General Hospital Recaps: The week of October 19, 2009 on GH

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

Monday, October 19, 2009

by Boone

Johnny caught up with Jason in the alley behind Jake's. He told Jason that Joey Limbo, one of Anthony's most dastardly thugs, would soon be released from jail. Johnny told Jason that Sonny believed that Joey would start targeting the Corinthos mob for elimination and wanted Jason to drop everything else so he could keep track of Joey.

When Johnny asked Jason what had been keeping him busy, Jason was reluctant to answer. Johnny guessed that Jason was still trying to prove Claudia's guilt in Michael's shooting. Johnny tried to get Jason to give up his search for evidence and let it be, but Jason said that Johnny would also feel better once Claudia's guilt was established.

A frantic Olivia went to Sonny's house determined to tell him that Dominic was her son, Dante. Before she could tell him, Sonny told Olivia that he did not want to hear anything bad about Claudia. Olivia started defending her behavior around Claudia and started defending her actions.

Before Olivia could tell her secret to Sonny, Michael, who had been eavesdropping outside, burst in and asked Olivia what gave her the right to badmouth his dad's wife. Olivia apologized to Michael, who told Olivia that Claudia was family and she was not. Olivia quickly took her leave.

Sonny told Michael that he should be more respectful of Olivia, but complimented him on his defense of Claudia.

Claudia was in a Port Charles hotel room trying to convince Dominic to have sex with her. She threatened to tell Sonny that Olivia was his mother if he did not comply with her demands. Dominic responded that if Claudia told Sonny that Olivia was Dominic's mother, she would no longer have the leverage she needed to keep Johnny and Olivia apart.

Before walking out, Dominic called Claudia's bluff. He told her that he preferred that Johnny not sleep with his mother, but if she decided to tell Sonny, he was sure that she would lose more than anyone else.

Helena summoned Lucky to her bedside and tried to manipulate him into to asking her questions that would allow her to plant the idea that Nikolas and Liz were lovers. Lucky refused to listen to anything she had to say and reminded her that she had once kidnapped him and held him hostage.

Ethan arrived, also summoned by Helena. Helena wanted to chat privately with Ethan, but was surprised by a brotherly show of solidarity. Ethan refused to listen to any secret that Helena wanted to impart. He told her that he did not want to be responsible for the consequences of her secret. The brothers gleefully locked arms and left Helena alone.

Liz and Nikolas met at her art studio. She was worried that Helena knew their secret. Nikolas said that Helena was guessing and that she would only know for sure if either Nikolas or Liz gave it away.

Liz said she was worried that Helena would tell Lucky and that she would be unable to lie to Lucky. Liz said that she loved Lucky and wanted to be friends with him always, but that she no longer had romantic love for him. She told Nikolas that she intended to tell Lucky she could not marry him but she would not tell him that she had made love with Nikolas.

Nikolas wondered if there was a chance for them. Liz told him that it would break Lucky's heart and that they would always feel guilty. Liz told Nikolas that no matter how they felt about each other, they had to face up to the reality that they could not build any happiness for themselves if they hurt a lot of other people in the process.

They agreed to spend some time apart then try to go back to their friendship. Nikolas gave Liz a brief, intense kiss before leaving her.

Sam and Jason met in a run-down diner. Sam had found a house that belonged to Devlin. Jason invited Sam to search it with him. They left the diner together.

Luke found Tracy with Helena. He was happy to see that Tracy was mad at Helena and was telling her that she was being evicted from the hospital. Helena was incredulous, especially when Luke agreed with Tracy.

Helena insisted that Valentin was a threat to the Spencers and the Cassadines, but Luke said that his research showed that Helena had killed him years before. Helena insisted that Valentin had survived and was a real danger to all of them, but Luke and Tracy ignored her and left the room together.

Dominic ran into Lulu in the alley outside Jake's. She wanted to know if he had slept with Claudia. She was pleased when he said that he had not. Dominic teased her that she wanted to know because she was interested in him. She said he was too full of himself.

Dominic asked Lulu for a date, but she said no. Dominic was momentarily distracted by some graffiti on one of the walls, but did not say anything to Lulu about it as they walked into Jake's.

Claudia was drowning her troubles in champagne when Johnny answered her cry for help. She told him that her plan had failed and that she would have to be content to wait for a while before urging Sonny to try for a baby again.

When Claudia wanted revenge against Dominic for thwarting her plans, Johnny told her to forget it because her plans always went wrong. Claudia acknowledged that things did not always work out the way she wanted.

Olivia went to see Anthony after one of his goons confronted her on the street. Anthony told her that he knew she was sleeping with Johnny. He wanted to know why he should let her live.

Olivia was scared, but did not back down. She told Anthony what a wonderful, caring person Johnny was and wondered how Johnny could have turned out so well when he has a father like Anthony and a sister like Claudia.

Anthony was impressed when Olivia told him she would die before letting anyone hurt Johnny. After Olivia's impassioned speech, Anthony told her that even though she was a little old, he had decided to let her live because she was good for Johnny.

Sonny met with Bernie, who told him that the South American partners were getting restless because it had been their shipment that Anthony's attack had destroyed. Bernie said they needed a show of good faith. Sonny made plans for a trip to Puerto Rico and a meeting with the partners.

Jason and Sam searched the basement of a house that had belonged to Ian Devlin. They found a duffel bag stuffed with money and bearer bonds hidden behind a vent. They were about to search further when they heard someone enter the upstairs. They prepared to hide when they heard a woman's scream followed by a thump.

Johnny arrived at the prison in response to Anthony's summons. While signing in, he noticed that Olivia had been there before him. When Johnny confronted Anthony, Anthony said that he wanted to check out the woman that Johnny was bedding. He told Johnny that he approved of Olivia. In the next breath, Anthony also apologized for the shooting that had left Johnny near death.

