General Hospital Recaps: The week of October 18, 2010 on GH

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

Monday, October 18, 2010

by Boone

In General Hospital's locker room, Lisa was wearing only her bra and panties when she engaged Patrick in conversation. Patrick told her that he was immune to her sexy behavior, but Lisa pretended that she had merely taken a shower, and was not trying to entice him. Lisa told Patrick that she was grateful for his help when she had tried to commit suicide. She said that she had never tried to kill Robin and that Robin was the crazy one.

Patrick scoffed at Lisa's claims, but Lisa remained unruffled. She dressed, then told Patrick to try therapy because it really did help. After she left the room, Robin watched outside the door as a frustrated Patrick leaned against one of the lockers. Robin went inside and told Patrick not to let Lisa get under his skin and ruin his career.

Patrick was gone and Robin was in the locker room alone when Lisa entered. She taunted Robin and calmly denied any intent to harm Robin or Emma. Lisa accused Robin of being jealous because Lisa had a relationship with Patrick. Robin slapped Lisa, who got a smug smile on her face as she said to Robin, "And I'm the one out of control."

Robin was still in the locker room when Patrick found her. She told him what she had done and said that she was an idiot for letting Lisa get to her. She worried that her behavior made her look crazy and that Steve would not believe her. She also worried that Lisa would file a grievance against her.

At the nurses' station, Steve wanted an opinion from Epiphany about both Robin and Lisa. Epiphany tried to remain noncommittal, but Steve insisted. Epiphany said that they were both good doctors and that the patients were not suffering, but she also said that love could make people do foolish things. Lisa emerged from a hallway and told Steve that she needed to talk to him.

In Dublin, Siobhan was sleeping after making love to Lucky. Lucky was dressed and ready to leave, but could not resist brushing his hand over Siobhan's hair. She woke up and was offended that he was leaving without her. He told her that he cared about her and did not want to take her into danger. She pointed out that she was already in danger and could help him. He agreed to take her to Rome so he could continue the search for Brenda Barrett.

In Rome, Lucky charmed a female concierge as Siobhan watched and the Balkan's men lurked unbeknownst in the background. Lucky found out that the Brenda was in Port Charles. When the concierge invited him for a drink, he said that he was in a relationship. She was miffed and left him. Lucky turned to Siobhan and told her that Brenda was in America. She argued when Lucky wanted to leave, but he said that he liked being with her and quickly quelled her with a kiss.

As they were leaving, the Balkan's men confronted them. They wanted an update on Brenda's whereabouts. When Lucky tried to get past them, they grabbed Siobhan and threatened her. They insisted that Lucky kill Siobhan to prove his loyalty to the Balkan.

At Jason's penthouse, Jason and Sonny discussed Brenda. Sonny wanted to renew his romance with Brenda, and Jason worried that Brenda knew something about the Balkan that she was not telling. Jason said that the Balkan was trying to take Brenda, not kill her. Jason thought it was because Brenda knew something or had something that the Balkan wanted.

Upstairs in the regrettable pink room, Brenda and Dante talked about their mysterious past together. When Brenda said that Sonny was a good man who had made bad choices, Dante said that he was not there to talk about Sonny, but to make sure that they were on the same page. They agreed that no one should find out about what they had done in their shared past and that their secrecy pact was still intact.

Sonny knocked on the door, and Dante let him in. He pretended to be angry because Brenda had called him over so she could defend Sonny. He stormed out and left Brenda and Sonny alone. Brenda apologized for getting involved in Sonny's affairs. Sonny was pleased that Brenda was showing concern for him and told her that they still had a chance to be happy. Brenda said that they could never be happy because no matter how many times they tried, a relationship between them always ended badly.

Sonny moved to take Brenda in his arms, but she resisted and told him no to touch her. She was very insistent, even in the face of Sonny's persistence. When Jason walked in and wanted to talk, she screamed at both of them to get out because she needed some time to be alone and think. Jason said okay, but insisted that she be ready to talk downstairs later.

Downstairs, Spinelli and Jason tried to find out more about the Balkan and understand his connection to Brenda. Jason tried to understand why Brenda would try to reconcile Sonny and Dante when she kept saying that she did not want to have any contact with Sonny. Jason called Max and bawled him out for letting Dante in to see Brenda. Spinelli said that he had narrowed down the search for the Balkan, but still did not know his identity. Jason said that he believed Brenda knew the Balkan's identity.

Spinelli was gone when Brenda descended the stairs. A sad, quiet Brenda insisted that she needed to go back to Rome. Jason ignored her plea and wanted to know about the Balkan. He told Brenda that somebody would be hurt or killed because she was not telling the truth to him. Brenda told Jason that she hated him, then walked out to the terrace. An angry Jason left the penthouse and met Sonny on his way back in to see Brenda. Max and Milo stood guard at the door.

Lulu ran into Carly at the Metro Court. Carly vented about Brenda and the effect that she was having on the men of Port Charles. Lulu sympathized and said that she could not imagine what it would be like if Dante were fantasizing about a girl from his past. Luke interrupted and told Carly that he needed a favor. Carly was skeptical, but grudging agreed to give Luke a room at the hotel for a really big favor to be named later. While Carly attended to hotel business, Luke and Lulu caught up about Lucky's adventure and Lulu's trip to Dublin to help Lucky out.

Luke was alone, having a drink, when Carly walked by and told him to pace himself because his future might entail grabbing a high maintenance model and throwing her off the nearest bridge. Ethan appeared, grabbed Luke's drink, and downed it. When Luke noticed the bruises on Ethan's face, Ethan said they were courtesy of Luke. Ethan told Luke about the thugs who'd wanted to know why Luke had been to see Ronan O'Reilly. Luke got serious and immediately told Ethan what he knew about Lucky's impersonation of Ronan O'Reilly and Interpol.

In another part of the hotel lobby, Ronnie and Mayor Floyd talked. Mayor Floyd said that Dante was a crooked cop, and he wanted Dante off the force. Ronnie tried to defend Dante, but the mayor was insistent that Ronnie figure out a way to get rid of Dante. He hinted that he knew that Ronnie had "mislaid" Johnny's gun to make Sonny look guilty when Johnny had been shot. Ronnie agreed to do the mayor's dirty work.

At the loft, Dante found Michael at home and chastised him angrily for being at Sonny's office. Michael apologized, but Dante continued to fume and castigate Michael, who left the apartment when Lulu arrived home. Dante immediately regretted his behavior and said so, but Lulu told him he was probably justified and told him that he was amazing. They sat on the couch, and Lulu laid her head on Dante's shoulder. As Lulu closed her eyes, Dante remembered an earlier time when he had been on a rooftop with Brenda.

On the terrace, Brenda was recalling the same event. She was remembering a hug she had shared with Dante on a New York rooftop, when Sonny found her and asked if she was all right. She turned to him, and they embraced.

