Olivia saw the headline in the morning newspaper: "Baby Comes Home." She was happy to finally be starting a day off "on the right foot." She stepped out of the elevator at the Metro Court's restaurant and immediately spotted Ned and Alexis sitting down to breakfast. "Or not," she muttered.
Ned asked Alexis if there were any updates on Ric. She informed him that the search was "ongoing," and Julian claimed ignorance about what had happened to Ric. Ned told her that she didn't have to hide it when she went to see Julian, but the next time she went to see him, Ned wanted to be there. Just then, Olivia cheerfully walked over to take their orders. Alexis thought it was impressive that Olivia had no pen or paper. Olivia perfectly recited what Ned was going to order then what Alexis was going to order, only mistaking eggs over-medium for eggs over-easy. "I don't know what made me think you're easy!" Olivia called out as she dashed away to the kitchen.
Alexis wondered if Ned had noticed the tension between her and Olivia. She wondered why it seemed like Olivia was mad at her. A short while later, Olivia served Ned and Alexis their food. As an apology for the mix-up with Alexis' order, Olivia gave Alexis some lox "on the house." Alexis admitted that she wasn't a fan of lox. Olivia picked the lox back up and rationalized that when one thought of Alexis, "cold fish" popped into her mind. She tried to dash away again, but Alexis grabbed her.
"Have I offended you in some way?" Alexis inquired of Olivia. Olivia admitted that she had a problem with both Ned and Alexis. She believed that they were wrong for each other but that Olivia and Ned would make a "great" couple. She accused Alexis of using Ned to get over Julian and told Ned that she was falling for him. Just then, Alexis snapped Olivia out of her daydream. Olivia insisted that she had no problem with Alexis and ran off.
A short while later, Ned received the check and saw that Olivia had comped the meal. Alexis had to get to court, so she kissed Ned and left. Ned thanked Olivia for the meal. She explained that she hadn't wanted Alexis to think there was a problem between the two women. "About that," Ned said. He asked what was really going on with Olivia.
Julian was led into the courtroom, where he was told to wait for the judge to finish up with a meeting. Carlos was there and informed Julian that his bail money had been taken care of. After being questioned, Carlos admitted that he was working for Johnny. He explained that Johnny was trying to put together an alliance between the Zaccharas, the Jeromes, and the Corinthoses to "take over the entire eastern seaboard."
Julian hinted that he didn't want to get involved because of Alexis, but Carlos reminded Julian that Alexis wanted nothing to do with him. He continued that "guys like us don't get happy endings." He instructed Julian to enjoy the rush of power while they were still alive to enjoy it. He urged Julian to plead "not guilty, and we'll take care of the rest."
A few minutes later, the judge read all the charges against Julian and asked for Julian's plea. "Not guilty," Julian stated, to Carlos' glee. The judge set bail, and Julian's lawyer took the money from Carlos so that Julian could go free. Carlos told Julian that they would be the "kings of Port Charles."
As Carlos left, Alexis entered. She was surprised that Julian had made bail, since Julian's assets had been frozen. She suggested that Carlos' associates had the money and accused him of being "back in the business." He reminded her that she'd told him that they had no future. "I have nothing to lose anymore," he said and walked away.
Johnny was lifting weights when Sonny suddenly pushed the bar down on Johnny's chest. Sonny wanted to talk about Ric, but Johnny's goons whisked Sonny away and gave him a couple punches. Johnny called them off, and Sonny asked why he should care about Ric's whereabouts after he'd tried to take Sonny down. Johnny informed Sonny that Ric had been framed and handed him a piece of paper that served as proof. Sonny read that Ric had been transferred to the Witness Protection Program that same day that he'd supposedly died. Johnny told Sonny that he had the power to save Ric if Sonny would "play ball."
Johnny warned Sonny that, if he didn't cooperate, rumors of Ric's death would become a reality. Johnny explained his plan to draw the three crime families of Port Charles together. Sonny didn't trust that Ric wasn't working with Johnny instead of being Johnny's victim. He advised Sonny to "mull it over," because Ric would be dead if Johnny didn't have Sonny's commitment within forty-eight hours.
Carly, in front of Franco's holding cell, told him that she was reassured to see him "in a cage." She wished that she had let Sonny kill Franco. She warned him that she would kill him if he ever threatened another member of her family. He told her not to worry because he would be going to Pentonville, and the only one of Carly's family members he could touch there was Sonny.
Franco taunted that Sonny's jail sentence was probably tough on Sonny and Carly's relationship. Carly shot back that Franco and crazy Nina deserved each other. He warned her to leave Nina out of it because she hadn't known what she'd been doing. Carly sneered that he and Nina would never see each other again because she was "just as screwed as you are." Carly left, and Franco called out for the guard. He claimed to have to go to the bathroom, and the guard reluctantly agreed to take him.
Nina and Ava argued about the baby, and the guard yelled at them to settle their argument "amongst yourselves, quietly." Nina lamented losing her new life with Franco. Ava wanted to reach all the way to Nina's cell in order to strangle her. Nina said that she would never cross the line into murder like Ava had. She taunted that, while Ava would be in prison probably for life, Nina would be getting custody of the baby. Ava reminded Nina that the only reason Nina wasn't on trial for murder was because she'd gotten lucky after leaving Madeline for dead.
Ava continued that Nina had no chance left at motherhood and that no one would rescue her. Nina yelled that Franco would save her. Just then, Franco entered with the guard, who wondered what all the noise was about. Franco took Nina's hands and promised that she would be all right. Nina asked Franco to "fix everything," but he couldn't promise that.
The guard led Franco back to his own cell. Ava told Nina that not being with her daughter broke her heart, but she would "rest easier" knowing that Nina wouldn't be with the baby either.
At the hospital, Morgan held the baby and worried about her health. Kiki reminded him that the best pediatrician the hospital had to offer had just examined her, as had Silas. Morgan cited Silas as the main reason the baby had been returned. Just then, Silas entered the room. He informed them that, despite a slight ear infection, the baby was in perfect health.
