Jake, Elizabeth, and Aiden watched the fireworks at the park. As she watched Jake interact with Aiden, Elizabeth remarked on how "natural" Jake was with the boy. He thought playing with her kids was like "practice," and he suggested that fatherhood might be in his future.
In a different part of the park, Sam, Patrick, and Danny watched the fireworks. Once they were over, Patrick wanted to find Emma, who was with Cameron. Danny got up and ran away. When Sam and Patrick finally caught up to him, he was latched on to Jake's leg. Jake remembered the dream about Danny being his son. Sam pulled Danny off of Jake. Patrick and Elizabeth decided to go find Emma and Cameron together and left, taking Aiden with them.
Sam jokingly asked why Jake wasn't working on taking down Nikolas. He told her that he didn't want to go after Nikolas without her. They both agreed that telling their respective significant others about the plan wasn't a good idea, though neither of them liked keeping secrets.
Changing the subject, Jake wondered if there was a better place to watch the fireworks than the crowded park. She sadly told him about the footbridge that she and Jason had watched the fireworks from. Jake wondered whether it was worse to not remember the person one had loved, or to remember loving them but know that they were gone. Sam replied that she would never want to lose her memories, even if it took away her grief.
Patrick was cleaning up his and Sam's things when he noticed that Elizabeth seemed distressed. She told him that she was worried about Lucky, who uncharacteristically hadn't been keeping in touch. Lulu had promised to "check it out," but Elizabeth was running out of excuses to give to Cameron.
A short while later, Patrick and Elizabeth returned to Sam and Jake. Mac and Felicia had offered to throw a slumber party, so Emma and Cameron wouldn't be home that night. Each couple went their separate ways.
Silas spotted Sam, Patrick, and Danny, and he sadly walked away. He bumped into Nina, who empathized with how she assumed Silas felt. She informed him that while her new husband was working, Franco was with Denise. Silas rolled his eyes at the mention. Nina wondered why he seemed upset about that, and she asked if he liked Denise, since she looked so much like Ava. "I'll pretend not to take offense to that," Silas replied. He added that "Denise" didn't have the expected effect on him.
When Silas discovered that he and Nina were both going to their respective homes, he offered to walk her home. Just then, Sam, Patrick, and Danny bumped into Silas and Nina. Sam caught up with Silas, who was happy to see Danny. Nina said hello and mentioned that she and Ric were "doing great." When Sam gave Nina a dirty look, Silas assured Nina that Ric was lucky to have her. The two pairs said goodbye and went their separate ways.
Sam wondered why Silas and Nina were together, and she hoped that the two weren't getting back together. Patrick thought Silas knew better. She acknowledged that it wasn't her problem anyway, and they happily left the park.
Since neither Silas nor Nina had plans for the rest of the night, Nina invited Silas out for a drink. He had an early shift the next morning, but he promised they could get together another time. She thanked him for his kind words earlier, and the two parted ways.
Back at Elizabeth's, Elizabeth looked at a picture of Jake and sat down in front of her computer. Jake descended the stairs, talking about how difficult it had been to put Aiden to sleep. He noticed that Elizabeth was distracted, and she told him about her difficulty reaching Lucky. He closed her computer and promised to use his new resources to track Lucky down.
Elizabeth explained how, while she'd had friend and family to help her after Jake's death, Lucky hadn't been himself since Jake had died. She believed that Jake's ghost had haunted Lucky. Jake thought she should be proud of herself for picking herself back up. She answered that her other two boys needed a mom, so she'd had to. She knew that her son was always with her. Jake hoped that Lucky would one day feel the same so he could move on, and Elizabeth agreed.
"Denise" told Franco that Avery was her daughter. Ava pulled a confused Franco face-to-face with her and said, "News flash, Franco. I am Ava." He wasn't impressed by her change of accent, although he was clearly frazzled. She told him that "Denise" was all an act and that Silas had "brought me back to life" after Franco had abandoned her with Carlos. "Welcome to the show, Franco," she told him.
Ava explained that the only way she could return to Port Charles to see Avery was to fool everyone. She told him about the DNA test, which had been aided by her bone marrow transplant. He figured that Kiki had been the donor and wondered if she knew that Ava was alive. She divulged that Avery had actually been the donor. Franco put the pieces together and realized that he needed to tell Nina that Silas had actually kidnapped Avery.
Ava begged Franco not to tell anyone. For his silence, she promised to help him get Nina back by continuing to pretend to be his "loving girlfriend." She reminded him that she'd gotten shot and thrown off of bridge because of him, so he owed her. They cemented the deal.
Valerie apologized for being a "mess" over her mother. "You look how I feel," Dante joked. His phone rang, and he basked in the irony of Leslie calling him. He told Leslie that Lulu couldn't talk because she was busy with a sick Rocco. He hung up, annoyed at himself for lying for Lulu after she'd lied to him. Through his anger, he admitted that he still cared about her. Valerie warned him to watch what he said about Lulu, since Lulu was the mother of his child.
Dante told Valerie how much he and Lulu had been through. They'd worked hard and gotten through things like Lulu's memory loss. He recalled seeing couples all around them break up for much less. They'd had a good life, and he didn't know if they could put the pieces back together again. Valerie wanted to help him. Dante told her to go home and promised to call if he needed anything.
"I don't know what I'd do without you," Dante told Valerie. "You won't have to find out," she replied. He kissed her. Valerie stopped him and said that they "shouldn't." "I know. I don't care," he said. The two began undressing each other and made their way toward the bed.
"Eenie meenie miney moe, who should be the first to go?" Frank taunted as he pointed his gun at Luke and Laura. He wondered if it would cause Luke more pain for Luke to watch Laura die first. He concluded that it would, so he pointed the gun at Laura.
Outside the warehouse, Lulu wondered how she and Dillon could get past the guards. Dillon told Lulu he had an idea, but they were interrupted by three gunshots inside the warehouse. Lulu wanted to help, but Dillon stopped her.
Inside the warehouse, Frank had been hit, and Lucky ran in shooting at the guards. He yelled for Luke and Laura to take cover. Finally, all the guards were down, and Luke thanked his son for the save. "This isn't the way I pictured our family reunion," Laura joked. Lucky asked about Ethan, and Luke told him that Holly had taken him to the hospital with a gunshot wound after Frank had let Holly, Ethan, Lulu, and Dillon leave. Luke observed that their family never had a dull moment.
Outside the warehouse, everything was quiet, so Lulu and Dillon determined that it was safe to go inside. When they did, Lulu was ecstatic to see that Lucky was all right. As the family reunion commenced, Frank slowly and quietly picked up his gun. Lulu instructed her family to stay and wait for the cops while she and Dillon checked on Ethan at the hospital. Just then, Luke saw Frank pointing his gun and warned everyone. As his family scattered, Luke shot Frank three more times.
Frank informed Luke that he was "still alive." "You still lost," Luke shot back. Frank reasoned that he'd "had to try." Luke promised that, "this time," he would make sure that Frank stayed dead. He asked for Frank's last words. Frank uttered that Lucky had been in on the scheme. Luke shot Frank one last time, and Frank slumped over. Luke checked Frank's pulse and determined that the man was dead.
Lulu hugged Lucky goodbye. He told her to say hello to Dante and Rocco for him, and she and Dillon left to go to the hospital. Dillon joked that he had his next movie idea. Lulu wanted to stop and call Dante before they went to the hospital, because she thought he'd waited long enough for the truth. Back at Dante and Lulu's, Dante's phone lit up with Lulu's call as he was in bed with Valerie. Lulu left Dante a message saying that she would be home soon, and they had a lot to talk about. She hung up the phone, and she and Dillon set off for the hospital.
