General Hospital Recaps: The week of February 23, 2009 on GH

Comprehensive daily recaps for General Hospital, dating back to 1996.

Monday, February 23, 2009

by Boone

Robin and Patrick were at home taking it easy on the couch. Robin told Patrick that she had made reservations for their favorite French restaurant, but Patrick just wanted to spend a cozy night at home.

Robin suggested that they get a nanny so that she could go back to work. She got defensive when Patrick wondered why she was changing her mind about staying home with Emma. Robin accused him of insinuating that she had post partum depression. Patrick defused the situation quickly when he told Robin that he did not want to fight.

Patrick told Robin that he wanted to celebrate their survival after the horrific events of the previous day. Robin said she felt the same way. They hugged and Patrick apologized for giving Robin the wrong impression. She apologized for jumping to conclusions. Patrick told Robin to start looking for a nanny if that would make her happy.

Nikolas took Rebecca to Wyndemere. She was not impressed, and called it a gloomy mausoleum. Nikolas told her his history with Emily. Rebecca was sympathetic to his loss. When Nikolas showed her a picture of Emily, she told him that she could see that the similarity was striking.

Before Nikolas could say anything, Rebecca told him that she was not Emily, would never be Emily, and could not help him with his grief. She walked out while Nikolas protested that she misunderstood, that helping him get over his grief was not what he wanted from her

Claudia caught Kate snooping around Sonny's place, but Kate was not intimidated by Claudia's threats and made threats of her own. Claudia told her to tell Sonny what she knew, but Kate said that she would rather play a waiting game.

Kate was firmly convinced that if she told Sonny that Claudia had been involved in Michael's shooting, Sonny would believe her. Claudia was equally convinced that without proof, Sonny would not believe Kate. Before exiting, Kate told Claudia that the truth was out there and would come out eventually, because it always did. As Kate sailed out, Ric slithered in.

Jason and Sonny had a talk in the penthouse. They agreed to work together to get Anthony and save Spinelli. Jason told Sonny that once Spinelli was safe, he preferred to be number two. Jason and Sonny patched up their differences and agreed that Sonny would take back the organization. Sonny got a call with Anthony's location, so Jason packed a bag.

Lulu waited in a limousine while Johnny and Maxie walked the red carpet at the Campbell's Heart Healthy Fashion Show. Spinelli's jealousy and insecurity drove him to telephone Lulu. They commiserated with each other and shared their fears. Johnny and Maxie returned to the limo while Lulu and Spinelli were on the phone. Maxie was bubbling over with success on the ride back to Port Charles.

After Sonny left, Jason called Sam and asked her to help him apprehend Anthony. Sam agreed.

Ric was curious about Kate's exit, but Claudia was mum. Ric tried to plant seeds of doubt about Sonny in Claudia's brain, but she remained firmly in Sonny's corner. Sonny walked in as Ric was telling Claudia that Sonny would kick her to the curb. Sonny told Ric that he was wrong, because Sonny was sticking with Claudia. When Ric started attacking Claudia's character, Sonny jumped to her defense.

Lulu was still put out that Johnny had escorted Maxie to the fashion show, and she was very grumpy with Maxie, who left Lulu and Johnny at the Metro Court. Johnny recognized that Lulu was upset and asked her what was wrong. She told him that she was jealous because he and Maxie had bonded after saving Robin and Emma. Johnny assured Lulu that even though he had gained an appreciation for Maxie's spunk, he only loved one person and that person was Lulu.

Ric spotted one of Jerry's DVDs in Sonny's study and was just about to snatch it when Sonny entered the room. Sonny wanted to know what Ric wanted. Ric said that he was willing to facilitate Sonny's reorganization of the organization and help him take over Jason's business, as well. When Sonny's wanted to know the price, Ric told him he wanted a full partnership.

Sonny said that he did not need Ric because he had Claudia to help with the Zacchara organization. He further stated that he and Jason had mended fences and he was taking back the Corinthos mob, also. A very bitter Ric left, but not before telling Sonny to watch his back with both Claudia and Jason.

Anthony sat in a beach chair and drank Mai Tais while talking on his phone to his banker. He made it clear that he would be leaving for Brazil as soon as funds were transferred to his local account.

Jason and Sam arrived somewhere tropical. They pretended it was for romance, but as soon as the bellhop left, they started scouring the beach in search of Anthony.

Spinelli was ecstatic when Maxie showed up in his room. Maxie was thrilled with the fashion show. She told Spinelli the story of how she had been given her cousin BJ's heart after a traffic accident had left BJ brain dead. She told Spinelli that she often wondered how it would have been if BJ had lived and she had been the one to pass on.

Maxie told Spinelli that Johnny was an okay escort, but she would have had more fun with Spinelli as her date. She insisted that Spinelli was her very best friend and said that she did not know what she would do without him.

