General Hospital Recaps: The week of December 8, 2014 on GH

Helena used a method of mind control to get Jason to help Faison escape. Britt left town with her father. Jordan was fired. Ric disappeared from the Witness Protection Program. Franco, Nina, and Ava were apprehended.

Monday, December 8, 2014

by Marissa PD

Maxie sat at Kelly's and stared at her phone, urging Nathan to call her. Lulu called out to Maxie multiple times. When Maxie finally heard, she apologized for her head being "all over the place." She was worried about Nathan transporting Faison to Pentonville, and Lulu was worried about Dante for the same situation. Lulu got a text message from Dante that he and Nathan hadn't yet left for Pentonville. Maxie couldn't relax until she could stop looking over her shoulder all the time for the "creepy" Faison.

Lulu realized that Maxie's hearing for custody of Georgie was soon. Maxie revealed that she'd been working on her testimony for the hearing. Lulu told Maxie that she was a good mother and that she would be spending the new year with Georgie and Nathan. Lulu related that, according to Dante, Nathan had been "suffering" without Maxie. Lulu assured Maxie that the hearing would go well, and she left. Maxie again went through her testimony but got distracted by her phone. "Would it kill you to text me?" she wondered of Nathan.

"Long time no see," Johnny said to Sonny. Johnny told Sonny that, through all of Sonny's many wrongs, Johnny respected Sonny for getting Carly off the hook. Johnny related that, even when he and Carly had been at their closest, and even with Connie, he'd always been standing in Sonny's shadow. Johnny had been sorry to hear about Connie, and he also offered his services to help find Ava's baby. Johnny swore he was a different man. Sonny appreciated Johnny's words, and the two shook hands.

"Well isn't that romantic?" said a prisoner, walking up with another man. Sonny warned the men that they wouldn't mess with him once they found out who he was. They informed him that they knew who he was and that their boss wanted them to give Sonny a "special welcome." Sonny wondered who their boss was. "That'd be me," Johnny revealed.

Sonny wanted to do his jail time in peace and promised that he was no threat to Johnny. Johnny apologetically told Sonny that he couldn't let others think he was weak or lenient. Johnny walked away as his two men started to beat Sonny up. "Enough boys," Johnny told them a few minutes later. He got on the ground next to a bruised and bloody Sonny. "Welcome to the rest of your life," he said and left with his men.

Carly sat at the bar of the Floating Rib with a drink in front of her. Patrick sat down next to her and ordered a drink. Carly wondered if he was drinking because of Robin. He confessed that he was drinking because of Sam. Patrick wanted Carly to hear the story from him, so he told her about Robin trying to save Jason. "I should have known!" Carly shouted. She chastised herself for giving up on Jason when he never would have given up on her.

Carly remembered that Robin had said that Carly would throw a parade for Robin if she'd known why Robin had left her family. Carly admitted that, if Robin had saved Jason, Carly would have worshipped Robin until the day she died. Patrick assured Carly that Robin had done all she could. Carly understood why Patrick hadn't wanted to tell Sam about Jason, but Patrick agreed with Sam that it hadn't been his call to make.

Carly thought that Patrick had been a good friend to Sam and "maybe more." Patrick thought that Sam was better off with Silas, but Carly thought that Sam and Patrick were good together. Patrick commented that Jason would be "rolling over in his grave" to think of Sam and Patrick being together. Carly disagreed, and she assured him that Jason would only want Sam to be with someone who was good to her. Carly advised Patrick not to give up on being with Sam.

Patrick compared his situation with Sam to Carly's situation with Sonny. He also advised her not to give up. "If there's one thing I've learned since I've been in Port Charles, it's that you and Sonny are never over," Patrick told her. Carly countered that Sonny's probable life sentence was a huge obstacle. He thought she would figure something out. "You always do," he added. Carly thought it was "the end of the road" for her and Sonny but that Patrick would have a chance with Sam "if you don't get in your own way."

Sam tearfully watched the cops lead Faison out of the police station. Anna assured Sam that Faison would pay for his crimes, including what he'd done to Jason. As Faison left the building, a masked man sneaked up behind Sam. He covered her mouth from behind and took out a gun. Still covering her mouth, he followed Faison out.

