Maxie is an unintentional runaway bride
Griffin stiffly told Julian that his vitals were good, but they would have to get Julian's test results back to confirm his improving health. Julian hoped it wouldn't take too long, since his driver was waiting for him. Griffin left to check on the tests, and Julian pulled out his phone and called Alexis. He left her a message checking up on her. Just then, an unhappy Rudge entered Julian's room. He informed Julian of the lengths he and their boss had needed to go to in order to make sure Jason didn't gather more information. Rudge demanded that Julian "get rid of him. Tonight."
Julian refused to kill his daughter's husband and told Rudge that he was "done." Griffin returned and wondered if he was interrupting something. Julian lied that Rudge was his driver and had entered to assist Julian. Griffin told Julian that his scans were fine, so he was free to go. When Griffin was gone, Rudge asked again if Julian would take care of Jason. Julian was sick of living as a prisoner in his own life. He'd lost his family "because of everything you made me do for you last year." He refused to cooperate and threatened to tell his family everything.
Rudge reminded Julian that his family wouldn't be safe if Julian talked. "To hell with you," Julian replied. He thought that it was time for "the boss" to worry about what Julian would do. He assured Rudge that Julian was a "powerful enemy." He left, and Rudge made a call.
Sonny stood outside and tried to get his ankle monitor off but stopped when it began beeping. He went back inside and thought about his last conversation with Nelle. Just then, Sam and Jason entered the house. Sonny related that he was going "stir crazy," and that "a luxury cage is still a cage." Sonny wondered about Jason's progress. Sam revealed that the pawnshop had been owned by a "dummy corporation." Jason still believed that Julian was partially responsible for Morgan's death.
Sam went into the kitchen to get a glass of water. Sonny took the opportunity to ask Jason to reconsider taking over a role in Sonny's business. Sam overheard and smiled as Jason told Sonny that his place was with his wife and kids. Sonny asked Jason to think about it just as Sam returned. Sam and Jason said goodbye and left. Outside, Sam admitted that she'd heard Jason and Sonny's conversation. He assured her that he was done with the business. Just then, Sam felt some pain, so the two left for the hospital.
A short while later, Griffin arrived at Sonny's door, and Sonny let him in. He wondered if Sonny had been able to find any measure of peace. Sonny said that he was "getting there," but that it felt good knowing that he wasn't at fault. He told Griffin about the investigation, and Griffin was happy for Sonny. Sensing that Sonny wasn't happy, he wondered what was going on. Sonny didn't want to burden him, but Griffin offered to listen, citing that something had made him want to visit Sonny. Sonny confided that he'd slept with someone other than Carly.
Sonny explained that he'd been hurt after Carly had walked out. He'd started drinking heavily, and he'd heard that she'd kissed her ex. He knew that the one-night stand should never have happened. He continued that the woman wasn't only close to the family, but she was getting closer to Michael. Sonny hoped for some advice from Griffin. Griffin, who wasn't judging, explained that either "the truth will set you free," or "the damage is already done." Griffin advised Sonny to think and pray on it, and he left.
At the Metro Court, Nelle helped Olivia organize the details for the last-minute wedding. Olivia didn't recognize one of the waiters, and Nelle revealed that she'd taken on some temps for the two events going on at the hotel that day. Olivia thanked Nelle for all of her help and instructed her to take the rest of the day off. As Nelle was leaving, she bumped into Michael, who was dropping off Dante's tuxedo. Michael confessed that he needed a little fun after a long day at work, and he invited Nelle.
Michael and Nelle drank hot chocolate at Perks, and Michael remembered how he'd followed Nelle there and convinced her to stay. Both were glad that she'd stayed. Michael wanted to go ice-skating, but Nelle refused. He offered to teach her, but she informed him that she'd been almost Olympic-caliber good at skating. She explained that coaches and tournaments had cost money that her parents hadn't had, so she'd given up on what her father had a called a "pipe dream." She hadn't skated since. She added that she'd grown up fast.
Michael advised Nelle not to wallow in pain and let the bad memories define her. He told her to let go of her baggage. "It's easy to let go when you grew up in luxury," Nelle replied. Michael insisted that he'd been through a lot like she had, so she had to keep living her life. She wondered how he always managed to stay so positive. He revealed that he didn't like "the alternative." He explained that he strived to make one happy memory every day so that he was always looking forward and never looking back. He asked if she wanted to skate and held out his hand. She grabbed it.
