Shawn met with a man on the docks and handed the man some cash to keep Shawn informed. As the man left, Jordan entered. Shawn explained that he had some people trying to track down Ava's baby. Jordan couldn't believe that Ava had murdered Connie, but she finally understood why Shawn was supposed to have kidnapped Ava. However, Jordan explained that Ava was a mother who'd lost a child, and Jordan feared that the same thing was happening to her with T.J.
Shawn assured Jordan that T.J. was strong, and he would get through the tough time. Jordan hadn't heard from him and just wanted to know that her son was all right. Shawn assumed that T.J. was with Molly, and he told Jordan that he would see if T.J. was all right. She asked Shawn to make sure that T.J. was eating and told him to tell T.J. that she loved him, and so had his father. Shawn promised to call her as soon as he could, and he left.
A man arrived on the docks and said, "Hello, Jordan." She turned and recognized the man as Bob, the Division Chief of the DEA. Bob wondered why she was hanging around with one of Sonny's men "instead of identifying Julian Jerome's boss." She replied that she was taking care of her son. "Your personal life is your own concern," he told her. Jordan explained that she'd gotten Ava to trust her, but Ava was on the run. She reminded her boss that undercover investigations sometimes took years and wondered what his rush was.
Bob reminded her that there was a man in the Witness Protection Program, waiting for Jordan to make things safe enough so that he could return to Port Charles. He advised her to step up her game. She assured him that she wanted to know who Julian's boss was just as much as Bob did. He thanked her and left. She followed him and told him that she wanted her son to know that she was "one of the good guys."
At Sam's, Molly opened one of her textbooks and found the letter that Ric had written to her. Just then, there was a knock on the door. Molly opened the door to T.J., whose expression suggested that he'd gotten the shock of his life. She invited him in, and he promptly collapsed crying into her arms. When he'd regained his composure, he told Molly about Jordan and Shawn's affair. Molly asked if Shawn was T.J.'s father, but T.J. denied it. That being the case, she wondered why they'd told him the truth.
T.J. told Molly about how his father had really died, and he concluded that his father hadn't been the hero that T.J. had thought. Molly assured T.J. that the way his father had died didn't negate the heroic actions of his life, like fighting in Afghanistan. She reminded T.J. of the circumstances with Ric and told him that both of their fathers had been good men caught in bad situations.
Just then, there was a knock on the door, and Molly answered the door to Shawn. She let Shawn in, and he begged T.J. to go somewhere with him in order to "work things out." T.J. used Molly as an excuse not to, but she urged him not to write Shawn off. She hugged him, and he left with Shawn. After the two left, Molly read the note that her father had written her.
Liesl looked down into the hatch in the floor of the stables at Wyndemere and concluded that Faison was not there. Nikolas took the flashlight and looked around at the empty hole. Liesl demanded that Anna admit to her lies, but Anna insisted that Faison had escaped. "God knows where he is," Britt commented. "Or who he's tormenting," Anna added.
Anna took out her phone to put out an APB on Faison, but Agent Sloan wanted to know the last time Anna had known for a fact that Faison was there. She admitted that she'd seen Faison a year before then never again. Liesl attacked Anna for throwing Faison in a hole and leaving him there for a year. Anna explained how Robert had hired a WSB agent to take care of Faison, and how the agent had been employed at Wyndemere as a stable hand. Nikolas was shocked to learn that there was a WSB agent under his roof.
A short while later, the WSB agent was pulled into the stables. Anna asked him where Faison was. The man played dumb, asking if Faison was a new horse. She informed the man that his cover had been blown and demanded to know how long he'd been filing false reports with Robert about Faison. "Since you hired me last year," the man stated.
Julian told Alexis that someone "stole Luke's place." Alexis wondered who the impostor was, and she wasn't surprised when Julian admitted that he didn't know. He assured Alexis that she would believe him when he told her the entire story. He started that, while in the Witness Protection Program, he'd met a man named Peter Caspen, who was also in the program. Peter, which had been the man's alias, had told Julian that he'd also lived in Port Charles.
Julian continued that the man had had big plans to rebuild the Jerome family and take Sonny out. The man had also said that there was a man in the town that looked exactly like him, and the man had insinuated that he'd had plastic surgery. When the man had failed to take over ELQ, he "became a monster." That had been around the time Julian had fallen for Alexis. He'd wanted a normal life with his "beautiful family," so he'd told the man that he wanted out of the business. The man had retaliated by shooting Lucas.