Luke called Jason to the Metro Court, to tell him what had happened to Ethan. He asked that Sonny not outsource any men to beat up on his family. Jason agreed. When he asked Luke for the name of the person who was after him, he was stunned to find out that it was the Balkan.

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

by Elisabeth

At the hospital, Patrick and Robin discussed the confrontation between Robin and Lisa in the locker room. Patrick urged Robin to talk to Steve before Lisa had an opportunity to put a spin on things. As if on cue, Steve approached Robin and Patrick to ask to have a private word with Robin. Robin assumed that Steve intended to suspend her again. Steve had no idea why Robin would jump to such a conclusion; he had just wanted to let her to know that he had decided to go with a different course of treatment for a patient than the one that Robin had recommended.

Lisa pretended to be working at the nurses' station while she tried to eavesdrop on Steve, Robin, and Patrick's conversation. Robin apologized to Steve for overreacting. Steve seemed genuinely concerned about Robin, so he offered to give Robin some time off if she needed it. Robin thanked Steve, but assured him that it wasn't necessary. After Steve walked away, Robin confided to Patrick that Lisa was better than she had thought.

Robin was certain that Lisa hadn't told Steve about the slap, in order to set Robin up to make it appear that Robin was defensive and paranoid. Lisa walked up moments later to ask if Patrick would consult on a case. Robin was stunned by Lisa's gall. Patrick made it clear that he didn't want to work with Lisa, so he suggested that she consult one of the other neurosurgeons on staff. After Lisa walked away, Robin confessed that Lisa was like nails on a chalkboard. Patrick urged Robin not to let Lisa get to her, so he suggested that Robin consider taking Steve up on his offer for a short leave of absence.

Robin angrily accused Patrick of trying to manipulate her into leaving the hospital, so that he could spend some time alone with Lisa. Patrick clarified that he didn't want Lisa provoking Robin into doing something that Robin would regret. Patrick insisted that Robin played into Lisa's hand every time that Robin got angry. Robin snapped back that Patrick had been the one who had given Lisa what she wanted when he had slept with Lisa. The argument was cut short when Brenda called Robin to invite Robin to the penthouse.

Lisa and Steve were reviewing a patient's file when Lisa announced her decision to operate on the patient the following week. Steve was impressed that Lisa was ready to hit the ground running. Lisa appreciated Steve's support. Steve admitted that the evaluation from Shadybrook had assured him that she was ready to resume work. However, Steve wanted Lisa to talk to him if she felt overwhelmed. Lisa promised that she would and then walked away.

Patrick approached Steve seconds later. Patrick couldn't believe that Lisa had been released from the sanitarium. Steve assured Patrick that Lisa had a glowing report from her doctors. Patrick wasn't impressed; he pointed out that Lisa was a doctor, so she knew what to say. Patrick insisted that Lisa had done some crazy things, but Steve argued that there hadn't been any evidence to prove that Lisa had been guilty of any wrongdoing.

Patrick was livid when Steve suggested that perhaps Patrick's certainty in Robin stemmed from Patrick's desire to save his marriage. Patrick insisted that Steve was way off-base and then started to walk away. However, Patrick stopped when Steve called out to him. Steve reminded Patrick that Lisa was a respected doctor, so Steve had to treat her fairly until he had proof that she was unstable.

Patrick refused to work with Lisa. Steve pointed out that it wasn't Patrick's call to make; Patrick would work with Lisa if Steve ordered it or else Patrick would have to resign. Patrick went to Metro Court when he left the hospital. After Patrick picked up his messages at the front desk, he headed to his room. Moments later, Lisa approached the front desk to rent a room for a week. She cleverly persuaded the clerk to give her a room on the same floor that Patrick had a room.

In Rome, Swavek held on tightly to Siobhan as he informed "Ronan" that the Balkan wanted Ronan to kill Siobhan as a show of good faith. Siobhan's eyes rounded as Lucky pulled out a gun and then aimed it at her. However, instead of pulling the trigger, "Ronan" explained that shooting Siobhan in public was extremely risky to all of them. Lucky explained that the nearby hotel likely had surveillance cameras everywhere and that there were hundreds of witnesses on the sidewalk. "Ronan" warned Swavek that their faces might end up plastered everywhere if they killed Siobhan on the spot.

Swavek's grip loosened during a moment of indecision, so Siobhan seized the opportunity to break free. After Siobhan fled, Lucky pretended to be angry with Swavek for allowing her to escape. "Ronan" was certain that Siobhan would run straight to the police. "Ronan" promised to shoot Swavek if Swavek didn't stay away from him until Brenda had been found.

Lucky caught up to Siobhan a short time later. He had been relieved that she had picked up on his cue when he provided her with the chance to escape Swavek's grip. Siobhan wondered what Lucky planned to do next because she realized that he couldn't keep her alive without blowing his cover. Lucky was certain that he could lie his way out of it, but not without Siobhan's help. Siobhan was stunned when Lucky suggested that she hide out in Port Charles.

Siobhan reminded Lucky that she had family in Ireland, so she would prefer to go there. Lucky argued that Ireland would be the first place that the Balkan would look for her. He assured her that it would be better for her to simply disappear, so that the Balkan would assume that Ronan had carried out the orders and then dumped her body. Siobhan reluctantly agreed to go to the United States, so Lucky left to make the arrangements. A short time later, Siobhan was impressed when Lucky provided her with a passport and visa. However, she was curious what Lucky planned to do once he found Brenda. "I have no idea," Lucky admitted.

At Kelly's, Spinelli spotted Michael sitting alone at a table. Spinelli wondered if it would be okay to join Michael, so Michael invited Spinelli to sit down. Spinelli immediately noticed that Michael seemed downcast. Michael admitted that he had done something stupid; he had gone to Pozzulo's to see Jason, but Claire had been there. Michael revealed that Claire had threatened to turn Michael in for a parole violation.

Spinelli was outraged that Claire would do that to Michael, but Michael explained that Claire was hurting because Sonny had dumped her after Brenda had returned to Port Charles. Spinelli offered to ruin Claire financially, but Michael insisted that Spinelli leave Claire alone. Spinelli let the matter drop as he admitted that he was concerned about Brenda. Spinelli sensed that Brenda was deeply troubled, but he had no idea how to help her.

At the loft, Lulu told Dante that she loved him. Dante wondered if she loved him even when he was being a "self-righteous ass." He couldn't believe that he had landed on Michael with both feet. Dante realized that he had no right to talk to Michael as he had because Dante was far from perfect. Lulu insisted that Dante was perfect as far as she was concerned. When Dante didn't smile, Lulu joked, "What, do you have some dark secret I don't know about?"

Lulu suspected that Dante felt conflicted because he had been ordered to investigate the bombing of Johnny's car, which could end up hurting Dante's siblings. Dante acknowledged that there weren't any easy answers regarding the case. Lulu assured Dante that she would love him no matter what he decided. Dante explained that Sonny had basically confessed to planting the bomb. Lulu was curious if Kristina knew about Sonny's involvement.

