General Hospital Recaps: The week of September 23, 2013 on GH

Morgan and Ava found comfort in each other's arms. Diane informed Franco that he was broke. Lulu and Dante asked Maxie and Spinelli to be Connie's godparents. Luke had an encounter with Helena.

Monday, September 23, 2013

by Boone

Patrick was eager to hear all about Sabrina's day when he arrived home from work. Sabrina said that Emma definitely did not like eye drops and that Emma had wanted her mother, but eventually Sabrina had been able to comfort Emma. Patrick asked if Sabrina's friend from Puerto Rico had found her. Sabrina replied that he had. Patrick deduced that the friend was Carlos, Sabrina's ex-boyfriend. Patrick thought that he was joking when he asked Sabrina if Carlos had searched out Sabrina because Carlos wanted her to reunite with him.

Patrick did not think it was funny when Sabrina admitted that Carlos had indeed declared his feelings for her. Before Patrick could get huffy, Sabrina hastened to tell him that Carlos had made his declaration under the mistaken impression that Sabrina was Patrick's babysitter. Once Sabrina had corrected that misinformation, by telling Carlos that she loved Patrick and had moved on, Sabrina said that Carlos had backed off. Patrick wondered if he should be worried about Carlos.

Sabrina remembered Carlos telling her that he would not give up on her, but did not share it with Patrick. Instead, she playfully accused Patrick of jealousy. When Patrick denied it, Sabrina said that she was not convinced that Patrick was being truthful, so her only course of action was to take him to the bedroom and prove it. Patrick thought that Sabrina had a very good idea.

Derek met Carlos, who was wearing a torn shirt and sporting a gash on his arm, at the docks, near the site of the explosion. Carlos had created the explosion for Derek. They headed to Derek's office, which Derek thought was empty, to plan their next move.

Anna took food to Duke, who was working in Derek's office while waiting for his own office to be ready. They joked about haggis and then Anna asked if Duke had found out anything about Derek. Duke said that he had not learned anything that they did not already know. Duke said that he had been unable to find out anything about Derek's personal life, except that Derek had sent flowers to both Alexis and Sam.

Anna got a call about the explosion on the docks and told Duke that she had to leave. Derek and Carlos, who had put on a sport jacket over his torn shirt, got off the elevator as Anna got on. She was polite and said she had to run. When the door closed, Derek said, Where's the fire?" and both men chuckled. In his office, Derek introduced Carlos as "Chief of Operations" and Duke as "Chief of Staff." Derek complimented Duke on his work ethic, but said that he needed his office.

Duke said he would work outside. Derek encouraged Carlos and Duke to get to know each other while Derek made some calls. Once alone, Derek texted Ava that the job had gone well. Carlos inquired about how working so many hours would affect Duke's relationship with Anna. Duke said that it was more likely Anna who would work the long hours and he would be the one waiting. Carlos said that a beautiful woman was worth waiting for. Duke said that something special was always worth waiting for. Carlos replied that he had had something special once but had lost it. Duke said that if he had learned one thing from his long separation from Anna, it was to never give up.

Carlos looked thoughtful as Duke got on the elevator. Carlos reported to Derek that he and Duke had talked about work and women. Carlos said that Derek was playing a dangerous game by hiring Duke. Derek said that he was not worried because there was a river of bad blood between Julian Jerome and Duke Lavery. Derek said that Duke did not know that Derek was Julian. When Carlos asked if Derek was worried that Duke and Anna would discover Derek's identity, Derek said that he was not worried at all.

As Anna listened to one officer report on the explosion, another police officer produced Shawn, whom the officer had apprehended near the scene. Anna expected Shawn to be reluctant to answer questions, but Shawn told Anna everything he knew about the explosion that had destroyed one of Sonny's "coffee" shipments. Shawn said that the explosion had been completely unexpected because as far as Shawn knew, Sonny's only competitor was a dead guy named Julian Jerome.

Anna went on high alert and asked where Shawn had gotten that name. Shawn told her that he could have sworn that Vince, whom Shawn had questioned and let go, had been telling the truth. Shawn told Anna that he had advised Vince to take a ferry to Canada, but Vince had never left Port Charles and could not be found.

Anna was waiting when Duke arrived home. She told him that the explosion had been intentional and that one of Sonny's shipments had been the target.

Sam saw Ava kiss Silas and then Sam fled the Metro Court ballroom. Silas followed. Sonny melted down at the wedding reception for Morgan and Kiki. He apologized to Michael for hurting Michael by keeping Morgan's secret, that Kiki was not a Quartermaine, which Morgan and Sonny had known long before it became public knowledge. Sonny cried as he admitted that Connie had told him to tell and that Connie had been right when she said that the longer Sonny held the secret, the more both his sons would be hurt when the truth was made known.

The partygoers were stunned by Sonny's revelation. Morgan tried to shut Sonny up. Morgan begged Sonny to say that he was drunk and mistaken. Carly tried to take Sonny home, but Sonny kept talking. Sonny said that Connie had died because he had been mad at her for telling Morgan's secret and Sonny had not protected her. Sonny said he was telling the truth for Connie. Kiki turned to Morgan and asked if Sonny was telling the truth. With his head hung low, Morgan admitted that Sonny was truthful.

Morgan screamed at Sonny and asked how Sonny could treat Morgan as Sonny had. Morgan said he had only asked for one thing from Sonny, and Sonny had betrayed him. Morgan asked rhetorically, "What kind of father does that?" Carly tried to get Morgan to calm down and go outside.

Sonny told Morgan that he had told the truth for Connie. Morgan said that Sonny had done it for Michael, because Sonny -- and Carly -- loved Michael more than they did Morgan. Morgan accused Sonny of betraying Morgan for Michael. Sonny replied that he had told the truth because he did love Morgan.

Sonny said that Morgan had tricked Kiki into marriage, and Morgan deserved better than that. Sonny said that Morgan deserved a woman who loved Morgan with her whole heart, just as Connie had loved Sonny. Sonny tried to hug Morgan, but Morgan pulled away. Ava got a text message from Derek saying that the job had gone well. Olivia told everyone to go home immediately, and the crowd dispersed hurriedly.

Sonny again told Morgan that he loved him, but Morgan was livid. Morgan said that he had given Sonny a chance to prove that Sonny loved Morgan as much as he loved Michael, and Sonny had failed miserably. Morgan noted that Sonny had told Morgan less that an hour before that everything would be fine. Morgan asked how he could believe that Sonny was honorable and not a criminal.

Morgan spat out that Sonny had said that he loved Morgan and then Sonny had betrayed him. Morgan yelled that if Sonny was not a liar, Sonny was as crazy as Connie. Sonny took offense and went for Morgan's throat. Carly and Olivia grabbed Sonny while Kiki and Michael grabbed Morgan. Michael convinced Sonny to let go of Morgan and to let Olivia and Carly take Sonny home. Sonny left with the ladies.

Morgan asked what Michael was looking at, and Michael replied, "The stranger who used to be my brother," and then added that Morgan had lied to Michael when Michael had asked if Morgan had known all along about Kiki's parentage. Morgan was unrepentant when he replied that Michael had stolen his woman. Morgan said that he had seen how Michael and Kiki had looked at each other and had thought, "If only we weren't cousins."

Kiki and Michael both said that they had tried to stop but had not been able to help their attraction to each other. Morgan turned to Kiki and said that she was his wife, and she was supposed to love him. Morgan said he knew that Kiki was thinking that she could ditch the loser brother and have Michael instead. Morgan said that the reason he had rushed Kiki into marriage was because he loved her.

Kiki told Morgan that he did not love her, or he would not have lied to her. Morgan asked if Kiki would have married him if she had known the truth. Morgan pleaded his case that they were making a go of it and that their marriage was good. Morgan pressed Kiki to agree that things were very good between them. Morgan declared that they could still be "Kiki and the Captain." Morgan begged Kiki not to end their marriage.