Spinelli got up the courage to tell Maxie that his feeling for her had grown way beyond friendship. Spinelli then said, "I love you" but when he looked for her reaction, Maxie had fallen asleep and started to dream.

In Maxie's dream she was in a cemetery wearing the red dress. She was standing near a tombstone. When she bent down to read the name engraved on it, it was "Maxie Jones."

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

by LoraLu

As Maxie sat on Spinelli's bed, they talked about BJ and the heart Bobbie and Tony had given to Maxie. BJ's parents had put their daughter on the school bus on an ordinary day, not realizing there would be an accident and they would never see their daughter conscious again. Yet, despite that, Tony and Bobbie hadn't hesitated to give Maxie a chance at life. Maxie wondered if the world would be a better place if BJ had lived instead of her. Spinelli turned to get Maxie a blanket as he was telling her how much she meant to him. His life wouldn't be the same without her in it. When Spinelli turned back around, he realized Maxie had fallen asleep and hadn't heard a word.

During Maxie's slumber, she dreamt about going to the graveyard. Much to Maxie's surprise, she found her own headstone there with a date of death from 1994. She was about to find out what it would have been like if BJ had lived and Maxie had died.

In Maxie's dream, she watched from afar the changes her death had on the citizens of Port Charles. BJ was alive and well, and she and Matt Hunter were engaged to be married. In addition to planning a wedding, BJ was also attending medical school to be a cardiologist. She hoped to find a cure to the disease that killed Maxie.

Lulu was working for Mike Corbin at Kelly's, which hadn't burned down. Lulu also seemed very bitter and stated that she didn't believe in love. She was actually mean to Spinelli, but Spinelli wasn't an angel, either. When Johnny came into Kelly's, Maxie expected Johnny and Lulu to be the same couple they were in real life. However, Johnny was there to offer a job to Lulu at his strip club. Lulu hurled insults at Johnny and turned him down. He told her he ran that town, and she had better find a way to be nice to him.

Mac was not the police commissioner but instead appeared to be a regular patrolman. He walked into Jake's in the middle of the day and asked for a drink. Coleman said that the last time Mac had started AA, he had specifically asked Coleman not to serve him again. Mac responded by saying it was the anniversary of the death of a little girl who could have become his stepdaughter. If he wanted a drink, he was going to get one.

Maxie watched as Robin visited Maxie's grave, and she was horrified to see the outfit Robin was wearing. Robin spoke to the grave and said life seemed to stop when Maxie had died, and she was still living with Mac. Robin wasn't able to stand up for herself and seemed to have little motivation to change her life. Later, Monica apologized to Robin for not being able to save Maxie's life.

Instead of Robin marrying Patrick, Carly was actually married to Patrick. Tony had still cheated on Bobbie with Carly, but he also had married Carly. While married to Tony, Carly had cheated on him with Patrick. Despite her infidelities, Carly had managed to milk every penny she could from Tony during the divorce. That money had been used to fund Patrick's medical school expenses. Both Carly and Patrick appeared very unhappy in their marriage and seemed to be cheating on each other. Carly told her husband she was unhappy because she had always wanted children, but Patrick said Carly wasn't fit to be a mother.

Patrick was the Chief of Staff at General Hospital, and the rumor was that he was about to fire some of the hospital staff. Monica, Bobbie, and Robin searched his office for any clues as to who would be laid off, especially since Patrick had just fired some of the staff the previous year. Later, Robin brought a report on a patient into Patrick's office. She was recommending drug therapy for the patient, but Patrick disagreed and said surgery was the only option. Robin said she could live with that, but she hoped the patient could also live with that. Patrick was upset and asked if Robin was undermining his decision.

Robin apologized and changed the subject by asking if the rumors about additional layoffs were true. Patrick asked Robin if she was asking if she was on the list. He thought moving to a new city and getting a different job would be a good thing for Robin. She asked him to be straight with her and tell her if she was being laid off. Patrick said Robin was good at her job and it was secure. Robin was also concerned with other members of the staff, though. Patrick opened the door for her to leave and said his position as Chief of Staff and surgeon had given him the necessary skills and experience to do whatever was needed in any given situation.

After calling Epiphany and leaving a message about her ability to work that afternoon, BJ ran into Spinelli, literally. Spinelli and his laptop fell to the ground. He was instantly upset and told her the programs on the laptop were irreplaceable. BJ offered to bake a cake for Spinelli, if it would make him feel better. For the first time in Maxie's dream, Spinelli smiled and seemed happy. Spinelli asked why she would do something like that for him, and she responded by saying that she thought it would make him happy. Baking was something she had learned to do to unwind, and she had been baking since she was a little girl. Even though she and Spinelli didn't know each other very well, she shared with him that it was the anniversary of her cousin's death. The last time she had seen Maxie was when BJ had baked a chocolate cake for Maxie and brought it to the hospital.