At the Metro Court, Curtis ran into Jordan. He offered to help her with the investigation of Julian's car bombing if it was on his terms. He told her all about Buzz, who he'd "stashed somewhere safe." She wanted to get the man's statement, but he'd given Buzz his word that Curtis would keep him safe. He offered to take Jordan to Buzz in order to get a statement. She immediately agreed, and Curtis offered to set up the meeting for the next day. She made sure that it was all right, as knowing Buzz's location still posed a risk to him, but Curtis assured her that he trusted her. Jordan thanked him and walked away.
Nina paced around Crimson until Nathan entered wondering what the emergency was. Nina informed him that she and Dillon had left Maxie alone for "two seconds," but she'd been gone when they'd returned. She added that they'd looked everywhere, and Maxie wasn't answering her phone.
Lulu was happy to see Robin when she arrived at the Metro Court. Robin vowed to make sure that Maxie made it down the aisle. Just then, Lulu got a text message and said, "Uh-oh." A few minutes later, Robin, Lulu, and Dante burst into the Crimson office. Nina explained the situation. Lulu easily got into Maxie's computer, and Nathan found that Maxie had gotten a car to take her to the airport. Nathan chastised himself for thinking Maxie could handle everything that had happened.
Maxie arrived at a ticket desk at the airport and asked for a seat on the next flight to Portland, Oregon. The attendant informed her that there were already thirty-six people on standby for the flight, so she was better off booking a different flight and returning. Maxie explained the awful situation about her recent troubles with her "hot and sexy," fluent French-speaking cop fiancé but was interrupted when she heard a voice call out, "Maximista?"
Maxie was thrilled but confused to see Spinelli at the airport. He claimed that he was helping Sam out on a job. She told him that she wanted to see Georgie, so she was going to Portland. Spinelli answered that Ellie had taken Georgie to Disney World on her week off. Maxie was instantly upset that she wasn't the one to take Georgie on her first trip to Disney. "I'm going to Disney!" she stated as she made her way back to the ticket desk.
Spinelli wondered what Maxie's rush out of town was about. She thought that she would give Nathan some space after all that had happened. "I imagine the last thing he wants is space from the person he loves most in the world," Spinelli assured her. He revealed that he'd rented a car, so she should go with him back to town. He urged her to talk to Nathan, because "he might surprise you."
A short while later, Maxie wondered why Spinelli had taken her to Crimson. She didn't want to see anything else having to do with a wedding. He led her into Nina's office, where she found Robin and Lulu standing with bouquets. "Surprise! Welcome to your wedding day!" Lulu exclaimed. Nina explained to a confused Maxie that Maxie was going to marry Nathan that night. She realized that Spinelli had known, and he admitted that Georgie was with Mac.
Felicia told Maxie that Nathan and Dante were out searching for her, and Spinelli offered to "alert Nathan." A crying Maxie thought that everything they'd done was "wonderful," but she didn't want to force Nathan down the aisle. Lulu informed her friend that the whole thing had been Nathan's idea. Nina told Maxie that Nathan "would move mountains to be with you. There's nothing he would rather do than spend the rest of his life with you."
Nathan and Dante arrived at the ticket desk and showed their badges. The attendant knew that they needed a warrant from the state or federal police in order to get any information out of him. Nathan admitted that they weren't there on official business. He explained that he was looking for his fiancée. "Do you speak French?" the attendant asked. "Oui," Nathan replied. The attendant informed Nathan that the woman hadn't bought a ticket from him, but she'd talked about going to Disney. As Nathan looked at all the flights going to Orlando, Dante's phone rang. Spinelli informed Dante that Maxie had been "recovered," and she was getting ready at that moment.
At the Metro Court, the temp that Nelle had hired took a call from Rudge. Rudge told the temp that Julian wasn't cooperating, so they were going ahead with their plan to "incentivize" Julian. Nearby, Olivia called Ned and told him that she would be picking Leo up from the babysitter. She got on the elevator, and the temp followed her on.
At Perks, Rudge called his boss. He informed her that Julian had threatened to talk to his family, but he assured her that everything had been "handled." He added that Julian had been sent a message that he couldn't ignore.
Sam was embarrassed to have had Jason take her to the hospital again for no reason. She realized that she really did need to start taking it easy. Jason wondered if she wanted to skip the wedding. She didn't want to, but "curling up on the couch with you sounds really good right now." Jason figured Maxie would understand. The elevator doors opened, and Julian emerged. Jason said they could take the stairs, but Julian stopped them. He had something to tell them, but Sam and Jason agreed that it could wait, and they didn't want to hear more of his lies. Julian insisted that it was something they needed to hear.
Nathan and Dante returned to the Metro Court, and Spinelli handed Dante his tuxedo. Dante told Spinelli, "I owe you!" Nathan related that he owed Dante for helping him out. Dante knew that Nathan would have done the same for him. Nathan continued that Dante was more than just his partner on the police force. He thought of Dante as family, like a brother. He was honored to have Dante stand by him at his wedding, and Dante repeated the sentiment. The two embraced.