Kiki said that she was sorry, but she did not want to remain married to Morgan. Morgan replied that it had only been one lie. Kiki snapped that it had been one big lie. Morgan said that it was all Michael's fault. Kiki pointed out that Morgan had been the one who had lied. Morgan said that both Kiki and Michael had been waiting for the opportunity to be together, and they had gotten it at the fiasco of a party that Ava had thrown. Morgan stalked out after telling Michael and Kiki that Kiki had gotten the wedding present she wanted.

Silas caught Sam in the lobby and tried to explain. Sam said he had been kissing Ava, and there was no explanation necessary. Silas said that he had not been kissing Ava. Sam asked if perhaps Silas had been taking a DNA sample. Silas laughed. Sam took offense. Silas said Sam wan not going anywhere, because she liked to argue. Sam said that it was okay if Silas had reconnected to Ava after Sam had turned him down.

Silas asked what had changed Sam's mind about the party, and she told him that she and Patrick had talked. Patrick had told her about his experience and how he had realized that Robin wanted the best for him. Sam had realized that Jason would want that for Sam also. Silas told Sam that he had not kissed Ava, that Ava had kissed him. Silas said that Ava had forced him to dance as parents of the bride and had then tried to reunite with him.

Silas said that his only connection to Ava was Kiki. Ava arrived in time to hide and eavesdrop. She heard Silas tell Sam that he was not interested in Ava; he was only interested in Sam. Sam liked hearing that Silas cared about her, and she liked it even more when Silas told her that she looked so beautiful in the dress that she was wearing that Silas had almost not recognized Sam.

Sam was about to give in and go back to the party when Ava popped out with a dire warning about Silas. Ava told Sam that there were dark secrets that Sam did not know about Silas. Sam said that she had dark secret that Silas did not know abut her. Sam challenged Ava to finish the sentence, "Silas Clay is evil because..." in 25 words or less. Silas goaded Ava to tell what she knew, but Ava said that 25 words would not do Silas justice, and Sam would have to find out on her own.

Sam and Silas left together. Ava walked over to a table. She was crying when she swept a vase full of flowers and water off the table and it crashed on the floor.

Upon arriving at home, Sonny continued as the life of the party. Olivia protested, but Sonny got angry and shouted at her not to tell him what to do. Carly whispered quietly to Olivia that Olivia should go home and let Carly handle Sonny because Carly had been in that position with Sonny before. Sonny continued to pour champagne and lifted his glass. He toasted the truth, which, Sonny said, "will set you free."

Olivia made polite excuses and escaped to the hall. She met Shawn, who was there to deliver the bad news about the explosion. Olivia stopped him. Shawn said it could not wait, but Olivia said it would have to because Sonny was in a very bad way, and Carly was trying to help.

Sonny offered Carly a drink, but she refused. When Sonny asked what Carly wanted, Carly told Sonny that she wanted to talk about what Sonny had done to Morgan at the party.

Carly convinces Sonny to go back on his meds

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

by Elisabeth

At the loft, Lulu rocked her fussy daughter, while Dante offered tips to help soothe the baby. Eventually, Dante took over and fed the crying infant a bottle. Lulu was touched by the sight of Dante holding the baby, so she videotaped her family as Dante talked about the kind of father he wanted to be.

After Connie fell asleep, Dante and Lulu gently placed the baby in the bassinette. Both parents were amazed that they had created such a beautiful child and admitted that they each felt blessed. Dante and Lulu kissed and then began to make love until Connie started to cry. Lulu wanted to go to her daughter, but Dante urged Lulu to wait because they had given the baby two bottles and had changed Connie's diaper.

Moments later, Connie appeared to quiet down, so Dante and Lulu relaxed and then resumed their kiss. Their respite was short-lived because Connie began to cry again. Dante picked up the infant and rocked her as Lulu confessed that she felt like a failure because they couldn't seem to comfort their baby. Dante admitted that it felt as if Connie wanted to be somewhere else.

Lulu suggested that perhaps Connie needed both of her parents, so Lulu led Dante back to the bedroom and then settled their daughter between them. Connie immediately quieted down.

At the apartment, Maxie received a text message from Ellie notifying Maxie that Ellie would be working late, so Maxie should lock up. Maxie grumbled as she made her way to the door to confirm that it was locked. However, she froze when she noticed that someone was jiggling the doorknob from the hallway. Maxie dashed into a nearby room to fetch something to defend herself with and then returned to the living room just as someone wearing a hooded sweatshirt entered the apartment. Maxie clobbered the person over the head, but quickly realized that it was Spinelli.

Later, Spinelli rubbed his head as Maxie handed him an ice pack. She refused to apologize for hitting him because he had sneaked into the apartment like a "prowler." Spinelli explained that he had stopped by to pick up his gym bag, so Maxie suggested that he call ahead. He confessed that he hadn't wanted anyone to know about his visit because he had been hoping to avoid someone. Maxie immediately assumed that Spinelli had been referring to Ellie, but he admitted that he had meant Maxie.

Hurt, Maxie regretted that she had believed Ellie when Ellie had insisted that Spinelli cared for Maxie. "Clearly, she's never been more wrong," Maxie muttered.

Spinelli reminded Maxie that Maxie had been the one who had lied and that he wouldn't have known about his daughter if Ellie hadn't decided to tell him the truth. Maxie insisted that she had done what she had thought was best. "Best for who?" Spinelli demanded. Maxie decided that it didn't matter, but Spinelli disagreed because he had become complicit in her lie, so he deserved an answer.

Spinelli explained that he couldn't stop thinking about the important milestones in their daughter's life that he would miss. "The pain is constant and unceasing," Spinelli admitted. Maxie assured him that she was hurting, too, and that she hated herself for what she had done to him because he was the one person, besides their daughter, that she cared the most about.

Maxie reminded Spinelli that Frisco had always left, so he had failed her as a father. She conceded that she and her mother were in a good place, but Maxie would never be able to forget that Felicia had also left Maxie. Spinelli pointed out that Mac had always been there for Maxie, so she agreed that Mac was a true father to her, but she knew that there were times that Mac had no idea what to do with her. Maxie explained that Spinelli was the only person who had truly accepted her besides Georgie and Robin, who were both gone.

"What about Lulu?" Spinelli asked. Maxie took both of Spinelli's hands in hers as she tearfully insisted that Spinelli and Lulu were her best friends, but she had been forced to make a choice that would leave one of them hurt "So, you decided to hurt me," Spinelli concluded.

Maxie cried that she had broken a promise to Lulu by losing the one thing that Lulu had wanted most in the world. Maxie had been devastated because she had been certain that the miscarriage would shatter Lulu. According to Maxie, the pregnancy had been an opportunity to right a wrong even though it had hurt Spinelli. She assured him that she was deeply sorry, but Spinelli didn't appear comforted by the knowledge.

Spinelli fetched his gym bag and then went to the door. He turned to ask if Maxie missed their baby. "Every day," Maxie assured him, but she was also trying to work through it. Spinelli admitted that Ellie hadn't been wrong; he hated what Maxie had done, but not her. Maxie appeared sad as she watched Spinelli leave.

At the hospital, Sam and Silas stood outside of Danny's hospital room. Sam was pleased that Danny was resting, so she realized that she should have listened to her mother's assurance that Danny's evening would be uneventful. "Unlike ours," Sam quietly added.

Silas feigned shock that Sam hadn't enjoyed herself at his daughter's wedding reception. Sam smiled and suggested that he have better plans for next time. Silas turned serious as he wondered if that meant that there would be a next time. Sam tried to avoid the topic by suggesting that he could take someone else out, but Silas reminded her that she had promised to have dinner with him. Sam insisted that she couldn't leave Danny's side, so Silas smiled victoriously because he had anticipated that Sam would say that. Silas reached for a bag that he had hidden on a cart around the corner as he announced that he had picked up dinner from the Floating Rib.

Later, Sam admitted that she was impressed with Silas' impromptu picnic in the hallway. Silas had turned off the lights so that they could dine by the soft illumination of a carousel nightlight that covered the walls with a star system. Sam confessed that it was a beautiful touch, so he joked that she should have seen the blanket forts that he had made for his brother, Stephen.

