General Hospital recap for Thursday, January 16, 2025: Tracy feels bad for Carly, but reads her for filth

A weeping Willow stood outside Michael's hospital room in a panicked state. Nina offered her daughter a bottle of water, but Willow just wanted to know if there was any word from Marty about her kids.

Nina informed Willow that Tracy wouldn't budge. Wiley and Amelia were still at the Quartermaines. Willow declared that she also wouldn't budge. Nina tried to talk her out of that decision, but Willow was firm. If she couldn't have her kids, then Carly and Sonny couldn't have access to Michael.

"I'm worried about you...the things you're saying. Michael is their son, and he's hurt. I know you're desperate to be with Wiley and Amelia, but at what cost?" Nina asked. She reminded Willow that what she was doing was cruel. Willow knew that but didn't care. "Like Drew says, this is the only leverage I have," she declared.

As Willow kept repeating everything Drew had told her to do, Nina became alarmed. "Willow, do you hear yourself? Drew's advice. Drew said this. Drew is right. You are allowed to make your own choices," Nina said.

Willow shot back that she was making her own choice to fight for her children. Nina reminded Willow that she could fight for her kids and still be herself. "That warm, compassionate woman that I am proud to call my daughter," Nina stressed. Willow couldn't believe that Nina wanted her to side with Carly and Sonny.

Nina asked Willow to empathize with them. "You are all in the same position. They are being kept from their child, and they are being kept away from him by you, the same way you are being kept away from your children by them. Willow, everyone is suffering here. Lay down your weapon, and maybe they will lay down theirs."

Chase soon approached them while Brook Lynn was undergoing fertility testing. Nina left Chase and Willow alone to talk. Willow pretty much lost it, wondering how she got into this mess. She couldn't believe Nina was questioning whether she was thinking for herself or letting Drew make all her decisions. "Are you?" Chase asked. Willow quickly told him she was not but then cried, "I don't know. Everything is upside down."

Chase offered to be the friend that Willow said she needed, so she opened up to him, telling Chase she had been going over everything that had happened to her since her involvement with Dawn of Day and Shiloh. Amazingly, Willow had some self-awareness and found a pattern in her behavior. "There's a desire...or maybe even a compulsion to be rescued...I have literally jumped from savior to savior," Willow said.

Chase disagreed, saying, "I don't see it that way. At all." Instead, he thought Willow was searching for a sense of family she never had. Chase told Willow that she didn't need Michael or Drew. She needed to find herself again and do what was best for Wiley and Amelia. "As their mother, only you know what that is," Chase advised.

A much quieter Willow thanked Chase for calming her down enough to give her the chance to think. "I am seeing things more clearly now. It's not up to Nina — or Drew — to decide what's best for my family. It's up to me," Willow said.

Tracy opened the door to Carly and calmly told her that her grandchildren were upstairs if she wanted to visit. Carly barged right in as she always does, only to receive sympathy from Tracy. She was also worried about Michael and praying for a swift recovery. However, Tracy didn't like that Wiley and Amelia were being used as bargaining chips.

Tracy thought it was rich when Carly announced that the children should be with their mother. After all, Carly is the one who took them in the first place. Carly admitted that was true, but she never expected things to go so far off the rails. Tracy did not care. "Those children are safe and sound, and they are right here where Monica wants them, and that's where they're staying," Tracy declared.

Carly explained to Tracy that Michael had a chance of getting into a special burn facility, but they couldn't transfer him there with "Willow holding Michael hostage."

"What if this were Ned? How far would you go to help him?" Carly asked. Tracy admitted she would go as far as she had to, but she still wasn't going to give Carly the kids. Tracy reasoned that Willow would make sure that Michael got the best care.

Carly argued that Willow didn't have the connections that she and Sonny had to get Michael the care he needed. Then, she infuriated Tracy by pulling the Monica card. "Wouldn't she want her grandson to be treated by the best?"

All Tracy could do was laugh before letting loose on Carly. "Not once have you EVER spared a moment of consideration for Monica...That woman's life was never the same the moment you set foot in this town." Carly couldn't believe she wanted to dredge all that old history up now.

Tracy felt it was as good a time as any. "This is what you cost Monica. For years, you kept Michael away from this family, his family. And let's not forget about how she lost AJ because of you," Tracy said. "While I sympathize with what you are going through as a mother, I am reminded of what you put this family through for years, so let me tell you what I told Sonny. Find another way," she added.