Lulu, Robin, Felicia, and Nina all contributed something to Maxie for her "something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue." Maxie was all ready, and Olivia entered to tell the wedding party to get a move on. Maxie told her friends and family that she was lucky to have them, and she treasured them all. The women shared a group hug. Each woman grabbed part of Maxie's dress and held it up as they hastened to the elevator. Olivia told them to go ahead, and she would take the next one. Just then, Olivia got a frantic phone call. "Leo?" she exclaimed, clearly scared.
In Metro Court's elevator, Maxie beamed with happiness as Felicia, Lulu, Robin, and Nina gathered around her as they made their way to the restaurant. Maxie couldn't believe that she and Nathan would finally be married. Lulu smiled and reminded her best friend that the surprise wedding had been Nathan's doing while Robin promised that Maxie would soon be married.
In the restaurant, Dante asked if Nathan was nervous. Nathan shook his head and admitted that he was excited to be marrying Maxie. Spinelli alerted both men to the bride's imminent arrival just as the elevator dinged. Spinelli quickly ran over and blocked Maxie from exiting the elevator and ordered someone to blindfold Nathan because they couldn't test fate by not honoring all of the traditions. Dante grabbed a napkin and turned it into a makeshift blindfold. Satisfied, Spinelli stepped aside to let the ladies exit the elevator.
Maxie looked around in awe at the restaurant's transformation into an elegant winter wonderland and admitted that everything looked spectacular. Nathan's eyes remained hidden behind the blindfold as he assured his soon-to-be bride that nothing was too good for her. Moments later, Mac arrived with a special guest -- Georgie. Delighted, Maxie reunited with her daughter. Tears filled Lulu's eyes as she watched the tender moment. Lulu excused herself to see to some last-minute preparations and walked away. Nearby, Felicia's phone rang, and she stepped away to take the call.
Mac took an opportunity to have a little chat with Nathan. Nathan remained blindfolded as Mac warned his future son-in-law to make certain that Maxie would always be happy, or Mac would hurt Nathan -- badly. "Understood," Nathan answered as Maxie walked up to let Mac know with just her tone that the warning hadn't been necessary. Mac smiled and asked Maxie to grant him one last honor -- he wanted to walk her down the aisle. Touched, Maxie assured Mac that she wouldn't have had it any other way.
Moments later, Anna and Emma arrived. Robin greeted her family and chatted with them until Griffin arrived. Robin noticed that the wedding preparations had ground to a halt and went to see if there was a problem. Emma perked up when she saw Charlotte and ran over to say hello. Anna and Griffin exchanged pleasantries until Anna realized that he hadn't heard the news about Claudette.
Nearby, Lulu smiled as she watched Charlotte, but her smile faded when she noticed Valentin staring intently at her. However, all heads turned to Felicia when Felicia announced that they had a problem. Felicia explained that Lucy had been visiting Serena, but Lucy's return flight had been rerouted to Corinth due to bad weather, which meant that Lucy could not make it back to Port Charles until midnight. Maxie decided it was fate, and she and Nathan were not meant to be married, but Nathan refused to give up hope. Robin returned to the room and tapped Mac on the shoulder to find out what had happened.
Mac explained that they didn't have anyone to officiate Nathan and Maxie's wedding, but Robin disagreed and reminded Spinelli that he'd recently been ordained and had married Jason and Sam. Spinelli assured Nathan and Maxie that he would be glad to marry them, but he worried that it might be awkward for the couple because of his history with Maxie. Nathan and Maxie were eager to get married and didn't have a problem with Spinelli officiating the wedding. With the problem solved, everyone took their seats. Griffin stopped Anna to ask what she'd intended to tell him earlier, but she assured him that it would wait.
Nearby, Valentin suggested that Charlotte and Emma sign the wedding registry, while he had a private word with Lulu. Lulu waited until the girls were out of hearing then warned Valentin that it was time to tell Charlotte the truth that she was Charlotte's mother. Valentin disagreed and made it clear that he would determine when the time was right, but Lulu accused him of stalling and vowed that her daughter would be with her soon. Lulu told Valentin that he was not wanted at the wedding, but Nina appeared and informed Lulu that both Valentin and Charlotte were her guests.
Lulu refused to ruin Maxie's wedding and walked away, but she stopped at the bar to pull herself together. Dante saw her in tears and quickly walked over to console his wife. Meanwhile, Nina asked about Valentin's exchange with Lulu. Valentin explained that Lulu had wanted to tell Charlotte the truth about Lulu being Charlotte's mother. Nina immediately insisted that it was much too soon and went to check on Charlotte. Anna seized the opportunity approach Valentin and quietly let him know that she was close to uncovering the truth about their past.