Faison was put into a van. Anna advised Dante and Nathan to keep their guard up. Sam tried to cry out as the gunman pushed her outside. Anna wondered if Nathan had been in contact with Liesl. He wondered if she thought that Liesl was up to something. "Don't you?" Anna shot back. Just then, the gunman fired shots into the air and used Sam as a shield as the cops pointed guns at him. Anna demanded that the man put the gun down. "Do what I say, or the next bullet is hers," the gunman said, referring to Sam. Nathan thought he had a clear shot, but Anna told him to hold his fire.

Sam pleaded with Anna not to worry about her, but Anna asked what the man wanted. He demanded the keys to the van. Sam begged Anna not to give in, which would result in losing track of Faison. The man fired shots and hit Nathan in the shoulder. Anna instructed her men to hold their fire. Dante threw the keys on top of the van. The man pushed Sam against a concrete wall, knocking her out. He grabbed the keys and sped off in the van while the cops shot at the van.

Anna told one of the cops to call an ambulance as she put pressure on Nathan's wound. Dante lightly shook Sam awake and helped her up. As he ran after the van, she took over for Anna by putting pressure on Nathan's wound. Nathan assured everyone that he was fine. Just then, Lulu ran up and kneeled next to Nathan. Lulu warned Nathan that "Maxie will kill you" if he didn't turn out to be all right.

Nathan asked Lulu to tell Maxie that Maxie was going to make a great mother. Lulu told Nathan to focus so he didn't lose consciousness. Dante returned and told Anna that the van had been "ditched," and the gunman had had a car waiting. A few minutes later, an ambulance took Nathan away. Anna disclosed that Faison had been spotted at the docks.

Helena was pleased to meet Britt but wondered why she was leaving her happy life with Nikolas. Britt briefly explained that Nikolas had thrown her out. "So here I am," she concluded. Helena admitted that she admired Britt's determination to get Nikolas back, but she didn't admire how Britt had used Spencer. Liesl reminded Helena that Spencer was back home safe where he belonged. "Not anymore!" Spencer called out, holding a backpack.

Britt wondered why Spencer was there as he ran over to her. He revealed that he and Nikolas were no longer speaking because Nikolas refused to take Britt back. He thought it would be fun to live with Britt and Brad, but Britt told him that she was no longer living anywhere. He thought he would like to see the world with Britt. "Over my dead body," Helena said.

"I didn't ask for your opinion," Spencer said. "Who's this broad?" he added. Liesl introduced Helena as his great-grandmother. Astounded, Spencer repeated what Nikolas had once told him: "I'd know you by the snakes in your hair!" Spencer hid behind Britt as Helena instructed him to go home and stay there. Britt tearfully told Spencer that he and Nikolas needed each other and that she was leaving Port Charles. "Don't I mean anything to you?" he wondered. "More than you could ever know," she replied.

Britt continued that, while things may not have worked out between her and Nikolas, she was meant to meet Spencer. "I love you, Britt," Spencer told her, and he wondered what he would do without her. She hugged him and told him that she would miss him. She gave him her engagement ring that she'd found while packing, and she instructed him to give it to a "lucky girl someday." She promised to return and hugged him again.

A short while later, Helena instructed someone on the phone to contact her as soon as Spencer returned home. "Your package," the gunman said as he entered with Faison. Liesl wondered if the gunman was going to accompany them on their trip as security, but Helena disclosed that she had "other uses for him." Helena and the gunman walked away to talk privately.

Helena told the gunman to take off his mask. Once he did, Jason was revealed underneath. She asked for details about the rescue. He informed her that he'd shot one cop, but it hadn't been a "kill shot." She instructed him to change his clothes, leave his weapons, and return to Elizabeth's house. She told him to believe that he'd spent the day looking for work, and he was not to remember any encounters with Helena. He understood. She remarked that he'd lived up to his reputation, and she looked forward to using his services again in the future.

Britt wanted to say goodbye to Nathan before she left, but Faison informed her that Nathan might not make it through the night. He updated the women on what had happened. Helena returned, and Liesl angrily wondered why she hadn't instructed her gunman not to hurt Nathan. Helena reminded Liesl that Faison was free, and they needed to leave before they were found. Britt didn't want to leave while Nathan was hurt. "I'll stay," Liesl said.

Faison wondered why Liesl would risk their future to stay in Port Charles. Liesl replied that she'd given Nathan up once, and she refused to do it again. She assured him that they could wait a little bit longer to be together. Liesl apologized for not being the best mother to Britt but assured her daughter that she was always on Liesl's mind. She promised to see Faison and Britt again. "When the time is right," Faison added.