"You told the police that Ric ordered the hit on Lucas," Alexis accused. He admitted that he'd known that Ric was innocent, but his boss hadn't given Julian a choice -- he'd had to find a "fall guy, and Ric fit the bill." "My daughter's father is dead because of you," Alexis murmured. Julian informed her that, if he hadn't framed Ric, his boss would have killed Julian's entire family. He begged her to understand. She wondered where his boss was. "Get me out of here, and I'll take you to him," he said.
Luke opened the door of his room. Just then, the Luke impersonator appeared in a lab coat, pointing a gun straight at Luke. The impersonator told Luke to "get back in your cage before I shoot you." Luke walked back into the room, and the impersonator followed him in, closing the door behind him. The impersonator updated Luke on the events of the previous six months.
The impersonator told Luke that a desperate Tracy had handed over some ELQ shares in order to get Luke back from his alleged captivity under Jerry. The impersonator taunted Luke that Larry was back at the Quartermaine mansion, fulfilling Tracy's "needs." Luke wondered if the impersonator was Larry, referencing the "high-tech" mask of Duke's face that Faison had worn.
Luke demanded to know who the impersonator was. The impersonator had to leave and commented that Luke needed a tighter straitjacket. "See you next time I look in the mirror," the impersonator said. He left and waved through the window of the room. Luke screamed for someone to let him out. He vowed to get out of Miscavige, get to Tracy and Lulu, meet his grandson, "find the bastard living my life, and kill him."
Lulu looked at a picture of Luke as Tracy complained that they hadn't yet heard back from Sam and Patrick. Just then, Lulu got a text message that the two were on their way back. A short while later, Sam and Patrick entered the Quartermaine mansion. Sam told Tracy that they needed to hurry because "Larry can't see us here too." "Too?" Tracy asked. Sam quickly explained how they had run into Larry at the bank, and how they had finally been able to get the lockbox within the safe deposit box open.
Patrick told Lulu and Tracy that Sam had been able to download the contents of the flash drive they'd found to her phone. Sam plugged her phone into the computer as Tracy went to find Alice to be a lookout for Larry. They were shocked to see picture after picture of Faison. There were also file pages on Faison, which disclosed that he was at Wyndemere. Sam kept scrolling, and there were pictures of the Duke mask that Faison had disguised himself with.
The next picture was entitled "Blueprint for undisclosed mask," but the picture was scrambled, and therefore unclear as to what the mask was supposed to look like. Lulu wondered what the unclear mask had to do with Luke. Tracy suggested the mask was supposed to be of Luke's face. Just then, Tracy got a text from Alice, who informed her that Larry was on his way in. Sam and Patrick ran out of the house, and Lulu continued to stare at the computer screen.
Larry entered the room as Tracy slammed the computer screen shut. Larry wondered what the two women were up to.
On the docks, a man took a cigarette out of a cigarette case. Faison smelled the cigarette, put it in his mouth, and took out a lighter.
At the Quartermaine mansion, Michael reviewed the petition to have his name legally changed to Michael Alan Quartermaine. Michael appeared deep in thought as he picked up a pen then stared at a picture of him and A.J. Moments later, Carly walked in. Surprised, Michael jumped up as he angrily demanded to know why she was there, so she explained that she had wanted to wish him a happy Thanksgiving.
Michael muttered that he intended to have a word with Alice, but Carly begged him to wait. She desperately wanted to fix things with her son, so she implored him to hear her out. Michael informed his mother that their relationship was broken beyond repair because she had lied to him by helping Sonny cover up the truth about A.J.'s murder. Carly insisted that it hadn't been as cut and dried as that, but Michael was unmoved as he coldly ordered her to leave before he called the police. Carly doubted that Michael would actually follow through with the threat, so Michael conceded that she was right because it would be futile, since Carly would likely worm her way out of trouble like she always had.
Michael suddenly wondered why Carly wasn't in jail, so she confessed that the charges against her had been dropped because Sonny had worked out a plea. Michael was disgusted that she had been rewarded for "screwing over" her own son by being set free, but Carly insisted that she'd had no idea that Sonny would sacrifice himself for her. She claimed that she had been prepared to go to jail, but Michael didn't believe her because he knew that Carly had entered a plea of "Not Guilty."
Carly admitted that she felt terrible that A.J. had died but she had been desperate to protect Michael, so she wouldn't change anything if she had to do it over again. Carly claimed that she had been desperate to protect Michael from losing the man who had loved Michael more than life itself, but Michael informed her that Sonny had lost him the moment Sonny had pulled the trigger on A.J. Michael refused to have a relationship with the man who had killed his father, but Carly argued that Sonny was Michael's father as much as she was Michael's mother.