Laura wanted to call the police, but Luke thought they needed to talk first. Luke asked Lucky if he'd been in on Frank's scheme. "It's complicated," Lucky answered. He explained that he'd been forced to take part when he'd been taken hostage. He revealed that Jake's life was at stake. He told his confused parents that Jake was alive.
Elizabeth stopped by Wyndemere before heading to work because she had wanted to ask if Nikolas had heard from Lucky. Elizabeth explained that it had been three weeks, since Lucky had Skyped with Cameron and Aiden, which was unusual because Lucky had never missed the weekly "visits." Elizabeth added that she had called Lulu, but Lulu had promised that everything was fine. Elizabeth had believed Lulu until Lulu had stopped returning Elizabeth's calls. Nikolas suspected his sister was overwhelmed by everything that had recently transpired with Luke and that Elizabeth's fears stemmed from her own guilty conscience.
Elizabeth argued that it felt as if both of Nikolas' siblings had suddenly vanished into thin air, so she had hoped that Nikolas would know how to reach Lucky. Nikolas confessed that his relationship with Lucky wasn't what it once had been because of Nikolas' affair with Elizabeth. She immediately started to apologize, but Nikolas refused to allow Elizabeth to take the blame for what had happened between them. However, he decided to call his mother because he realized that he hadn't heard from Laura since Laura had left town with Luke. The call went to voicemail, so Nikolas left his mother a message.
After Nikolas ended the call, Elizabeth thanked him, but it was clear she remained uneasy. Nikolas assured her that everything was fine, so she conceded that perhaps he was right; she had been projecting a bit because she and Jason had had an awkward encounter in the park on the Fourth of July with Sam, Danny, and Patrick. Elizabeth realized it was hypocritical of her to be worried about Cameron and Aiden's relationship with Lucky when she had been keeping Jason from his son.
Elizabeth confided that she had been struggling with their secret, so Nikolas offered to arrange for Jason to learn the truth without anyone ever finding out that both Nikolas and Elizabeth had known Jake was Jason. Elizabeth quickly admitted that she wasn't ready to lose Jason to Sam forever then added that the truth would also cost Nikolas ELQ. Satisfied, Nikolas assured Elizabeth that Jason was where she belonged because Jason and Elizabeth were meant for each other. Elizabeth feared it was just rationalization to justify keeping the truth from Jason, but Nikolas insisted everyone rationalized their actions to get through the day. He then changed the subject by offering her a lift to work on his way to a meeting.
At Kelly's, Jake greeted Sam as he joined her at the counter then asked why she had called. Sam explained that she felt guilty for excluding Patrick from their plans to investigate Nikolas, so Jake admitted that he hated keeping secrets from Elizabeth, too, but it was necessary because they couldn't risk Nikolas finding out about their plans. Jake was curious if Sam had any reservations about taking Nikolas down, but she shook her head because ELQ rightfully belonged to Michael. As Jake and Sam talked about Elizabeth and Nikolas' friendship, Sam asked if Jake knew just how close Elizabeth and Nikolas had been.
Jake admitted that Elizabeth had told him about the affair, which was why he feared that Elizabeth might be tempted to confide to Nikolas and be vulnerable to Nikolas' manipulations. Sam revealed that she was reluctant to tell Patrick about the investigation, since part of the reason she wanted to help Michael was because it was what Jason would have wanted. Jake empathized with Patrick because Jake felt a bit intimidated by the way Elizabeth always talked about Jason in glowing terms. Sam imagined Carly was far worse because Carly had idolized Jason. Sam acknowledged that Jason and Carly had been good friends, but Carly had always gotten under Sam's skin.
The conversation returned to the topic of Nikolas when Jake confessed that he was certain Nikolas had been hiding something. Sam was curious if something had prompted Jake's suspicion, but Jake admitted it was simply a hunch. Sam trusted Jake's instincts, so she suggested they go on the offensive by breaking into Nikolas' safe at Wyndemere because it was where Spencer had found Jason's wedding ring and therefore the most logical place Nikolas would keep anything of importance. Jake reminded Sam that Wyndemere was like a fortress, but she wasn't concerned because she could always claim she was there to smooth things over with her cousin if they were caught.
A short time later, Sam and Jake arrived on Spoon Island then made their way to the castle. Sam entered the foyer as she called out, but no one responded. Sam was confident Spencer was at school and the butler, Alfred, was taking a nap, so she led Jake to the living room. After closing the door, Sam marched to the cabinet then moved a panel of books to reveal a hidden safe.
At the nurses' station, Lucas was busy with paperwork when Brad walked up to announce that "the test results" were in. Confused, Lucas asked what Brad was talking about, so Brad flirtatiously explained that Lucas was the hottest doctor on staff. Lucas appreciated the compliment but grumbled that it wouldn't help his migraine patient. Brad was disappointed by Lucas' reaction because Brad had made an effort to flirt, so Lucas immediately apologized. Lucas blamed his irritable mood on exhaustion and the overnight shifts, which made him feel like he and Brad were two ships passing in the night.
Brad began to squirm when Lucas revealed that both Bobbie and Julian were eager to meet Brad's parents for dinner. Brad promised he had been working on it, but both his parents had busy schedules. Lucas relaxed as Brad tried to distract him with an affectionate kiss, but Patrick walked up. Patrick cleared his throat as he warned Lucas and Brad to be careful because Liesl wouldn't approve. Lucas reminded Patrick that Lucas and Brad had dated each other before Lucas had been hired, so Liesl wouldn't have any grounds to reprimand them.
Patrick smiled then shifted gears to ask about Lucas and Brad's wedding plans. Lucas complained that he had been having difficulty getting Brad to commit to dinner with their parents let alone set a wedding date. Patrick jokingly asked if Brad had a case of cold feet, so Brad turned the tables on Patrick by asking when Patrick planned to put a ring on Sam's finger. Brad pointed out that Patrick and Sam had been dating as long as Lucas and Brad, and the couple had moved in around the same time as Lucas and Brad had.
Patrick suggested he, Lucas, and Brad get back to work, so Brad decided to fetch something to eat from the vending machine. Lucas assured Patrick that Brad's question had been a joke, so Patrick explained that he and Sam wanted to take their time because they each had a lot of baggage, and Patrick had only recently divorced Robin. Patrick also suspected Sam continued to grieve for Jason, but Lucas assured Patrick that Sam loved Patrick. Patrick promised he loved Sam, too, so when the time was right, Patrick and Sam would know it.
Patrick grinned then added that Sam would not want to steal Lucas and Brad's thunder, but Lucas feared that Brad would continue to drag his feet. Lucas explained that he suspected there were issues with Brad and Brad's adoptive parents.
Meanwhile, Brad banged on the vending machine in frustration as he tried to dislodge a snack he had paid for. Felix heard the commotion and immediately realized something was troubling Brad beyond the malfunctioning vending machine. After Felix managed to retrieve the snack, Brad apologized for the outburst. Felix offered to listen if Brad needed someone to talk to, so Brad confessed that he had been lying to Lucas. Felix assumed Brad had cheated on Lucas, but Brad assured Felix that Felix was wrong.
However, Brad admitted that he had been keeping a secret from everyone, including Britt. Brad started to elaborate, but Lucas approached to invite Brad to grab a bite to eat. Brad agreed, so Felix warned Brad that they would finish their discussion later.
A short time later, Elizabeth and Nikolas exited the elevator then turned to go their separate ways. Patrick ran into Elizabeth as he rounded a corner, so he reached out to steady her as he apologized. He explained that he was in a rush because there had been a change in Hayden's condition.
At the Quartermaine mansion, Tracy read the Barrington Financial News, which featured a story about Nikolas' plans for ELQ. Disgusted, Tracy tossed the magazine down as Sabrina entered the room. Sabrina picked up on Tracy's tension right away, so she asked if Tracy was okay. Tracy made a few snide remarks about Nikolas then informed Sabrina that Michael was at the gym, where Michael had been spending all of his spare time. Sabrina surprised Tracy by revealing that she was there to invite Tracy out to breakfast then a trip to the museum.