Johnny was not taken in by Anthony's cordial manner. Johnny told Anthony that if any harm befell Olivia, Johnny would gladly kill Anthony. Anthony responded that he was glad to see that Johnny was taking a stand and not afraid to do whatever it took to protect the ones that he loved. Anthony told Johnny that he was becoming more like his old man every day.

Nikolas told Helena that he could not stop her eviction from General Hospital. He said she could go to a Swiss clinic or she could go back to Greece. Helena wanted to go to Wyndemere. She told Nikolas that he needed her to help him with the threat of Valentin. Nikolas said that he did not care about the threat, he just wanted Helena gone.

Helena got in the last word when she accused Nikolas of trying to get her out of the country so that she could not expose his affair with Liz to Lucky.

Liz met Lucky outside his house. She tried to talk to him about her concerns, but before she could say anything, he opened the door to a houseful of well-wishers and told the gathering that he and Liz had an announcement to make.

Sonny was on the phone ordering the plane when Claudia got home. When he finished, she told him she was not pregnant. Sonny was relieved, but also understanding of Claudia's feelings.

When she asked him about the plane, he told her he was headed to Puerto Rico on business and asked her to join him. When Claudia asked if he wanted to take her there as consolation for not being pregnant, she was very pleased when Sonny said he thought she could be helpful in the business.

Johnny knocked on Olivia's door. When she opened it, he started kissing her and she responded. Olivia's weak resistance was quickly overcome as the passion between them caught fire.

Dante went back to the alley to look at the graffiti he had noticed earlier. CO77X was written in fancy script on the wall. As Dante stared at the design, the scene shifted to a warehouse loft. The same distinctive letters and script were painted on a window. Inside the loft, in dark shadow, was either a very still person, or a statue, in meditative pose. There was a large corkboard to the left, with crime scene photos of a man who had been shot in the back.

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

by LoraLu

Patrick was at the hospital waiting for lab results for one of his patients when Jax stopped by. Patrick was impatient, so he ended up snapping at Jax, who was just looking for Dr. Lee. Patrick sat down in the waiting area with Jax, and they both talked about how patience was not one of either of their strong suits. Patrick asked how Carly was doing after her visit to the hospital previously, and Jax told him that Carly was doing fine. They talked about how different their lives were when they had been bachelors. Neither one of them would change it for the world, though.

At the Spencer house, Lucky pulled Liz inside where all of their friends and family were waiting. Lucky made the announcement that they would be giving marriage another shot, and everyone seemed very happy for them.

Luke seemed to realize that Liz wasn't very sure of that decision, though. Liz reassured Luke that she did love Lucky, but he reminded her that love was not always enough. Liz continued to make excuses as she tried to convince Luke that she and Lucky were meant to be together.

Meanwhile, Lulu was talking to her brother. She couldn't believe how wrong she had been about Lucky's relationship with Liz. Lucky promised not to tell her he told her so, though. All the conversations were halted when Laura's mom wanted to take some photos to send to her daughter.

After the pictures were taken, Leslie mentioned to Luke that Laura was interested in what Ethan looked like. Luke said that he had talked to Laura about his illegitimate child, so it was no surprise to him that Laura was interested in Ethan.

Luke made an announcement to welcome Liz back in the family, although he acknowledged that Liz had never really left the family. Luke also wanted to welcome Ethan to the family. Ethan didn't know what to say, and Luke said that must have been a first. Ethan apologized to Lucky, because the night was supposed to be about Lucky and Liz, not Ethan. Lucky seemed all right with the turn of events. He said it was a family night, and Lucky hoped there would be more family nights in their future.

Ethan found Lulu in the crowd of people at the Spencer house, and they talked about Lulu's childhood with Luke as a father. Ethan was surprised to hear all the father/son adventures that Luke and Lucky always seemed to get themselves into. Ethan had never pictured Luke as a family man.

Meanwhile, Nikolas visited Helena at the hospital. Helena was sure that Nikolas was having an affair with Liz, and she thought it was quite funny. It fell in line with something a Cassadine would do. Nikolas assured her that nothing was going on, but he promised Helena that he wouldn't allow her near Liz. Nikolas was contemplating sending Helena back to Greece, but she warned him that Valentin would kill her if she ever returned. Helena was confident that her grandson wouldn't let her down, and would send her to Switzerland.

Rebecca walked into Helena's room, and she assured Helena that she and Nikolas were very happy together. There wasn't anything Helena could do about it, either. Helena told Rebecca that she found it hard to believe Rebecca had ever been a con-artist, because she was so nave. Rebecca knew Nikolas would ship Helena off as soon as possible, so a frustrated Rebecca told Helena to have a nice trip.

Later, Liz slipped out of the party and arrived at Wyndemere to speak with Nikolas. She told him about the announcement Lucky had made that night. Nikolas was upset, but Liz told him that she loved Lucky and he was the best choice for her boys. She couldn't continue holding out hope for Nikolas when a relationship between them could never work.

At Olivia's apartment, Johnny and Olivia started making out and getting hot and heavy. Johnny confessed to Olivia again that he loved her. She didn't know how to answer him, though. She couldn't stand to be away from him. The entire time they weren't together, she constantly fought the urge to pick up the phone and call him. The only way they could continue their relationship would be if they kept it a secret. Sonny and Claudia couldn't find out about their relationship.

Dominic interrupted Johnny and Olivia's conversation when he knocked on the door to Olivia's apartment. Olivia left to give Johnny time alone to talk to Dominic and made Dominic swear not to tell anyone about Johnny and Olivia being back together. Dominic had other things on his mind, though. He was more concerned with where Claudia and Sonny had gone. Johnny didn't know, but they both realized that Johnny would be an easy target while Sonny was gone. Dominic thought it was safer for Ms. Falconeri if Johnny kept his distance from her while the risk was so high.