Anna vowed that as soon as she had the answers, Valentin would pay the consequences. Valentin chuckled and reminded Anna that not every sinner paid for their crimes then pointedly added that she knew that truth better than anyone.
In the hallway, Andre greeted Jordan and admitted that he looked forward to the surprise wedding. Andre's smile wavered when Curtis walked up to ask for a private word with Jordan, but he relaxed when Jordan assured Curtis that it was fine to talk in front of Andre. Annoyed, Curtis informed Jordan that he'd arranged for her to meet with Buzz, but they'd have to leave town on a moment's notice. Jordan objected, but Curtis explained that his contact only felt comfortable moving Buzz from the shelter during a specific window, and Jordan was expected to attend the meeting alone. Jordan told Andre about the informant and asked Curtis where Buzz was.
Curtis insisted that the fewer people who knew, the better, but he agreed to tell Jordan once they were on their way to the meeting. Andre advised Jordan against it, but Curtis ignored him and told Jordan that he would let her know when it was time to leave. After Curtis left, Andre warned Jordan that she'd be compromising her ethics and safety by blindly following Curtis, but Jordan explained that it was imperative to talk to the witness. Jordan was curious what Andre expected her to do, so he admitted that he wanted her to choose not going with Curtis -- and staying with him. Jordan argued that she had to follow up on every lead. Andre agreed, but he thought it was a mistake to trust Curtis.
A short time later, the wedding ceremony started. Jordan's cell phone buzzed, and she quietly excused herself. Andre was disappointed when she whispered that Nathan would understand.
Meanwhile, Mac walked Maxie down the aisle as Nathan smiled with happiness at the altar. After Mac and the other guests sat, Spinelli began the ceremony by talking about how Nathan and Maxie had found hope and had built a future together. He then asked if anyone objected to the marriage.
"Stop!" Liesl yelled as she suddenly appeared in the back of the room. She was out of breath and upset as she glared at Nathan. Confused, Maxie admitted that she'd thought that Liesl had approved of the union. Liesl conceded that she had until she'd been left out of all the planning and had received an invitation through a text message while she'd been in surgery. Anna then Nina revealed that their wedding invitations had been sent by text message too. Nina asked her aunt not to make a big deal out of it, but Liesl was hurt because she'd expected more, since she was the mother of the groom.
Liesl thought it was obvious that her attendance had been of zero importance to her son because the bride's parents had been seated in places of honor, but there hadn't been a seat for her. Nathan felt bad for Liesl and explained that it had been a crazy day, and everything had been last minute. Nathan assured his mother that it would mean the world to him if she stayed. "Me too, Schwiegermutter," Maxie added. Liesl was touched that Maxie had referred to her as mother-in-law in German and happily took a seat vacated by Felicia. Liesl was honored that she would soon be related to the Aztec princess.
After Nathan returned to Maxie's side, Spinelli invited the couple to exchange vows. Nathan talked about how he'd met Maxie when he'd needed her most and how she'd shown him how to open up his heart again. Nathan revealed that he'd felt an instant connection with Maxie and credited her with giving his life light, joy, enthusiasm, and love by always remaining positive. Maxie smiled and confessed that he'd always been her hero in every way possible because of who he was and how he'd helped her recognize that she had the strength to save herself. Nathan and Maxie each remembered all the special moments that had led them to that moment, and they smiled.
After Nathan and Maxie exchanged traditional vows, Spinelli invited Nathan to kiss the bride. Nathan passionately kissed Maxie as family and friends clapped.
Meanwhile, Anna suddenly had a flashback to her birthday at the WSB Training Academy when she'd looked at her broken watch in a room. "I have -- waited so long for this," Valentin had said as Anna had stepped back in horror. "No. Stop!" Anna had cried out as he'd advanced on her. Shaken, Anna pushed back the memory and looked at Valentin's back. Sensing her eyes on him, Valentin turned and smiled at her, but her eyes quickly slid away.
Later, Spinelli officially introduced the newlyweds and announced that the bride intended to keep her maiden name. Everyone clapped as the happy couple kissed. Robin quietly asked if Spinelli was okay. He assured her that he was, but he admitted that he'd expected Jason and Sam to attend the wedding. Robin confirmed that they had been invited.
Elsewhere at the hotel, Olivia received a phone call from Ned about Leo. Olivia assured him that she would meet him at the hospital and quickly ended the call.
