General Hospital Recaps: The week of October 29, 2012 on GH

Monica happily reunited with A.J., but she warned him that he had to leave town before anyone discovered that he was alive. A.J. slipped into a Grim Reaper costume to crash the Halloween party at the Haunted Star, where A.J. unmasked himself to Michael. Luke's concerns grew as Anna appeared to grow closer to Duke. Anna resented Luke spying on her during the Halloween party. Lulu and Dante discussed the possibility of adopting a child. Todd planted the paternity results among Heather's personal effects from work and gave them to Steve. Todd and Carly almost made love, but Carly decided to slow things down because she wasn't sure if she could trust Todd. Carly was stunned when she spotted A.J. on the pier.

Monday, October 29, 2012

by Boone

Trey opened his apartment door to Connie, who hugged him and said that she was there to help him. Trey recoiled and told Connie not to touch him again because he did not need her fake sympathy. Trey asked what Connie's angle was. Connie tried to soothe Trey and said that she was there to check on her long-lost son. Trey pointed out that his mother had thrown him away.

Connie wanted to go out for a cup of coffee and discuss all the folks that were buzzing around Trey. When Trey wanted to know whom Connie was talking about, she named Sonny as their mutual enemy. Trey confronted Connie. He said that she was only there to keep him from putting her in the nut house. Connie remained friendly and complimented Trey. She told him that he got his guts from her.

Connie encouraged Trey not to let Sonny bully him or change his mind. Trey wanted to know if it had been Connie or Kate who had left him in the boarding house bureau drawer to die. Connie hesitated momentarily and then replied that it had been Kate. She added that, in fairness, Kate had been very young and had been raped. When Trey accused Connie of killing Cole and Hope, Connie sounded like she was denying her guilt, but as Trey questioned her, Connie merely said that the deaths were a tragedy and that she would undo them if she could.

Trey was cold when he retorted that Connie was a lying, scheming psychopath, and he did not believe anything that came out of her mouth. Connie's true nature broke through when she told Trey that he did not want her as an enemy. Trey gave Connie a hard look before responding that in that case, she had better lawyer up. Connie was thoughtful as she left Trey's apartment.

A.J. Quartermaine, who the residents of Port Charles believed was dead, quietly appeared at the Quartermaine mansion to comfort Monica, who said that Jason's death was a nightmare she could not wake up from. A.J. replied that Jason's death was the reason that he had returned home to comfort her.

As Sonny worked out with a punching bag at the gym, he remembered how Connie and Johnny had humiliated him on his wedding day to Kate. Michael showed up at the gym and asked Sonny if it was a good idea to work out without a trainer. Sonny said that he was okay and was concentrating because he had been thinking about Kate and Jason.

Michael said that he could not stop thinking about Jason. Sonny replied that he was glad that Jason had raised Michael for the first year of his life. Michael said that Jason had been like a dad to him, but that Monica had not agreed when Michael had seen her earlier in the day. Michael told Sonny that when he had gone to offer Monica comfort, he had found himself in the unenviable position of having to break the sad news of Jason's disappearance to her.

Michael said that Monica was devastated to lose her last child and that he had gotten the impression that Monica would do anything for her children. Sonny said that he understood because he would do anything for his children also.

Michael turned the conversation to Sonny's business and wondered what would happen. Sonny told Michael to leave that to him. Michael told Sonny that Sonny had to strike back and answered, "Yes," when Sonny asked Michael if he wanted in on it. Sonny immediately told Michael, "Not while I'm breathing." Michael took Sonny's reply as a lack of confidence in Michael's abilities, but Sonny told Michael that it was because Sonny had already lost too much and did not want to risk Michael.

Sonny told Michael that as a young man, he would have preferred college and the life open to Michael to that of being a mobster, if he had been offered a choice. Michael was surprised and said that he thought that Sonny liked his life. Sonny said that he did, but that he wanted something better for Michael, as did Jason and Carly. Sonny said that Michael could be anything he wanted to be. Sonny added that he wanted Michael to live. Sonny advised Michael to check on Monica and to stay safe. Father and son hugged and then acknowledged their love for each other before Michael left the gym.

Shortly after Michael left the gym, Trey arrived and told Sonny that he was ready to help get Connie committed.

Monica said that she was glad to see that physical therapy had worked for A.J., who no longer needed a wheelchair or a cane. A.J. said that Monica had saved his life and that past events: A.J. shooting his father, Alan; A.J.'s fight with Jason; the fall that broke A.J.'s back; and Dr. Thomas' attempt on A.J.'s life all seemed like they had happened to someone else.

Monica recalled in flashbacks that she had entered A.J.'s room as he had flatlined and Steve had pronounced A.J. dead. Alone with A.J., tears had filled Monica's eyes as she told him that he was a worthwhile person, despite the fact that he had been hurt and had hurt others. As Monica had opined on how much she loved A.J., he had gasped and woken up. Back in the moment, A.J. told Monica that it had been her loving words that had spurred him back to life. A.J. added that he did not know how to thank Monica for what she had done for him.

In another flashback, Monica remembered being at A.J.'s bedside and telling him that even though she had saved his life, she was not sure she could save him from either a killer or prison unless A.J. stayed dead. Monica had called for Steve and had begged him, as a family friend and colleague, to help Monica save her son. Steve had helped her and no one, including Alan, had ever had a clue that A.J. had lived.

As A.J. admired a photo of an adult Michael, Monica admitted that she had not told Alan that A.J. had lived because Alan would have found A.J and returned him to Port Charles to face the accusations against him. Despite being really glad to see A.J., Monica urged him to leave before he was discovered. On the terrace, A.J. wanted to know why. Just as Monica said it was too dangerous, Michael entered the living room and called out for Monica.

Starr confronted Johnny on theHaunted Star. She was angry because Starr believed that Johnny had married the woman who had killed Hope and Cole. When Starr asked why, Johnny said that it was because he loved Connie. Starr said that she loved her family, but that she had had to bury them because of Connie.

Starr was incredulous that Johnny had fallen in love with a killer. Starr wanted to know if Johnny had been laughing at her when she had cried on his shoulder about the deaths of her loved ones. Johnny sounded sincere when he said that he cared about Starr. Starr asked him to explain how he could hurt a friend like that or, for that matter, how he could deceive and betray Carly as he had done.

Johnny said that he wished that he could explain, but he could not because it was personal. Johnny said that Starr did not have to spend time with Connie, and he would do whatever it took to make it right. Starr told Johnny to have Connie committed so that Kate could reemerge. When Johnny demurred, Starr said that she quit her job with him. Johnny tried to get her to stay on, but accepted Starr's decision when Starr said that if she tried to sing, something ugly would come out.

Johnny gave Starr a demo copy of the CD that they had made of her songs. Johnny said that it was awesome, but he would understand if she walked away. Johnny told Starr that he did not want to hold her back, and he had not meant to hurt her. Starr said that Johnny's words did not lessen the pain, and although Johnny might have not meant to hurt Starr, he had hurt her nonetheless.

Back at her apartment, Starr opened the wrapped CD. She found a note from Johnny and a photo of Starr and Johnny, who were both smiling. Starr tore the photo into small pieces and angrily tossed them on the floor. At the Haunted Star, Connie sailed in and told Johnny to stay off the booze as he poured a drink. Connie said that she had tried to do damage control with Trey, but it had not worked, and that meant that they were going to war.

Steve and Olivia stood outside Heather's room at General Hospital. Olivia felt that she should confront Heather, but her fear got the best of her, despite the knowledge that Heather was in a coma. Olivia waited outside while Steve checked on Heather. While Steve was in Heather's room, Olivia became hysterical and grabbed the fire axe when she hallucinated Heather standing beside her.

Steve hurried to Olivia's side and took the axe from her. Steve assured Olivia that Heather was still in a coma. When Olivia calmed down, she realized that she had mistaken Todd for Heather. Olivia worried that seeing Heather was an omen and that Heather was about to wake up. Steve wanted to know what Todd was doing there.

