Elizabeth was asleep in bed until Franco started to kiss her. He wanted to make sure the previous night had not been a dream, and she agreed. Elizabeth had to go to work, but Franco implored her to call out. He didn't want to leave the bed, which made her wonder what was wrong. He told her that he was worried about "screwing up." He didn't want to prove the naysayers right. Elizabeth knew there would be risks and that both of them would mess up at some point, but she believed that they were strong enough to work though anything together.

Just then, Aiden called out for Elizabeth and barged into the bedroom. Elizabeth promised to make breakfast "soon." He asked Franco if he was hurt, and Franco pointed to his injuries. He told Aiden that Elizabeth was helping to patch him up. Aiden wondered if the two were "boyfriend and girlfriend." Franco started to explain, but Elizabeth said simply, "Yes we are. How do you feel about that?" Aiden answered that he wanted waffles for breakfast and ran out of the room. Elizabeth collapsed on the bed in relief.

Michael helped Hayden clean up after the hospital board meeting. Hayden was happy to have Michael on the board because she believed that he was the "progressive CEO" she needed to help "guide the transition." Brad appeared in the hallway and wondered if the board had voted to sell the hospital. Hayden couldn't disclose what had been discussed in the meeting but informed him that she still had a few weeks to help the hospital turn things around. He walked away, and Hayden confided in Michael that she knew what expense she could cut in order to keep the hospital afloat. "What's the catch?" Michael questioned.

Finn emptied out his pain pills and saw that he only had a few left. As he got them back into the bottle, Carly enthusiastically approached him, followed by Bobbie. She couldn't believe that she didn't see him more often, since he lived in her hotel, but Lucas informed her that Finn could be a Nobel Prize candidate for finding a cure for Blackwood's syndrome. Finn remembered asking if Sonny could provide him with more of his drug, and he asked Carly how Sonny was doing. Finn thought he should visit Sonny.

Hayden and Michael appeared down the hall, and Carly went on about what a bad decision it had been on Monica's part to hire Hayden. Lucas tried to quiet his sister, but she didn't stop. Hayden and Michael approached the group, and she and Finn each put an arm around the other, much to Carly's shock. Michael updated Carly on his new spot on the board. Carly stated that she would never forgive Hayden for what she'd done to Jason, but she appreciated any good that Hayden did for the hospital.

Hayden appreciated Carly's words. Carly added that there would be "hell to pay" if Hayden hurt Michael or anyone else she cared about. Hayden promised to do everything she could. Hayden and Michael had to go over the hospital's financial records, but Carly reminded Michael that he was supposed to help her and Sonny with the legal paperwork for Morgan's foundation. She told him to help the hospital, and she would just call Nelle. Bobbie rolled her eyes at the mention of Nelle.

While meeting with Michael, Hayden wondered if he saw another solution to their problem. Michael suggested that they "trim" something else. However, Hayden believed that the only way to keep the hospital going was to cut personnel, "including nurses."

Nelle sat and played with the baby rattle as she listened to her recording of Sonny admitting to sleeping with her. Just then, there was a knock on the door, and Nelle scrambled to stop the recording and hide the rattle. She opened the door to Felicia, whose arms were filled with bags of her interior designing supplies. She talked about themes and influences for rooms and asked Nelle to share a little about herself in order to figure out how Nelle's room should be themed. Nelle wanted no part of her bad memories, so Felicia suggested a "fresh start."

Felicia also suggested no floral décor in the bedroom so that Nelle's "man" could feel comfortable there. Nelle denied having a boyfriend and made the relationship sound very casual. Felicia asked Nelle for a glass of water, so Nelle went to the kitchen. When Nelle was gone, Felicia looked through the desk drawers and found nothing. She was going to open the jewelry box until she saw a pink bag sitting on the table. She looked at the expensive bra inside. When Nelle returned, Felicia jumped and knocked the bag over.

Felicia took the water and observed that Nelle seemed to prefer "clean lines." Just then, Carly called Nelle, asking for her help and to meet at Sonny's. Nelle promised to be right there and hung up the phone. Felicia left her supplies in order to go over them "next time," and she left. Nelle noticed the bag knocked over and took out the bra.

At the hospital, Finn popped a pain pill, and Brad asked how Finn's pain was. Finn recognized that Brad had an ulterior motive for asking the question. Suspecting that he might soon be out of a job, Brad wanted "co-credit" for the cure in exchange for his silence about Finn's lies. Finn accused Brad of being wrong, but Brad wondered if they had a deal. Just then, Lucas approached, and Finn took the opportunity to leave. Once gone, Finn popped another pill.

Lucas wondered what Brad and Finn had been talking about. "It sounded like you're blackmailing him," Lucas observed. Brad said that Lucas had misheard, and he wrote off the tense conversation as taking out his worries about the hospital on Finn. Lucas thought that the tone of Brad's voice had sounded a lot like he had in the past, but he accepted Brad's explanation. Lucas' beeper went off, and he left.

At the hospital, Bobbie got into the same elevator that Felicia was in, and she stopped the elevator once the doors closed. Felicia disclosed that Nelle seemed to be lying about her boyfriend. However, Felicia thought that there had to be a guy because of the expensive new bra she'd found still in the bag.

