrina had moved on with another guy. Noah urged Patrick to swallow his pride and open up to Sabrina. Patrick admitted that he had left Sabrina a voicemail message, but Noah insisted that women didn't want to hear things like that over the phone. Noah didn't want Patrick to make the same mistake that Noah had made when Noah had let a "certain nurse" slip though his fingers, so he urged Patrick to try to talk to Sabrina again.
In Anna's hotel suite, Anna was on the phone, getting an update about Luke, Laura, and Dante's search for Lulu. Nearby, Felicia was applying make up on Maxie as Olivia entered the room. Olivia heard Anna on the phone, so she waited until Anna ended the call to ask if there had been any news. Anna admitted that Frisco hadn't had anything new to report. Maxie complained when Felicia suddenly smeared Maxie's lipstick. Felicia apologized, but remained focused on Anna and Olivia's conversation.
Olivia admitted that she was out of her mind with worry about Dante and Lulu, so Maxie assured Olivia that everything would be fine because Maxie was certain that Dante would find Lulu.
Later, Anna was surprised when Felicia confessed that she loved Mac and Frisco. Felicia admitted that she had told both men about her feelings, so Anna was curious what their reactions had been. Felicia revealed that Mac had refused to talk to her until Felicia had made a choice. Anna wondered which man Felicia wanted to be with, but Felicia would only say that she intended to straighten everything out the first chance that she had.
Anna opened up to Felicia about Duke and told her about their decision not to pursue a romantic relationship. Felicia doubted that it had been that simple, but Anna insisted that a relationship with Duke was impossible. Moments later, everyone was delighted when Bobbie arrived.
The women in Anna's room were in various stages of getting ready for the ball when Felix arrived with complimentary bags of Lucy's cosmetics. Felix gushed to Anna about Emma, but admitted that Patrick was a "dolt" and the most clueless person that he had ever met. Anna was curious what Felix was talking about, but Felix tried to change the subject. Concerned, Anna pushed for an answer, so Felix assured her that Patrick was fine, but he cryptically explained that he thought that Patrick could be less lonely.
Anna wondered if Felix had a specific person in mind to help Patrick be less lonely, but Felix was spared from having to answer Anna's question when Sabrina and Emma arrived. Emma was quickly swept up in the frenzy of getting ready, so Felix pulled Sabrina aside to inform Sabrina that he intended to give Sabrina a makeover. Sabrina refused, but Felix refused to take no for an answer. He knew that Sabrina had recently ordered some contact lenses, which indicated to him that she wanted to make some changes but had been too afraid to follow through.
Felix yanked off Sabrina's glasses as he accused her of hiding behind her big hair and thick glasses, so he was determined to help her. Sabrina remained reluctant, but Felix promised her two things: he would have her turning heads at the ball, and he would make her almost as beautiful on the outside as she was on the inside. Seconds later, Anna noticed Sabrina without her glasses. Anna complimented Sabrina and claimed that Sabrina looked like a different woman, so Sabrina decided to take Felix up on his offer.
Meanwhile, everyone complimented Maxie when she was ready for the ball. They all agreed that pregnancy suited her. Bobbie knew the pain of not being able to have a child, so she was certain that B.J. would be proud of her cousin for helping Lulu to become a mother.
Later, all of the ladies clapped when Emma made a grand entrance, dressed in a sparkling gown. Emma called out to Sabrina to join them, but Felix told the ladies that Sabrina would meet them in the ballroom. After the ladies filed out, Felix turned to look at Sabrina. "What can I say? I'm a master builder," Felix proclaimed with pride. Sabrina nervously wondered if she looked okay, so Felix assured her that she was beautiful.
Sabrina asked Felix to go ahead without her because she wanted some time to get used to the heels. Shortly after Felix left, Patrick knocked on the door and called out to Anna as he entered the suite. He spotted Sabrina, but she had her back to him, so he asked her if she had seen a woman similar to her height, with big hair and glasses. Patrick was shocked by the stunning transformation when Sabrina turned to face him.
In Anna's suite, Patrick was stunned by Sabrina's startling transformation. Sabrina smiled awkwardly as she conceded that she looked different, so Patrick assured her that she was beautiful. Sabrina rushed to explain that the makeover had been Felix's idea, but she assured Patrick that she was still the same person under all of the glitz and glamour. "That's a good thing," Patrick quietly admitted.
Patrick cleared his throat and then confessed that he had been trying to talk to Sabrina for a few days, but he'd only reached her voicemail. Sabrina admitted that Elizabeth had mentioned that he had left a voicemail message for Sabrina, but Sabrina insisted that she hadn't received it. Sabrina was surprised when Patrick confessed that he hoped that her feelings for him hadn't changed because he felt the same way about Sabrina that she felt about him.
