At the studio, Franco made a video of himself explaining that he was a person without feelings and had always been that way. He said that his prison experience at 18 had taught him about murder. He said that after he got out of prison, he had murdered without remorse and had then turned those actions into art.
As Franco painted, Jason and Dominic raced to save Sam and Lulu. Jason found Sam and rescued her in time. They heard an explosion across town, but the bomb meant for Sam did not go off. When Jason examined it, he found that the plastic explosive was actually modeling clay and realized that Franco had played him again. When Jason tried to reach Dominic on his cell phone, Dominic did not answer.
Steve Webber and Lucky arrived at the blast scene simultaneously. Steve told Lucky that he had seen a man fitting Dominic's description rush into the building just before it exploded. Lucky was frantic about Lulu as he got on the phone and called for emergency crews.
Liz called Nikolas, but Alfred told her that Nikolas was on his way to Europe. As soon as she was off the phone, Liz called her Gram and asked her to babysit the boys then hurried to dress the boys and convince them that they wanted to have hot chocolate at Gram's house.
Nikolas sipped champagne on his jet while the pilot prepared for takeoff. Ethan got wind that Nikolas was going to Europe, and he boarded the plane. He demanded that Nikolas leave Rebecca alone and stop tormenting her by pretending to care.
Nikolas said that he did not care and assured Ethan that he had no intention of pursuing Rebecca. Ethan was not convinced. Nikolas told Ethan that he had no further interest in Rebecca and urged Ethan to go after Rebecca himself. Nikolas noted sarcastically that if Rebecca had been interested in Ethan, she would not have left Port Charles.
Sonny was in his office, on the phone with his lawyers, when Alexis opened his door. He told the lawyer to cooperate completely with the police because he had nothing to hide.
Alexis and Sonny had a long talk about Kristina. Sonny worried that Kristina blamed him for Sam's kidnapping. Alexis supported Kristina and told Sonny that, even though Franco was a crazy who had targeted Jason, he would not have done so had Sonny not been in the business he was in. She said that Franco had targeted Jason because he killed people, and Jason killed people who interfered with Sonny's business.
Sonny told Alexis that he should have spent more time with Kristina. He told Alexis that he wanted to establish a better bond with Kristina. Alexis agreed to help Sonny with Kristina and accepted some of the responsibility for the distance between Sonny and Kristina. She admitted that her fear of the danger that surrounded Sonny had been the main reason that she had limited Sonny's contact with his daughter.
While in the office, Alexis got a call from Sam and was relieved to hear that she was not hurt. She left to tell her daughters the news.
Kristina called Kiefer, and he picked her up. She accepted his apology for his earlier abuse. As they sat in his car, she told him everything about Sam's disappearance and blamed Sonny and his business. Kiefer told Kristina that he loved her and that he would always be there for her. They had sex in the car. Afterward, they agreed that it was nice to have someone who cared about them and did not have an agenda.
Maxie and Spinelli were in the Crimson offices when the explosions occurred. Maxie was frightened for Lulu. Spinelli calmed her fears.
Jason and Sam arrived on the scene of the second blast. Lucky became unhinged and backed Jason into a wall when he found out that Jason had opted to save Sam instead of Lulu. He was not mollified to find out that Jason had sent Dominic for Lulu and became enraged when he heard that Sam's bomb had been a deliberate dud.
Before Lucky could go postal on Jason, Lulu called out to him. Dominic led her out of the bombed building. He had managed to free Lulu and find an access door to the basement, where they had found shelter under an I-beam. The support beam had not collapsed and had protected them from both the debris and suffocation.
Liz caught up to Nikolas before he could leave town. She told him that he could not go. He told her that he could not stay around and watch her marry Lucky. When Nikolas asked Liz why she kept returning to him if she loved Lucky the way she said she did, Liz told him that she loved both of them.
Liz said that she would always love Lucky because he had saved her after the rape. She said when she was with Lucky, she was always that 15-year-old girl. She said that when she was with Nikolas, she was a woman and could be anything that she wanted to be. When Nikolas asked her how they would resolve all their differences, Liz said that she did not know the answer, but she did know that nothing would be solved by running away.
Alexis got home and found Molly waiting. She was surprised to learn that Kristina had gone out with Kiefer. She told Molly the good news about Sam. They made cookies and waited for Kristina to get home.
When Kristina got home, she was happy to hear that Sam had survived but wanted no part of Sonny. Alexis tried to cast Sonny in a good light, but Kristina was convinced that Sonny's life was too dangerous. She was adamant about staying away from her father and never having a relationship with him.
Sonny was on the phone with Dominic when Olivia entered Sonny's office. She heard his side of the conversation and learned that Dominic had saved Lulu from an explosion. When Sonny got off the phone, he told Olivia that he was upset because, despite being a loving father and the best father he knew how to be, all he had been hearing was how much he kept destroying his kids' lives.
Olivia comforted Sonny and told him that he was a good father and a good man in a violent business. While they were talking, Johnny burst in to tell Sonny about the explosions. When he found out that Franco was involved, Johnny rushed out to the scene.
Lucky was grateful to Dominic for saving Lulu. Dominic was very modest, but Lulu told him that he was a hero, and he should get used to it. Jason left to go after Franco, but Lucky stopped him and said that it was Lucky's job. Lucky told Jason that Jason could go with him, but Lucky intended to put Franco in jail, not in the ground.
Johnny arrived on the scene, and Olivia and Sonny quickly followed. As Lulu assured everyone that she was unharmed, one of the firemen announced that the charred body of a woman had been found. Johnny uttered the word "Claudia." Both Dominic and Sonny looked thoughtful.
Back at the studio, Franco packed a small bag and put a DVD in a mailing envelope. After a final look around at walls he had spray-painted with the tagger sign, "CO77X," he turned off the lights and left.
Jason and Lucky pulled up in front of the studio. Lucky told Jason to stay in the car, but Jason jumped out and stopped Lucky from opening the door. He told Lucky that Franco expected Jason back and had probably set a trap. Jason told Lucky that Franco had said that for every person that Jason had killed, Franco would kill another.
As Franco walked down a set of outside stairs, a huge explosion took place in the building next to those stairs.
Sam went to the site of the warehouse explosion, where she found Jason staring at the rubble. She was curious where he had been the entire night. Jason revealed that he had been searching for Franco, to no avail. Sam hoped that Franco had fled the country so that they could put their ordeal with Franco behind them. Jason worried that it was far from over.
Dante paid Ronnie a visit in the hospital. Dante explained that he had been scouring Franco's police files in an effort to figure out where Franco had taken Lulu. Dante had discovered that during Franco's arrest for tagging, there had been a book of photography that had been taken into evidence. There had been a note in the margin on one of the pages that had read, "CO77X." Dante was certain that if he had seen it, he would have linked Franco to the Tribeca murder. Dante accused Ronnie of sabotaging the investigation in order to protect Franco.
