Due to the Memorial Day holiday, General Hospital did not air today.
This was a planned pre-emption, and there will be no "lost" episodes as a result. Regular programming will resume on Tuesday, May 28, and pick up where the Friday, May 24 episode concluded.
At the Quartermaine mansion, Tracy was not happy when Luke entered the parlor. Luke promised that he was there to apologize, but Tracy doubted that he knew the meaning of the word. Luke produced a page that he had ripped out of a dictionary then read the definition of "apology," but Tracy wasn't impressed because knowing the meaning of the word didn't mean that Luke knew how to apologize. Tracy admitted that she had been hurt deeply by Luke during their last encounter, but her hurt quickly evaporated when Luke suddenly groaned in pain.
Luke brushed the twinge off as unimportant then turned the conversation back to his apology. He assured Tracy that she was the last person in the world that he'd wrong. "Don't you get that by now?" he asked. After they both sat down, Luke admitted that he had let Scott get into his head, but it hadn't been about Laura. Luke explained that Tracy was his best friend and partner in crime, but he knew that the way he lived didn't leave a lot of room for him to care about people. However, he insisted that she was at the top of the very short list of people who were important to him, so he wanted her forgiveness.
Tracy was curious if that was all Luke had to say to her. "Yes," he replied, so she pointed out to him that he hadn't actually apologized to her. Luke immediately rectified the oversight by sincerely and genuinely admitting that he was deeply sorry for the pain that he had caused Tracy. Tracy accepted the apology as long as Luke understood what it meant. She refused be squeezed in between his "walkabouts" because she deserved and wanted a romance that was an adventure in and of itself. Luke conceded that he couldn't give her that, so Tracy made it clear that they would be friends, not lovers.
However, Tracy assured Luke that they could prove Scott wrong because Luke would always be a part of her family. Luke relaxed then poured himself a drink, so they could toast. "What are you doing?" Tracy asked as she looked accusingly at his glass. She warned him that she still had concerns about his drinking, but Luke denied that he was an alcoholic. Tracy argued that every alcoholic said that, but Luke countered that people who weren't alcoholics said it too. Luke assured her that he could handle his "drink."
"Even after what happened to Jake?" Tracy asked. Luke insisted that Jake's death had been a terrible accident because Jake had run into the street. Luke assured Tracy that he would never forget that fateful night and would live with it for the rest of his life, but he was not an addict. Tracy argued that his addiction was beside the point because Luke had run Jake down and then had kept on driving because he had mistaken the child for a pothole.
Luke wanted Tracy to respect his choices the same way that he respected hers. "Can you do that, or should we call this whole thing off?" Luke asked. Tracy admitted that she didn't like Luke's drinking and firmly believed that he was drowning in a "booze-filled river in Egypt," but she agreed to drop the matter for the moment. Relieved, Luke downed the contents of his tumbler as Tracy told him about her visit from Ava. The lightening and thunder outside snagged Tracy's attention, so she closed the patio door. Tracy's smile evaporated when she turned around and saw Luke collapsed on the floor.
At Michael's apartment, Ava tucked away the proxy that Tracy given to her for Kiki to sign. Seconds later, Kiki returned to the living room and asked why her mother was in Port Charles. Before Ava could reply, Morgan entered the living room. Morgan was embarrassed when he saw Kiki's mother because he only had a towel wrapped around his waist. Kiki chuckled as Morgan asked Ava to excuse him for not being properly dressed. Morgan was curious why Ava was in town, so Kiki confessed that she had asked her mother the same thing. Ava claimed that she had just wanted to check up on Kiki.
After Morgan put some clothes on, he returned to the living room to apologize to Ava for everything that had happened at her apartment when he had gotten into trouble with the online bookies. Ava confessed that she had been known to spend a night at a blackjack table, so she understood. However, Ava begged Morgan and Kiki to be careful because the next time, they might not escape with their lives. Morgan promised Ava that he had gotten the message.
Morgan assured Ava that he intended to repay his father, but he needed a job first. Kiki seized the opportunity to suggest that her mother take Morgan and Kiki out for dinner. Ava explained that she was tried, but she offered to pay for a romantic dinner for two. Morgan thanked Ava as he accepted her offer, so Ava asked Kiki to walk her out.
After Ava and Kiki left, Morgan received a text message from his friend Travis. Travis had found a new gambling site that Travis claimed seemed "legit." Morgan put the phone down and tried to distract himself with other things, but the lure of gambling called to him until he opened the laptop to log on to the site that Travis had recommended.
Meanwhile, Kiki was curious why Ava had dragged her to the piers. Ava pulled out the proxy as she explained that she had wanted to talk privately to Kiki about who Kiki really was.
At the loft, Dante was staring as his wedding picture when someone knocked on the door. Dante put the picture down then quickly answered the door, but his hopeful expression instantly fell when he saw his father standing in the hallway. Sonny noticed his son's disappointment, so Dante explained that he had hoped that Lulu had returned home. Sonny followed Dante into the loft as Dante revealed that he had taken Lulu to talk to Kevin. Sonny confessed that he had made it clear to Milo that Lulu could no longer stay with Milo.
Dante appreciated his father's help and support. Sonny perked up when Dante mentioned that Lulu was hosting a party for someone on the Haunted Star. Sonny was curious if Dante knew who had rented the Haunted Star from Lulu, but Dante didn't know. Dante became alarmed when Sonny showed Dante the text message with Jason's picture. Dante didn't want Lulu to be caught in the middle of something that might have something to do with Sonny and Jason's enemies, so he decided to accompany his father to the ship.
The mystery man lurked in the Quartermaine mausoleum near Jason's plaque as A.J. approached. A.J. stopped to take a phone call, so the mystery man seized the opportunity to hide inside a crypt before he was discovered.
Outside, A.J. assured Michael that he would get to the Haunted Star shortly, but he didn't like the idea of Michael being there. Michael insisted that he had loved Jason, so Michael intended to find out what was going on. A.J. accepted his son's decision, so he promised to join Michael as soon as A.J. took care of something.
Moments later, A.J. entered the mausoleum then approached his brother's plaque. The mystery man lay in the crypt, listening as A.J. apologized to Jason for not visiting Jason sooner. A.J. conceded that he hadn't been a good brother to Jason. He briefly entertained the idea that Jason might have sent the text message, but then A.J. realized that Jason would be more direct. A.J. was certain that someone was messing with Jason's loved ones, so he didn't want Michael, "or even Carly," mixed up in whatever transpired on the Haunted Star.