Silas admitted that he had been forced to grow up fast, so Sam wondered if his parents had been in the picture. "That was the problem," Silas explained. Silas revealed that he had tried to protect Stephen, but Silas hadn't hesitated to escape to college. Sam opened up to Silas about her brother, Danny, and her fears that Danny might have lived if she hadn't whisked Danny away from Hawaii. Silas admitted that it sounded as if Sam had done all that she could, so Sam told him that the same applied to him.

Sam realized that she knew very little about Silas' past, so he asked if she liked to talk about her life. Sam conceded that it wasn't her favorite topic, but she didn't mind questions because she had nothing to hide. Silas realized that Sam was concerned about the things that Ava had said earlier that evening, so he quickly apologized for the ugly encounter. Silas explained that Ava had a spiteful side, so Ava had lashed out blindly to get under Sam's skin.

Sam heard her son cry, so she dashed into Danny's hospital room. Later, Sam held Danny tightly as he suddenly looked up and pointed to the lightshow on the walls. Sam smiled as she glanced over her shoulder and saw Silas in the window. He had perched the nightlight on the ledge for Danny.

At Greystone Manor, Carly was determined to talk about what had transpired at Morgan and Kiki's wedding reception, but Sonny refused because he wasn't in the mood. Carly argued that Sonny had turned their son's life upside down, so it wasn't an option. Sonny insisted that it had needed to be done, but Carly accused Sonny of being out of control because he had stopped taking the lithium. Sonny didn't want to talk about it, but Carly refused to back down because Sonny had destroyed Morgan's marriage in a room filled with people.

Sonny argued that he had forced Morgan to own up to what Morgan had done. Sonny resented Carly acting as if she hadn't wanted Sonny to break up Morgan and Kiki's marriage because he recalled Carly asking him to put a kibosh on the relationship weeks earlier. Sonny expected Carly to thank him, but Carly insisted that it wasn't so much what Sonny had done, but rather how he had done it because he had hurt Morgan.

Sonny claimed that he had wanted to make things right for Morgan and Michael, but Carly didn't believe Sonny. Carly was certain that Sonny hadn't even realized what he would say until the words had been out of his mouth. Sonny wondered if she expected him to apologize, but she wanted to know if he would do it over again. "Would you toast your son with one hand and backhand him with the other?" Carly asked.

Sonny denied that he had done that, but Carly disagreed and blamed the lack of medication for the disaster. Sonny ordered Carly to leave, but she refused because she was determined to make him understand that he needed to take his medication before the darkness swallowed him whole. Sonny claimed that he welcomed it, but Carly knew better.

Carly insisted that Sonny's life always turned into chaos without the medication and that the last time he had gone without it, he had nearly killed Jax and had fired a gun in Robin's house. Carly explained that Sonny was a danger to everyone, including his children, when he was off of his medications. Sonny argued that he had thrown the pills out because he didn't want to numb himself to the pain of losing Connie.

Sonny explained that he had thrown the party in Connie's honor to celebrate Connie's life, but Carly pointed out that those had been Ava's words. Sonny claimed that Ava understood the pain that he was in, so Carly conceded that perhaps she did. However, Carly had seen Sonny through the highs and lows before, so she knew that he didn't want the bipolar disorder to be in control. "You mean you need the pills to control me," Sonny countered.

Carly fetched the bottle of lithium from the trash basket as she reminded Sonny that both Morgan and Kristina had volatile tempers. Carly didn't know if either child would end up struggling with the disorder, but she urged Sonny to be a shining example of how to successfully treat it. She handed the prescription bottle to him as she implored him to do the right thing because anything less would be a disservice to Connie's memory.

Sonny's eyes filled with tears as he confessed that he missed Connie. Carly nodded in understanding, but she begged him not to hurt himself or his family in Connie's name because Connie wouldn't want that. Sonny looked at the bottle of pills and then popped one of the pills into his mouth before washing it down with a drink of water.

In Metro Court Restaurant, Michael left Morgan a voicemail message asking Morgan to return Michael's call.

Meanwhile, Kiki sat at the bar, playing with the bride and groom wedding cake topping. She warned Michael that Morgan probably wasn't in the mood to talk after the bomb that Sonny had dropped at the wedding reception. Michael admitted that he was upset that his father had lied to him, but Kiki reminded Michael that Morgan had manipulated Sonny by preying on Sonny's guilt.

Michael appreciated that his father was in pain over Connie's death, but he couldn't understand what had driven Sonny to tell the truth or how Sonny could have hurt Morgan in such a public way. Kiki suggested that perhaps Sonny had grown tired of being Morgan's "secret keeper." Michael was stunned that Morgan had lied, but Kiki pointed out that Michael had suspected Morgan of duplicity from the beginning.

Michael felt betrayed because he had believed Morgan's denials, but he set that aside when Kiki began to cry because her marriage to Morgan had been based on a lie. "I told him that I loved him, but the truth is I love you more," Kiki explained. Surprised, Michael was momentarily speechless.

Michael confessed that he loved Kiki too. Stunned, Kiki couldn't believe what she had heard, so Michael stepped forward to gently caress her face. "I, Michael, love you, Kiki, for real," Michael said. Tears filled Kiki's eyes as Michael pointed out that there wasn't anything standing in their way. "You're wrong," Kiki argued.

Kiki pointed out that Morgan was still her husband, but Michael countered that she could get an annulment. Kiki agreed, but she was concerned about how Morgan and Michael's family would react to their relationship. Michael refused to lose Kiki, so she promised him that he would never lose her. Michael realized that they had a lot of obstacles to face, but he refused to let that stop him from exploring a relationship with her. Kiki smiled, so Michael kissed her.

In Ava's hotel suite, Ava poured herself a drink and then wiped away a tear as she thought about Silas' confession to Sam that Sam was the only woman that Silas was interested in. She was startled when she heard a knock at the door. "Silas," Ava breathed as she smoothed her hair into place and then went to the door.

Ava was disappointed when she saw Morgan on her doorstep. "My marriage is over," Morgan said and then confessed that he had nowhere else to go. Ava advised Morgan to go to his wife, but Morgan insisted that his marriage had gone up in flames. Ava closed the door as she pointed out that his marriage didn't have to be over simply because Kiki had found out about his lie. Morgan explained that Kiki had made her feelings clear before he had left, so he suspected that Kiki had never wanted him to begin with.

Ava disagreed, so Morgan conceded that Kiki might have wanted him before she had met Michael. Ava argued that Kiki loved Morgan, but Morgan insisted that it hadn't been enough. Morgan began to rant about how Michael had lied because Michael had only been interested in salvaging his relationship with Morgan when Sonny had appeared to go off the deep end. According to Morgan, everyone in his family only cared about Michael.

Ava was certain that Sonny loved all of his children equally, but Morgan disagreed. According to Morgan, blood wasn't thicker than water because Michael wasn't Sonny's biological child, yet Sonny had put Michael's happiness ahead of Morgan's. Ava suggested that Morgan and Sonny could work things out because Sonny was Morgan's father.

"No, he isn't. I hate him; he's dead to me," Morgan shouted. Ava agreed that Morgan had a right to be angry with Sonny, but she assured him that the pain would fade and the hurt would heal. Morgan argued that he would never forgive his father because Sonny had never really cared about Morgan.

Morgan insisted that he had loved Kiki, but he was certain that Kiki was with Michael. Ava quietly confessed that Kiki's father had hurt Ava earlier that evening. "I do know what it's like to be refused by the person you want," Ava said as she sat beside him on the bed and reached for his hand. Ava promised Morgan that he was not alone.

Morgan believed that Ava was the only person who had been on his side, so he didn't have anyone else to lean on. "Neither do I," Ava confessed. Sexual tension flared as they gazed into each other's eyes. Moments later, Morgan kissed Ava.

After several seconds, Ava pulled away and slapped Morgan. She quickly put some distance between herself and the bed and then breathlessly asked him what he had been doing. Morgan confessed that he didn't know or care. He approached her to pull her back into his arms for another heated kiss. Morgan and Ava began to tear their clothes off of each other as they succumbed to the passion.