Ronnie admitted that he had helped Franco because Franco had taken the fall for Ronnie after Ronnie had foolishly robbed a liquor store. Ronnie felt that he had owed it to Franco. Dante couldn't believe that Ronnie had given Franco a free pass on homicide. Ronnie clarified that he hadn't known about the murder. A moment later, Ronnie admitted that perhaps he hadn't wanted to know. Ronnie explained that Franco was the reason that Ronnie had been riding Dante so hard about Sonny. Ronnie didn't want Dante to lose his objectivity because it might lead Dante to compromise himself.
At Crimson, Lulu berated a hotel clerk because he had not delivered an envelope that had arrived three days earlier. Carly stepped off of the elevator and approached Lulu. After Carly dismissed the clerk, she reminded Lulu that no one had died in the explosion. Carly assured Lulu that Lulu was safe. Lulu insisted that she wasn't having a problem dealing with what had happened to her, but Carly didn't believe her. Carly pointed out that Lulu had been snapping at everyone, including the parking attendant, all morning.
Carly suggested that Lulu needed time to process her brush with death. Lulu insisted that Carly was just being a drama queen, but Carly refused to be brushed off. Carly knew what it was like to feel powerless; she had felt that way with Claudia at the cabin. Lulu quietly confessed that as she had watched the detonator count down to zero, she had stepped out of her body. Lulu recalled thinking in those final seconds that all she had wanted was an opportunity to tell her parents that she loved them.
Dominic had arrived moments later to save her. Lulu hated that she had given Dominic such a hard time about his assignment. Carly was curious what assignment Lulu was referring to. Lulu covered the slip by insisting that it didn't really matter. Lulu's point was that Dominic was always there for her when she needed him.
Later, Lulu stood before the ruins of the warehouse where she had been held captive. Dante spotted her as he approached. He admitted that he was surprised to see her there. As Dante drew closer to her, he noticed that she was shivering. Lulu confessed that it was because she realized that she would be dead if it hadn't been for him. Dante admitted that he was also haunted by what had happened. He had thought that the last thing he would experience was the feeling of holding Lulu's hand as they tried to flee.
Dante revealed that he'd had nightmares about not being able to save her. He suspected that they would stay with him for some time. Lulu's eyes filled with tears as she realized that he truly understood what she was going through. Dante admitted that seeing her had made him realize that what mattered to him was that they had made it out alive. Lulu stepped forward and kissed Dante.
At Wyndemere, Lucky demanded to know what had made Nikolas think that it was okay for him to steal Lucky's fiancée. Lucky couldn't understand how Nikolas could allow himself to fall in love with his "former and future" sister-in-law. Nikolas didn't think that he had to explain to Lucky how easy it was to love Liz. Lucky was a little surprised that Nikolas readily admitted that the accusation was true.
Nikolas explained that it had not been a conscious decision for him to fall in love with Liz. It had happened without Nikolas realizing it. Lucky wondered why Nikolas had felt obligated to tell Liz about it. Nikolas admitted that he didn't have an answer; it had been something that he had felt compelled to do. Lucky was disgusted as he realized that Luke had to have noticed Nikolas "sniffing around" Liz. Nikolas insisted that it wasn't like that.
Lucky couldn't believe that Nikolas would put Liz in a situation like that. Lucky wondered if Nikolas had dropped Rebecca so that Liz could replace her. Nikolas insisted that he had ended things with Rebecca because it had been the honorable thing to do. Lucky laughed at the idea of Nikolas behaving honorably. He accused Nikolas of putting Liz in a "terrible situation."
Nikolas snapped that it wasn't that cut and dry; he couldn't help how he felt. However, Liz had made it clear that Lucky was her choice. Lucky wondered how they would get past what Nikolas had done. Nikolas planned to remain on the sidelines until Lucky found a way to forgive him. Lucky didn't think that would be possible, since Nikolas had lied to him. Nikolas didn't think it would have been right tell Lucky about his feelings for Liz over the holidays.
After Lucky left Wyndemere, he went to Crimson to talk to Lulu. Lucky found the office empty, so he called Lulu's cell phone to leave a voicemail message. Sam stepped off of the elevator as Lucky ended the call. Lucky was annoyed to see her. He asked Sam to leave Lulu alone. According to Lucky, Lulu had enough on her plate without Sam trying to make it okay for herself that Jason had saved Sam instead of Lulu. Sam reminded Lucky that Jason had called to tell Dominic where Lulu was.
Lucky didn't think that had mattered, since Sam had never been in any real danger from a bomb. Sam pointed out that no one, including Jason, could have known that. Sam wondered what Lucky would have done if he had faced a similar dilemma, except instead of choosing between Sam and Lulu, Lucky had been forced to choose between Liz and Lulu.
Liz arrived home with Steve and the kids. Steve waited until his nephews went to their rooms to play before he grilled Liz about the emergency that had forced her to pack up the kids then drop them off at Audrey's. Steve knew that it wasn't a hospital emergency, since he had been working. Liz revealed that she had learned that Nikolas had intended to leave town. Liz confessed that she had panicked, so she had sought out Nikolas to persuade him to stay.
Liz confided that she kept telling herself that she could handle things, but in reality, she was always anxious. Liz revealed that she had known women who had been stuck between two men; she'd always believed that they were weak. Liz admitted, however, that she was the poster child for women like that. Liz felt terrible because she realized that Nikolas was grieving for Emily and was therefore vulnerable.
Steve reminded Liz that she was always taking care of others; he wondered whom Liz could count on. Without hesitation, Liz answered, "Lucky." However, she couldn't understand how she could be so in love with Lucky yet suddenly fall in love with Nikolas. Steve was encouraged that Liz was finally able to admit that she had genuine feelings for Nikolas instead of trying to pass them off as something irrational. When Steve referred to Liz as "peanut," she smiled.
Liz and Steve talked about growing up. Steve recalled a specific incident when their sister, Sarah, had wanted to see a movie. Liz had been grounded, so she had been left at home with Steve. Steve had hoped to cheer up his six-year-old sister by taking Liz for a drive and then allowing her to steer the car. Liz admitted that she had been thrilled by the sense of power. Steve suggested that perhaps it was time for Liz to take control of her life instead of allowing fear to guide her.
Steve reminded Liz that there were three people involved in what was going on. According to Steve, even Lucky was contributing to the problem. Liz insisted that she wanted to marry Lucky. Steve urged Liz to tell Lucky the truth. Liz wondered how Steve would feel if he were in Lucky's shoes. To Liz's surprise, Steve revealed that he had been in a similar situation.
Steve explained that his girlfriend, Charlotte, had fallen in love with his best friend. Steve had been deeply hurt, but he realized that neither Charlotte nor his friend had planned on falling in love. Steve insisted that they were good people who hadn't meant to hurt him. Steve was no longer close to his friend; however, he was happy for his ex-girlfriend and friend because they were expecting their first child.