Curtis sat in his car and watched Julian go into an herb shop called Ko Shing. He aimed the long-range camera through the window, but Julian closed the blinds before Olivia emerged. Julian demanded to know what his sister wanted. Outside, Curtis put on the headphones and pointed the listening device toward the window, but Olivia turned music on at that moment. Curtis could only hear music.

Olivia answered that she wanted Julian to suffer for what he'd done to her. Julian suggested that, instead of threatening his family, she could be a part of his family. He wondered why she wanted him to buy the hospital. He went to turn off the music, but she told him not to. She claimed that condos in place of the hospital would give her a place to live. He offered to buy her one of the buildings by the waterfront, but she replied that "it has to be General Hospital."

Julian asked why Olivia had to have the hospital. She claimed that she had fond memories there, but Julian knew that she had nothing but bad memories from the entire town. He demanded to know why she'd even returned, but she shot back that the answer to that was "above your pay grade." He wanted to know what would happen if he was unsuccessful in buying the hospital.

Olivia walked over to her computer and showed Julian footage from the hospital security cameras. She saw Lucas and Brad and thought about sending someone after them. "I get it," he said. "If it's GH you want, then it's GH you get," he added, wondering if she'd "lay off" his family. "We'll see," she replied.

Jason arrived at Sonny's and made a beeline for Sam, who was already there. Jason informed Sonny that all the equipment had been set up, so the investigation would soon be over. Jason wanted to say goodbye to Danny before Sam and Danny went to the safe house, but Sam concluded that they weren't going. Sonny told Sam that the two of them needed to "stay on the sidelines for this one," and Jason agreed that he would be distracted if he was worried about his family.

Sam argued that Julian would figure out that something was off, and if Julian's boss couldn't get to Sam and Danny, she would just get to the rest of Julian's family. Just then, Jason got a call from Curtis, who needed Jason. He gave Jason the address, and Jason assured Curtis that he was on his way. When Jason was gone, Sonny reasoned that Jason was concerned about the baby. Sam countered that hiding out would raise a red flag, and she could protect herself. Sonny thanked her for helping him through his lowest point. He dubbed Sam and Jason family, and he hugged Sam.

A short while later, Carly arrived, and she explained Michael's absence. Nelle arrived with the paperwork, which clearly upset Sonny. Carly asked Nelle to get Carly and Sonny's tax return information from their bedroom, so Nelle went upstairs. When she was gone, Sonny offered to ask Diane to take care of the foundation paperwork, but Carly wanted Diane focused on Sonny's trial.

Upstairs, Nelle entered the bedroom and removed the new bra from her bag.

Jason got into Curtis' car, and Curtis handed Jason the headphones. He heard nothing but music, and Curtis explained how the device couldn't isolate any one sound, so the music drowned everything out. Jason thought that Julian and his boss knew that they were being followed, but Curtis believed that they were just very cautious. He thought of the herb shop as Julian's boss's new "base of operations." Curtis wanted to bust into the building, but Jason knew that they needed to sit, relax, and wait for the woman to emerge.

Curtis explained that he hadn't even been patient when he'd been a cop. He praised Jason for his talent of "compartmentalizing." Jason wondered if Curtis' interest in the investigation was still about T.J. Curtis replied that two innocent young men had been "caught in the crossfire," and the cop in him wanted justice.

Inside the building, Julian turned the music off, and Jason's ears perked up. He heard Julian yell that he wanted no more threats or bombs in his car, and that he was tired of fearing his own sister. Curtis pointed the camera through the window and saw the very top of a blonde head of hair.

At their very private meeting, Julian agreed that he would get General Hospital for Olivia if she, in turn, would stay away from his family. Olivia advised him that she didn't care whose blood was spilled as long as she got what she wanted. Staking out the meeting in the car, Jason and Curtis struggled to hear the voices with their top-of-the-line equipment. Spotting a blonde-haired woman through the blinds, the men wondered if it could be Ava after hearing Julian refer to her as his sister.

Olivia dismissed Julian abruptly and peered through the blinds once he was gone. In the car, Jason was sure they hadn't been spotted. The men wondered why Ava would be meeting her brother in a secret place. They wondered about the reincarnation symbol they had seen when they'd first started their investigation. Curtis was certain the woman was Ava, but Jason believed that something wasn't quite right.

Elizabeth arrived at General Hospital and bumped into Felix. She assured him that she was okay after the recent chain of events involving Franco and Seth Baker. "So you and he?" Felix asked about Franco. Elizabeth nodded yes and told him that Franco was a "good guy." Nearby, after their board meeting, Hayden and Michael discussed their likely tough choice to have to make cuts in personnel. When they mentioned how hard it would be, Amy overheard and demanded to know what they had been speaking about.

Hayden advised the nurse that it had been a private conversation but Amy continued to probe. Hayden told her that there were several options to consider regarding the hospital losing money. Amy continued on her way and ran into Elizabeth, who wondered why Amy looked upset. Amy advised her to ask her sister, Hayden.

Hayden rounded the corner and saw Elizabeth. She expressed concern for Elizabeth, but Elizabeth stated that she'd feel better if she knew her job was safe. She asked Hayden if the staff was going to be cut, and she retorted that Hayden only cared about the numbers, not the people. Hayden advised her that nothing was official, and she was only doing her job. Elizabeth was surprised that Hayden hadn't learned compassion after her brush with death.

Felix and Amy approached the sisters and ganged up on Hayden, expressing their opinions about the laying off of hospital staff. Hayden tried to explain that the hospital was losing money and would close if they couldn't figure out how to fix the budget.