Morgan said that he'd been going crazy for months, wondering if the baby was his daughter or sister. He asked Silas to perform a paternity test. Silas replied that, legally, he couldn't do so without consent of the baby's official guardian, which was Ava. The only way he could perform the test was with consent from the temporary guardian, which Kiki guessed was her. Kiki gave her permission for the test.
A short while later, Carly arrived at the hospital and asked to hold the baby. She thought Sonny would be relieved, even though she wouldn't be able to tell him. Morgan wondered if his parents had had a fight, but Carly didn't want to talk about it. Silas returned and announced that, because Sonny and Morgan had the same basic DNA, the more in-depth test results would take weeks to return. He suggested that he could test someone who was only related to one of the potential fathers, and that was Carly.
At Metro Court Restaurant, Ned asked Olivia if he had done something wrong because he sensed that he had somehow upset her. Olivia assured Ned that she was fine, but he easily saw through the lie, so he promised that she could trust him because they were friends. Olivia realized that it was time for her to be honest, so she confessed that she had romantic feelings for him.
Ned was shocked by the confession, so Olivia explained that she had pushed Ned away romantically because she hadn't thought that she was ready to move on after everything that had happened with Sonny. Ned was curious what had changed. "Time," Olivia confessed. Olivia realized that she had started to fall for Ned when it had become painful for her to see him with Alexis. Olivia took a deep breath then asked him if there was any hope that he might return Olivia's feelings.
Ned gently explained that he and Alexis had history together, so he felt that he owed it to himself to explore a relationship with Alexis to see if they had a future together. Olivia was disappointed when Ned admitted that all he could offer Olivia was friendship. He wondered if she could accept that, but Olivia revealed that she couldn't.
According to Olivia, continuing to spend time with Ned would only make her feelings for him stronger and her resentment toward Alexis grow. Olivia didn't like the person she had turned into when she was around Alexis, so Olivia decided that it would be best for Olivia and Ned to stop seeing each other completely. Ned appeared disappointed but accepted Olivia's decision. Olivia kept her back to Ned as he walked away so he wouldn't see her tears. He stopped to look back at her but left after a brief hesitation.
Outside of the police station, Sam received a call from Patrick but she sent it to her voicemail.
Inside the police station, Lulu walked up as Dante studied the security footage of the gunman who had taken Sam hostage. Lulu was curious what Dante had been looking at, so he explained that he had been going over the surveillance video, hoping that it would yield a clue as to the identity of the gunman who had helped Faison escape. Frustrated, Dante admitted footage was too grainy, but the police department couldn't afford the resolution enhancement program needed to properly clean up the video until the new mayor had been named. Lulu hoped that the vote recount went in Felicia's favor then shifted gears to announce that she was headed to the courthouse to support Maxie during the custody hearing. Lulu asked Dante to keep his fingers crossed that the judge ruled in Maxie's favor and would stop keeping Maxie's social life hostage.
After Lulu left, Sam entered the squad room. She greeted Dante then asked him if there had been any new leads on Faison's whereabouts or the gunman's identity. Dante confessed that he didn't have anything new to report because the security footage hadn't helped. He offered to show Sam the video in the hopes that it would spark something that would lead to a clue, but she confessed that she had already reviewed the footage. Dante quickly realized that Spinelli had hacked into the police department's computer system, but Sam defended Spinelli by explaining that she had asked for Spinelli's help because she had been desperate to find Jason's killer.
Dante made a mental note to have a chat with Spinelli about illegally hacking into the police department's computer system, but Sam revealed that she might know who had helped Faison. Sam explained her theory about Jake being the gunman because of a phrase that both Jake and the gunman had used, but Dante warned Sam that it wasn't sufficient evidence to warrant an arrest. Dante also reminded Sam that Jake had been recovering from a serious car accident not too long before, but Sam remained certain that Jake had helped Faison.
Later, Dante and Sam reviewed the copy of the surveillance video that Spinelli had cleaned up. The video showed a closeup of the gunman looking directly into the camera. Sam looked at the gunman's eyes then turned to Dante to assure him that she was certain that Jake had been the gunman.
At the courthouse, Maxie sat in the courtroom as she recalled the stern words that Judge Walters had had for her the last time he had denied her visitation with Georgie. Moments later, Maxie received a video call from Nathan. She smiled as she greeted him, so he asked where she was. She admitted that she had arrived early for court, but she feared that the hearing would not go in her favor. Nathan was certain that Maxie would be granted visitation with Georgie, so he offered her words of encouragement then wished her luck. Maxie pulled out a Christmas ornament from her purse to show Nathan as she explained that it had once belonged to her sister, Georgie.
Maxie considered the ornament a good luck charm because it had been for her sister's first Christmas. Maxie revealed that she had given hers to her daughter when Maxie had said goodbye to Georgie the previous Christmas. Maxie smiled when Nathan assured her that he was certain that she would get to spend her daughter's second Christmas with Georgie.
Moments later, Lulu entered the courtroom, so Maxie ended the video call with Nathan. After Maxie warmly greeted her friend, Maxie began to ramble about the outfit that Maxie had selected for the hearing. Lulu calmly advised her friend to take a deep breath then promised that everything would be fine. Lulu was curious where Diane was, so Maxie checked her messages. Maxie was horrified when she saw a text message from Diane explaining that Diane would be unable to attend the custody hearing because Diane had been tied up at court with another case.
Maxie's despair turned to surprise when Alexis suddenly rushed into the courtroom, explaining that Diane had asked Alexis to step in. Maxie appreciated Alexis' offer but Maxie questioned the wisdom of being represented by someone who had successfully argued that Maxie had been an unfit mother during Dante and Lulu's bid for custody of Georgie. Alexis assured Maxie that everything would be fine, but Maxie didn't have an opportunity to respond because Judge Walters entered the courtroom.