Johnny walked towards the docks and found BJ and Spinelli deep in conversation. He asked if the computer geek was bothering BJ, but she defended Spinelli by asking if Johnny always had to be such a jerk. Johnny said Spinelli was one of his employees and sometimes came off the wrong way to other people. BJ made it clear that Johnny didn't intimidate her, even after Spinelli pointed out that Mr. Zacchara was the head of the mob in Port Charles. She told Spinelli he should be ashamed of himself for working for a person like John Zacchara.

BJ went back to Kelly's with some samples of healthy menu items. She had talked to Mike about adding a heart-healthy menu in Maxie's honor. Bobbie had the final say, and she was pleased with the Campbell's Soups her daughter had picked out. Meanwhile, Maxie wasn't thrilled with her cousin planning a menu in her honor. Maxie felt a fashion show, such as the Campbell's Gala, was a better fit.

Later, BJ arrived at Jake's and found Mac sitting at a table. She was disappointed because of how well he had been doing at AA that time around. Mac insisted he was only drinking soda water, and BJ didn't argue with him about it. BJ was more interested in speaking with her half-sister, Carly, who was playing pool in the corner. BJ told Carly that their cousin, Maxie, had died early in life and never had a chance to fulfill all her childhood dreams. Carly was alive and well, but wasting her life in a bar. BJ tried to motivate Carly into doing something with her life, but the message was painful for Carly and she threw a pool ball at BJ as she left.

Spinelli decided to go back to Kelly's and bought a chocolate cupcake from Lulu. She knew it wasn't his usual order, so Lulu inquired as to the change. Spinelli retold the story of BJ bringing a chocolate cake to Maxie in the hospital. He felt that bringing a chocolate cupcake to Maxie's gravesite would build some karma points. Spinelli asked if Lulu wanted to go, and from the sidelines, Maxie urged Lulu to go with him. Lulu said it was a waste of time, because Maxie had been dead for a long time. Although Maxie was disheartened that Lulu was missing an opportunity to change her life, she was pleased to see that Spinelli still had the same heart, deep down, past all the bitterness.

As Robin was leaving Patrick's office, Monica approached her and said the bartender from Jake's had called about Mac. Robin quickly left the hospital to go pick up Mac. When she arrived at Jake's, she paid the tab and helped Mac stumble to the car. Maxie painfully watched the dream unfold, unable to believe what had become of her hero.

As Robin and Mac left Jake's, Carly noticed John Zacchara as he walked in and approached the pool table. Coleman tried to sidetrack Carly, knowing how dangerous the mobster was. Carly could not be deterred, and she walked over and asked to play a game of pool with John.

BJ arrived at Maxie's grave and told her about what she had accomplished in her life. BJ still missed her cousin and didn't think it was fair that one of them had to die in order for the other to live. Maxie agreed with her cousin. She had always felt that it hadn't been fair for her to live and BJ to die. Spinelli soon arrived at the gravesite with the cupcake, and BJ was impressed with Spinelli's thoughtfulness.

During a musical montage, Patrick gave a termination letter to Bobbie. Carly and Johnny danced at Jake's until she leaned in to kiss him. He pulled away and laughed at her, so she tried to slap him. He grabbed her hand and walked out of the bar. Back at Kelly's, Lulu swept up and noticed a piece of paper on the floor. It was the paper from Johnny that contained the phone number for the strip club. Meanwhile, Robin brought Mac home where he collapsed on the couch, passed out after his drinking binge.

Maxie woke up and was surprised it was morning and she had slept all the way through the night. She felt bad when Spinelli told her he had slept on the couch, which meant she had kicked him out of his own bed. Maxie told Spinelli she was blessed to have him in her life. He asked what had brought on her kind comments, and she told him that sometimes you just realize how grateful you are to be alive.

After the dream she had, Maxie visited BJ's grave. She had always thought the world would have been better off if BJ had lived and Maxie had died, but she had never taken into consideration all the people who loved her and needed her. Although BJ probably would have become a cardiologist and made much more out of her life, Maxie was still trying to do her best to promote heart health awareness. Although it might not be the same as being a doctor, Maxie hoped that some woman would open the pages of Crimson and get her heart tested after seeing Maxie at the Campbell's ball. Before walking away from BJ's grave, Maxie said, "I will honor the life and the heart that you gave me."

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

by Elisabeth

At Greystone Manor, Claudia found Sonny working in the living room. Claudia didn't waste any time trying to pump Sonny for information about Ric. Sonny remained tight-lipped about what he and his brother had discussed, but made it clear to Claudia that whatever went on between her and Ric was over. Claudia quickly agreed, then asked if Sonny thought Ric was helping Anthony. Before Sonny could answer her question, Spinelli walked into the room.