A.J. jumped when Monica suddenly appeared in the doorway and called out to him. She apologized for startling her son, but explained that the gardener had seen someone outside the mausoleum. She assumed that it had been A.J., so she asked him what he was doing there. A.J. confessed that he had been thinking about how close he and Jason had been as kids and how wrong everything had gone. A.J. regretted that he would never have the chance to repair his broken relationship with his brother.
A.J. confided that he wished the plaque had honored who his brother had really been. "My brother's name will always be Jason Quartermaine," A.J. clarified. Monica appreciated what A.J. was saying, but she gently reminded her son that Jason hadn't used the Quartermaine name in many years. "Since I drove him into a tree," A.J. admitted. Monica assured her son that she hadn't said that, but he argued that it was true nonetheless because A.J. had gotten blitzed and then had driven his brother into a tree, which had killed Jason Quartermaine.
Monica insisted that Jason had remained A.J.'s brother and that Jason had eventually grown to love his family. A.J. conceded that Jason had loved Emily and perhaps Monica, but he questioned if Jason had ever loved Alan. A.J. knew for certain that Jason had never loved him. A.J. realized that he had no right to complain, but the name Jason Morgan had felt like a guilty verdict every time he had heard or seen it. Monica reminded A.J. that Jason had made mistakes too.
A.J. regretted the missed opportunity to repair his relationship with Jason, so Monica suggested that the best way to do that was to remember Jason. A.J. showed Monica the text message as he explained why Jason had been on his mind. Monica was shocked when A.J. revealed that it appeared that someone had reached out to each of Jason's loved ones. Monica disputed that because she hadn't received a text message inviting her to the Haunted Star.
A.J. thought that it was a telling clue, but Monica didn't care because she wanted to get to the bottom of the text message by going with A.J. to the Haunted Star. Monica refused to let someone walk over her son's grave, but A.J. insisted that Jason would not want Monica on the ship. A.J. begged his mother to remain at home, so Monica relented. After A.J. and Monica left the mausoleum, the mystery man crawled out of the crypt. "No wonder you were so quiet, everyone in your family talks," the man grumbled as he left.
On the dock, Carly confessed to Michael that she had a bad feeling about the text message. She didn't want her son to board the ship, but Michael made it clear that he was an adult. He explained that he felt obligated to be there, so neither Carly nor A.J. could talk him out of it. Carly was surprised that A.J. had received an invitation too. Michael decided to call A.J. to find out where his father was. After the phone call, Carly admitted that she was puzzled as to why A.J. had received an invitation when A.J. hadn't been close to Jason.
Moments later, Elizabeth walked up. Elizabeth wondered if Michael or Carly knew what was going on, so Carly admitted that she and Michael they were in the dark, except that it was clear that someone had reached out to those who had been close to Jason.
On the Haunted Star, a worker handed Lulu a receipt to sign after the last television had been installed. He was curious if she was having a screening on the ship, but Lulu confessed that she had no idea what her client planned for the evening. After the workers left, Lulu looked around to make certain that everything had been done. She froze when she saw a vase filled with flowers.
Lulu had a flashback of holding a bouquet of red roses, but the vision disappeared when Maxie called out her name. Lulu shook off the unsettling memory as she greeted Maxie. Maxie noticed that Lulu had seemed distracted, so she realized that Lulu hadn't sent the text message. "Why would you think I did?" Lulu asked. Maxie showed Lulu the text message. "I figured that's what this was about," Maxie answered.
Maxie explained that she had thought that the text message had been Lulu's tacky way of revealing that Lulu's memory had returned. Lulu insisted that she had no idea who Jason was, so Maxie told her about Jason's death and how he had been close to many people in Lulu's inner circle. Maxie was curious if Lulu knew who had sent the text message, so Lulu admitted that she had an idea. Spinelli and Sam entered the nightclub in time to hear Lulu's admission, so Sam demanded that Lulu tell Sam everything.
Lulu had no idea who Sam was, so she resented Sam's attitude. Maxie quickly assured Lulu that it was okay because Sam was Jason's widow. Moments later, Michael, Carly, and Elizabeth walked in. Carly promptly introduced herself as Lulu's cousin then interrogated Lulu about who had sent the text message. Lulu explained that she didn't know the man's name because he had paid with cash, but she described the man as best as she could. Carly wasn't satisfied, so she pushed Lulu for more answers until Dante and Sonny arrived.
Dante ordered Carly to leave Lulu alone then ushered Lulu out of the room. Meanwhile, Sonny scolded Carly for badgering Lulu after everything that Lulu had been through. Carly was unapologetic because Sam had cruelly been given a glimmer of hope that Jason was alive.
Dante stopped to check on Lulu as soon as they were away from everyone. Lulu tensed when she saw another vase filled with flowers because she was hit by another flashback of standing in a wedding dress on the Haunted Star as someone said, "I now pronounce you husband and wife." Dante immediately noticed the change in Lulu. "What is it? What...are you remembering something?" he anxiously asked. Lulu looked up at him with frightened eyes then ran off.
Dante followed Lulu as Maxie appeared in the doorway. Spinelli was seconds behind Maxie, so he asked if she intended to follow Dante and Lulu. Maxie decided against it, so Spinelli suggested that she leave for the sake of the baby. Maxie insisted that Jason had been an important part of her life and someone Spinelli had cared about, so she refused to leave.
Nearby, Dante caught up to Lulu. He offered to take her home, but she wasn't in the mood to deal with Dante and Milo arguing. Dante confessed that he had been thinking about their loft.
A short time later, Dante and Lulu arrived at the loft. Lulu admitted that it looked more lived-in than she had imagined. Dante assured her that she hadn't minded before. Lulu spotted the wedding picture of her and Dante on the table, so she picked it up. Suddenly, Lulu dropped the picture when a vivid memory assailed her. Dante was certain that she had recalled something, so he asked her what it was.
Horrified, Lulu told him that she recalled her wedding to Stavros.
On the Haunted Star, Sonny approached Sam to see how she was holding up. Sam confessed that she felt like an idiot and was furious with herself for entertaining the thought that Jason might be alive. Everyone gathered together as they tried to unravel the mystery of who might have sent them the eerie text message. Sonny pointed out that it was almost 8:00 p.m., so they would soon find out.