Judge Walters immediately demanded to know where Diane was, so Alexis explained that Diane hadn't been stuck in court on another case. Judge Walters was curious why Alexis would represent a woman that Alexis had established had been an unfit mother, so Alexis explained that Maxie had made great strides in the past year to establish that she was fit to be a parent to Georgie. Judge Walters conceded that Maxie had met all the court's requirements except for one. Alexis was stunned when the judge informed Alexis that Maxie had been ordered to stay away from Nathan two months earlier when the judge had seen Maxie out with Nathan.
Alexis objected to the judge making a ruling that hadn't been part of a court record, but Judge Walters ignored her as he confronted Maxie about ignoring his warning. He revealed that he had seen Maxie leaving Nathan's hospital room the previous day, so Maxie pointed out that she had been volunteering at the hospital, which she had done for the past decade. Maxie agreed that she had entered Nathan's hospital room to deliver flowers but she insisted she had left as soon as she had realized that Nathan was the patient. The judge wondered if Maxie's encounter with Nathan at Volonino's gym weeks earlier had also been a coincidence.
Maxie was startled when the court officer stepped up to confirm that she had seen Maxie and Nathan together at the gym. Maxie's surprise turned to dread when the judge admitted that he also knew that Maxie had spent time with Nathan on Beggars' Night, which was the third strike. Alexis sputtered with outrage when Judge Walters denied Maxie's petition for visitation with Georgie then agreed to revisit the issue in another six months. Alexis warned the judge that she intended to file an appeal because the judge had acted inappropriately, but Judge Walters banged the gavel to call an end to the proceedings.
At the hospital, Jake bumped into Liesl, who greeted him with a smile as she confessed that she owed him a debt of gratitude. Surprised, Jake wondered what he had done, so Liesl explained that she had heard about his volunteer work finger painting with the children on the pediatric ward. She explained that it was good exercise for the children's minds to express themselves through art. However, her smile quickly vanished as she reminded Jake that he his volunteer work hadn't absolved him of the responsibility for paying his hospital bill.
"Oh, there's the Dr. O I know," Jake replied with a teasing grin. Liesl advised Jake to stay out of trouble because she expected him to pay in full then left. Moments later, Jason ran into Elizabeth at the nurses' station. She assumed that he wanted more art supplies, but he surprised her by holding up a paper bag then inviting her to lunch. Elizabeth agreed, so they climbed the stairs to the second landing.
Jake and Elizabeth recalled his first attempt up the stairs as Elizabeth took the paper bag from him to peek inside. She saw the sandwich, so she decided to find a quiet corner to sit and eat to avoid raining crumbs down on unsuspecting heads. Jake joked that it was a perfect location for a sneak attack, prompting Elizabeth to chuckle because he sounded like her son, Cameron. Jason wandered over to sit by Elizabeth then confessed that he liked hanging out with her.
Elizabeth smiled awkwardly as she admitted that she felt the same, but Jake feared he might have said too much. Elizabeth quickly assured him that it was fine but confessed that she was concerned because Sam had accused Jake of being the gunman who had helped Faison escape. Stunned, Jake reminded Elizabeth that it was impossible because he had been out job hunting. He offered to provide her with a list of every place he had gone, but Elizabeth insisted that it wasn't necessary because she knew Sam's suspicions were absurd.
Jake offered to leave if Elizabeth had any doubts about him or didn't want him interacting with her children, but she promised that she believed him so she didn't need or want him to move out. Touched, Jake thanked Elizabeth for believing in him.
Meanwhile, Liesl entered Nathan's hospital room as he ended a video call with Maxie. She smiled knowingly because she knew that he had been talking to Maxie. Liesl wasn't surprised because she had seen the sparks between Nathan and Maxie at the Crichton-Clark Clinic. However, Liesl scowled with disapproval as she demanded to know why Maxie wasn't at Nathan's bedside. Nathan filled his mother in about the custody hearing and the judge's order for Maxie to stay away from Nathan. Liesl was offended on her son's behalf, so she offered to have a word with the judge, but Nathan assured Liesl that it wasn't necessary.
Liesl promised that the offer would remain open because she knew what it was like to be separated from her loved ones. Nathan realized that she had been referring to Faison, so he warned her that Faison would be arrested when he was found. Liesl confided that she hoped Nathan was wrong, for Britt's sake. Nathan wanted to know what his mother was talking about, but she refused to say anything unless it was off the record. Nathan quickly agreed.
Liesl filled Nathan in about Nikolas' threat to press criminal charges against Britt and Britt's decision to leave town with Faison. Nathan was shocked but also surprised that Liesl had remained behind. Liesl explained that it had been necessary because she loved Nathan as much as she did Faison and Britt. Nathan seemed moved by his mother's confession, but he wondered if she knew where Faison and Britt had fled to. Liesl assured him that she didn't, but she knew he had a job to do, so she would understand if he decided to question her further. Nathan admitted that the only thing he was concerned about was Maxie's court hearing.
At Wyndemere, Nikolas looked at the Christmas tree he had put up then turned to Spencer to ask for his son's opinion of the tree. Spencer played with a camera as he informed his father that he was not speaking to Nikolas. Nikolas realized that Spencer was upset about Britt, so he explained that it was never acceptable for an adult to encourage a child to deceive their parent and to put that child at risk. Nikolas knew that Spencer was hurt, but Nikolas insisted that Britt had used and taken advantage of Spencer. Nikolas was determined that Britt would pay for her crime, but Spencer warned Nikolas that Britt would never go to jail because Britt had left town.
Shocked, Nikolas wondered how Spencer knew that Britt had left town, so Spencer told his father about the plan for Spencer to run away. Spencer revealed that he had been tempted to leave with Britt, but Spencer's great-grandmother had stopped him. Nikolas was confused how Lesley had gotten involved in what had transpired on the piers but Spencer quickly clarified that he had meant his great-grandmother, Helena.