Sonny showed little compassion or patience with Spinelli. While Claudia went to fetch Spinelli some tea for his cough, Sonny ordered Spinelli to track Anthony's offshore accounts. Spinelli hesitated to comply. He told Sonny that he couldn't hack into anything without Jason's permission. Spinelli explained that Jason was in enough trouble because of Spinelli's cyber-crimes; he didn't want to add to Jason's trouble by hacking into bank accounts.

Sonny didn't seem concerned. Claudia, who had returned with the tea, took a different tactic. She told Spinelli that Jason and Sam had followed Anthony to Florida. Claudia assured Spinelli that Jason and Sonny were working together. Therefore, she said, Jason would want Spinelli to help Sonny. Claudia offered to give Spinelli the account numbers that he needed to do Sonny's bidding. Spinelli reluctantly capitulated.

After Spinelli left Greystone Manor, he went to Bernie's office. Bernie was flustered because his fax machine was acting up. When Spinelli offered to fix it, Bernie shooed him away. Bernie didn't want Spinelli touching anything in his office for fear he would get into more trouble with the FBI. Instead, Bernie focused on the reason for Spinelli's visit.

Spinelli confessed that he had frozen Anthony Zacchara's accounts. Bernie rushed to close his office door. Once they had complete privacy, Bernie asked Spinelli to elaborate. Spinelli explained that Sonny had pressured him into cooperating. Spinelli was worried that he had betrayed Jason by hacking into the offshore accounts. Bernie asked a series of questions. When he determined that Spinelli had not compromised Jason's business interests, Bernie assured Spinelli that he had not caused Jason any harm. However, Bernie warned Spinelli that in the future he should wait until he had authorization from Jason before he followed Sonny's orders.

To show his appreciation, Spinelli fixed Bernie's fax machine by pressing the reset button.

At Crimson, Lulu and Maxie talked about the benefit gala Maxie had attended with Johnny. When Lulu grumbled about Johnny being Maxie's date for the event, Maxie apologized. She assured Lulu that she did not have any designs on Johnny. Lulu admitted that, despite the inconvenience of loaning out her boyfriend, their objective had been met. The dress had been featured in the paper. Lulu and Maxie hoped that Kate would be satisfied with their efforts.

As if on cue, Kate breezed into Crimson. Kate immediately demanded to know why a celebrity had not worn the designer dress. After Maxie and Lulu explained the series of events, which led to Maxie donning the dress, Kate admitted that they had handled the situation well. Lulu had to bite her tongue when Kate went on to remark that Maxie and Johnny had made a fine match at the benefit gala.

Lulu's annoyance grew when Kate walked over to a rack of clothes while she told them about the opening of a new club later that evening. Kate wanted Maxie to attend the opening with Johnny as her date. While Kate selected a dress for Maxie to wear, Maxie tried her best to convince Kate that Spinelli would be a more suitable date for her. Kate refused to consider it; she thought Johnny would look better in Federico's designer wear.

Later, Johnny arrived at Crimson. Kate convinced Johnny to escort Maxie to the nightclub opening by offering him a thousand dollars. Lulu reluctantly went along with it and helped Johnny to get ready. As Maxie and Johnny were about to leave Crimson, Spinelli walked in. When he learned that Maxie and Johnny were dressed up to attend the opening night of a posh club, Spinelli strongly objected.

In Florida, Jason woke up after spending the night sleeping in a chair. Sam had slept in the bed. When room service knocked, Sam went to answer the door while Jason hid with his gun poised and ready to shoot. Luckily, it was just a maid pushing a breakfast cart for the "honeymooners." Jason put the gun away before the woman saw it. After the maid left, Sam and Jason decided to lure Anthony out of hiding. They suspected that he was hanging out at the pool. Sam hoped her red bikini would do the trick. Jason thought the whole idea was dangerous. He feared that innocent people might get caught in the crossfire.

When the maid returned to pick up the breakfast cart, Sam asked Jason to play along. Before the maid left with the cart, Sam showed her a picture of Anthony. She asked if the maid had seen the man in the picture. When the maid said that she had not seen him, Sam pretended to be upset with Jason. Sam accused Jason of paying off the maid, then turned to the maid and told her that Anthony was Sam's father. Sam went on to explain that they had a falling-out before her wedding. As a result, Sam was heartbroken because her father had not walked her down the aisle. Due to the rift, Sam had hoped to find her father at the hotel, a place he frequented, so that they could work things out.

The maid took pity on Sam. She looked at the picture again and confirmed that Anthony could be found in cabana three. Sam smiled, then asked for another favor. A short time later Sam came out of the bathroom wearing a maid's uniform. After Jason loaded his gun, Sam and Jason went over some last-minute plans, then headed to the pool. Unfortunately, Anthony had given them the slip and left the hotel.