Liz wondered if that was the reason that Steve had left Memphis. Steve made it clear that he had returned to Port Charles to take their grandfather's old position at the hospital and to be closer to Liz and Audrey. He had hoped that by sharing his experience with Liz, she would realize that the truth was best for everyone.
At the hospital, Patrick and Robin reviewed the charts of Robin's patients that Patrick would oversee while Robin and Emma visited Anna in London. Lisa joined them minutes later. Lisa was excited because she had successfully performed a complicated operation. Epiphany announced that she had another patient who was in need of delicate spinal surgery. Epiphany intended to call in another doctor to perform the operation, but Lisa insisted on taking the case.
Robin and Epiphany were concerned about Lisa doing back-to-back surgery, but Lisa claimed that she was up to the task. After Lisa walked away, Robin urged Patrick to check on Lisa to make certain that everything was going well. Patrick didn't think that it was necessary. Robin worried that Lisa might be in over her head because she was trying to prove something to Patrick.
Later, Robin approached Steve at the nurses' station while he reviewed some files. Steve was surprised that Robin wasn't on her way to London. Robin smiled as she confessed that she intended to leave as soon as she finished up some paperwork. As they talked about how much they enjoyed London, Steve glanced at a schedule. When he realized that Lisa was in the middle of a second operation without having taken a break, he stormed off to check on the patient.
As Patrick approached his wife, he passed Steve. He was curious why Steve was in such a hurry. Robin explained that Steve was upset because Lisa had elected to perform back-to-back operations. Patrick immediately jumped to the conclusion that Robin had sold out Lisa. Robin was offended by Patrick's unflattering assumption, but she refused to correct his mistake.
When Steve and Lisa left the operating room, Steve informed Lisa that she was never to operate on patients back-to-back when there was another surgeon available. Patrick was quick to defend Lisa.
Michael arrived at Greystone Manor to announce that Carly and Jax had changed their minds about leaving town. Sonny also had news; the police might have found Claudia's body in the warehouse.
Later, Michael sat at Pozzulo's, deep in thought, until Kristina entered. Kristina was curious why Michael had skipped school. She reminded her brother that blowing off school was not a good idea. Michael didn't seem too concerned about it. He was confident that Sonny would understand. Kristina's bitterness was evident as she began ranting about their father. When she accused Sonny of being a murderer, Michael yelled at her to shut her mouth
As the siblings screamed at each other, Dominic entered the restaurant. Dominic was disgusted by the way Michael was treating Kristina; he ordered Michael to never yell at a girl like that. Michael backed down, but he continued to seethe with anger. After Kristina marched out, Michael warned Dominic to remember his place. Michael claimed that Dominic was an outsider who had no business sticking his nose in Corinthos family matters.
Jason arrived at Greystone Manor to update Sonny about Franco. Sonny was frustrated because Franco had managed to gain the upper hand and then flee town. However, Sonny conceded that Franco had prevailed because he'd had three months to study Jason, whereas had Jason only had a short period of time to get to know his enemy. Sonny decided that he and Jason needed to focus on damage control and getting back to business.
Jason realized that Sonny didn't understand that Franco continued to remain a threat. Jason explained that Franco had made it clear that for every person that Jason had killed, Franco would take an innocent life. Sonny was confident that the threat had merely been an attempt to get under Jason's skin. Carly chose that moment to enter. When she heard Sonny's comment, she informed him, "If anyone is being played by Franco, Sonny, it's you."
Carly insisted that everything had worked out because Sam and Lulu had escaped unharmed. Jason informed Carly that Sam had never been in danger because Franco had known that Jason would race to save Sam. Franco had intended for Jason to live with the regret of not saving Lulu. Carly didn't think it mattered, since Lulu had survived. However, Carly suggested that perhaps Jason needed some time off to regroup.
Sonny explained that they didn't have the luxury of taking time off. Sonny revealed that a body had been found in the warehouse. Sonny was certain that it was Claudia, which meant that they would have to work together to keep the police from figuring out that Michael had killed her.
At the Jacks residence, Jason realized that Carly had asked him to drive her home because she wanted to get Jason away from Sonny. Carly didn't deny it; she was concerned about Jason. Carly refused to allow Jason to blame himself for the things that Franco had done. Carly pointed out that everything had worked out for Sam and Lulu, so Franco had failed. Jason disagreed; Franco had been correct to suggest that he and Jason were alike.
Jason explained that Franco was incapable of having true emotions, so Franco was all about experiencing the moment. Jason admitted that he felt most alive when he was taking risks. Jason acknowledged that he had taken lives, just like Franco. Carly clarified that Jason had always had his reasons for the things that he had done. She insisted that she, and others, had seen the good in Jason. According to Carly, that was Jason's true strength. She didn't think that Franco could possibly compete with that.
At Pozzulo's, Dominic reprimanded Michael for mistreating Kristina. Dominic realized that Michael tended to get away with murder, but he didn't think that Sonny would have approved of how Michael had behaved toward Kristina. Michael shot back that he knew that Dominic had grown up without a father, so Dominic couldn't possibly understand the relationship between Michael and Sonny. Dominic ignored the insult.
Dominic understood Michael's desire to be like Sonny; he freely admitted that Sonny had a lot of good qualities. However, Dominic suggested that Michael should find someone else's footsteps to follow in. Dominic didn't think that Sonny would want Michael to take the same path that Sonny had. Michael feigned surprise and then promised to make sure that Sonny knew that Dominic had such a low opinion of his boss.
Dominic encouraged Michael to tell Sonny what they had discussed. He added that Michael should also include the part about how Michael had yelled at Kristina. Michael was curious what Dominic would do if Michael chose not to tell Sonny about his argument with Kristina. Michael was confident that Sonny would believe his son over the "hired help."
Johnny paid Olivia a visit at work. Olivia admitted that she had been worried because he hadn't returned any of her calls. Johnny explained that he had been at the police station and had been hoping to discover if the body that they had found in the bombed-out warehouse was Claudia. Johnny had been advised to go through proper channels. He was disappointed to realize that he didn't have any friends in the department.
Olivia confessed that she was concerned. Johnny wondered if she was worried about him, or if she was afraid that they would find proof that Sonny had killed Claudia. "We can only hope," Jax responded as he entered the office. Johnny decided that Jax's arrival was his cue to leave. Johnny was surprised when Jax offered Johnny his condolences. Jax confessed that he knew what it was like to have a troubled sibling, thanks to Jerry.
After Johnny's departure, Jax observed that Johnny appeared to be hurting. Olivia accused Jax of practically gloating at the prospect of Sonny's arrest for Claudia's murder. Jax explained that he had spent the previous evening preparing to leave town with his family because of Franco. Olivia was stunned to hear about Carly's kidnapping. Jax assured her that everyone was fine. However, Jax decided that he couldn't keep lying to Carly. He intended to tell Carly that he knew the truth about Dante, but not until after Sonny's arrest.