Patrick explained that he had realized that Sabrina had been a friend to him, even when he hadn't known that he had needed one and that he had looked forward to seeing her every day from the day that he had met her. Patrick admitted that grief and then Britt had distracted him, but Sabrina's confession had made him realize that the person he wanted and needed had been standing right in front of him. Sabrina's eyes filled with tears of joy as Patrick revealed that he had gone to her graduation ceremony to tell her about his feelings, but Milo had asked her out.
Sabrina confessed that she had gone out with Milo to get over Patrick. Patrick was curious if it had worked, so Sabrina quickly assured Patrick that her feelings for him hadn't changed. Patrick apologized to Sabrina for taking so long to figure things out, so Sabrina assured Patrick that it was okay. "I'm sorry it took me so long to do this," Patrick softly said as he leaned down to kiss her.
After the passionate kiss ended, Sabrina admitted that she couldn't believe what had just happened. Sabrina's happiness was tempered by the realization that Milo was her date. Patrick's smile faded, but Sabrina assured him that she intended to talk to Milo right away to let him know that things had changed between her and Patrick, so Patrick formally asked Sabrina to be his date for the evening. She didn't hesitate to accept.
Moments later, Sabrina announced that she had to get to the ballroom because she was expected to perform in the opening number. Patrick offered his arm to Sabrina as he asked her if she was ready. "I've been ready since the day I met you," Sabrina replied with a beaming smile as she hooked her arm through his.
In the dressing room, Lucy frantically flipped through the rack of couture gowns, looking for the perfect one to wear on the red carpet. Felix knocked on the door and entered the room to find out why Lucy wasn't ready. Lucy explained her predicament to Felix, so Felix decided to help her select a gown because he didn't want her to appear on stage in her underwear. Lucy confessed that it wouldn't be the first time that it had happened to her.
On the red carpet, an entertainment television host introduced the viewing audience to Aztec princess, Felicia Jones, and her daughter, fashion icon and selfless surrogate, Maxie Jones. Felicia and Maxie smiled as they made their way to an area where photographers snapped their pictures. Moments later, Frisco joined Felicia and Maxie. Frisco's smile faded when the red carpet host announced that Mac had arrived, prompting Felicia to invite Mac to join them. Frisco scowled when Mac slid next to Felicia and smiled pleasantly for the photographers.
Spinelli and Ellie were the next to arrive, but Ellie's good humor waned when Spinelli spotted Maxie and remarked that Maxie was "blossoming with child." Ellie reminded Spinelli that he had promised not to talk about children. Tensions were high as Spinelli and Ellie quickly posed for pictures before fleeing to the ballroom.
Duke, sporting a kilt, arrived on the red carpet alone, but Anna and Emma soon followed, and Anna stopped to talk to the host. Anna confessed that she believed that her daughter, Robin, was there in spirit. Emma smiled brightly when she saw Duke posing for pictures, so she called out to him. Duke waved back at Emma as she ran towards him. However, Emma's happiness dimmed when she overheard the host inform the viewing audience that Patrick had not arrived yet.
Sonny and Carly stepped onto the red carpet as Duke, Anna, and Emma walked away. The host asked if Sonny and Carly were back together. "No comment," Carly replied. The host was curious if Carly wanted to address rumors about Brenda's engagement to Jax. Carly smiled as she assured everyone that Jax and Brenda were not headed down the aisle and then confessed that they were unlikely to arrive together that evening. As if on cue, Brenda appeared on the red carpet alone.
Brenda smiled brightly as she waved to the crowd, while Carly watched Brenda with smug satisfaction. Sonny's eyes were on Brenda as the host asked Brenda where her fiancé was. Brenda claimed that Jax had been called away, so Carly pointedly asked Brenda about the missing engagement ring. Brenda's smile tightened as she explained that the ring hadn't matched her gown. The host moved on when Michael arrived with Bobbie and Olivia. However, the host noted that there hadn't been any sign of Bobbie's former flame, Noah Drake.
Moments later, the host announced the arrival of "beautiful and beloved" Nurse Elizabeth Webber and "back-from-the-dead" ELQ CEO A.J. Quartermaine. A.J. and Elizabeth posed for pictures and then made their way to the ballroom. Shortly afterwards, Monica and Tracy arrived. The host admitted that he was surprised that the feuding sisters-in-law had attended together. Meanwhile, Monica and Tracy pasted on saccharine smiles as they quietly spoke to each other between gritted teeth about the spirits who had visited them. Tracy admitted that the sprits had a done a number on her and Monica.