Anthony was furious when he learned that his offshore accounts had been frozen. He realized that he could not leave the country without access to his funds.

At the Metro Court hotel, Jax and Carly were blissfully happy after they had spent a night reconnecting as husband and wife as well as lovers. Carly decided that their public displays of affection were good for staff morale because it sent the message that the Jackses had reconciled. That, in turn, meant that the hotel wouldn't be a bone of contention in a messy divorce. Before she headed home to change clothes, Carly suggested that Jax have his things moved to her house. Carly was taken aback when Jax seemed less than enthusiastic about the idea. He quickly calmed Carly's fears. He wanted to build a house that would be truly theirs, rather than hers or his. Carly loved the idea.

When Carly returned to the hotel later that day, Jax pulled her aside. He was a little surprised by how efficiently the movers had packed his things up. Carly admitted that she had offered financial incentive for them to get the job done quickly. Before Jax walked away, Carly asked Jax for a favor. She told him that she didn't like Kate and would love for Jax to sell his shares of Crimson then throw Kate out of the hotel. However, Carly went on to clarify that as much as she wanted that, she wouldn't put conditions on their reconciliation. Since she had to live with Kate working in their hotel, she wanted Jax to understand that she would need constant reassurance from him. Jax was more than happy to give Carly whatever she needed to feel happy and secure.

Lucky met Nikolas at the Metro Court hotel. Nikolas was disappointed to hear that Lucky and Sam had ended their relationship. When Nikolas asked if Lucky had ended things with Sam because of Liz, Lucky said that he had decided he needed to be alone for a while. Lucky suggested Nikolas should consider doing the same. Nikolas didn't know how that was possible when there was a woman walking around town with Emily's face.

Rebecca went to Kelly's for breakfast. Mike's reaction made it obvious to Rebecca that he had known Emily. She allowed Mike to stare at her for a few moments before she acknowledged that she was aware of the uncanny resemblance to Emily. Mike apologized for the awkward moment, then took her order. While Rebecca went to sit down at a table, Nikolas walked in. Rebecca immediately assumed that he had followed her to the diner. Nikolas insisted the he visited Kelly's daily for his morning coffee, but Rebecca didn't believe him. Mike overheard the exchange and confirmed that Nikolas was a regular customer.

Later, Sonny walked into the diner. He stopped short when he saw Rebecca standing in Kelly's. Rebecca realized that Sonny had known Emily by the way he stared at her. Rebecca introduced herself and admitted that she knew she looked just like Emily. She went on to ask Sonny if he had been in love with Emily, too. Not surprisingly, Sonny admitted that he had been. As the two talked, Rebecca offered to buy Sonny a cup of coffee. Sonny sat down and the two talked about Emily. Sonny told Rebecca that he had become involved with Emily after Nikolas had cheated on her. Sonny shared his thoughts about Emily, including her faults, and admitted that her death had devastated everyone. Rebecca appeared to appreciate Sonny's candor.

Lucky walked into Kelly's as Sonny was leaving. When he realized that Rebecca and Sonny had talked, Lucky felt compelled to warn Rebecca about the danger that Sonny posed. Rebecca didn't seem overly concerned about Sonny's reputation. She told Lucky that Sonny was the first person she had encountered who appeared to know the real Emily. Lucky sat down to talk to Rebecca. She was receptive until Lucky brought up the subject of Emily. Sensing Rebecca's reluctance to talk about her doppelgnger, Lucky changed the subject to ask Rebecca about herself. Rebecca smiled; he was the first person to show an interest in her life. Unfortunately, Rebecca wasn't quick to volunteer information about herself. She told Lucky that she wasn't the talkative type.

Lurking outside, Nikolas watched Rebecca and Lucky.

Sonny sauntered into Bernie's office to demand that Bernie put him in touch with Jason. Bernie made it clear the he worked for Jason, not Sonny. Bernie went on to tell Sonny that the men were happy working for Jason and that they wouldn't be eager to welcome Sonny back with open arms.

Claudia returned to Greystone after her workout. She was reaching for a bottle of water when Anthony approached her from behind with a gun. Before Claudia realized what was happening, Anthony had her in a chokehold. He told her that he knew she had been responsible for his frozen offshore accounts. Anthony was furious as he asked Claudia to give him one good reason why he shouldn't blow her brains out.

Thursday, February 26, 2009

by Elisabeth

In Florida, Sam devised a plan to figure out where Anthony had fled. While Jason waited by the pool, Sam went to find the chambermaid who had confirmed Anthony's stay at the hotel. A short time later, with the maid in tow, Sam returned to the cabana where Jason was waiting. Sam pretended to be distraught when she realized that Anthony was not there. She turned to the maid to plead with her for assistance. Sam asked the woman if she could ask around to find out if Anthony had mentioned where he was headed.