After Dominic left Johnny, he arrived at Sonny's house to start snooping through Sonny's desk. It wasn't long before Dominic was caught red-handed, though. Jax warned Dominic that he needed to be more careful when he was looking through other people's things. Dominic knew right away that Jax had been instrumental in getting him reassigned to Sonny's case. Dominic couldn't figure out why Jax cared, though. Jax explained that he wanted Sonny put behind bars forever. It would be safer for Carly, the boys, and Jax's unborn daughter if Sonny were out of the picture.

At Alexis' house, Michael arrived when he found out Kristina had ditched school that day. Kristina didn't look very good, and she was moping around the house in a sweatsuit. Michael asked what had happened, and Kristina confessed to her older brother that she'd had sex with Kiefer. Michael was furious, but Kristina assured him that it had been her idea. She was on the pill, and they had used condoms.

Later, Alexis arrived home with a bouquet of roses for her daughter. Kristina noticeably cheered up as she read the card from Kiefer. Alexis realized the relationship between Kristina and Kiefer was more serious that she had imagined, so she started to talk to Kristina about abstinence. Kristina assured her mother that when Kiefer was ready to have sex, she would ask him to wait.

In another part of town, Jason and Sam were in the basement of a house looking for Ian Devlin's belongings. They were searching for anything that could pin Michael's shooting on Claudia. They stopped when they heard a loud thud from upstairs. Jason and Sam raced upstairs and found a pregnant woman on the ground, unconscious. Jason called emergency services, but he decided it would be faster to drive the woman to General Hospital himself.

When Jason and Sam arrived at General Hospital, the woman was whisked away for an emergency cesarean section. Jason talked to Patrick about Ian Devlin, trying to get any information Patrick could remember out of him. Sam, meanwhile, was hovering around the nursery. She was worried when she didn't see a baby being carried in, and she feared the worst for the unknown woman's child. When Jason found her, he realized she was reliving the pain she had felt when she lost her own daughter. Jason assured her that the woman and her baby would be fine.

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

by Elisabeth

At the Jacks residence, Jax offered to send a masseuse to the house, so that Carly could have a massage and a foot rub. Carly appreciated that Jax was trying to keep her relaxed and stress free, but she had plans to take Morgan to Sonny's house for a visit. Carly was surprised when Jax informed her that Sonny was out of town. She was curious how Jax knew about Sonny's travel plans.

Jax claimed that he had gone to see Sonny because he had intended to ask Sonny to maintain his distance until after the baby was born. According to Jax, he had been told that Sonny was out of town. Carly couldn't believe that Sonny would leave town without telling her. She realized that it probably meant that Sonny didn't want her to worry, which tended to have the opposite effect.

Later, Jax was curious if Carly was tired of his constant hovering. Carly confessed that she liked it. Carly realized that she had a tendency to be impulsive, so it was reassuring to have Jax around to stop her from doing something she probably shouldn't. Carly also enjoyed spending time with her husband.

Alexis entered Jax's office shortly after he had arrived. She wanted to apologize to Jax for upsetting Carly. Alexis realized that she shouldn't hold Michael responsible for something that wasn't his fault. Jax surprised Alexis by announcing that he had decided to tell Carly the truth about Jerry after she had the baby. Jax was prepared for the worst; he realized that the news could cost him his marriage.

Carly was on the phone with Olivia, discussing business, when Michael walked in. Carly ended the call and then asked Michael if he knew that Sonny had left down. Michael suspected that his father might have left in order to give Michael space after Michael had "freaked out." According to Michael, his last encounter with Sonny had been ugly.

Michael was frustrated that he didn't have any control over his episodes of rage. Carly promised her son that he was fine. She didn't think that his memories could hurt anyone. As Carly spoke, Michael glanced up. When he saw his reflection in the mirror, Michael recalled what the carnival gypsy had told him. According to Ramona, "Some villains are vague, some are clear, and some are standing by the bed." Carly realized that Michael had suddenly tuned her out.

Carly was stunned when Michael revealed that he suspected that Ian had not acted alone. Carly was curious if he remembered anything specific or if someone had mentioned the possibility to Michael. Michael clarified that he didn't remember the actual shooting, but he also carefully avoided telling his mother about some of his alarming memories. Carly promised Michael that time would help him to make sense of what he was remembering. As they talked, Jax entered.

When Jax asked what was going on, Carly and Michael lied. They told Jax that Michael had been giving his mother tips on eating healthy. While Carly and Jax were talking, Michael recalled Jerry standing by his bedside as Jerry confessed that everyone would have been better off if Michael had died. Stunned by the shocking recollection, Michael informed Jax and Carly, "Jerry did it."

Spinelli bounded down the stairs, while Sam, sound asleep, was stretched out on the sofa with her head on Jason's lap. Jason tried to shush Spinelli before Sam woke up, but it was too late. Sam sat up and then stretched before she thanked Jason for helping her through a difficult night. Sam realized that Jason was the only person who understood what she was feeling about her stillborn daughter.

Spinelli was eager to hear the details of Jason and Sam's night of adventure. Sam revealed that they had broken into a residence because they had suspected that Ian had stashed incriminating evidence against Claudia in the house. They admitted that they hadn't found what they were looking for, but they were on hand to help a pregnant woman who had gone into labor. Sam told Spinelli that they had managed to get the woman to the hospital in time for the baby to be safely delivered.

Spinelli hoped that the woman decided to show her appreciation by not pressing charges against Sam and Jason for breaking and entering. Jason and Sam didn't appear too concerned by the possibility. However, Jason was reminded that he might have discovered another lead. Thanks to a conversation with Patrick, Jason suspected that Ian had hidden the information that they sought somewhere at the hospital.

Spinelli went to work, checking Ian Devlin's hospital files. Spinelli quickly discovered that Ian had backed up patient files on various DVDs. Jason was determined to get his hands on those DVDs.