Todd gave Steve a paper bag, which Todd said held personal effects that Heather had left at her desk. As Olivia and Steve checked the contents, Todd fumbled with a book so that some papers dropped out. When Olivia picked up the papers and examined them, she discovered the paternity test that proved that Jason, not Franco, was the father of Sam's baby.

Steve checked with the lab, and they realized that the papers were correct. Todd acted surprised and suggested that Sam should know the truth about her baby's paternity. After Olivia and Steve left, Todd entered Heather's room. He taunted her and said that it sucked to be her. Todd told Heather that Steve was about to tell Sam that Jason was her baby's father and that there was nothing that Heather could do about it. Heather grabbed Todd's hand and opened her eyes.

At the penthouse, Sam lay listlessly on the sofa, holding Jason's jacket, when Carly dropped by for a visit. Sam tried to force Carly to leave, but Carly told Sam that Jason had been her best friend and that Jason would want Carly to take care of Sam and her son. Carly said that she would babysit or do anything Sam needed. Sam said that she had her family for that. Carly asked where they were. Sam replied that her family was giving her space and asked Carly to do the same.

Carly said that space was the last thing that Sam needed. Sam was hostile to Carly when she asked Carly what Carly thought Jason would feel if he knew that Carly was defending Todd Manning. Carly said that the charges against Todd had been dropped. Carly said that she believed Todd because she knew when someone was lying to her. Sam retorted that Carly had not known about Johnny's lies.

Carly ruefully admitted that Johnny had fooled her, but that she was sure of Todd. Carly said that she was there because she was also grieving and wanted to do what Jason would want her to do, which was to offer comfort and care to Sam and Danny.With tears in her eyes, Carly admitted that she had been repeatedly listening to the last voicemail that Jason had left for her before his disappearance and that she took comfort from it. Sam said that she wished that she had voicemail from Jason to comfort her.

Carly insisted that Sam take her phone. Sam tried to refuse it, but Carly would not take "No" for an answer. Carly left after telling Sam that it seemed really unfair that all they had of Jason was memories and voicemail. As Sam was about to listen to the recording, Steve knocked on her door. When Sam asked what he wanted, he handed her the paternity test that proved that Jason was Danny's biological father.

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

by Elisabeth

On the Haunted Star, Connie warned Johnny that she had blown it with Trey, so they needed to be prepared, because Johnny would go down right along with Connie. "Isn't that romantic," Lulu said as she entered the nightclub. Lulu suspected that one of the Zaccharas was in imminent danger of an arrest, so she guessed that it was Connie. Connie pasted on a sweet smile as she reminded Lulu that they were family, but Lulu refused to claim Connie as family. Lulu announced that she needed to discuss business with Johnny, so she dismissed Connie.

Connie objected, but to Connie's chagrin, Johnny backed up Lulu. After Connie marched out, Lulu confessed that it seemed clear that Connie was holding something over Johnny. Johnny denied it, but Lulu argued that Johnny cringed whenever Connie touched him, so it was apparent that Johnny wasn't physically or romantically attracted to Connie. Johnny remained tight-lipped, so Lulu assured him that she didn't need to know details; she just wanted to help. Johnny appeared to waver, but then Connie returned.

Connie shrewdly noticed the underlying currents between Lulu and Johnny as they finished up their paperwork. After Lulu left, Connie demanded to know if they had been plotting against her. Johnny's temper flared as he insisted that he and Lulu had been putting the finishing touches on the nightclub's Halloween party. Connie conceded that she was paranoid because Sonny had been trying to persuade Trey into signing the commitment papers. Johnny was curious if Connie had ever wondered why people disliked her so much. He pointed out that on Kate's best day, Kate had all the warmth and personality of a potted plant in an ice machine.

Johnny suggested that Connie consider being a nicer person than Kate instead of constantly threatening, blackmailing, and pissing everyone she met off. Connie shrugged her shoulders, and then announced that she wanted Johnny to get rid of Trey. Stunned, Johnny screamed at her, "This is your son you're talking about." Connie wondered where Johnny's morality had been when he had killed Cole and Hope. She made it clear that she would take Johnny down if Trey institutionalized her.

At the gym, Trey agreed to do whatever it took to lock Connie up. Sonny was curious what had changed Trey's mind, so Trey told him about Connie's attempt to manipulate Trey into not signing the commitment papers. Sonny thanked Trey, because he knew that it had been difficult for Trey to help Sonny. Trey made it clear that he would be signing the papers for Starr, not Sonny. Sonny hoped that Trey had the opportunity to get to know Kate, because she was a wonderful woman. Sonny was certain that it had been Connie, not Kate, who had abandoned Trey, but Trey insisted that the only thing that mattered was that Connie was off the streets.

However, Trey had one condition; he wanted to know if Sonny had sent Jason to kill Joe after what had happened to Kristina. Sonny admitted that he had wanted Joe dead, but he hadn't ordered Jason to carry out the deed because Kate had persuaded Sonny to spare Joe's life. "We'll be in touch," Trey said, and then left.

At the apartment, Starr ripped up the snapshot of Johnny and Starr that Johnny had slipped into the CD case. Moments later, Kristina stopped by to check on Trey. Starr explained that Trey wasn't there, but she invited Kristina to stay and wait for Trey. Starr suggested that they order lunch from a nearby Thai restaurant, so Kristina stayed. Kristina noticed the torn picture, prompting Starr to explain that Starr's friendship with Johnny was over because he had married Connie. Starr then shared the details about Connie's inappropriate behavior with Michael at Metro Court. Kristina was disgusted, and felt bad that Michael had been caught in an awkward situation.

Kristina hoped that Starr had called Connie out, so Starr revealed that Connie hadn't shown any remorse as Connie had callously blamed Cole for not maintaining proper control of the car that had killed him and their daughter. Kristina admitted that she had known Johnny a long time, so she assured Starr that Johnny wasn't a bad person, but he was messed up, which made him prone to making terrible mistakes. Their conversation then drifted to Trey. Starr revealed that Trey was having a hard time accepting that his father's dying words might have been a lie.

Kristina realized that she might not be the best person for Trey to lean on during his time of grief, because Kristina wasn't sad that Joe had died. Starr admitted that she would feel the same way that Kristina did. Kristina smiled sadly, because she loved her father, despite the terrible things that Sonny had done. Starr had a lot in common with Kristina, because Starr felt the same way about Todd.

A short time later, Trey arrived home. He was surprised to see Kristina and Starr on the sofa, laughing amicably, so he revealed that he had talked to Sonny about having Connie committed. Starr thanked him and promised him that he had done the right thing. "We'll see," Trey replied.

Monica hustled A.J. onto the patio as she explained that he needed to leave because the risk of discovery was too great. As if one cue, Michael called out to Monica as he entered the parlor. Monica quickly slipped inside before Michael reached the patio. He looked past her as he confessed that it had sounded like she had been talking to someone. "My son," Monica admitted.

Michael thought that Monica had meant Jason, so he started to walk out, but Monica explained that Jason wasn't there. Michael mistakenly assumed that Monica had meant metaphorically, so Monica didn't correct him. He confessed that he wanted to apologize to her for the way that he had talked about his biological father, because he hadn't really known his father. Outside, A.J. grumbled, "Not that I ever had a chance with you, thanks to Carly...and Sonny."

Inside, Michael admitted that he thought about A.J. and what it would have been like to have known his father. Monica appreciated that Jason had been a big part of Michael's life; however, she wanted Michael to know that A.J. had loved Michael. Monica conceded that A.J. had made some mistakes, but Michael quickly argued that kidnapping Morgan, Kristina, and him had been more than a mistake. Monica agreed that there hadn't been any defense for what A.J. had put everyone though, including allowing them to believe that Michael had died. Monica was certain that if A.J were there with them, A.J. would tell Michael that he loved him.