Nina arrived at Crimson and quickly listed all the latest work happenings to Maxie, who was obviously ignoring her boss. Nina asked if something was wrong, and Maxie stated that Nina was keeping Maxie's best friend from her daughter. Nina pointed out that Maxie had only heard Lulu's side. She explained that Lulu had refused to share custody and had then traumatized the little girl. Nina believed that Lulu thought of Charlotte as property, and she only cared about herself. Maxie agreed that perhaps Lulu had mishandled things.

Nina added that Valentin was Charlotte's father, and the girl loved him and felt safe with him. Maxie thought that Valentin should compromise, but Nina informed her that Lulu had refused when he had first offered, and it was too late. Nina concluded that she steadfastly backed her husband, while Maxie said that she was totally behind Lulu. Nina wanted to "agree to disagree" and not talk about the custody case at work, but Maxie wasn't sure that would work.

Nina was close to tears as she reminded Maxie that they were sisters-in-law, that Maxie had taught Nina everything she knew about the business, and that they worked together. Reluctantly, Maxie agreed to give it a go. Just then, Nina's phone rang. Charlotte's nanny had had a family emergency and would be dropping Charlotte off at the Crimson office.

Lulu and Dante sat with Alexis at a table in the Metro Court. Alexis reminded them that she was only acting as a consultant for Diane. Lulu wanted to be prepared to fight Valentin for custody of Charlotte. Alexis noted that Lulu had filed for sole custody on December 29 but there had been no response until January 30. She wondered why it had taken so long. Lulu admitted that she had refused to share custody, had been pushy, and had made mistakes with Charlotte. Charlotte didn't like her, and Valentin had taken his offer off the table.

Alexis explained that the judge would consider everything, like the fact that the embryo had been carried without Lulu's knowledge. Also, the judge would consider the fact that Valentin had married Nina quickly after meeting her. She advised Lulu to not provide Valentin with any negativity that he could use against her, like another ambush. She needed to look responsible.

Alexis bumped into Julian as she waited for her coat. Julian informed her that he was meeting someone but was already tired from a very "trying meeting." Alexis replied that she was on her way to her own meeting where they served doughnuts. "One of those meetings," she added.

Julian was happy to hear that Alexis was attending A.A. meetings. Alexis mentioned that her sponsor Liv had told her that she was still an alcoholic even though she attended. Julian flashed back to running into Olivia at Alexis' house and learning of his sister's deceit. Alexis related that Liv had been helping her to stay on track, and she really appreciated her sponsor's help.

Julian spotted the man he was meeting, and Alexis left. Julian asked about the sale of the hospital, and the man revealed that the hospital had asked for an extension. Julian had been laid up, and the man hadn't been able to consult him. Julian made it clear that he was back, and he needed to have possession of the hospital. "Sooner rather than later," he said. The man replied that the hospital was taking some cost-cutting measures, and it was possible that they wouldn't need to sell. Julian ordered him to make sure their deal went through. The man told Julian that he wouldn't be a popular person in town after that, but Julian considered that the "least of my problems."

Julian called Olivia after his meeting and told her that they were working on purchasing General Hospital. He would make certain that she got what it was she wanted.

Carly and Sonny waited for Nelle to go upstairs to get the tax forms they needed to work on Morgan's foundation. Upstairs, Nelle walked into Sonny's room and pulled her expensive bra from her purse. "Where will this have the most impact?" she wondered as she looked around the room. She settled on a spot between the pillows and mattress and left it. She grabbed the forms and headed downstairs.

Nelle was planning on heading to the office with the forms, and she left. Carly expressed how proud she was of Michael for being on the hospital board, though he was overworked and stressed. She also hoped that Sonny would be a free man by the spring. She regretted that she couldn't spend more time with Sonny, but Josslyn wasn't ready. The pair shared a kiss, and they were about to go upstairs when Jason arrived.

Carly left so the men could talk, and Jason advised Sonny that he was working on a couple of new leads. Jason explained that the equipment had been okay, but the audio had been garbled due to the music the suspects had played. They had seen a woman through the blinds, but they hadn't been able to see her face, Jason continued. Sonny found it peculiar that Jason hadn't been able to identify her.

Jason stated that they were getting close, but Sonny felt that Jason was leaving something out. Jason concluded that they'd only found the meeting place, but Sonny would be the first to know when he found something out. Jason promised to get to the bottom of it. He left, and Sonny placed a call to Brick. He confirmed that there was a remote recording of the stakeout, and he wanted to hear it.

Charlotte arrived at Crimson, and Nina told the little girl that she would be helping out on the job. Charlotte was excited as she sat with Nina, and Maxie was able to see how the pair enjoyed each other's company. When Nina took a call and had to run to an emergency meeting, Maxie offered to watch the little girl.

Michael found Nelle at the Metro Court and told her that he was down about the budget cuts he was involved with at the hospital. He was sure that people would lose their jobs. He had thought he could help out, but he had entered the picture too late. Nelle asked why he felt responsible for all of it, and Michael explained how he'd always had everything and believed in giving back.

Nelle wished that she could give back, too, but would never be able to afford it. Michael reminded her that she had given back as a teacher's aide. Carly arrived with Nelle's flowers, forgotten in the back room. Nelle grabbed them to give them some water, and Michael told a curious Carly that the flowers had been from someone who had signed the card with the initial S.