Moments later, A.J. arrived at the nightclub and noted that the "gang" was all there. A.J. observed that everyone who had been important to Jason had been contacted, but Sonny disagreed, since A.J. was there. Sam ended the bickering between Sonny and A.J. by announcing that it was 8:00 p.m. "Here we go," Sonny replied as a storm raged outside. Everyone tensed as the lights suddenly went out.
After several heartbeats, images of Jason suddenly flashed across the televisions scattered throughout the nightclub. "What the hell is going on?" Sonny angrily demanded. A spotlight appeared on the mystery man as he stood before everyone, smiling with his arms spread wide. "Oh, my God," Sam said in disbelief as she stared at the man. "It's you," Carly growled with malice.
A.J., Liz, Carly, Sam, Sonny, Maxie, Spinelli, and Michael were gathered at the Haunted Star to meet the mystery man who had sent them the text message invitation with the picture of Jason on it. After a slideshow of Jason played, the mystery man appeared and was revealed to be Franco. Everyone was shocked to see Franco alive because they had all believed Jason had killed him. Sonny pulled a gun on Franco. Nobody but Elizabeth objected to the idea of Sonny shooting Franco.
Franco teased the idea that maybe Jason, too, had cheated death. Michael asked Franco what he knew about Jason. Franco said that he would tell the group in time, provided Elizabeth didn't contact the authorities. Carly accused Franco of lying and reminded everyone that Faison had shot Jason and dumped him in the harbor, and Franco hadn't even been there.
Franco said that he could have been there for all they knew. Sam begged Sonny not to shoot Franco in case Franco really did know something about Jason. Sonny told Franco he had five minutes to tell them the truth. Sam demanded to know whether Jason was alive, and Franco said he'd tell the truth -- and not just about Jason.
When Franco called Elizabeth hot in response to her telling him he drew out the ugly in people, A.J. jumped to Elizabeth's defense, demanding Franco shut his mouth about her. Franco then moved on to Maxie and reminded her they had slept together. Franco congratulated Maxie and Spinelli on Maxie's pregnancy, and Spinelli responded that Spinelli and Maxie were not the parents but that Maxie was carrying Dante and Lulu's baby. Franco joked that he was happy for Lulu and would be getting her a Diaper Genie for her baby shower.
Elizabeth angrily reminded Franco that he had stolen Elizabeth's baby from the hospital and given the baby to Franco's mother. Franco said he'd gathered everyone at the Haunted Star so he could apologize for his mistakes. He apologized to Elizabeth for keeping her child from her, saying that he knew exactly what it felt like because the same thing had been done to him.
When Maxie expressed disbelief that Franco had a daughter, Franco asked Carly to back him up, since she'd been the one to spill the beans about Lauren. Carly said Franco had never told her to keep the fact he had a daughter quiet. Franco insisted Carly had to have known that Franco's "money-grubbing relatives were going to come out of the woodwork and try to manipulate Lauren."
A.J. told Franco that Franco was nothing to A.J., and Franco reminded A.J. that they were both Quartermaines -- and so was Franco's daughter. Franco asked if anyone had made any progress in finding his daughter, and Sam interrupted saying no one cared. Sam and Carly both reminded Franco he needed to tell them about Jason, and Sam accused Franco of playing mind games.
Franco put them off, saying he wanted to talk first about what he'd done to Sam. Spinelli attempted to go after Franco in Sam's defense, but A.J. held Spinelli back. Sam said Franco had raped her. Franco admitted that he had drugged Sam on her honeymoon but asked her how she could remember what had really happened, since she had been passed out.
Sonny told Franco to stop playing games with Sam. Franco said Jason had been Franco's favorite person in the world to play games with. Carly snapped at Franco for having raped Sam just to get Jason's attention. Franco asked Sam if that was what she really thought had happened. Sam said she wasn't sure because at first she had tried to forget about it, but then she had gotten pregnant, and Heather Webber had told Sam that Franco had raped Sam.
Franco asked how Danny was. Michael threatened Franco and said Franco would see what happened if Franco said Danny's name again. A.J. held Michael back, and Carly said there had to be a God because Danny had turned out to be Jason's son and not Franco's. Franco played with Sam's mind by not being clear about whether he had raped her or not. Then he pulled a remote control out of his pocket and suggested they watch a recording, which made Sam visibly upset.
Everyone was disgusted with Franco. Franco said that he had only made Jason watch long enough for Jason to assume that Jason knew what Franco had done to Sam, but there had been another tape that showed what had really happened. Sonny pulled a gun on Franco once again. Sam pulled Sonny away from Franco and told Sonny she had to see the tape. Carly held onto Sam as Franco played the tape. Everyone was horrified as they began to watch. The tape showed that Franco had put Sam into bed and then had thrown a shirt over the camera.
Franco then revealed that there was more to the recording, and Jason had never seen what had really happened. The video showed that Franco had told Sam he wasn't going to do anything to her or touch her, but, because Franco hadn't allowed Jason to see the rest of the tape, Jason would always wonder what Franco had done to Sam. Franco had then walked away without doing anything to Sam. Sam was obviously upset, and Franco said he was so sorry that he had allowed her to think he had raped her when he hadn't.
Sonny asked how they were supposed to believe Franco, and Franco said he'd be happy to provide the footage. Spinelli said he would want to examine the footage, and Franco assured everyone that an examination of the tape would prove he hadn't raped Sam. Carly angrily said that maybe the footage would prove Franco hadn't raped Sam, but that didn't change what Franco had done to Carly's son. A.J. asked what any of it had to do with Michael, and, when he was met with silence, A.J. turned to Carly and demanded she tell him what Franco had done to Michael.
At Lulu and Dante's apartment, Lulu revealed to Dante that she remembered she had married Stavros when Stavros had held her captive on the Haunted Star. Lulu had experienced a flashback to when Helena had officiated Lulu's marriage to Stavros. Lulu apologized to Dante, who assured her it wasn't her fault that Helena and Stavros had forced her to marry Stavros. Lulu told Dante that they hadn't forced her to do it.
Lulu said that Stavros had given her a choice. Lulu flashed back to when she had told Stavros there was no way she would marry him, and Stavros had told her that her family would be killed if she did not marry him. He had threatened to kill Luke, Laura, Dante, Maxie, and the unborn baby Maxie was carrying. Lulu told Dante that she had said yes to Stavros' proposal in order to keep Dante and the rest of her family safe.