Carly finally gave up and left but warned Tracy this wasn't over. "However you envision this ending, I guarantee you're wrong," Carly said.

Once alone, Tracy sat down with a cup of tea until Chase got home and told it to her straight. "This has to stop. You can't keep Wiley and Amelia from Willow," he said.

Back at the hospital, Carly approached Willow outside Michael's room. "You wanted to see me?" Carly tentatively asked. Willow told her that they needed to talk about Michael.

Trina was preoccupied as Ava vented to her about her financial situation. Ava noticed the distraction and asked her friend and assistant what was up. Trina told Ava about Kai's football injury. She was worried that he had a serious throwing arm injury. Ava suggested that Trina leave work to check on Kai.

After Trina left, Nina stopped by and updated Ava on everything going on with Willow and Michael. Ava understood what Michael was going through because she had suffered similar burns. She knew there would be physical and psychological scars. Ava was surprised to hear that Nina's heart went out to Michael — and that Nina was shocked by Willow's behavior.

Ava could barely believe it when Nina told her that Willow was refusing to give Carly and Sonny access to their own son. "That does not sound like Willow's style," Ava pointed out. Nina answered: "That's because it's not. This is all Drew's idea. Willow's life is in shambles, and it's all Drew's fault. He's constantly in her ear with this inexplicable power over her."

Ava was amazed that Willow really listened to everything Drew said. Nina went over a list of things Willow had done that were completely out of character. "I am the last one to defend Carly on anything, but I can understand her outrage. For Willow to be this inconsiderate and brazen...this is the kind of hold that man has on her, and it's systematically destroying her life," Nina lamented.

Ava gave Nina a good piece of advice. "Tell Willow who he really is. Tell her that while she and Drew were falling in love, he was having sex with her mother."

Stella visited Kai in his hospital room bearing flowers. Kai was happy and smiling, telling Stella that a dislocated shoulder couldn't bring him down. Stella got Kai to admit he was a little sad because he felt like he let his teammates down.

Kai was glad when Trina arrived and told her that with physical therapy, his shoulder would be as good as new. Kai was surprised to learn that Trina watched the game. Kai admitted it was the best he had ever felt on the field. "The injury was a disaster, but it can't erase what it was like to play at that level," Kai said.

Elsewhere in the hospital, Brook Lynn had her appointment with Dr. Navarro. Brook Lynn admitted she had a healthy previous pregnancy as a teen but gave the baby up for adoption. Dr. Navarro didn't think a teen pregnancy would preclude Brook Lynn from getting pregnant now.

An exhausted Cody nursed a hangover as Gio helped out in the stables. Dante walked in, so Gio left to give the two old friends some time to chat. Dante was frustrated that Lulu was reading his texts, but refusing to respond. Dante told Cody all about what happened in Prague, resulting in Lulu being furious with him. "She blames me for Valentin taking off with Charlotte, and now I'm not sure if she will ever forgive me," Dante said.

Cody was sure that Lulu would forgive Dante in time and advised him not to try to take over the search for Charlotte and tick off Lulu even more. Cody also remembered when Dante had a thing for another headstrong girl when they were in camp together. That girl was Brook Lynn.

Just then, Gio opened the stable door to tell Cody a woman was there to see him. In walked Selina Wu. Cody quickly told her that he was no longer a gambling man. After Selina left, Dante wondered if she was really there to collect.

Alexis and Curtis arrived early for an AA meeting. Alexis was surprised to see Curtis there. He admitted he wasn't happy with habits he has been picking up of late and felt he needed a meeting. Alexis took the opportunity to question Curtis about Drew because she was worried about Scout.

She didn't think Drew could take good care of Scout now. "He's already gone against Sam's wishes. He moved Scout away from Danny and Rocco, and Sam would hate that," Alexis pointed out. Curtis admitted that Drew has made some questionable moves lately and advised Alexis to spend as much time as possible with Scout.

Curtis warned Alexis that he could see Drew falling in love with DC power and taking Scout to live there. Alexis vowed to fight him and win.

Next on General Hospital

Portia needs an answer from Willow.

Jordan breaks up a fight.

Chase lays into Tracy.

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