Dante admitted that his sister had her suspicions. Lulu couldn't understand why Dante didn't ask to be taken off of the case. Dante revealed that he had tried, but someone high up was determined that Dante remain on the case. Moments later, someone knocked on the door. It was Ronnie. Ronnie wanted to have a private word with Dante, so Lulu offered to leave. She explained that she wanted to visit her father, who was in town.

After Lulu left, Ronnie warned Dante that Mayor Floyd had it out for Dante. Mayor Floyd was determined to get Dante out of the picture through any means necessary. Ronnie had pretended to go along with the plans to frame Dante, in order to buy Dante some time to find proof of Sonny's guilt in the bombing. Dante assured Ronnie that he didn't have any intention of covering for Sonny because Sonny wasn't worth losing his job over. After Ronnie left, Dante reflected on the past. Dante recalled Brenda arriving to the hotel with a date. Dante had been annoyed when Brenda's date had asked Dante to give them some privacy, but a short time later, the date had left Brenda's room in a huff.

Jason and Luke stood in Metro Court's lobby, discussing the Balkan. Luke made it clear that his cooperation was a courtesy. Jason appreciated Luke's help. Jason explained that he was trying to gather as much information as possible on the Balkan, in the hopes of stopping the ruthless crime lord. Luke was curious why Jason was interested in the Balkan.

Jason explained that the Balkan had targeted Brenda Barrett. Jason didn't think that Brenda would be safe until the Balkan was dead. Luke thought that Jason had his work cut out for him. Luke acknowledged that he had never had direct dealings with the Balkan, but the Balkan had quickly built a reputation as a powerful man who was well connected and not someone to be crossed. Jason wondered who the Balkan really was and where he could be found.

Luke didn't know the Balkan's true identity, but Luke revealed that the Balkan tended to spend time in and around Budapest. Luke also admitted that the Balkan was interested in Lucky. Jason was surprised to learn that Lucky was working undercover for Interpol, posing as Ronan O'Reilly, the Balkan's assassin. Luke filled Jason in on what had transpired in Ireland. Luke admitted that he was concerned because the Balkan wanted to talk to Luke about Ronan. Jason appreciated Luke's cooperation; he promised to continue sharing information if Luke agreed to do the same.

Lulu was delighted when she bumped into her father in the hotel's lobby a short time later. Luke admitted that his stay at Metro Court was temporary because he was confident that he would eventually be able to win Tracy over. However, Luke confessed that he was concerned about Lucky. Lulu was surprised to hear about Lucky's stint in jail. Luke feared that the Balkan didn't trust Ronan, which might spell trouble for Lucky.

Luke revealed that the Balkan was a sadistic man. He didn't think that Lucky or Lulu should have gotten involved. Lulu insisted that she couldn't stand by while Lucky was in trouble. Luke assured her that Lucky had skills and was capable of thinking on his feet. Lulu defensively insisted that she could as well.

Luke promised Lulu that she was a credit to his "loins," so he hadn't been questioning her capabilities. However, he was curious if Lulu had heard from Lucky. "No," Lulu admitted. Luke explained that he would have to track down Lucky if they hadn't heard from him in the next few days.

Lulu returned to the loft after her visit with Luke. She was curious what Ronnie had wanted, but Dante claimed that it had been nothing, "Just Ronnie being Ronnie." Dante was sorry that she had needed to leave. Lulu assured him that it was fine, since it had given her the opportunity to spend time with her father. They talked about Luke's troubles with Tracy briefly before Dante realized that he and Lulu had the evening to themselves.

Lulu smiled as Dante kissed her. After they made love, Dante lay in bed with Lulu in his arms. As Lulu slept, Dante's thoughts drifted to Brenda. He recalled how Brenda's date had left her room in a foul mood shortly after he had asked Dante to give them some privacy. Dante had snickered at the man's retreating back until Brenda had poked her head into hall to invite Dante into her suite.

On the terrace, Sonny quietly held Brenda in his arms as she recalled a time that she had been in a similar situation with Dante. Brenda remembered looking deep into Dante's eyes. The memory unsettled Brenda, so she pulled away from Sonny. Sonny urged Brenda to tell him what was troubling her because he wanted to help her, but Brenda remained tightlipped.

Sonny seemed resigned, so he left. In the hallway, Sonny asked Max and Milo to be kind to Brenda and to treat her with respect. Shortly after Sonny left, Robin arrived. Max and Milo let Robin know that Brenda was having a bad day. Milo was frustrated because he didn't know how to cheer up Brenda. Max and Milo began to bicker about Brenda, so Robin quietly slipped into the penthouse.

Brenda greeted Robin with a fierce hug, which prompted Robin to wonder what was wrong. Brenda explained that she was upset about Sonny. Brenda admitted that she loved Sonny, but she couldn't be with him. Robin wondered if Brenda had told Sonny that. "Yes, several times," Brenda revealed.

Brenda wanted Robin to explain to Sonny that he and Brenda were not meant to be together. Robin apologized for making things more difficult for Brenda; she realized that she had imposed her own romantic fantasies on Sonny and Brenda.

At Greystone Manor, Jason updated Sonny on what he had learned about the Balkan. Sonny trusted Jason to stay on top of things, so Sonny changed the subject to Brenda. Sonny admitted that he had seen Brenda earlier that evening and that she had been upset. Sonny realized that he had been the cause of Brenda's sorrow. Jason admitted that he had confronted Brenda about his suspicions that she was hiding something.

Jason made it clear that he had let Brenda know that he didn't appreciate her keeping secrets from him. Sonny was curious how Brenda had reacted. "Not good," Jason admitted. Jason had warned her that it would be on her if someone got hurt or killed because she had kept secrets. Sonny reminded Jason that Brenda was in a fragile state, so he advised Jason to be patient.

Jason assured Sonny that he was trying. Sonny knew that Brenda didn't want him taking care of her, but he asked Jason to promise to look out for Brenda. Jason readily agreed. After Jason left, Robin stopped by to see Sonny. Sonny was delighted to see Robin, but she warned him, "Don't speak too soon." After a warm hug, Robin explained that she had talked to Brenda.

Robin revealed that Brenda was upset because of the situation with Sonny. Robin regretted that she had encouraged Sonny and Brenda to see each other because she hadn't realized how devastating it would be on Brenda. Sonny wondered how he could fix things. Robin suggested that Sonny leave Brenda alone. Robin knew that the love was there for Sonny and Brenda, but Brenda wanted to be left alone. Sonny was reluctant to hurt Brenda again.

Sam arrived at the penthouse to learn that Jason wasn't there. Brenda offered to leave when Sam explained that she had plans with Jason. Jason entered moments later. To Brenda's surprise, he apologized to her for yelling at her earlier. Brenda appreciated it, but she insisted that it wasn't necessary because she had been unfair to him. After Brenda left, Sam admitted that she was curious about what was going on.