Michael wished that A.J. were there, so that he could hear for himself what A.J. had to say for himself. Monica assured Michael that it would have meant the world to A.J. to have the opportunity to explain himself and possibly be forgiven. Michael doubted that he would go that far, so Monica promised Michael that A.J. hadn't been all bad. Michael realized that it had to be difficult for Monica to have lost two sons, so he wanted her to know that there was still a glimmer of hope that one son had survived. "Yes, there is," Monica agreed, even though she knew that Michael had meant Jason.

Michael spotted a picture of Jason and A.J., so he asked if he could have a copy. Monica insisted on giving Michael the framed photograph, so he thanked her. After Michael left, A.J. entered the parlor. He couldn't believe that he had been that close to his son but hadn't been able to say anything to him. Monica reminded A.J. that it was impossible for him to make contact with Michael because no one could know that A.J. was alive. Monica feared that A.J. would end up in jail if anyone spotted him, but A.J. decided that it was time for him to reclaim his life and his son.

Monica wondered if A.J. had considered the ramifications for her; she could face charges for aiding and abetting because she had helped to fake A.J.'s death, had spirited him out of the country, and had funneled money to him for years. A.J. assured his mother that he would keep her name out of it by insisting that he had arranged for and carried out the plot. Monica argued that he wouldn't be able to avoid the attempted murder charges for shooting Alan in the back because Alan and Emily had given statements. A.J. was certain that there was a way around that because Alan and Emily were dead. A.J. didn't know what he had to do to clear his name, but he was a Quartermaine, so he was willing to do whatever was necessary to get back what he had lost.

After Sonny showered and changed, Michael showed up at the gym to talk to his father. He told Sonny about his visit with Monica and their talk about A.J. Sonny smiled when Michael showed him the picture of Jason and A.J. Sonny noted that even though the brothers had looked alike, they had been night and day. According to Sonny, A.J. had always been a spoiled brat who had acted like a rich self-entitled person. Sonny insisted that A.J. had believed the world had owed A.J. a favor.

Sonny conceded that A.J. had been smart and had had some power, but A.J. had never taken responsibility for anything. Michael was well aware of Sonny's disdain for A.J., so Sonny explained that he'd had his reasons. However, the best thing that A.J. had ever done was have a son. Sonny explained that A.J. could have been whatever A.J. had wanted, but A.J.'s character had been flawed. Sonny believed that Michael had shown more strength and courage than A.J. ever could.

Michael admitted that he had been reluctant to say anything negative about A.J. to Monica. Sonny explained that it was normal for a parent to excuse a child's behavior, but Michael confessed that it bothered him that he'd never really had the opportunity to get to know A.J. Michael recalled a little bit about his biological father, but none of it had been good. Despite that, Michael couldn't help but wonder how things might have turned out if Michael and A.J. had had a chance to have a relationship.

At the penthouse, Steve handed Sam the results of the paternity test. Sam read it, but didn't understand what it meant, because it appeared to say that Jason was Daniel's father. "He is," Steve told her. Sam was afraid to believe the astounding news, so Steve assured her that he had personally confirmed the results of the test. Steve explained the test results had been found among his mother's things, so he had verified the information before he had given the test results to Sam.

Sam was overjoyed because she was certain that Jason would be ecstatic when she shared the news with him. Steve's expression grew somber, so Sam asked Steve not to look at her like that. She explained that she was certain that Jason would return home because nothing would keep Jason away from her and Danny.

At the hospital, Todd leaned in close to Heather to whisper that Sam was about to find out that Jason, not Franco, was Daniel's father. Todd bragged that Heather couldn't do a thing to stop it. He gasped with shock when Heather's eyes suddenly snapped open and she grabbed his wrist in a tight grip. "I can send you to prison for helping me switch the babies," Heather growled quietly.

Todd couldn't believe that Heather had survived an eleven-story fall. He insisted that she should be a "dead pancake." "Call me durable goods," Heather said as she smirked. Heather demanded a glass of water, because she had a lot to discuss with Todd, but Todd informed her that her threats and blackmail would no longer work, because all of her secrets were out. Heather wondered why, if that were true, Todd wasn't in jail. Todd explained that he had told the police that the switch had been Heather's idea, and they had believed him. Heather argued that she could dispute his claims.

Todd closed the blinds to her room as he told her, "Let's get a few things straight, Lady Lazarus." Todd revealed that the police knew everything that Heather had done, including posing as Susan Moore to get close enough to kidnap Sam's baby and jumping from the rooftop with the baby in her arms, so she was a certifiable whack job who no one would believe. Heather wanted to talk to Steve, but Todd explained that Steve was delivering the paternity test results to Sam. Heather was frustrated that "that slut" had been given the results, but Todd insisted that it had been the right thing to do because Sam deserved closure.

Todd explained that Jason had died. Heather smiled smugly as she warned Todd that that was what happened to people who tried to cross her or cause her grief. Todd couldn't believe the audacity of Heather to suggest that God was her co-pilot and foot soldier. Todd decided to get to the point by informing Heather that he expected her to keep quiet about his role in the baby switch, so Heather was curious what was in it for her. "Nothing," Todd admitted, but he promised to return her book, Fifty Hues of Blue, and make certain that she ended up in a better place than Ferncliff.

Heather wondered who was representing Todd, so he admitted that he had hired Diane Miller. Heather tired to pressure Todd into forcing Diane to take Heather's case, but Todd doubted that anything could persuade Diane to represent the woman who had replaced Diane at the paper. Heather decided that her best option was to plead insanity, just as Steve entered the room. Heather quickly confessed that she knew who had switched the babies. Steve was stunned when Heather proclaimed that she was Susan Moore, so he pulled Todd into the hallway to find out what Todd and Heather were up to.

Todd assured Steve that he had no idea what was going on with Heather or her claims of being Susan Moore. Steve and Todd returned to the hospital room, where Heather continued to pretend to be Susan. Steve was curious if Heather had had an accomplice when Heather had switched the babies. Steve indicated that he was specifically asking about Todd. Heather pretended that she believed that Todd was a doctor who had delivered her baby.

Steve led Todd back into the hallway to warn Todd that he would get to the bottom of things, because he suspected that Todd and Heather were in cahoots. Todd was curious how things had gone with Sam, so Steve admitted that it had given Sam a measure of peace, knowing that Jason had been her son's father. Later, Todd poked his head into Heather's hospital room to thank her for keeping his secret. Heather smiled sweetly as she threatened to expose his secret if he didn't find a way to keep her happy.

At the penthouse, Sam showed her son the results of the paternity test as she explained that Jason was his father, not Franco. She smiled with joy as Jason entered the penthouse and asked her what she had been talking to Danny about. Sam quickly handed Jason the paternity test results, and then threw herself into his arms. Jason hugged Sam tightly as he realized that Danny was indeed his son. However, Jason assured her that he would have loved Danny regardless of who Danny's biological father was.

Sam was relieved that Danny's paternity hadn't made a difference to Jason. Jason was glad that they were finally able to put everything that Franco had done to them behind them. Sam agreed that Franco could never hurt them again. Sam and Jason spent some together as a family with Danny, as they basked in the joy of knowing that they were Danny's parents. Jason handed Danny to Sam, so Sam asked Jason to fetch the pacifier.

Sam's smile faded when she realized that Jason was no longer in the room. She called out to him, and then walked around with Danny wrapped tightly in her arms, looking for Jason. Moments later, Sam sat down as tears filled her eyes. Sam was faced with the realization that it had been a dream.

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

by Elisabeth

Todd was working on his laptop when someone knocked on his door. Todd assumed that it was trick-or-treaters, so he told them to go away because he didn't have anything for them. The knocking continued, so Todd grabbed a handful of complimentary liquor bottles on his way to the door. Todd stopped short when he saw Luke, dressed in the same Jason Voorhees costume that Todd had worn on the night that Todd had paid Luke a visit in the woods. Todd gave nothing away as Luke accused Todd of being Heather's accomplice when she had kept Luke a prisoner in the cabin.