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

by Elisabeth

At the loft, Dante and Lulu woke up with their daughter nestled between them in bed. Dante was relieved that they had made it through the rest of the night without incident. He noted the time, so he jumped out of bed and reminded Lulu that they needed to get ready for their daughter's christening. Lulu picked up Connie and followed her husband to the living room as Dante fetched the morning newspaper from the doorstep. He closed the door and showed Lulu the front-page headline about the explosion that had destroyed Sonny's shipment. Dante contemplated checking in with Anna to see if Anna needed help, but Lulu put her foot down and reminded Dante that he was on paternity leave.

Moments later, Olivia arrived with the baby's christening gown, so Dante questioned his mother about the story in the Port Charles Press. Olivia warned Dante not to mention the explosion to Sonny because Sonny had enough to deal with. Dante and Lulu were shocked when Olivia told them about the fiasco at the wedding reception. Olivia admitted that Sonny had fooled everyone because no one had realized that Sonny had stopped taking his medication.

Dante wanted to check on his father, but Olivia insisted that it wasn't necessary because Carly had called to assure Olivia that Sonny had resumed the lithium. Olivia explained that it would take a few days for Sonny to get back to normal, so she didn't want him distracted by mob business. Dante suggested that they postpone the christening, but Olivia assured him that it wasn't necessary because Sonny intended to attend Connie's christening.

Olivia shifted gears to ask Lulu if Luke and Laura would be at the church. Lulu explained that Laura was still in Paris, undergoing tests, and that Luke was unlikely to make it. Olivia tried to focus on the positive side by reminding Lulu that at least the godparents would be there. Olivia had an uneasy feeling when she noticed Dante and Lulu exchange worried glances. Olivia demanded to know what they were hiding, so Dante revealed that they hadn't picked godparents for their daughter.

Olivia suggested that Maxie was the logical choice for a godmother, but Lulu revealed that Maxie had struggled with attachment issues after the baby's birth. Lulu assured Olivia that Maxie was in therapy, but it might not be a good idea for Maxie to be Connie's godmother. Olivia was certain that everything would be fine because Maxie had gotten help for the problem. Olivia was curious why Dante hadn't picked a godfather, so Dante revealed that he had intended to ask one of his brothers, but he realized that perhaps it might not be a good idea because of what had happened at the party.

Later, Olivia instructed Dante and Lulu to find a set of godparents for Connie and then left to take care of some last-minute preparations for the christening.

At Kelly's, Julian called Carlos to commend Carlos on a job well done. Julian was pleased that Sonny's shipment had been destroyed because it had sent a loud and clear message to Sonny. Carlos pointed out that Julian had ensured that the story would be the talk of the town by putting it on the front page of Julian's newspaper. Julian chuckled and instructed Carlos to call back after Carlos' injured shoulder had been checked out.

"Someone's proud of his handiwork," Alexis said as she approached the counter. Derek adopted an innocent expression, so she explained that she had been referring to the front-page article about the explosion. Alexis appreciated that ELQ scandals and mob wars sold newspapers, so she understood why Derek had run the story. Derek feigned shock that the suggestion that the destruction of Sonny's shipment had been mob-related, so she smiled indulgently as she sat down next to Derek.

Derek deftly steered the conversation away from him by raising the topic of Alexis' relationship with a mobster. Alexis warned him that he had crossed the line, so he quickly apologized and explained that he'd had the impression that she had dated one of Sonny's associates. Alexis clarified that the relationship had been in the past, which was why she had stopped by the diner.

Moments later, Shawn walked up, so Alexis introduced him to Derek. Shawn offered Derek a curt greeting. Alexis picked up on the tension between Shawn and Derek, so she explained that Derek had saved Danny's life with a bone marrow donation. Shawn was curious how Danny was doing, prompting her to assure Shawn that Danny was on the mend. Alexis changed the subject by asking for a private word with Shawn, so he led her to the kitchen.

Julian gave the appearance of being fully absorbed with his breakfast, but he was focused on Shawn and Alexis' conversation. Alexis wanted to know if Shawn had been hurt during the explosion. Shawn assured her that he was fine, but he revealed that he had questioned someone who had worked for the man that Shawn suspected had arranged the explosion. Alexis was tempted to know the culprit's name, but she needed to have plausible deniability. Shawn explained that it didn't matter because Julian Jerome was dead. "Did you say Julian Jerome?" Alexis asked in stunned disbelief.

At the hospital, Carlos ended his call with Julian, but ducked behind a corner when he spotted Patrick approach Sabrina. Carlos eavesdropped as Patrick warmly greeted Sabrina and let her know that Emma was feeling better. Sabrina was relieved, so Patrick thanked Sabrina for making the sacrifice to stay home with Emma. Sabrina insisted that was what it meant to be part of a family.

Patrick was relieved that Sabrina felt that way because he didn't want her ex-boyfriend to whisk her away. Sabrina assured Patrick that Patrick had nothing to worry about because she had never been impressed with Carlos' "machismo air." According to Sabrina, Patrick had a lot more to offer than Carlos, who was only in town for a short business trip.

Later, Patrick revealed that he was having coffee with the doctor that Sabrina had been scheduled to assist in surgery when Emma had gotten sick, so he had an opportunity to persuade the doctor to give Sabrina a second chance. Sabrina appreciated Patrick's offer, but she didn't want to take advantage of her relationship with him. Patrick insisted that he wanted to help her, so she teasingly accused him of turning up the charm because he was worried about Carlos. Patrick denied it, but he reminded Sabrina that she had told him that Carlos would soon be out of their lives for good.

Later, Sabrina was looking at a chart when she entered an examination room. She was startled when she looked up and saw Carlos smiling at her. "Hello, beautiful," Carlos greeted her. He immediately noticed that she looked different, so she explained that she had exchanged her glasses for contact lenses. Carlos was impressed and pleased that Sabrina had decided to show the world her true beauty.

Sabrina ignored the compliment as she demanded to know why Carlos was there. Carlos explained that he had injured his shoulder the previous evening. Sabrina tensed when he shrugged out of his shirt to show her his lacerated shoulder. She picked up a gauze pad and started to clean it but decided to fetch a doctor because she was uncomfortable with Carlos' nearness. Seconds later, Patrick walked in.

In Metro Court's hallway, Diane called out to Carly to ask Carly to direct Diane to Franco's hotel suite. Diane explained that Franco hadn't returned Diane's phone calls, so Diane had decided to pay him a visit. Carly agreed to give Franco's room number to Diane, but Carly wanted Diane to let Franco know that Franco had to pay his bill. Diane admitted that it might be a problem, but Carly didn't care because Carly had more important matters to deal with.

In Franco's suite, Franco looked at the painting that Heather had given to him for his birthday. He had no idea if it was an attempt to make order out of a modern chaotic universe or if it was Heather's vision of minimalism, but he appreciated the gift, even though it had cost him the only chance that he might have had with Carly.

Later, Diane knocked on Franco's door. She was impressed by the vision of him without a shirt when he opened the door. Franco was curious why she was there, so she explained that she needed to discuss his financial situation with him. Franco invited Diane in and then quickly pulled on a shirt.

Diane explained that Franco's assets had been frozen by the state of New York because the families of Franco's victims had filed a civil suit against him. Franco was outraged that they had frozen all of his money, so he wanted to know what his options were. Diane looked at the painting that Heather had given to Franco and suggested that he sell it. Franco worried that the money from the sale of his paintings might be seized, but Diane assured him that she knew ways around that, so she would take care of everything.

Franco quickly clarified that the painting that Diane had been looking at was not a Franco original, so she relaxed because she confessed that it resembled a "finger painting" from a "funny farm." Franco decided to follow Diane's advice by painting a few pieces, but he revealed that he would need approximately $7,500 in supplies to get started.

In Metro Court's Restaurant, Michael and Kiki were each seated in a chair and sound asleep when a janitor walked in. Michael and Kiki woke up and groggily realized that it was morning and that they had fallen asleep while talking through the night. The janitor assumed that Michael and Kiki were the bride and groom, so Kiki quickly clarified that Michael was not her husband.