Crying, Liesl held hands with Britt and Faison. She kissed both of them and told them, "Auf wiedersehen." She led them to the edge of the dock, and Britt and Faison got into the boat. Liesl cried as she watched them go, and Helena comforted her.

Nikolas informed his guards on the phone that they were to watch out for Helena. When he hung up, he told Elizabeth that he wanted to talk to "Jake" about his encounter with Helena. Speaking of Elizabeth's houseguest, Nikolas couldn't believe that she'd taken in a complete stranger. She explained the situation to him and insisted that she had a gut feeling to trust the man. Elizabeth countered that Nikolas had put his faith in Britt, who he'd already known was untrustworthy. Nikolas didn't want to leave Spencer alone for too long, so he left.

A short while later, Jake returned. Elizabeth wondered how his job search had gone.

Tuesday, December 9, 2014

by Elisabeth

Alexis went to Kelly's, looking for Molly, but Molly was not there, so Alexis approached Maxie to ask if Maxie had seen Molly. Maxie hadn't noticed if Molly had been at the diner because Maxie had been working on a project, but Maxie sensed that Alexis was upset. Alexis recalled Anna confiding that Ric was alive, but she opted not to share the news with Maxie. However, Alexis asked Maxie to keep an eye out for Molly in case Molly showed up. Maxie agreed to keep Molly at the diner until Alexis returned.

After Alexis left to look for Molly at the library, Maxie checked to see if Nathan had sent a text message. Patrick entered the diner as Maxie muttered to herself about Nathan, so Patrick asked if he should be concerned that Maxie had been talking to herself. Maxie greeted Patrick, but she immediately realized that he was troubled as he sat down to join her. Patrick confessed that he had been at the Floating Rib earlier, so Maxie was curious if he had been celebrating or drowning his sorrows. Patrick's expression told her that it had been the latter, so Patrick admitted that he and Sam had argued.

Maxie tried to find out what had happened between Patrick and Sam, but Patrick didn't want to talk about it, so he changed the subject by asking what she had been working on. Maxie explained that her court hearing for visitation with Georgie was the following week and that she was hopeful that things would work out in her favor. Moments later, Lulu called to let Maxie know that Nathan had been shot. Patrick warned Maxie that it wouldn't be a good idea for her to race to Nathan's side, but Maxie refused to listen, so Patrick left with Maxie.

At the Quartermaine mansion, Ned and Olivia watched a 3-D movie. She was grateful that he had persuaded her to watch the movie at the mansion rather than at her apartment on her "crappy" little flat screen television. Ned thanked Olivia for picking out the movie because it had been the perfect distraction after his argument with Alexis. Ned conceded that spats were expected in a relationship, but he feared that his argument with Alexis had been more than that. Ned suddenly apologized because he knew that Olivia wasn't interested in hearing about his problems, but Olivia insisted that she didn't mind because she and Ned were friends.

Ned admitted that Olivia had been a good friend to him since he had returned to Port Charles. Olivia smiled awkwardly then resumed watching the movie. However, she jumped into his arms during a scene that startled her. Ned chuckled because Olivia should have expected the scene, since she had seen the movie before, but Olivia argued that it was more intense in 3-D. Ned noticed Olivia's serious expression, so he asked her what was on her mind.

Olivia appeared on the verge of opening up to Ned about her feelings for him, but Alexis suddenly flipped on the light as she entered the room. Alexis immediately apologized for interrupting, but Ned grumbled because he and Olivia had been in the middle of something. Olivia began to babble about the movie then quickly excused herself to fetch more popcorn.

After Olivia left the room, Ned asked why Alexis had stopped by. Alexis confessed that she had wanted to apologize to him because he had been right to call her out for defending Julian on Thanksgiving. Ned relaxed as he admitted that he had been wrong to get defensive about his father, Larry, since it was clear that his father was up to no good. Alexis smiled when Ned suggested that he and Alexis call it even. Alexis confessed that a part of her had wanted to believe that there had been good in Julian to justify falling in love with him.

However, Alexis realized that she had been wrong about Julian because Julian had framed an innocent man by claiming that Ric had been the head of the Jerome organization. Ned was stunned when Alexis confided that Ric was alive. She feared that Ric being alive wouldn't matter to Molly because Alexis had hurt Molly by taking Julian's word over her own daughter's. Ned was confident that Molly would forgive Alexis, but Alexis remained skeptical.