Tracy appreciated the offer, but she had decided to leave town. Alarmed, Sabrina made it clear that she would not allow her friend to run away from everything that had happened with Luke, but Tracy assured Sabrina that Sabrina need not worry. Tracy explained that she intended to fly to Los Angeles to visit Brook Lynn and find out what Nikolas had used to blackmail Brook Lynn into handing over shares of ELQ. Tracy hoped to have Nikolas kicked off ELQ's board by exposing his illegal activity.
Later, Sabrina went over a checklist to make certain that Tracy had what Tracy needed for the trip. Tracy insisted it wasn't necessary because Tracy had traveled before, but Sabrina wanted Tracy to have a good visit. Tracy promised to return as soon as her business was concluded and Dillon had returned home. Sabrina was relieved because she liked having Tracy around for a friend.
At the Port Charles International Airport, Dillon and Lulu waited for their shuttle to arrive. Lulu was grateful that their ordeal was over because she was anxious to get home to Dante. Lulu had hated lying to everyone, including Elizabeth, who had been concerned about Lucky, so she was relieved that Dante had believed her lies because she wasn't good at it. "Really? Could have fooled me," Dillon said with a grin.
Lulu was offended, but Dillon quickly clarified that he had been referring to their ruse at the lumberyard when Lulu had pretended to be pregnant to distract the guards. Dillon admitted that, despite the danger, the adventure with Luke and Laura had been a "bucket list" trip for him. Lulu smiled, but she hoped that Tracy would forgive Luke. Dillon was confident that his mother would eventually let go of her anger, especially with Dillon supporting Luke. They were about to meet their shuttle when Maxie and Nathan suddenly appeared.
Maxie warmly greeted her best friend, but it was clear that Maxie was not happy that Dillon had been traveling with Lulu. Maxie was curious why Dillon was back in town when he hadn't returned for any other reason, including her sister's funeral. Dillon explained that Ned had been concerned about Tracy then changed the subject by assuring Maxie that he still missed her sister, Georgie. The tension leeched out of Maxie as she told him that she had named her daughter after Georgie.
Maxie held up an airline ticket as she added that she was on her way to visit her daughter in Oregon for a few days. Dillon looked forward to meeting Georgie's namesake the next time Maxie's daughter was in town. Maxie brightened then introduced Dillon to Nathan. Afterwards, Maxie asked Lulu about her trip to Italy, so Lulu confessed that it had been a lie. Lulu and Dillon told Maxie and Nathan about Lucky and Ethan's abductions and the harrowing events in British Columbia.
Nathan was curious why Lulu had trusted Dillon with the secret but not her own husband. Lulu seemed taken aback by the question, so Dillon explained that they hadn't been able to risk telling Dante because the kidnappers had made it clear that the police were not to be involved. Dillon added that Luke had pressured Lulu to keep Dante out of the loop. Lulu promised that she had hated lying to her husband, but Maxie was happy that she had wrongly assumed that Lulu and Dillon had been having an affair. Lulu laughed at the idea of being romantically involved with Dillon.
Lulu insisted that she had missed both Dante and Rocco terribly, but Maxie was certain that Dante would understand once Lulu explained that Lulu had been off saving the world. Lulu expected her husband to be upset, but she had already thought of ways to make it up to Dante. Maxie noticed the time, so she explained that she had to get to the gate for her departing flight, but she promised to text message Lulu when Maxie returned to town. After Maxie and Nathan left, Dillon confessed that despite the danger, he'd had fun with Lulu.
At the gate, Nathan and Maxie kissed. Maxie admitted that she would miss Nathan, but Nathan was more concerned about Spinelli wanting to rekindle things with Maxie again. Maxie reminded Nathan that Ellie would be there the whole time, so there was nothing to worry about. Nathan relaxed, but he made it clear that he didn't want there to be any secrets between them.
Later, Dillon arrived home. Sabrina greeted him, but he was curious where his mother was. Sabrina explained that Tracy had left town.
At the airport, Tracy bumped into a man. She dropped her purse, so she leaned down to pick up the scattered contents. The man offered to help, but Tracy barked at him to back off. After she gathered her things, she stood up, but her eyes rounded with shock when she recognized the man.
At the loft, Dante slowly woke up in bed then turned his head to look at Valerie, who was asleep next to him. Valerie's eyes snapped open when she heard Dante groan. He nervously told her good morning then asked if she was okay. She assured him that she was, but she was curious about him. Dante admitted that he had a hangover, but he was more concerned about what had happened between them and if she had felt pressured to sleep with him. Valerie promised that everything had been mutual, but she worried that he might have regrets.
Later, Dante pulled on some clothes as Valerie wrapped the bed sheet around herself as she sat up in bed. Dante confessed that he had no idea what to say to Valerie, but she assured him he didn't have to say anything. He admitted that he was still angry with Lulu for throwing everything he and Lulu had built together, but he was also grateful that he had been able to live in the moment with Valerie for a time. Dante asked if being with him had been something she had wanted, so she revealed that she would never have acted on her feelings for him if Lulu hadn't run off with Dillon.
After Valerie dressed, Dante admitted that he wished he hadn't given in to his anger and broken his wedding vows. He realized that he hadn't been fair to Valerie, but she made it clear it had been her choice. She promised that she was not the type of woman who would sleep with a married man, but Dante argued that she didn't have anything to feel ashamed about because he was the one who was married. Valerie explained that she would have never gone down the road she had with Dante if he had been any other man because she cared about him, even if he had only slept with her to get back at Lulu.
Dante assured Valerie that he cared about her and that their night together had meant something to him. To illustrate his point, he kissed her passionately. After the kiss ended, Dante admitted that he needed to focus on what was best for Rocco, but he didn't want to lose Valerie's friendship. Valerie promised that she wouldn't go anywhere. She grabbed her shoes then slid them on as she noticed the time. She realized she would be late for work because she had to return to Wyndemere to shower and change, but Dante invited her to take a shower in his bathroom to save time.
A short time later, Lulu arrived home. She heard the shower running but didn't see Rocco in the crib. Lulu noticed the rumpled bed then went to the bathroom.
At the Quartermaine mansion, Dillon greeted Sabrina then asked where his mother was. Sabrina revealed that Tracy had left town to visit Brook Lynn because Tracy wanted to know exactly how Nikolas had forced Brook Lynn to turn over shares of ELQ. Dillon was surprised that his mother had decided to fly commercial, so Sabrina admitted Tracy no longer had access to the Quartermaine jet. Dillon feared that his mother's mission might be in vain, but Sabrina was glad that Tracy had found something to focus on other than her heartbreak over losing Luke.
Dillon admitted that he needed to talk to his mother because Luke hadn't cheated on Tracy. Sabrina was shocked when Dillon told her about Luke and Laura's ruse to rescue Lucky and Ethan from kidnappers. Sabrina was happy Lucky and Ethan were safe, but she wished it hadn't been at Tracy's expense. Dillon hadn't expected Sabrina to care, so Sabrina revealed that she and Tracy had struck up a friendship during Sabrina's days as Avery's nanny. Sabrina knew firsthand the pain Tracy had experienced when Luke had called off the engagement, so she wasn't certain how Tracy would take the news.
Dillon imagined his mother would be furious at first, but Tracy would eventually realize that Luke genuinely loved her and wouldn't have hurt her if it had been avoidable. Dillon decided to call Tracy, but her voicemail picked up, so he implored Tracy not to get on the plane because he had something important to tell her. After he ended the call, Dillon left for the airport, hoping to catch up with his mother.