Jason confessed that he thought that it had been about Sonny, but he was no longer certain. He sighed as he admitted that he had to figure out a way to handle Brenda. Sam thought that it might help if Brenda were nicer to Jason. Jason confided that he just wanted to find a way to get everything resolved quickly, so that Brenda could return home. Sam realized that guarding Brenda wasn't a picnic for Jason, but Sam admired how Jason took care of Brenda even though it was the last thing that he wanted to do.

Jason admitted that it would be worse if he didn't have Sam. Sam worried that she might be getting in the way, but Jason insisted that she kept him sane. Jason invited Sam to go to his bedroom, but Sam didn't want to sleep with Jason while Brenda was in the penthouse. However, Sam assured Jason that he was welcome to drop by her apartment later. After Sam went to the kitchen, Jason called someone to get an update about the Balkan.

In Brenda's bedroom, Brenda recalled the time that she had invited Dante into her suite after her date had left in a huff. Dante had been reluctant to enter her suite because he had been assigned to guard her, but Brenda had insisted that it was part of his duties. Dante had finally relented. Once Dante had entered her suite, Brenda began asking questions about Dante's life.

Eventually, Dante had told Brenda an amusing story about how he had encountered a group of young boys playing stickball. Brenda had burst out laughing when Dante had admitted that he had broken a window while playing stickball with the boys.

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

by Elisabeth

At the hospital, Lisa overheard Steve and Robin discuss the drug protocol for one of Robin's patients. Lisa offered to operate on the patient, but Robin ordered Lisa to stay away from Robin's patients. Lisa calmly reminded Robin that they were colleagues. Robin didn't care; she refused to put her patients at risk because Lisa could convincingly act stable. "Okay, that's your choice, and I respect that," Lisa quietly responded and then walked away.

Steve suggested that Robin could have handled the situation better. Robin disagreed because Lisa was insane. Steve pointed out that Robin wasn't qualified to make that kind of assessment. He warned Robin that there would be a day when she would be expected to work with Lisa. Epiphany had overheard the exchange between Robin and Lisa. After Steve left, Epiphany insisted that every time Robin went off on Lisa, the "crazy stick" pointed to Robin, not Lisa.

Patrick stood at the nurses' station. It was clear that he had also overheard Robin's heated exchange with Lisa. Later, Patrick advised Robin to be a little more professional when she was around Lisa. Robin was outraged. Patrick explained that he was trying to help, but Robin angrily accused him of sticking up for his "girlfriend" and then stormed away.

Nearby, Liz approached Steve. She was curious why he had called when they had plans to meet for dinner later that evening. Steve broke the news that his friend's biotechnology company had failed, so they had all lost the money that they had invested. Steve revealed that the medication had not received FDA approval as they had anticipated, so it could be years before the medication hit the market. Liz was devastated by the news.

After Liz left, Steve tracked down Patrick to break the news to Patrick. Patrick took the news well, since he had only invested what he could afford to lose. Steve felt terrible, especially for Liz, because she'd had dreams of college trust funds and family vacations. Patrick wondered if things were that bad for Liz. Steve claimed that Liz had assured him that she would be able to make things work. Steve didn't doubt his sister, since she had been through so much lately.

The conversation then turned to Steve's concern about Robin's job performance. Patrick insisted that Robin had good reason to be upset because Lisa had terrorized her. Steve reminded Patrick that Robin had been behaving volatile lately, not Lisa. Steve wanted to believe Patrick and Robin, but there hadn't been any proof of wrongdoing on Lisa's part. Meanwhile, Robin checked in with one of her patients. Robin was surprised that her patient had been prescribed a new medication that Robin hadn't approved.

At the nurses' station, Patrick asked Epiphany to schedule a surgery for one of his patients. Epiphany wondered if Dr. Niles or Dr. Trydal would be assisting. Patrick couldn't believe that Epiphany had asked him that question. Epiphany explained that they weren't in grade school. Before she could finish the thought, Patrick answered, "Dr. Trydal."

As they stepped off of the elevator, Steve apologized for persuading Lisa to invest in the biotech company. Lisa reminded Steve that he had warned her that there hadn't been any guarantees, so she didn't hold it against him. She then joked that she'd had her breakdown for the year. Lisa was startled when Robin marched up and then warned Lisa not to sabotage the care of Robin's patients just to get back at Robin.

At Wyndemere, Brook was dancing, as she listened to some music on her headphones, when Nikolas entered the room. Brook jumped when she realized that he had been watching her. She was embarrassed, but explained that she had been practicing to be a backup singer for a band in the city. Brook promised that the gig would not interfere with her work for Nikolas. Nikolas was relieved because he had accepted a number of invitations to various functions, including one later that evening.

Nikolas told her about their plans to have cocktails and dinner at a restaurant on Central Park West. Brook was familiar with the restaurant because her father had taken her there when she had been a child. Nikolas explained that he wanted to leave early, so Brook promised to be ready. As Brook resumed practicing her dance moves, she was unaware that Nikolas watched her for a long moment before he left the room.

Liz went to Wyndemere to talk to Nikolas, but before she could explain why she was there, Brook entered the room to let Nikolas know that she was ready to leave. Nikolas apologized because he didn't have time to talk to Liz. Liz assured Nikolas that they could talk later. After Nikolas dashed off to change, Brook poured herself a drink. Liz observed that Brook appeared to be making the most of her new living arrangements.

Brook accused Liz of messing with Nikolas' head. Liz insisted that it was none of Brook's business. Brook disagreed because Nikolas was her friend. Brook couldn't believe that Liz couldn't see what a big hole she had blown into Nikolas' life. Liz didn't think that she had to defend herself to Brook.

Brook agreed, but she pointed out that Nikolas had walked away from the messy affair with a beautiful baby boy. Brook was curious why Liz continued to visit Wyndemere if she were over Nikolas. Liz suspected that Brook was only concerned about keeping a good thing going, not about Nikolas. Liz didn't think that Brook was Nikolas' type. Brook accused Liz of sounding like a jealous girlfriend. Brook was curious why Liz had sought Nikolas out.

At the Haunted Star, Tracy insisted that she wasn't happy to see Luke, but Luke called her a liar. Tracy burst out laughing as she pointed out that Luke didn't have any room to talk after he had spend years lying about their marriage. Luke claimed that he had kept the truth about their invalid marriage from her because he had been afraid of losing her. Luke promised that he deeply loved Tracy. Tracy suspected that Luke only loved her money, not her.

Luke confessed that he couldn't imagine his life without her. Tracy conceded that he might love her, but only as much as he loved her fortune. Luke denied it, but Tracy feared that he had only returned to Port Charles to steal more cash. Luke swore that he hadn't, but Tracy wanted him to prove it. Luke reminded her that he had referred to himself as her husband for years, which should prove how much he loved her.

Tracy reluctantly admitted that she loved Luke, but she refused to take him back until he had returned the ten million dollars. Luke was tired of Tracy making it about the money. Tracy reminded him that she was only asking for the ten million dollars, not all of the money that he had pilfered from her over the years. Ethan entered the casino moments later. Tracy decided to lay some ground rules for both men.

