General Hospital Recaps: The week of October 25, 2010 on GH

Carly was furious when she learned about Jax's plans to move Brenda into the hotel. Lucky and Jason joined forces to lure the Balkan out of hiding. Luke proposed marriage to Tracy, but she want to wait until he was stronger.

Monday, October 25, 2010

by Boone

At General Hospital, Maya attended Luke, who had pretended to have a heart attack. Maya feared that the test results that she had altered to support Luke's pretense would be discovered. Luke told her not to worry because his plan to get Tracy back was working. Just before Tracy checked on him, Maya told Luke to work fast because real patients needed his bed.

While Tracy comforted Luke and told him she would not let him go, Maya commiserated with Ethan at the nurses' station. Ethan was ecstatic that Luke's plan was working. Maya's fears proved true when Monica arrived to examine Luke. He feared the worst when Monica called him a fraud. She surprised Luke when, instead of exposing him, she castigated him for not taking care of himself.

As Tracy listened, Monica told Luke that unless he changed his ways, he would have another heart attack. She cautioned him that he would have a long slow road to recovery. Once Monica was gone, Tracy told Luke that she would see him through to recovery. She admitted that she cared for him. She told him that once he had recovered, she would see where they stood. When Tracy asked Luke if there was anything she could do for him, he proposed that they marry.

Monica confronted Maya and Ethan and forced them to admit their part in Luke's scheme. She told Maya that if she ever altered test results again, she would be tossed out of the intern program. Then Monica softened and admitted that Tracy had been very difficult to be around since she had broken up with Luke. Monica said that she wanted Tracy and Luke to reconcile so the Quartermaines could have some peace around the mansion.

Jax interrupted a conversation between Claire and Carly in the hotel lobby. Claire told Carly to stop manipulating and interfering in her relationship with Sonny. Jax said he wanted to talk about police protection for Brenda, and Carly's jaw dropped. Claire asked about Jason's protection, but Jax said that Brenda could be in danger because of Jason's business, and the police would make better protectors. Claire agreed. She left but not before again telling Carly to back off her relationship to Sonny.

Carly was restrained as she and Jax talked about the secure hotel apartment that Jax had arranged for Brenda. When Carly questioned his motives, he said that he was just trying to help. When Carly wanted to know about Sonny, Jax told her that Brenda had asked for his help to stay away from Sonny. He said that the sooner Brenda went back to Rome, the better it would be for all of them. Jax told Carly that Brenda was a friend, but he was committed to Carly and Josslyn. When he playfully asked for a reminder of why that was and tried to kiss Carly, she avoided his lips and walked away.

The Balkan's man used his cell phone to snap a candid shot of Lucky and Jason meeting on the docks. He was not close enough to hear their conversation as Lucky and Jason discussed staging a fake kidnapping so that Lucky could identify the Balkan and fulfill his mission for Interpol. Lucky told Jason that the Balkan was an evil man who exploited children and was responsible for many other heinous crimes. Both Lucky and Jason questioned the Balkan's fixation on Brenda and Brenda's reluctance to tell what she knew.

After agreeing to meet again, Jason left. Lucky heard a noise and pulled a gun but did not see the Balkan's thug lurking in the shadows. Once Lucky was gone, the Balkan's man sent the photo he had taken along with a text message that read, "Don't trust him."

At Wyndemere, Siobhan wanted to know more about Lucky, who she only knew as Ronan. When she said she could not imagine Lucky living in the splendor of Wyndemere, Nikolas said that Lucky had had a different childhood. He said that Lucky was a good man who had not let pain and heartache turn him bitter. Siobhan was about to ask more questions when Liz started pounding frantically on the door. Nikolas told Siobhan to hide before he opened the door to Liz.

Siobhan was forced to eavesdrop as Liz told Nikolas that she had lost Cam and Jake's trust fund in a bad investment. Nikolas said that he would help when the need arose and that she should not worry. Lucky walked in and wanted to know what they were discussing. Nikolas tried to get them to table the discussion until a later time, but Lucky persisted. Nikolas excused himself so Lucky and Liz could talk alone.

Liz told Lucky about the bad investment she had made. She said that she had done it to cut her ties with Nikolas. She had hoped that it would allow her to get back together with Lucky. Lucky told her flatly that they would never get back together. Liz said that she had accepted that but had not known it in the past when she had made the investment. Lucky said that while it was an expensive lesson, at least she had learned it.

When Liz worried about the boys' future, Lucky said that they were doing well and that he and Nikolas would both take care of them in the future. When Liz left, Siobhan popped out of hiding and asked if Liz was the ex-wife. She apologized for eavesdropping but said that Nikolas had urged her to hide, and she'd had no other choice but to remain hidden.

When Nikolas reentered the room, Lucky wanted to know why he had not signaled that Siobhan was in the room. Nikolas said that he had tried to get them to wait on their conversation, but Lucky had insisted on talking to Liz immediately. Nikolas went to bed after telling Lucky that Lucky and Siobhan had adjoining suites in the east wing.