When Jax arrived home, he found Carly in the living room, surrounded by boxes that had been delivered a short time earlier. She was curious if the boxes were late Christmas presents or early Valentine's Day gifts. Jax promised, "All will be revealed soon." Carly realized that Jax was trying to distract her from her troubles.
Carly confided to Jax that Claudia's body had been found in the warehouse where Lulu had been held captive. She worried that the police would eventually get their hands on the pictures that Franco had taken of Michael standing over Claudia's body. Jax promised Carly that they would get through their latest crisis.
A short time later, Michael and Morgan arrived home. Jax and Carly happily announced that they had planned a ski vacation for the family. Morgan was excited, but Michael decided that he should stay home because the police had recently picked him up for drinking and driving. Carly explained to Michael that it wasn't up to him to decide what his punishment should be. Jax revealed that if Michael didn't intend to join them, then there was no point in going on a family vacation. Morgan and Carly sided with Jax, so Michael relented.
At the morgue, Dante tried to get confirmation that Claudia's body had been found. Dante was frustrated when he was told that it was classified information. Johnny arrived moments later. Dante confessed that he had tried to find out if the police had identified the body. Johnny responded, "Save it, Detective Falconeri." Dante's eyes rounded, but he recovered quickly.
Dante pulled Johnny into a private room and then demanded to know how Johnny had discovered Dante's true identity. Johnny admitted that he had overheard Dante and Lulu talking. Dante was curious what Johnny intended to do with the information. Johnny wasn't interested in exposing Dante to Sonny; he wanted Dante to continue with his plans to take down Sonny. Dante was hopeful that Claudia's autopsy would provide him with the means. Johnny didn't find any comfort in the knowledge that his sister seemed to be of more use dead than alive.
Later, Dante was surprised to see Johnny sitting at a table in Pozzulo's. Johnny warned Dante not to mistake their relationship for friendship merely because they had the same agenda. Before Dante could respond, Spinelli entered the restaurant, looking for Jason. Spinelli had been monitoring the Port Charles Police Department's mainframe. The preliminary autopsy report confirmed that the body found in the warehouse was indeed Claudia. Spinelli revealed that she had died from blunt force trauma to the head.
At Crimson, Sam wanted to know whom Lucky would have saved if he had been forced to choose between Liz and Lulu. Sam thought that Lulu had a right to know. Lucky couldn't believe that Sam would ask him that question. He explained that it wasn't the same situation that Jason had faced. Sam didn't have children who would wonder where their mother was. The painful reminder of her childless state hurt Sam. Lulu was stunned by her brother's cruel words.
Lucky realized that he had gone too far. He apologized for opening old wounds. Lucky acknowledged that it had been unfair of him to throw the loss of Sam's child in her face. Sam appreciated Lucky's remorse. Lulu pointed out that Sam had no idea that the bomb hadn't been real, so the terror had been just as real for Sam as it had been for Lulu. Lulu suggested that the person Lucky was truly mad at was Jason.
Shortly after Sam and Lucky left, Maxie arrived at Crimson. Maxie dropped an expensive purse on Lulu's desk. Lulu recognized Maxie's favorite handbag; she was curious why Maxie was giving it to her. Maxie confessed that she felt guilty because Franco had kidnapped Lulu when he hadn't found Maxie at work.
Jason was waiting for Lucky in the interrogation room at the Port Charles Police Station. Lucky was in a surly mood when he entered the room. He accused Jason of not respecting him because Jason had lied to him for months about Jake. Jason was a glaring reminder that Lucky had a bad habit of trusting the wrong people. Lucky claimed that his trust in Jason had nearly cost Lulu her life.
Lucky resented how Jason had pretended that his relationship with Liz had been platonic, when in reality, Jason had been trying to steal Lucky's wife. Lucky seemed to realize that he was behaving inappropriately, so he decided to remove himself from the case. Lucky informed Jason that another police officer would contact Jason to question him about the events surrounding Sam and Lulu's kidnapping. As Lucky prepared to leave, Jason stopped him.
Jason apologized for lying to Lucky about his relationship with Liz. Jason respected Lucky and said he would always be grateful that Lucky was a wonderful father to Jake. Jason acknowledged that the incident with Franco had driven home the fact that Jake was safe with Lucky. Lucky assured Jason that he loved Jake as his own.
Lucky returned to Crimson to check on Lulu. He apologized for his earlier outburst with Sam. Lucky confessed that he had unloaded on Jason, but the situation with Sam and Lulu was only part of the reason. Lucky reminded Lulu of the months that she had known the truth about Jake but hadn't told Lucky because she had been worried that he would relapse. Lucky was curious if Lulu was hiding anything else because of the same fear. Lulu found the question odd, but she assured him that she wasn't keeping any secrets from him.
Lucky wondered if Lulu knew that Nikolas was in love with Liz. Lulu was stunned by the news. She was curious where he had gotten the idea that Nikolas loved Liz. Lucky revealed that he had overheard Nikolas confess his feelings to Liz. Lucky admitted that he felt betrayed. Lulu insisted that it didn't make sense. According to Lulu, Nikolas didn't have a prayer with Liz because she was in love with Lucky.
Nikolas went to Liz's house to talk to her about their relationship. He confessed that it had given him hope when she had persuaded him not to leave town. His spirits plummeted when Lucky had shown up at Wyndemere to confront Nikolas. Nikolas had realized that Liz had given Lucky the impression that Nikolas' love for Liz was one-sided. Liz apologized; she realized that the right thing would be to tell Lucky that she had slept with Nikolas, but she couldn't do it. Liz realized that she would lose Lucky if she did.
Nikolas was confused because Liz had admitted that she was in love with Nikolas. Nikolas insisted that things could not continue as they had been. Nikolas pleaded with Liz to let go of the past so that they could have a chance for a future together. Liz realized that she was sending mixed signals, but she insisted that she wanted a life with Lucky. Nikolas argued that Liz wasn't being fair to Lucky. He believed that Lucky deserved to be with a woman who loved Lucky completely.
Liz didn't want to hurt anyone, but she insisted that she wanted a family with Lucky and the boys. Nikolas pointed out that her relationship with Lucky was based on lies. He didn't understand how that could be good for anyone. Liz suggested that perhaps it was time for Nikolas to leave, but Nikolas ignored her. He warned Liz that what they felt for each other would not go away simply because Liz willed it.
Nikolas reminded Liz about Emily's marriage to Zander. Nikolas admitted that he hadn't exactly been Zander's friend, but he had seen what Emily's lies had done to Zander. Nikolas explained that what had hurt Zander the most had been the realization that Emily hadn't loved her husband.