Hayden sat at her laptop in her hospital office and muttered to herself. "Maybe I missed something," she said. She wondered if there was something else she could cut. Felix, Amy, and Elizabeth gathered to gripe about the fact that personnel would be cut. Felix proposed that he call their union office and begin protesting.

Dante promised Lulu that it would all be worth it. Suddenly, Lulu received a call from Maxie, who wanted Lulu to get to the Crimson office right away.

A sleeping Laura began to thrash around in bed, waking Kevin. Kevin woke Laura up and asked about the nightmare she'd clearly been having. Laura explained that she had been on Cassadine Island in the room where Valentin had murdered Nikolas. Valentin had pointed the gun at Nikolas, but before he'd been able to shoot, Laura had had the gun. She'd shot Valentin, sending him flying out the window and falling to his death.

Laura continued that the dream had been like a memory that she wished had happened. She was disturbed that, in the dream, she'd been "thrilled" after killing Valentin. Suddenly, she became pensive, and Kevin wondered what she was thinking. She told him that she remembered telling Anna that if Valentin hurt Lulu the way he'd hurt Nikolas, she'd vowed to kill him. The dream had made her realize "how much I meant it."

On the phone with Robert at the Metro Court, Anna explained what had happened to Valentin's file on her computer. She needed to know who had hacked the file and why, and she promised to talk to him later. When she hung up, Griffin sat down at her table. He recognized that there was something bothering her, and she told him about the hacked WSB file. She rubbed her temples, and Griffin wondered if she had a history of headaches. She answered that she'd had them more after Duke had died, but her current headache was "stress related."

Anna was frustrated that she couldn't seem to remember any important details about her time at the academy with Valentin. As a trained spy, she'd been taught to be manipulative and seductive then just to discard someone once she got what she wanted. She wondered if she'd led Valentin on. Griffin implored her to listen to him and go get a checkup for her headaches. She related that the "surest" way to get rid of them was to have all access to WSB files.

Because of the lost WSB file, Griffin was reminded of the time a classmate had called him for notes on a lecture from the seminary. However, there had been no trace of the notes. "Classmate," Anna pondered. She informed Griffin that she'd just gotten a "wonderful idea," but his beeper went off at that moment. He regretted not being able to hear her idea. He instructed her to take care of her headaches and left. Anna called Robert back and gave him the name of Valentin's classmate at the academy. She asked Robert to track down a man named Carl Browning.

Lulu arrived at the Crimson office, and Maxie opened Nina's office door. Lulu was shocked to see Charlotte. Maxie thought that it would be the perfect opportunity for Lulu to bond with Charlotte, but Lulu reminded Maxie that Charlotte hated her. She added that Alexis had advised Lulu to steer clear of Charlotte. Maxie thought that Lulu could "fix" things with Charlotte, so Lulu went into the office. "What are you doing here?" Charlotte asked angrily.

Lulu sat down across from Charlotte and asked some questions about Charlotte's drawing, which Charlotte ignored. Lulu picked up a drawing that Charlotte had already finished, but Charlotte snatched it back, irritated that Lulu had touched it without asking. "I want my mommy. Go away!" Charlotte yelled just as Nina returned to the office. "Get away! I hate you!" she screamed as Nina burst into the office, and Charlotte ran to Nina. "Why is she here?" Charlotte demanded to know. "That's what I wanna know," Nina replied.

Lulu claimed that she'd stopped by to see Maxie when she'd seen that Charlotte was there. "Shut up!" Charlotte interrupted. "You're mean, and a liar, and I hate you!" she added. Nina scolded Charlotte, but Charlotte begged Nina to make Lulu "go away forever." Nina pleaded with Lulu to leave, and a tearful Lulu ran out of the room. Maxie followed and apologized that Nina had returned earlier than expected. As Lulu waited for the elevator, she chided herself for knowing better but seeing Charlotte anyway.

In Nina's office, Nina gently told Charlotte that they would "work on" her yelling. She thought that it was important for Charlotte to stick up for herself without being mean. "When I grow up, I want to be just like you," Charlotte said as she hugged Nina. "You'll be better than me," Nina replied tearfully.

A few minutes later, Nina approached Maxie, wanting an honest explanation. Maxie told Nina that she'd called Lulu to see Charlotte. Nina felt betrayed after trusting Maxie with her stepdaughter. Maxie respected the stepchild relationship, but she reminded Nina that Charlotte was Lulu's biological daughter, and she had a right to see Charlotte. Maxie begged Nina not to tell Valentin about the incident, since it was her fault. She apologized and promised that it would never happen again. "It won't. You're fired," Nina stated.

A tearful Lulu thanked Laura for meeting her at Metro Court. She told Laura what had happened with Charlotte and regretted that Charlotte hated her more than ever. She feared that Valentin's lawyers would use the incident against her in court. She regretted doing "the Spencer thing" and not exercising self-control. "Leave it to me," Laura offered.

Dante sat in Jordan's office, and she asked if there was any more evidence against Sonny. He replied that they only had his confession, and he wondered if Jordan was trying to pin the crime on Sonny. "Just the opposite," Jordan answered. She explained the situation with Buzz and how he had refused to return to Port Charles. She wondered if Dante would go to Baltimore for her in order to look for Buzz. She wondered about the chances of getting the man, and she heard, "Pretty good, ma'am," in response. Buzz stood in her doorway.