Dante assured Lulu that she had done the right thing and the only thing she could have done. Lulu said she wished she knew Dante better so she could know if he was just saying that to make her feel better. Dante assured her that wasn't the case and that he considered her a hero. Lulu said Dante didn't understand, and he insisted she could trust him and tell him anything. Lulu said it wasn't just the marriage, and there was more to the story.
Lulu said she hadn't thought things could get any worse, but the wedding had been just the beginning. Lulu had a flashback to the end of the wedding. When Lulu tried to refuse to kiss him at the end of the wedding, Stavros had told her that she would act like his wife, or he'd follow through on his threat to Lulu's family.
Helena had backed Stavros up when Helena reminded Lulu it would only take one phone call to have Lulu's family killed. Lulu had then kissed Stavros. Dante told Lulu he was sorry for what had happened to her, and she had done what she had to do. Lulu told Dante that it hadn't been just one kiss.
As Lulu began to cry, Dante told her that she could tell him anything if she wanted. Lulu had a flashback where she remembered how Helena had told Lulu to try to be a better wife to Stavros than Laura had been. Helena had told Lulu and Stavros that the stateroom was ready for them for their wedding night. Lulu told Dante that Stavros had wanted Lulu to consummate the marriage, and she'd told him there was no chance in hell. Stavros had then threatened again to kill Lulu's family if she refused to consummate the relationship, so she had agreed rather than let her family die.
Tracy talked to Luke about how Ava would convince Lauren to pledge her allegiance to Tracy in the battle over ELQ. Luke didn't respond, and Tracy found him passed out on the floor. Tracy screamed for Monica, but Monica was not in the house, so Tracy called 9-1-1 while urging Luke to hang on. When the paramedics arrived, they asked Tracy what had happened. She told them one minute Luke had been fine and the next he'd been on the floor and that at one point he'd clutched his side. The paramedics questioned Tracy about how much alcohol Luke had drunk as they loaded him onto a stretcher to take him to the hospital.
At General Hospital, Tracy gave the doctor Luke's medical history, including that Luke had suffered a heart attack and had undergone a quadruple bypass, adding that "he's been shot twelve times but, so far, he's been invincible." Luke came to and asked Tracy what was happening. When the doctors asked Luke what had happened before he'd lost consciousness, Luke said Tracy had been rambling about ELQ, and the next thing Luke had known was he had been in the hospital.
When the doctor asked Luke about the fact Luke had been drinking alcohol, Luke seemed angry at Tracy. Tracy defended herself, saying she'd had to tell the paramedics everything because, for all she knew, Luke could have died. Luke said he'd had one drink on an empty stomach and that was probably the problem. He asked if he could leave the hospital, but the doctor wouldn't let Luke go without running tests.
Luke stopped Tracy from calling Lulu to tell Lulu about Luke being in the hospital. Tracy said that Luke needed his family with him, and Luke gestured to Tracy and said, "I have my family." He said he didn't want to bother Lulu with his problems. Tracy said Lulu would kill Tracy for not telling her, but Luke reminded Tracy that Lulu didn't have her memory and that, even if she did, he didn't want to involve Lulu.
Tracy asked Luke how he could be so casual about being in the hospital, and he assured her that whatever was happening was just something minor. He tried to distract her by returning the subject to Ava Jerome and Tracy's plan to best A.J. in the fight for ELQ. Luke assured Tracy that Ava was probably getting Kiki's signature as they spoke. The doctor interrupted Tracy and Luke. He looked grim when Tracy asked if the test results were back and if something was wrong with Luke.
On the docks, Ava told Kiki they needed to talk about who Kiki really was, and more specifically about Kiki's father. Kiki was shocked because she'd begged to know about her father, and Ava had previously avoided all of Kiki's questions, telling Kiki only that his name was Robert, he was not a good guy, and that he'd died before Kiki was born. Ava admitted that she had lied. Kiki asked if that meant her father was alive.
Ava told Kiki that, as far as Ava knew, Kiki's father was dead. Ava admitted that Kiki's father's death had only happened a little over a year before and that his body had never been recovered. Kiki was upset to learn that her father had been alive her whole life and she had never known. Ava said she'd only been trying to protect Kiki because Kiki's father had been unstable and dangerous. Kiki's father had known about Kiki, but Ava had refused to let him see Kiki. Ava then revealed that Kiki's father was a famous artist named Franco.
Kiki remembered hearing about a performance art piece Franco had done where someone had died. Ava said it had been thought to be a murder at first but had turned out to be a suicide. Ava said nothing had ever been as it seemed with Franco. He had been talented, charming, and mysterious, but he had also been very troubled and had been accused of murdering people. Ava hadn't wanted to burden Kiki with that knowledge.
Kiki asked why Ava had picked that moment to tell Kiki, and Ava revealed it was because Kiki was a Quartermaine. Ava filled Kiki in on Luke's visit to Ava and how Ava had learned about Kiki being a Quartermaine. Ava said that Kiki was entitled to an inheritance that was comprised of ELQ shares. Ava told Kiki that Kiki would be rich as soon as Kiki signed the papers Tracy had given Ava.
Ava gave Kiki the papers and told Kiki that Kiki didn't even need to read them, but Kiki insisted on knowing what she was signing. Ava pushed Kiki to sign, but Kiki became upset when she saw that Kiki would be signing her shares over to Tracy and allowing Tracy to use Kiki's vote in the company. When Kiki pushed about what would happen if Kiki didn't sign, Ava finally snapped that then Ava wouldn't get the money Tracy had promised Ava.
Ava reluctantly explained that Ava had made a deal with Tracy. Ava would get a lump sum if Ava got Kiki to sign the papers to help Tracy in the fight for ELQ. Kiki said her mother's behavior was unbelievable and laid into Ava for only confessing the truth about Kiki's father to manipulate Kiki. Ava tried to defend her actions, but Kiki declared she was done with Ava and threw the unsigned contract at Ava's feet before storming off.
In the loft, Lulu confessed that she had agreed to consummate her marriage to Stavros because Stavros had threatened to kill everyone that she loved. Dante reached for Lulu's hand to assure her that he could handle whatever she told him. Lulu's eyes filled with tears as she recounted how Stavros had suggested that she might enjoy being intimate with Stavros. Disgusted, Lulu had pulled off the wedding ring that Stavros had given to her and thrown it as she had angrily informed Stavros that their farce of a marriage was over because her family loved her too much to want her to throw her life away.