Michael made it clear that he didn't want anything to do with Carly or Sonny because all he saw when he looked at Sonny was A.J. hanging from a meat hook as Sonny forced A.J. to sign over A.J.'s parental rights to Michael. Carly argued that A.J. had not been an innocent victim, so Michael conceded that his father had made mistakes. Carly reminded Michael that A.J. had once kidnapped Michael then had put Sonny and Carly through the horror of believing that Michael had been killed, but Michael insisted that A.J. had been driven to the elaborate deception out of desperation because A.J. had been kept from his own son.
Carly was stunned when Michael accused her of forcing the name Michael Corinthos on him then quickly added that he intended to reclaim his true name, Michael Quartermaine. Carly reminded Michael that Jason had named Michael after Sonny, but Michael resented Carly trying to manipulate him by mentioning Jason. Carly insisted that Michael's true name was Michael Corinthos, but Michael disagreed because Sonny was not his father. Carly pointed out that Sonny had raised Michael, but Michael scoffed at the idea that he'd had a wonderful childhood because he'd grown up around "bullets and bodyguards" and had spent significant time in a coma.
"Please, don't do this," Carly tearfully pleaded, but Michael ignored her as he reminded her that she had sent Morgan to military school to keep Morgan safe from Sonny. Carly shifted gears by warning Michael that changing his name to Quartermaine wouldn't change who Michael was as a person, so she feared that he would eventually regret the decision. She was confident that when "push comes to shove," Michael wouldn't be able to give up his name easily, but Michael appeared more determined than ever.
Michael snatched up the legal papers and a pen then quickly signed the documents to prove Carly wrong. "It's done," he announced with satisfaction as he clarified that he was officially a Quartermaine. Carly argued that it was in name only, but Michael assured her that it was in every way that counted. Michael coldly asked Carly to leave because he wanted to enjoy Thanksgiving dinner with his family and didn't want to risk his grandmother, Monica, becoming upset if she saw Carly.
Michael accused Carly of callously using Monica's grief in an attempt to manipulate Michael from digging for the truth about A.J.'s murder. He confessed that he never wanted to be the kind of person that Carly was then coldly told her to leave. Carly quietly left as Michael walked to the desk to set the legal papers down. He looked at the photograph of him and A.J.
At Pentonville, Duke sat in a visitor's room, waiting for someone to arrive. A guard appeared to announce that his visitor was a fellow inmate just as Sonny, dressed in an orange jumpsuit and shackled, shuffled into the room. After the guards left, Duke assured Sonny that he would not testify against Sonny. Sonny appreciated Duke's loyalty but explained that it would not be necessary because Sonny had worked out a plea bargain that would keep both Carly and Duke out of jail.
Stunned, Duke thanked Sonny, but Sonny confessed that he needed a favor. Duke assured Sonny that all Sonny had to do was name it, so Sonny revealed that he wanted Duke to take over the Corinthos organization. Shocked, Duke reminded Sonny that Shawn was Sonny's second in command, but Sonny insisted that Shawn's specialty was security. Sonny explained that he wanted Duke to take Sonny's place because Duke had experience running a criminal organization and would know how to keep the Jeromes at bay.
Duke agreed to take over the Corinthos organization, but he insisted that it would be temporary until Sonny could return to its helm. Sonny smiled sadly because Sonny doubted that he would ever get out of jail. A short time later, a guard returned to fetch Duke because Duke was free to leave.
Moments later, a guard announced that Sonny had a visitor. Sonny smiled when he looked up as Carly entered the room.
Outside Anna's office, Alexis spoke to Sam on the phone to let Sam know that Alexis would be tied up with a client for the rest of the day. Sam was disappointed that she and Danny wouldn't be spending Thanksgiving with Alexis, but Sam appreciated that Alexis had a job to do. After Alexis ended the call, she entered Anna's office.
Meanwhile, Anna glanced at a picture of Cesar Faison then read the accompanying report about how she and Robert had kept him "unlawfully" imprisoned underneath the stables on Spoon Island. Anna looked up when Alexis entered the office to ask for Anna to release Julian. Anna was surprised that Alexis had agreed to help Julian, but Alexis explained that everyone was entitled to a defense. Alexis reminded Anna that Julian had been held for nearly forty-eight hours without being charged with a crime, so Anna argued that there was still time to press charges against him.
Alexis was confident that Anna would have already arrested Julian if Anna had had sufficient evidence to support the theory that Julian had aided and abetted Ava's escape. Alexis was pleased when Anna agreed to cut Julian loose, but Anna hoped that, for whatever reason Alexis had decided to help Julian, it was worth it. Alexis smiled politely without replying then walked to the door just as Agent Kyle Sloane prepared to enter Anna's office.