Jordan was grateful that Buzz had returned and wondered what had changed his mind. He handed her a letter that he'd found at his place in Baltimore. He assured her that she could read it as long as he got it back. She told him that he wasn't under arrest, just in protective custody. Buzz left with Dante, and Jordan opened the letter.

The letter asked Buzz to reconsider returning to Port Charles, because it was the right, smart choice. The letter promised that, since Buzz was innocent, Jordan would protect him. The letter proclaimed that Jordan was a smart, honest cop, and "the best cop there is." The letter continued that Jordan would prove that the explosion hadn't been Buzz's fault so that he would be able to live the rest of his days in peace. Jordan immediately picked up her phone.

Curtis arrived at Ava's gallery, and they introduced themselves. He claimed that he loved art, but he needed to be honest and let her know that he'd done some work with Julian. She recognized him as the private investigator. She wondered why he was really there, since art tended to be "pricey." He told her that he'd just gotten a "sizable inheritance" and wanted to "indulge in my passion." He talked rather knowledgably with her about art, and she apologized for doubting him.

As Ava straightened some of the pieces on the walls, she explained that she'd had a long day, putting a new exhibit together with her assistant. Curtis offered to return another time, but she hurried to the back of the gallery and returned with a piece that she thought he would like. She told him that it was "twenty-two," but he could return it within a week for a full refund if he didn't love it. Clearly rattled, he handed her a credit card. As she walked to the back to charge it, he sent off a text message. Ava returned and informed him that the card had been declined. She offered to do a bank transfer, but he claimed the money probably hadn't cleared in his account yet.

Just then, Curtis' phone rang. He told Ava that the call was important, and he awkwardly backed out of the gallery. Ava hated getting her hopes up, but she assumed he'd been there for something other than art.

Curtis knocked on Jordan's office door. She informed him that Buzz had returned to Port Charles, and he was giving a statement at that moment. "Thanks for letting me know," he said coldly. He turned to leave, but Jordan stopped him.

Jason arrived at the hospital and found Sam in Dr. Lee's office. She wondered where he'd been, as he'd missed her last checkup. He confided that he'd found something out about the woman who'd planted the bomb, but he hadn't told Sonny because it didn't make sense. Sam wondered who the woman was, but Dr. Lee entered the office.

Dr. Lee told Sam and Jason that "most" of the tests were fine. Because of Sam's history, the doctor wanted to do another test for the baby's heartbeat, just as a precaution. She assured them that it was a routine test, and they would return for a follow-up after the test. Sam and Jason exited the office a few minutes later, but her worries were about who was behind the car bomb. Jason divulged that Julian's boss appeared to be Ava, but it made no sense. Sam agreed. Jason saw a text message from Curtis on his phone that seemed to agree with Sam and Jason. He was going to check on Curtis, and Sam wanted to check on Alexis. Sam asked him to let her know when he decided to tell Sonny about Ava, and the two separated.

Brick arrived at Sonny's, carrying a flash drive with the audio and pictures that Jason and Curtis had captured during their stakeout. Sonny explained that Jason had "left a few things out," which was why he wanted to go over the findings himself. He put the flash drive in his computer and looked through the pictures. He saw the top of a woman's blonde head but couldn't tell if he recognized the woman. He started to listen to the audio and finally caught something. Sonny informed Brick that he'd heard Julian say that he was tired of living in fear of his own sister.

Sonny concluded that Ava had been responsible for Morgan's death, but Brick didn't understand why Jason would hide that. Sonny promised to take that up with Jason "later." Brick wondered if Sonny wanted Brick to "arrange a contractor," but Sonny refused, since it was "not business, it's personal." He vowed to handle it himself. "Brick, I need a favor," Sonny asked.

A short while later, Dante arrived at Sonny's and called out for his father. He announced that he had good news and looked all over the house. "Son of a bitch," he muttered when he saw Sonny's ankle monitor sitting on a table.

"We're closed," Ava called out, not looking at who had just entered her gallery. "Good. This is between the two of us," Sonny replied.

Alexis was on the phone with Olivia when Sam arrived, and she ended her call. Alexis asked about the baby. "All is good," Sam replied, though Alexis could sense that something was not good. Sam explained that the test result could have been better, but the baby had apparently been sleeping. She would visit the doctor again. A nervous Alexis was happy to see Sam, but she wasn't looking forward to Sam's sisters. As if on cue, Kristina and Molly arrived, happy to celebrate the renewal of their mother's law license. They had a bottle of Champagne and a bottle of sparkling cider for Sam.

The younger girls began to talk nonstop as Alexis tried to interrupt. They thought that Alexis should play a part in saving General Hospital. Finally, Alexis had her voice. She advised them that she had not gotten her law license because she had not appeared before the review board. She felt that she needed time to recover from a disease. "I'm an alcoholic," she managed to say. Kristina and Molly were in shock.

The young women recalled several times when their mother had been pleasantly tipsy. Alexis revealed that she had also been drinking to black out. She had started with glasses then bottles of wine. That had led to vodka straight and in her coffee. She had even lied on Thanksgiving when she'd said she was heading out to find whipped cream. She had gone to a bar to drink. Alexis was sorry and ashamed. Kristina and Molly attempted to make excuses for her, and they blamed it all on Julian.