Lucky sat down on the couch and put his hands on his head and said to Siobhan that he was trying to remember what he had said and she had overheard. Siobhan wanted to know why it mattered. She said it was not like they were together. Lucky said that he did not know how to describe their relationship either. He said that they had more going on than just the mutual need to dodge bullets.

Lucky told Siobhan about his meeting with Jason. He said that they had a plan that should uncover the Balkan within the week. Siobhan was sarcastic when she said, "Great. Now Brenda can go back to Rome, I can go back to Ireland, you can go back to your ex-wife, and we can all live happily ever after."

Lulu went to Jason's penthouse to see Brenda, who wanted to get caught up on Lulu's life. Lulu told Brenda about Laura's recovery and Luke's wild plan to win back Tracy. Lulu did not notice Brenda's discomfort when she said that Dante was her boyfriend. Talk turned to Lulu's job at Crimson. She told Brenda that her assignment was to get Brenda to appear on the cover of the magazine.

Lulu's magazine mock-up impressed Brenda, but she still declined the offer. Lulu said that it had originally been Jax's idea to put Brenda on the cover, but he could not because of Carly. Brenda said she would reconsider appearing on the cover if Jax asked her personally.

Sonny called Dante to his office to ask him to go easy on Brenda the next time they met. Dante said that he probably would never see Brenda again. Sonny said that even though Brenda was fragile, she was stubborn when she wanted something. Dante asked if Sonny meant that she wanted to meld them together as father and son.

Sonny said yes and asked Dante to be nice to Brenda. Dante agreed, but said that he would not be going out of his way to see her. Sonny told Dante about his love for Brenda and the connection that they had. Dante was obviously uncomfortable, but Sonny was oblivious as he detailed his lifelong love for Brenda.

After leaving Sonny, Dante got a call from Claire, summoning him to her office. Once there, he told her that he had more information on Brenda. Claire said that she no longer wanted information on Brenda. She told him that she had decided to give Brenda police protection, since there was the possibility that Brenda could become collateral damage if someone decided to go after Jason.

When Dante said that Ronnie would be perfect for the job, Claire said that she wanted Dante to do it. Dante resisted, but Claire said that she had made up her mind, and that starting immediately, Dante would be responsible for Brenda's safety.

Jason went to Sonny's office and told him what he had learned from Lucky. Sonny liked the fake kidnapping plan that Lucky and Jason had devised but told Jason that he could not use Brenda as bait. Jason told Sonny to trust him to keep Brenda safe.

Sam went to see Jason at the penthouse but met Brenda instead. When Brenda wanted to know why Sam had not been around, Sam said she had been working but had some free time and wanted to spend it with Jason. When Jax arrived to see Brenda, Brenda took that as a cue to leave with him.

Jax and Brenda ditched Max and Milo and went down to the pier to talk. When Jax asked how she was doing, she said she was okay, but Jax did not believe her. He blamed Sonny for her depressed mood. Brenda defended Sonny and said that he was leaving her alone as she had asked. Jax said that Sonny would start after her again because he did not care whom he hurt to get what he wanted.

Brenda said she was older and wiser and would not fall under Sonny's spell again. She said that she would be okay. Jax asked what she would do if she was not okay. Brenda laughingly said that she would call her sponsor. Jax put an arm around her when he said it would be him. At that moment, Sonny walked onto the pier and saw them together.

Lulu went to see Carly at the Metro Court. She said that Kate had given her the assignment of getting Brenda for a Crimson cover shoot. Lulu said that she could not do it without Carly's help. Lulu told Carly that Brenda had said she would do the shoot if Jax asked but that Jax would not ask Brenda because he did not want to offend Carly. Lulu asked Carly to put aside her differences with Brenda so that Brenda would do the Crimson cover.

Sam was waiting when Jason got home. He was glad to see her. He held her as he told her about the plan he had made with Lucky. Sam approved the plan with one modification. She suggested that she impersonate Brenda and act as bait for the Balkan.

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

by Elisabeth

At Wyndemere, Lucky realized that it hadn't been easy on Siobhan to leave Ireland, but he was certain that she was having fun. Siobhan smiled as she admitted that she would return home with fond memories of Lucky. Lucky suggested that it was much too soon for Siobhan to be talking about leaving. Siobhan conceded that her accommodations at that moment weren't exactly a hardship, but she confessed that the castle was a bit creepy. "It's the gargoyles," Lucky admitted.

Lucky explained that he wanted to take care of the Balkan before they discussed Siobhan's return to Ireland. Siobhan reminded Lucky that she was perfectly capable to taking care of herself. Lucky was curious why she seemed so determined to get away from him. Before Siobhan could answer his question, Lucky's phone rang. It was Lulu.

In Metro Court's lobby, Lulu tried to persuade Carly to talk to Jax about Brenda. Lulu explained that Kate was determined to get Brenda on the cover of Crimson, but Brenda would only agree to do it if Jax made the request. Lulu realized that Jax wouldn't ask Brenda to pose for the cover of the fashion magazine unless Carly told him that it was okay. Carly insisted that it wasn't okay. Lulu suspected that Carly was afraid that Jax and Brenda would be working together, but she assured Carly that Jax wouldn't be involved in any aspect of the photo shoot.