Sloane recognized Alexis, whose impressive reputation as a litigator had preceded her. Alexis smiled awkwardly, thanked Sloane when he complimented her, and then left. Sloane was impressed that Anna had been wise enough to retain Alexis because Anna would need all the help she could get, since Anna was still in deep legal trouble. Anna explained that she hadn't been able to return Faison to Steinmauer because Faison had escaped every super-max prison he had been placed in. Sloane pointed out that her solution hadn't worked out any better, since Faison had escaped her prison as well.
Anna resented that Sloane was more focused on placing blame rather than finding Faison, so Sloane assured her that the stable hand that Robert had hired would be interrogated extensively. He was confident that they would soon have a complete picture of what exactly had transpired in the stables on Spoon Island. Sloane's tone suddenly softened as he assured Anna that he hadn't taken any pleasure in investigating her, but Anna appeared skeptical. Sloane insisted that it had been difficult, but he firmly believed that there had to be consequences for what had happened.
"Duly noted," Anna snidely replied. Sloane warned her that she would be sent away for a very long time when the dust settled, so he advised her to get her affairs in order.
A short time later, Duke knocked on Anna's door then entered her office.
Nearby, Julian thanked Alexis for getting him released from jail. Alexis explained that she had done it for Luke because if what Julian had told her was true then Luke needed help. Julian worried that Alexis might have said something to Anna, but Alexis assured him that she hadn't. However, Alexis demanded to know where Luke was. Julian insisted that he show her because she would never be able to get to Luke without his help.
At Miscavige, Luke groggily woke up wearing a straitjacket as Helena casually leaned against the wall and greeted him. Helena feigned concern for Luke's drugged state as he slowly sat up then told her to return to the crypt she had escaped from. Helena was disappointed that Luke's mind remained riddled with cobwebs, but Luke feared that he was on the brink of death because he'd had visions of Helena the last time he had been on the verge of dying. Luke realized that he might be in far worse condition than he had realized, but Helena assured Luke that she was real.
Luke remained in denial because he had watched her die when she had been shot in the heart. Helena quipped that it hadn't been a silver bullet, prompting Luke to ask if she had turned into a werewolf. Helena smiled as she conceded that Luke had made a valiant effort to kill her, but she was very resilient. "Long live the Queen," Helena gloated.
Luke insisted that Helena couldn't be there because she was dead, so she softly stroked the side of his face to prove she was indeed real. Helena decided to kiss him when he remained in denial, but he jerked away and accused her of being Cesar Faison wearing a mask in a "gender-bending mode." Helena assured Luke that she was not the "maniacal Dane" then added that she'd had far too many plans to remain on the sidelines for long. Luke demanded to know if she had been working with "that satanic doppelgänger," but Helena refused to say.
Luke's temper flared as he asked who had been living his life, so Helena admitted that she was surprised that Luke hadn't put the pieces together yet. Helena was disappointed, so Luke asked what she wanted with him. Helena cryptically revealed that what she wanted and what needed to be done were two very different things. She pulled out a deadly knife then held it menacingly under his chin as she explained that his attempt to escape had changed everything. Helena confided that she couldn't afford to have two Luke Spencers running around.
Meanwhile, an orderly greeted Julian and Alexis when they arrived at Miscavige. Julian explained that they were there to visit the special guest but asked the orderly for privacy. The orderly pointed out Luke's cell then walked away. Alexis demanded to know how long Luke had been at Miscavige, so Julian explained the double had taken Luke's place when "Luke" had been rescued from the institute nearly a year before. Shocked, Alexis marched to the door, determined to free Luke immediately.
Alexis was startled when she opened the door just as Helena exited. "Well, hello, Natasha," Helena greeted Alexis. Julian's brow furrowed with confusion because he had no idea who Helena was. Alexis remained focused on Helena as she confessed that she had known the reports of Helena's demise had been too good to be true because Helena never died. Helena admitted that Alexis had always been too smart for Alexis' own good and a perpetual thorn in Helena's side.
Helena admitted that nothing would please her more than to slit Alexis' throat just like Helena had done to Alexis' "insipid" mother. Julian growled a warning for Helena to back off, so Helena turned her attention to him. Helena chuckled because she thought that Alexis' new "suitor" was in way over his head. However, Helena announced that she had to go, so she asked "Natasha" to pass along her regards to Alexis' beautiful daughters. Alexis ignored the veiled threat as Julian questioned who the woman had been.