Not long after, the maid returned to tell Sam and Jason that Anthony had been overheard talking about Port Charles as he got into a taxi.

Luke and Ethan remained locked up in jail. The two men were arguing, about Ethan working off his debt to Luke, when Tracy walked into the jail. Tracy demanded that the sheriff provide her with an itemized list of damages and fines before she bailed her husband out of jail. While the sheriff went to get Tracy the list she had requested, Luke introduced Tracy to Ethan. Ethan turned on the charm, but Tracy was more interested in learning how her "good-for-nothing husband" ended up involved in legal trouble with Ethan.

Luke realized that Tracy was furious. Tracy didn't deny it; she told him about the crisis at the hospital. Luke realized the gravity of the situation when Tracy informed him that Liz remained in the hospital, recovering from the effects of the deadly toxin, while Tracy had just been released. Luke's cavalier attitude evaporated, but Tracy wasn't appeased. When the sheriff returned with the bill for the damages, Tracy announced her intention to bail Ethan out of jail, but not Luke.

After Tracy left with the sheriff to take care of the paperwork, Ethan offered to go to the Haunted Star to retrieve money from the safe so that he could return to the jail to pay Luke's fines and damages. Luke told Ethan to stay away from his casino. Luke also warned Ethan to stay away from Tracy. Ethan denied any interest in Luke's wealthy wife, but Luke didn't believe him.

When Tracy returned, Luke quickly found out that she was a woman of her word; Ethan was released but Luke was not. Out of gratitude, Ethan hugged Tracy. However, before Ethan could walk away, Luke managed to grab the back of Ethan's shirt, stopping his progress. Tracy was surprised by Luke's behavior until he ordered her to check her purse. Tracy opened her purse and discovered that her cash was missing. Ethan's guilty expression confirmed that he had taken the money.

At the Metro Court hotel, Carly was on the phone with Mercedes while Jax stood next to Carly, listening to the exchange. It became apparent that something had happened with Morgan, which greatly displeased Carly. After Carly ended the call, Jax tried to find out what Mercedes had told her. Instead of answering Jax, Carly called Bernie. As Jax listened, he realized Sonny had ordered extra bodyguards to watch over Morgan.

Jax was livid. He suggested sending Morgan to stay with Lady Jane, but Carly refused to consider it. She told him that she and Sonny had reached a place where things were better; Carly didn't want to jeopardize that. Carly went on to tell Jax that she understood how he felt and would not hold him to the promises that he had made to her recently. Jax made it clear that he was committed to their marriage for better or worse. He was frustrated because the worse always seemed to come from one source: Sonny.

Jax explained that he loved Morgan and Michael as if they were his own. Jax hated how Sonny continually exposed the boys to danger. Jax admitted that there were moments he wanted to kill Sonny for his selfishness. Carly was sympathetic but cautioned Jax not to give in to the impulse; she didn't want Jax taken from her because he had murdered Sonny.

With Claudia as his hostage, Anthony hid out in Kate's house. Anthony found it fitting, and somewhat ironic, that Kate's home was his temporary safe house. Claudia thought his choice of hideout was less than brilliant because Kate could walk in at any moment. Anthony didn't appear to be concerned by the possibility; he was more focused on getting his hands on enough money to flee the country before Jason turned him over to the FBI.

Claudia did her best to undermine her father's plans but he turned the tables on her. He threatened to tell Sonny the truth about her involvement in Michael's shooting. He changed his mind, though, because of Johnny. Anthony accused Claudia of deliberately dragging Johnny into the botched hit so that Anthony would be forced to keep her secret to protect his son. Claudia denied it, but Anthony didn't believe her.

Frustrated, Claudia tearfully asked her father why he never had the urge to protect her, as a father should. Anthony told her it was because he knew her for the cunning liar that she was. He saw no reason to protect someone he didn't trust.

In Bernie's office, Sonny dropped the bombshell that he had reached an agreement with Jason. Sonny would head the organization and Jason would resume his position as Sonny's right-hand man. Bernie's reaction was less than enthusiastic, which prompted Sonny to question Bernie's loyalty. Bernie didn't pull any punches. He asked Sonny how he could expect the men in the organization to be loyal to Sonny when he had not shown them any loyalty in return.

Bernie admitted that he couldn't possibly understand the hardships that Sonny suffered, but he knew the difference between a failing business and a thriving business. During the last months of Sonny's reign, the organization had suffered.

Sonny didn't deny the charge. Sonny said he had made mistakes, but ultimately he had dismantled the Zacchara organization. Bernie was stunned by the implication. He asked Sonny if he was suggesting that everything that had happened had been planned. Sonny clarified himself; he had managed to salvage a bad situation. The way Sonny saw it, that was what a successful businessman did.