Carly explained that Brenda had a hold on Jax that went back many years. Lulu argued that Carly didn't have anything to worry about because Jax loved Carly. Carly refused to change her mind. After Carly walked away, Lulu received a text message from Ethan wondering where Lucky was. Ethan insisted that Lucky was needed at Luke's "deathbed."

Lulu was startled when Lucky answered his phone. Lucky explained that he was back in Port Charles; however, he was still working undercover. Lulu revealed that they needed to talk about Luke. She insisted that it was too complicated to explain on the phone, so Lucky arranged to meet his sister on the Elm Street pier. A short time later, Lulu and Lucky reunited.

Lucky explained that he had to keep a low profile because he would continue to work undercover as Ronan O'Reilly until they had caught the Balkan. Lulu told Lucky about Luke's plan to win back Tracy. Lulu thought it was important for Lucky to do his part to help their father, so she expected Lucky to visit Luke. She worried that Tracy might become suspicious if Lucky didn't show any concern about their father's "dire" condition. Lulu assured Lucky that he could go back to being Ronan after the visit. Lucky and Lulu were unaware that Swavek lurked nearby, eavesdropping on their conversation.

At the hospital, Tracy lectured Luke about staying healthy. She insisted that Luke couldn't die. Luke promised to do his best to make sure that didn't happen. Tracy regretted that she had not acted immediately when Luke had collapsed at Metro Court. Luke took full advantage of Tracy's vulnerability by confessing that everything he had done had been the act of "a desperate man in love." Tracy chuckled as she accused Luke of being a liar, but a poetic one.

Luke promised Tracy that he loved her with all of his "battered heart," so he wanted her to marry him. Tracy decided to wait until he was stronger to discuss it. In the meantime, she ordered Luke to rest. Later, Tracy reminded Luke that he would have to follow the doctor's orders, which meant that he wouldn't be allowed to drink alcohol or smoke cigars. Tracy expected Luke to eat healthy and take up yoga. "Just shoot me now," Luke complained.

Tracy didn't think the comment was funny. Luke was spared another lecture when Lucky and Lulu entered the room. Tracy made it clear that she expected Lucky to read Luke the riot act. Lulu asked to have a private word with Tracy, while Lucky spent time with Luke. In the hallway, Lulu admitted that she was concerned about Tracy.

Lulu advised Tracy to take a break by going home to relax and to get something to eat. Tracy made it clear that she didn't intend to go anywhere. After Lulu and Lucky left, Tracy returned to sit at Luke's bedside. Tracy was curious why she and Luke could only speak from the heart when one of them was at death's door. Luke suggested that it was because they were cynics.

Tracy revealed that, against all odds, she had fallen in love with Luke. Luke wanted Tracy to prove it by marrying him. To Luke's frustration, Epiphany entered the room before Tracy could answer him. Epiphany explained that the visiting hours were over, so Tracy had to leave because she wasn't married to Luke. Luke wanted Tracy to stay, but Epiphany put her foot down.

When Lucky returned to Wyndemere, Siobhan wondered how Lucky's father was doing. Lucky quickly filled Siobhan in on Luke's scam. She was surprised to learn that she had met Luke in Ireland when Luke had posed as a priest. Lucky opened up a bit about his life to give Siobhan some insight into the kind of man that his father was. Siobhan was curious if Luke were trying to win back Lucky's mother. Lucky clarified that his parents were divorced, but the woman Luke loved was not Lucky's mother.

Siobhan joked that she should probably ignore Lucky if he were to ever collapse. Lucky chuckled as he realized that he might have revealed a bit too much about his family. Lucky and Siobhan began to talk about his plans with Jason. He conceded that he and Jason were on opposite sides of the law, but he did trust Jason. Siobhan wanted to join Lucky when he revealed that he had a meeting with the Balkan.

Lucky insisted that Siobhan stay put in Wyndemere because it was too dangerous. Siobhan wasn't happy about it, but she agreed to respect his wishes. However, Siobhan was worried because the Balkan had a reputation for staying a step ahead of his enemies, so Lucky and Jason might walk into an ambush.

On the piers, Jax promised Brenda that the Balkan would be caught soon, so she would be able to return to Rome. Jax felt bad that she'd had to return to Port Charles and revisit the past. Brenda assured him that it was okay; some of the memories were better than others. She wondered if he had ever returned to New Orleans. Jax smiled softly as he admitted that his business hadn't taken him there in a very long time.

Brenda and Jax recalled their trip to New Orleans when Jax had professed his love for Brenda in the pouring rain. Brenda fondly recalled their beautiful hotel room in the French Quarter. They wondered if the hotel were still there. They seemed lost in their private thoughts for a moment before Jax reminded Brenda that she had built a good life for herself. Brenda agreed, but she wanted him to know that some of her happiest days had been with Jax.

Brenda remembered how they had broken tradition by seeing each other in their wedding clothes before the marriage ceremony. Brenda recalled that she had been eager to tell Jax how much she had loved him. Jax admitted that he had been head over heels in love with Brenda too. However, Jax confessed that he didn't have any regrets over their broken engagement because it had led him to his wife and daughter. A short time later, Jax took Brenda to the penthouse.