At the hospital, tensions were high when Julian asked to have a word with Jason and Sam. Julian stepped out of the elevator, but Sam made it clear that she wasn't interested in hearing her father's lies. Julian insisted that it was important, and both Jason and Sam needed to hear what he had to say. Julian assured them that he hadn't planted the bomb and admitted that he'd been the intended target, but Jason and Sam weren't impressed because they'd already uncovered the information on their own. Sam showed Julian the picture that Jason had found in Rudge's pawnshop before it had burned down and admitted that there'd been something familiar about it. Julian recognized the photo and told Sam that it was what he'd been trying to tell her.
"It's all about family," Julian said, but Olivia suddenly exited the elevator and ran to the nurses' station to ask about Leo. Julian, Jason, and Sam overheard Olivia ask about Leo and immediately approached her to find out what had happened. Olivia tearfully explained that she had no idea except that Ned had called to let her know that there'd been an emergency with her son and that he'd meet her at the hospital. Julian's expression filled with concern. Moments later, Ned walked up.
Ned revealed that he'd gone to Olivia's apartment to pick Leo up from the sitter and had found Leo on the living room floor with a bottle of aspirin next to him and a few tablets in his hand. Ned had had no idea if Leo had taken any of the pills, so he'd rushed him to the hospital. Julian demanded to know where the babysitter had been. Ned explained that the babysitter had gone to the kitchen to investigate a noise, but Olivia was furious that the woman had left her son alone. Ned revealed that the babysitter hadn't seen the pills earlier, but Olivia wasn't satisfied. Moments later, the doctor approached to announce that Leo's stomach had been pumped and that he was expected to make a full recovery.
The doctor added that it didn't appear that Leo had taken any aspirin. Olivia was relieved and followed the doctor to see Leo. Julian remained concerned as he trailed behind Ned, who entered the room to check on Olivia and Leo. Olivia was grateful that her son would be okay and cooed to him. Ned noticed Julian in the doorway and quietly walked over to invite him to visit with Leo. Julian thanked Ned for saving Leo's life, so Ned admitted that he cared about Leo. Satisfied, Julian conceded that Ned would take good care of Leo if anything should happen to Julian. Ned frowned at the odd statement, but Julian asked Ned to take care of Olivia, too, because she was a wonderful mother.
After Julian left, Ned returned to Olivia's side. Olivia was grateful that her young son would recover. She acknowledged that Julian was Leo's biological father, but she thought Leo would be lucky to have a father figure like Ned in his life -- if Ned was up to it. Ned smiled and kissed Olivia. After the kiss, Olivia warned Ned that Julian might pose a problem, but Ned disagreed and told her about his exchange with Julian. Olivia conceded that Julian loved his children, but Ned sensed that there had been something else on Julian's mind. Olivia couldn't imagine what could be more important than having one's child rushed to the hospital.
At the elevator, Jason and Sam stopped Julian to continue their earlier discussion, but Julian insisted that he had to take care of something. Jason wanted to know what Julian had intended to tell them earlier, but Julian claimed that it no longer mattered in light of what had happened to Leo. Sam reminded her father that he'd mentioned it had been about family and the car bomb. Resigned, Julian told Sam that he'd wanted to warn her and Jason that things had changed with the crime organizations, and family members had become fair game. Julian advised Jason and Sam to drop the investigation because the people who had targeted him might decide to retaliate by going after Sam or Danny.
Moments later, Julian slipped into the elevator and left. Jason and Sam agreed that Julian had been hiding something and that Julian had been on the verge of telling them something important. However, Jason asked Sam to back off from the investigation because the doctor had ordered her to take it easy until the baby was born. Sam agreed to rest provided Jason promised to get to the bottom of things. Jason agreed and kissed his wife.
In the Asian quarter, Rudge entered an establishment called Ko Shing to report to his boss that the situation with Julian had been handled. Rudge was surprised that Julian had drawn a line at killing his son-in-law, but he was certain that Julian would reconsider when his own son paid the price. Rudge's boss sipped her tea then sighed with annoyance.
A short time later, Julian stormed into Ko Shing, demanding to talk to the boss. Rudge appeared and informed Julian that Julian had been expected, but their boss was busy. Julian didn't care and insisted on seeing her. "Calm yourself, Julian," a woman said as she entered the room and dismissed Rudge. Julian turned to face a woman who looked like his deceased sister Olivia. She smiled at Julian and assured him that she'd always make time for him because they were family.
Due to ABC News coverage of a presidential news conference, General Hospital did not air. While this preemption was not anticipated, there were not "lost" episodes as a result of the preemption.
Regular programming resumed on Thursday, January 19, and picked up where the Tuesday, January 17, episode concluded.