Alexis revealed that they had just encountered Helena Cassadine then quickly entered Luke's cell but stopped short in the doorway. "Oh, my God," Alexis said at the sight that greeted her eyes.
At Sam's penthouse, Sam was pleasantly surprised when Patrick stopped by. He apologized for interrupting her Thanksgiving, but Sam assured him that it was fine because she had just been going over the case. Patrick was curious if she really thought that the mask Larry Ashton and Jerry Jacks were making could be of Luke, but Sam didn't have an answer. She explained that she had spent the night going over everything but hadn't figured anything out. Patrick suggested that perhaps they should talk to Julian, but Sam revealed that it would be impossible because her father had been taken into custody on suspicion of aiding and abetting Ava.
Disappointed, Patrick decided to let Sam get back to her Thanksgiving, but she admitted that it would just be her and Danny because Alexis was busy with work and Molly had decided to spend the day with T.J. Patrick invited Sam and Danny to spend Thanksgiving with him, but Sam was reluctant to agree because she feared that it might inconvenience him. Patrick brushed away her concerns as he called Elizabeth to explain the situation.
Moments later, Patrick ended the call as he announced that Elizabeth was fine with Sam and Danny joining them for Thanksgiving dinner. Sam felt bad for imposing on Elizabeth, but Patrick insisted that it would be rude of Sam not to go after Elizabeth had invited Sam and Danny to dinner. Patrick added that Elizabeth had a guest staying at the house who could use Sam's "P.I. mojo" to help figure out the man's true identity.
At the Webber residence, Jake slept fitfully on the sofa as he dreamed about an incident during his life as Jason Morgan. Elizabeth gently touched Jake's shoulder to wake him up, but Jake was startled. On instinct, he grabbed her wrist then squeezed it painfully tight until he shook off the remnants of the dream. Jake immediately released her wrist as he apologized for hurting her. Elizabeth assured Jake that she was fine, but he didn't believe her because he noticed her cradling her wrist.
Elizabeth changed the subject by asking how Jake was at carving a turkey because she wanted him to join her family and friends for Thanksgiving. Jake agreed, so he disappeared into the bathroom to shower.
A short time later, Jake returned as Elizabeth began to set the table. She became distracted when she noticed Jake standing in her living room without a shirt. Jake was curious if she had seen his shirt, so she quickly fetched it from the basket of clean laundry. Jake pulled on the dark t-shirt, but Elizabeth decided that he needed to wear something dressier for the holiday so she handed him a box. Jake opened the box, which contained a dress shirt and pants but he insisted that he couldn't accept the gift.
Elizabeth refused to take no for an answer, so Jake reluctantly accepted the gift. Later, Elizabeth complimented Jake when he joined her in the dinning room, wearing his new outfit. After a quick phone call from Patrick, Elizabeth announced that they would have two more joining them for dinner. She worried that she might not have enough room for everyone at the table, so Jake offered to take care of the table settings while she checked on the food.
After Elizabeth went to the kitchen, someone knocked on the door. Jake decided to answer it when Elizabeth didn't appear to hear the knocking. Jake opened the door with a friendly smile, unaware that the woman standing on the doorstep was Helena Cassadine.
Duke stopped by Anna's office to let her know that he had been released from jail. Anna confessed that Scott had mentioned that Sonny "fell on his sword" for Duke and Carly, which had surprised Anna because she hadn't expected Sonny to make such a sacrifice. Duke defended Sonny by reminding Anna that Sonny was a man of honor, but Anna scoffed at the suggestion. Duke conceded that she might not approve of the code that Sonny followed, but Sonny had always conducted himself accordingly.
Anna suspected that Sonny had been plagued by a guilty conscience because of all the people that Sonny had hurt by covering up A.J.'s murder, but she was happy that Duke had benefited from Sonny's plea bargain. However, she warned Duke that it wouldn't change anything between her and Duke because of what he had done. "What about what you did?" Duke asked.
Anna appeared taken aback by the question, so Duke revealed that Liesl had reached out to him to let him know what Anna had done to Cesar Faison. Anna admitted that Liesl had told the truth but Anna quickly justified the choices that she and Robert had made by reminding Duke that Faison had been a danger to everyone, including Duke. Duke assured her that he didn't question her reasons but rather her methods.
Duke pointed out that Anna hadn't trusted the system to adequately deal with Faison just as Duke hadn't trusted the system to take care of Julian, which was why Duke had gone to work for Sonny. Anna argued that their situations were nothing alike because Duke had covered up a murder that Sonny had committed, while Anna had removed a dangerous criminal from society. Duke accused Anna of being a hypocrite because she had lied to him for nearly a year about Faison, but Anna refused to see it that way, since she and Robert had imprisoned Faison for everyone's safety.