Luke resented Todd for not showing any compassion towards him on that fateful night. Todd suggested that Heather's accomplice might have believed that Luke had been perfectly capable of freeing himself without any help. Luke pointed out that Todd was the perfect height and weight, and he had the same fondness for expensive Italian shoes as Heather's partner-in-crime. Luke wanted to take a look at Todd's closet, but Todd made it clear that Luke would have to be armed with a search warrant first.

Todd's reluctance to let Luke snoop around only reinforced Luke's certainty that Todd had been the man at the cabin. Luke vowed to expose the truth and warned Todd that karma had a way of winding its way back around. Shortly after Luke left, a little girl knocked on Todd's door and yelled, "Trick-or-treat." Todd smiled when he saw Carly, dressed as a country girl, and Josslyn, dressed as an ear of corn, standing on his doorstep.

Todd didn't have candy, so he offered to give Josslyn fourteen dollars. Josslyn readily accepted the cash, but Carly ordered Todd to keep his money. Carly and Josslyn entered the suite, and Carly's eyes landed on the hockey mask that Luke had left behind. She mistook it for the one that Todd had recently had, as she recalled that Todd had intended to send the gift to his son. Todd claimed that Jack had returned it, so Carly decided to cheer Todd up by inviting him to go trick-or-treating with her and Josslyn. Todd appreciated the invitation, but he declined because he didn't have a costume.

Carly suggested that Todd could wear the mask, but Todd refused. After Carly and Josslyn left, Todd put the mask on and opened a complimentary bottle of alcohol. Later, Carly returned, so Todd ripped off the mask and opened the door. Carly explained that Josslyn had been exhausted after trick-or-treating, so Carly had left her daughter home with Mercedes. Todd was startled when Carly asked him if he wanted to spend the night with her.

At the Quartermaine mansion, Monica sneaked a tray of food for A.J. into a bedroom. She insisted that he needed to leave soon because he was wanted by the police, but A.J. was desperate to have a relationship with his son. Monica became increasingly upset, but A.J. didn't want to argue with her, because they had been apart for far too long. A.J. wanted to know what Monica knew about Michael.

Monica admitted that she didn't get to see Michael often, but he was a student at Port Charles University. A.J. hoped that Michael was a good student, like Jason had been, not an average student like A.J. A.J. smiled as he confessed that he couldn't believe how tall his son was. Monica smiled proudly as A.J. looked around and admitted that the bedroom looked exactly like it had before he and Jason had gone away to boarding school. Monica confided that she had kept everything and had spent hours sitting in the room and thinking about her sons. She deeply regretted how much of their lives she had missed.

Monica and A.J. jumped when Tracy suddenly banged on the door and demanded that Monica let her in. Monica froze, so Tracy wanted to know what was going on. A.J. ducked out of sight as Monica opened the door and explained that she had been talking to her son. Tracy looked alarmed, so Monica explained that she had been denied a body and a funeral, so she had felt lost until she had entered Jason's bedroom. Tracy was surprised that Monica had found comfort in a bedroom that Monica had never stepped foot inside of when the boys had been alive. Monica sarcastically thanked Tracy for the reminder of Monica's failings as a mother.

Tracy assured Monica that Alan had also been a lousy parent, so she didn't put it all on Monica's shoulders. Tracy saw the photo album that had been opened to a Halloween picture of A.J. "A.J.?" Tracy asked, and then chuckled because the picture was of A.J. dressed as the Grim Reaper. "Talk about foreshadowing," Tracy quipped, but Monica didn't appreciate Tracy talking about A.J. like that. Tracy insisted that A.J. had been a train wreck since his teen years and then proceeded to list his various transgressions and crimes, including shooting Alan in the back, to illustrate her point.

Monica conceded that A.J. had made mistakes, but Tracy scoffed. According to Tracy, Jason, the mob enforcer, had been a saint compared to A.J. Monica argued that she had loved both of her sons, so she ordered Tracy to leave. After Tracy left, A.J. stepped forward to admit that Tracy was one person he hadn't missed. Monica implored A.J. to consider leaving town, but A.J. refused. However, he promised to make sure that things would be better if he found a way to get the charges dropped.

At the Drake residence, Maxie was delighted when Patrick and Emma entered the living room with a birthday cookie and candle for Maxie. They urged Maxie to make a wish and blow out her candle, so Maxie did. Afterwards, Maxie asked to see Emma's costume, so Emma dashed to her bedroom to change. Patrick was surprised when Maxie announced her decision to move out effective immediately. Maxie insisted that it wasn't healthy for her to keep avoiding living her own life.

Patrick admitted that he had done the same thing, but he was curious if Maxie's decision to move out had something to do with Spinelli. Maxie explained that Spinelli had moved on with a nice girl, who seemed better suited for Spinelli. However, Maxie wanted Spinelli to know that she was serious about the divorce, so moving out was a good decision.

Later, Maxie questioned Patrick's relationship with Britt. Patrick explained that Britt was just a colleague, but Maxie assured him that it was okay to like someone, because Robin would want him to date. Maxie also believed that Emma would want a woman in her life, so the sooner that Patrick started, the better. Patrick insisted that he was nowhere near ready for that step.

At Kelly's, Duke was reading the newspaper about Jason, Bernie, and Joe's deaths. "A penny for your thoughts," Anna said, as she sat down to join Duke. Duke greeted her with a warm smile and compliment as he folded the newspaper. Anna confessed that she was determined to find the second shooter because she felt that she owed it to the Quartermaines. Duke was curious if she had made any headway with the investigation, so Anna revealed that she had some fibers tested from a strip of cloth recovered at the crime scene.

Duke changed the subject by announcing that it was his first night of work on the Haunted Star, so he asked Anna to attend the party as his guest. Duke was fully aware that his bartending job was merely a means for Luke and Lulu to keep an eye on him. He insisted that Luke and Lulu were wasting their time, because he had nothing to hide. Duke tensed when Luke strolled up and greeted them. Duke and Luke traded barbs until Anna grew tired of their bickering.

Duke tactfully excused himself and left. Outside, Duke pretended to be surprised when he saw Emma, dressed as a princess. "Robin?" Duke asked. Patrick's brows drew together, as he questioned what Duke had said. Duke claimed that Emma reminded him of another little girl he had once known named Robin Scorpio. Emma proudly revealed that Robin was her mother, so Duke introduced himself. Patrick recognized the name and admitted that he'd heard about Duke's astounding story.

Inside, Luke was curious what Anna and Duke had been talking about. Anna admitted that Duke had invited her to the Halloween party at the Haunted Star. Luke suggested that Anna go to the party as his date, not Duke's, but Anna didn't think it was a good idea to show up with Luke at Duke's workplace. Luke insisted that he wanted to get back to where they had once been, but Anna was concerned about Duke's feelings. Moments later, Anna spotted Patrick and Emma.

Emma ran to the counter to get some candy from Shawn, while Patrick told Anna and Luke about his encounter with Duke. Patrick confessed that Duke had seemed like a nice guy with a lot of fond memories about Robin. Anna smiled and suggested that she and Patrick step outside to take pictures of Emma's costume. Tracy passed Anna, Patrick, and Emma as they left and Tracy entered. Tracy couldn't understand the fascination with dressing little girls as princesses when those stories seldom ended well.

Luke grumbled, so Tracy complained that she had just dealt with Monica who appeared to have been pushed over the edge. Luke suggested that Tracy take it easy with Monica, and then confided that he would love to be a fly on the wall when Duke made his move on Anna at the Haunted Star. Tracy pointed out that it was Halloween, so Luke could hide behind a costume without arousing suspicion.

Patrick and Emma returned home. Emma was sound asleep, so Patrick laid her down on the sofa. Moments later, Maxie entered the living room with a suitcase. Patrick noticed that she hadn't wasted any time moving out. Maxie apologized, but she thought it was best not to draw it out. She promised to have the rest of her things picked up the following day and then reminded Patrick that he deserved to be happy. After Maxie left, Patrick called Sabrina.