Alexis shifted gears to confess that Ned meant a lot to her, so she looked forward to seeing where their relationship might take them -- provided he could forgive her. Ned smiled as he assured Alexis that there had been nothing to forgive. Alexis leaned forward to kiss Ned just as Olivia returned to the living room.

Shortly after Alexis left, Olivia remarked that it was clear that Ned and Alexis had worked things out. She pretended to be happy for Ned, but he was curious what Olivia had wanted to tell him before Alexis' arrival. Olivia claimed that she had merely been about to suggest that she and Ned ring in the New Year together since they didn't have dates. Ned surprised Olivia by announcing that he would find a date for Olivia because she deserved to be happy. He was confident that the right guy for Olivia was out there, but rather than reply, Olivia put her 3-D glasses back on then resumed watching the movie. Ned was oblivious to the tear that slipped down her cheek.

On the piers, Anna and Dante carefully made their way through the alleys with their guns drawn as they searched for signs of Faison and the gunman. Moments later, they heard a noise, so they rounded a corner then ordered the person to raise their hands. "It's me," Jordan said as she turned to face Anna and Dante.

According to Jordan, she had raced to the piers when she had heard about Faison's escape, but she had been too late because a boat had been speeding out of the harbor as she had arrived. Anna suspected that Faison and his accomplice had been on the boat and headed for international waters, so she decided that they needed to regroup and call the FBI for assistance. Anna ordered Dante to go to the hospital to check on Nathan, but Dante was reluctant to leave until Anna made it clear that it was an order.

After Dante left, Jordan expressed frustration over Faison's escape because her eight months of undercover work had been for naught. Jordan's fears of being held accountable for Faison's escape were realized when her boss, Bob Massicotte, suddenly approached her and Anna on the piers. Bob was not pleased that Jordan had failed her undercover assignment, but Jordan argued that Faison had been identified as the head of the Jerome crime family. Bob reminded Jordan that Alexis, not Jordan, had unmasked Faison.

Bob suggested that perhaps Jordan might have been more effective if she hadn't been busy trying to cover up various crimes for the Jeromes, including Ava's accident when Ava had struck a man in the road with a car. Jordan resented Bob's accusations because she had sacrificed everything for her job, but Bob countered that Jordan hadn't been ready to work undercover. Anna stepped in to defend Jordan, but Bob was not impressed.

Anna assured Bob that Jordan had not been responsible for Faison's escape because it had been Anna's responsibility to transfer Faison to Pentonville to be handed off to federal agents. Bob informed Anna that Anna's word meant little to him and his superiors after what Anna had done to Faison. He also reminded Anna that Ric Lansing's name had been dragged through the mud because of Anna, but Anna insisted that it had been a necessary evil to get to the head of the Jerome organization. Anna pointed out that Ric was free to return home and clear his name, but Bob revealed that it wouldn't be that easy.

Meanwhile, T.J. was cleaning up in Kelly's kitchen when Molly slipped in to surprise him. Their conversation quickly turned serious as they discussed how each of their mothers had wronged them. T.J. suggested that Molly forgive Alexis, but Molly was curious if T.J. was ready to forgive Jordan. T.J. admitted that in his head, he realized that Shawn had acted in self-defense, but T.J. couldn't get past Shawn and Jordan's betrayal of his father, Thomas. Molly wondered if T.J. had heard from Shawn or Jordan, so T.J. revealed that Shawn had been giving him space, but Jordan kept insisting that T.J. hadn't heard the whole story.

Later, T.J. asked what Molly was working on when he saw her seated at the counter, staring at her laptop. She revealed that she had written an editorial about her father and how the justice system, his family, and friends had failed Ric. T.J. was curious if she intended to submit it to the local newspaper, but Molly scoffed at the suggestion because she doubted that the man who had framed her father would be eager to print the letter. Molly decided to publish the editorial online in the hopes that it would go viral.

Moments later, Alexis entered the diner. Alexis was relieved when she saw Molly, but Molly insisted that she wasn't ready to talk to Alexis. Alexis explained that she needed to tell Molly something, but Alexis' phone rang before Alexis could elaborate. Molly snidely suggested that Alexis answer the call as Molly marched into the kitchen. It was Anna. Alexis explained that she needed to call Anna back, but Anna insisted that it was important because she needed to let Alexis know that Ric was missing.