At the hospital, Patrick and Robin talked about the discovery that Ian had kept a house for storage purposes. Patrick felt terrible that he hadn't been aware of Ian's true nature. Robin insisted that it wasn't Patrick's fault, but he remained troubled. Patrick believed that he should have realized what Ian had been up to.

Patrick decided that he would do some digging to see if he could find any evidence that Ian had a partner. Patrick intended to do what he could to expose everyone who had been involved in Ian's illegal activity. Patrick and Robin agreed that a good place to start was by reviewing Ian's files. However, when they checked the computer, they discovered something interesting; someone had arranged for Ian's files to be transferred to the hospital's conference room.

Later, Robin and Patrick were sitting in the conference room when Jason and Sam entered. Jason realized that Patrick and Robin weren't surprised to see them. Patrick explained that he had suspected that Spinelli had been responsible for the file transfer. Sam worried that Robin and Patrick could be risking their careers by snooping through the files. Patrick clarified that, as doctors on staff at the hospital, they were free to review patient files. However, it would be illegal for Jason and Sam to see the confidential information.

Robin added that she and Patrick would be able to recognize any inconsistencies or irregularities, while Jason and Sam might not because they lacked a medical background. Jason wondered what was in it for Patrick. Patrick admitted that he had known Ian, but had failed to recognize what Ian had been doing. Patrick wanted justice for those who had been wronged, by exposing everyone who had helped Ian in any way.

Alexis went to the hospital to pick up some literature on the "I participate" campaign. She hoped to get her daughters involved by helping others. When Alexis looked up, she spotted Sam making her way to the elevators. Alexis caught up with her eldest daughter to ask her what she was doing at the hospital. Sam's evasiveness only sparked Alexis' interest. After Sam rushed off, Alexis noticed Robin exiting the room that Sam had walked out of.

Alexis followed Robin to the nurses' station to thank Robin for solving the Brianna Hughes murder. Robin admitted that she had enjoyed investigating the case. Alexis took the opportunity to mention that she had seen Sam and Robin leave the same room. Alexis was curious if Sam had enlisted Robin's help with a case. Robin admitted that she was helping Sam to investigate Ian Devlin.

In the conference room, Jason and Patrick sifted through files. After Patrick was called away, Alexis slipped into the room. She apologized for interrupting Jason, but she wanted to know if it was possible for him to conduct his investigation without Sam's help.

Diane was at the hospital when she saw Max at the nurse's station. Max tensed when Diane called out his name. He immediately tried to pretend he was there to meet someone, but Diane didn't believe him. When Max tried to walk away, Diane confessed that she had never thought of him as a "love puppet."

Max and Diane sat down to talk. Max wondered why Diane had not gone to the carnival after their argument. He had spent hours at the carnival before Edward's car had crashed through the crowd. Diane bristled when Max mentioned spending time with Louise just before the accident. Things deteriorated when Max questioned if Diane had a "boy toy" in Philadelphia. Rather than deny the accusation, Diane claimed that she had a mature man who appreciated her. Diane stormed off before Max could respond.

In Puerto Rico, Claudia was sunbathing while Sonny was on the phone discussing business. When he ended the call, Sonny joined Claudia on the deck. Sonny warned Claudia that they had to show a united front during their meeting later that evening. Claudia was eager to help Sonny, but she worried that their sudden appearance in Puerto Rico might have made some of the mobsters nervous. Sonny wasn't concerned; he reminded her that nervous people tended to make mistakes.

A short time later, Claudia stepped out of the bathroom wearing a sexy red dress. Sonny was impressed; red was his favorite color. Claudia smiled brightly as she confessed that red was also her favorite color. Sonny reminded Claudia that she needed to make certain that everyone understood that Sonny was in control of the organization and that they had taken care of the few disloyal members. As they left, Claudia admitted that she was proud to be his wife.

When Sonny and Claudia entered the casino, the manager, Mo, greeted them. True to her word, Claudia didn't waste any time making it clear that Sonny ran the organization. Mo invited Sonny and Claudia to the bar, where a bartender handed Claudia a drink. While Mo confessed that he had been surprised by Sonny's visit, Claudia took a sip of her drink. She immediately complained that her drink had been watered down. Mo took offense; he insisted that the drink was fine. Sonny took the drink from Claudia and then slowly dumped it out on the bar.

On the waterfront, Dante met Ronnie to update him about Sonny and Claudia's trip. Ronnie seemed to sense that Dante was concerned about Sonny's welfare. He was curious what Dante expected him to do. Dante suggested that it was time to arrest Sonny. Ronnie worried that Dante was in too deep. He accused Dante of trying to find a "non-violent" way to bust Sonny. Ronnie warned Dante that, given Sonny's lifestyle, it might not be possible.

As Ronnie prepared to leave, Dante spotted some graffiti on a warehouse wall. Dante was curious if Ronnie recognized the "CO77X" tag, but Ronnie had never seen it before.

Dominic decided to enlist Spinelli's help researching the graffiti tag. While Spinelli tapped away on his laptop at the penthouse, Dominic realized just how skilled Spinelli was in the cyber world. Spinelli admitted that he was one of the best. Dominic wondered if Spinelli could move money around without the authorities knowing.

Later, Spinelli confessed that he had not been able to find any information that revealed the possible meaning of "CO77X." Spinelli suggested that perhaps it was merely a child's prank.

While Spinelli and Dominic discussed the tag, a warehouse office was shown. The walls were lined with police snapshots of murder crime scenes. On the floor of the office, was a poster with "CO77X" painted on it. Moments later, red splatter appeared across the tag.

The episode featured the song, "Mad World," by Adam Lambert.

Thursday, October 22, 2009

by Elisabeth

On the Haunted Star, Tracy refused to succumb to Luke's attempts to seduce her. Luke turned up the charm, to no avail. Tracy warned Luke that if he wanted some "nookie" then he would have to work much harder. Luke pulled Ethan aside to enlist his son's help. Luke requested that Ethan order long stem roses and purchase some diamond trinkets for Tracy. Luke instructed Ethan to charge it to Tracy's credit card. Luke grumbled when Ethan refused to help.