Duke insisted that both he and Anna had done the wrong thing for the right reasons. "And now we both know the truth, so we're on level ground," Duke quietly added. Duke wondered if it was possible for them to forgive each other for what they had done, but Anna's eyes welled up with tears as she confessed that it wasn't about forgiveness but rather the choices that Duke had made. Anna felt that Duke was in love with "that life" and would always be a part of organized crime, which she couldn't condone.
Resigned, Duke decided to tell Anna that he had agreed to accept Sonny's offer to run Sonny's business. Anna realized that Duke hadn't been referring to Sonny's coffee business but rather the criminal organization. Duke wouldn't confirm her suspicion but he pointed out that they would continue to have a relationship whether Anna liked it or not. After Duke left, Anna picked up a framed photograph of her and Duke then placed it facedown in her desk drawer.
At Pentonville, Sonny and Carly waited until the guard left them alone in the visitor's room before they talked. Sonny was happy to see Carly, but he was curious why she was there on Thanksgiving instead of with her family. Carly admitted that she hadn't wanted him to be alone on the holiday, so Sonny assured her that he had friends in jail to play cards with, and the guards left him alone. Carly remained concerned because she knew that he had an issue with claustrophobia, but Sonny promised Carly that his medications helped, so it wasn't a problem.
Carly appeared unconvinced, so Sonny decided to change the subject by asking about Michael. Carly confessed that she had paid Michael a visit but he had thrown her out of the house. "House?" Sonny asked. Carly quickly tried to cover the slip by assuring him that she had meant apartment, but Sonny easily saw through the lie forcing her to explain that Michael had moved in with the Quartermaines.
Sonny wasn't surprised by Michael's decision, but Carly confessed that it was worse than that because Michael had decided to legally change his name to Michael Quartermaine. Sonny tried to put on a brave front, but Carly saw the hurt in his eyes. Sonny became choked up as he admitted that Michael having Sonny's last name meant that there was still hope that one day Sonny and Michael might get past what had happened. However, Michael's decision to change his name to Quartermaine had removed the last link that Sonny had to his adopted son.
Carly felt terrible for Sonny, but Sonny promised her that he was okay. He urged her to go home and celebrate the holiday with her family, but she argued that he was her family too. Sonny smiled sadly then assured her that he would be fine.
At Miscavige, Alexis became concerned when she saw Luke confined to a straitjacket as he lay still on the bed. She immediately rushed to his side as Julian watched from the doorway. Luke groggily opened his eyes. "Natasha?" Luke asked as Alexis helped Luke sit up then immediately went to work on freeing him from the straitjacket. Alexis confessed that she had feared that Helena had killed him, so Luke admitted that Helena had tried until Luke had persuaded the deadly Cassadine matriarch that he could still be of use to his double.
Alexis revealed that Julian had told her about Luke's doppelgänger and Luke's captivity. Luke's head turned to the doorway as he realized that Julian had been quietly standing there and watching. Luke immediately accused Julian of being in cahoots with the man who had taken over Luke's life, so Alexis suggested that Julian leave for his own safety. Julian refused, but he agreed to clear the way for Alexis and Luke to leave without any interference from the institution's staff.
Before Julian walked away, he explained to Luke that it had been necessary to work with the impostor because the man had tried to kill Lucas and had threatened the lives of everyone Julian loved. Alexis appeared moved by the genuine emotion in Julian's voice as he admitted that he had done what had been necessary to protect his family. Luke became concerned about his nephew, but Alexis assured Luke that Lucas was fine.
After Julian walked away, Alexis finally managed to free Luke from the straitjacket. She was eager to take him to the hospital, but Luke refused to spend another minute in a medical facility, so she implored him to at least stop by the police station to tell Anna what had happened.
At the Quartermaine mansion, Michael looked at the petition he had signed to legally change his name to Michael Alan Quartermaine. Moments later, Sam and Danny entered the parlor, so Michael stood up to greet them. Michael picked up Danny as he confessed that Danny was the spitting image of Jason. Sam smiled then confessed that she had heard about what had happened with Sonny. She assured Michael that she was there for Michael if he needed anyone to talk to. Michael appreciated Sam's support, so he invited her to stay for Thanksgiving dinner.