After the janitor left, Michael admitted that he couldn't believe that Sonny had kept Morgan's secret. Kiki wondered if Sonny had been driven to tell the truth because of the bipolar disorder. Michael conceded that it was possible, but it didn't matter because Michael was happy that the truth was out. Kiki was stunned that Morgan had lied, but she admitted that she had lied, too, because she had never loved Morgan as much as she had loved Michael.

Michael feared that Kiki might have second thoughts, but she quickly assured Michael that she wanted to be with him. However, she was worried about Morgan because she had no idea where Morgan had gone when he had left the restaurant. Kiki was certain that Morgan hadn't returned to Sonny's because Morgan had felt deeply betrayed by what Sonny had done.

"You feel what you feel no matter how anyone sees it," Michael quietly said. He explained that Jason had once told him that when Michael had turned to Jason for help with a problem. Michael agreed that Morgan had considered Sonny's confession as a sign that Sonny had picked Michael over Morgan rather than Sonny's desire to tell the truth, so Michael doubted that Morgan had gone to Greystone Manor.

Kiki suddenly realized that she was homeless because it was unlikely that Sonny would want her to stay in his home after what had happened at the party. Michael invited Kiki to live with him, but Kiki warned Michael that it would cause more problems for them because she was certain that his family would raise strong objections when they found out that Michael and Kiki were together as a couple. Kiki decided that her only option was to stay with Ava, but Michael worried that Ava would take advantage of Kiki. Kiki assured him that it was only temporary, so she called her mother.

Ava didn't answer the phone, so Michael pointed out that his mother owned the hotel. Michael promised to get Kiki a key card to Ava's room, but he thought that they should go to Sonny's place first to pick up Kiki's belongings.

In Ava's hotel suite, Morgan rolled over and saw Ava staring off into space. "Oh, right. That happened," Morgan said with a grin. Ava glanced at him with a solemn expression as she told him that it had been a mistake for them to sleep together. Morgan disagreed because they hadn't done anything wrong. Ava reminded him that he was married to her daughter, but Morgan argued that Kiki had made it clear that their marriage was over.

Ava doubted that Kiki would be okay with Ava and Morgan sleeping together. Ava also reminded him that Carly would be furious if Carly were to find out. As if on cue, Carly banged on the door demanding to talk to Ava. Ava jumped out of bed and threw on a robe as Morgan stayed in bed.

Carly ordered Ava to open the door, so Ava begged Morgan to hide. Morgan refused, but Ava was desperate. Carly threatened to use the master key to open the door, so Morgan relented. Morgan collected his clothes and then ducked out of sight as Ava went to the door and opened it. Ava calmly explained that she had been getting dressed, but Carly wasn't interested.

Carly blamed Ava for the disaster at the wedding reception because Ava had persuaded Sonny to stop taking his medication. Carly insisted that Morgan had been left brokenhearted, so she had no idea if his marriage could be salvaged. Ava assured Carly that the marriage was beyond repair. "How do you know?" Carly asked. Ava tried to dismiss it as an assumption, but Carly argued that Ava had sounded certain.

Carly tensed when she heard a vase crash to the floor around the corner, so Carly asked Ava about it, but Ava denied hearing anything. Carly realized that Ava hadn't answered the door right away because Ava had spent the night with a man. Carly immediately assumed that Franco had been in Ava's bed, so she demanded that he show himself.

"It's not Franco," Morgan said as he stepped forward. Carly was shocked as she took in Morgan's state of undress and Ava's guilty expression. Morgan assured Carly that she could relax because he hadn't been blacked-out drunk, and Ava wasn't his stepmother. "She is your mother-in-law," Carly pointed out.

Carly suddenly recalled that Michael and Brenda hadn't actually had sex when she had found them in bed together, so she begged Morgan to tell her that the same was true for him and Ava. Morgan admitted that he couldn't do that because he had slept with Ava. "You bitch," Carly shrieked as she lunged for Ava.

Morgan quickly pulled his mother off of Ava and then held her back. Carly regained a measure of self-control and ordered Morgan to collect his things so they could leave. Carly was determined that Morgan go home with her, but Morgan refused because Sonny, Michael, and Carly had betrayed him. He insisted that Ava was the only person that he could trust, so he intended to stay with Ava. Morgan reminded his mother that he was a grown man, so Carly couldn't tell him what to do. Carly decided to let Morgan have a front-row seat as her security team tossed Ava out of the hotel.

After Carly stormed out, Ava asked if Morgan was okay. Morgan assured Ava that he was fine, but he was concerned about what their next step would be. Ava insisted that she didn't want to get between Morgan and his mother, but Morgan assured Ava that he had meant everything that he had said to Carly. Ava urged Michael to leave, but he suspected that she didn't want him to go.

Ava protested when he tried to kiss her, so he slowly untied the belt to her robe. He smiled when she didn't stop him, so he kissed her.

In the hallway, Carly was on the phone, ordering someone to fetch Terry from security because she had a problem that needed taking care of. Carly was ranting as she rounded the corner, so she didn't notice Franco until she had bumped into him and had knocked over his art supplies.

Meanwhile, Michael and Kiki approached Ava's door. Michael reminded Kiki that the offer to stay with him was still open, but Kiki assured him that it was best for her to stay with her mother. Michael handed the key card to Kiki, so she opened the door. Michael and Kiki froze in the doorway when they saw Morgan and Ava making love in bed. "Oh, my God," Kiki shouted as Morgan and Ava looked up.

Thursday, September 26, 2013

by Elisabeth

At the loft, Lulu laid out her daughter's christening outfit and smiled because she was certain that Connie would be the "belle of the ball."

Moments later, Maxie knocked on the door. Lulu thanked Maxie for stopping by on short notice, so Maxie confessed that she had been confused by the invitation because Lulu had requested that Maxie stay away from the baby. Lulu started to explain why she had called Maxie, but Maxie became concerned when she noticed that Connie wasn't in the crib.

Lulu smiled as she revealed that Dante had taken Connie for a walk because Connie had been colicky. Maxie apologized for overreacting, but Lulu assured Maxie that it was fine and then showed Maxie the christening gown. Maxie's smile was bittersweet as she asked Lulu to take a lot of pictures of the christening, so Lulu admitted that she wanted Maxie to be Connie's godmother.

Lulu pointed out that it had been her intention all along until Maxie had developed a strong attachment to the baby. However, Lulu was confident that Maxie had things under control because of the therapy sessions. Maxie confessed that she attended the sessions daily, so she had a clear understanding that Connie was Lulu's daughter.

"I made that decision," Maxie added to underscore her point. Lulu's brow furrowed with confusion, so Maxie brushed it off as a poor choice of words; she had meant to say that she had accepted that Lulu was Connie's mother. Satisfied, Lulu hugged Maxie. Lulu was delighted when Maxie agreed to be Connie's godmother.

At Kelly's, Dante called out to Spinelli as Spinelli tried to duck into the diner without being noticed. Dante jokingly scolded Spinelli for trying to avoid Connie, so Spinelli quickly apologized and then assured Dante that he would never ignore the baby. Spinelli shifted gears to ask how the baby was doing, so Dante told him about Connie's bout with colic.

Spinelli questioned the wisdom of taking the newborn infant out for a walk when she was sick, so Dante assured Spinelli that it was a common ailment and would resolve itself when the baby's digestive system matured. Spinelli relaxed and then looked down at the baby as he admitted that Connie was a beautiful baby.

Dante gushed about fatherhood and how it had changed his perspective about everything. Spinelli hid his discomfort as he politely listened and then seized the opportunity to fetch them each a cup of coffee. Dante declined and explained that he had wanted to ask Spinelli to be Connie's godfather. Spinelli recovered from his shock and admitted that he was honored, but he didn't think he'd be a suitable godfather because he couldn't offer Connie proper spiritual guidance about the Catholic faith.