Stavros had been furious as Lulu had shown him the wedding band and engagement ring that Dante had given to her, which dangled from a chain around her neck, to make it clear that Dante was her real husband. Lulu began to cry with shame as she pushed the memory away because she felt guilty for putting everyone's life at risk to save herself. Dante insisted that Lulu had done the right thing, but Lulu didn't want him to say what he thought she wanted to hear. Dante promised her that it was the truth.
At Dante's urging, Lulu continued her story by telling him that Stavros had threatened to eliminate her family one by one, starting with Nikolas. Lulu had refused to believe that Stavros would harm Nikolas, but Stavros had picked up the phone to call a sniper that he had watching Nikolas. After the sniper confirmed that he had a bead on Nikolas, Stavros ordered, "Kill him." Lulu returned to the present as she tearfully explained that Nikolas had almost died because of her. Dante reminded Lulu that Nikolas had survived the shooting, so no one had been badly hurt except for Lulu.
Dante wondered how Lulu had ended up in the cooling chamber on Cassadine Island, so she revealed that Stavros had taunted her with the news that Dante, Luke, and Laura had been closing in on the Haunted Star. However, Stavros had intended to be long gone by the time that help had arrived. "I plan to reward your coldness with a deep freeze of my own," Stavros had told Lulu with a cruel smile, while he popped an ice cube into his mouth.
Lulu insisted that she didn't deserve to remember her loved ones because she had been willing to sacrifice them to save herself. She admitted that the ordeal had been so overwhelming that her mind had simply shut down. Dante reminded Lulu that Stavros was dead, so she shouldn't let Stavros stop her from reclaiming her life. Dante assured Lulu that she had done the right thing by refusing to have sex with Stavros, but Lulu tearfully disagreed.
Dante promised that he was proud of Lulu for standing up to Stavros, so he begged Lulu to let it go and return to him. Lulu's mind suddenly filled with snapshots of her life as the memories flooded back. "Oh, my God. I remember," Lulu tearfully told Dante as a smile of wonder spread across her face. Dante seemed uncertain, but Lulu assured him that it was true then kissed him. After Dante and Lulu made love, Dante joyfully welcomed his wife home. She confessed that she never wanted to leave again.
At the hospital, Dr. Rashi explained to Tracy and Luke that the test results were back, but he hadn't had time to make a proper diagnosis. Tracy wanted to know if Luke was okay, but Dr. Rashi couldn't give her an answer because he needed more time to review the test results. Luke was confident that he was fine, but Tracy reminded Luke that Luke wasn't a doctor. She demanded answers from the doctor, so Dr. Rashi read the results of the tests aloud, but Luke and Tracy had no idea what any of it meant.
Frustrated, Tracy reminded Dr. Rashi that her sister-in-law was his boss, so she vowed to make Dr. Rashi's life miserable if he didn't give them a proper diagnosis. Dr. Rashi explained that the results indicated that Luke was suffering from liver damage. Tracy was certain that Luke's drinking had contributed to the problem, but Luke vehemently disagreed. Dr. Rashi agreed that alcohol could play a factor, but so could a host of other things.
Luke felt vindicated until Dr. Rashi announced that they would need to run additional tests to find out what had caused the liver damage. "Over my dead body," Luke replied as he climbed out of bed and tried to leave. Tracy asked Dr. Rashi for some privacy so she could talk to Luke alone. Dr. Rashi made it clear that Luke should remain in the hospital and then left.
Luke disregarded the doctor's advice and marched to the elevator, but Tracy was close on Luke's heels. She resorted to emotional blackmail by reminding Luke that he had recently told her how much she meant to him. Tracy wanted Luke to put his money where his mouth was by submitting to the tests because she had asked. Luke glared at Tracy, but returned to the examination room. He informed her that he would only stay for twenty-four hours and expected to be given a private room.
At Wyndemere, Nikolas sipped on a drink as he listened to the recording of A.J. imploring Tracy not to tell Elizabeth about A.J. and Carly's sexual encounter. Nikolas turned off the recording then tucked his phone away when he heard Alexis call out to him. Moments later, Alexis entered the parlor to warmly greet her nephew. She sensed that something was troubling Nikolas, so she offered to leave so he could brood in silence.
Nikolas denied that he brooded, but he conceded that he was concerned about Elizabeth. Nikolas admitted that he and Spencer had had a great life in Italy, but Nikolas had never stopped thinking about Elizabeth because his love for her had never wavered. Alexis wasn't surprised when Nikolas explained that he had stayed away from Port Charles to avoid hurting Lucky, but she was curious why Nikolas hadn't left after his recovery. Nikolas confessed that his brush with death had changed things, so he was no longer able to push away what he felt for Elizabeth.
Alexis was certain that Elizabeth cared for Nikolas because Elizabeth had remained at Nikolas' side during his recovery, so she wondered if Nikolas had told Elizabeth how he felt. Nikolas admitted that he had, but Elizabeth had chosen A.J. Alexis was shocked, but she was relieved that things had been settled between Nikolas and Elizabeth. "No, not exactly," Nikolas revealed. He explained that A.J. had done something behind Elizabeth's back that could potentially hurt Elizabeth, so he needed Alexis' advice.
Alexis hesitated because she had very little information, prompting Nikolas to play the recording of A.J. confessing to sleeping with Carly. "Is that enough information for you?" Nikolas asked his stunned aunt. Alexis was curious how Nikolas had obtained the recording, so Nikolas told her that he had bought it from Tracy. He confessed that his first impulse had been to tell Elizabeth, but they had been interrupted. Alexis wondered if Nikolas wanted to tell Elizabeth about A.J. and Carly to prevent her from being hurt or because he hoped that Elizabeth would break up with A.J. then run into Nikolas' arms. "Maybe a little of both," Nikolas answered.
Alexis warned Nikolas to be careful because Elizabeth might shoot the messenger. Alexis noticed the time, so she explained that she had to leave, but she felt bad because she hadn't helped Nikolas. Nikolas assured her that it was okay because he had to figure things out on his own.
At the Haunted Star, A.J. demanded that Carly tell him what Franco had done to Michael. Carly explained that she couldn't tell him, which surprised Franco. A.J.'s anger mounted as Franco made cryptic remarks about feeling terrible for Michael, so Sonny attempted to calm A.J. down. A.J. insisted that he deserved to know what happened to his son, but Carly remained mute. Michael decided that A.J. needed to hear it from him because it was Michael's story to tell. However, Michael regretted the circumstances.