Sam declined Michael's invitation because she and Patrick had plans to spend Thanksgiving with Elizabeth and Jake. Michael was curious if Jake was the patient who had recently been struck by a car and had lost his memory. Sam was surprised that Michael knew Jake, so Michael explained that he had met Jake on the day of Carly and Franco's wedding. Sam revealed that Elizabeth had invited Jake to stay with Elizabeth and the boys when Liesl Obrecht had discharged Jake from the hospital before Jake had been fully recovered.
Michael thought it had been generous of Elizabeth, but Sam found it odd. Michael was certain that both Jake and Elizabeth viewed the living arrangements as temporary until Jake could be reunited with his family and return to his old life. Sam suddenly felt bad for being judgmental, so asked where Monica was because she wanted Danny to wish his grandmother a happy Thanksgiving. Michael revealed that Monica was in the kitchen, helping Cook II with the dinner preparations, so Sam scooped up Danny then headed to the kitchen.
Moments later, Larry Ashton entered through the patio, looking for "the hair of the dog" that had bitten him since a walk in the fresh air hadn't helped with Larry's hangover. Larry poured himself a drink as he asked if he had seen Patrick's wife just leave the room. Larry tensed when Michael clarified that Sam wasn't Patrick's wife. However, Larry quickly shifted gears when he spotted Michael's petition to legally change his name.
According to Larry, the Quartermaine name had a certain panache that the Corinthos name lacked. Michael refused to discuss it with Larry, so Larry changed the subject to ask how things were between Michael and his "little bird" Kiki. Michael confessed that he and Kiki were over, but Michael was curious how Larry had known about his relationship with Kiki. Larry was spared from having to answer when Ned and Tracy entered the room, bickering about Tracy trying to help out with the cooking.
Ned refused to risk his mother ruining their Thanksgiving dinner, so he insisted that she stay out of the kitchen. Tracy reluctantly agreed then asked where Alexis was. Ned admitted that Alexis was busy, but she hoped to make it in time for dessert. Moments later, Olivia, Dante, and Lulu arrived. Olivia appreciated the invitation to join the Quartermaines for dinner then announced that she had cannoli for dessert.
Meanwhile, Tracy greeted Lulu and Dante then asked where Rocco was. Lulu revealed that Rocco was in the kitchen with Alice. Lulu lowered her voice as she asked if Tracy had heard anything new about what had been found in Larry's safe deposit box. Tracy confessed that she hadn't told Ned that Larry might be in league with Jerry Jacks nor had Tracy confronted Larry about the items that Patrick and Sam had uncovered in part because Tracy had no idea what the significance was of the file or what the schematics for the mask were. Dante pointed out that it didn't help that Faison was once again on the loose.
Moments later, Dante excused himself to check on Michael, who had stepped outside. Dante asked how Michael had been holding up, so Michael admitted that it had helped knowing that Sonny had gone to jail. However, Michael was frustrated that Carly had escaped justice because she belonged in jail right along with Sonny.
Later, Monica entered the parlor to announce that dinner was ready and looked perfect but it was unfit to be eaten because Cook II had suddenly gotten sick with food poisoning. Monica explained that their cook had taste-tested everything, so they couldn't risk serving the food because they didn't know the cause of the food poisoning. Ned was disappointed because he realized that it would be another pizza Thanksgiving for the Quartermaines.
As if on cue, Alice walked in carrying boxes of pizza. Larry was eager to dig in, but Ned insisted that they honor Edward Quartermaine's tradition. "First we sing then we eat," Tracy explained. After everyone sang a traditional Thanksgiving song, Larry helped himself to pizza. Michael excused himself because he wasn't hungry, so Monica grabbed a box of pizza then followed her grandson out of the room.
Moments later, Alexis walked in. Ned was surprised that she had made it, so she announced that she had been accompanied by someone who had wanted to see everyone. Tracy's face lit with joy when Luke entered the room. "Did you save a slice for me?" Luke asked as he winked at Tracy.
At the Webber residence, Jake greeted the woman on Elizabeth's doorstep, unaware that she was Helena Cassadine. Helena introduced herself as a family friend, so Jake introduced himself as he invited Helena inside. Jake offered to fetch Elizabeth, but Helena assured him that it wasn't necessary because Helena wanted an opportunity to get to know Jake better. Jake wondered if he had met Helena before because she seemed familiar. Helena smiled pleasantly but didn't offer her name, so Jake decided to get Elizabeth.
In the hallway, Elizabeth noticed that Jake seemed uneasy, so she asked if everything was okay. Jake explained that one of the guests had arrived; however, Helena had vanished by the time Jake and Elizabeth returned to the living room. Jake tried to describe Helena, but Elizabeth didn't recognize the description, so she suggested that perhaps it had been a memory, but Jake insisted that the woman had been real. He decided to look for the woman because she couldn't have gotten far, but Jake stopped short when he opened the door because Sam was standing on the doorstep.