At the apartment, Starr dumped a bag of candy into a bowl while she talked to Michael on the phone. She was relieved that she had reached him before he had arrived, because she needed him to pick up more candy. Starr was disappointed when Michael explained that he wouldn't be able to spend the evening with her. Moments later, her doorbell rang. Starr told Michael to hold on while she answered the door. She was confused when she spotted candy on her doorstep, but no one standing in the hallway.

Starr jumped and screeched when Michael, dressed as a vampire, suddenly popped out of his hiding place. Starr laughed as Michael followed her into the apartment. After they filled the bowl with candy, Michael and Starr kissed. Things quickly heated up as they dropped to the sofa and then rolled onto the floor. Michael suggested that they take it to her bedroom, but Starr became distracted when she spotted a picture on the floor. Michael explained that Monica had given him the picture.

Starr recognized Jason, but not the other man. "That's my father," Michael quietly said. Starr admitted that Jason and A.J. looked a lot alike, so Michael resembled both men. Michael confided that Jason and A.J. were half-brothers, but they had once been very close. However, Michael's biological father had been a "total screw-up" who had driven drunk one night and crashed into a tree. Michael explained that the accident had left Jason brain-damaged, which had led to Jason's friendship with Sonny, Michael's adoptive father.

Michael revealed that Jason had always helped Carly and had been the primary reason that A.J. had never been able to take Michael away from Carly. He then talked about the time that A.J. had kidnapped Michael and his siblings; faked Michael's death; shot Michael's grandfather, Alan, in the back; and had struggled on the staircase with Jason. Michael had no idea why he had wanted the picture, except that he'd never had one of A.J.

Michael insisted that he didn't think of A.J. as his father, because that distinction belonged to Sonny. Michael looked at the picture, as he conceded that A.J. didn't look like a bad guy. Starr admitted that it was possible that A.J. had had some good in him, so Michael confessed that Monica had seemed to think so.

Michael confided that Monica had acknowledged A.J.'s mistakes but had assured him that A.J. had loved Michael. Michael revealed that he occasionally wondered how he'd feel about A.J. if A.J. were still alive. Starr pointed out that just because someone did bad things didn't mean that they couldn't be loved, like her father.

Michael tucked the picture away and suggested that he and Starr focus on having fun by going to the Halloween party. Starr was uneasy at the prospect of running into Johnny, so Michael revealed that the hearing for Connie had been called, so Johnny and Connie would be at court. Starr hoped that Kate received the help that Kate needed. Starr kissed him and then suggested that they finish what they had started when they returned from the party.

On the Haunted Star, Lulu, dressed as a sex kitten, put the finishing touches on the decor as Dante arrived dressed as an old-fashioned burglar. Lulu warned him that the safe didn't have any valuables, so Dante decided to steal a kiss from his wife instead. Afterwards, Lulu broached the subject of adoption. She was surprised when Dante assured her that he didn't care if they had a biological child or one that they had adopted, as long as they had an opportunity to be parents. They agreed that they could see themselves adopting a child, but they decided to shelve the discussion until after the party. Moments later, Duke arrived.

Lulu was disappointed when Dante explained that he had to leave. Duke listened intently as Dante promised to return after he checked in with the lab about some tests on fiber samples of material recovered at the scene of the shooting on the pier. After Dante left, Duke shrugged out of his jacket and went to work behind the bar. He smiled when he spotted Anna enter the party.

Later, Michael and Starr, who had transformed herself into a female vampire, arrived at the nightclub. Starr apologized to Lulu for quitting, but Lulu assured Starr that there weren't any hard feelings. Lulu wanted Starr and Michael to focus on having fun.

Monica panicked when she entered the bedroom, because A.J. was nowhere to be found.

A man dressed as the Grim Reaper entered the Haunted Star, and looked around.

Thursday, November 1, 2012

by Elisabeth

In Todd's suite, Carly wondered if Todd wanted to spend the night with her. Todd was curious if Carly was propositioning him, so she smiled and admitted that she was. Carly announced that a Halloween marathon was on, so she suggested that they watch movies, since Todd refused to go out and have fun. Todd grinned as he and Carly settled on the sofa to watch movies. Later, Carly had her eyes covered during a frightening scene. Todd was curious why a horror film buff would be squeamish, so Carly admitted that she only enjoyed scary movies when she had the chance to see them several times.

Todd urged Carly to watch the movie because it was the best part -- when the evil scientist was smothered to death in the hospital. Carly found it creepy because A.J. had been killed in the same manner, except that Michael had witnessed the crime, which had required years of therapy to help Michael get past that trauma. Todd noticed the lack of fondness in Carly's tone for Michael's father, so Carly explained that A.J. had been a horrible person who had been spoiled and dangerous. "Not like your ex-husband, the gangster," Todd pointed out. Carly conceded that Sonny might have faults, but A.J. had been a monster.

Carly made it clear that she didn't want Michael to think about A.J. at all. She explained that Jason had taken care of Michael for the first year of Michael's life, and then Sonny had stepped in. Todd and Carly talked about her various failed relationships, so Todd was curious what a happy medium would be for Carly. Carly suggested that the man had to be rich, charming, dangerous, fearless, loyal, and very accepting. Todd doubted that a person like that existed.

Carly wondered what type of man Todd was. "Good or bad?" she asked. Todd pleaded the fifth and then pointed out that it was useless to speculate, since he wasn't with her. Carly insisted that they were past the point where he could convince her that he was an awful person. Todd reiterated that he was a horrible person and had a past, like everyone else, but Carly insisted that he was a good person. Todd wondered if he had to be good all of the time but then kissed her before she could answer his question.

At the Quartermaine mansion, Monica was frantic when she realized that A.J. had left. She looked around the mansion, to no avail, so she returned to the bedroom, hoping to find a kind of clue. "A.J., where the hell are you?" Monica asked in frustration. Alice appeared in the doorway to check on Monica. Monica explained that the grief over losing Jason had made her yearn to be close to both of her sons, so she had spoken aloud to A.J.

Alice understood that, but she couldn't make sense of the passport that she had found. Monica was at a loss for words as Alice produced a passport with Crane Tolliver's name on it, but featuring A.J.'s picture. Alice had no idea who Crane Tolliver was, but she recognized A.J. Monica reminded Alice that A.J. had been involved in a lot of illicit enterprises prior to his death, so she assumed that the passport was part of that. Alice disagreed because the passport had been issued after A.J.'s death.

"A.J.'s still alive, isn't he?" Alice quietly asked. "Yes, he is," Monica answered in a relieved tone. Monica quickly filled Alice in on how A.J.'s life had been saved and Monica's decision to spirit her son out of the country to avoid prosecution for his crimes. Monica confessed that she hadn't seen A.J. since he had left the country out of fear of discovery. Alice understood why Monica hadn't been able to turn her back on her troubled son, so she agreed to keep Monica's secret. Monica was grateful for Alice's support, but remained concerned about A.J. Monica feared that A.J. would do something reckless because he was desperate to see Michael.

At Kelly's, Sabrina listened to Patrick's voicemail message explaining that he wanted to go to the Halloween party on the Haunted Star. Sabrina was stunned, yet delighted, that Patrick had asked her out, so she left to get ready.

At the Drake residence, Patrick closed the door on the last trick-or-treater as he announced that they were out of candy. Emma was disappointed because no one had given her father any candy. She handed him a lollipop from her stash, while Patrick explained that adults didn't go trick-or-treating. Emma was curious how adults celebrated Halloween, so he revealed they went to parties. Patrick wondered if it would be okay with Emma if he went out later that evening. Emma assured her father that it was fine, provided that Sabrina watched her.

As if on cue, the doorbell rang. It was Sabrina dressed as a bunch of purple grapes. Emma giggled, so Patrick gently explained to his daughter that Sabrina had just wanted to get in the spirit of things, even though Sabrina was only babysitting. Sabrina's smile faded as she realized that she had completely misunderstood Patrick's voicemail message. Patrick seemed to sense a change in Sabrina, so she quickly pretended that she had known all along that he had called to ask her to babysit Emma.