Dante assured Spinelli that Olivia would take care of that. Spinelli was curious why Dante and Lulu had picked Spinelli to be Connie's godfather, so Dante pointed out that Spinelli was a close friend of Lulu's who they both trusted to love and care for their daughter if anything happened to Dante. Spinelli agreed to think about it, but Dante admitted that they needed an answer right away because the christening had been scheduled for later that day.

Spinelli admitted that he couldn't think of a greater honor than to be Connie's godfather. Dante and Spinelli shook hands and then hugged.

In an examination room, Sabrina decided to fetch a doctor to take a look at Carlos' injured shoulder. Carlos insisted that he didn't want a doctor. "I want you," Carlos whispered as he reached for Sabrina.

Patrick entered the examination room, but stopped short when he saw Carlos and Sabrina. "I didn't realize you were the patient," Patrick said when he saw Carlos with Sabrina. Carlos grinned as he pointedly suggested that he was a little more than a patient. "Isn't that right, Sabrina?" Carlos purred.

Sabrina quickly stepped away from Carlos and then peeled off her latex gloves. Patrick asked her if she was okay, so she assured Patrick that she was fine and then introduced him to Carlos.

The tension was thick between the men as Patrick glanced at the graze on Carlos' shoulder and then asked what Carlos did for a living. Carlos explained that he worked for Derek Wells, but then quickly clarified that he was not a reporter. Carlos was curious if he would need stitches, so Patrick admitted that he was a neurosurgeon. Carlos pretended to be impressed, but Patrick didn't buy it.

"Cut the crap," Patrick growled. Patrick revealed that he knew that Carlos had dropped by unannounced at Patrick's home and then had kissed Sabrina, so Patrick wanted to know what was really going on. Carlos' appreciated Patrick's honesty, so Carlos explained that his life hadn't been the same since Sabrina had left. Carlos admitted that he wanted Sabrina back, but Patrick pointed out that Sabrina wasn't available.

Carlos was curious why Patrick still wore a wedding band if Patrick loved Sabrina. Patrick explained that his wife had died over a year before, so he was a widower. Patrick didn't think that it was any of Carlos' business, but Carlos disagreed because Carlos had been with Sabrina for a long time, and he was ready to build a life with her.

Patrick insisted that Sabrina didn't want that, so Carlos accused Patrick of using Sabrina as a glorified babysitter "with benefits." Furious, Patrick advanced on Carlos, but Sabrina quickly stepped between the two men to keep them from trading blows. She ordered both men to stop and then informed Carlos that Carlos didn't have a right to act like he owned a piece of her or to judge her relationship with Patrick because Carlos knew nothing about it.

Carlos continued to question Patrick's feelings for Sabrina because Carlos suspected that Patrick still mourned Robin. Sabrina insisted that it wasn't any of Carlos' business because she and Carlos weren't even friends. She informed Carlos that the scratch on his shoulder didn't require stitches, so she handed him a bandage to cover the minor wound and then ordered him to get dressed and leave.

Carlos claimed that he had only called things the way he had seen them. According to Carlos, Patrick was stuck in the past, while Carlos was ready to build a future with Sabrina.

After Carlos left, Sabrina apologized to Patrick for the scene, so Patrick assured her that she wasn't to blame. Sabrina admitted that she was embarrassed that she had ever been involved with Carlos, but Patrick was worried that Sabrina had believed Carlos' outrageous suggestion that Patrick considered her a glorified babysitter with benefits. Sabrina promised Patrick that she hadn't, so he hugged her.

In Metro Court's hallway, Carly's temper flared when she was told that the head of her security team, Terry, was not available. She informed the person on the other end of the phone that a guest had to be removed, so she demanded to talk to Terry. Carly was so distracted by the phone call that she failed to notice Franco until she had bumped into him, and his art supplies scattered to the ground.

Carly's mood didn't improve when Franco asked her where the fire was. Carly wanted to know why Franco was still in her hotel, so he ignored the question to ask her why she was so upset. "Ava Jerome," Carly snarled. Franco nodded in understanding and then suggested that Carly calm down. Carly's temper flared, so she threatened to have Franco removed from the hotel once Ava had been dealt with.

Franco invited Carly to his room to talk things out, but she refused. Franco was curious what Ava had done. "She slept with my son," Carly answered with barely contained rage.

Franco appeared both shocked and confused that Michael had slept with Ava, so Carly clarified that Ava had slept with Morgan. "He's like twelve," Franco replied with disgust. Franco admitted that it was low, even for Ava, to sleep with her own son-in-law, so he suggested that perhaps it had been a misunderstanding. Carly assured him that it hadn't been and then filled him in on what had transpired at Morgan and Kiki's wedding reception.

Carly was certain that Morgan had slept with Ava to lash out at everyone because Morgan was a lot like Sonny. However, she was livid that Ava had taken advantage of the situation.

Carly began to rant about how she wanted to kill Ava, so Franco warned Carly not to act on it because Carly would end up in jail. Carly wondered why he cared, so Franco simply answered that he did and then shifted gears to point out that she had a lot of pent-up anger and frustration, so he could help her work it out of her system.

Later, Carly watched Franco drape the furniture with sheets to protect it from the paint. Carly doubted that "arts and crafts" would help erase the image in her head of Morgan and Ava together, but Franco ignored her. Carly continued to complain about Ava as Franco opened small containers of paint and explained that he had decided to get back to work to make money because the state of New York had frozen his assets on behalf of the families of his victims, pending a civil suit.

Carly was curious how watching Franco paint would calm her down, so Franco revealed that Carly would be the one to paint. Carly laughed because she couldn't even draw a stick figure. Franco explained that painting was an expression of the impulses that were born of struggle. He told her that, if she were lucky, she'd create something beautiful. Carly insisted that she wanted to "slaughter" Ava, but Franco ignored her and handed Carly a paintbrush and a small tub of paint.

Carly glared at the canvas perched on the easel, but then suddenly threw the red paint on Franco. Franco jumped back as he asked why she had done that. Carly blamed Franco for all of her troubles because he was the reason that Ava was in Port Charles. Carly embarked on another tirade as she angrily attacked the canvas with a paintbrush drenched with red paint.

Meanwhile, Franco peeled off his paint-splattered shirt. Carly turned to toss another insult his way, but she lost her train of thought when she noticed Franco's bare chest. She quickly regained her wits and explained that she was upset with him because she had started to trust him against her better judgment until she had discovered that he had invited one of his groupies to his room. Franco was surprised when Carly admitted that she had suspected Franco of being in Ava's room before Morgan had stepped forward.

Franco assured Carly that the woman who had been in his suite on the night of his birthday hadn't meant anything to him. Carly appeared skeptical, so Franco kissed her. Carly immediately jerked away from the kiss, but Franco suspected that it was just for show, so he kissed her again. Carly responded for several heartbeats, but then ended the kiss by turning her head away. "I can't make this mistake with you," Carly explained as she walked to the door. Franco argued that it would be a mistake for Carly to leave, but she ignored him and left.

In Ava's hotel suite, Michael and Kiki froze in the doorway when they saw Morgan and Ava in bed. "Oh, my God," Kiki screeched. Morgan and Ava looked up, but only Ava appeared horrified to have been caught. Michael quietly closed the door as Kiki demanded to know what Morgan had been doing.

"What does it look like? Hitting the sheets with your mom," Morgan answered. Kiki sputtered with outrage, but Morgan argued that Kiki didn't have a right to be upset because Kiki had ended their marriage. Kiki was furious that Morgan had decided to get back at Kiki by turning to Ava; she appreciated that Morgan was upset, but she implored him not to sleep with Ava.

"Too late," Morgan informed Kiki. Morgan gloated about his conquest until Ava quietly spoke up. "Enough," Ava told Morgan. Morgan refused to apologize because he was certain that Kiki had spent the night in Michael's bed. Michael denied that he and Kiki had had sex because they had spent the night concerned about Morgan. Morgan didn't believe his brother and made it clear that he wasn't interested in hearing about what saints Michael and Kiki were.

Morgan took a swing at his brother, but Michael deftly avoided the punch and managed to hold Morgan back until Ava stepped forward to talk Morgan down. Ava wanted to discuss things like rational people, but Kiki argued that she had nothing to say to her mother. "Except this," Kiki added and then slapped Ava.