At the Port Charles International Airport, Tracy's purse was knocked out of her hand when she bumped into a man. She bent down to pick it up then stood to leave, but she froze when she recognized the man she had walked into. "Paul Hornsby," Tracy said in disbelief. Her shock quickly turned to hostility as she demanded to know why her ex-husband was in town, since she was certain he was still a "lying cheat in a pretty package." Paul was disappointed that she remained bitter instead of looking back on their marriage with fondness.
Tracy scoffed because there hadn't been anything fond to remember, since Paul had chased after Tracy's daughter-in-law and tried to pilfer ELQ. Paul flashed a charming smile as he assured her it was ancient history, but Tracy accused Paul of being a troll. Paul didn't think it was nice of Tracy to talk like that about the father of her son, but Tracy was unapologetic, since he had been the worst of her husbands. Paul doubted that, since the list included Larry Ashton, Gino Soleito, and Anthony Zacchara. However, he acknowledged that Luke Spencer had clearly been her favorite husband.
Tracy clarified that she couldn't say which ex-husband he despised more -- Paul or Luke. Intrigued, Paul was curious what Luke had done to incur Tracy's wrath, but she refused to discuss it. Paul offered Tracy a shoulder to cry on, but her eyes narrowed as she again asked why he was in town. Paul claimed that he wanted to see his son, but Tracy laughed because Paul had never been interested in Dillon before.
Tracy reminded Paul that he'd had every chance to fight for custody of Dillon, but Paul had been too fixated on Jenny Eckert to make the effort. Paul argued that Dillon was his son regardless, so Tracy informed him that Dillon was out of town, scouting for film locations. Paul beamed with pride because he was happy that Dillon continued to pursue his dreams, but Tracy decided she'd had enough and turned to leave. Paul called out to her because he needed Dillon's phone number.
Tracy thought it said a lot about Paul and Dillon's relationship that Paul didn't have his son's phone number, but Paul tried to make excuses. Moments later, Tracy's phone alerted her to a voicemail message. She noticed that it was from Dillon, so she put it on speaker to allow Paul to hear for himself that Dillon was out of town. However, it quickly became clear that she had been wrong as she and Paul heard Dillon explain that he was back home and needed to talk to Tracy.
A short time later, Tracy and Paul arrived at the Quartermaine mansion. Paul was eager to see Dillon, but Tracy was determined to talk to their son first because Dillon had something important to tell her.
Meanwhile, Dillon arrived at the airport. He stopped an airline representative to ask about his mother's flight, and the woman revealed that the flight had departed.
At General Hospital, Patrick ran into Elizabeth as he rounded a corner. He immediately apologized then explained that he was in a rush because there had been a change in Hayden's condition. Startled, Elizabeth asked if Hayden was emerging from the coma, but Patrick couldn't be certain until he examined Hayden. Nearby, Nikolas overheard what Patrick had said, so he waited until Patrick left to pull Elizabeth aside and ask about Hayden. Elizabeth explained there had been a change in Hayden's condition, but she had no idea if it meant Hayden was about to wake up.
Elizabeth feared the worst because Hayden knew that Jake was Jason, which meant that Hayden had the power to blow Elizabeth's life apart. Elizabeth felt bad that Hayden had been caught in the crossfire, but she was terrified of what might happen if Hayden woke up. Nikolas urged Elizabeth remain calm until they had more information, but she argued that the longer she lied to Jason, the more she stood to lose because she, her sons, and Jason already felt like a family. Nikolas suggested that it might have been a simple glitch with Hayden, but Elizabeth was wracked with guilt because not only had she been lying to Jason and keeping him away from his wife and son, but she had also helped Nikolas steal ELQ from the Quartermaines.
Nikolas argued that he hadn't stolen the company, but Elizabeth cautioned him not to lie to her because they were equally complicit in the lies. She knew he had taken advantage of the Quartermaines to get his hands on ELQ, so she warned him that Jason wouldn't hesitate to rip ELQ away from Nikolas and return it to Michael. Nikolas calmly suggested they wait to see what unfolded then shifted gears to announce that he had to get to a board meeting.
After Nikolas left, Elizabeth spotted Patrick. She quickly approached him to get an update on Hayden's condition, so Patrick explained that there had been a spike in Hayden's vital signs and brain activity. Patrick had ordered a brain scan, but Elizabeth was curious if he thought Hayden might emerge from the coma. Patrick didn't have an answer, but he found the signs encouraging.
Later, Nikolas pulled Elizabeth aside to ask for news about Hayden. Elizabeth filled him in about Patrick's findings, so Nikolas assured Elizabeth that she need not worry because he would take care of things if Hayden woke up.
Elsewhere at the hospital, Alexis left Nikolas a voicemail message asking him to return her call. She suspected he had been avoiding her because he had used questionable methods to obtain ELQ, which concerned her greatly because it meant that he had behaved like a Cassadine. After she ended the call, T.J. walked up. Alexis was surprised to see him at the hospital, but T.J. assured her that he was fine. He explained that he'd had a physical for school, which led to a discussion about Molly heading off to college. Alexis admitted that she dreaded it because Molly was her youngest child and buddy.
Alexis was certain that T.J.'s mother would understand, but T.J. disagreed because he and his mother argued constantly. Alexis decided to broach the subject of T.J. moving into Sonny's place. She imagined it was awkward for Jordan, so T.J. assumed Alexis had been referring to Jordan and Sonny working on opposite sides of the law. Alexis clarified that she had meant that Jordan might be concerned about T.J. getting sucked into a life that would eventually destroy him.
Alexis assured T.J. that she knew Sonny had the best of intentions, but Sonny tended to make crime look glamorous even when he warned people about the dangers of it. Alexis worried that T.J. would one day find himself in a situation where he was in over his head because the business Sonny worked in was evil. T.J. reminded Alexis that she was dating Julian, but Alexis explained that Julian, unlike Sonny, had quit.
Alexis urged T.J. to be careful because he was a wonderful young man with a bright future ahead of him, which Sonny might ruin for him even with the best of intentions. T.J. was surprised because he hadn't realized how much Alexis disliked Sonny, but she assured him that he was wrong. "I like him so much -- too much," Alexis said. She explained that Sonny was a dangerous lure for a Cassadine because it was incredibly easy for her family to abandon their principals and embrace the dark side.
At Wyndemere, Jake was impressed as he watched Sam easily break into Nikolas' hidden safe.
Meanwhile, Valerie arrived home but stopped in the foyer as she recalled Dante inviting her to take a shower at his place to save time. Valerie had appreciated the offer but had pointed out that she couldn't show up for work in the same clothes she had worn the previous day. Valerie's expression appeared troubled as she returned to the present then made her way to the bedroom.
In the living room, Jake and Sam went through the contents of Nikolas' safe. Sam was dazzled when she opened a velvet box with a stunning diamond necklace nestled inside. Jake was surprised by her reaction, which annoyed Sam because she realized that he hadn't thought of her as the "girly-girl" type. Jake assured Sam that he respected her then showered her with compliments and praise until she was mollified. As they continued to riffle through the safe, Sam found Hayden's driver's license. Jake and Sam were confused, since Ric had made a point of hiring someone without any connections to Port Charles to pose as Jake's wife.
Jake and Sam's conversation drifted to the shooting at the garage, and Jake admitted that he felt responsible because a bullet intended for him had struck Hayden. Moments later, Jake and Sam heard Valerie call out to Chandler. They quickly shoved everything back into the safe then set the cabinet to rights before rushing over to the fireplace to pretend to study a painting hanging above the mantel.