Tracy insisted that Luke was not to get anything for free. She didn't want Ethan to help Luke fleece her out of another dime or she would make certain that Ethan and Luke ended up on the street. After Tracy left, Luke smiled. He informed his son that there was still hope because Tracy had admitted that she loved him. However, Luke wanted Ethan's help to win Tracy back.

Ethan didn't want anything to do with Luke's scam, but he admitted that he was impressed that Luke had managed to spend ten million dollars. Luke explained that some business "associates" had absconded with the fortune. However, Luke insisted that he would love Tracy even if she were penniless. Luke was desperate for Ethan's help, but Ethan complained that he had his own problems with Maya. A second later, Ethan was struck by inspiration.

Ethan suggested that the way to win Tracy back was to fake a massive heart attack. Luke didn't think it would work, but Ethan was certain that they could pull it off with Maya's help. Luke was curious why Maya would want to help them. Ethan explained that Maya lived with Tracy and that Tracy had been made everyone miserable since Luke had left. Luke listened intently as Ethan laid out the details of his plans.

Luke acknowledged that it was a sick scam, even for them, but he liked it. However, Luke insisted that Maya would have to be a willing participant. "For what?" Maya wondered as she walked in. Ethan and Luke quickly filled Maya in on their plans. Maya warned them that Tracy would figure things out when Luke made a sudden and miraculous recovery.

Luke was confident that they could pull it off. Maya was curious what Luke hoped to gain. "A deathbed wedding," Luke answered. Maya continued to have her doubts; however, the discussion ended abruptly when Tracy returned to the casino. Tracy was immediately suspicious when she saw Luke, Ethan, and Maya with their heads together.

At Metro Court, Carly let Claire know that Brenda was not after Sonny, so Claire was free to pursue Sonny again. Claire was curious why Carly had bothered to tell her. Carly claimed that Brenda was after Jax, so Carly thought that she'd be nice by letting Claire know that Sonny was free for the taking. Claire suggested that Carly should focus on her own relationship instead of worrying about Claire and Sonny. Claire realized that it had been wrong to use Michael to hurt Sonny, so she promised not to let it happen again.

Jax was giving Olivia some instructions about some hotel renovations when Carly approached them. After Olivia walked away, Carly questioned Jax about the renovations. Jax was evasive, so Carly let it drop. She wanted Jax to talk to Claire to make certain that Claire didn't continue to target Michael. Later, Jax assured Carly that he had talked to Claire and that everything was okay.

Jax immediately sensed Carly's frosty demeanor. Carly explained that she had heard about Jax and Brenda's visit. Jax clarified that they had met in the lobby, so nothing had happened. Carly wondered if Jax would turn Brenda away if Brenda had showed up professing her love for Jax. Jax insisted that he loved Carly, but Carly argued that he hadn't answered her question.

Jax admitted that he would help Brenda, like any other friend, but that would be as far as it went. Carly relaxed; she loved Jax, so she didn't want to lose him. Jax and Carly kissed. Carly joked that they were setting a bad example for their employees, so Jax suggested that they get a room. Jax and Carly stood up, but Olivia walked up before they made it to the elevator. Carly was livid when Olivia handed Jax an estimate for the rooms that he intended to convert into a new apartment for Brenda.

At Crimson, Maxie was shocked to see that Lulu had arrived for work first. As Maxie set a cup of coffee on Lulu's desk, she revealed that she had heard Lulu sneaking in alone late the night before. Lulu explained that she and Dante had been trying to be considerate since Michael had a curfew and the loft was not private. Maxie wondered why Michael couldn't go into the bathroom with a magazine while Lulu and Dante spent some time together. Lulu made it clear that she wouldn't expect Michael to do such a thing.

Maxie thought that it was probably for the best, since it would keep Lulu and Dante's relationship from burning out too quickly. Maxie sat down at her desk and then grumbled when the computer acted up. Lulu assured Maxie that she had arranged for technical support to fix it. Moments later, Spinelli arrived. Maxie immediately glared at Lulu.

As Spinelli worked on the computer, Maxie took the opportunity to apologize to Spinelli for snapping at him when she had last seen him. Maxie insisted that she had just been concerned about Spinelli's infatuation with Brenda. Spinelli doubted that Brenda would hurt him, so he didn't think that Maxie had any reason to be concerned. Lulu thought the issue was moot since Brenda would likely leave town once her troubles where behind her. Spinelli disagreed; he was hopeful that Brenda might stay in Port Charles.

Kate arrived for work moments later. Kate was not thrilled to see Spinelli working on the computer because she feared that it would end up costing her a fortune. Spinelli assured Kate that it wouldn't be expensive. As Spinelli babbled, he mentioned Brenda. Kate was stunned when she realized that Brenda was in town. Kate blasted Lulu and Maxie for not getting Brenda for the cover of the magazine. Maxie insisted that Lulu wasn't to blame because Lulu had been out of town.

Spinelli defended Maxie by revealing that Brenda was not interested in doing photo shoots at that moment. Kate made some phone calls to get Brenda on the cover of the magazine, but everyone told Kate that they didn't know where Brenda was. Spinelli explained that Brenda was supposed to be in hiding. Maxie suggested that Kate talk to Jason, but Kate argued that it was pointless, since Jason was unlikely to help. Kate gave Maxie and Lulu some orders and then disappeared into her office. Maxie thanked Spinelli for sticking up for her.

Spinelli announced that the computer was fixed and then admitted that no matter what "divinity" crossed his path, Maxie would always be in a class of her own. Spinelli also confessed that he would always remain her most loyal fan. Maxie smiled sadly as Spinelli left. Later, Maxie confessed that she had appreciated the opportunity to clear the air with Spinelli. However, Maxie hated how every man fell for Brenda. Lulu bragged that Dante was the exception.

At the loft, Dante woke up from a nightmare. Michael wondered if his brother was okay. Dante explained that he'd had a bad dream, but that he was okay. Michael admitted that he hated nightmares. Later, as Dante and Michael prepared to start their day, Dante confessed that he'd had a confrontation with Sonny about Brenda.

Michael revealed that Sonny had been engaged to Brenda, which explained to Dante why Brenda had asked him to cut Sonny some slack. Dante then apologized for yelling at Michael. Michael assured Dante that it was okay, but Dante disagreed. Dante worried that Sonny might be guilty of the car bomb that had almost killed their sister. Michael reminded Dante that everyone had done things that they regretted; he wondered how long a person was supposed to keep paying for their mistakes.

Dante changed the subject by subtly probing Michael for information about Sonny's relationship with Brenda. Michael didn't know much, but he revealed that Brenda had been shattered after Sonny had left her at the altar. Dante suggested that it couldn't have been too bad since she had gone on to have a thriving career as a supermodel. Later, Dante went to the police station. Claire entered the squad room shortly afterwards to ask to have a private word with Dante.