At Ko Shing, Olivia assured her brother that she could make time for him because they were family. Julian was curious if she'd been avoiding him, but she chuckled and reminded him that she'd be a fool not to keep him at arm's length after he'd tried to assassinate her years earlier. However, she doubted that he wanted to talk about his attempt to kill her and suggested they discuss the future -- including Jason's. Julian made it clear that he refused to kill his son-in-law because Sam loved Jason. "As you wish," Olivia casually replied.
Olivia offered to move down the list of family members and mentioned Leo. Julian knew Olivia had been behind the attempt on his son's life, but Olivia clarified that Leo had only been given sugar tablets and feigned hurt that Julian would think so low of her. Julian suggested they talk to Anna, since Olivia had been responsible for Anna losing Duke's child. "Don't ever say that bitch's name to me again," Olivia growled before adopting the veneer of civility once again to remind her brother that the situation with Leo could have been avoided if Julian had followed orders. Julian advised Olivia to talk to him personally if she had a problem with his "job performance," because his family was off-limits.
Olivia warned Julian that she intended to have her revenge, but she agreed to back off because she had other uses for Julian. Julian reminded her that he would not kill Jason, but she insisted that she couldn't have anyone finding out about her until she was ready to make her "grand entrance." Julian explained that it would be too dangerous to kill Jason because Jason had a partner who had strong ties to the police commissioner. Julian warned Olivia that Jason's death would just confirm that Jason had been on the right track, which would lead both Sonny and the police right to Olivia's door. Olivia realized that Julian had a point, so he advised Olivia to draw the attention away from herself by pinning the bomb on someone else.
Olivia reluctantly agreed to give Julian's suggestion a try, and they discussed the details. The conversation turned personal when he talked about his love for his children. Julian felt bad that Olivia had been cheated out of experiencing that kind of connection. Olivia agreed that she had been cheated out of a great deal during her exile on the other side of the world, but Julian reminded her that it wasn't too late to find love. Olivia agreed, but she wanted those who had "screwed" her over to pay first and know that she was "Queen of the Jerome family."
After Julian left, Olivia retreated to her office. She was alone as she approached a cabinet while grumbling to her "darling" about having to deal with Julian. She explained that her work with her brother had been a means to an end and promised to make Julian pay for what he'd done to them. Olivia opened the cabinet to gaze at dozens of framed photographs of Duke through the years that had been altered with imposed images of Olivia where Anna had been. Olivia smiled as she reminisced about how she and Duke had "set Port Charles on fire" with their infamous tangos. Olivia's smile faded as she insisted that she and Duke could have had a good life together if it hadn't been for Julian and Anna.
Olivia recalled the past when Anna had accused Olivia of slithering into Anna's husband's bed, but Anna had objected to Olivia filling Robin's head with Olivia's "sick perversions." Olivia had advised Anna to calm herself for the sake of Anna's unborn baby, but Anna had assured Olivia that the baby was fine. Olivia pushed the memory away as she vowed that Anna would suffer "and suffer -- and suffer."
At Alexis' house, Alexis read Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, but she grew impatient when she read the step about taking a moral inventory. Alexis recalled her tearful confession to Julian about killing Tom, but she pushed it to the back of her mind and slammed the book shut. Moments later, Alexis stared intently at a bottle of cooking sherry that she'd found in the kitchen. Alexis looked up when the doorbell rang. It was Ava looking for Julian. Ava entered the house and demanded to know where Julian was because he hadn't returned any of Ava's phone calls or text messages.
Alexis claimed that she had no idea where Julian was, but Ava threatened to check the backyard for a newly dug grave. Ava was certain that something had happened to her brother because she was the only person who knew about Alexis and Julian's "twisted" arrangement. "Trust me, a sister knows," Ava said. Alexis ignored Ava's histrionics and asked if Ava wanted to leave Julian a message. Ava announced that she would wait for Julian to return then smiled knowingly when her eyes landed on the bottle of sherry. Ava picked it up and immediately confronted Alexis about sneaking a drink, but Alexis denied it and claimed that she'd found it and had intended to pour it out.
Ava didn't believe Alexis because the bottle of sherry had been in the living room rather than in the kitchen, next to the sink. Ava invited Alexis to take a drink and promised not to tell anyone -- including Julian -- provided Alexis didn't run anyone over again. Alexis ignored the taunt and refused to take the drink. Ava wished Alexis luck with sobriety, but she doubted it would last. Alexis questioned Ava's certainty.
Ava explained that Julian was Alexis' enabler, and as long as he kept Alexis' secrets buried, Alexis would not be accountable for her actions. Ava admitted that Julian's goal was to restore Alexis to the way she had been before he'd destroyed her life, so Ava suspected that Alexis was playing Julian to make certain that he remained silent about the drinking. Offended, Alexis assured Ava that living with Julian was "no day at the beach," but Ava didn't believe her because as long as Alexis' daughters didn't know about their mother's drinking then Alexis could easily make the choice to drink again.