A.J. was stunned when Michael revealed that he had been sent to prison for killing Claudia Zacchara. Carly quickly clarified that Claudia had been in the process of kidnapping Josslyn at the time of her death. Michael admitted that he had grabbed an axe handle then struck Claudia before she could leave with Josslyn. A.J. couldn't understand why Michael had been sent to prison for a justifiable homicide, so Michael explained that everyone had tried to help cover up the death, including Jason, who had buried the body.
Carly added that Sonny had taken the fall for the killing after the police had found the body, but Dante had figured out the truth and told the judge presiding over Sonny's trial. Sonny defended his eldest son's actions by insisting that Dante had tried to do the right thing for everyone. Carly admitted that she had perjured herself on the stand, so the judge had been reluctant to believe Michael's version of events without proof. A.J. suspected that Franco had bribed the judge to sentence Michael to five years in prison, but Franco denied the accusation. Carly insisted that what Franco had done was far worse.
A.J. couldn't imagine what could be worse than five years in prison. Carly assured Michael that he didn't have to discuss it if he didn't want to, but Michael refused to give Franco that kind of power over him. Michael looked at Maxie, Spinelli, Elizabeth, Sam, and then A.J. as he assured everyone that he was okay. Michael conceded that it had taken him awhile, but he had moved on. A.J. was stunned when Michael quietly confessed that he had been raped.
A.J. fought back tears of heartbreak and anger as Michael told him about Carter befriending him and then the escalating violence that had ended with the rape. Michael assured A.J. that he had dealt with what had happened in prison, so he was in a better place. "I don't know how," A.J. tearfully replied as he hugged his son and apologized for not being around to protect Michael. Carly informed A.J. that Jason had protected Michael by pleading guilty to a crime, so Jason could join Michael in prison. However, she conceded that Jason had been too late.
A.J. appreciated that Jason had tried to help, but A.J. firmly believed that the judge had sentenced Michael because of Michael's connection to Sonny. "This is who you chose to be Michael's father? This is who was supposed to be so much better than me?" A.J. asked Carly. Sam accused A.J. of trying to make everything about A.J. instead of Michael. Michael asked everyone to calm down, but A.J. was too upset and accused Sonny and Carly of putting Michael through hell.
Sam suggested that A.J. blame Franco for what had happened to Michael because Franco had hired Carter to rape Michael. Carly added that they had proof, prompting A.J. to lunge at Franco. A.J. wrapped his hands around Franco's throat as the two men fell to the ground. Spinelli and Elizabeth leaped forward to pull A.J. off of Franco, but A.J. held on tight. "You had my son raped?" A.J. growled as his grip around Franco's throat tightened. "You're wrong," Franco managed to croak.
Sam reminded A.J. that Franco hadn't told them anything about Jason yet, so A.J. reluctantly let go of Franco. Moments later, Franco brushed himself off then explained that Jason had only seen what Franco had wanted Jason to see. Everyone was surprised when Franco revealed that there had been more to the footage that Jason had watched, so he offered to show them the footage in its entirety. Sonny immediately objected, but Michael promised that he could handle it.
Moments later, Franco played the recording of his visit with Carter at Pentonville in 2010. The footage showed Franco talking to Carter about Michael. Franco had made it clear that Michael and Carter were a means to an end, but Carter was reluctant to target Michael because Michael had seemed like a nice kid.
Franco paused the DVD. "Here's the part that Jason didn't see," Franco explained before he continued the DVD. Franco had informed Carter that the objective was to torment Jason, but Michael was not to be touched, so Franco had ordered Carter to protect Michael. Franco stopped the DVD then turned to Michael to assure Michael that he had never intended for Michael to get hurt. Carly rejected the apology because the man that Franco had hired had raped Michael.
Franco couldn't explain the rape, but he conceded that he had foolishly thought that he could control Carter. Franco insisted that had been horrified when he had learned about the rape, so he was truly sorry that his mistake had changed Michael's life forever. Franco hoped that Michael would be able to accept his apology one day.
Michael glared at Franco with disgust. Michael credited Jason with getting him through the aftermath of the rape. Michael refused to accept Franco's excuse that Franco had only meant to hurt Jason. "Screw you," Michael spat at Franco. Carly reminded Franco that Franco had put everything into motion, but Franco didn't care what Carly, or anyone else, thought; he was only interested in Michael's opinion. Franco insisted that he would never deliberately hurt Michael.
Sonny was curious if they were done. "Yes," Franco quietly answered as he carefully watched Michael. Sonny aimed a gun at Franco and demanded answers about Jason, but Franco remained silent. Sam begged to know if her husband was alive, so Franco confessed that his twin had been lucky because Jason had been loved by many. Franco explained that he had wanted to give Jason's loved ones some peace, but he knew that they wouldn't have shown up for him.
Sam was furious that Franco had used Jason to lure them to the Haunted Star, so she ordered Sonny to hand the gun to her. Sonny gave Sam the gun, which she promptly aimed at Franco's heart. However, she didn't pull the trigger because she refused to let her son grow up without a mother and a father. However, she fervently hoped that Franco met someone like Carter when Franco went to prison. Without warning, Sam used the butt of the gun to knock Franco unconscious.
At the police station, Milo approached Anna to report that Lulu was missing. He explained that Lulu had been staying with him since she had lost her memory and that she had failed to return home the previous evening. Anna assured Milo that she was well aware of Lulu's situation, so Milo admitted that he needed to find Lulu before his boss discovered that Milo had lost her. "It's too late," Sonny told Milo. Startled, Milo turned to assure Sonny that everything had been done to find Lulu.
Sonny told Milo that it wasn't necessary because Sonny had seen Lulu in the company of Dante on the Haunted Star the previous evening. Sonny assumed that Lulu had returned home with her husband, so he told Milo that Milo was free to leave. After Milo left, Sonny revealed that he was there to talk to Franco. Anna explained that it wasn't possible because Franco already had a visitor. Sonny was shocked when she told him that Carly was with Franco.
Sonny was concerned about Carly being alone with Franco, but Anna reminded Sonny that police officers guarded the jail. Sonny argued that Anna hadn't been around during Franco's reign of terror, so she couldn't appreciate how dangerous Franco was.