Seconds later, Valerie entered. Valerie was surprised when she saw Jake and Sam standing in the living room, so Sam claimed they had stopped by to try to persuade Nikolas to return ELQ to Michael. Valerie wished the pair luck but admitted that Nikolas was not home. Valerie poured herself a cup of coffee as she invited Jake and Sam to join her. Sam seized the opportunity to ask if Valerie had known about Nikolas' plans to take control of ELQ.
Valerie shook her head because she and Nikolas had never discussed business. Sam questioned Valerie about Nikolas and Hayden, prompting Valerie to reveal that Hayden had moved into Wyndemere around the time of the Nurses Ball because Nikolas and Hayden had once had a brief fling in Europe. Once Jake and Sam had what they needed, they made their excuses then left. In the hallway, Jake confided to Sam there had to be more to Nikolas and Hayden's relationship than a fling.
At the loft, Lulu arrived home and noticed the empty crib, so she headed to the bathroom to surprise Dante because she'd heard the shower running. However, Dante emerged from the bathroom before she made it past the bedroom. Lulu happily greeted her husband then asked where their son was. Dante coldly explained that Rocco was at Sonny's then silently dressed. Concerned, Lulu begged Dante to talk to her, so Dante asked how her grandmother was. Lulu confessed that she had lied about going to Italy.
"No kidding," Dante snarled as he smashed something on the counter in a burst of temper. Startled, Lulu jumped back, but Dante ignored her reaction as he angrily revealed that Lesley had called on the Fourth of July to talk to Lulu. Dante resented being forced to cover for Lulu, who had been busy "screwing" Dillon. Shocked, Lulu quickly assured Dante he was wrong, but Dante's temper flared as he shouted at Lulu to stop lying. Dante told her about what Valerie had overheard between Lulu and Dillon in the doorway, his decision to follow Lulu to Dillon's, and his trip to British Columbia where he had seen Lulu and Dillon's clothes strewn about the hotel room and rumpled bed.
Horrified, Lulu insisted Dante was wrong, but Dante didn't want to hear Lulu's excuses. Lulu promised that she loved him and would never cheat, but Dante's anger mounted because he didn't believe his wife. He informed her that their marriage was over, so he had packed her bags because he wanted her out of their home. Dante snidely suggested that she stay with her new lover, but Lulu tearfully explained that Dante was mistaken because she and Dillon had gone to British Columbia to help Luke and Laura rescue both Lucky and Ethan.
Dante assumed the trip had been a success, but he remained angry because Lulu hadn't told him what had really been going on. Lulu explained that Luke had forbidden her to tell Dante because the kidnapper had instructed Luke and Laura not to involve the police. Dante pointed out that he was more than a police officer; he was her husband. Lulu realized she had been wrong to keep the truth from Dante, but she assured him that it hadn't been easy. Dante wasn't satisfied because Lulu had told Dillon, the boy who had gotten her pregnant as a teenager.
Lulu continued to apologize, but Dante argued that she had put her parents ahead of her husband and son. Lulu assured Dante that she hadn't done it intentionally but conceded that a part of her had reverted to being Luke's daughter -- eager to help her father for a scrap of gratitude. Dante wasn't appeased because she had turned to Dillon, but she admitted that it had been reflexive, too, because as teens, she and Dillon had always helped each other.
Lulu had never imagined that Dante would assume she had been unfaithful because she thought he knew her better than that. Lulu admitted that Dante had every right to be angry, but she insisted one bad mistake shouldn't cancel out everything they had and how much they loved each other. "Are you sure about that?" Dante asked. "Absolutely," Lulu answered. Lulu wanted Dante to be able to trust her as much as she did him.
"Except you can't," Dante quietly said. Dante explained that once glass had shattered, it was irrevocably broken, but Lulu argued that she and Dante were not made of glass. She was confident they could fix whatever was broken between them because it had killed her not to tell Dante. She begged for his forgiveness, but Dante revealed that he was the one who needed forgiveness.
At Kelly's, Dillon sat down at the counter to order a BLT, which he hadn't had since he had left town. T.J. asked if Dillon had grown up in Port Charles, so Dillon explained that he was Tracy Quartermaine's son. T.J. welcomed Dillon back to town, but Dillon's smile faded when Sonny suddenly appeared to announce that not everyone was happy about Dillon's return. T.J. decided to fetch Dillon's sandwich to give Sonny and Dillon privacy to talk. Once T.J. had disappeared into the kitchen, Sonny accused Dillon of shacking up with Dante's wife in a Canadian hotel room.
Stunned, Dillon denied the allegation and assured Sonny that Dillon and Lulu were just friends. Sonny didn't believe Dillon because a respectful man would have kept his distance from a married woman instead of taking a trip with her, but Dillon explained that it had been necessary because Luke and Laura had needed help rescuing Lulu's brother. Sonny's anger quickly dissipated as Dillon filled him in about Lucky's abduction, but he urged Dillon to clear the air with Dante because Dante had flown to Canada to confront Dillon and Lulu.
Surprised, Dillon assured Sonny that Dillon and Lulu would have told Dante the truth if they had seen Dante, but they hadn't. Dillon decided to take Sonny's advice and left to pay Dante a visit. Moments later, T.J. returned with Dillon's sandwich. Sonny explained that Dillon had needed to take care of something, so T.J. offered the BLT to Sonny. Sonny agreed, provided T.J. shared the sandwich with him.
After Sonny and T.J. sat down, T.J. seized the opportunity to broach the subject of moving out, since Avery was back home. Sonny insisted that nothing had changed, so Greystone Manor was still T.J.'s home. "Whether my mom likes it or not," T.J. muttered. Sonny admitted that he wasn't fond of Jordan, but he urged T.J. to work things out with T.J.'s mother because Shawn wouldn't want there to be a divide between the two. T.J. warned Sonny that Jordan might use all of the police department's resources to make trouble for Sonny, but Sonny was confident he could handle Jordan.
Meanwhile, Valerie entered Jordan's office with a stack of files as she apologized for being late. Valerie promised that it wouldn't happen again, so Jordan asked Valerie to set the files on the desk because Jordan was determined to find a way to get T.J. out from under Sonny's roof. Jordan hoped to find something useful in the files that would allow her to arrest Sonny, but if not, she could legally detain him for 48 hours without charging him. Jordan knew that Sonny suffered from claustrophobia, so the short stint in jail would send a strong message.
Jordan asked Valerie to send Dante in, but Valerie explained that Dante had not arrived for work. Jordan was curious why, so Valerie reluctantly admitted that Dante had had a personal matter to attend to. Satisfied, Jordan instructed Valerie to get the detective on the phone, but Valerie feared it might not be a good idea. Jordan's interest was piqued, so she demanded to know what was going on. Valerie hesitated then confided that Dante had caught Lulu cheating with an ex-boyfriend who had recently returned to town.
Jordan felt terrible for Dante. She also realized Valerie was in an awkward situation, since Valerie was Lulu's cousin and Dante's friend. Jordan was shocked when Valerie confessed that she and Dante were more than friends because they had slept together, but Valerie quickly added that Dante hadn't used her because they cared about each other. Jordan reminded Valerie that Dante was a married man and that there was a possibility that Dante and Lulu might try to save their marriage.
Valerie admitted that she and Dante had agreed to remain friends, but deep down inside, she hoped they ended up together. Jordan cautioned Valerie not to expect Dante to jump into a serious relationship if his marriage fell apart, but Valerie argued that she and Dante shared a special connection. Jordan countered that Dante and Lulu had a child and history, but Valerie reminded Jordan that both Dante and Lulu had been unfaithful. Valerie decided to get back to work, so Jordan gently advised Valerie to be careful because she didn't want to see Valerie end up with a broken heart.
At the loft, Lulu desperately tried to explain why she had kept the secret about Lucky's abduction. She realized it had been a horrible mistake not to tell Dante about the kidnapping, but she had never imagined he would suspect her of cheating. Lulu tearfully apologized then profusely begged her husband for forgiveness. Dante swiped at his own tears as he admitted that he was the one who needed to be forgiven. Lulu wondered what he could possibly have done.