At the penthouse, Sam suggested that Jason use her as bait instead of Brenda. Jason refused to take such a risk with Sam's life, but Sam argued that she was the perfect person for the job because she worked well with Jason and knew his cues. Jason thought the Balkan was less likely to kill Brenda if things went wrong. Sam wondered if Jason were willing to depend on Brenda during a life-or-death situation. Jason believed that Brenda was motivated to cooperate because Brenda was desperate to get home. Sam accused Brenda of being impulsive and continued to argue her case until she eventually wore Jason down.

In Claire's office, Claire explained that she wanted Dante to be Brenda's police guard because he had a history of guarding Brenda. Dante reminded Claire that Brenda was under the protection of a mob enforcer, so Brenda was in good hands. According to Dante, Jason wasn't bound by laws like Dante was, so Jason could do more to keep Brenda safe. Claire refused to change her mind. Dante pointed out that he couldn't guard Brenda because Brenda was Sonny's ex-girlfriend, and he had been assigned to investigate Sonny's role in the Zacchara car bombing.

Claire announced that she would have the case reassigned to accommodate Dante's new duty. Dante wanted to be the one who made certain that justice was served if Sonny had been responsible for nearly killing Kristina. Claire insisted that she needed someone who could work with Jason, so Dante would have to do it, since Lucky was unavailable.

Brenda and Jax arrived at the penthouse and found Jason and Sam in the living room. Jax informed Jason that he had arranged for a police guard for Brenda. Jason assured Jax that it wasn't necessary because Jason had it handled. Jax ignored the comment and left. Brenda was annoyed by the way that Jason had treated Jax, but Jason didn't apologize. He insisted that Jax didn't know what he was doing.

Brenda didn't want Jason to be rude to her friends while she was in Port Charles. Sam sat quietly on the steps as Jason informed Brenda that it would be over soon because he had arranged to meet the Balkan on Friday. Brenda was relieved until Jason revealed that he intended to use Sam as the bait. Brenda worried that Sam would be hurt, but Jason argued that Sam was experienced with weapons and worked well with him.

Brenda sarcastically commented that she was certain that an international criminal would walk right into Jason and Sam's trap. The argument ended abruptly when someone knocked on the door. It was Dante. Dante informed everyone that he had been assigned to guard Brenda. Brenda immediately objected, but Dante explained that she didn't have a choice because Jax had made the arrangements.

Jason didn't mind because he was confident that he could use Dante's help. Dante assured them that he would report for duty in the morning, and he left. Brenda was more determined than ever to go to the meeting with the Balkan. Jason and Brenda continued to argue until Brenda stormed off to her bedroom.

Dante arrived home to find Lulu waiting for him. He was glad that she was there. Lulu sensed that he was troubled, but she confessed that she'd had an equally bad day. Lulu told Dante about Luke's plans to woo Tracy. Dante was curious how everything had gone. "It's a work in progress," she explained as she went on to tell Dante about her attempt to enlist Carly's help to get Brenda on the cover of the magazine.

Dante decided to break the news to Lulu that he had been ordered to guard Brenda. Lulu was not thrilled. She feared that Dante would be sucked into the "Brenda vortex." Lulu explained that it was Carly's way of describing what happened to men when they spent time with Brenda. Dante reminded Lulu that Brenda was his father's old girlfriend, so she could trust him to resist Brenda's allure.

Carly wasn't happy to learn that Jax had taken a stroll on the piers with Brenda. Jax assured his wife that he had talked to Brenda about how happy he was with Carly and Josslyn. Carly told Jax about Lulu's request for Brenda to appear on the cover of Crimson and Kate's threats if it didn't happen. Jax didn't care what Kate said; he intended to keep his promise to Carly not to have Brenda appear on the cover of the magazine. Carly smiled. She admitted that it hadn't been a test, but he had passed.

Michael met Molly at Kelly's. Molly was worried about Sam because Jason's supermodel ex-wife had moved into the penthouse. Molly feared that Sam might feel ordinary next to Brenda and a bit neglected because Spinelli was focusing on Brenda instead of the business. Molly wanted Michael to encourage Jason to do something romantic for Sam. Michael suggested that Jason might not be in a romantic frame of mind because he was still dealing with the aftermath of spending time in Pentonville.

Michael suggested that Jason might need someone to talk to more than anything else. Molly realized that Michael had a point. Moments later, Abby entered the diner. Abby was surprised to see Michael, so she stopped at his table to say hello. Molly quickly introduced herself as Michael's cousin. Abby Haver returned the courtesy as she explained that she knew Michael through Sam.

Molly was delighted when Abby revealed that Sam had talked about Molly often. Molly didn't get an opportunity to ask too many questions because her phone rang. After a brief discussion with someone on the phone, Molly announced that she had to leave. Michael offered to escort Molly, but she declined. After Molly left, Abby and Michael sat down to talk.

Michael was surprised to learn that Abby was attending community college to become a paralegal. She explained that she was a stripper because it paid more than a waitress job. Michael was curious if that was why she had agreed to meet him when Sam had called. Abby confessed that she felt terrible for how she had handled things in the hotel room. Michael assured Abby that she hadn't done anything wrong, but Abby disagreed. Abby confessed that she hadn't met Michael because of the money; she had thought that she could help him.