Next up were Alexis, Shawn, Molly, and T.J., followed by Sam, who had arrived at the event alone. The Davis women and their dates posed for pictures as Epiphany and her escort, Anton, stepped onto the red carpet. Sam was startled when Anton suddenly bumped into as the photo area became crowded. Anton smiled at Sam as he reminded her that it wasn't too late to dance with him.
The last to arrive on the red carpet were Felix and Lucy. Felix stepped aside as the host interviewed Lucy, so Milo approached Felix to ask where Sabrina was.
Inside the ballroom, Mac caught Frisco switching place cards so that Frisco would be seated next to Felicia. Mac accused Frisco of being juvenile, but Frisco argued that Frisco and Felicia belonged together. Mac suggested that Frisco's attempt to change the seating chart indicated that Frisco viewed Mac as a threat, so Mac was certain that Frisco would lose Felicia. Nearby, Anna and Felicia watched Mac and Frisco. Anna advised Felicia to make a decision before Mac and Frisco killed each other.
Felicia approached the table, so Mac and Frisco demanded that she make a choice. "What's it going to be? A nice, hot, juicy filet mignon or a cold fish?" Frisco asked.
Elsewhere in the ballroom, Bobbie greeted Noah with a warm hug. He apologized for interrupting her phone call, but she assured him that it was okay because she had just been checking in with Scott. "Scotty?" Noah asked surprised. He wondered if Bobbie and Scott were dating, so she quickly clarified that she was single then jokingly added that it had been years since she had faked blindness to keep a man. Noah chuckled. "That's good to know," he replied as he watched Bobbie walk away.
Moments later, Anna approached Noah. She told him that it was good to see him, but he wondered if she would prefer his rock star look-alike, Eli Love. Noah wasn't surprised when Anna confessed that she'd had a little crush on Eli, but Eli had been troubled. Noah and Anna talked about Eli's drinking problem and the night that Noah had taken the rock star's place on stage. Anna wondered if they might get a surprise appearance from Eli Love. "Maybe. Maybe from someone. I don't know," Noah cryptically replied. "Who?" Anna nervously asked.
Later, Patrick joined his family at their table in the ballroom. Emma happily hugged her father, but noticed something on his collar. Noah smiled knowingly at his son. "Looks like you found her," Noah said. Patrick retuned his father's smile as he replied, "Yes."
Elsewhere in the ballroom, Alexis approached Sonny to find out why Carly was his date. Michael walked up as Sonny explained that it was a long story. "Let me guess; it has something to do with Brenda," Michael said as they all watched as Carly had approached Brenda at a nearby table.
Carly announced that she had the signed divorce papers for Jax and then innocently asked where he was. Brenda smiled bitterly at Carly as she replied, "Go to hell." "That's what I thought. The wedding is off," Carly shot back with satisfaction. Brenda blamed the broken engagement on Carly, who Brenda insisted was a "miserable skank." Alexis, Shawn, Michael, and Sonny quickly ran over to the table to keep the argument from escalating.
Shawn offered to take Brenda to another table, but Brenda refused to be moved. She took her place at the table as the announcer welcomed the guests to the 2013 Nurses Ball. Annoyed, Carly sat down next to Brenda as the rest of the guests took their seats.
Backstage, Lucy ordered everyone to take their place for the opening number. Lucy was relieved when Sabrina arrived at the last second, but took a moment to compliment the young nurse on her stunning makeover. After Lucy walked away to attend to another detail, Felix and Elizabeth asked Sabrina why she was late. Sabrina happily revealed that Patrick had kissed her. Felix and Elizabeth were thrilled for Sabrina and eager to hear the details, but Sabrina had to get changed for the opening number.
A short time later, Lucy stepped onto the stage to officially kick off the 2013 Nurses Ball. She informed the audience that T.J. and Molly had written the music and lyrics for the opening number. The nurses of General Hospital wowed the crowed with a song and dance routine, which featured solos from Epiphany, Sabrina, and Felix. After the opening number, Sabrina changed back into her gown and looked for Milo.
Milo was stunned by Sabrina's makeover and admitted that she looked as amazing on the outside as she was on the inside. However, he revealed that he had a confession to make. Sabrina was surprised when he told her about the deleted voicemail message. Milo feared that she was angry, but she assured him that she wasn't because she had to be honest with him too. Milo was disappointed, but not shocked, when she told him that things had changed between her and Patrick. He admitted that it was clear that there was an undeniable connection between Sabrina and Patrick.
Moments later, Sabrina joined Patrick at his table. Emma thought that Sabrina looked like a princess. Patrick agreed and invited Sabrina to sit.
Backstage, Spinelli apologized to Ellie about the remarks that he had made regarding Maxie's pregnancy. He assured her that he had simply been making an observation, so he begged Sabrina to forgive him. Spinelli and Ellie were called to the stage before Ellie could reply. Moments later, Spinelli and Ellie performed a lively and entertaining song and dance routine to She Blinded Me With Science.