They were interrupted when Sonny's cell phone rang. It was Jason calling to update Sonny on Anthony's whereabouts. When Sonny learned that Anthony could be in Port Charles, he assured Jason that he would take care of the situation. Jason reminded Sonny that they needed Anthony alive. To Jason's frustration, Sonny didn't make any promises. Sonny warned Jason that if Anthony pushed him, he would kill Anthony.

Later, as Bernie updated Sonny on the security arrangements that had been put into place to protect those close to Jason and Sonny, Sonny realized that the only person not accounted for was Claudia. Seconds later, Claudia called Sonny. She told him that Anthony had kidnapped her. Anthony wanted enough money so that he could flee the country and go into hiding. Anthony jerked the phone out of Claudia's hand to make certain that Sonny understood the situation. Anthony warned that if Sonny did not comply with his demands, Claudia would die. Anthony gave Sonny two hours to come up with the money, then disconnected the call.

While Anthony and Claudia waited for the ransom money, Claudia made an attempt to convince Anthony to flee while he could. Anthony laughed, because he realized that Claudia believed that Sonny would actually try to save her.

Jason arrived at Bernie's office shortly after his plane from Florida landed. After Bernie gave Jason an update, Jason said that he expected Bernie to follow Sonny's orders. Bernie walked away, grumbling. Bernie warned Jason that the men under Jason did not trust Sonny. Bernie said that eventually Jason and Sonny were going to have to deal with it.

After Bernie left the office, Jason asked Sonny if he thought Claudia could be in cahoots with Anthony. Sonny didn't believe it was possible. Jason then asked Sonny if he thought Anthony would follow through with his threat to kill Claudia. Sonny insisted that Anthony wouldn't hesitate to slay his own daughter.

Lucky was entertaining Rebecca with stories of his and Emily's antics when Nikolas walked into Kelly's. Rebecca immediately tensed as Nikolas joined them at their table. Rebecca started to leave, claiming she had to find a job. She explained that the one at General Hospital had fallen through because of the recent crisis. Lucky added that Rebecca had told him that she was an X-ray Technician. Nikolas surprised Rebecca by offering her a job at the Emily Quartermaine Free Clinic. Rebecca appreciated the opportunity. However, she declined it, because she felt uncomfortable working at a place named after a dead woman who looked just like her.

Sensing he had pushed too far, Nikolas excused himself and left. Rebecca turned to Lucky and admitted that she felt bad. She realized that Nikolas was just trying to help her. Lucky asked Rebecca if she would be interested in waitressing. When Mike heard Lucky, he approached the table. They spelled out what her responsibilities, hours, and pay would be. Rebecca seemed on the verge of accepting when Edward walked in.

Edward was delighted to have found Rebecca at Kelly's. It was clear that he had been looking for her. When he learned that Rebecca had been offered a job at Kelly's, Edward objected. He insisted that Rebecca move into the Quartermaine mansion and allow him to find her a more suitable job. Edward begged Rebecca to indulge an old man who had more money than he knew what to do with. Rebecca declined the gracious proposal. Understanding that Edward wanted an opportunity to get to know Rebecca, Lucky suggested a compromise. If Rebecca accepted the waitress job, Edward could visit her daily so that they could become acquainted. That would give Rebecca the chance to decide if she wanted to pursue the relationship with the Quartermaines.

After Edward left, Rebecca started her first shift at Kelly's. Sam walked in just as Lucky prepared to leave. She introduced herself to Rebecca, then talked to Lucky for a few minutes. When Lucky asked where Sam had disappeared to, Sam explained that she had been working on a case. She told him that she wasn't an official private investigator, since she didn't have a license, but she realized that she was on the right career path. Lucky was happy for her. After the two said their goodbyes, Sam sat down at a table. Rebecca walked up and apologized before she asked Sam if she was involved with Lucky. Sam smiled as if sensing Rebecca's interest in Lucky. Sam assured Rebecca, "not anymore."

Nikolas went to Mercy Hospital to visit Liz. Liz was happy to see her friend, especially when he surprised her with an offer of free maid service during her recovery once she left the hospital. Nikolas was delighted that Liz accepted his gift. He told her about his attempt to help Rebecca and how it had backfired. Liz felt bad for Nikolas. She understood that Emily was the love of his life, so it made sense to her that he would be drawn to Rebecca because of how much she looked like Emily. Liz admitted that on the two occasions she had spoken to Rebecca, she had been tempted to pour her heart out the way she used to with Emily. She had to remind herself that Rebecca wasn't Emily.

Liz suggested that they weren't being fair to Rebecca or Emily by expecting to recapture with Rebecca what they had with Emily.