In the interrogation room, Claire explained the she needed a favor; she wanted Dante to do a full background check on Brenda Barrett. Dante tried to find out why, but Claire refused to tell him her reason for looking into Brenda's past. Dante decided to reveal that he had been one of four police officers assigned to guard Brenda in 2007, while she had been in New York City. Claire's eyes lit up as she realized that Dante knew Brenda. Dante quickly clarified that they hadn't been close, so Brenda had likely forgotten all about him.

Dante was curious what Claire was looking for, but Claire would only say that she'd know it when she saw it. Later, Dante called someone to get a number for a case file. After Dante ended the call, he pulled up a report on a body that had been found in Staten Island six months before. Ronnie walked up moments later and noticed the report on the computer screen. He wondered if Dante were working on a cold case. "Possibly," Dante responded.

Thursday, October 21, 2010

by Elisabeth

At Metro Court, Jax assured Carly that Brenda was like any other friend who had turned to him for help. He promised her that it was nothing more. Carly relaxed. After Carly and Jax kissed, Jax proposed that they get a room. However, Olivia approached them before they could follow through with their plans. Olivia explained that she had the estimate for the cost of converting several rooms into an apartment for Brenda.

Jax ordered Olivia to put the report on his desk, but it was too late. Carly was livid as she suggested that he look at the numbers "now." Carly realized that Jax had been trying to hide the project from her. Olivia didn't help matters by admitting that Jax had put a rush on the project. Olivia then played marriage counselor by advising Jax and Carly to focus on what they had rather than on Brenda. Olivia suggested that they ask themselves if Brenda were worth losing their family and marriage over.

After Olivia walked way, Jax promised Carly that he hadn't been trying to keep her in her dark. He claimed that he had just wanted to "run the numbers" before he discussed it with her. Carly smiled coldly as she assured him that it was okay; they each had their own projects. Later, Jax tried to show Carly the plans for the renovations, but Carly wasn't impressed. Carly was concerned about who would pay for the apartment while Brenda stayed there and what would happen to it after Brenda had left.

Jax was certain that Brenda would pay rent. Afterwards, Jax planned to rent out the apartment to corporate people. Carly smiled sweetly as she confessed that she would do the same if Jason had asked for her help. She then reminded Jax that he had once claimed that Brenda was to him what Jason was to Carly. However, Carly didn't see the similarities, since Brenda had never done anything to help Jax or his family, while Jason had.

Carly then began to rant about Jax's other female friends: Kate and Skye. Carly then complained that Jax would put a big target on the hotel and possibly draw the Balkan there by moving Brenda in. Jax didn't seem concerned about it because he was confident that he would put the best security measures in place. Frustrated, Carly started waxing poetic about Jason, which got under Jax's skin. Jax offered to cancel the project, but Carly told him not to bother because she didn't care. Afterwards, she stomped off.

On the Haunted Star, Tracy was curious what Ethan, May a, and Luke were up to. Ethan reminded Tracy that he was an employee, while Maya claimed a family connection to Tracy. Tracy didn't believe a word out their mouths, so Luke stepped forward to admit that they had been helping him figure out a way to get Tracy's money back. Tracy didn't buy it, which forced Luke to confess that Ethan and Maya had been scheming with him to win Tracy back. Tracy decided to toss them out, but Luke, Ethan, and Maya didn't budge.

Maya was certain that Tracy had missed Luke because Tracy had been cross since Luke had left town. Tracy quickly denied it, but Maya wondered if that were the reason why she had heard Tracy crying in the den the night before. Luke seemed pleased that Tracy had been crying for him, but Tracy put on a brave front. Tracy claimed that Maya had been mistaken; however, she was curious why Maya hadn't thought to check on her if Maya had heard her crying. Tracy pointed out that she could have broken a hip, been sick, or poked an eye out. Tracy wondered what kind of doctor Maya was.

Maya calmly explained that she hadn't wanted to intrude. Tracy clarified that, if she had been crying, it was over her lost millions. Luke insisted that he had been trying to double the money, but he had been called away when he had discovered that Lucky had been in trouble. Tracy dropped her guard to ask if Lucky were okay. Luke assured Tracy that Lucky was fine, but when Luke had returned for the ten million dollars, he had discovered that his associates had stolen it.

Tracy appeared to soften toward Luke until Ethan accused Luke of lying. Luke was outraged; he had no idea what Ethan was talking about. Tracy's back went rigid as she informed Ethan, Luke, and Maya that she was sick of all of them. Tracy ordered Luke to leave, so he gathered his things and then headed for the door. However, after a few steps, Luke doubled over in apparent pain.

Tracy immediately sent Maya over to check on Luke, but Luke brushed off their concerns by claiming that there wasn't anything wrong with him that a cigar and drink couldn't fix. Disgusted, Tracy marched out. After Tracy left, Luke demanded to know why Ethan had ruined things when Tracy had softened. Ethan reminded his father that they had a deal. Luke didn't think that Ethan needed a scam as an excuse to spend time with Maya.

Maya was annoyed when she realized why Ethan had manipulated her into helping Luke fake a heart attack. Luke insisted that he didn't have a choice, but to go back to the original plan. Maya reluctantly agreed to help Luke with the heart attack scam because Tracy had been horrible to live with. After Luke left, Ethan thanked Maya for her help. Ethan assured Maya that Luke truly loved Tracy. Maya was curious why Ethan had stopped the reconciliation when it appeared that Tracy and Luke had been about to work things out.

Ethan confessed that he didn't want to lose his excuse to see Maya. Maya was flattered. Ethan and Maya kissed, but Maya pulled away when she realized that they were late for their meeting with Luke at Metro Court. At Metro Court, Tracy entered the lobby to find Luke lounging on the sofa and sipping a drink. Tracy was surprised that Carly had given her Uncle Luke a place to stay.

Luke offered to show Tracy his room, but Tracy wasn't interested. Luke seemed resolved, so he stood up and then suddenly doubled over in pain as he clutched his chest. Tracy burst out laughing.

At the penthouse, Brenda thanked Jason for everything that he had done for her, but she thought that the threat to her was affecting too many of her loved ones, so she had decided to take her chances by leaving town. Jason promised to take Brenda wherever she wanted to go, if she would trust him with the truth about why the Balkan was after her. Jason was certain that Brenda knew more than she was saying because he could see the fear growing in Brenda every day. Jason implored Brenda to cooperate, but Brenda was determined to fix things on her own.

Jason pleaded with Brenda to trust him; he promised not to breathe a word of what she told him. Jason's frustration mounted as Brenda remained tightlipped. Jason switched tactics by revealing that he had told Sonny to stay away from Brenda and that Sonny had agreed. The ploy didn't work because Brenda refused to tell Jason what she knew about the Balkan. Jason hoped that it wouldn't be too late when she finally worked up the courage to confide the truth to him.