Abby revealed that she had met Sam while Sam had been working undercover at the club where Abby worked. According to Abby, she and Sam had become friends because they had a lot of experiences in common. Abby revealed that one night, Sam had been crying after an ugly encounter with a customer, so Abby had taken Sam out back to talk. Sam had told Abby about Jason's decision to go to Pentonville to protect Michael. Abby had been moved by the story.

Michael wondered if Abby had been motivated to offer to sleep with him out of pity. Abby explained that Sam had told her about Michael's problems and the girl that Michael had liked, so Abby had hoped to help him. Michael admitted that it was over with Ally because he had blown her and the party off. Abby was certain that Michael could make it up to Ally.

Abby confessed that she liked Michael, so she wanted to help him. Michael insisted that he was screwed up. Abby assured him that they all were, in some way. Abby then noticed the time. She explained that she was late, so she had to dash off. Michael wondered if she went to Kelly's often. Abby confided that she had stopped by on a whim, but she might return because she liked the place.

Swavek contacted the Balkan to let him know that Ronan O'Reilly was actually an undercover cop named Lucky Spencer.

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

by Soap Central

ABC Daytime aired a special encore episode of General Hospital in place of an original episode. This programming change was planned for, so there were not any lost episodes as a result of the preemption.

Regular programming resumed on Thursday, October 28, and picked up where Tuesday, October 25th's episode concluded.

Thursday, October 28, 2010

by Elisabeth

In Claire's office, Alexis was surprised to learn that Claire wanted to question her about the night of Johnny's car bombing. Alexis thought the Lopez brothers had been responsible for the act. Claire explained that the Lopez brothers had been cleared, so Sonny was the prime suspect. Alexis was certain that Brenda was somehow responsible for Claire's decision to reopen the case. Claire denied it then began to question Alexis about the events on that fateful night.

Claire wanted to know who had suggested the family dinner at the lake house and what the occasion had been. Alexis repeatedly responded, "I don't recall." Claire grew frustrated but continued to fire questions at Alexis. Claire wondered if there had been any point in the evening when Alexis had suspected that something might be wrong. Alexis acknowledged that the fist sign of trouble had been when Kristina had disappeared. However, Alexis made it clear that Sonny had reacted like any other concerned father when he had gone to look for his daughter.

After Alexis left, Johnny entered Claire's office. Johnny chuckled when Claire explained that she had a few questions about the night that his car had been bombed. He had no idea what game she was playing, but he insisted that it was over. Johnny reminded Claire that he and Sonny had a truce. He doubted that Claire was looking for the truth, since she was involved with Sonny. Claire insisted that her relationship with Sonny had no bearing on the situation.

Moments later, Claire's assistant knocked on the door to let Claire know that some flowers had arrived. Johnny laughed out loud because he suspected that Sonny had sent the flowers. According to Johnny, Sonny might as well have been standing in the room with them. Claire remained determined to find out what Johnny knew about the bombing. Johnny conceded that Kristina had not been the intended victim; however, he didn't have any doubt that Sonny had planted the bomb. Johnny made it clear that it was up to Claire to prove it. He was curious to see if she would betray her oath as a federal prosecutor or choose Sonny.

Johnny went to his penthouse and found Ethan was waiting for him. Johnny let Ethan know that Claire had reopened the investigation into the bombing. Ethan didn't seem concerned, since he had been running an errand for Luke at the time of the explosion. Johnny found the timing of Luke's errand suspicious. Ethan didn't deny that there was a strong possibility that Sonny had warned Luke to keep Ethan away.

However, Ethan doubted that Luke would ever say anything, so it didn't matter. Ethan was curious why the police couldn't keep the case closed for lack of evidence. Johnny was surprised that Ethan would be in favor of Sonny walking away from the crime. Ethan clarified that he didn't want Kristina to ever have to know what her father had done. Johnny suggested that perhaps it would be helpful if she knew the truth.

Ethan was curious if it had been helpful for Johnny or Claudia to know the truth about Anthony. Johnny acknowledged that Ethan had a point. Ethan didn't think that Johnny had a right to get "all high and mighty" when Johnny had been the one to deliberately provoke Sonny by pretending to date Kristina. Johnny chuckled as he wondered when Ethan had turned into an ethical con man.

At Kelly's, Sonny claimed that he had stopped by to visit Mike and enjoy the food. Mike smiled because he saw through the lie; Sonny had hoped to run into Brenda. Mike revealed that he hadn't seen Brenda since her arrival, but he had heard that she was staying with Jason. Sonny told Mike about Brenda's recent troubles. Mike realized that it had to be serious if Brenda were willing to move in with Jason, since they were like oil and water.

Mike wasn't surprised when Sonny revealed that he had hoped to rekindle things with Brenda but that she had made it clear that she wasn't interested in exploring a relationship with Sonny. Mike was proud that Sonny had decided to respect Brenda's wishes by staying away from her. Mike suggested that Brenda was like a drug to Sonny. He reminded Sonny that Sonny and Brenda hadn't always been good for each other.