Ethan lost interest in Luke's problems when Rebecca entered the casino. Luke watched as his son approached Rebecca and then showered her with compliments. Rebecca refused to be taken in by Ethan's flattery. When Ethan invited Rebecca to join him for a drink, Rebecca informed him that she was meeting Nikolas.

Ethan accused Nikolas of treating Rebecca like "rubbish," prompting a fierce denial from Rebecca. She reminded Ethan that they had lied to Nikolas with the intention of stealing his fortune, so Nikolas had a right to be angry. However, Nikolas had forgiven Rebecca. Ethan realized that he wasn't going to change Rebecca's mind in regards to Nikolas. He agreed to drop the matter if Rebecca tried one of his new martinis. Rebecca hesitated before she asked him what was in the drink.

Tracy appeared at Luke's side as they watched Ethan escort Rebecca to the bar. Tracy realized that Luke was concerned about Ethan. Luke assured Tracy that Ethan could take care of himself. Tracy admitted that she worried that Rebecca might be trying to play Ethan and Nikolas against each other. As if on cue, Nikolas entered the casino. He headed to the bar when he spotted Rebecca and Ethan together.

The tension between Nikolas and Ethan was thick. When Nikolas asked Ethan to deliver their drinks to their table, Ethan snapped that he wasn't their waiter. Tracy dragged Rebecca away before things escalated. As soon as Rebecca was out of earshot, Ethan demanded to know what was going on with Nikolas. Ethan reminded Nikolas that a month before, Nikolas had offered Ethan money to seduce Rebecca away from him. Nikolas claimed that he had changed his mind.

Ethan accused Nikolas of not wanting to be upstaged by Lucky's engagement to Liz. Nikolas insisted that the subject of Lucky and Liz was off-limits. Moments later, Rebecca returned. As Nikolas and Rebecca walked to a nearby gaming table, Luke offered Ethan some words of advice. He suggested that Ethan maintain a cool head around Nikolas.

Ethan didn't understand why Luke bothered to put up with Nikolas. Luke reminded Ethan that Nikolas was Laura's son as well as Lucky and Lulu's brother. Ethan insisted that Nikolas was using Rebecca. Luke didn't dismiss the possibility; however, he advised Ethan to tread carefully, or Ethan might find himself at odds with Lucky and Lulu as they closed ranks around Nikolas.

Dominic tried to gain access to some of Sonny's sensitive files by using the excuse that he needed Spinelli's help to locate Joey Limbo. According to Dominic, he required Spinelli's cyber skills, in order to figure out where Joey would strike next. Spinelli was reluctant to agree to Dominic's request because he didn't know if Dominic had been granted access to the classified information. Dominic assured Spinelli that Sonny had given Dominic carte blanche to use whatever means necessary, in order to track down Joey.

Dominic insisted that Joey was a serious threat to Sonny and the organization, so it was imperative that they locate Joey as soon as possible. Spinelli eventually capitulated, but before he could open the files on his laptop, the doorbell rang. It was Lulu. Lulu had Maxie's Halloween costume, a sexy Xena outfit. Maxie had asked Lulu to drop off the costume. Lulu was horrified when Dominic suggested that Lulu try it on for him. She refused to even consider it. Meanwhile, Spinelli snatched the garment bag out of Lulu's hand to hang the costume in a safe place.

Dominic continued to make suggestive remarks, fueling Lulu's anger. After Lulu left, Spinelli called Dominic out on his behavior. He suggested that if Dominic were interested in Lulu, he wouldn't spend so much time trying to make her mad. According to Dominic, angry seemed to be Lulu's favorite state of mind.

Spinelli didn't appreciate Dominic's jest about Lulu. However, before he could respond, Johnny arrived. Spinelli asked Johnny to explain to Dominic that Lulu would never be impressed with Dominic's miserable attempts to woo her. Johnny didn't want to get involved, because Lulu's personal life wasn't any of Johnny's business. Johnny clarified that he had been instructed to pick up a flash drive for Bernie. Dejected, Spinelli handed over the flash drive. Before Johnny left, he suggested that Lulu was perfectly capable to taking care of herself.

After Johnny's departure, Spinelli announced that he had to leave, as well. Spinelli had agreed to volunteer at a charity function. He made it clear that visitors were not permitted in the penthouse while Jason or Spinelli weren't around.

At Tracy's request, Lulu met her stepmother at the Haunted Star. Tracy confessed that she was concerned about the growing animosity between Ethan and Nikolas. Tracy worried that Lulu would be caught in the middle of their strife. Moments later, Dominic approached Lulu. Lulu was surprised to see him. After Tracy walked away, Dominic sensed that Lulu was troubled. Lulu admitted that she was worried about her brothers. Dominic spotted Ethan at the bar. He was curious whom the man standing next to Ethan was.

Dominic was shocked when Lulu admitted that it was her father; he confessed that he was eager to meet the legendary Luke Spencer. Before Lulu could stop him, Dominic approached Luke to introduce himself. Lulu bit her tongue when Ethan informed Luke that Dominic was bad news. Luke reminded Ethan that it was up to Lulu to decide how she felt about Dominic. Rather than respond, Lulu opted to drag Dominic away.

As Lulu and Dominic sat down, talk of her father prompted Lulu to wonder if Dominic had ever thought about finding his own father. Dominic agreed to answer Lulu's question if she left the casino with him. Dominic and Lulu ended up at Kelly's enjoying a cup of hot cider at one of the outdoor tables. Lulu reminded Dominic of his promise, but he continued to stall. When Lulu threatened to leave, Dominic admitted that he had found his father.