At the loft, Dante became concerned when he woke up in bed alone. He called out to Lulu, but she didn't reply, so he jumped out of bed. Moments later, Lulu returned home. She smiled at her husband as she announced that she had picked up breakfast. Lulu handed Dante his coffee that she had ordered prepared the way he liked it and then opened the paper bag to pull out the rest of the breakfast.
Lulu noticed that Dante seemed tense, so he confessed that he didn't want to let her out of his sight because he was terrified of losing her again. Lulu assured Dante that nothing would happen; she was herself again because Dante hadn't given up on her. Dante vowed to never give up on his wife, so Lulu kissed him.
Later, Dante and Lulu enjoyed a postcoital breakfast as they lounged on the sofa. Lulu regretted the way that she had treated Milo, so she feared having to face him. Lulu's fears were quickly realized when Milo urgently knocked on the door, begging to talk to Dante. Lulu gathered her courage then opened the door. Milo was relieved to see Lulu until he realized that she was wearing Dante's shirt. Lulu gently explained that her memory had returned, so she was back where she belonged.
Milo assured Lulu that he was happy for her then started to leave, but Lulu called out to Milo to thank him for everything that he had done for her. She appreciated that Milo had been such a great friend to her. Milo insisted that it had been his pleasure and conceded that he only had himself to blame for getting his hopes up. Milo told Dante that Dante was a lucky man and then left for the gym.
After Lulu closed the door, she confessed that she had hated hurting Milo. Dante was more concerned about Lulu's state of mind, so he asked her to have one more session with Kevin. Lulu agreed, but she wanted to visit her family after the appointment because she was eager to share her good news with everyone.
Tracy stood outside of Luke's hospital room as she left a voicemail message for Ava, explaining that she wasn't at the mansion, but she had Ava's money. Tracy asked Ava to return her call when Ava had Lauren's signature on the document that Tracy had given to Ava. Tracy ended the call then entered Luke's hospital room, but she stopped short when she realized that Luke wasn't in the bed. "Damn you, Luke Spencer," Tracy growled in frustration. Moments later, Luke strolled out of the bathroom.
Tracy's eyes narrowed when she noticed that Luke wasn't wearing a hospital gown. Luke complained that the hospital gowns exposed his backside to everyone, so he had decided to get dressed to spare himself the embarrassment. Tracy decided to give him the benefit of the doubt until she discovered that his bed sheets were missing. A quick search of the room yielded the sheets, which had been braided together, along with the hospital gown. Tracy was infuriated that Luke had plotted to slip out of the hospital, so she accused him of being afraid that the doctors might find something wrong with him.
Luke denied Tracy's suggestion, but Tracy wondered why else Luke would try to escape. Tracy reminded Luke that she had kept her promise not to call Lulu, so she expected Luke to keep up his end of the bargain. Moments later, an orderly popped his head in to announce that it was time to take Luke to radiology. Tracy waited for Luke to make a decision, so Luke reluctantly agreed to have the tests. Luke was surprised when he bumped into Dante and Lulu in the hallway. Lulu blurted out that her memory had returned then warmly exchanged hugs with Luke and Tracy.
Lulu was curious why Luke and Tracy were in the hospital, so Luke opted to lie by claiming that Tracy was there for tests. Tracy was caught off-guard when Luke suddenly shoved her into a wheelchair then hustled her to radiology before Lulu could ask any more questions.
At Michael's apartment, Kiki jumped when she noticed Michael lying on the sofa. She assumed that he was asleep, so she tried to quietly leave the room, but Michael let her know that he was awake. Kiki immediately became defensive by denying that she and Morgan had kept Michael awake all night, because they had made a point of being quiet. Michael made a snide remark, which alerted Kiki that something was bothering Michael. He apologized for snapping at her, but he made it clear that he didn't want to talk about what was troubling him.
Kiki grumbled that she'd had a bad night too. Michael assumed that Morgan and Kiki had had an argument, so she clarified that she had found out that her mother had been lying to Kiki since birth. Kiki confided that her mother had encouraged Kiki to go to Port Charles to check on Morgan, but her mother had had an ulterior motive. Michael was curious if Kiki also had ulterior motives.
Kiki resented Michael's suggestion that she had betrayed Morgan instead of helping him. Michael was curious if it had occurred to Kiki that Morgan had a family who would want to help Morgan. Kiki accused Michael of being an overprotective brother who had scored some extra points with his parents by spying on Morgan and Kiki. Michael insisted that Morgan and Kiki had no idea how quickly things could go wrong. Kiki laughed because she doubted that Michael had ever experienced anything bad in his life.
Michael's temper flared as he informed Kiki that he had been raped. Kiki immediately fell silent as she registered what Michael had told her. After she recovered from the shock, she asked him if he had seen a doctor. Michael explained that it had happened when he was eighteen years old, while he had been in prison for manslaughter. Michael opened up to Kiki about Carter and the rape.
Kiki felt terrible for Michael when he revealed that he had been led to believe that someone had paid Carter to attack him, but in reality the person had intended for Carter to protect him. Kiki insisted that the man who had hired Carter had put Carter into Michael's path, so the man was to blame for what had happened. She wanted to know the man's name, but Michael told her that it wasn't important because he was more concerned about his father. Michael admitted that it had almost killed his father to learn about the rape the previous evening, which surprised Kiki because she thought that Michael would have confided to Sonny.
Michael explained that he had been referring to his biological father, whom Michael hadn't known until recently. Kiki confessed that she had also recently learned the truth about her own biological father. Michael realized that the revelation about Kiki's father had been the source of Kiki's argument with her mother. Kiki was reluctant to discuss it, so she decided to wake Morgan up. Michael asked Kiki not to tell Morgan about the rape because Michael wanted Morgan to enjoy life without always worrying about the consequences.
Kiki was certain that Michael was prepared to do all the worrying for his younger brother. Michael admitted that he was protective of Morgan. Kiki assured Michael that she wouldn't say anything to Morgan about the rape.
At the Quartermaine mansion, Monica was eager to find out what had happened on the Haunted Star, so she was waiting for A.J. when he walked in. A.J. revealed that Jason's twin, Franco, was alive. Shocked, Monica was speechless as A.J. explained that Franco had used Jason's name to gather Jason's loved ones together in an effort to set the record straight about several things, including Jason and Sam's honeymoon. Monica was relieved that Sam hadn't been raped, but she insisted that it hadn't absolved Franco from the hell that Franco had put Jason and Sam through.