At Jason's penthouse, Jason explained to Sam that Brenda was upset because she didn't want Sam to risk her life. Jason agreed that Brenda had a point. Sam didn't get a chance to respond because Suzanne arrived. Suzanne was curious what was going on with Brenda. Jason told Suzanne about their plans to lure the Balkan out of hiding by "kidnapping" Brenda.

Suzanne thought it was a great plan, but she didn't think Brenda would go along with it. Spinelli entered the living room moments later, babbling about Brenda. Sam suggested that they spare themselves lots of trouble by simply locking Brenda in her room until the Balkan had been dealt with. According to Spinelli, Brenda hated Jason's plan because she thought it was stupid and would likely get everyone killed because the Balkan would see through it. Spinelli insisted that Brenda didn't want anyone to get hurt.

Suzanne urged Jason to talk to Brenda; she was certain that, deep down, Brenda wanted Jason's respect. Jason just wanted to get it all over with. Suzanne realized she wasn't getting anywhere with Jason, so she decided to make the necessary arrangements to put his plans into motion. Meanwhile, Jason and Sam went to the warehouse where they planned to meet the Balkan.

Sam was curious what Jason's plans were for the Balkan once they had him trapped in the warehouse. Jason explained that Interpol wanted Lucky to find and identify the Balkan, so he suggested that it would be easier to accomplish if they killed the international crime lord. Sam wanted to make sure that Lucky would keep Jason's name off all of the paperwork. Jason counted on it. Sam remained uneasy; she feared that something could go wrong.

Jason assured Sam that she could back out if she didn't want to take Brenda's place. Sam clarified that she was worried about Jason because his stint in Pentonville had made her realize that she could easily lose him. Jason smiled then kissed Sam. Afterwards, they carefully made their way through the warehouse in an attempt to find all the escape routes and to memorize the layout. Jason and Sam returned to the penthouse a short time later.

Jason was satisfied that Spinelli had found the perfect place for the ambush. Spinelli warned Jason that Brenda continued to have reservations about the plan, but Suzanne was trying to ease Brenda's fears. Jason promised to make another attempt to explain things to Brenda. Suzanne entered the living room moments later to announce that Brenda had agreed to stay put. However, Suzanne suspected that Brenda had been lying because Brenda had capitulated too easily.

At the loft, Dante woke up from a nightmare of a violent struggle and Brenda's terrified scream. Michael stood at the door as he prepared to leave for school. Michael stopped when he heard his brother cry out. Dante apologized for startling Michael. Dante explained that it had been a bad dream. Michael admitted that he was familiar with frequent nightmares.

Dante got dressed and joined his brother in the living room. Dante revealed that something had happened when he had been a patrolman. Dante thought it had been in the past, but clearly it wasn't. Michael knew what that was like. Dante apologized to Michael for his role in sending Michael to Pentonville. Michael assured Dante that it was okay because he knew that Dante hadn't known what would happen.

Dante insisted that he had been certain that Claudia's death would have been ruled self-defense. Dante clarified that he had hoped to end the pain, not add to it. Dante worried that Michael would be late for school, but Michael assured Dante that he had plenty of time to make it to class. Dante and Michael ate some leftovers for breakfast as Dante revealed that he had been taken off the car bombing case so that he could protect Brenda. Michael confided that Carly had accused Brenda of being a drama queen from hell.

According to Michael, Carly was convinced that Sonny and Jax were still in love with Brenda. He warned Dante to be careful not to fall in love with Brenda too. Dante laughed as he assured Michael that it would never happen. A short time later, Dante bumped into his mother at Kelly's. Dante apologized for not calling Olivia recently. He explained that a lot had been going on.

Olivia reminded Dante that she needed to hear from him or else she would worry about him. Olivia then shifted gears to invite Dante and Lulu to join her and Johnny for dinner. Dante warned her that it would never happen because the situation would be too uncomfortable. Dante pointed out that he and Johnny were on opposite sides of the law and that Lulu and Johnny had once dated. Olivia insisted that they would eventually have to deal with it, regardless of how awkward it was for everyone, because she and Dante were family.

Olivia played the guilt card by reminding Dante of all the dates that she had turned down, in order to stay home to take care of her son. The tactic worked like a charm. Dante agreed to have dinner with Olivia and Johnny, but he insisted that it would have to be on another night because he had been assigned to guard Brenda.

Later, Dante went to Jason's penthouse to report for duty. After Suzanne left, Jason filled Dante in on the plans. Their attention shifted to Sam when she entered the living room to show them her disguise. She looked eerily like Brenda.

Michael was pleasantly surprised when he entered Kelly's and found Abby sitting at a table. Abby confessed that she had been hoping to see Michael. Michael readily sat down when Abby invited him to join her. Abby admitted that she'd enjoyed talking to Michael the last time that they had met. Michael felt the same way.

Abby and Michael began to talk about school. Michael didn't see the importance of an education, since he was an ex-con and he didn't want Sonny or Jax to bribe people to get him into college. Abby was disappointed to hear that because she believed that an education was crucial for a bright future.