Liz admitted that if she looked at her situation objectively, she'd agree that Lucky deserved someone better than her. However, she couldn't imagine her life without Lucky. Liz credited Lucky with saving her after she had been brutally raped. Nikolas pointed out that Liz was talking about gratitude, not love. Nikolas believed that his brother wouldn't want her to be with him simply because she was grateful.
Nikolas insisted that he was in love with her. Liz acknowledged that she was in love with Nikolas, but she added that she was also in love with Lucky. Liz made it clear that she intended to marry Lucky. Nikolas seemed exasperated.
Sam bumped into Spinelli in an alleyway. Spinelli was busy spray-painting over Franco's graffiti. Spinelli took the opportunity to let Sam know that he was happy that she had survived her ordeal with Franco. Sam confided that not everyone felt the same. According to Sam, some people believed that Jason should have saved Lulu and left Sam to fend for herself. Spinelli realized that Jason had faced a difficult choice, but what mattered was that all had ended well.
Sam was curious what Spinelli was doing. Spinelli explained that they had the power to decide what direction Franco's artwork took them in. They could either move forward or allow it to pull them apart. Spinelli had decided to move forward. Sam liked the idea, so she picked up a can of spray paint and went to work covering up Franco's graffiti.
Later, Maxie encountered Spinelli hard at work on one of Franco's tags. She admitted that she was tired of everything being about Franco. Maxie was eager for a change of scenery, so she grabbed Spinelli's hand and led him away from the alley.
Jason drove up on his motorcycle as Sam was repainting one of Franco's CO77X tags. She explained that it had been Spinelli's idea. Jason felt terrible that Sam had been dragged into the mess with Franco. Sam didn't want Jason to blame himself; according to her, Jason had been as much of a victim as Sam had been. Jason disagreed. He was disappointed in himself because he hadn't understood the rules of Franco's game until it was almost too late.
Sam hugged Jason as she thanked him for choosing to save her life. Jason confessed that it really hadn't been a choice. Sam was touched. Moments later, Jason invited Sam to go for a ride with him on his motorcycle.
At the hospital, Lisa thanked Patrick for defending her when Steve had taken her to task for performing back-to-back surgeries. Patrick was disappointed that she hadn't offered to buy him a beer as she had done in the past to show her appreciation. Lisa smiled as she promised to buy Patrick a draft beer at Jake's. She joked that she might even ask Coleman to serve it in a sippy cup.
Patrick warned her not to knock the sippy cup, since they were spillproof. Lisa remarked that she could have used the cups "back in the day." She wondered if he had any idea how many tops she had ruined doing body shots. Patrick immediately replied "34." Lisa was stunned that he had kept count. Patrick grew serious as he told her that none of them deserved to have someone looking over their shoulder while they were in surgery.
Patrick insisted that their judgment was their greatest asset; they needed to decide for themselves if they could handle back-to-back operations. Lisa agreed. Robin overheard their exchange as she approached the nurses' station. Robin warned Patrick to "cut it out," because she knew what was really going on. Lisa seemed nervous, while Patrick appeared confused.
Robin announced that Patrick had not defended Lisa out of the goodness of his heart. According to Robin, Patrick had argued the right for a doctor to perform back-to-back operations so that Patrick would be able to schedule three consecutive operations, if the need arose. Lisa stepped away while Robin and Patrick argued.
Robin suddenly began smiling moments later. Patrick wondered what she found so amusing. Robin confessed that he had a habit of tilting his head a certain way when he was mad; Emma had the same quirk. Patrick immediately melted. As Lisa watched, Patrick and Robin made up and then kissed. Lisa's smile disappeared.
Later, Lisa asked Patrick if everything was okay between him and Robin. Patrick confided, "Robin has an amazing ability to always be right when it comes to me." Patrick was delighted to see his family as they stepped off of the elevator. Lisa smirked and rolled her eyes as she watched Patrick say goodbye to his wife and daughter before they left for the airport to fly to London.
Jax and Carly arrived at the ski cabin with the kids in tow. Everyone was eager to go skiing except Carly. Carly announced that she would rather relax in front of the fire while she read a book. Jax and the boys needled her about being afraid to ski. Carly decided to prove them wrong, so she donned her ski outfit. As they left for the slopes, Jax promised to teach his wife how to ski.
When Carly and her family returned to the cabin, Carly admitted that she had enjoyed the experience. Carly was confident that she was ready for the "Black Diamond." Jax reminded Carly she'd only had one lesson. Carly didn't care; she was certain that she could conquer any hill. Morgan fetched Josslyn while Michael offered to get some wood for the fire. Michael stopped short when he returned to the cabin. While Carly sat on the sofa, cooing to Josslyn, Michael had flashbacks of Claudia's violent death.
Dante went to Olivia's to talk to her about Johnny. Dante was furious that Olivia had not warned him that Johnny knew that he was an undercover police officer. Dante angrily demanded, "Where are your priorities?" Johnny entered the living room to defend Olivia. Olivia explained that she was stuck in the middle. There were people on both sides that she loved.
Dante wasn't satisfied; he couldn't understand how his mother could have sent him into the "lion's den" without any kind of warning. Dante sarcastically thanked her for protecting him. Johnny reminded Dante that they had the same agenda where Sonny was concerned, so Dante's secret remained safe. However, the real reason that Johnny hadn't told everyone about Dante was because he respected Olivia. Olivia suggested that Dante should be grateful to Johnny.
Dante stared at his mother with a look of disbelief; he resented Olivia for putting him in a position where he was expected to feel indebted to her boyfriend. Olivia didn't appreciate Dante's attitude, especially when he waved his finger in her face. Olivia ordered Dante to get out of her apartment and not return until he could speak to her in a civil tone. Disgusted, Dante left.
Olivia thanked Johnny for defending her. She confessed that no one had ever done that for her. Johnny advised Olivia to prepare herself because it was only a matter of time before Dante arrested Sonny. Olivia was worried that Sonny would retaliate. Johnny agreed that it was a possibility. Olivia insisted that she had tried to stop Dante from being the one to take down Sonny. When she had failed, she had convinced herself that Sonny would show her some compassion by sparing her son.
Johnny reminded Olivia that Sonny and Claudia had shared a child. In the end, Sonny hadn't shown Claudia any mercy. Johnny accused Sonny of being a vindictive man who would feel betrayed by Dante. It wouldn't make a difference to Sonny that Dante was Olivia's son.
Mac went to Pozzulo's to confirm to Sonny that the body recovered from the warehouse bombing was Claudia. Mac also revealed that Claudia had been murdered. Mac advised Sonny that the CSI team was collecting evidence to identify Claudia's killer; he found it ironic that Claudia would have the last word. It didn't escape Mac's notice that Sonny didn't seem surprised by the news. Mac was curious why Sonny didn't have anything to say.
Sonny claimed that it gave him comfort to know that Claudia had been found because it provided him with closure. Sonny freely admitted that he hadn't loved Claudia; however, he had liked her. Mac wondered, if that were true, why he had called Claudia out in such a public manner. Sonny shrugged as he admitted that he had been angry at the time. According to Sonny, "It happens." Mac remained skeptical. Sonny didn't think that Mac had any room to be judgmental because of Mac's history.