Dante thought about his passionate encounter with Valerie the previous night, but he pushed the memory away as Lulu insisted that she was the one who had erred. Lulu was horrified that Dante had been tortured by the thought of her betraying him with another man because she knew how terrible she would have felt if their roles had been reversed. Lulu regretted that she hadn't told the truth, so Dante admitted that everything would have been different if she had. He apologized to his wife, but Lulu assured him it wasn't necessary because she didn't blame him for believing the worst.
Dante explained that he wasn't apologizing for what he had thought, but what he had done. "With Valerie," Dante quietly added. Lulu's brow furrowed with concern as she asked him to elaborate. However, a knock at the door cut short Dante's confession. Dante's mood quickly soured when he saw Dillon standing on the doorstep, but Lulu reminded Dante that Dillon was not to blame for what had happened. Dillon explained that Sonny had told him about Dante's trip to Canada. Dante began to rant about how Lulu had trusted Dillon instead of her own husband, but Dillon clarified that Luke had pressured Lulu to keep quiet.
Dillon promised that nothing had happened between him and Lulu because Lulu would never cheat on Dante, and Dillon wasn't romantically interested in Lulu. Dillon wondered if Dante had any idea how much Lulu loved him. "Yeah, I do. Now," Dante quietly said as he glanced at Lulu. Dillon confessed he'd be mad, too, but Dillon didn't want his friend's husband to hate him.
After Dillon left, Lulu asked Dante what had happened between Dante and Valerie. Dante claimed that he had badmouthed Lulu to her cousin because he had mistakenly assumed Lulu had been unfaithful. Lulu assured her husband it was fine, but she promised to be honest with Dante from that point forward because she loved her life with Dante and Rocco. After Lulu went to take a shower, Dante stripped the sheets and blanket from the bed.
Later, Lulu decided to fetch Rocco because she was eager to see her son. Dante explained that he had to get to work to take care of a few things, so Lulu kissed him, gave him a hug, and reminded him that she loved him. Dante assured her that he loved her too.
A short time later, Valerie left Jordan's office as Dante rounded the corner. She smiled when she saw him.
At the Quartermaine mansion, Tracy called out to Dillon as Paul Hornsby followed close on her heels. Tracy loudly informed her son that the last person Dillon would expect was there to see him. Paul smirked but remained silent as he waited for Dillon to appear. Instead, Alice approached the doorway to ask why Tracy hadn't left town. Alice's eyes narrowed when she noticed Paul, so Tracy decided to introduce Alice to Dillon's wayward father.
Alice slowly circled Paul as she coldly glared at him, but Tracy didn't appear to notice as she asked if Dillon was home. Alice explained that Dillon hadn't returned from his trip, so Tracy revealed that Dillon had returned and had left Tracy an urgent message. Tracy decided to check the house, so she marched off. Paul realized that Alice had taken an instant disliking to him, so he followed her to the foyer to suggest they start fresh. Alice warned Paul not to start any "funny business" because she wouldn't hesitate to give any man who caused Tracy pain a beat down.
Paul was curious if that included Luke. Tracy returned as Alice admitted that she couldn't figure out why Luke had broken off his engagement to Tracy, during their engagement party, to be with Laura, but Alice was annoyed with Luke. Frustrated by the direction of the conversation, Tracy marched into the living room, so Paul followed her. Tracy was furious that Alice had shared the ugly details of Tracy's recent breakup with Luke, so Alice apologized then fled. Tracy invited Paul to gloat, but Paul admitted that he genuinely felt bad for Tracy because the same thing had happened to him.
Tracy poured two drinks then handed one to Paul as he revealed that Jenny Eckert had left him for a man Jenny had met at work. Tracy confessed that she had never liked Jenny, which surprised Paul because Tracy had seemed truly remorseful for leaving Jenny on the side of the road after running her down. Tracy thought she could have spared everyone a lot of heartbreak if she had backed her car up. Paul chuckled and admitted that Tracy had always been able to make him laugh. Tracy smiled as she confessed that Paul was a welcome distraction.
After Tracy and Paul left to check the pool area for their son, Dillon entered the living room, looking for his mother. However, he was sidetracked when Lulu called to thank him for talking to Dante.
At the loft, Lulu ended the call with Dillon then went to the dresser to put something away. She was startled when she opened a drawer and saw a shattered photograph of her and Dante.
At the hospital, Elizabeth was startled when she saw Carly, so she asked if Carly was okay. Carly explained that she was there because of Jake. Elizabeth assumed that Carly had heard about the change in Hayden's condition, but Carly had no idea what Elizabeth was talking about. Elizabeth quickly explained that Hayden's vital signs had spiked, but they had no idea if Hayden would emerge from the coma. Carly felt bad for Hayden, but Carly had been referring to Elizabeth's son, not Jake Doe.
Carly explained that Josslyn had recently had a checkup to find out if the cancer remained in remission. Carly couldn't help but think of Elizabeth's son whenever Josslyn's test results were ready because Jake's gift of life had saved Josslyn. Elizabeth smiled softly as she confessed that she thought of her son constantly to keep his memory alive, so it was comforting to know that a piece of Jake lived on in Josslyn. Elizabeth asked about the test results, but Carly confessed that she hadn't gotten them yet.
Carly confided that a part of her always feared her luck would run out, so she always dreaded the appointments. Elizabeth offered Carly words of encouragement, but Carly's eyes welled up with tears as she asked if Elizabeth would go with her to meet Silas. Carly admitted that Bobbie usually accompanied her, but Bobbie was out of town. Carly suddenly realized how insensitive her request had been because it had been a reminder of Elizabeth's tragic loss.
Later, Carly and Elizabeth entered an examination room. Carly remained concerned about Elizabeth, but Elizabeth felt honored to have been asked. Elizabeth couldn't wait to share the good news with Lucky and her sons, even though she hadn't heard from Lucky in a month. Carly worried something might have happened to her cousin, but Elizabeth assured Carly that Nikolas was working on it.
Moments later, Silas entered the room. Carly and Elizabeth waited anxiously for the results until Silas revealed that Josslyn's tests and scans had been perfect. Silas explained that they never referred to cancer as being cured, but five years of remission was as good as it got. Elated, Carly and Elizabeth tearfully hugged as they celebrated the good news. After Silas left, Carly thanked Elizabeth for being there for her. Carly was grateful for everything Elizabeth had done to save Josslyn's life but regretted that Elizabeth had lost a son.
On Cassadine Island, off the coast of Greece, Luke and Laura approached the main house. Laura had reservations about Luke confronting Helena, but Luke assured her that he was fine. However, he didn't know what to make of their son's belief that Jake was alive. Laura appreciated why Lucky would want to believe it, but she wondered if it was even possible. Luke wasn't certain, but he was confident they would find the answers on Cassadine Island.
Luke realized it might be difficult for Laura to be back on the island where she had been kept as a prisoner, but he was certain Helena would have answers. Laura was uneasy but relieved that Nikolas hadn't hesitated to give them access to the island and Helena when Laura had called. Luke was curious if Nikolas had asked for an explanation, so Laura revealed that she had asked her son to trust her. Luke thought it had been for the best not to tell Nikolas because it wouldn't have been fair to get Elizabeth's hopes up without proof. Laura agreed then started to walk toward the front door, but Luke hesitated.
Luke confided that he couldn't stop replaying the night of Jake's accident in his head. Luke recalled driving fast, the music blaring, and being distracted, so he had never seen Jake in the road or felt the impact when he had struck the toddler. He admitted that taking Jake away from Elizabeth had been the worst thing that had ever happened to him. Laura hugged Luke, but he decided it would be best for him to face Helena alone because Helena was more likely to talk if it was just him. Laura reluctantly agreed, so she left to join Lucky's search of the island for Jake.