Nikolas jumped up to alert security that Helena had been spotted on the piers when Helena casually sauntered into the living room through a secret passage from tunnels. She assured Nikolas that it wasn't necessary for anyone to keep an eye out for her since she was right there. Nikolas coldly greeted his grandmother, but she was confident that he was actually happy to see her. Nikolas assured Helena that she was wrong, but she didn't believe him because she was certain that he only pretended to dislike her out of misguided loyalty to his uncle, Stefan.
Helena accused her youngest son, Stefan, of poisoning Nikolas against her, but she pointed out that Stefan was gone. Nikolas reminded Helena that she had been nearly gone, as well, but she smiled as she assured her grandson that it had merely been a minor inconvenience. She pointed out that she had emerged from her brush with death without a scratch. "Sad but apparently true," Nikolas conceded.
Helena asked Spencer to give her a moment alone with Nikolas, but Nikolas warned Helena not to speak to Spencer. Nikolas sent Spencer to Nikolas' bedroom to wait, but Spencer was reluctant to leave Nikolas alone with Helena. Nikolas promised Spencer that there was nothing to worry about, so Spencer left. Helena grinned as she observed that Spencer had inherited the Cassadine wit then warned Nikolas that his son had been determined to run away until Helena had interceded by having Spencer escorted home from the piers, which were dangerous for a child.
Nikolas agreed, but he warned his grandmother never to approach Spencer again. Helena chuckled then confessed that she had missed Nikolas. She was certain that he felt the same about her, whether he wanted to admit it or not. Nikolas disagreed, but Helena didn't believe him. She scolded him for not properly greeting her then held out her arms for a hug. Nikolas smiled as he affectionately hugged Helena. However, his goodwill vanished in the next instant when he threatened to call security.
Helena reminded Nikolas that they were family, which meant that family always stuck together. Nikolas argued that most families didn't try to shoot, stab, or push each other off cliffs, but Helena waved away his suggestion that she was psychotic. She conceded that -- sadly -- Mikkos and Stavros had had psychotic tendencies, but Nikolas insisted that both his grandfather and father had been "barking mad." Helena admitted that madness had its attractions but agreed that for the good of the family, the Cassadine heir had to be sane, which Nikolas was.
Nikolas refused to have anything to do with Helena's schemes, but Helena insisted that all she had ever done was to protect the Cassadine legacy and preserve its future. Helena reminded Nikolas that he was the Cassadine future, so she expected him to embrace his birthright and accept who he truly was. According to Helena, it was time for Nikolas to act like Prince Nikolas Mikhail Stavrosovich Cassadine.
Helena urged Nikolas to stop playing the victim and ascend to the role of Cassadine patriarch because Mikkos, Stavros, and Stefan were all gone. Nikolas refused to allow Helena to force her expectations on him, but she warned him that she had taken steps to safeguard her position. Helena explained that she wanted Nikolas to be the prince he had been born to be, or everything -- the island, the money, the mansion -- would all disappear in an instant.
In Nathan's hospital room, Nathan left a voicemail message for Maxie, asking her to return his call because he was anxious to know what the judge had decided. Maxie entered the hospital room as Nathan ended the call, so he greeted her with a smile. However, his smile quickly vanished as she tearfully confessed that Judge Walters had denied her visitation with Georgie and had decided to revisit the issue in six months. Stunned, Nathan asked what had happened to make Judge Walters rule against Maxie.
Maxie explained that the judge had learned about the three times that Maxie and Nathan had spent time together. Nathan was shocked that Judge Walters had refused to allow Maxie to see her daughter because of a couple of accidental encounters. He insisted that it was an abuse of power, but Maxie countered that it was what she had deserved because she had defied the judge's order to stay away from Nathan. Nathan argued that Maxie was not to blame because it was clear that the judge had some kind of ax to grind with Maxie.
Nathan vowed that he would not allow Judge Walters to get away with the injustice, so he started to get out of bed. Maxie immediately objected because she didn't want Nathan to risk injury when he was still recovering from a gunshot wound. She also doubted that Nathan would accomplish anything by showing up at the courthouse in a hospital gown and sweatpants. Nathan immediately relented because his strength had evaporated as he had tried to stand up. However, Nathan was desperate to help Maxie, so she asked him to hold her.
Maxie climbed into bed as Nathan wrapped his arms around her. She pulled out her sister's first Christmas ornament then looked at it as she quietly admitted that she had thought Georgie's ornament would give her luck, but she had been wrong. Maxie regretted assuring her daughter that she and Georgie would spend Georgie's second Christmas together because it was a promise that Maxie wouldn't be able to keep. Nathan vowed that he would find a way to make it happen.
At the police station, Sam looked at the staircase where the gunman had taken her hostage during Cesar Faison's escape. Her thoughts turned to her recent encounter with Jake at Metro Court Restaurant, which had aroused her suspicion that Jake had been the man behind the mask who had grabbed her during the incident. She returned to the present then started to leave but stopped short when she saw Jake enter the squad room.
Jake spotted Sam, so he approached her. Sam coldly exchanged greetings with Jake then asked what he was doing at the police station. Jake tried to joke that he wasn't there for a job, but Sam was not amused so he wondered if she thought that he had returned to the scene of the crime. Sam realized that Elizabeth had told Jake about Sam's suspicions that Jake had been the gunman who had helped Faison break free. Jake conceded that it was flattering to know that Sam thought he was capable of such a feat, but he assured her that he'd had nothing to do with it.
Jake was curious why Sam had told Elizabeth, so Sam admitted that she would have wanted Elizabeth to warn her if Sam and Elizabeth's roles had been reversed. Sam explained why she suspected Jake of helping Faison, but Jake continued to deny any involvement then revealed that he was at the police station to clear his name. Sam warned him that she had already shared her suspicions about Jake with the police, but Jake wasn't concerned because the police hadn't issued a warrant for Jake's arrest, which meant that there hadn't been enough evidence to charge him. Sam admitted that she had seen the enhanced footage of the surveillance footage, so Jake wondered if it had confirmed her theory that he had been the gunman.