Moments later, Britt arrived, dressed as a sexy nurse. Britt loved Patrick's costume, so Patrick confessed that it was actually his old racing uniform. Patrick then introduced Britt to his daughter. Emma smiled politely, so Patrick excused himself to fetch something. Britt immediately seized the opportunity to ridicule Sabrina's costume, so Emma asked if Britt was a nurse. Britt scoffed at the idea of being a nurse in real life, so she explained that she was actually a doctor "just like your mommy."

Britt asked about Emma's costume, so Emma proudly revealed that she was Belle, a beautiful fairytale princess. Britt admitted that it was hard to tell, because all princesses looked the same to her. Moments later, Patrick returned and asked if Britt was ready. Britt smiled brightly as she confessed that she hoped that their third date wouldn't be interrupted with another emergency call from Sabrina. After Patrick and Britt left, Emma confessed that she didn't like Britt.

Sabrina changed out of her costume and then asked why Emma hadn't liked Britt. Emma explained that Britt was mean. Sabrina was concerned that Britt might have said something to upset Emma, so Emma quickly clarified that it had just been her impression, because real nurses were nice like Sabrina. Emma then revealed that there had been a time when they had had special parties called the Nurses Ball to honor people like Emma's mother, Robin. Emma fetched the photo album to show Sabrina the pictures of the various Nurses Balls. Sabrina was curious why they didn't do them anymore, but Emma didn't have an answer.

At Kelly's, Mac and Felicia, dressed as hippies, celebrated Maxie's birthday with Maxie. Spinelli, wearing a costume of the human body, suddenly appeared behind Maxie, bearing a gift. Maxie was touched as she realized that it was a sketch signed by Enzo Cartullo. Maxie couldn't believe that Spinelli had made such an effort after she had reacted so badly the previous year when he had given her a bracelet for her birthday. Spinelli assured Maxie that it was water under the bridge and then complimented her on her choice of costume. Maxie liked Spinelli's costume, too, so Spinelli confessed that the bodysuit was more comfortable than he had expected.

Maxie was disappointed when Ellie entered, dressed as a DNA strand. Ellie apologized for not following Maxie's suggestion for a costume, and then gushed about how beautiful Maxie looked. Ellie was curious which goddess Maxie was: Artemis or Aphrodite. Maxie became defensive, so Ellie explained one was the goddess of hunting and the other the goddess of love. Maxie smiled as she assured Ellie that she was dressed as the goddess of love. Moments later, Mac and Felicia announced that it was time to go to the party, which made Maxie feel like a fifth wheel.

At the Haunted Star, Lulu greeted Maxie, Spinelli, and Ellie. Spinelli and Ellie went to dance, so Lulu revealed that she had a birthday present in the office for Maxie that would cheer Maxie up. Maxie hoped the present would break Spinelli and Ellie up. Maxie grumbled that Spinelli and Ellie had become attached at the hip and might as well have worn a sign announcing their relationship status, since they had decided to attend the party as a human body and DNA.

Later, Maxie thanked Lulu for the cashmere sweater. Lulu suspected that Maxie wasn't entirely happy with it, so Maxie assured her that it was perfect, once Maxie exchanged it for a v-neck in another color. Lulu's smile faded when Maxie decided to cut in on Spinelli's dance with Ellie. Spinelli was reluctant to abandon his dance partner, but Ellie reminded Spinelli that it was Maxie's birthday, so it was Maxie's dance.

Ellie joined Lulu near the dance floor, so Lulu wondered if it had been wise of Ellie to let Maxie dance with Spinelli. Ellie hoped that Spinelli cheered Maxie up, because it was clear that Maxie was down. Lulu warned Ellie to be careful what Ellie wished for.

On the dance floor, Maxie confessed that she was curious why Spinelli hadn't shown a reaction to her divorce news. Spinelli explained that he had never believed that Matt had been the right person for Maxie, so Maxie wondered who Spinelli thought was the right man. Spinelli evaded the question by suddenly prattling about the Grim Reaper costume that he had spotted in the crowd.

Later, Maxie complained to Lulu that Spinelli had blown her off for the Grim Reaper. Meanwhile, Spinelli and Ellie talked about some movies that they liked. Ellie realized that she and Spinelli were perfect for each other. Spinelli agreed. Moments later, Ellie realized that she had forgotten something in the bathroom, so she left to fetch it. Spinelli's eyes quickly found Maxie. Lulu noticed Spinelli was watching Maxie, so Lulu let Maxie know.

Luke and Tracy arrived at the Halloween party, dressed as 18th century French nobility. Tracy wanted Luke to admit that he was there to dig up dirt on Duke. Luke made it clear that he wasn't ready to accept that the man claiming to be Duke was in fact Duke Lavery. However, if the man turned out to be Duke, then Luke was certain that the man was running a scam. Tracy suggested that Duke could simply be Anna's long-lost love who had returned to win back Anna's heart. Luke refused to let that happen, so he was determined to spend the evening discovering all of Duke's flaws by observing his rival in complete anonymity.

At the bar, Duke was surprised that Anna had taken the evening off from fighting crime. Anna, who was dressed as a flapper, flirted with Duke and asked if he was hiding secret "hooch" in the back room. Duke smiled as he fell into character and complimented her. Eventually, Luke made his way to the bar to eavesdrop on Anna and Duke. Anna confessed that Luke had asked her to attend the party as his date, but she had turned Luke down because Duke had asked her first. Duke was disappointed that she hadn't turned Luke down because she had strong feelings for Duke, but Duke vowed that would change by the end of the evening.

Jealous, Luke arranged to spill a drink on Duke. Duke's eyes narrowed as he studied Luke, but Felicia's timely arrival distracted Duke. Later, Luke listened intently when Felicia questioned Anna about her feelings for Duke and Luke. Anna started to answer Felicia's question about which man Anna would choose until Anna noticed Luke lurking nearby. Anna claimed that she would choose Luke. "If he wasn't trying to prove that Duke was an impostor all of the time or trying to spy on me," Anna accused as she confronted Luke.

Later, Patrick and Britt arrived. Patrick greeted Anna and then introduced Britt to Robin's mother. Anna's warm smile faded as she realized that Britt was Patrick's date. Britt noticed Anna's changed demeanor, so she excused herself. After Britt walked away, Patrick apologized for putting Anna in an awkward situation. Anna regretted her reaction, because she was certain that Robin would want Patrick to move on with his life and to start dating again.

Moments later, Britt returned to invite Patrick to dance. Britt and Patrick ended up in a quiet corner where they shared a heated kiss. Britt wondered if it was too soon to invite Patrick back to her place. Patrick appreciated the offer, but he had a daughter to get home to. Britt was certain that Sabrina wouldn't mind spending the night, but Patrick insisted that he needed to be there for his daughter in the morning and that spending the night away from home was something that he had to prepare Emma for.

Later, Britt walked Patrick to his front door. Patrick again apologized for turning her down, but he explained that a parent couldn't always be spontaneous. Britt smiled sweetly as she assured him that she would leave it up to him to pick the time for them to spend the night together. After Patrick kissed Britt goodnight, he entered the house. He smiled when he saw Sabrina asleep on the sofa with Emma curled up in her lap.

On deck of the Haunted Star, A.J. pulled off his Grim Reaper mask. He regretted upsetting Monica, but he had to see his son. A.J. put the mask back on and then re-entered the nightclub.

Michael and Starr, dressed as Gothic vampires, decided to get a drink at the bar, but they bumped into a man wearing a Grim Reaper costume. Unaware that it was A.J., Starr jokingly warned Michael to beware of the Grim Reaper. Michael reminded her that he was a vampire, so he didn't have anything to fear from Death. They started to pass by the Grim Reaper, but A.J. blocked Michael's path. A.J. tensed when Michael wondered if he knew the man. Michael started to pull off the mask, but A.J. stopped him and left.