Morgan demanded to know what Kiki was doing, so Kiki explained that she had wanted to show her mother a small taste of the pain that Ava had caused Kiki. Kiki insisted that Ava was the worst mother on the planet.

Kiki conceded that she had once thought that Ava had been a very cool mother because Ava had been beautiful and successful, had allowed Kiki run around the city without curfews, had taken Kiki to get birth control at fifteen, and had allowed Kiki to drink wine at home. However, Kiki's blinders were off, so she saw Ava for the liar, user, and "slut" that Ava was. Kiki ranted about Ava's lies about Kiki's father that had been used only to sink her hooks into ELQ and then accused Ava of sleeping with Kiki's husband.

Morgan objected because Kiki had lost the right to complain about Morgan when Kiki had left him for his brother, Michael. Michael agreed that he and Kiki had hurt Morgan, but Morgan accused Michael of helping himself to Kiki. Michael claimed that he had tried to respect Morgan's marriage, but it had been domed because Morgan had lied to rush Kiki into the marriage.

Morgan wondered if that was the excuse that Michael used to make himself feel better. Michael argued that Morgan should have known that the truth would eventually be revealed, so Morgan agreed because Sonny had always preferred Michael over Morgan. According to Morgan, their family happily gave Michael whatever Michael desired, including Kiki, but Morgan doubted that Michael would ever admit it because it would make Michael seem selfish.

Michael pointed out that Kiki hadn't been one of Morgan's possessions, so she had been free to make her own choices. "Yeah, she chose you, naturally," Morgan grumbled. Michael appreciated that Morgan was hurting, but he warned Morgan that sleeping with Ava was not the answer.

Morgan scoffed at the audacity of Michael preaching to Morgan about Ava when Michael had helped himself to Morgan's wife. Kiki argued that she wasn't a credit card that Michael had stolen, but Morgan reminded Kiki of their wedding vows that she had forsaken.

Michael warned Morgan that Ava was wrong for Morgan, but Morgan disagreed because Ava was the only person who had stood by him. Morgan insisted that Michael, Sonny, Carly, and Kiki had betrayed him, but Michael argued that no one had betrayed Morgan. "You told a lie, and the truth came out," Michael clarified. "Screw you, Mikey. You never loved me," Morgan shouted.

Morgan made it clear that he was staying with Ava, so he ordered Michael and Kiki to leave. Morgan sat next to Ava on the bed, so Kiki made it clear that she was done with her mother and with Morgan "once and for all." Ava begged Kiki not to write her off, but Kiki ignored her. "Goodbye, Ava," Kiki said as she followed Michael out of the door.

Friday, September 27, 2013

by Elisabeth

At Wyndemere, Ben began to fuss in the bassinette, so Nikolas picked the infant up and tried to soothe him. Nikolas realized that he and the baby hadn't had a chance to get to know each other, so Nikolas warned Ben not to fall hard for Nikolas because Ben already had a father.

Britt appeared in the doorway, but stopped to watch Nikolas with her son. She smiled as she entered the parlor and asked if the baby had been giving Nikolas trouble. Nikolas confessed that he and Ben had been discussing Ben's likes and dislikes and then handed the baby to Britt because Nikolas had to get ready for Connie's christening. Britt imagined that it was a big day for Nikolas' family, but not for Maxie.

Nikolas was surprised by Britt's concern for Maxie. Britt explained that Maxie had been her patient, so Britt had had a vested interest in the pregnancy. Britt admitted that she felt bad for Maxie because Maxie had bonded with the baby during the pregnancy, so Britt suspected that it hadn't been easy to turn that attachment off. "It was for Brad," Nikolas replied.

Nikolas couldn't understand how Brad had been able to wash his hands of Ben, while Maxie had felt a connection to a baby that hadn't been Maxie's biological child. Britt explained that Brad had never thought of Ben as his son and that she genuinely didn't bear Brad any ill will. Nikolas confessed that he wouldn't have strayed outside of the range of the monitor if Ben had been his son, so Brad was missing out.

Later, Britt settled her son into the bassinette. She was grateful that Nikolas had invited them to stay at Wyndemere, but she felt bad that he was attending the christening of a baby that wasn't even his niece. Britt conceded that she had given Maxie her word not to tell anyone the truth, but Britt wished that she didn't have to lie to Nikolas.

"Lie to me about what?" Nikolas asked as he entered the room. Britt covered her slip by claiming that she had received a call from her mother, but Britt quickly assured him that she had ended the call when she had realized that it had been her "Mutter." Britt apologized for not telling Nikolas sooner, but he assured her that he understood what it was like to feel an obligation to family.

However, Nikolas agreed that Britt should have told him about the phone call because he didn't want Britt's mother to harass Britt. Britt hugged him because it was nice to have someone in her life that cared about what happened to her and Ben. Nikolas advised Britt to get used to it and then left. Later, Britt entered the parlor, but froze when she saw her mother, Dr. Obrecht, cooing to Ben.

At Kelly's, Dante thanked Spinelli for agreeing to be Connie's godfather. Spinelli felt honored to have been asked because he realized that he would be an integral part of Connie's life. Dante assured Spinelli that it was what Dante and Lulu had wanted because Spinelli was a family friend.

Meanwhile, Ellie had overheard the tail end of Spinelli and Dante's conversation about Spinelli agreeing to be Connie's godfather, so she stepped forward. Dante smiled in greeting and then introduced her to his daughter. Ellie looked at the baby and admitted that Connie was a beautiful infant. Dante agreed and then left to get ready for his daughter's christening.

Ellie admitted that she had overheard Spinelli and Dante's discussion, so she knew that Spinelli had agreed to be his own daughter's godfather. Ellie was concerned that it would make things difficult for Spinelli, but he confessed that he had agreed to be Connie's godfather because it give him some kind of contact with his daughter. Ellie wondered if it would be enough for Spinelli, so Spinelli pointed out that he didn't have a choice.

At the hospital, Brad approached Felix, eager to give Felix a present. Felix made it clear that he did not accept gifts from deadbeat fathers. "Even chocolate-covered cherries?" Brad asked as he opened the heart shaped box. Stunned, Felix asked how Brad had known that they were Felix's favorite treat. "Spin class," Brad answered. Brad recalled that Felix had complained of having to do an extra spin class because Felix had consumed an entire box of chocolate-covered cherries.

Felix questioned Brad's motives for buying the chocolate, so Brad claimed that he had simply wanted to do something nice for Felix. Felix refused to accept the gift because Felix couldn't condone that Brad had refused to support his own son. Frustrated, Brad wondered how Felix could ignore the moment of human connection that they had shared. Felix conceded that he had felt something for Brad, but it had quickly faded when Patrick had pointed out Brad's selfishness. Brad argued that he wasn't all bad, so Felix challenged Brad to name one selfless thing that Brad had done.

Brad's inability to provide an example proved Felix's point. "What if I did one?" Brad asked. Brad was hurt when Felix scoffed because Brad realized that Felix didn't have any faith in him. Felix suggested that Brad put money away for Ben's college education the next time that Brad had an urge to spend money on Felix.

Ellie approached the nurses' station as Felix walked away. Brad barked at her for being late, so she explained that she had been talking to Spinelli about Dante and Lulu's daughter's christening. Brad perked up and wondered where the christening was taking place. "Queen of Angels," Ellie answered. Brad handed her the box of chocolates and then turned to leave, so Ellie asked him where he was headed. "To prove I can do the right thing," Brad replied as he made his way to the elevator.

Later, Ellie was nibbling on the chocolate-covered cherries when Felix walked up. He wondered if Brad had given her the chocolates, so Ellie nodded. Felix insisted that Brad wasn't capable of doing the right thing, so the chocolates might have been stolen from a comatose patient. Surprised by the choice of words, Ellie told Felix about Brad's parting remark.