Alexis stressed that they couldn't blame Julian for everything, and she added that her life had been a mess due to decisions that she'd made. She'd had so many problems of her own that she'd been unwilling and unable to listen to her daughters, but Julian had been the one to help her to detox, Alexis continued. Julian had seen her through to A.A. It was time for her to be honest, and she wanted their forgiveness, Alexis concluded.

Sam stated that she had forgiven her mother, though she'd had time to think about it. Kristina couldn't believe her ears, and she was livid. Alexis had lied to all of them, and Kristina felt that it was personal. Alexis had judged her on her relationship with Parker, and she had a "self-righteous double standard." Alexis never thought she was wrong, and Kristina would not forgive her, Kristina shouted. Molly forgave her mother and pleaded for Alexis not to allow Julian back into her life.

Sam suggested that the sisters hang out and maybe think of some baby names. Alexis understood Kristina's feelings and hoped to make it up to her. Kristina stormed out of the house. Sam reassured her mother and suggested she call her sponsor. She offered her own support. After her daughters left, Alexis spied the bottle still sitting on the counter.

Dante and Carly were at Greystone Manor and wondered where Sonny was. His ankle monitor was sitting nearby, along with Sonny's phone. They knew that Max wouldn't tell them anything, but Dante suggested that maybe Jason would know Sonny's whereabouts.

Jason met Julian at General Hospital and advised him that he didn't have time to be poisoned again. Jason stated that he was leaving the investigation of the bomber to Julian and his sister. Julian insisted that Ava hadn't been involved, and he didn't want Sonny to hear anything like that. Just then, Olivia stepped off the elevator, and Julian said he had to get to physical therapy. Jason received a text message from Carly and left also.

Julian found Olivia and told her the deal for General Hospital was moving forward. She thought it was moving too slowly, and she didn't trust him. Julian assured her that he had "neutralized Jason Morgan and had met with his contact on the hospital board, but he wasn't happy that she was still threatening his family. He didn't want to be the man he had been in the past. Olivia said that she couldn't forgive him and asked him to do what she said because he had killed the only man she had ever loved. Julian was tired of being on her leash.

Jason left his meeting with Julian and headed to Sonny's house. He learned that Sonny was missing, and he divulged that he had some information from his investigation, but it hadn't added up. He hadn't told Sonny anything because he'd thought that Sonny would overreact, but Sonny had probably figured it out. Dante announced that a witness had stepped forward and given enough information to have the charges against Sonny dropped. Jason thought that he should be the one to find Sonny before the mobster did something he'd regret.

Dante thought that he should be the one to find his father, but Carly agreed that Jason should be the one to do it. She thought that Sonny would listen to Jason, and she didn't want Dante to arrest his father again. Dante was agitated and thought that he should have been the one to go after Sonny. He thought that Sonny might kill someone, and he would lose his badge for knowing that Sonny had escaped and taken matters into his own hands. He hoped that Carly would be hiring at the Metro Court.

Carly disagreed and thought that things didn't turn out well whenever Dante interfered. She said that he was a cop, Sonny was a mobster, and Dante believed in the law. She was okay with Sonny wanting payback, and she had warned him that revenge wasn't good. However, she had also been Morgan's mother. If she had been Sonny, she would have gone after Morgan's killer too.

Dante was surprised, and he asked Carly if it would be okay if Sonny were to kill someone. Carly responded that she understood the impulse, but Sonny was afraid of losing her. He knew that she wouldn't stay if he did something violent.

At the art gallery, Sonny confronted Ava. He advised her that he'd removed his ankle monitor, and there was no one who would be able to help her after what she'd done to Morgan. Ava had no idea what Sonny was talking about, though she had a sudden flashback to when she'd changed out Morgan's pills. Thinking he meant that, she assured him that she hadn't meant for things to go so far. He assumed she meant the car bomb, but she shouted that she hadn't thought he was talking about the bomb.

Sonny asked if Ava was referring to the bomb she'd planted. Ava insisted that she'd had nothing to do with that. She wouldn't have tried to hurt her own brother, and Morgan meant everything to her, she declared. Sonny retorted that she'd done it to frame him. Again, Ava insisted it wasn't true. He accused her of having a secret club, and he'd heard everything on the tape himself. He'd heard Julian say he was tired of being afraid of his sister. Ava was in the dark, but Sonny accused her of being responsible for Morgan's death.

As Sonny shouted into Ava's face, they backed up toward her desk. She fiddled with her purse on the desk, but Sonny was quick and grabbed the gun from her hand. He planned to kill her with her own gun, and he had an alibi, since he was under house arrest with an ankle monitor. Again, Ava screamed that she hadn't been the one behind the bomb. Sonny reminded her that he had wanted to kill her in the past, after she'd murdered Connie. "What you do, you pay for," he told her.

Jason burst in and told Sonny to drop the gun. He revealed that Sonny didn't know all the facts, and things were not adding up. Jason advised Sonny that he had been newly freed, and Dante wouldn't wait for long. Sonny had broken his house arrest, and he would lose everything if he killed Ava. Jason wasn't certain that Ava was guilty, but he knew that Sonny was angry and hurting. The charges were dropped, and his wife was waiting for him at home. He would lose her if he killed Ava, Jason concluded.

In Jordan's office, sheapologized to Curtis for treating him poorly. He had complicated her life whenever he had worked with her, she told him. The Baltimore incident could have ruined things with Andre, but she thought it should be put behind them. Curtis was astonished. He couldn't believe Jordan wanted to be friends and thought she was kidding. Jordan tried to explain that he'd stolen evidence, but he'd "more than made up for that." She had enjoyed their time together before the Baltimore kiss. She wanted him to "respect the boundaries."