Sonny pointed out that Mac and Felicia had seemed like the perfect couple, but their marriage had crumbled. Sonny suggested that looks could be deceiving. Sonny and Claudia might have seemed incompatible, but they had been well matched. Mac was curious if Sonny wanted Claudia's killer found. Sonny innocently asked, "Why wouldn't I?"
Dante entered Ronnie's hospital room. He wondered if Ronnie had heard anything about Claudia's autopsy results beyond the cause of death. Ronnie admitted, "Not so far." Dante was curious why he and Ronnie were being kept out of the loop. Ronnie suspected that someone would contact them soon. Dante worried that the autopsy might not have yielded any forensics evidence. Dante questioned if they had enough circumstantial evidence for a case against Sonny.
Dante reminded Ronnie that they had a witness who could testify that Sonny had been seen on the night of Claudia's murder, wearing a shirt covered in blood. Ronnie pointed out that the shirt had been burned, as had the cabin where the murder had taken place. Dante realized that they needed DNA evidence in order to prove that Sonny had killed Claudia. Dante and Ronnie were startled when Sonny suddenly appeared in the doorway.
Both men relaxed when it became clear that Sonny had not overheard their conversation. Sonny explained that he had stopped by to check on Ronnie. Sonny appreciated that Ronnie was a loyal soldier; he didn't intend to forget it. Ronnie thanked Sonny for his consideration. As Sonny prepared to leave, he asked Dominic to drop by the office later that day.
After Sonny left, Dante wondered how Sonny could be cold and ruthless in business, yet take the time to check on a low-level guy. Ronnie warned Dante to be careful. Ronnie didn't want Dante to make the same mistake that Ronnie had made with Franco. Dante assured Ronnie that he was committed to the investigation until the bitter end.
When Dominic arrived at Sonny's office, Sonny explained that something seemed off about Ronnie's hit-and-run. Sonny suspected that Ronnie might have more information about Franco that they could use to their advantage. Sonny intended to frame "Freaky Franco" for the murder; he believed that Franco was the perfect fall guy because of his recent crime spree. Sonny wanted Ronnie to tell the police that Franco had confessed to murdering Claudia.
Mac entered the lead CSI's office to hand Sly a court order to seal the autopsy and forensics results. Sly revealed that the splinters from the murder weapon had matched the samples taken from the burned-out cabin. Sly advised Mac that they had also recovered some hair samples from Claudia's body that belonged to the killer.
At Kelly's, Patrick invited Lisa to scrub in with him for a challenging operation later that day. Lisa appreciated the invite, but she had to decline because she expected a delivery of new furniture for her apartment. Later, Lisa was surprised to find Patrick knocking on her door. Patrick explained that the surgery had been cancelled, so he had decided to help her move furniture. As the two worked, Patrick confessed that Robin was picky about the placement of their furniture.
Lisa claimed that she didn't care where her sofa was as long as it faced the television and she was able to dump her stuff on it when she walked through the door. A short while later, Lisa admitted that she didn't like where her bookcase was positioned. As she talked, Lisa stepped back from the bookcase and then ended up tumbling into Patrick's lap as he sat on the sofa. Patrick chuckled as he teased her about not being graceful.
Outside of Kelly's, Kristina confessed to Kiefer that she was thankful for teacher in-service days. She couldn't wait until they went to the movies. Kiefer confessed that there had been a change of plans; his parents were out of town, so they had the house to themselves. Kristina's smile faded. She had been looking forward to the movie. Kiefer assured her that they could watch it when it was released on DVD. Kristina admitted that she would like to have an actual date with him.
Kiefer's good mood soured as he asked, "Where's this coming from?" Kiefer reminded Kristina that he had been there for her, even after she had been flirting with Ethan. Kristina explained that she wanted their relationship to be about more than a "hook-up." Furious, Kiefer grabbed Kristina's arms and then began to shake her while he berated her. Ethan suddenly loomed behind Kiefer. In an instant, Ethan pulled Kiefer away from Kristina. Ethan didn't intend to warn Kiefer again to keep his hands off of Kristina.
Kiefer resented Ethan's interference. Kiefer insisted that everything was fine, but Kristina disagreed; she was not fine. Kiefer was livid as he turned to Kristina to snap, "Congratulations. You just got yourself rescued from me." As Kiefer stormed off, Ethan told Kristina that she didn't have to put up with Kiefer's mistreatment. Kristina explained that Kiefer was jealous of Ethan. Ethan appeared perplexed by the suggestion, prompting Kristina to add, "I know, it's dumb."
Kristina assured Ethan that Kiefer was a decent guy, but Ethan didn't agree. Ethan claimed that Kristina could have her pick of guys; she was smart and beautiful. Kristina was surprised by the compliment. Ethan assured her that he meant it. According to Ethan, any guy would be lucky to be with a girl like Kristina. Kristina and Ethan went into Kelly's to talk further. Ethan was curious why Kristina put up with Kiefer.
Kristina confessed that she had always dreamed about dating someone like Kiefer. Kristina considered Kiefer to be a good-looking, popular, and goal-oriented person from old money. Kristina had believed that a boyfriend like Kiefer would change everything. She conceded that things had changed, just not in the way that she had anticipated. Ethan advised Kristina to end things with Kiefer, but she didn't think that she could. Ethan wished that he could help her in some way. Kristina brightened as she announced that he could; she wanted Ethan to teach her how to play poker.
Lulu went to the hospital to talk to Liz. Liz explained that she was on her way to check on a patient. Lulu didn't care; she insisted that what she had to say was more important. Lulu revealed that Lucky had told her that Nikolas was in love with Liz. Liz didn't want to discuss it with Lulu; she reminded Lulu that it wasn't any of her business. Lulu disagreed; she claimed that Lucky had made it her business when he demanded to know if Lulu had been keeping anything from him. Lulu clarified that she was concerned about Lucky, not Liz's feelings.
Lulu wanted to know if there was more to Nikolas' newfound feelings for Liz. Lulu was worried that history was repeating itself, except with Nikolas rather than Jason. Liz insisted that the situations were completely different. Lulu confessed that she had never pictured Liz as the "femme fatale" type. Liz was taken aback when Lulu suddenly demanded to know if Liz was pregnant. Liz quickly denied it. Lulu was relieved. However, Lulu decided that Liz had sent Nikolas the wrong signals. According to Lulu, Liz was in a mess of her own making.
Nikolas was surprised when Steve opened Liz's front door. Steve invited Nikolas inside as he explained that Liz had asked Steve to fix a plumbing issue that the boys had created with a toy soldier. Nikolas complimented Steve on the tactful reminder of Lucky and Liz's children. Steve admitted that he hadn't thought that Nikolas had intended to fall in love with Liz. Steve also confessed that he didn't envy Nikolas for the turmoil that Nikolas had to be dealing with.