At the Webber residence, Elizabeth asked about Jake's job search, but the question was quickly forgotten when she noticed that Jake appeared unwell. She became concerned when she realized that his temperature was elevated and his pulse was racing. Jake tried to make light of his symptoms by flirtatiously suggesting that she had that effect on him. Elizabeth smiled, but she recognized the symptoms of overexertion, so she ordered him to take a shower while she fixed him something to eat.

Later, Jake returned to the living room as Elizabeth set down a tray with a bowl of soup on the coffee table. Jake thanked Elizabeth, but she was relieved that Jake looked better. She suggested that they watch a movie, so she turned on the television. Elizabeth's attention was immediately snagged by a special news report about the shootout at the police station and Faison's escape with the help of a masked gunman. The news program showed footage of the incident that a bystander had captured on a cell phone.

Elizabeth was horrified when she saw that Sam had been involved and that Nathan had been shot. She wondered how Sam had gotten wrapped up in the incident, so Jake calmly pointed out that Sam had been taken hostage. Elizabeth seemed a bit surprised by Jake's lack of reaction but dismissed it when she decided to call Dante for an update. Elizabeth's concern turned to shock when she heard the news anchor reveal that Faison had been identified as the head of the Jerome crime organization, which meant that Ric Lansing had been innocent.

Jake noticed Elizabeth's reaction, so he asked if she had known Ric. She revealed that she had once been married to Ric then added that she and Ric had rekindled their romance until his arrest. Elizabeth admitted that she had initially walked away from Ric after the arrest but she'd had a change of heart and had decided to stand by his side. However, Ric had been killed while trying to escape before she could tell him. Elizabeth felt guilty because she feared that Ric might not have tried to escape if he'd had more support.

At the hospital, Nathan was flanked by two police officers as they helped him into the emergency room. One of the police officers explained that they hadn't been able to wait for an ambulance, so the emergency room doctor helped Nathan to a gurney then had Nathan taken to a nearby trauma room.

Meanwhile, Sam and Lulu arrived. Sam explained that she was Nathan's cousin, so she asked for an update on his condition, but the nurse insisted that she could only release the information to an immediate family member. Frustrated, Sam and Lulu were forced to wait for news, so they discussed the shooting. Lulu was curious if Sam could identify the gunman, but Sam explained that the "son of a bitch" had been wearing a mask.

Sam started to blame herself for Nathan being shot, but Lulu insisted that it hadn't been Sam's fault. Sam disagreed because she was certain that the gunman had been a professional. Lulu became distracted when Maxie sent Lulu a text message asking if Lulu had heard from Nathan. Lulu debated whether or not to tell Maxie about Nathan's shooting because Lulu knew that Maxie would want to be with Nathan even though it might cost Maxie visitation with Georgie. Sam admitted that she would want to know if someone she cared about was in trouble.

Later, Dante arrived at the hospital. Lulu and Sam were eager for news about Faison and the gunman, so Dante confessed that it appeared that Faison had escaped and made it to international waters. Moments later, Dante saw a nurse exit the trauma room, so he asked for an update about his partner. The nurse reiterated that she couldn't give out information except to immediate family members.

In the trauma room, the doctor asked for a scalpel so he could dig out the bullet from Nathan's shoulder, but Liesl suddenly appeared. Liesl informed the doctor that she intended to take over Nathan's care and save her son's life, so the doctor backed off. Nathan called out Maxie's name as he faded in and out of consciousness.

A short time later, Liesl stepped out of the trauma room to inform Nathan's friends that Nathan was resting, and she expected him to make a full recovery. Liesl demanded to know if Dante had captured the person responsible for shooting Nathan, so Dante suggested that the gunman had fled with Liesl's lover, Faison. It was clear that Dante suspected that Liesl knew something about Nathan's shooting, but she was offended by the suggestion that she would have anything to do with her son's brush with death. Lulu wasn't convinced, but Liesl insisted that she didn't have time for Dante and Lulu's "nonsense."

Moments later, Patrick and Maxie arrived. Maxie was eager for news about Nathan, so Liesl explained that Nathan was resting and couldn't have visitors. Maxie ignored Liesl as Maxie marched into the trauma room to check on Nathan. Liesl objected, but Maxie didn't care. Nathan smiled when he saw Maxie, so Liesl agreed that Maxie could have a short visit with Nathan. Liesl gently admitted to Nathan that she was proud of Nathan because he had fought hard for his life. However, Liesl warned him never to scare her like that again.