As everyone applauded, Brenda threw a dinner roll at the back of Carly's head. Carly turned and glared at Brenda, who glared right back at Carly, so Carly picked up a bread roll then threw it at Brenda. The food fight quickly escalated as Carly tossed a drink at Brenda. Security quickly appeared, so Carly ordered them to escort Brenda out of the ballroom. Brenda warned the security guard not to touch her then stood up and calmly walked out. Annoyed, Sonny reminded Carly that Brenda had been there to honor Robin, so it hadn't been necessary to toss Brenda out.
Carly disagreed and refused to apologize. Disgusted, Sonny went after Brenda. Nearby, Monica asked Michael what was going on between Carly and Brenda. Michael admitted that his mother didn't get along with Brenda. Elizabeth couldn't understand why Carly and Brenda couldn't put aside their differences for one night and coexist. Elizabeth pointed out that A.J. and Tracy despised each other, but they weren't throwing champagne at each other. A.J. credited Elizabeth for being a good influence on him.
Tracy rolled her eyes then announced that she needed to step out for some fresh air because she felt nauseous. A.J. was surprised when Monica decided to follow Tracy. Monica explained that her truce with Tracy couldn't last forever, so Monica wanted to make certain that Tracy didn't poison A.J.'s steak. "Well, so much for peaceful coexistence," Michael told Elizabeth.
At Maxie's table, Maxie watched as Spinelli kissed Ellie on the stage, while the crowd applauded. Ellie told Spinelli that she forgave him because she loved him, so Spinelli told Ellie that he loved her. Maxie stood up and started to walk away, but Frisco caught up with his daughter then whispered to her that it wasn't too late to tell Spinelli that she was pregnant with Spinelli's baby.
Duke complimented Anna as she passed him near the entrance to the ballroom. Anna admitted that he looked dashing in his kilt. Duke wondered if his kilt reminded her of their wedding and the love that they had once shared, despite their differences.
Sam was shocked when Anton announced that she would have to dance with him because his dance partner had been injured. Sam argued that she didn't have anything to wear, but Anton refused to take no for an answer. Eventually, Sam capitulated and followed Anton backstage. After Sam went to change into a costume, Felix approached Anton to offer to dance with him. Anton smiled, but explained that he had a dance partner. Felix hid his disappointment as Sam returned to fetch Anton for their dance number.
The audience loved Sam and Anton's flawless freestyle dance and applauded loudly when the dance concluded. After Sam and Anton left the stage, Lucy reminded everyone that there had been nurses from the past who continued to inspire everyone. The curtain lifted to reveal a picture of Nurse Amy Vining and Nurse Jesse Brewer. Lucy admitted that the two beloved nurses were missed, but not forgotten. Lucy then introduced her longtime dear friend, Bobbie Spencer, who had once been General Hospital's head nurse.
After the applause for Bobbie died down, Lucy revealed that the Nurses Ball wouldn't have been possible without the generosity of an anonymous benefactor. Lucy was certain that the benefactor was present, so she urged the person to stand up because she wanted to give everyone the opportunity to show their appreciation with applause. Everyone clapped as they waited for someone to stand up, but no one did. Lucy respected the benefactor's wish to remain anonymous, but she assured the person that they were all grateful for the donation.
Shortly after Maxie had returned to her table, she asked her mother if Felicia had made a choice. Felicia confessed that she didn't know what to do because she loved Mac and Frisco. Meanwhile, Lucy introduced Mac and Mr. Marbles. Mac and Mr. Marbles had fun at Frisco's expense by cracking jokes about Frisco being a deadbeat father and having a fear of commitment. However, Mac ended his skit with a heartfelt message to Felicia.
Mac assured Felicia that he didn't care who she picked, as long as she was happy. Mac then declared his love for Felicia. The audience clapped, while Felicia quietly asked Maxie what that had been about. Maxie suggested that Mac had finally decided to fight back. Felicia avoided looking at Mac when he returned to the table, but the spotlight then fell on a surprise performance from Frisco who sang a touching rendition of All I Need. Felicia's eyes filled with tears, as other couples such as A.J. and Elizabeth, Spinelli and Ellie, Patrick and Sabrina, Duke and Anna, and Alexis and Shawn exchanged meaningful glances with each other during parts of the lyrics that spoke to them.
Frisco dedicated the song to the woman that he had always held close to his heart, no matter how far he had traveled. Mac was shocked when Frisco approached Felicia to publicly propose marriage to her.
In Lucy's dressing room, Lucy became frustrated when she couldn't find a specific gown. However, a loud noise caught her attention, so she went to her dressing room door and threw it open. She appeared startled by what had greeted her eyes.