At the loft, Tracy stopped by with a present for Connie. Lulu reminded Tracy that the present could have been dropped off at the church. Tracy explained that it was a special present and that she was eager to meet the baby, so Lulu admitted that Dante had taken Connie "godfather hunting." Tracy was aghast when Lulu revealed that Dante intended to ask Spinelli to be Connie's godfather. Tracy questioned Spinelli's ability to offer a child spiritual guidance, but Lulu was confident in Spinelli's moral compass.

Tracy and Lulu's conversation quickly drifted to Luke. Tracy was certain that Luke would return home soon, but Lulu was skeptical because she knew that Luke was dying. Tracy was shocked that Luke had told Lulu, so Lulu confessed that had overheard Luke and Laura talking about it and then had confronted Luke. Lulu feared the worst, but Tracy insisted that Luke would not let Helena have the last laugh.

Lulu wondered if they were expected to pretend that everything was normal, so Tracy admitted that Luke would want that. Lulu wanted her father to be there for her daughter and admitted that she felt all alone because no one from her side of the family would be at the christening. Tracy pointed out that she had been there for Lulu through every crisis with each of Lulu's "reprobate" boyfriends and had always given Lulu sage of advice when Lulu's life had spiraled into chaos, so Tracy intended to be at the church to make certain that Spinelli didn't ruin Luke's granddaughter.

Lulu smiled and then looked up when Dante arrived home with Connie. Tracy jumped up to see the baby, so Lulu took her daughter from Dante. After Dante left the room to get ready, Lulu noticed Tracy staring at the baby. Tracy confessed that she was trying to see a hint of Luke in Connie. Lulu admitted that she had looked, too, but hadn't noticed any resemblance.

Later, Dante asked about Tracy's visit, so Lulu explained that Tracy was worried about Luke and was trying to hide it. Lulu longed to hear from her father because she hated playing the waiting game, so Dante changed the subject by asking if Lulu was pleased with their choice of godparents for Connie. Lulu assured him that she was.

At Queen of Angels, Maxie entered the church and then thanked God for not smiting her. She acknowledged that she hadn't been a model churchgoer, but she prayed for strength to let her daughter go. Maxie appreciated that she didn't have the right to ask, but she needed help to accept that she would be Connie's godmother instead of mother. Maxie heard a noise behind her, so she looked up and saw Olivia standing in the aisle.

Maxie nervously wondered what Olivia had overheard. Olivia explained that she knew about Maxie's struggles and the decision to go to therapy, so Olivia was confident that Maxie wouldn't stab Lulu in the back as the fates had seemed to indicate through Olivia's visions. Olivia told Maxie about the vision on the night of Maxie's birthing class when Spinelli had filled in for Dante. However, Olivia quickly added that her visions had been wrong before and pointed to the visions of Maxie giving birth to a wolf-like pup as an example.

Maxie tensed when Olivia clarified that the pup had resembled an animal from the African wildness, but she couldn't think of the animal's name. Moments later, Tracy entered the church, so Maxie jumped up to greet Tracy and then suggested that Tracy help Olivia figure out the type of animal that Olivia had seen in the visions.

In the receiving area, Maxie bumped into Spinelli. He quickly explained that he had been asked to be Connie's godfather, so Maxie revealed that she had agreed to be Connie's godmother. Maxie confessed that she had wanted a reason to be a part of their daughter's life. Spinelli admitted that he had agreed for the same reason, but he feared that it might have been a mistake. Maxie confided that she had prayed for strength just before she had bumped into him, so she believed that Spinelli had been God's answer.

Moments later, Dante, Lulu, and Sonny arrived for the christening.

Meanwhile, Olivia shrieked with fright when she suddenly saw Luke inside a coffin at the front of the church. Startled, Tracy asked why Olivia was screaming, so Olivia pointed to the front of the church and rambled about a coffin. Tracy didn't see a coffin, so Olivia realized that it was a vision. Alarmed, Tracy asked who was in the coffin. Olivia was hesitant to tell Tracy, but Tracy demanded an answer.

Tracy's fear mounted when Olivia admitted that it was Luke. Tracy anxiously wondered if Luke was alive, but Olivia couldn't tell. Tracy urged Olivia to check, so Olivia explained that she had never interacted with one of her visions. Tracy informed Olivia that there was a first time for everything and then shoved Olivia towards the front of the church.

Olivia cautiously approached the coffin and then gingerly placed the tips of her fingers on Luke's neck. Olivia jumped with fright when Luke's eyes suddenly snapped open. Tracy wanted to know what was going on, so Olivia confirmed that Luke was alive. Tracy immediately ordered Luke to talk to Olivia because Olivia could hear him. Luke appeared to mutter something, so Olivia leaned down to listen. Seconds later, the coffin disappeared.

Tracy demanded to know if Luke had said something and if Olivia had heard it. Olivia nodded and then revealed that Luke had said, "I need Spanks." Olivia realized that it didn't make sense, but Tracy disagreed. Tracy explained that it was Luke's nickname for her, so Luke had told Olivia that he needed Tracy.

A short time later, everyone filed into the church for Connie's christening. Tracy approached Lulu to reveal that she had to leave after the service. Lulu was disappointed, but Tracy explained that it couldn't be avoided.

After everyone took their seats, the priest began the ceremony as Spinelli and Maxie joined Dante and Lulu at the front of the church with Connie. Brad entered the church as Spinelli and Maxie agreed to help Dante and Lulu in their duty as the Christian parents of Constanza Louise Falconeri.

Later, Tracy exchanged a quick hug with Lulu and then left. Sonny congratulated Dante and Lulu and then announced that he had to skip the party. Dante thanked his father for attending the ceremony, so Sonny explained that there wasn't anything more important than being a parent.

After Sonny left, Spinelli noticed Brad standing to the side, so he asked why Brad was there. Brad explained that he needed to talk to Dante and Lulu. "There's something they need to know," Brad added.

On Cassadine Island, Luke engaged in a brief but violent struggle with a Cassadine guard. Luke managed to render the man unconscious, but Luke was left weak and out of breath. Luke's phone rang, so he answered it. It was Holly. Holly offered to join Luke, but Luke insisted that she stay with Robert. However, he assured her that her tip had paid off, so he anticipated getting his hands on the antidote soon.

After Luke ended the call, he fought through the pain to use the unconscious guard's handprint to gain access to the sealed room. Luke was certain that Jerry Jacks and the "magic elixir" were inside the room. The door opened, and a guard immediately turned and fired a shot at Luke. Luke managed to duck for cover then return fire until the guard was shot dead.

Luke called out to Jerry Jacks, but a woman entered the room instead. "As if Jerry Jacks can fill my shoes," Helena said with a chuckle. "Hello again, lover boy," she added with a purr. Stunned, Luke insisted that he had shot Helena and that he had checked her pulse himself, so she couldn't be alive. Luke was certain that the person before him was a clone or Faison with a mask and wig. "You are not Helena Cassadine. That bitch is dead," Luke shouted.

Helena agreed that she had been killed by Luke's hand. However, she pointed out that if she was dead then so was he. Luke refused to play Helena's twisted mind games, but Helena merely smiled and invited Luke to join her. Helena assured him that she had picked out a nice warm spot "by the fire" for the two of them, but Luke made it clear that he wouldn't go anywhere with her because he was not dead.

Helena promised Luke that it would happen soon enough. "Unless," she cryptically added. "Unless what?" Luke demanded. Helena revealed that Jerry Jacks was not there. "It's just me and my bargain," Helena said with a sly smile. Helena explained that she could end Luke's suffering if he simply took her hand, but Luke rejected the offer to escape death by dying. Helena was disappointed because she had wanted Luke to accept her offer of his own free will.

"And if I pass?" Luke asked. "Then be my slave," Helena answered with glee. Helena gave Luke another opportunity to agree to her terms, but Luke declined, so she kissed him softly on the lips and then left with a promise that they would see each other again soon.

Luke vowed to find a cure, but he suddenly doubled over as a wave of pain crashed over him. Luke's knees gave out as he collapsed and struggled for breath. Moments later, someone entered the room. Luke looked up as his eyes rounded with surprise. "You," Luke whispered.