Steve acknowledged that Liz appeared to be the love of Lucky's life, but he questioned if the same was true for Liz. Steve realized that it might be something that Lucky would eventually have to face. Nikolas blamed himself for the situation; he had relentlessly pursued Liz, something Lucky would not have done in a similar situation. Nikolas decided that it was time to leave. He asked Steve to tell Liz that he had dropped by but then changed his mind.
When Liz arrived home, Steve told her about Nikolas' visit. Liz was happy that Nikolas had had someone to talk to. Liz revealed that she'd had an ugly run-in with Lulu at the hospital. She couldn't imagine how others would react if they knew the truth about her affair with Nikolas. Liz admitted that she was tired of feeling guilty and wrong all the time.
Steve pointed out that they had been blessed and cursed with parents who were outwardly focused, overachieving people dedicated to saving the world. However, they had not been physically or emotionally available. As a result, their children had suffered for it, Liz most of all. As the youngest, Liz had been an unexpected surprise who had never had a true sense of security. Steve suspected that it was what had drawn Liz to Lucky.
Lucky loved Liz unconditionally, so Steve understood her desire to cling tightly to Lucky. However, he worried that Liz might be doing Lucky a disservice by being afraid to let go.
Lulu found Nikolas at Wyndemere. She told him that Lucky was furious because he suspected that she had been covering for Liz the way that she had covered when Liz had been involved with Jason. Nikolas insisted that, even if it were true, their situations were completely different. Lulu asked, "Are you and Liz reading from the same bad script?" Lulu was certain that Nikolas hadn't fallen in love without Liz's active participation.
At Lisa's apartment, an exhausted Patrick flopped down on the sofa while Lisa complained about the placement of her bookcase. As Lisa backed up, on the pretense of deciding where to put the bookcase, she stumbled. When Lisa landed on Patrick's lap, he tactfully eased her onto the sofa. The two laughed as he joked about her lack of grace. Moments later, Patrick suggested splitting a pizza. Lisa declined the invitation, which prompted Patrick to wonder if she had a date.
Patrick's interest was piqued when Lisa answered, "Sorta." Patrick wondered if she was expecting his brother. Lisa quickly clarified that she and Matt had decided to be friends. She then walked to the door to show Patrick out and claimed that she needed some down time. Patrick sensed that she was lying. Lisa admitted that she had recorded a NASCAR race that she was eager to watch. That snagged Patrick's interest, so Lisa invited him to stay.
Lisa closed the door while Patrick took a seat on the sofa. They discussed the Daytona 500, which was just around the corner. As Lisa started the recording, Patrick revealed that he had met racecar driver Jeff Burton at Jake's. Lisa didn't believe Patrick until Patrick confessed that he had made an "ass" out of himself in front of the famous driver. Lisa suggested that Patrick call Jeff Burton to see if he could score them some tickets to the Daytona 500.
Lisa was disappointed when Patrick declined the invitation to attend the race with her. He insisted that he simply didn't have the time to go to the speedway. After they finished watching the race, Lisa announced that she was officially ready for the Daytona 500. She made another attempt to persuade Patrick to join her on a road trip to see the race, but Patrick claimed that those days were over. Lisa couldn't believe how much Patrick had changed from the impulsive man she had known.
Patrick explained that spur-of-the-moment to him meant trying to appease Emma when she wanted something other than her peas. Lisa wondered if Patrick was happy with that kind of a life. Patrick assured her that he was. Lisa didn't believe him; she suspected that he protested a bit too much.
At the ski cabin, Michael had flashbacks of the moments leading up to Claudia's death. Carly noticed the troubled expression on Michael's face. She called out to Michael several times before he snapped out of it. Jax sensed that Carly and Michael needed some time alone, so he invited Morgan to go skiing. After Jax and Morgan left, Carly asked if Michael had been thinking about "that night." It didn't escape Michael's notice that Carly had trouble saying that he had killed Claudia.
Michael confessed that he been afraid that the cabin would trigger memories of the night that Claudia had died, which was why he had tried to back out of the family vacation. Carly suggested that Michael talk to a therapist. Michael pointed out that a therapist would be required to report the crime to the police. He decided that it would be best if he left. He had spotted Max following them earlier, so he intended to ask Max for a ride home.
Jax returned to the cabin a short time later. He explained that Morgan was at a snowboard lesson. Jax immediately noticed Michael's absence. Carly revealed that Max had picked up Michael because the cabin had reminded him of what had happened to Claudia. Jax wasn't surprised to hear that Max had been nearby; he'd caught a glimpse of Max on the slopes.
Carly was sad as she recalled how, as a child, Michael had pretended to be like Sonny. At the time, she had thought that it was cute, but she had never believed that Michael would actually grow up to be like his father. Jax tried to comfort his wife; he promised her that everything would be fine.
Jason entered the office as Sonny discussed with Dominic his plans to frame Franco for Claudia's death. "What?" Jason asked. "Look how many times we made the cops look like idiots," Sonny replied. Sonny was confident that the police would be motivated to bust a serial killer like Franco. Jason warned Sonny that it might be too dangerous to involve Franco.
Dominic took the opportunity to play devil's advocate. Dominic pointed out that the police might question why Ronnie hadn't stepped forward sooner. Sonny suggested that Ronnie could claim that he had been afraid after the hit-and-run, so he had waited until Franco had left town. Dominic argued that it might appear that Ronnie had made the story up as payback for the hit-and-run. Sonny wasn't concerned; he was certain that the police would be too eager to solve the crime.
Jason wanted to speak privately to Sonny, so Sonny dismissed Dominic with orders for him to talk to Ronnie about their plans. As soon as Dominic was gone, Jason insisted that it was a mistake to provoke Franco. Jason reminded Sonny that Franco had incriminating pictures of Michael, which Franco wouldn't hesitate to use. Jason thought that it would be best for everyone if Franco remained gone.
Sonny refused to listen; he was certain that the police would jump at the chance to arrest Franco. Sonny's first priority was to protect Michael, so framing Franco was their best option to close the investigation. Jason worried that it was too risky because Franco would see it as some kind of challenge. Sonny was curious if Jason had a better idea, because Sonny feared that Michael would never be able to handle a police interrogation. Sonny believed that Michael would end up confessing.
Jason suggested that Jax take Carly and the kids to Australia. Sonny argued that it would only be a short-term solution. Sonny wanted Jason to find another way to eliminate the threat to Michael. He instructed Jason to make it fast because Michael was running out of time. After Sonny left the office, Jason called Bernie. Jason ordered Bernie to check Franco's finances to see if there was a money trail to follow.