At the Jacks residence, Carly and Jax were stunned by Michael's revelation about Jerry. Michael quickly covered his slip. While the memory of Jerry's confession played in his mind, Michael assured Carly that Jerry had talked about how much Carly and Jax loved Michael. After Michael left the room, Carly confessed that something had been off with Michael's story. Carly didn't understand why Jerry would visit Michael.

Jax seemed to relax when Carly attributed it to a random act of kindness. However, when Carly remarked that it was one of the few times that Jerry reminded her of Jax, Jax objected. He angrily denied that he had anything in common with Jerry. Carly was startled by the response, but Jax managed to ease her concerns.

Later, Olivia stopped by to visit Carly. Carly was curious about Olivia's breakup with Johnny. She wondered if Olivia intended to let Sonny know that Claudia had forced Olivia to end things with Johnny. Olivia admitted that she had tried to discuss it with Sonny, but he hadn't been receptive to hearing anything negative about Claudia. Carly decided to talk to Sonny herself.

Jax was waiting for Michael when he arrived home. Jax realized that Michael had been less than forthcoming about Jerry. Jax wanted to know exactly what Michael remembered of Jerry's visit.

Johnny went to see Olivia at her apartment. Johnny assured Olivia that they were safe because Claudia was out of town. Olivia was worried that Claudia would discover that Johnny and Olivia were secretly seeing each other. Johnny was concerned that there might be a day when he would have to stop Claudia by revealing the truth about her role in Michael's shooting.

At the hospital, Alexis asked Jason not to involve Sam in his investigation into Ian Devlin's possible co-conspirators. Alexis worried that Sam might end up being an accessory to murder. Alexis urged Jason to prove that he cared for Sam by protecting her from criminal charges. Shortly after Alexis left, Sam returned to the conference room with some coffee. Jason told Sam about Alexis' visit.

Jason grudgingly admitted that Alexis had a valid point, because he intended to kill Ian's accomplices. Jason didn't want anyone, least of all Sam, to be implicated in the crime. Sam dismissed Alexis' concerns. According to Sam, Alexis viewed everything as too risky. Sam claimed that she only wanted to focus on finding Ian's partners in crime. Moments later, Sam discovered a DVD dated March 28, 2008. Jason commented that it was close to the date of Michael's shooting.

Jason and Sam returned to the penthouse to view the DVD, but discovered that it was encrypted. Jason called Spinelli to order him to return to the penthouse on an urgent matter. A short time later, Spinelli arrived. Jason put Spinelli to work immediately. Within moments, Spinelli was able to crack the code. Jason, Sam, and Spinelli listened, as Ian demanded assurances for himself if things went wrong.

Jason realized that the recording had been of a meeting finalizing the hit on Sonny. Jason insisted that Spinelli unlock the rest of the recording, so that they could hear whom Ian had been talking to.

In Puerto Rico, Sonny dumped the contents of Claudia's drink on the bar after she had complained that it had been watered down. Mo took offense; he insisted that Sonny was in Mo's territory. Sonny made his way over to a nearby table where other mob bosses had gathered. After Sonny accused Mo of betrayal, he informed the men that Anthony Zacchara was powerless and ineffectual. Sonny made it clear that he controlled the organization, not Anthony. Claudia backed up Sonny's claim.

The mob bosses assured Sonny that they were loyal to Sonny. Sonny expected the men to prove it by destroying his enemies. As Sonny and Claudia prepared to leave, Mo aimed his gun at Sonny. Claudia had anticipated the move. She responded accordingly by drawing her own gun, which she had tucked in her purse. Claudia ruthlessly asked Sonny, "Honey, what's Spanish for drop your gun before I blow your head off?"

In Spanish, Sonny ordered Mo to lower his weapon. After a brief standoff, Mo complied. The other mob bosses descended upon Mo. They apologized to Sonny for their "former" colleague's behavior. The mobsters promised that it would not happen again. Satisfied, Sonny and Claudia left the casino.

Claudia was euphoric when she and Sonny returned to their bungalow. Sonny promised that he would never forget what Claudia had done for him. Claudia basked in the praise. She wondered if they could stay through October 29th. Sonny wondered what was so special about the date. Claudia revealed that it was her birthday and that she had never had anyone to celebrate it with.

Sonny explained that the situation was too tense, so they had to return to Port Charles. However, he assured her that he would throw her a birthday bash to give her the long-overdue recognition that she deserved.

Friday, October 23, 2009

by Elisabeth

At the Jacks residence, Jax questioned what Michael recalled of Jerry's visit. Michael didn't want to share the details, but he was curious whom Jax blamed for the shooting. Without hesitation, Jax answered, "Sonny." Michael understood that Jax hated Sonny, but Michael insisted that his father had always tried to protect his children. Jax reminded Michael that Sonny didn't always succeed in his quest to keep his children safe from harm.

Carly walked in moments later. She immediately sensed the tension in the room. Michael asked his mother whom she held responsible for the shooting. Carly admitted that in the beginning she had blamed everyone, but eventually she had realized that the only person who was guilty of shooting Michael was the person who had pulled the trigger. According to Carly, since Ian was dead and Michael had recovered, the tragedy was in the past.

Outside of Kelly's, Lulu and Dominic sipped hot cider. Lulu was curious how Dominic had found his father. Dominic confided that, at the age of 14, he had asked around town until he had gathered a list five men who might be his father. One man had died, while two others had moved out of town. One day, Dominic had gone to the house of the fourth man.

When Dominic had seen the man with his wife and children, he realized that his existence might destroy the man's life and the lives of his young children. Dominic didn't want to do that to the family, so he had left. Lulu was moved by the story; however, she wondered how Dominic knew that the man was his father. Dominic claimed that the children had been almost mirror images of him. Lulu questioned if that had been sufficient proof.