Nathan smiled at his mother, so Liesl winked at Maxie as Liesl left the trauma room. Maxie's expression softened as Nathan smiled at her. His smile quickly faded when he realized that Maxie had taken a big chance by visiting him because Judge Walters would not approve. Maxie didn't care because she had once lost someone who had been shot, so she refused to leave Nathan's side.

In the waiting area, Dante asked if Sam was okay. Patrick became concerned when he realized that Sam had been involved in the shootout. Sam assured everyone that she was fine, but Patrick insisted that she see a doctor. Sam refused because she had only received a few scratches. Patrick realized that she was mad at him, but he still cared about her. Sam repeated that she was fine, so Dante explained that he needed to get a statement from her.

Sam vowed to Dante that she intended to find the man who had helped Jason's killer escape.

Wednesday, December 10, 2014

by Elisabeth

At Metro Court Restaurant, Sam spoke to Spinelli on the phone as she filled him in about Cesar Faison's escape from police custody with the help of a gunman. She assured Spinelli that she was fine, but she wanted him to hack into the police department's computer system so she could review the security footage of the masked gunman. Sam quickly wrapped up the phone call with Spinelli when she noticed that Jake had entered the restaurant.

After Sam and Jake greeted each other, Sam invited Jake to join her. Jake was surprised by Sam's cheerful mood after what had transpired at the police station the previous day. Jake admitted that he and Elizabeth had seen what had happened on the news. Sam assured him that she hadn't been hurt, so he asked if the police had any leads on Faison or the gunman.

Sam admitted that both Faison and the gunman had disappeared, but she was determined to find both men because Faison had killed her husband, Jason. Jake revealed that Elizabeth had told him about the murder, so Sam explained that she needed to make certain that Faison went to jail because she wanted to be able to tell her son that the "bastard" who had killed Danny's father was rotting in prison. Sam was certain that the gunman had been a professional because the gunman had been efficient and had purposely shot Nathan to wound, not kill, him.

Jake was curious if the police had any leads, but Sam insisted that the police would never gather enough evidence to convict the gunman because the man had been careful. However, she revealed that she had enlisted the help of a friend with phenomenal hacking skills to obtain a copy of the security footage from the police station. Jake didn't appear to recognize Spinelli's name as Sam talked about their friend, but he was curious how long it would take Spinelli to get the security footage. Sam was confident that it wouldn't take long then changed the subject to ask why Jake was at the hotel's restaurant.

Sam jokingly wondered if Elizabeth had kicked him out, but Jake shook his head then confessed that he was there to look for a job. He had heard that there were job openings at the hotel, so Sam explained that he would have to talk to Carly. Sam was surprised when Jake admitted that he had already met Carly on the eve of Carly's wedding to Franco. Sam didn't bother to hide her dislike for Franco as she confided that it had been for the best that Carly hadn't married Franco. Jake confessed that he'd had the impression that Carly had been "hung up" on Sonny, which led to a brief discussion about Sonny's arrest.

At Pentonville, Carly was seated behind a glass window as Sonny was led to a seat on the other side of the window. She gasped when she saw the bruises on his face, so she picked up the phone to ask him what had happened. Sonny refused to discuss it, but Carly insisted that the authorities be notified that Sonny had been assaulted. She was also frustrated that she couldn't touch him, but he reminded her that prisoners weren't permitted to have physical contact with visitors.

Carly wanted answers about the attack, but Sonny assured her that he would handle things then shifted gears to ask if there had been any news about the missing baby. Carly reluctantly admitted that the police hadn't found the infant, but she promised that everyone, including Dante, had been working on it. However, Carly conceded that the police department had been stretched thin with Faison's escape. Sonny had no idea what Carly was talking about, so she quickly filled him about Faison's arrest.

Sonny was stunned that Faison had been posing as Luke for months in a bid to take over Sonny's territory, but Sonny assured Carly that the territory was safe and in good hands. However, Sonny was concerned how Luke had been doing since being rescued from Miscavige. Carly promised Sonny that Luke was recuperating and doing well, but she remained determined to report the attack on Sonny. Sonny warned her not to because it would make matters worse for him. He admitted that the assault had been expected, but he was confident that the threat to him was only temporary because Sonny intended to regain power in jail.