At Pozzulo's, Sonny questioned Suzanne about Brenda's whereabouts. Suzanne made it clear that she didn't have any intention of providing him regular reports on Brenda's activity. Sonny reminded Suzanne that she had been the one to tell him that Brenda was in love with him. He couldn't understand why Brenda had pulled away from him since then. Sonny was concerned because he could tell that Brenda was scared.

Suzanne suggested that Brenda had good reason to be afraid because the Balkan had targeted Brenda several times. Sonny suspected that there was more to it than that. He was certain that Suzanne knew what was really bothering Brenda. Suzanne acknowledged that Sonny's presence upset Brenda. Sonny immediately defended his reasons for seeking out Brenda, but Suzanne thought they were just excuses to justify his attempts to pressure Brenda to change her mind.

Sonny remained certain that something else was going on. Suzanne argued that Sonny robbed Brenda of the emotional growth that Brenda had gained since leaving Port Charles. Sonny didn't believe her because Brenda had been different in Rome when he had seen her. Suzanne was stunned when she realized that Sonny and Brenda had recently had an encounter in Rome. She insisted that Brenda needed distance from Sonny because he drew out the worst in Brenda.

Suzanne explained that Brenda was terrified to get close to Sonny because she feared that she might lose herself again. Sonny stubbornly argued that something else was wrong with Brenda; he was concerned because it was clearly tearing Brenda apart. Sonny was desperate to help Brenda because he loved her. Suzanne urged Sonny to stay away from Brenda, but Sonny refused to stand by while Brenda fell apart.

Jason showed up shortly after Suzanne left. Jason briefly updated Sonny on how Brenda was doing and what was going on with the Balkan. Conan entered the office to deliver a perfumed envelope that had arrived for Sonny. It was from Claire.

Suzanne went to the penthouse to see Brenda, who was in a foul mood. Suzanne realized that Brenda was taking her frustration out on Suzanne, so she suggested that Brenda open up to Jason about the Balkan, so that they could all get back to their lives. Brenda refused to consider it, so Suzanne tried to find out why. Brenda grew tired of the "interrogation," so she stormed out of the penthouse.

At the police station, Ronnie was furious when he realized that Dante was working on a cold case instead of focusing on the investigation into the Zacchara car bombing. As Ronnie lectured Dante, Dante had a flashback to 2007 and Brenda screaming. Dante quickly snapped out of it and then explained that he had been looking into the cold case as a favor to Lucky. Ronnie suspected that Dante was trying to avoid the investigation because there was overwhelming evidence against Sonny. Dante argued that the evidence wasn't as strong as most believed. Ronnie worried that Dante would throw his career away to protect Sonny.

Later, Claire and Dante met in the interrogation room to go over the file that Dante had gathered on Brenda. Claire flipped through the pages of information, stunned to discover that Brenda had been accused of murder twice, had been married to Jason for four months, and had driven off a cliff and been presumed dead for several years. It amazed Claire that Brenda had gone on to become a supermodel, the face of Cartullo, and an ambassador for ASEC. Claire realized Brenda was a "damn angel" who simply had to smile for men to fall in love with her.

Claire hated that she had turned into a conniving woman who had checked into her rival's background. She was embarrassed that she had pulled Dante off of his investigation to gather a file on Brenda. Claire admitted that she desperately wanted to lock up Sonny, but save him at the same time. Claire then realized that she would forgive Sonny for dumping her when Brenda arrived in town because he had been upfront and truthful about it. Moments later, an envelope arrived for Claire; it was from Sonny inviting her to meet him for dinner.

On the pier, Brenda asked Max and Milo to give her some space. They respected her wishes, but remained close enough to keep an eye on her. Brenda looked out at the water as she remembered Dante surprising her with her favorite dessert in her suite years earlier. Brenda returned to the present when she heard someone approach her from behind. It was Dante.

Sonny was impressed when Claire arrived for dinner. He complimented her on how beautiful she looked before they were led to a table in an upscale restaurant that appeared to be deserted of other patrons. Sonny confessed that he had called ahead to order the wine. Claire was impressed, but she clarified that she wanted to enjoy the evening instead of engaging in sexual banter. Sonny raised his glass to offer a toast for a pleasant evening.

At the hospital, Robin accused Lisa of changing the drug protocol for one of Robin's patients without Robin's permission. Robin insisted on filing a complaint against Lisa. Steve clarified that he had sent Robin an email to let her know that Dr. Trydal would oversee the patient's pre-surgery care, so Dr. Trydal had made the change. Robin argued that it had not been noted on the chart, but Steve flipped to the first page to show Robin that it had indeed been noted. Lisa suggested that it had been an innocent mistake because Robin was under tremendous stress, but Robin didn't appreciate Lisa's input.

After Robin called Lisa a miserable liar, Patrick tried to step in to calm Robin down. His plan backfired as Robin accused him of patronizing her. After Robin stormed off, she ended up on the piers, where she met up with Maxie. Robin explained that she needed her cousin to talk her down. Maxie gave Robin a pep talk and then the cousins reminisced about the times that they had gone to Kelly's for ice cream and then strolled along the pier, making up stories about the various boats that they saw.

Maxie recalled that Robin had always had the best stories because they had been about everlasting love. Robin confessed that she had realized that love was fragile and easily destroyed by many things, including marriage. Robin couldn't believe that Patrick had cheated on her with Lisa. Patrick walked up as Robin admitted that she didn't feel like Patrick supported her. Maxie insisted that Patrick loved Robin, so she was certain that Robin would feel better if she forgave Patrick. "And then what?" Robin wondered; she didn't know how she could ever be sure that Patrick wouldn't cheat again.

"I'm sure," Patrick confessed as he made his presence known. Maxie quickly excused herself as Patrick suggested that he and Robin needed to figure out a way to deal with Lisa. Robin didn't think that Lisa was the problem; they were. Patrick wanted to work on their marriage, but Robin didn't see the point. She compared them to a broken vase that had been glued back together, but still had cracks. Robin insisted that they would never be the same.

Patrick hoped that they could be better, but Robin didn't see how that was possible. She wasn't interested in exploring the reasons why he had cheated on her. Robin realized that their marriage had been a bad idea, but she believed that they could still be good parents to Emma. Patrick wasn't ready to get a divorce, but Robin remained resolute. She conceded that she had thought that she could change him, but she had learned her lesson.

At the hospital, Steve and Lisa discussed the first surgery that Lisa had performed since being released from Shadybrook. Lisa admitted that Shadybrook had been a humbling experience, but it had felt good to be in the operating room again. Lisa then thanked Steve for helping her out with Robin. Steve reminded Lisa that they all needed to get past what had happened. Lisa agreed; she wished that she could rewind the clock, so that she wouldn't have slept with Patrick or pursued a relationship with him.

Steve acknowledged that they had all learned a hard lesson about keeping their personal lives separate from their work lives. Lisa claimed that she wished that she hadn't hurt so many people.