Edward's arrival interrupted their visit. Edward was livid because he believed Nikolas was the reason that Rebecca was reluctant to move in with the Quartermaines. Edward went on to tell Liz and Nikolas that he was convinced that Hank Bowen, Emily's father, was also Rebecca's father. Edward explained that a man with as many illegitimate children as Edward had sired, knew enough not to discount the possibility. Edward made it clear that he intended to welcome Rebecca into the Quartermaine family fold one way or another.

Friday, February 27, 2009

by LoraLu

Carly and Jax settled Morgan into bed at the Metro Court and then went downstairs to the lobby to talk about Sonny. Carly didn't know what to do to protect her son, but she didn't want him to end up like his older brother. Jax said he had always hoped Sonny would give his children up voluntarily. He compared the situation with Sonny to a hostile takeover of a company. Suddenly, Jax stopped and said he felt like he was badgering Carly. She didn't feel the same, and said everything Jax was saying was what she had already been thinking.

After Carly went upstairs to check on Morgan, Jax met up with Olivia and asked for an update on any calls he had received. After Olivia had gone over the calls, Jax asked her to open the pool early just for Morgan. He wanted the boy to be able to swim and do all the things little boys weren't supposed to do when the public was using the pool.

Jax also wanted to talk to Olivia about her past with Sonny. He explained that Sonny was back to his usual mob dealings, and Olivia could recognize how angry Jax was. She also understood why Sonny couldn't give his kids up, though. Sonny's father had walked out on him, and Sonny felt it was the worst thing he could do to his children. Olivia understood Jax and Carly's need to keep Morgan safe, and she knew Jax would figure out what to do.

When Carly walked back downstairs, Olivia offered to send up champagne and truffles from the staff. Everyone was happy Jax and Carly were back together.

Meanwhile, Sonny and Jason were preparing the ransom money for Claudia. Although Jason admitted he thought the price was too much for Claudia, Jason was willing to spend any amount to save Spinelli. They were interrupted when Anthony allowed Claudia to make a phone call. Claudia told Sonny where to drop the money off before Anthony grabbed the phone back.

Once Jason and Sonny arrived at the meeting place, Sonny wouldn't let Jason enter the building with him. Jason wanted Sonny's assurance that he wouldn't shoot Anthony, but Sonny couldn't give that to him. Sonny said if it were between Anthony or Claudia being shot, Sonny would shoot Anthony.

As Anthony and Claudia waited for Sonny, Anthony berated his daughter. He told her he hadn't liked her since the moment she was born. He had always hated Claudia's mother, and the fact that Claudia wasn't a boy was reason enough for Anthony to hate her. The two continued to yell at each other and tell each other how much they hated one another.

When Sonny entered the building, Anthony came out from around the corner and asked if the money was in the two gym bags. Sonny wanted to know where Claudia was, and he assured Anthony that the money was all there. Anthony knew that Sonny intended to grab him and save Claudia. Anthony told Sonny he could only save one of them, as Claudia sat in a chair rigged with a bomb on the roof.

At Crimson, Lulu tried to concentrate on work as Spinelli became increasingly agitated about Maxie and Johnny being out at a party. When Kate walked in, Spinelli threatened to take down all of her computers if she ever set up Maxie and Johnny again. Kate wasn't impressed with Spinelli's threats and asked Lulu if she was part of the problem or part of the solution.

It wasn't long before Maxie and Johnny showed up at Crimson with all the details from their night out in New York City. Kate was very impressed and offered tickets to the next big event for them. Johnny decided he wasn't interested unless he was being paid $1,000 again. Kate didn't think that was a fair amount, so she and Johnny bargained until Kate finally realized she had no choice. The media had already seen Maxie and Johnny together as a couple, so she couldn't go with someone else.

Johnny assured Lulu he was only doing it for the money. He would escort Maxie around until he had saved enough money to start his own business. Spinelli overheard that and decided there was another way to finance Johnny's business that didn't require Maxie and Johnny to continue dating. Spinelli called Jason, but Jason was outside the building where Sonny was meeting with Claudia and Anthony. Jason couldn't talk, but he heard as the FBI entered Crimson and took Spinelli into custody.

After Tracy had bailed out Ethan, she couldn't find her money and insisted Luke had stolen it. Ethan started to walk out until Tracy finally decided to listen to Luke and pat the younger man down. Tracy soon found her money, but she seemed to like the young pickpocket. Ethan convinced Tracy to also bail out Luke, and they were soon on their way back to Port Charles.

In the car, Tracy assured Ethan that things would be looking up. When Ethan mentioned that he had been a bar tender, Tracy hired him on the spot for the Haunted Star. She thought he would be a good asset, since the young women would flock to him. They argued over money until Luke realized Tracy would hire Ethan no matter what. Tracy said that Ethan was a bargain if he aggravated Luke half as much as Luke aggravated Tracy.