At the hospital, Steve let Patrick know that he expected Patrick to attend a board meeting on November third. Patrick explained that he had requested the day off months earlier to celebrate Emma's birthday. At the nurses' station, Robin turned to Liz for advice about Emma's birthday party. Robin was considering hiring a clown and arranging pony rides for the children. However, Robin feared that she might be going overboard.

Liz reminded Robin that the day should be about Emma. Robin confessed that she thought the pony rides would be a good distraction from the tension between Robin and Patrick. Liz wondered if Patrick were attending the party. Robin admitted that she hadn't discussed it with him. Liz revealed that Cam had gone to a party with a clown, which had been a complete disaster because a little girl had been terrified of the clown.

Liz explained that children just wanted to eat cake, so Robin would be better off just buying another cake instead of arranging for pony rides and clowns. Moment later, Lisa walked up to ask Liz for a patient's chart. Robin made a point of ignoring Lisa. After Liz walked away, Patrick and Steve approached the nurses' station as they discussed a patient who needed surgery. Lisa quickly volunteered to scrub in with Patrick.

Patrick refused to work with Lisa, but Steve reminded Patrick that emergency surgery trumped any issues that Patrick had with Lisa. Robin seethed with silent fury as she watched Lisa and Patrick walk away. Later, Robin went to Pozzulo's to talk to Sonny. Robin apologized for dropping by without calling, but she explained that her head was about to explode. Robin ranted about Patrick and Lisa for several minutes until Sonny admitted that he couldn't understand why Patrick would work with Lisa.

Robin conceded that Patrick hadn't been given a choice. She couldn't believe that Shadybrook had released Lisa. Robin confessed that Lisa drove her crazy. Sonny wondered if Robin wanted him to "intervene." Robin thought about it for a long moment but then declined Sonny's offer. Robin realized that the real problem was Patrick. She admitted that she missed him and the life they had shared.

Robin couldn't help but wonder if all of it had been a lie. Sonny was curious if anything in the marriage had been worth saving. "Yes," Robin admitted, but she didn't know how to forgive Patrick. Sonny opened up about how Lily had forgiven him, even though he had planned to leave his wife. Sonny confided that it had felt wonderful when Lily forgave him.

Sonny suggested that Robin should forgive Patrick, even if she didn't take him back. He warned her that if she held on to the anger and resentment, she might be blind to a love that could be right in front of her. Robin returned to the hospital a short time later to let Epiphany know that she had taken Emma's birthday off to throw her daughter a party. Robin's good mood soured when she heard Steve ask Patrick how the surgery had gone. Patrick admitted that Lisa had done a good job.

Later, Liz let Robin know that Cam and Jake would be at Emma's party. Robin assured Liz that Aiden was welcome if Audrey couldn't watch the infant. Liz was curious if Patrick would be there. Robin confessed that she hadn't talked to Patrick about it, but she was certain that he'd probably show up. Liz wondered if Robin was okay with that. Robin insisted that she would have to "suck it up" because Patrick was Emma's father. Neither Robin nor Liz realized that Patrick had overheard their exchange.

Conan popped his head into Sonny's office to let Sonny know that Claire was there. Moments later, Claire entered the office. She thanked Sonny for the beautiful flowers. Sonny smiled as he confessed that he had sent them because he had hoped to invite her to dinner. Claire wanted to accept the invitation, but she thought he should know that he was the prime suspect in the Zacchara car bombing. She also revealed that she had assigned Dante to protect Brenda.

Sonny thought Dante would do a good job, but he was curious why Claire wanted to pursue the investigation. Claire explained that everything pointed to Sonny as the person responsible for the bomb; he'd had motive and opportunity. Sonny argued that she had a conflict of interest with the case. Claire explained that she couldn't prosecute Sonny, but she couldn't condone murder.

Friday, October 29, 2010

by Marcello Aurelio Lanfranchi

Michael and Abby got to know one another at Kelly's. She opened up and let him know that she'd made mistakes in the past but had finally decided to change her life. She warned Michael not to give in to the mistakes of his past. Michael apologized for attacking Abby on their first date, but she made it very clear that he had done nothing wrong. She admitted that she had crossed a line when she'd tried to take off his shirt and that his reaction to push her away had not been an attack.

Michael asked if she regretted working as a stripper. Abby responded that she didn't mind working for the strip club, as it paid better than anything else for which she was qualified, and it left her free to attend day classes. Michael said that he realized how easy his life had been. Abby pointed out that, in many ways, his life had been difficult.

Johnny and Ethan entered the diner as Ethan explained that Maya was busy helping Luke convince Tracy that Luke was very ill, in order to con Tracy into a deathbed wedding. Johnny pointed out that it wouldn't be long before Claire questioned Luke about the errand Ethan had been on the night of the car bombing. Ethan suggested that Johnny should work to keep Sonny's involvement in the crime hidden, if not for Sonny, for Sonny's kids. Ethan worried what the truth would do to Kristina if she learned that Sonny had been responsible for her nearly having died.