Jake and Sam exchanged smiles as Elizabeth greeted Sam. Sam explained that Patrick was busy unloading the kids from the car, so he had sent Sam ahead with the wine. Elizabeth invited Sam inside as Jake stood on the porch, looking down the road with a troubled expression. Sam quietly asked Elizabeth how Jake had been doing, so Elizabeth confided to Sam about Jake's encounter with the mystery woman. Moments later, Patrick, Emma, and Danny entered. Jake greeted everyone then took Danny from Patrick's arms to play with Danny.
At Wyndemere, Spencer was dressed as a Pilgrim as he made his way through the foyer to the living room. He changed direction when the doorbell rang. "Happy Thanksgiving," Spencer said as he opened the door, but his smile faded when he saw Liesl. "What's so happy about it?" Liesl groused as she entered. "Nice hat," she added when she noticed Spencer's outfit.
Spencer appeared confused by Liesl's presence until he suddenly recalled that she had been "Beetlejuice's friend." Liesl realized that Spencer had been referring to Faison, so she informed the young Cassadine that she and Faison were more than friends -- Faison was the love of her life. Liesl vowed that Anna Devane would not get away with what had happened to Faison, but Spencer warned Liesl not to say anything unkind about Emma's grandmother because Emma was the love of Spencer's life.
Liesl was unapologetic as she entered the living room then greeted her daughter. Spencer was surprised that Liesl was Britt's mother, so Nikolas reminded Spencer that he had told Spencer that Liesl was Britt's mother on the night of Nikolas and Britt's engagement party. Liesl held up the covered dish that she had arrived with as she announced that she had made "spätzle," which was a delicious noodle dish. Liesl handed Spencer the dish then gave him instructions for the cook to properly heat the spätzle.
After Nikolas and Spencer left the room, Liesl asked if Britt had heard anything from Agent Sloane. Britt urged her mother to be patient, but Liesl felt that it was wrong for them to be celebrating while Britt's father was somewhere out there, hungry and cold. Liesl's mood brightened when Nathan arrived to join them for Thanksgiving dinner. Nathan revealed that there hadn't been anything new to report about Nina's disappearance, but he was grateful that Anna had given him the day off to spend time with his family.
Liesl became furious at the mention of Anna's name because of what Anna had done to Faison. Liesl insisted that Nathan should arrest Anna, but Nathan was certain that Anna had had her reasons for imprisoning Faison under the stables on Spoon Island. Spencer entered the room then greeted Nathan by asking if Nathan had figured out a way to be with Maxie. Nathan confessed that he hadn't, so Spencer admitted that he was in the same boat with Emma.
Nikolas announced that dinner was ready, so Britt held her hand out to her mother. Liesl smiled as Nathan waited for his mother and sister to reach him and then took his mother's other hand to escort her to the table. However, in the foyer, Spencer realized that he had left his Pilgrim hat in the living room. Liesl offered to fetch it for Spencer then returned to the living room.
Meanwhile, Faison lurked outside, watching Liesl and Britt through the French doors until Helena suddenly appeared then pulled him away before he was spotted. She reminded Faison that he had a job to do, so she suggested that he focus on that instead of walking into the open arms of the police, indicating Nathan. Faison argued that he didn't answer to Helena then questioned if she had done her part by paying Jason Morgan a visit.
Helena assured Faison that she had talked to Jason, but the visit had been cut short because of Elizabeth. Faison was annoyed that Helena hadn't completed her task, but Helena warned Faison to be careful because they didn't want their plan to go up in smoke.
After Helena left, Faison entered the living room just as Liesl picked up Spencer's Pilgrim hat. Liesl's face brightened when she saw Faison.
Meanwhile, Helena returned to the Webber residence as everyone gathered around the table. Jake held out a chair for Elizabeth then whispered in her ear that the dinner looked wonderful. Sam's smile faded as she noticed the exchange between Jake and Elizabeth.
Outside, Helena watched as Jake sat across from Elizabeth.
Due to the Thanksgiving holiday, General Hospital did not air on Thursday, November 27. The pre-emption was planned for, and there were no "lost" episodes as a result of the scheduling change.
Regular programming resumed on Monday, December 1.
Due to the extended Thanksgiving holiday, General Hospital did not air on Friday, November 28. The pre-emption was planned for, and there were no "lost" episodes as a result of the scheduling change.
Regular programming resumed on Monday, December 1.