Sam was forced to admit that the footage remained too grainy to make a positive identification, but she was adamant that Jake had been responsible for helping her husband's killer escape. Jake argued that he didn't have any reason to help an international terrorist like Faison, but Sam wondered how Jake could possibly know that if he had lost his memory. Jake reminded her that even though he couldn't remember his past, he had a clear recollection of everything that had transpired since waking up from the accident.
Jake invited Sam to continue her investigation, but he warned her that she would end up empty-handed because he hadn't been involved in Faison's escape. Sam merely laughed. "We'll see about that," Sam said as she left. Jake remained behind then stared at the staircase as he recalled what Sam had told him about the abduction. He suddenly had a couple of brief flashbacks of the incident. "Is Sam right? Was it me?" Jake asked as his expression clouded with concern.
At Metro Court Restaurant, Patrick held out a chair for Sabrina as she asked why he had invited her to lunch. Patrick took a seat across from her as he quietly confessed that he had something important to tell her. Sabrina's smile faded as Patrick explained that he and Sam had discovered that Victor Cassadine had orchestrated the car accident that had led to Gabriel's premature birth and subsequent death. Stunned, Sabrina asked how Patrick could be certain about Victor's guilt, so Patrick told her about Faison's confession to Sam.
Confused, Sabrina wondered why Victor had wanted Rafe to force Patrick's car off the road. Patrick explained that Victor had wanted to ensure Robin's cooperation at the clinic and to make certain that Patrick kept his mouth shut about Jason being alive. Sabrina's eyes filled with tears as she wondered if Victor was in jail, so Patrick revealed that Victor had died at the Crichton-Clark Clinic when the facility had blown up. Sabrina decided that Victor had gotten exactly what he had deserved. She hoped their son could rest in peace, so Patrick added that the world was a better place without Victor in it.
"But not without Gabriel," Sabrina quietly replied. Patrick agreed then shifted gears to tell Sabrina about Sam's reaction to Faison's revelations about Jason being alive and Patrick knowing the truth. Patrick doubted that Sam would ever forgive him for not telling her that Jason had survived the shooting because Sam felt as if she had been cheated at a chance of saying goodbye to Jason and having closure. Sabrina remarked that both she and Patrick had made mistakes, so Patrick wondered what Sabrina had done.
Sabrina became evasive until Patrick asked why her name hadn't appeared on the hospital's schedule. Sabrina was forced to confess that she had been fired and why. She admitted that she had gotten caught up in her grief over losing their son and her certainty that Ava had been responsible for the crash. Sabrina realized that giving Ava medication to force Ava into premature labor had been unforgiveable, but Sabrina had managed to retain her nursing license. However, Sabrina quickly added that she wasn't ready to find another nursing job.
Patrick reminded Sabrina that he had been in a similar situation with Rafe when he had held the fate of Rafe's life in his hands, but Sabrina didn't want Patrick to make excuses for what she had done. Patrick argued that she deserved forgiveness, so he offered to help her in any way he could if she needed it. Sabrina assured him that she was fine because Felix had agreed to cover the bills, and she had some money in savings that would help.
Shortly after Sabrina left, Patrick saw Sam approach the bar. He quickly asked for a minute of her time, but Sam explained that she was there to meet her mother for a drink. Patrick pointed out that Alexis hadn't arrived yet, so Sam relented. Patrick once again apologized for keeping the truth about Jason from her. He knew that it had been wrong, but he hoped that she could forgive him because he didn't want to lose their friendship or what they could have had.
"Neither do I," Sam softly confessed as her eyes welled up with tears. Sam quickly clarified that she hadn't forgiven Patrick, but she was willing to try even though he had kept an important truth from her about her husband. However, she recognized that nothing would change the fact that Jason was gone forever and that Patrick had wanted to spare her the pain of losing Jason all over again.
At the local jail, Silas paid Ava a visit to give her an update about her baby. Ava was eager for news, so he assured her that Franco and Nina had taken good care of the infant because Ava's baby was healthy. Relieved, Ava wondered who had been taking care of the baby while she had been in jail. Silas explained that both Kiki and Morgan had been caring for the infant because Kiki was the baby's closest relative. Ava became alarmed because she didn't think Morgan or Kiki was fit to properly take care of a baby, but Silas assured Ava that Carly had been overseeing things.
Ava considered Carly a "hateful bitch," but she conceded that at least Carly had experience with children. Ava also believed that Carly was a far better option than Nina had been. Ava explained that Nina had made such a racket earlier that the guards had decided to move Nina in an effort to calm her. However, Ava feared that it had been an elaborate ploy for Nina to escape then kidnap the baby again.
A short time later, Silas returned to assure Ava that he had checked on Nina personally. According to Silas, Nina had been heavily sedated, so the baby was safe. Ava relaxed then thanked Silas for everything he had done. Ava appreciated that he had risked everything to help her, but Silas insisted that the priority had been to find her missing daughter rather than turning Ava over to the police.
Silas broached the subject of the evidence against Ava, so she admitted that it was bad because A.J. had managed to record A.J. and Ava's last conversation during which Ava had confessed to murdering Connie Falconeri. Ava acknowledged that she had hurt a lot of people in her life, so she'd known that she would have to pay a price one day. However, she had never expected that the price would be not raising her baby girl.
Silas received a text message asking him to return to the hospital, so he explained that he had to leave. However, he wanted Ava to know that a DNA test had been ordered to determine her infant's paternity. Ava was surprised because she hadn't authorized it, so Silas explained that Kiki had approved it. Silas' tone softened as he assured Ava that she would be okay because she was a "tough cookie," but Ava had never understood the odd expression.
"Who likes a tough cookie?" Ava wondered. "Me," Silas answered without hesitation. Silas handed a small article of clothing to Ava that had belonged to Ava's daughter. Ava smiled with gratitude as she clutched it close then thanked Silas.