Luke checked his gun then entered the house. Helena was seated at the table with her back to the door. She smiled when she heard Luke enter because she had been expecting him. Luke kept his gun at the ready as he looked around the main floor for possible henchman. Helena confessed that she had missed the "wicked sexy side" of Luke, like when they had nearly blown up the Haunted Star, but Luke ignored her. Luke sat down at the table, facing her, but Helena became distracted when she noticed his tattoo.
Luke explained it was a replica of his father's tattoo and a reminder of what he had to fight against. Helena was disappointed because she would miss his "malicious malevolence." Luke assured her that he could easily unleash it if necessary, especially for his family. Luke cut to the chase by demanding answers about Jake. He threatened to beat it out of her if he had to, but Helena was no longer thrilled by the sight of Luke with a gun as she had once been.
Surprised, Luke thought that Helena seemed almost "human." Helena blamed it on Nikolas picking up the gauntlet and stripping her of power. She beamed with joy as she confessed that she was proud of her grandson. Helena then shifted gears to confess that she sensed it would be the last time she and Luke would see each other, so they had one last loose end to tie up. Helena agreed to give him a parting gift by providing him with the answer for the years of suffering he had endured.
Later, Luke appeared shocked by what Helena had revealed. "Son of a bitch," he said. Helena smiled with smug satisfaction as she explained that Elizabeth's middle child had been the perfect vehicle to inflict something with "enduring consequences." Luke demanded proof of Helena's claims just as a remote toy truck rolled up and hit his shoes. Luke was shocked when he saw Elizabeth's son, Jake, standing at the front door.
Jake entered the house and continued to play with the remote truck as Helena chuckled. She thought it had been fitting that Jake had struck Luke with the truck just as Luke had struck Jake with a car. Helena decided to give Luke and Jake an opportunity to get reacquainted, but first she thanked Luke for all the years of passion Luke had given her. She kissed him softly on the lips then left.
Moments later, Jake approached Luke. "My name's Jake. What's yours?" Jake asked as Luke slowly smiled.
At the police station, Valerie smiled when she saw Dante round a corner. She hadn't expected him to make it to work, but her happiness quickly faded when she realized that something was troubling him. Dante explained that Lulu had returned home and that they had talked. Valerie tensed when Dante explained that he had been wrong to accuse Lulu of cheating because Lulu and Dillon had flown to Canada to save Lulu's brother.
Stunned, Valerie stubbornly argued that it had been wrong of Lulu to lie. Dante agreed, but he reiterated that Lulu hadn't cheated, while he had. "We did," Valerie corrected Dante. He warned her that it could never happen again because he loved his wife. Dante admitted that he had been tempted to tell Lulu the truth, but he had realized that he would only be clearing his conscience to make himself feel better at everyone else's expense.
Dante wanted to do everything possible to preserve his family because it was best for Rocco, so he asked Valerie not to tell anyone about their night together. Valerie argued that Lulu should be made to face the consequences of her lies, but Valerie promised his secret was safe because she had never expected their affair to continue past their one night together. After Dante left, Valerie's eyes filled with tears as she recalled making love with Dante. She quietly reminded herself that Dante had never been hers, so she told herself to let him go.
At the loft, Lulu put the smashed photograph of her and Dante down to answer a knock at the door. It was Carly, who had stopped by to drop off Rocco. Lulu smiled brightly as she took her son from her cousin's arms. Lulu hugged Rocco tightly because she had missed him terribly, so Carly suggested that Lulu not leave town with Dillon again. Lulu stared at her cousin with disbelief as Carly revealed that she knew all about Lulu and Dillon's romantic getaway.
Lulu explained that both Sonny and Carly had been misinformed because Lulu and Dillon had gone to Canada to rescue Lucky. Lulu quickly filled Carly in on what had transpired in British Columbia, but Carly wasn't satisfied because Lulu shouldn't have allowed Luke to dictate what Lulu shared with Dante. Lulu was hurt by Carly's judgmental attitude when they should be celebrating, so Carly assured Lulu that she was happy that Lucky was safe, but Carly was also annoyed that Lulu hadn't bothered to update Elizabeth.
Lulu wondered when Carly had started to care about Elizabeth's feelings, so Carly reminded Lulu that Elizabeth's son had saved Josslyn's life when Josslyn had needed a kidney transplant. Carly admitted that it had been a stressful day then told Lulu about Elizabeth accompanying Carly to get the results of Josslyn's annual cancer checkup. Carly could never repay Elizabeth for the sacrifice that Elizabeth had made, but Lulu reminded Carly that teaching Josslyn to live life to the fullest would show Elizabeth that Jake had not died in vain.
After Lulu put Rocco down for a nap, she returned to the living room. Carly was curious if Lulu and Dante had talked everything out, so Lulu admitted that Dante had told Lulu everything including the "Valerie stuff." Carly was surprised, which alarmed Lulu. Lulu was curious what Carly knew, but Carly tried to evade the question. Lulu pushed for an answer until Carly reluctantly confessed that Dante had kissed Valerie. Seconds later, Dante arrived home.
Carly quickly grabbed her things, hugged her cousin, and then left. Dante questioned Carly's odd behavior, but Lulu's tone was rife with accusation as she informed Dante that she knew all about him and Valerie.
At Kelly's, Sam spoke to Jake on the phone about their investigation. She was relieved that she had someone to discuss the case with because she couldn't talk to Patrick about it. Jake assured Sam that he empathized because he hated keeping secrets from Elizabeth. However, Jake worried that Elizabeth might mention something to Nikolas if she knew what Jake and Sam were up to.
After the call, Sam exited the diner as Nikolas arrived. She tried to avoid her cousin, but he called out to her because he was curious how long she intended to hold the "ELQ thing" over him. Sam explained that it wasn't a "thing" because Nikolas had been fully aware of what ELQ meant to the Quartermaines. Nikolas was curious if that was why she had been poking around Wyndemere the previous day. Sam had been prepared for the question, so she easily explained that she had paid him a visit in the hopes of persuading her cousin to do the right thing by relinquishing control of ELQ.
Sam was caught off guard when Nikolas questioned why Jake had been with her, but she quickly recovered and told him that she had bumped into Jake on the piers, so Jake had asked to go to Wyndemere with her. Nikolas appeared satisfied with the answer, but Sam decided to seize the opportunity to question him about his connection to Hayden. Nikolas stuck to his cover story that he and Hayden had been old acquaintances, but Sam was skeptical.
Sam couldn't understand why Nikolas would invite someone who had hurt his close friend, Elizabeth, by posing as Jake's wife. Nikolas denied any involvement in Hayden's scheme and insisted that he had only given Hayden a place to stay for one evening. Sam confessed the timing of Hayden's shooting was suspect because Hayden had been about to reveal who Jake really was. Nikolas went on the offensive by asking why Sam was interested in Hayden, so Sam explained that she considered Jake a good friend.
At the Webber residence, Elizabeth arrived home as Jake spoke to Sam on the phone. He quickly ended the call, but Elizabeth had heard the tail end of the conversation. "Tell Nikolas what?" Elizabeth asked. Jake sidestepped the question by announcing that he had to leave to take care of something. Elizabeth was disappointed because she had hoped to spend the evening with him. Jake sensed something was bothering Elizabeth, so he asked about her day at work.
Elizabeth recalled talking to Nikolas about the change in Hayden's vital signs and the trouble Hayden might cause if she emerged from the coma because Hayden knew Jake was really Jason. Elizabeth returned to the present as she confessed that something had happened. However, she told Jake about her encounter with Carly and Carly's surprising request for Elizabeth to accompany Carly to hear the results of Josslyn's annual checkup. Elizabeth looked at a framed photograph of her son as she opened up to Jake about her decision to donate her son's kidney to save Josslyn's life.