"You're a cold piece of work," Curtis spat. He proceeded to tell her off and told her they were done. He stormed out as Andre approached. "Curtis again?" Andre asked. Jordan wanted to talk about their future vacation instead, but Andre was troubled. He wondered what was happening with her, and she confessed that she had to tell him about Baltimore. "We kissed," Jordan said. Andre wondered if it had been a significant kiss. "Yes," Jordan replied. That had made her realize how much she loved Andre, she said. Andre didn't think that was true.

Jordan insisted that she was 100% with Andre, but Andre felt that she had slipped away a little bit every time she had been with Curtis. It was his job to be able to read people, and they weren't healthy. "We need to break up," Andre insisted.

Curtis found Hayden sitting at a table in the Floating Rib. They both admitted they'd had a bad day. She confided that she had been working on the hospital budget, and she had to lay off one third of the nursing staff. Curtis admitted that someone had made a "clumsy attempt" at being a friend. They had made out -- and it had been hot, he added. The woman wanted everything to be perfect, but she had cheated on her husband in the past, and she wanted to play it safe this time. She needed to stop lying to herself, Curtis ended.

Hayden assured Curtis that he would find someone who considered him spectacular like she did. He insisted that that was because they were friends. She also told Curtis that things were going well with Finn. Julian arrived and stood back as he watched Alexis' daughters fuss over Sam's baby.

Olivia stopped at Alexis' house. Alexis told her sponsor that Kristina hated her and had for a long time. She was hoping the others would convince Kristina to forgive her mother. Alexis stated that she was being honest and working on the steps. Olivia asked about Sam's baby.

Andre called his relationship with Jordan "unhealthy," and he refused to be "the other guy." He thought they needed to break up, but Jordan refused to accept that. He acknowledged that, while they'd had some good times, their relationship was marred by lowered expectations and broken promises. Andre wanted all of her or none at all, and he challenged her to admit who she really wanted.

Jordan swore that she wanted Andre, not Curtis. "Your actions say otherwise," he shot back. She suggested that they could learn how to forgive each other, but Andre countered that he would never trust her. Just then, Jordan's phone rang, and she had to take it. She listened for a minute and told the person on the phone to keep her posted. When she turned back around, Andre was gone, and his copy of her apartment key was on the table.

Felix was at the nurses' station when Anna approached asking her help. She hadn't gotten to her pharmacy before it had closed, and she needed her prescription for her migraines filled. Felix promised to take care of it for her. He warned her that the medication was strong, so she needed to follow the instructions closely. He wondered if she wanted to speak to someone about the headaches, and she replied that she did.

A short while later, prescription in hand, Anna bumped into Andre. She updated him that, after her confrontation with Valentin at the wedding, she'd done more research, and she believed that she had to have committed other wrongs against the man. Andre thought she needed a detective rather than a psychologist, but she thought that he could help her with "digging." He wanted to help her, but he was going through "something personal" and thought that he was "off my game." She apologized for unloading on him and offered to listen. He politely rejected the offer, wished her luck, and walked away.

Epiphany and a group of nurses, including Elizabeth and Amy, sat at the Floating Rib, discussing the possible layoffs. Amy asked if they would lay off doctors, as well, since they made more money. Bobbie reminded her that they also charged more money. "While we're taking care of their patients," Amy muttered. She wondered what they would do about Griffin and Finn. As if on cue, Finn appeared and asked why he was being talked about.

As Amy tried to lie about why she'd mentioned Finn, Elizabeth called Felix and told him that the rest of the nurses needed his "voice of reason." When she was off the phone, Bobbie was telling Finn that the nurses had selected "hot docs" for their first annual calendar. A relieved Finn realized that his takeout was ready and left. Epiphany suggested that they put a muzzle on Amy.

Elizabeth thought that the nurses needed to show a united front. Epiphany knew that Monica would have their backs, but Elizabeth wasn't convinced that Tracy would. One of the nurses reminded everyone that they were union, and the hospital couldn't run without them. Epiphany suggested that they show the hospital that by going on strike. Every nurse agreed with the idea except for Elizabeth.

Felix arrived and wondered what he'd missed, and Epiphany quickly updated him. Felix suggested that they meet with the hospital administration and assure them that they would work with the administration in order to find a solution to the hospital's financial troubles that didn't include layoffs. That way, they could show the board that they were willing to compromise while also garnering public support. Epiphany loved the idea. Felix suggested that the admin's sister could do the talking, and he looked straight at Elizabeth.

Carly pleaded with Dante not to call in Sonny's absence. He couldn't wait anymore and took out his phone. She grabbed his hand and asked him not to. As she pleaded with him to wait until Sonny returned home, Dante's phone rang. He told the caller that he was on his way and left Sonny's.

Sonny pointed his gun at Ava. Jason reminded Sonny that he would lose Carly if he pulled the trigger. He instructed Sonny to go home. Sonny talked about how he'd heard Julian "whining" in the recording, but Jason admitted that he wasn't sure that Julian had been talking to Ava, who was very confused. Jason thought that killing the wrong person would tear Sonny's family apart. He continued that Sonny would lose his wife, his kids would lose their father, and his own son would have to take him to jail.