As Jason walked out of the office, Spinelli entered Pozzulo's. Jason ordered Spinelli to hack into the police department's mainframe in order to check for any possible evidence that might connect Michael to Claudia's death. While Spinelli worked, Jason filled him in on Sonny's plan for Franco. Spinelli confessed that the idea of Franco going to jail was appealing. Jason pointed out that involving Franco had its risks. Moments later, Spinelli discovered that the police had recovered a strand of hair from the burned-out cabin.
Lucky entered Sly's office, where Mac was waiting. Mac explained that he had asked Lucky to meet him so that he could update Lucky. Sly revealed that they had found a strand of hair in the floorboards of the burned-out cabin where Claudia had been killed. Sly and Mac suspected that the hair belonged to the killer. Lucky wondered how they would be able to do a DNA match. Mac was confident that anyone they asked would readily volunteer a DNA sample if they were innocent.
Sly cautioned Lucky and Mac that there had been a lot of people who had stayed at the cabin over the years. There was a possibility that the strand of hair belonged to someone who wasn't connected to the murder. Lucky suggested that perhaps it might also lead them to a suspect they hadn't considered.
A short time later, Dante stopped by to talk to Mac about Claudia's case. Dante revealed that Michael might have information about Claudia's murder. Dante believed that Michael was ready to talk to someone about what had happened on the night that Claudia had been killed. Mac wanted to proceed with caution because of Michael's age. Dante agreed; he admitted that he hated using a son against his father.
Michael showed up at the morgue and asked to see Claudia's body. Sonny walked in moments later. When Sonny spotted Michael, he demanded to know what Michael was doing in town. Michael simply stated that he had returned early. Sly informed Michael and Sonny that no one could see Claudia until the autopsy was completed. After Sly walked away, Michael wondered what they could learn from an autopsy.
Sonny explained that an autopsy would only reveal how Claudia had died, not that an axe had been used to kill her. Neither Michael nor Sonny realized that Dante lurked nearby, eavesdropping on their conversation.
At Wyndemere, Nikolas took full responsibility for what had happened with Liz. Lulu couldn't understand why Nikolas would want to wreck Lucky's life by pursuing Liz. She realized that Nikolas had been a mess since Emily had died, so she suggested that a long vacation might help. Nikolas was surprised that Lulu wanted him to leave town.
Lulu explained that Liz appeared to enjoy being stuck between two brothers. She assured Nikolas that she wasn't choosing Lucky over Nikolas, but she didn't want Nikolas to destroy his life the way that Stefan had when he had fallen in love with Laura. Nikolas confided that he had already considered leaving town; he didn't see any reason not to follow through with those plans. Lulu wondered where Nikolas intended to go. He revealed that he would take Spencer to Paris so that they could spend some time with Laura.
Lulu thought it was a wonderful idea; she was certain their mother would enjoy being close to Spencer and Nikolas. However, she cautioned Nikolas not to tell Laura about the rift between him and Lucky. Nikolas assured Lulu that he wouldn't. Lulu thought that it was for the best that Nikolas leave town. She was certain that time would help them all to heal. Nikolas asked Lulu not to blame Liz or to pass judgment. Lulu promised that she would try.
Steve and Liz sat in her living room and talked about her situation with Nikolas and Lucky. Liz believed that if Emily had lived, everything would have been different. Liz was certain that she would have been happily married to Lucky. "Are you sure of that?" Steve asked. Liz seemed surprised by the question. Steve doubted that Liz's life would have been as idyllic as she imagined.
Liz admitted that Nikolas had taken her by surprise. She had never felt the kind of passion, need, and obsession that she felt with Nikolas. She conceded that she felt those things for Lucky, but not as intensely. Steve realized that Liz had not had it easy growing up. Their parents had been too busy healing the world to pay attention to their youngest child, which was why Liz had ended up living with their grandmother. Steve explained that true passion was unexpected and drove people to do things that they could never imagine.
Liz was determined to make things right. She realized that she had developed a pattern of sabotaging things with Lucky every time they grew close, first with Jason and then with Nikolas. Steve wondered what it said about her relationship with Lucky if she had to shut down a part of herself in order to be with him. Steve didn't see any way for Liz to avoid hurting someone, so he advised her to follow her gut instincts. A knock at the door heralded Lucky's arrival. Steve left moments later.
Lucky revealed that he had confronted Nikolas. Liz was curious what Nikolas had said. Lucky admitted that Nikolas had claimed that he had never meant to fall in love with Liz or to hurt Lucky. Liz assured Lucky that it was true. Lucky was disgusted; he realized that Luke had seen the truth all along. Lucky decided to cut Nikolas out of his life. When Liz began apologizing, Lucky demanded to know why she was always telling him that she was sorry.
Liz insisted that she had never intended to cause problems between Lucky and Nikolas. She assured Lucky that Nikolas loved him. Lucky wondered why she was defending Nikolas, but then he apologized. He realized that he was unfairly taking his anger out on her. Lucky was determined to focus on the future and their life together. Before Liz could respond, the phone rang. It was Nikolas. Nikolas had called to let Liz know that he was leaving town for good. Nikolas disconnected the call before Liz could respond.
After Lucky left, Audrey called to explain that she had decided to take Cameron and Jake to the zoo. Audrey promised to drop the boys off in a few hours. After Liz ended the call with her grandmother, she gathered her purse and keys then left the house.
Lucky bumped into Lulu outside of Kelly's. Lulu told Lucky that Nikolas had decided to move to Paris with Spencer. Lucky hoped that Nikolas didn't intend to drag Laura into the mess that Nikolas had created. Lulu suggested that Lucky cut Nikolas some slack. She assured Lucky that Nikolas was trying to do the right thing. Lulu urged Lucky to at least say goodbye before Nikolas left town.
Liz found Nikolas in the turret room. Nikolas told her about his plans to fly to Paris with Spencer. He didn't want Liz to punish herself for what had happened; he wanted her to have a good life with Lucky. Liz wished that things could have been different. It wasn't fair that he had to leave. In a moment of desperation, Nikolas begged Liz to run away to Paris with him. He promised that they could start over and have a wonderful life together.
Liz looked at Nikolas with sadness in her eyes. Nikolas understood that Liz was turning him down. They stared at each other for several moments and then Liz stepped forward to give Nikolas one last hug and a kiss goodbye on his cheek. As Liz started to walk away, Nikolas reached for her hand. Liz hesitated, but then she went into Nikolas' arms.
Lucky arrived and found Alfred closing up Wyndemere. When he asked Alfred where Nikolas was, Alfred directed Lucky to the turret room. Alfred had no idea that Liz was with Nikolas.
As Lucky approached the turret room, he heard voices. Inside, Liz and Nikolas exchanged heated kisses as they tore off each other's clothes. Liz begged Nikolas to promise her that he would find happiness. Nikolas vowed to try. As Liz and Nikolas declared their love for each other, Lucky looked into the room. Lucky's confusion turned to disbelief when he saw Nikolas and Liz about to make love.