Sonny insisted that he needed Carly to focus on finding the baby, so Carly reluctantly let the matter of Sonny's assault drop. She hoped to have good news about the baby during her next visit, but Sonny admitted that he did not want Carly to return.

At the Quartermaine mansion, the man posing as Luke read the Port Charles Press featuring a front-page photo of Faison with the caption, "Fluke Flies The Coop." The impostor chuckled at the moniker for fake Luke. He conceded that it was catchy but not accurate, since it hadn't been a fluke that he was there.

Moments later, Michael entered the room. The impostor greeted Michael then gestured to the newspaper as he expressed outrage that Faison had been responsible for everything that had happened, including Luke being held captive at Miscavige. The impostor feigned regret that Michael had been among those who had been hurt by Faison's deception, so he apologized. Not realizing that the man before him was an impostor, Michael assured him that there was no need to apologize because Sonny had hurt Michael far worse than Faison had.

The man posing as Luke pretended that he had recently learned from Tracy about A.J.'s murder, so he offered Michael his condolences. According to the impostor, Sonny had acted like a coward without honor, so Sonny had gotten exactly what he had deserved. Michael was surprised because he knew that Luke and Sonny had been friends, but the impostor claimed that being held at Miscavige had given him a new perspective on things. The phony Luke reminded Michael that Sonny had always been ruthless, violent, and greedy, which had led to the bloodbath years earlier when Sonny had seized control of Frank Smith's territory.

The man posing as Luke insisted that A.J. hadn't been a threat to Sonny, yet Sonny had killed A.J. anyway. Michael grew quiet at the painful reminder, so the impostor suggested that they discuss sports. Michael declined because he had to get to work, so the impostor seized the opportunity to broach the subject of working for ELQ. The fake Luke claimed that he wanted to restore everyone's faith in him by helping to undo some of the damage that Faison had created. Michael appeared reluctant to hire Luke because Faison had spent months successfully posing as him, but the impostor pointed out that Luke had once worked for Edward.

Michael reminded the impostor that times had changed, so things were vastly different at ELQ. The impostor pretended to understand but promised that he would be content to simply offer Michael some business advice every once in awhile. Michael agreed to think about it then left. The impostor watched Michael leave, noting that Michael was Sonny's son because Michael was as reluctant to share power as Sonny had been. He vowed that Michael would soon learn the same lesson that Sonny had.

Moments later, the Luke impersonator received a call from an accomplice. He explained that he had been dealing with a minor annoyance but promised to meet the person right away because they had a lot to discuss.

On the piers, Dante cornered a man named Hooper, who had taken over for Quinn's boating business after Quinn's arrest for aiding and abetting when Peter/Levi had kidnapped Lulu and Maxie. Dante demanded to know what Hooper knew about Faison's escape, but Hooper denied any involvement or knowledge of the international terrorist's escape. Dante didn't believe Hooper, so Hooper offered to provide Dante with information about Franco. Hooper admitted that Franco, who had been accompanied by a woman with an infant, had hired Hooper to get out of town.

Dante wanted to know where Hooper had taken the trio, but Hooper refused to provide any information until Dante gave Hooper a written guarantee that Hooper would not be charged with a crime. Dante reluctantly agreed then dragged Hooper to the police station.

In a New York City hotel room, Ava woke up to Silas telling her that he had something for her. Ava's face lit with joy when she saw him holding her infant daughter, so she took the baby from him. Ava cooed to her daughter about how beautiful the baby was then asked how Silas had found the baby. "I didn't," Silas answered. Confused, Ava looked up at Silas then glanced back down at her daughter, only to discover that the baby was gone.

Ava awoke from the dream with a start. Silas immediately sensed that something was wrong, so she told him about her dream. Ava worried that they would never track down her daughter, but Silas assured Ava that they would find the baby. Ava thanked Silas for everything he had done for her, but she pointed out that they were no closer to finding the baby than they had been. Silas disagreed because he had reached out to several of Franco's contacts in the art world to ask if anyone had heard from Franco or might have an idea where Franco and Nina had disappeared to.

According to Silas, someone had agreed to meet with Silas and Ava. Ava was curious who, but Silas confessed that he had no idea. However, the person had a picture of both Silas and Ava, so the person would approach them at the meeting place.