Dominic confessed that it didn't really matter. Whoever his father was, it was likely that the man had a family. Dominic had no desire to ruin anyone's life. Lulu suggested that Dominic's father might be happy to learn that he had a son. She reminded Dominic that Luke had been surprisingly thrilled to discover that he was Ethan's father. Dominic didn't want to take the risk.

Lulu was impressed that Dominic's thoughts ran that deep. She decided to leave before she became too excited by the prospect that there was more to Dominic than had met the eye. Dominic wondered when he would be able to have more than a cup of cider with Lulu. Lulu didn't know, but she suggested that he keep trying.

After Lulu left, Kristina approached Kelly's. She glanced inside and then turned away disappointed. When Kristina saw Dominic sitting at an outdoor table, she asked him if he had seen Kiefer. Dominic admitted that he hadn't seen the young teen, but he tried to cheer Kristina up by suggesting that perhaps her date was running late. Kristina doubted it; Kiefer wasn't the type.

Kristina was curious if Dominic would honestly answer a question for her. When he agreed, she asked, "Is it true that guys will say or do anything, even pretend to love you, just so they can have sex with you, and once they do, they forget about you?"

Inside Kelly's, Dominic fetched a cup of hot cider, which he gave to Kristina when he joined her at the table. Dominic admitted that there were guys like she had described. However, he insisted that those guys weren't worth the "gum on your shoe." Dominic added that guys like him enjoyed "pounding" guys like that. He was curious if Kristina was asking him to teach Kiefer a lesson. Kristina declined the offer. Dominic started to tell Kristina that sex should be special, but then stopped.

He was curious if she had a mother or sister whom she could talk to. Kristina promised that she was fine. As Dominic stood to leave, he offered her a ride home. Kristina declined; she explained that her brother would be by shortly and that her grandfather was working behind the counter. Shortly after Dominic left, Michael arrived.

As Michael sat down at Kristina's table, Mike approached his grandchildren. He was curious why they both had long faces. Michael dismissed it as typical school stuff. Mike assured both kids that if they needed their grandfather's advice about anything, he'd be more than happy to help. Mike then asked Michael how his parents were doing. Mike and Kristina were surprised to learn that Sonny was out of town. Mike was disappointed that Sonny hadn't told his father about his travel plans.

After Mike walked away, Kristina admitted that she felt as left out as Mike did. Michael explained that he had learned about Sonny's trip from Carly. Michael didn't appreciate Kristina's response of, "Whatever." He reminded Kristina that Sonny loved all of his children. Kristina believed that Sonny loved some of them more than others. Michael was curious if Kristina would rather have grown up distant from their dad as she had or if she would have preferred getting a bullet in the brain as he had.

To Kristina's surprise, Michael confessed that everyone would have been better off if he had died. As the words left his mouth, Michael had a vivid recollection of Jerry confessing that Claudia had been responsible for the shooting. Michael shared the details of his memory with Kristina. Stunned, Kristina asked Michael what he intended to do about the new information.

Johnny ducked out of sight, while Olivia answered her front door. It was Kate. Olivia insisted that it was late and that she was too tired to deal with Kate. Kate understood that "keeping a life-altering secret" tended to take its toll on a person; however, Kate was determined to say her piece. She insisted that Olivia had to pull her head out of the sand, so that she could deal with the situation between Dante and Sonny before someone ended up dead.

Olivia wondered if Kate was threatening to tell Sonny the truth. Olivia griped that Kate wasn't being supportive. Kate argued that she had been supportive for years, but the situation had changed. Kate reminded Olivia that Dante was "swimming in conflict of interest." Kate was confident that Dante would remove himself from the case if he knew that Sonny was his father. Kate believed that it was the only reasonable way to avoid bloodshed.

Olivia felt insulted that Kate didn't think that Olivia had tried to figure a way to save Dante and Sonny from disaster. Olivia feared that Dante would confront Sonny with the truth. Olivia was certain that Sonny would never let Dante go once he learned that Dante was his son. Kate insisted that the truth needed to be revealed. Olivia argued that it wasn't Kate's call.

Kate accused Olivia of being selfish. According to Kate, Olivia was afraid of tarnishing her image; if Sonny and Dante knew that Olivia had kept the secret, they would view her differently. Kate claimed that Olivia was more concerned about what was best for Olivia rather than what was best for Dante. Olivia was speechless as Kate stormed out of the apartment.

Kate went to Jake's after she left Olivia's. Coleman was delighted to see her. Kate smiled as she sat down at the bar and then ordered a glass of wine. Before Coleman could pour the wine, Kate changed her mind; she wanted a beer and a shot of whiskey. Kate's eyes rounded when Coleman filled a mug of beer and then dropped a shot of whiskey into the mug before he handed it to her. As Kate sipped the potent Boilermaker, Coleman asked why Kate was upset.

Kate complained about a cover model who had decided to shave off her hair, in order to show off the tattoos on her head. Coleman confessed that he didn't think the problem merited Kate getting drunk. Kate confessed that the reason she was at Jake's was because someone she cared about was "hell bent" on destroying herself and half of the people around her.

Coleman kept Kate company while she continued knocking back Boilermakers. He reminded Kate that he had a room upstairs if she needed it. Kate snorted, but Coleman assured her that the offer didn't have any strings attached. Kate appreciated Coleman's consideration. She studied him for a moment before she confessed that he would make an interesting makeover challenge. Coleman laughed; he informed her that what she was looking at was the made-over version.

Kate argued that Coleman was quite handsome underneath "all that." Coleman took that as a compliment, but then deftly changed the subject to ask if she had decided what she was going to do about her dilemma. Kate bragged that she could tell the secret if she wanted to. When Coleman wondered why she didn't, Kate admitted that exposing the secret could cause just as much damage as keeping quiet. Moments later, Dante entered the bar.

Kate asked for a bottle of whiskey before she made her way to Dante's table. Dante wasn't in the mood to deal with Kate, but she didn't care. She informed him that he had two options: they could pretend to be strangers or she could announce to everyone in the bar that she and Dante were related. "Either way," Kate informed him, "Cousin Connie is going to buy you a drink and you are going to listen to what she has to say."