A short time later, Sabrina arrived to visit Ava. Sabrina admitted that she owed Ava an apology for giving Ava the medication that had caused Ava to go into premature labor. Ava surprised Sabrina by forgiving the young grieving mother because Ava understood why Sabrina had done it. Ava pointed out that in the end, they had both lost their chance to be mothers to their children.
At Pentonville, Sonny greeted Shawn as Shawn sat on the other side of the glass partition. Shawn informed Sonny that Ava's baby had been found safe and sound and that Dante had taken Franco, Nina, and Ava into custody. Sonny was surprised when Shawn explained that Silas had helped Ava search for the baby, which was why Dante had been able to apprehend Ava when the baby had been recovered. Sonny was glad that the baby was safe, but he was curious who had been taking care of the infant since her return home.
Sonny became concerned when Shawn admitted that the baby was with Morgan and Kiki. Sonny feared that Morgan couldn't care for a pet much less a baby, but Shawn assured Sonny that Carly had been on hand to help. Next, Shawn explained that a DNA test had been ordered, so they should know the baby's paternity soon. Shawn promised to let Sonny know the results of the test as soon as they were available.
Shawn commented that Carly would have preferred to give Sonny the news, but Shawn knew that Sonny had decided to refuse Carly's visits. Sonny explained that it had been necessary because he wanted Carly to move on and hoped that Michael would eventually forgive Carly if Sonny severed ties with her.
Sonny quickly changed the subject by revealing that Johnny Zacchara had kidnapped Ric from the Witness Protection Program. Sonny quickly filled Shawn in about Johnny's plans to seize power and the threat to kill Ric in forty-eight hours if Sonny refused cooperate by handing over the Corinthos organization to Johnny. Shawn was surprised that Sonny would make the effort to save Ric because Sonny had never liked Ric, but Sonny refused to allow his brother to fall victim to Johnny's bid for power or to have Ric's death on his conscience.
Sonny confided that he had no idea where Johnny had stashed Ric, but Sonny had Ric's last known address in the Witness Protection Program. Sonny revealed that Ric had been staying in Corinth then gave Shawn the address. Sonny warned Shawn that if Shawn failed to find Ric in time then Sonny would be forced to turn over the Corinthos territory in exchange for Ric's freedom. Shawn assured Sonny that he would not let Sonny down.
Meanwhile, Michael entered the brownstone as Carly, Morgan, and Kiki gushed over the baby. "Well, isn't this cozy?" Michael asked. Carly ignored Michael's cold tone of voice as she introduced him to the infant. She admitted that they hadn't named the baby yet, so they had been using various nicknames like "sweetheart" and "cutie." Michael glanced at the baby but made no effort to hold her even when Morgan assured Michael that it would be fine.
Michael was curious if the baby's paternity had been determined yet, so Morgan and Carly explained that a DNA test had been done on Carly to see if the baby was related to her, since a paternity test would take too long because Morgan and Sonny were closely related.
Michael shifted gears by announcing that he had decided to evict Morgan and Kiki from the brownstone. Stunned, Morgan accused Michael of acting out of malicious spite, but Michael explained that he intended to rent the place to tenants who could pay instead of Morgan and Kiki, who were both jobless. Morgan was disgusted that his brother would toss him and Kiki into the street when they had a newborn to take care of, but Michael pointed out that both Morgan and Kiki had plenty of places to live. Kiki assured Morgan that they could stay with Silas, but Carly insisted that Morgan and Kiki move in with her.
Michael made a snide remark about the baby making Carly feel closer to Sonny, but Carly informed her eldest child that she and Sonny were over. Michael was curious why, so Carly opted to tell him the truth by revealing that Sonny had hoped that Michael would forgive her if she told him that she had ended things with Sonny. Michael was curious why she hadn't lied to him, so she admitted that she loved Sonny too much to hide the truth. Michael was disappointed because he had hoped that she had been reluctant to lie to him again.
Carly insisted that she had lied to protect Michael because she loved him. She begged him to let go of his anger and open his heart to all of them, but Michael refused. He reminded Morgan and Kiki to be out of the brownstone by the end of the day then left.
Elizabeth stopped by Sam's penthouse to discuss Jake. She apologized for barging in on Sam but added that Sam had set the tone by falsely accusing Jake of being the gunman who had helped Cesar Faison escape. Elizabeth insisted that it was absurd to suspect Jake, so she wondered why Sam was certain that Jake was guilty. "I just am," Sam answered. Elizabeth wasn't satisfied, but Sam assured Elizabeth that she was concerned because Elizabeth had a complete stranger living under Elizabeth's roof.
Elizabeth made it clear that her personal life, as well as Jake's, was none of Sam's business, but Sam disagreed because Jake had made it Sam's business when he had taken Sam hostage at gunpoint and shot Nathan. Elizabeth continued to defend Jake then warned Sam to back off, but Sam wondered if it bothered Elizabeth that Faison was on the loose. Offended, Elizabeth insisted that she hated Faison as much as anyone because of what Faison had done to Lucky. Sam pointed out that Lucky had returned home, but Jason never would because Faison had killed Jason.
Elizabeth reminded Sam that Elizabeth had loved Jason, too, so Sam immediately apologized because she appreciated that Elizabeth had cared for Jason. However, Sam argued that Elizabeth barely knew Jake. Elizabeth reminded Sam that Jake had been in a horrible life-changing accident, which had left him without any memory of his past. Elizabeth confided that Jake had hidden the terror of waking up to a world completely unknown to him by slapping on a brave face then going about his life as best as he could.
Elizabeth didn't understand why Sam had fixated on Jake, but she assured Sam that Jake hadn't had anything to do with Faison's escape. Sam was equally certain that Jake was guilty, so Elizabeth argued that Jake using an expression that the gunman had used wasn't sufficient proof. Sam insisted that she had a gut feeling that Jake was the gunman, but Elizabeth wasn't satisfied. Sam suddenly realized that Elizabeth wanted to believe in Jake's innocence because Elizabeth was falling for Jake. Elizabeth tried to deny it, but Sam argued that Elizabeth had nursed Jake back to health and had a history of falling for "unsavory" men.