Alexis argued that she'd chosen not to drink, but Ava didn't believe her because the longer Julian kept Alexis' secret, the longer Alexis had to perfect various tricks and innovative ways to sneak alcohol. Alexis thought Ava had nerve, lecturing her about alcohol, since Ava always had a drink in hand. Ava refused to apologize because she'd never ended up in a dive bar or run a man over. Alexis handed Ava the bottle of sherry, but Ava scoffed because she needed more proof -- like Julian moving out and Alexis being honest with her daughters.
After Alexis marched to the bedroom, Ava settled down to read a magazine and wait for Julian. Julian walked through the door and asked what his sister was doing there. Ava ignored his ire and explained that she'd been trying to reach him since the previous day. Julian grumbled and asked where Alexis was. "Swilling hand sanitizer?" Ava suggested. Julian was not amused, but Ava wanted to know where her brother had been. Julian would only tell her that he'd been busy, so she filled him in about her visit with Sam.
Ava demanded to know what kind of trouble Julian was in, but Julian advised Ava to back off and drop it. Ava refused because Sam had mentioned that a woman had planted the bomb in Julian's car with the intention of framing Sonny. Julian reiterated that he wanted his sister to stay out of it and quickly hustled her to the door. Alarmed, Ava warned him that Sam would not drop the investigation, but Julian assured his sister that he would handle his daughter. Ava told him that she was afraid. Julian admitted that she should be and closed the door. Ava's expression filled with concern as she stood on the porch.
Inside, Alexis entered the living room. Julian was curious about her first Alcoholics Anonymous meeting. Alexis admitted that she'd nearly confessed to the group about what she'd done to Tom, but Julian assured Alexis that it wasn't necessary. Alexis acknowledged that Franco would likely be arrested for the crime and admitted that if she were drunk, then she'd be able to live with it -- since Franco hadn't paid for any of his crimes -- but she had no idea how she would handle the situation sober. Julian promised Alexis that she would not be alone.
Meanwhile, Elizabeth paid Sam a visit at the penthouse. Elizabeth was relieved when Sam told her that Jason wasn't home, since it would make what Elizabeth had to say easier. Intrigued, Sam closed the door and asked what was so important. Elizabeth explained that Franco was in trouble, but Sam didn't have any sympathy for the man and refused to discuss him. Elizabeth asked Sam to put aside the fact that they'd been talking about Franco and focus on Elizabeth's desire to help someone who'd been falsely accused of a crime. Sam suggested that Elizabeth go to the police with her concerns, but Elizabeth explained that she couldn't because Franco was protecting the killer.
Elizabeth told Sam about Kiki's revelation that Franco knew who had killed Tom and his desire to keep quiet because he'd deeply hurt the woman's family and refused to put them through more pain. Sam was shocked when Elizabeth added that the woman was Alexis. Sam argued that it was impossible because she knew her mother better than anyone. Elizabeth disagreed and told Sam about seeing Alexis recently, and it appeared that Alexis had been crying and in a fog. Elizabeth admitted that she cared about Alexis and had noticed that something had been off with her for months. Sam conceded that it was true, but it didn't mean that Alexis was a killer.
Elizabeth added that if Alexis had killed Tom, then Elizabeth was certain that it had been self-defense. Sam seemed shaken at the idea that Alexis might have been raped. Elizabeth reminded Sam that they both knew what Alexis was going through if Tom had attacked Alexis. She urged Sam to help Alexis.
At Metro Court Restaurant, Griffin chatted with Nina about Charlotte, but Nina quickly realized that Griffin hadn't heard about Claudette. Concerned, Griffin asked what had happened, but Nina was reluctant to tell him. Griffin pushed until Nina told him that Claudette had died and that the drowning had been ruled a suicide. Griffin couldn't believe it because Claudette had been an excellent swimmer. After Nina left, Griffin went to the bar and ordered a drink.
Meanwhile, Spinelli invited Nathan and Maxie to the dance floor to enjoy their first dance as husband and wife. While Nathan and Maxie swayed to the romantic ballad, Dante and Lulu shared a tender kiss. Nearby, Mac gave his wife a loving kiss. Anna stood near Valentin's table and heard Charlotte talk about how pretty the bride looked, which triggered a flashback of Valentin advancing on Anna in her room at the WSB Training Academy. "No! Stop!" Anna had cried as she'd backed away from Valentin.
Anna jumped when Andre walked up and greeted her. Andre asked if she was okay. Anna smiled, but it didn't quite reach her eyes as she told him that she'd been thinking about the past.