A.J. reminded Monica that there had been other victims besides Jason and Sam. Monica recalled that Elizabeth's son, Aiden, had been kidnapped, but A.J. assured her that Aiden had been too young to remember the ordeal, unlike someone else. "Who?" Monica asked. A.J. promised to tell her, but first he wanted to know why she hadn't told him about Michael's conviction for manslaughter. Monica reminded A.J. that A.J. had been a fugitive at the time then quickly added that Jason had arranged to be sent to Pentonville to protect Michael, so Michael had never been left alone.
A.J. guided his mother to the sofa then asked her to have a seat. After Monica sat down, A.J. gently explained that Jason had been too late because Michael had been raped. Horrified, Monica refused to believe it, but A.J. assured her that it was true because Michael had told him about the rape. A.J. revealed that Franco had wanted to torture Jason by making it appear that Michael had been raped, but the twisted plan had gone awry when the man that Franco had hired to protect Michael had sexually assaulted Michael.
A.J. was upset that Michael hadn't felt comfortable enough to tell him about the rape. Monica tried to comfort A.J., but her cell phone went off. She decided to ignore the text message requesting that she go to the hospital, but A.J. assured her that it wasn't necessary for her to stay with him because he needed to work things out for himself the same way that Michael had. After Monica left, A.J. looked at a picture of Michael until the hold on his temper snapped.
A.J. picked up a vase then threw it. The vase shattered as Ava appeared in the doorway. She hoped that the vase hadn't been the Chinese piece that she had seen the other day, because a similar vase had sold for $800,000.00 a few years before. A.J. assured her that everything in the house was insured. Ava explained that she worked in the art world, so she knew that the vase was irreplaceable. According to Ava, when something as precious as the vase was broken then it couldn't be put back together again without losing something along the way.
Thinking of Michael, A.J. nodded then changed the subject by informing Ava that Tracy wasn't at home. He was curious what Ava's business was with Tracy, but Ava told him that it was none of his business, while her thoughts drifted to the deal that she had made with Tracy to oust A.J. from ELQ. A.J. was certain that Ava had something to do with Franco's daughter. Ava insisted that she had no idea who Franco was, but A.J. didn't believe her because, by her own admission, she was part of the art world, and Franco had been a famous artist.
Ava quickly backtracked by pretending to vaguely recall Franco, a self-promoting artist whose work had increased in value after Franco's death. A.J. revealed that Franco was very much alive. Shocked, Ava refused to believe A.J., but A.J. assured her that it was true because A.J. had attended a small party hosted by Franco the previous evening. A.J. was more certain than ever that Ava's business with Tracy had to do with Franco because of Ava's reaction to the news that Franco was alive.
Ava squirmed when A.J. told her that they had been able to identify Franco's daughter, but not the child's mother. "That's interesting," Ava nervously replied. A.J. leaned close to her ear and whispered, "It's you, isn't it?" Ava denied it, but A.J. didn't believe her, so he offered to pay her significantly more than Tracy had for her cooperation. Ava refused to confirm his suspicions directly, but she promised to keep his offer in mind. A.J. advised Ava not to let her daughter sign any documents that Tracy had given Ava. Ava thought about Kiki's reaction to the news that Kiki was a Quartermaine.
"I can guarantee you that will never happen," Ava told A.J. then changed the subject by wondering if Franco had said anything about Franco's daughter. A.J. confessed that Franco had known that the Quartermaines were actively searching for Lauren and had expressed a desire to reconnect with Lauren. Ava was curious where Franco was, so A.J. revealed that Franco was in jail.
After Ava left, Michael stopped by to check on his father. A.J. tearfully wondered why Michael hadn't told him about Pentonville and the rape sooner, but he didn't wait for an answer as he pulled Michael close for a hug.
Franco sat on the floor of his jail cell, meditating, when the guard announced that Franco had a visitor. Franco looked up as Carly approached his jail cell. She scoffed at the idea of Franco meditating, but Franco explained that anxiety could be debilitating. However, he was happy that Carly had stopped by because he was confident that they could set aside all the bitterness and rancor, since she knew that Franco hadn't intended for Michael to be raped. "The hell we can," Carly informed him.
Carly revealed that the police were in the process of authenticating the video footage of Franco's visit with Carter in Pentonville. Franco was pleased when she admitted that she was certain that the footage hadn't been tampered with. However, Carly made it clear that it didn't change anything. Franco appreciated that Carly was upset because of what had happened to her son, but he insisted that he had done everything possible to protect Michael. Carly was curious why Franco would care about Michael, so Franco explained that Michael was his flesh and blood.
Carly didn't believe that Franco cared about Michael because Franco had been the one who had unearthed Claudia's body after Jason had buried Claudia at the Pine Barrens. Franco explained that his target had been Jason, not Michael, so Carly assured Franco that he had succeeded in making Jason suffer because there was nothing worse than seeing a child that one loved hurt. Carly was curious why Franco had suddenly been filled with remorse.
Franco told Carly how deeply it had affected him when his mother had told him that he had a twin in the world who was just like Franco. Franco conceded that Jason had been an artist in his own right because of the efficient way that Jason had killed. Carly defended Jason by insisting that he had only killed people in defense of others, but Franco argued that Jason had killed people that Sonny had ordered Jason to kill.
Franco revealed that he had hoped to bond with his twin before telling Jason that they were brothers, but Jason had rejected Franco. Franco insisted that he had never intended to hurt Michael, so he was there to make amends. Carly questioned the timing, so Franco admitted that Jason's unexpected death had opened Franco's eyes to the truth; Franco had wanted to get close to Jason, not make an enemy of his twin.
Franco realized that he couldn't undo what he had done to his twin, but he could make things right for Jason's loved ones. Carly was certain that Franco was playing another game, so she thought that they were all better off with Franco dead. Shortly after Carly left, the guard announced that Franco had another visitor. Franco's expression was closed as he watched Ava approach his jail cell.
Meanwhile, Sonny was waiting for Carly when she returned to the squad room after her visit with Franco. He was curious why she had talked to Franco, whom he insisted was a liar and a freak. Carly was disgusted with Franco, so Sonny wondered what they should do about the serial killer. Carly thought that they only had one option. "Wipe him off the face of the earth," Carly told Sonny as they left the police station.