Kate poured two shots of whiskey and then handed one to Dante. After she emptied her shot glass, Kate urged Dante to quit his assignment and then return to Bensonhurst. Kate insisted that Dante would never be able to bust Sonny; she intended to explain why it was impossible.

At the penthouse, Jason was certain that the other voice on the recording of Ian's conversation would belong to Claudia. Spinelli worked diligently to unlock the remainder of the recording, but only succeeded in uncovering an indistinguishable word by an unknown person. Jason was positive that it was Claudia's voice, but Sam and Spinelli had their doubts. Spinelli suggested that perhaps Jason was allowing his hatred of Claudia to cloud his judgment.

Spinelli insisted that they didn't have enough sound to make a proper voice comparison. Jason ordered Spinelli to do whatever was necessary to prove that it was Claudia on the recording. Shocked, Spinelli asked if Jason was suggesting that Spinelli manufacture evidence to prove Jason's theory. Jason reminded Spinelli that Claudia was evil and that he was tired of her getting away with what she had done. Spinelli refused to frame Claudia for something he wasn't even certain she had done.

Jason was livid; he ordered Spinelli to leave. After Spinelli left the penthouse, Jason apologized to Sam for the way that he had behaved. Sam suggested that perhaps Jason was furious because a part of him feared that Spinelli might have been correct.

Later, Jason and Sam went to the hospital to check on the progress that Patrick and Robin had made. When they entered the conference room, Patrick and Robin informed Jason that their search hadn't yielded anything useful. Jason decided to double-check the files, but Patrick and Robin refused to hand them over to Jason. Robin explained that they were willing to bend the rules, but they drew the line at violating the privacy of the patients. Jason explained that he wasn't interested in anyone's medical history, but Robin and Patrick held firm.

Epiphany entered moments later. When she saw Jason, Sam, Patrick, and Robin gathered in the conference room, Epiphany decided that she didn't want to know what they were all up to. Epiphany informed Patrick and Robin that the maintenance crew was going to clear out the items in Lost and Found, so it was their last chance to check if they were missing anything. After Epiphany left, Jason wondered what had happened to the contents of Ian's locker.

A short time later, Jason and Sam were sifting through piles of various items in one of several large bins. Robin and Patrick were nearby, going through another bin. Sam discovered a duffel bag that resembled one that she and Jason had seen in the basement of the house that Ian had rented. A quick search of the duffel bag revealed numerous DVDs. After Jason and Sam left with their find, Patrick continued looking for a favorite t-shirt that he had lost.

When Patrick found the t-shirt, Robin groaned. Patrick reminded Robin that it was just a t-shirt. Robin disagreed; she thought it was a souvenir of Patrick's bachelor days. Patrick assured her that he was happily married and that he didn't regret giving up the single life. To prove his sincerity, Patrick threw the t-shirt back into the bin. Robin fished it out and then handed it to Patrick. She realized that she was just being jealous.

Patrick and Robin then discussed the situation with Jason. Robin wondered if they should go to the police or if they should let Jason kill Claudia. Patrick reminded Robin that they had taken an oath to save lives; however, if Emma had been in Michael's place, he honestly didn't know what he would have done.

Jason and Sam returned to the penthouse. Jason was eager to sift through the DVDs. He suggested that they focus on anything dated between March 28, 2008, and April 4, 2008. Sam was curious what would happen if they didn't find anything. She wondered if Jason's vendetta was about avenging Michael or getting Claudia at any cost. Jason suggested that Sam could leave, but Sam declined. Moments later, Jason discovered a DVD dated March 31, 2008. As they listened to it, Jason and Sam heard Claudia, Jerry, and Ian discuss in great detail their intention to kill Sonny on April 4, 2008.

Sam realized that Jason had been correct about Claudia.

In Puerto Rico, Sonny had a nightmare about Michael's shooting. He bolted awake with a scream. Claudia rushed out to the deck to check on Sonny. Sonny was rattled as she told Claudia about the horrific dream. However, he changed the subject before Claudia could respond. They briefly discussed Mo Verde's possible fate, before Sonny returned to the topic of his dream.

Sonny confessed that the guilt seemed to creep in whenever he felt confident about the organization. Claudia remained silent as Sonny shared some of the gruesome details about the moments following the shooting when he had held his bleeding son in his arms. Claudia tried to ease his guilt, but Sonny refused to let her. He insisted that it was his burden to carry.

Claudia understood that Sonny felt as if he had to give up a piece of himself in order to be where he was. She also realized that, for them, there wasn't an exit door, so they had to find a way to deal with the "trade-offs." According to Claudia, there would always be regrets. However, Claudia insisted that Michael was eager to move forward, but he couldn't as long as Sonny continued to punish himself for what had happened.

Sonny revealed that many people believed that he shouldn't encourage a relationship with his children. Claudia assured him that his children loved and accepted Sonny for whom he was. Claudia claimed that Sonny had to find a way to make peace with the past. Sonny appreciated the advice and support; he confessed that it had helped.

Moments later, a knock at the door heralded one of the mobsters from the bar. He assured Sonny that Mo no longer had a future because of a fatal accident. Sonny was pleased. After the mobster left, Sonny decided that they needed to return to Port Charles. Sonny was eager to plan the party for Claudia; he wanted everyone to know how lucky he was to have her by his side. Claudia smiled with unabashed joy.

In a warehouse office, mug shots of Jason were pinned to the wall, next to police snapshots of various murder crime scenes. A newspaper article of Jason's FBI arrest was also among the items on the wall. "Jason Morgan" was scrawled repeatedly on a chalkboard, while graffiti reading "CO77X" was scattered throughout the room.

This episode featured the song, "Mad World, " by Adam Lambert.