"You're one to talk," Elizabeth fired back. Sam conceded that Elizabeth was correct but added that Elizabeth had had a rough year after everything that had happened with A.J., Ric, and Nikolas. Insulted, Elizabeth wondered if Sam were suggesting that Elizabeth had been rebounding hard enough to be desperate to have any man -- even a criminal -- in her life. Sam was unapologetic as she reminded Elizabeth that Elizabeth had been willing to keep quiet about Danny's paternity out of fear that Jason and Sam would reconcile.
Elizabeth assured Sam that Elizabeth would always regret keeping the truth about Danny's paternity secret but insisted that she had done everything in her power to make amends to both Jason and Sam. Elizabeth reminded Sam that Sam had also done desperate things to hold on to Jason, including standing by in the park while Jason and Elizabeth's son, Jake, had been kidnapped. Elizabeth reminded Sam that Elizabeth had been frantic and terrified during Jake's disappearance while Sam had done nothing. Sam quietly conceded that she wasn't in a position to cast stones at Elizabeth. "Thank you," Elizabeth replied with sincerity.
Elizabeth wondered what her and Sam's ugly ancient history had to do with Jake, since Jake and Jason were two different people. Sam agreed. "Jake is no Jason," Sam added. However, Sam remained determined that Jake and Faison would face justice. Elizabeth realized that it was pointless to continue the conversation, since she and Sam were talking in circles.
At the door, Elizabeth warned Sam that if Sam continued to drag Jake's name through the mud then Elizabeth and Jake would be forced to sue Sam for harassment. Sam laughed and pointed out that Elizabeth had referred to Elizabeth and Jake as "we," which illustrated Sam's certainty that Elizabeth had feelings for Jake. Sam invited Elizabeth to do what Elizabeth had to do because Sam intended to do the same.
After Elizabeth left, Sam went to work on her laptop, determined to find a way to prove that Jake was not a "good guy."
At the hospital, Jake appeared troubled as brief flashbacks of taking Sam hostage raced through his mind. Moments later, Patrick approached Jake. Patrick noticed Jake's uneasy expression, so he asked if Jake was okay. Jake greeted Patrick then talked about their Thanksgiving dinner at Elizabeth's house and Danny. Patrick made a remark that led Jake to suspect that Sam had told Patrick about her suspicions regarding Jake, but Patrick clarified that Patrick and Sam hadn't seen much of each other since Thanksgiving. Jake hoped that everything worked out between Patrick and Sam, so Patrick admitted that only time would tell.
However, Patrick was curious what Jake feared Sam had told him. Rather than answer, Jake explained that he had sought Patrick out to discuss Jake's head injury rather than Sam. Jake wondered if it was possible to do something one day then completely forget about it the following day. Patrick asked for a specific example, so Jake admitted that he'd had a flicker of a memory that had been in direct conflict with what Jake recalled happening. Jake was curious if it was possible that there had been residual effects from his head injury or the amnesia.
Patrick conceded that it was possible because scans had shown that Jake had undergone brain surgery in the past. However, Patrick couldn't say for certain, so he advised Jake to talk to Dr. Collins because Kevin was a successful hypnotherapist who had helped patients with amnesia. Patrick handed Jake a business card with Kevin's contact information, but Jake was leery about talking to Kevin. Patrick urged Jake to reconsider because there was a strong presence of organized crime in Port Charles. Patrick didn't know if Jake had been involved in the mob in the past, but it was a strong possibility because Jake had been found wandering on Route 31 in the middle of the night.
Jake thanked Patrick for the advice but returned the business card because Jake was certain that the flicker of memory had been the result of someone planting the thought in his mind. Jake thanked Patrick for his help then walked away.
At the elevator, Jake ran into Elizabeth as she arrived to drop off a toy for the Toys for Tots charity. Elizabeth admitted that she had seen him talking to Patrick, so Jake explained that he and Patrick had been discussing Jake's memory loss. Jake confessed that he was resigned to the possibility that he might never get his memories back.
In Nathan's hospital room, Alexis apologized to Nathan for failing to persuade the judge to grant Maxie visitation with Georgie. Nathan was upset because he believed the judge had abused his powers by trying to grind "some petty ax" with Maxie. Alexis explained that she had filed an appeal, but beyond that, it would be futile to pursue a complaint against the judge. Nathan was disappointed because he had promised Maxie that she would get to spend Christmas with Georgie, so Alexis assured him that she would keep fighting for Maxie.
Nathan changed the subject by confessing that he'd had another reason for wanting to see Alexis; he wanted her to represent his sister, Nina, in court. Alexis was reluctant to agree because Nina had hurt Sam in the past, but Nathan explained that his sister was a troubled person in large part due to the things that Madeline had done. Alexis was surprised when he reminded Alexis of their Cassadine connection then mentioned her sister, Kristina, by asking what Alexis would do if Alexis could go back in time. Nathan smiled with relief when Alexis admitted that she would do everything possible to save Kristina.
Alexis reluctantly agreed to represent Nina, but she refused to make any promises that she couldn't keep. Nathan wished that he had done the same before assuring Maxie that Maxie would spend Christmas with Georgie.
Shortly after Alexis left, Nathan called someone for help because the judge had ruled against Maxie.
At the police station, Anna led Nina to a jail cell. Franco called out to Nina, but Nina didn't appear to hear him. Concerned, Franco demanded to know what was wrong with Nina, so Anna explained that Nina had been mildly sedated after taking a stand against Ava. Franco was outraged that the police had drugged Nina, but Anna insisted that it had been for Nina's own good. He was curious why Nina hadn't been returned to a cell where the other women were, but Anna thought that Franco would appreciate being temporarily reunited with his partner in crime.