Sonny shouted that Ava had confessed, but she denied it, explaining that she hadn't been talking about planting a bomb. Sonny cocked his gun just as Jason got a text message from Carly that read, "Dante left. May be going after Sonny. If you're with him get out!!" Jason warned Sonny about Dante. He urged Sonny to do the right thing and give Jason more time to figure things out.

Jordan arrived at Sonny's and asked to see Sonny. Carly informed Jordan that Sonny was sleeping off a few drinks after having a bad day. "What's going on?" Sonny asked, appearing in the foyer. Jordan broke it to Sonny that she was dropping the charges against him, so there would be no trial. She explained the situation with Buzz and promised to keep the couple informed as she built a case. He wondered about his ankle monitor, which was fixed in its place on his ankle. She revealed that it had already been deactivated, and he could get it removed at the station the next day.

Jordan expressed her deepest sympathies to Sonny and Carly for their loss and vowed to do whatever she could to make sure the person responsible for Morgan's death paid. When Jordan was gone, Carly angrily demanded to know what Sonny had done while she'd done "cartwheels and backflips" to stop Dante from reporting Sonny's escape. She wondered what had been worth risking his freedom for. He told her that he'd returned home without taking revenge because he loved her. They embraced.

Dante arrived at Ava's gallery to check on the silent alarm that had been tripped. He wondered where Sonny was. Ava explained Sonny's entire revenge-seeking visit, including when he'd run out the back of the building. Jason contradicted the story and told Dante that it had only been him and Ava in the gallery. She pointed out her gun sitting on the table that Jason had wiped clean of fingerprints.

Dante asked why Sonny would risk going back to jail to see Ava. Jason handed Dante a flash drive and explained that it contained evidence that Ava was responsible for Morgan's death. She denied the claim and threatened to go to the mayor, who hated Sonny. Dante wanted to sort things out at the station, so he led her out of the gallery.

At Alexis', Olivia Jerome was surprised to hear of a problem with Sam's pregnancy. Alexis wasn't sure about talking about Sam's medical issues, and Olivia apologized for meddling. She just wanted to mind Alexis' stress level. Just then, Sam arrived, surprised to see that Alexis had company. Alexis introduced the two and explained that she and Olivia had met through a mutual friend.

Sam had forgotten a book at Alexis', so she picked it up and turned to leave, but Olivia invited her to "stay and chat." Sam talked a little about her family and asked about Olivia's. She sadly told Sam that her family had been torn apart. Olivia had a flashback from many years back of Anna pointing a gun at her. Anna had told Olivia that she would do anything to save her husband, even if she had to kill Olivia. "Please don't," Olivia had said. Anna had told Olivia that she'd wanted Olivia to feel the same pain that Olivia had caused everyone else.

Sam related that she knew what it was like to be kept from the person she loved. Olivia was happy that Sam had gotten a happy ending, and Sam hoped the same for Olivia. Olivia asked about Sam's baby and if she liked her obstetrician. "I'm asking for a friend," she explained. Sam highly recommended Dr. Lee. Olivia had to go but instructed Alexis to call if she needed anything.

When Olivia was gone, Alexis got the feeling that Sam hadn't liked Olivia. Sam only explained her feeling as "too much at once." Alexis hoped that Olivia positivity rubbed off on her. "If she's good for you, she's good for me too," Sam stated. Sam assured Alexis that she could also confide in Sam if she needed to. Just then, Sam's phone rang. She listened for a minute then hung up. She informed Alexis that Dante had taken Ava to the station and apparently had evidence that she'd killed Morgan.

At the hospital, Hayden practiced giving a layoff speech to a dummy with a picture of Elizabeth on it. Tracy was unsatisfied with Hayden's effort and switched to a picture of Bobbie. Hayden wanted to discuss options other than firing one-third of the nurses on staff, but Tracy instructed her to "suck it up" and "do your part, or I'll find someone who will." Finn arrived as Tracy was leaving the conference room, and she informed him that his girlfriend had "lost her backbone."

Hayden was dismayed to see Elizabeth on the list of those to be fired and tried to practice again. Finn arrived, and Hayden expressed how happy she was to see him. He joked that, as an infectious disease specialist, he wasn't used to hearing that. She appreciated the takeout and hoped it would give her the energy to fire people. She wished there was another way.

Finn thought that nurses were "reasonable people" who would be very angry, but they wouldn't hate her. He promised to be there for her in spirit. He offered to help her practice, since he was experienced at giving people bad news. They sat down, and Hayden talked to Finn as if he were Amy. "If my work's like, so excellent, why are you firing me?" he responded. She tried to explain why, but Finn thought she needed to do a "cleaner" job. He believed it would help the nurses move on. As Elizabeth arrived outside the door, Hayden hoped that Elizabeth would understand.

Finn assured Hayden that he would be around if she needed him. Hayden caught sight of Amy at the nurses' station and approached her. She asked to talk to Amy in the conference room. Olivia approached Finn and asked for directions to the obstetrics department. He directed her to the fourth floor. Unbeknownst to her, Anna was standing a few feet behind her.

A short while later, Elizabeth returned to the Floating Rib. She noticed that Amy was absent, and Epiphany informed her that Amy worked the late shift that night. Elizabeth said she'd heard Hayden's speech for the fired nurses, and she didn't think the board would want to negotiate. "I'm in. We're on strike," she said.