At Sonny's home, Claire told Sonny that, though she cared for him, she could not look the other way if it turned out that he had any connection to Johnny's car bombing. Sonny denied having had anything to do with it and asked Claire out on a date. She tried to resist but gave in to him when he kissed her. Claire's phone rang, and against Sonny's advice, she answered it. Ronnie was on the other end. "I got something on Corinthos," he told her, "and I think it's a game changer."

Later, Sonny made reservations for two at the French restaurant. Alexis walked in and let Sonny know that Claire was hell-bent on proving Sonny's guilt in the car bombing. Alexis worried that Kristina would be destroyed if Sonny were to go to prison or on the run. Alexis made it clear that Sonny dating Claire was a bad idea. It would only be a matter of time before he'd slip up or Claire would find evidence, Alexis fretted.

Claire returned to her office and met Ronnie, who handed her a report from the Department of Homeland Security on the wiretap they'd conducted on Sonny's cell phone the night Johnny's car had been bombed. Ronnie played the recording in which the mechanic confirmed to Sonny that the car had been rigged to explode.

Ronnie begged Claire not to suppress the evidence, but she reminded him that Johnny's gun had mysteriously disappeared the night Sonny had shot Johnny, and that Ronnie had been the first on the scene. Claire later listened to the tape alone and made a call to check on legal precedents regarding the admissibility of a wiretapped recording. Sonny arrived and swept Claire off her feet.

At Wyndemere, Lucky prepared to confront the Balkan. Nikolas worried that Lucky was facing danger without backup, but Lucky explained that Jason would be working with him. Nikolas didn't approve and cited Jason's lack of regard for the law. Lucky remained undeterred.

Nikolas left the room, and Siobhan demanded to know why Lucky wouldn't involve Interpol. She wanted to know why he wouldn't let her back him up. Lucky told her that, if he didn't make it, he wanted to know that she was safe. Siobhan kissed him and told him to make it back in one piece.

After Lucky left, Nikolas returned to the room and told Siobhan that Lucky was the most capable and resourceful man he'd ever known. Nikolas apologized for having to leave, but explained that he had to take Spencer trick-or-treating. Moments after he departed, Siobhan walked outside. She sat on a bench by the boat landing and was shocked when someone approached.

At Jason's penthouse, Sam, dressed as Brenda, assured Dante that she'd be as effective as an undercover cop at luring the Balkan. Jason reminded Dante that the plan was Lucky's but that it wouldn't work if they couldn't control Brenda. The three of them went over the details. Sam, posing as Brenda, would be led to a car. Lucky, posing as Ronan, would abduct her.

Dante worried that the Balkan would know that Jason would kill Ronan in such a situation. Max and Milo showed up, having been invited by Dante, who explained that they would pose as "Brenda's" bodyguards.

In the "regrettably pink room," Brenda had a nightmare about a scuffle between another man and Dante. In the dream, she'd picked up Dante's gun and shot the man. Brenda woke up screaming, which prompted Spinelli to run into her room. Brenda explained that she'd just had a nightmare.

Spinelli wanted to analyze the dream, but Brenda said that she'd be less likely to have bad dreams if she knew more about the plan to convince the Balkan that Ronan had kidnapped her. Spinelli let it slip that the deception would go down at the warehouse. Brenda sent Spinelli on a wild goose chase to get her some tea that would help her sleep.

Brenda walked into the living room and announced to Dante and Jason that their plan would fail. She argued that she should be the one to be "kidnapped" by Lucky. Jason put his foot down and left. Brenda told Dante that, since the two of them were the only people who knew that the Balkan was after her because she'd accidentally killed a man named Aleksander, they needed to thwart Lucky's plan.

Brenda wondered why, after all those years, the Balkan would pursue her. Dante explained that, six months before, the New Jersey police had discovered Aleksander's body where Dante had dumped it. Brenda made Dante promise that he'd never admit to his involvement in the death. Dante assured Brenda that, once the Balkan was apprehended or killed, their past would remain buried. As Dante momentarily turned away, Brenda hit him over the head with a vase and ran out.

Downstairs, Max and Milo escorted Sam, disguised as Brenda, to the car. Lucky accosted her and dragged her away. He took her to a warehouse, where Jason met them. Lucky made a call and explained to the other party that he had Brenda but would only meet with the Balkan. Jason took his gun and hid outside. Lucky tied Sam up but left her hands loose enough so that she could get free and grab her gun. He placed a loosely woven burlap sack over her head.

Liz and Robin entered the nurses' station while they discussed Halloween. Patrick approached, and Liz left to work. With trepidation, Robin asked Patrick if he'd like to join her and Emma for trick-or-treating. He begged out because of a patient whom he needed to monitor. After Robin left, Liz asked Patrick why he had declined to take his daughter out. Liz pointed out that his patient was doing fine. Patrick explained that he was bowing out because of the discomfort that he and Robin felt when together.

Later, Robin, dressed as a witch, returned to the hospital so that Patrick could see their little girl, all dressed up like a lamb. Robin then took Emma to Kelly's and ordered something to go. She chatted with Johnny and Ethan and asked how Luke was doing. Ethan assured her that Luke would not be down for long. She promised to check on Luke the next day. The moment Robin turned her back to grab her order, someone spirited Emma away.