After Anna left, Franco called out to Nina, but she refused to look at him. Finally, Franco begged Nina to say something to him, so she accused him lying to her. She reminded him that he had promised that they would be a family with Jaime and that nothing could get in their way. Franco assured Nina that he was deeply sorry and that he had done everything possible to distract everyone from Nina and the baby. He begged Nina not to turn her back on him because she was the only friend he had, but Nina argued that their story had been written and would end there.
Franco refused to give up, so he offered Nina words of encouragement. He vowed to stand by her no matter what then promised her that things would be okay. As if on cue, Alexis walked in and announced that Nathan had asked her to help Nina. Stunned, Nina admitted that she had thought her brother had written her off, so Alexis assured Nina that Nathan still cared about Nina then offered to get to business. Nina surprised Alexis and Franco by agreeing to let Alexis represent her as long as Alexis also agreed to represent Franco.
In the interrogation room, Jordan was annoyed as she waited impatiently for Anna to arrive. Anna entered then immediately unlocked the handcuff securing Jordan to the table as she explained that it had been necessary to keep up appearances. Anna wondered if Jordan had told anyone that Jordan had been working undercover, so Jordan revealed that she had intended to talk to T.J. later that day. Anna was relieved because it meant that Jordan could continue to work undercover until they located Ric Lansing.
Anna explained that Alexis had agreed to question Julian about Ric's disappearance, but Julian had denied any knowledge of Ric's abduction. Jordan wasn't surprised, but Anna conceded that it didn't make sense that Julian would snatch Ric because Ric had never been a threat to Julian's organization. However, Anna conceded that Julian was their only suspect, so Anna needed Jordan to find out if Julian had lied to Alexis. Jordan refused to continue her undercover assignment because she was burned out and ready to repair her relationship with T.J.
Anna argued that a few days wouldn't make a difference then added that Jordan would look like a hero in T.J.'s eyes by returning Molly's father home. Jordan accused Anna of playing dirty, but Anna smiled. "Just when I thought I was out, you bring me back in," Jordan grumbled as she smiled back at Anna.
After Jordan left, Alexis approached Anna in the squad room to ask if there had been any news about Ric. Anna assured Alexis that they were doing everything possible to locate Ric, but Alexis intended to keep asking questions until she had answers for Molly.
Anna returned to the interrogation room to review Ric's case file. She looked at a picture of him as she wondered where he was.
Meanwhile, Julian entered Johnny Zacchara's old auto shop as Carlos welcomed his boss with a fond smile. Julian was curious why they were there, so Carlos revealed that Johnny had sent a special delivery then opened the trunk of a car. "Oh, my God," Julian said with disgust as he looked at Ric, who had been bound and gagged inside the trunk.
Carlos slammed the trunk closed as Julian demanded to know what Carlos had been thinking by getting them mixed up in Ric's kidnapping. Carlos explained that Johnny had threatened to kill Ric if Sonny failed to sign over the Corinthos organization, but Julian refused to have any part of Ric's murder. Carlos suspected that Julian wanted to spare Ric's life to please of Alexis, but Julian explained that Ric was important to a lot of people including Molly who had suffered enough heartache because of Julian.
Julian insisted that Molly deserved to have her father back, so Carlos promised to let Ric go but suggested that Julian allow things to play out to see if it would be necessary to defy Johnny's orders. Moments later, Julian received a call from Duke requesting a face-to-face meeting.
After Julian and Carlos left, Ric began to kick and pound on the trunk of the car in an effort to break free.
At Metro Court Restaurant, a server handed Duke a box containing a variety of tea bags. He waited until she left before retrieving a roll of cash that had been hidden inside the box. "Novel way of taking collection," Shawn remarked as he sat down across the table from Duke. Duke explained that with Faison on the loose and Julian behind bars, the police would be watching them closely so Duke had hoped to divert attention from the warehouse by conducting business at the restaurant.
Shawn warned Duke that they might not have a business to run for much longer because Johnny had kidnapped Ric. Shawn explained that Johnny intended to kill Ric in twenty-four hours if Sonny refused to hand over the Corinthos organization. Duke questioned how Johnny could run a large organization from inside prison even if Johnny had the infrastructure in place on the outside. Shawn suspected that Julian had agreed to help Johnny because Carlos had managed to secure to the money to post Julian's bail.
Shawn suspected that Anna would have her hands full, dealing with Julian and Johnny, so Duke admitted that it would be better than focusing on the Corinthos organization. Shawn explained that Sonny intended to give in to Johnny's demands if Shawn could not locate Ric in time.
Later, Julian and Carlos arrived at Duke's request, so Duke assured Julian that the restaurant was a neutral place. Julian scoffed at the suggestion because Sonny's ex-wife owned the hotel, and Corinthos Coffee's offices were in the building. However, Julian and Carlos sat down. Duke cut to the chase by announcing that Sonny had agreed to Johnny's demands. Julian was skeptical, so he wanted proof. Duke assured Julian that Julian and Johnny would get exactly what they deserved in exchange for Ric's freedom.
Nearby, Jordan entered the restaurant but stopped in the doorway when she saw Julian and Carlos talking to Duke and Shawn.
Julian agreed to return Ric once Sonny's territory had been secured then left with Carlos trailing behind. Jordan greeted Julian and Carlos and complimented Carlos for looking good after his stint in Pentonville. Carlos smiled back, so Jordan asked about Julian's legal troubles. Julian admitted that his attorneys had their work cut out for them, so he advised Jordan to keep her nose clean. Carlos confessed that he was surprised that Jordan hadn't been picked up yet, but Jordan merely smiled as she attributed it to being lucky.
Jordan seized the opportunity to let Julian know that she was eager to get back in the game and asked what she had missed.
At the table, Duke explained that he intended to string Julian along until Shawn could locate and free Ric. Shawn became distracted when he noticed Jordan talking to Julian and Carlos.
Due to a presidential press conference, General Hospital did not air on December 19. There were no "lost" episodes as a result of this programming change.
Regular programming resumed on Monday, December 22, and picked up where the Thursday, December 18 episode concluded.