Michael was unsettled by the encounter, but Starr refused to let Michael dwell on it because she had promised to keep his mind off of his troubles. Michael smiled as Starr kissed him and then led him out to the dance floor. Nearby, Tracy bumped into the Grim Reaper. She demanded an apology when her drink spilled down her front. "Even in costume I'd know exactly who you are, Tracy," A.J. growled at his aunt. Tracy recognized the voice, but couldn't place who it belonged to, so she asked him who he was. "Be afraid, Tracy. Be very afraid," A.J. snarled and walked away.

A short time later, Tracy caught up to Luke. Luke wondered if she had learned anything interesting about Duke, so Tracy confided that Luke appeared to annoy "the crap" out of Duke. Luke glared at her, and then revealed that Anna had been about to tell Felicia if Anna wanted to be with Luke or Duke until Anna had caught Luke spying on Anna. Tracy suggested that Luke had lost his touch, but Luke insisted that Duke had blinded Anna.

Meanwhile, Starr laughed as she and Michael danced. She confessed that she hadn't believed that they would make it as far as they had because there had been a time when it had seemed that they would end in disaster. Michael reminded her that that was the reason that they had decided to take things slowly. Starr admitted that she didn't think that they needed to do that anymore. Michael was uncertain about what she was saying, so she led him outside to talk in private.

Starr and Michael were unaware that A.J. had slipped out after them. On the deck, Michael admitted that he loved being with Starr. Starr revealed that she had never thought that she'd be happy again, so she was ready for the next step. Michael and Starr kissed passionately. Afterwards, Starr wondered if Michael was ready to leave. Michael confessed that he hadn't planned to make love to her, so he wasn't prepared. Starr smiled as she reminded him that there were three drug stores on the way to her apartment.

After another brief but heated kiss, Starr offered to head back to the apartment to get things ready while Michael stopped off at the drug store. After Starr left, Michael was started when the Grim Reaper reappeared. Michael made it clear that he wasn't in the mood to play games or to figure out who was hiding under the mask. "You sure about that?" A.J. asked as he pulled off his mask. Michael stared in shock at A.J.

Friday, November 2, 2012

by Elisabeth

At Metro Court restaurant, Johnny was unmoved as Connie grumbled because Johnny hadn't taken her to the Halloween party at the Haunted Star. Connie channeled her frustration on the matre d' as she ordered him to seat them. The matre d' explained that the restaurant was closed for a private party that had been booked months in advance. Connie argued that she was part owner of the hotel, so he suggested that she take it up with Carly. Johnny was stunned when Connie demanded to know where Carly was and the matre d' announced that Carly was in Todd's suite.

Connie smiled because she realized that Johnny was jealous that Carly had moved on with Todd. Connie confessed that she had seen Todd's abs, so she didn't blame Carly. Johnny glowered, so Connie suggested that he cheer up by celebrating their win in court. Johnny pointed out that getting a second court date wasn't exactly a victory, but Connie argued that all that mattered was that she wasn't in Shadybrook. Connie didn't want Carly getting her "freak on" with Todd to spoil their fun, but Johnny continued to simmer with anger. Eventually, Connie grew tired of Johnny's sullen company, so she left.

Johnny apologized to the matre d' for Connie's behavior, so the matre d' requested that Johnny find a way to keep Connie away from the staff, because she made everyone uncomfortable. Johnny promised to do what he could in exchange for Todd's room number.

In Todd's suite, things quickly heated up when Carly and Todd fell onto the sofa in a passionate embrace. However, Carly put the brakes on the love-making when Todd started to take her to the bedroom. She was afraid that Todd wanted to go to bed with her for the wrong reasons, because he still loved Blair. Todd reminded Carly that Blair was engaged to marry another man, but Carly remained concerned. Todd pointed out that Carly had been the one to push him to make a fresh start with someone new, but Carly didn't want to be the rebound girl.

Todd suspected that Carly was more concerned about rebounding from Johnny, but Carly denied it. Todd suggested that they were behaving like two healthy people who were attracted to each other, so they should just enjoy it. Carly smiled, so Todd kissed her. The passion quickly reignited until Johnny banged on the door, demanding to talk to Carly. Johnny refused to go away, so Todd opened the door.

Johnny begged Carly not to do anything with Todd just to get back at Johnny. Carly laughed at Johnny's arrogance, so she suggested that he go to his wife. Johnny wanted to talk to Carly, but Carly wasn't interested in hearing what he had to say, so Todd ordered Johnny to leave. Afterwards, Todd admitted that he hoped that Johnny's interruption wouldn't stop Todd and Carly from taking advantage of the king sized bed in the next room. "Really?" Carly asked, exasperated.

Contrite, Todd explained that it wasn't fair that Carly kept letting Johnny pull the rug out from under her. Todd insisted that he had never misrepresented himself to her by claiming that he was a good guy, the way that Johnny had. Carly disagreed because Todd had seemed to assure her that he was a good guy just minutes earlier. Todd admitted that he had merely said that because he had wanted to kiss her. He appreciated that she thought that he could be a good guy, but he warned her that he wasn't.

Carly explained that she didn't want to mess up what they had by rushing into something, so Todd suggested that they approach things from a different direction. He thought that they should have sex so that Carly could get back at Johnny. Carly smiled and got dressed. Todd hoped that she could at least admit that what had happened between them had been nice and that it would be nice if it were to happen again.

"I agree," Carly quietly told Todd. However, she didn't want to sleep with him for the wrong reasons. "That would be okay with me. You know, we could find a way to make meaningless sex meaningful," Todd suggested. Carly admitted that she didn't have a lot of friends, so losing Jason had been devastating because he had been her best friend. She didn't want to jeopardize what she had with Todd, so she thanked him for the evening and went to the door.

Todd was curious if Carly had ever slept with Jason. Carly's guilty expression was all the answer he needed. Carly insisted that it had been a long time before, but Todd simply laughed as he closed the door.

At Kelly's, Alexis apologized to Sonny because things hadn't gone well in court. Sonny couldn't believe that Connie had been given a reprieve. He started to leave, but Alexis ordered him to sit back down. Alexis reminded Sonny of his tendency to go to "the dark place" when he was upset, which always made things worse. Alexis suggested that they figure out a plan of action for the next hearing, but Sonny confessed that he felt like he was floundering because he had lost Jason and Kate. Alexis promised to do everything in her power to help him.

Sonny assured Alexis that he didn't blame her for what had transpired in court. He doubted that anyone could have anticipated that Connie would accuse Trey of not having her best interests at heart because they had never had a relationship. Alexis thought that it was encouraging that the judge had reminded Trey that Trey could still make a case to have Connie committed. Sonny feared that things would get ugly in court and admitted that a part of him wondered if perhaps Johnny had somehow contributed to Kate's breakdown.

Alexis advised Sonny not to speculate about things like that, so Sonny shifted gears by warning Alexis that Sam was in denial about Jason. Sonny suddenly felt overwhelmed by his own losses, including Jason, Bernie, and the scare they'd had with Kristina. Sonny admitted that it would take years to unravel the mess that Bernie had made of Sonny's business affairs, so Sonny felt pushed to the brink. Sonny's mood didn't improve when Connie suddenly sailed in.

Connie smiled victoriously as she greeted Sonny and Alexis. Alexis thought that it would be in everyone's best interest if Connie were to leave. Connie gloated that she had bested Alexis in court, so Sonny accused Connie of being a symptom of Kate's illness. Connie vowed that Sonny would never see Kate again, but Sonny disagreed and advised her not to be overconfident. Connie assured him that she was eager to tell the judge her side of things and reveal how Sonny had forced Trey to sign the commitment papers.

Alexis informed Connie that Trey had willingly signed the papers because he had seen through Connie's attempt to manipulate him. Connie warned Sonny to order Alexis to back down because Connie intended to take the gloves off and leave blood on the floor when she was through in court. Connie then cheerily announced that she had to meet up with her husband to have sex. After Connie left, Sonny flipped the table in anger. He immediately apologized and paid the waitress for the damages.