Jason arrived home to find the penthouse empty. He had just sat down on the sofa to relax when Carly pounded on the door. Carly sailed past Jason when he opened the door for her. He realized immediately that she was upset. Jason started to question Carly about it, but Carly had other ideas. She kissed him passionately.

Friday, October 22, 2010

by Marcello Aurelio Lanfranchi

As Luke gasped for air on the floor of the Metro Court lobby, Tracy mocked him for faking a heart attack. Olivia tended to Luke as Jax entered the room. Tracy refused to go to the hospital with Luke, so Olivia accompanied him on the ambulance ride. After they left, Jax asked Tracy if she could live with herself if Luke was indeed dying.

After Tracy left, Ethan and Maya arrived and asked Jax if he'd seen Luke. Jax explained that Luke had collapsed and been taken to the hospital. Jax told them that Tracy believed the attack had been a ruse and insinuated that Ethan was in on it.

Matt met the paramedics and Luke at the nurses' station and directed them to a treatment bay. Olivia began to fill Matt in on the situation until Tracy arrived and announced that Luke was pulling a scam. Olivia berated Tracy for her lack of compassion and left. Lulu arrived and, soon thereafter, so did Ethan. Tracy threatened Ethan, reminding him that she'd warned of hell to pay should Ethan ever help Luke try to pull one over on her.

Maya went to see Luke, who asked her to falsify his medical records. He promised that he'd get Tracy back and everything would work out well for all concerned. Tracy continued to make a scene in the lobby until Epiphany threatened to throw her out. Lulu scolded Tracy and went to see Luke, who admitted to Lulu that he was faking the whole thing to win Tracy back. Lulu was stunned.

Lulu told Tracy that Lulu was off to find Lucky, and left the hospital. In the cubicle, May a confirmed to Luke that she'd made his test results look much worse than they were. A suspicious Tracy entered and asked for the prognosis. Maya left to find Dr. Hunter. Matt went to tell the family that Luke had suffered a massive coronary.

Later, Tracy visited Luke alone and apologized. Outside the cubicle, May a admitted to Ethan that she felt guilty for duping Tracy. Maya worried that Tracy would blame herself for not having believed Luke. Ethan said he was fine with the methods used to push the lovers back together.

At Jason's penthouse, Carly passionately kissed Jason. Taken aback, Jason wondered what had gotten into Carly. She replied that she had to sleep with him in order to save her marriage to Jax. Carly explained that she needed to make her husband jealous because Brenda had set her sites on Jax. Jason told Carly that all Brenda wanted was to return to Rome. He suggested Carly talk to Jax instead of resorting to charades.

Carly made it clear that she was desperate. Jason warned her not to formulate any crazy plans, but Carly replied that not all of her plans were destined to fail. In fact, she explained, she had arranged for Claire and Sonny to meet for dinner, each thinking the other had invited them. Carly hoped that if Claire were occupied with Sonny, she wouldn't be as likely to try to send Michael back to prison.

The only problem, Carly expressed, was that Sonny wouldn't be available to keep Brenda away from Jax. As Carly railed against Brenda, Brenda walked in. Brenda made it clear that she was not trying to make Carly insecure. The two women had a heated exchange before Carly stormed out. Jason suggested to Brenda that she steer clear of Carly.

Later, Spinelli arrived home with fresh organic produce for Brenda, who let him know that she didn't want to take advantage of his generosity. Brenda admitted that she'd often hurt the people she loved most. Later, when Brenda was alone, she thought about the time she and Dante had begun to get to know each other. To Brenda's delight, Lulu arrived.

Sonny wined and dined Claire at a French bistro. They chitchatted about mundane issues, including Sonny's failed attempt, years before, at French cuisine. Claire asked whom he had been trying to impress, until she realized that it must have been Brenda. Claire apologized for being so insecure, but Sonny said he was sorry that he'd wooed Claire and then announced he wanted to resume a relationship with Brenda.

However, Sonny explained that, even though he and Brenda had never been good for each other, he wasn't sure if he'd turn down an offer to attempt a reconciliation with her. Claire asked to clarify the situation. Was Sonny actually telling her that he wanted to reserve the right to resume romantic relations with her but wanted the option to end things if Brenda decided she wanted him back, Claire wondered.

Sonny replied that it was a moot point because Brenda would never allow him back. Sonny and Claire differed on who had invited whom to dinner that night. They both realized that Carly had set up the rendezvous. Claire made clear to Sonny that she had no intention of sending Michael back to prison.

Sonny went to see Carly at the Metro Court. Carly was defensive, but Sonny thanked her for setting up the dinner. Sonny let her know that, when Claire had threatened Michael, it had been a bluff. Carly said that she never wanted to see Michael have to worry about returning to prison again.

Later, Claire arrived and laid into Carly for her manipulations. Claire surmised that Carly was pushing Sonny and Claire together, not because of any concern for Michael, but because Carly was possessive and spiteful, and didn't want Sonny to be with Brenda. Jax observed the confrontation.

Max and Milo watched over Brenda at the waterfront as she bumped into Dante. Dante confirmed that Sonny was still unaware of the secret Brenda and Dante shared. Max and Milo escorted Brenda away. After they left, Dante reminisced about his past with Brenda.

Olivia happened upon him and asked what was wrong. She asked him to open up, but Dante tried to make everything seem fine. Olivia said that he was acting the way he had been when he was guarding someone a few years before.

Later, Dante went to Pozzulo's and continued to think about his days with Brenda. Sonny walked in, noticed Dante staring at a magazine photo of Brenda, and stated, "Hard to keep your eyes off her."

Nikolas was surprised to see Lucky arrive at Wyndemere. Lucky explained that he'd caught up with Luke in an Irish jail. Luke had been arrested for impersonating a priest. Nikolas let Lucky know that Liz was at her grandmother's house with Jake, Cam, and Aiden. Lucky asked Nikolas for a favor, and Nikolas agreed. "You know I'd do anything for you," Nikolas stated.

Lucky called to Siobhan, who entered the room. Lucky said that he and Siobhan needed to hide out for a while. Lucky went on to explain that he'd been drafted by Interpol to assume Ronan O'Reilly's identity to help apprehend the Balkan. Nikolas informed them that Helena had worked with the Balkan years before. Lucky told Nikolas that the Balkan wouldn't meet face-to-face until Ronan proved himself by kidnapping Brenda.

Lucky made plans to meet with someone who might have valuable information. Siobhan wanted to go with him, but Lucky was adamant that she remain hidden. Since the Balkan thought Siobhan was dead, he argued, they couldn't risk revealing that she was alive. Siobhan reluctantly agreed to stay with Nikolas.

Nikolas and Siobhan awkwardly began to get to know each other. Nikolas said that Lucky seemed to be in a good place, emotionally, and wondered if she had anything to do with the improved mood.

Lucky met Jason on the waterfront and explained that he was pretending to be Ronan O'Reilly. Lucky told Jason that the Balkan wanted Brenda kidnapped and that Lucky was supposed to carry out the abduction. As they spoke, a man took photos of them from a distance.