Elizabeth explained that her baby Jake had been braindead when Carly had turned to Jason for help because Jake had been a match to Josslyn. Elizabeth revealed that Jason had been forced to put his pain aside to ask Elizabeth to donate Jake's organs because Lucky, not Jason, had been Jake's legal father. Elizabeth admitted that she had been furious at the request because all she had heard was that Jason had wanted their son to be "dissected" for Carly's sake. Elizabeth confessed that in her grief and anger, she had said some hateful things to Jason.
Elizabeth deeply regretted the way she had treated Jason that day because he had been dealing with his own grief, which he had put aside to save another child. Elizabeth wanted to believe that Jason knew how sorry she was. Moved by her tearful admission, Jake assured her that Jason would tell her there was nothing to be sorry about. Elizabeth disagreed then confessed that she had something to tell him. Her eyes filled with fresh tears as she quietly admitted that she was in love with Jake.
"I love you too," Jake replied. Elizabeth assured Jake that it hadn't been necessary to return the declaration of love, but he insisted that he had meant it. Jake kissed her then reminded her that he had felt an instant connection to her from the moment he had opened his eyes. Jake had always trusted Elizabeth, even when he hadn't trusted himself, and he was grateful because she had given him a family, love, and a home. Jake kissed Elizabeth again, but she reminded him of his errand.
Jake decided it could wait, but Elizabeth admitted that she needed some time to decompress. Jake promised to return as quickly as possible then gave her a quick peck and walked to the door. At the door, he told her to smile. "Good things are coming," Jake assured her. After Jake left, Elizabeth sat on the sofa and wept.
At the Quartermaine mansion, Monica smiled with delight when she saw Dillon in the living room. After they exchanged greetings, Dillon asked about Monica's cruise. Monica assured Dillon that she and David had had a wonderful time. Dillon was curious if David was the judge Monica had been dating for several months. Monica smiled as she confirmed that David was indeed Judge Walters, but she changed the subject to ask why Dillon was in town.
Dillon admitted that Ned had asked Dillon to visit Port Charles because Ned had been concerned about Tracy. Monica had heard about Luke and Tracy's broken engagement, so Monica was furious that Luke had once again crushed Tracy's heart. Dillon admitted there was more to the story. He told Monica about Luke and Laura's ruse to save Lucky from kidnappers but admitted that he hadn't condoned Luke lying to Tracy.
Monica suspected that Luke would find a way to explain things in the most "heroic and flattering of terms." Dillon asked if Monica would object to Dillon staying on at the mansion for a while longer because Dillon wanted to be on hand if Tracy needed him. Monica confessed that if she had her druthers, the house would be filled with Quartermaines. "Sadly, there just aren't enough of us to go around anymore," Monica quietly added.
A short time later, the doorbell rang. Monica answered the door and was surprised when she saw Jake.
On Cassadine Island, off the coast of Greece, Luke stared at young Jake for several heartbeats then introduced himself to the boy. Luke was curious if Jake had recognized Luke's name, but before Jake could answer, Laura appeared in the doorway to tell Luke that she hadn't found their grandson. "I think I found him," Luke said with a grin. Jake turned to look at Laura, who instantly recognized the young boy. Laura carefully approached Jake to greet him, but he turned away to play with his remote-controlled truck.
Laura immediately questioned Luke about Jake's appearance, so Luke revealed that Helena had been spewing her usual "Cassadine crap" when Jake had suddenly entered the room. Helena had left Luke and Jake alone to get reacquainted, but Laura wondered if the young boy was truly Jake. Luke suggested they let Lucky decide as Lucky entered the house. Lucky froze when he saw Jake seated in a chair, playing with the truck.
Stunned, Lucky slowly knelt down to study Jake and introduce himself. Jake didn't appear to recognize Lucky, so Jake took off to play with his toy. "It's him," Lucky confirmed as he turned to his parents. Lucky assured Luke and Laura that he would recognize Jake anywhere because he looked exactly as Lucky had pictured, except older. Luke and Laura hugged their son then watched as Lucky called Jake over to explain that he was Jake's father. Jake showed little reaction to the news except to smile politely at Lucky.
Lucky gave Jake his cell phone to keep Jake occupied with video games, while Lucky questioned Luke about Jake's obvious abduction. Luke revealed that Jake had been living on the other side of the island with a governess and housekeeper, so Lucky questioned if Nikolas had known. Laura staunchly defended her eldest child because she refused to believe that Nikolas would keep such a terrible secret from everyone. Lucky was curious how Helena had managed to abduct Jake, prompting Laura to wonder if the car accident had even happened. Luke's expression saddened as he admitted that he had struck Jake with a car.
Luke explained that Helena had been in Port Charles at the time of the accident to tamper with Aiden's paternity tests, so she had decided to take advantage of the tragedy by sending one of her "winged monkeys" to snatch Jake. Lucky had more questions, but Luke reminded him the important thing was that Jake was alive and well. Laura was thrilled for Lucky, so Lucky decided to call Elizabeth to share the good news. Laura stopped Lucky from making the call because she explained that it was the kind of news that a mother would need to hear in person, since Elizabeth would want to be reunited with her son right away.
Luke and Lucky agreed, so Luke suggested they leave. Laura asked Luke and Lucky to wait. She reminded them that Jake had spent the past five years on the island, so they needed to be careful not to overwhelm the child. Laura asked to have some time alone with her grandson to prepare him for the trip. Lucky nodded, so Laura approached Jake. She told the boy that she had once lived on the island, but she couldn't remember all the interesting places. Jake offered to take her on a tour.
After Laura and Jake left, Luke and Lucky decided to catch up with each other and talk about the past. Luke told Lucky about Tim and Lena Spencer's deaths, but Lucky didn't blame his father for killing Tim. Lucky felt bad that Luke hadn't been blessed with a father like Luke. Luke appreciated the compliment, but suggested it had been an exaggeration. Lucky disagreed because Luke could have easily turned out like Tim. Luke admitted that he had a dark side, but Lucky argued that everyone battled personal demons.
Lucky insisted that Luke had taught Lucky to be the man Lucky was without talking down to Lucky as a child. More importantly, Luke had never given up on his son, even when Lucky had pushed Luke away. Luke confessed that he had once heard that a person got the life they deserved, but Luke believed that a person got the life they chose based on all the good and bad decisions they made. Luke admitted that the happiest choices he had made were a result of loving Laura and raising Lucky.
Luke confided that Lucky was the pride of Luke's life because Lucky was a brilliant man. Lucky reminded his father that they had been somewhat estranged for the past four years, but Luke argued that it was a person's imperfections that made them interesting. However, Luke advised his son not to run from problems because they would eventually catch up with him.
Moments later, Laura returned with Jake to announce they were ready to depart. Lucky told Jake that they wanted to take Jake home because Jake had aunts, uncles, brothers, and a mother waiting for him. Jake explained that he didn't have a mother, but Lucky quietly explained that Jake's mother's name was Elizabeth, and she loved Jake very much.
Later, Lucky stood at the bottom of Elizabeth's porch. He saw her seated at the dining room table but didn't approach the door. Moments later, Luke and Jake walked up. Lucky wondered if it might be best for Laura to break the news to Elizabeth, but Luke reminded him that Laura had gone to Wyndemere to talk to Nikolas. Lucky had no idea what to say, but Luke was certain Lucky would find the words once Lucky looked into Elizabeth's eyes.
After Luke and Jake went to the side yard, Lucky approached the door and knocked. Elizabeth was surprised when she saw Lucky standing on her doorstep.