Outside, Connie was pleasantly surprised when she bumped into Johnny. Johnny remained in foul mood, prompting Connie to realize that he had caught Carly in Todd's suite. Connie invited him to go to dinner with her, but Johnny wasn't interested, so Connie suggested that they go to bed. Johnny admitted that he'd rather kill Todd than sleep with Connie.

Starr paced around the apartment as she called out Trey's name. She was relieved that he wasn't home, so she sat down on the sofa. Her thoughts drifted to Michael and their decision to take their relationship to the next step. She couldn't understand why she was so nervous when she was so certain of Michael's feelings for her. Starr heard a noise at the door, so she assumed that it was Michael and struck a sexy pose to greet him. However, it was Trey.

Trey explained that he had forgotten his key. Starr was eager to hear about the court hearing for Connie, so Trey revealed that the judge had granted Connie's request to tell her side of things. Trey conceded that Connie had been right to accuse him of not having her best interests at heart, because he didn't. Trey just wanted her off of the streets. Trey became irritated when he noticed Starr check her phone, so she apologized and explained that she had been expecting Michael.

Trey suddenly realized that Starr and Michael had intimate plans for their evening, but she refused to confirm his suspicions. Starr made it clear that she expected Trey to respect her boundaries, so Trey assured her that he would. He didn't understand why she was making such a big deal out of it, since Starr and Michael had "hooked up" before. Trey was stunned when Starr blushed, so she explained that they had decided to take things slowly. However, she was concerned about why she hadn't heard from Michael, especially in the wake of what had happened to Jason.

At the Haunted Star, Michael tried to brush past the man dressed as the Grim Reaper. Michael explained that he had somewhere to be and then explained that he wasn't interested in finding out who was behind the mask. "Are you sure about that?" A.J. asked as he pulled off the mask. Michael was stunned, so A.J. confirmed that he was alive and was Michael's father. Michael demanded to know what was going on because he had watched A.J. die at the hands of Dr. Asher Thomas, who had smothered A.J. with a pillow. A.J. wanted a chance to explain things to Michael, but somewhere more private.

Michael didn't have any reason to trust A.J., so he refused to go anywhere with him. A.J. pleaded with Michael for an opportunity to hear what A.J. had to say because Michael deserved to know the truth. Michael wondered why he should believe anything that A.J. had to say, so A.J. reminded him that there were two sides to every story.

Michael and A.J. made their way to a quiet corner on the pier. A.J. explained that after he had survived the attempt on his life, Monica had found A.J. proper medical care and had made arrangements for A.J. to leave the country. A.J. insisted that his mother hadn't had any choice except to let everyone think that A.J. had died because she had been desperate to protect him. Michael was curious why A.J. had returned, so A.J. admitted that he hadn't been able to let his mother lose both of her sons. Michael realized that was why Monica had been looking at a picture of A.J. and Jason when Michael had gone to see his grandmother.

A.J. revealed that he had been standing on the terrace during Michael's visit. A.J. confessed that he had felt pride in the man that Michael had become and had wanted nothing more than to rush in and hold his son. A.J. tried to hug Michael, but Michael shoved his father away and growled, "Don't touch me." A.J. immediately apologized, but Michael wasn't satisfied. Michael wondered if A.J. thought that all would have been forgiven if A.J. had simply revealed himself.

Michael made it clear that A.J. was nothing to him except the man who had kidnapped Michael, Morgan, and Kristina, and then had made everyone think that Michael had been killed. Michael admitted that he recalled the lies that A.J. had told him about Sonny and Carly not wanting Michael because they finally had their own biological son, Morgan. Michael also vividly recalled A.J. shooting Alan in the back, struggling with Jason on the staircase, and then tumbling down the steps to the landing. Michael had been terrified that he had been responsible for Jason and A.J.'s deaths.

A.J.'s eyes filled with remorse, as he assured Michael that none of it had been Michael's fault. Michael agreed; it had been A.J.'s fault. A.J. confessed that shooting Alan had been one of the biggest regrets of his life, but Michael wasn't moved. Michael explained that watching Dr. Thomas smother A.J. had traumatized Michael so deeply that Michael had been unable to talk for weeks. A.J. felt terrible for what Michael had endured but assured Michael that he hadn't known.

A.J. conceded that he had done terrible things, but he explained that Sonny, Carly, and Jason had often driven him to it. Michael didn't believe A.J., so A.J. revealed that Sonny had once hung A.J. on a meat hook and then had threatened to kill A.J. and make it appear like a drunk-driving accident, if A.J. didn't give up his parental rights to Michael. Michael accused A.J. of lying, but A.J. assured him that it was the truth. A.J. hated that he had signed the papers, but he had wanted to live and had hoped that he would get the chance to have a relationship with Michael anyway. Michael refused to be turned against Sonny.

A.J. insisted that Michael had been raised with Sonny as a father because Carly had refused to let A.J. be a part of Michael's life. A.J. told his son about how Carly had drugged him and doused him with alcohol when A.J. had found out about Michael. Michael accused A.J. of using the story as an excuse to explain away a drinking binge, but A.J. insisted that he had been sober at the time. A.J. admitted that Carly had been desperate to pass Michael off as Tony's child, so she had seized an opportunity to get A.J. out of the way when A.J. had foolishly confided to Carly that he would leave town for good if he relapsed again. Michael defended his mother by arguing that A.J. had tried to take Michael away from her, so she had been forced to turn to Jason for help.

A.J. had no idea what Carly had said to turn Jason against A.J., but A.J. insisted that he had loved his little brother, Jason. A.J. accused Carly of instigating things and fighting to keep A.J. out of Michael's life. A.J. conceded that he wasn't proud of the things that he had done, but Carly, Sonny, and Jason had goaded him every step of the way. A.J. promised that he wasn't the same man he once had been, so Michael was curious what had changed. A.J. confessed that he knew what was important: Michael.

A.J. wanted the chance to have a relationship with Michael and to finally prove to his son that he could be a good father. A.J. admitted that he had overheard what Michael had said to Monica about wondering what it would be like to have a relationship with A.J. Michael claimed that he had merely told Monica what he had thought she had needed to hear because she had been grieving for her son. According to Michael, he had nothing to say to A.J., but A.J. wondered why, if that were true, Michael was there with him.

Michael's cell phone pinged, so Michael looked down and saw a text from Starr, asking where he was. Michael explained that he needed to go, so A.J. reminded Michael that no one could know that he was alive or back in town until A.J. had an opportunity to deal with his legal troubles. Michael was curious why he should protect A.J., so A.J. pointed out that it might be difficult to have a relationship while A.J. was in jail. A.J. volunteered to answer whatever questions Michael might have, but Michael was certain that A.J. would only feed him more lies.

At the apartment, Starr decided to go look for Michael, so Trey insisted on joining her. They opened the door to leave, but stopped short when they realized that Michael had been about to knock. Michael wondered where they were headed, so Starr explained that she had been worried about Michael. Trey decided to excuse himself and went to bed. Starr was curious what had taken Michael so long to get there, so Michael revealed that he had been delayed. Starr sensed that Michael was holding something back, so Michael admitted that he had just seen his father.

On pier 52, Carly sat down on a crate and began to talk to Jason. She realized that it might seem a bit morbid to talk to Jason at the scene of his death, but she needed to feel close to him. Carly confessed that she had almost slept with Todd, but she had stopped before things had gone too far because she didn't know if she could trust Todd, even though she wanted to. Carly's eyes filled with tears as she confessed that she wished that Jason were there for her to talk to.

Moments later, Carly was startled when she heard a noise in a nearby alley. She called out to see if anyone was there, but no one answered. Carly suddenly gasped when a man stepped out of the shadows, because he looked eerily like Jason. Carly's surprise turned to disbelief when A.J. stepped into the light. "Oh, my God," Carly whispered.