On the dance floor, Spinelli invited Mac to join Maxie for a father/daughter dance. Felicia beamed with happiness as she assured her husband that she approved. Maxie took her father's hand and admitted that it didn't matter what his title was -- dad or Uncle Mac -- she'd always known he'd be there for her. Mac told Maxie that all he'd ever wanted was for her to feel safe, loved, and protected. Maxie smiled and told him that she loved him. Mac returned her smile and danced with her. Nearby, Nathan invited Liesl to dance. Liesl was delighted and admitted that she had never dreamed that she would have a relationship with her son or attend his wedding.
Nathan assured Liesl that they would make many more memories together. After the dance ended, Spinelli invited all the guests to join the wedding couple on the dance floor. Everyone began to dance except Charlotte, who ran out to the terrace because she wanted her father to point out her star -- Polaris. Valentin explained that it was too cold and advised his daughter to return inside because the bride would toss the bouquet soon. Excited, Charlotte ran inside, but Valentin lingered outside and looked up at the night sky as be recited Shakespeare's Julius Caesar. "I am as constant as the northern star, of whose true-fixed and resting quality. There is no fellow in the firmament," Valentin quoted.
Moments later, Griffin stormed out and angrily confronted Valentin. Griffin was unaware that Charlotte had returned and peeked through the crack in the door as he grabbed Valentin's shirtfront and accused him of murdering Charlotte's mother. Horrified, Charlotte ran off and didn't witness Valentin easily turn the tables on Griffin. Valentin repeatedly punched then kicked Griffin in the stomach as he warned Griffin to never mention Charlotte's name again. Griffin crumbled to the ground as Anna and Andre stepped out onto the terrace and saw the brutal attack.
Anna yelled at Valentin to stop beating Griffin as Andre pulled Valentin away from the injured doctor. Infuriated, Anna blasted Valentin for attacking someone weaker. Anna pointed out that Valentin was trained to fight and accused him of being a "vicious thug." Valentin was shocked when Anna slapped him and ran over to check on Griffin. Anna added that Griffin was a good man, and Valentin disgusted her.
"Th-that's what you always s-s-said about me," Valentin stuttered as he breathed heavily and tried to straighten his tie with shaking hands. Anna and Andre noticed that Valentin was rattled and had stuttered, but they ignored it. Instead, Anna continued to push Valentin's buttons by suggesting that he only felt powerful because he'd attacked someone untrained. Anna hit a nerve when she accused Valentin of being twisted. "Twisted?" Valentin angrily asked.
Anna refused to apologize as she and Andre helped Griffin to his feet. She insisted that Valentin was dangerous because he had attacked a defenseless man. Valentin was curious when she had started to care about men like that because Valentin had never mattered to her. "I was invisible to you!" he shouted. Anna suddenly recalled how she'd rebuffed Valentin's advances on her birthday when they'd been at the WSB Training Academy and how he'd been disappointed by the rejection.
Anna remembered being shocked by Valentin's desire to spend the day with her and how horrified she'd been by his disfigured appearance. "Oh, I remember, " Anna said as she looked at Valentin with tears in her eyes.
Inside, Dante and Lulu watched Charlotte. Lulu's expression filled with sadness because she couldn't comfort her daughter, but Dante assured Lulu that they would prevail in court, and Charlotte would be with Lulu soon.
Meanwhile, Nathan and Maxie cut their wedding cake. Afterwards, the single ladies gathered behind Maxie as she tossed the bouquet. Robin decided to improve Emma's chances of catching the bouquet by distracting a determined Liesl. "Look, David Hasselhoff," Robin yelled as the bouquet sailed through the air. Liesl looked away as Emma caught the bouquet. Afterwards, the guests followed the newlyweds to the elevator, tossed petals, and wished the couple well.
Nearby, Lulu noticed Charlotte run down a hall. Lulu followed and saw Charlotte slip into a linen closet. Lulu debated what to do then decided to loudly complain about the cold and a need for a blanket. Charlotte opened the door and held out a tablecloth. Lulu smiled and took the offering as an invitation to enter the closet to check on Charlotte. Charlotte was seated on the floor with her knees bent and her head hidden from view. Lulu sat down and gently struck up a conversation with her daughter by asking why Charlotte was upset.
Eventually, Lulu managed to gain Charlotte's trust enough for Charlotte to confide that she missed her mother. Lulu empathized but explained that Charlotte still had a mother. "It's me. I'm your real mommy, " Lulu said.
Due to the Inauguration of Donald J. Trump, General Hospital did not air. This was a planned preemption and there were no "lost" episodes as a result of the preemption.
Regular programming resumed on Monday, January 23, 2017, and picked up where the Thursday, January 19, 2017, episode concluded.