At Ryan's bar, Delia approached a table to ask if the couple was ready to order. She was stunned when she realized that the woman seated at the table was her granddaughter, Lauren. Kiki smiled as she clarified that she preferred the nickname Kiki, but Delia didn't care because all that mattered was that Kiki was her granddaughter. Delia warmly hugged Kiki then asked if the young man with Kiki was Kiki's boyfriend, Michael.

Kiki introduced Morgan then explained that she and Michael had recently ended things. Delia was impressed that Kiki had managed to move on so quickly with someone as handsome as Morgan, but Kiki clarified that Morgan was just a friend. However, Kiki admitted that she had once been married to Morgan. Kiki revealed that she and Morgan were in New York City on a mission to find a missing baby who might be Morgan's daughter. Delia was struck by the coincidence because Ava's baby was also missing.

Kiki and Morgan quickly explained that Morgan might be the father of Ava's baby, so they were in the city, hoping to get a lead on Ava. Delia became defensive as she wondered if Kiki thought that Delia had been hiding Ava. Delia conceded that she wasn't a saint, but she insisted that she would never help Ava because Ava had killed someone. Delia, Kiki, and Morgan were shocked when Silas and Ava suddenly entered the bar.

"Speak of the devil," Delia muttered as she looked at Ava, who had tried to disguise herself with a black hat and dark sunglasses. Stunned, Kiki approached her father to confront him about lying to her. Ava asked Kiki not to blame Silas because Silas had been helping Ava to find the baby, but Kiki questioned if Ava was really trying to find the baby or hoping to escape justice. Ava assured Kiki and Morgan that she was desperate to find the baby, but Morgan didn't believe Ava.

Ava pulled Morgan aside to plead with him for understanding. She was certain that a part of Morgan still cared about her because he had helped her before, but Morgan informed her that everything had changed when he had learned that she had been responsible for Connie's murder. Ava was shocked when Morgan admitted that he had been the one to tell Sonny that Ava had been hiding at the brownstone. Ava couldn't believe that Morgan had sent Sonny after her, knowing that Sonny had intended to kill her.

Morgan confessed that he hadn't realized at the time that Ava had already given birth, so Morgan had thought that he would have more time to persuade Sonny not to kill Ava. Morgan conceded that he didn't want Ava to die, but he believed that she belonged behind bars. Ava was curious if that was the reason Morgan and Kiki were in the city, so Kiki explained that they had hoped to track down Franco.

Morgan, Kiki, Silas, and Ava sat down at a corner table as they discussed their efforts to find the missing baby. Silas revealed that someone who might have some answers had agreed to meet Silas and Ava at Ryan's bar. Ava implored both Morgan and Kiki not to alert the authorities of her whereabouts until the baby was found.

In Canada, Nina woke up then checked the playpen. She panicked when she noticed that Jaime was missing, so Nina frantically ran through the house, calling out to Franco. Moments later, Franco entered the house. Nina was relieved when she saw Jaime in his arms, so she took the baby from him as he explained that he had simply taken Jaime out for some fresh air. Nina remained upset until Franco assured her that he had left her a note.

Nina saw the note on the table then apologized for her reaction. She admitted that she was nervous because the past few weeks had been the best of her life, so she was afraid that she would lose what she and Franco had. Franco assured Nina that they were safe, but Nina feared that someone would pop up out of the blue, looking for them. Franco promised Nina that no one knew where they were, but they both jumped when someone suddenly knocked on the door.

Franco and Nina tried to ignore the knocking, but Jaime became fussy, so Franco was forced to answer the knock. Nina clutched Jaime close as she ducked out of sight while Franco grabbed a frying pan then opened the door. A young woman stood on the doorstep as she held up one of Jaime's mittens that Franco had dropped when he had been outside with the baby. Franco thanked the woman for returning the mitten, but the woman's brow furrowed because she thought that she might have met Franco before.

Franco denied knowing the woman then closed the door before she could ask any further questions. However, Franco and Nina's reprieve lasted only a few seconds as the woman once again knocked on the door. Franco reluctantly opened the door while Nina remained out of sight with Jaime. He tensed when the woman revealed that she knew that he was Franco.

Thursday, December 11, 2014

by Elisabeth

At Pentonville, Sonny told Carly that he didn't want her to return. "So, that's it? You're breaking up with me?" Carly asked in stunned disbelief. Sonny explained that it was necessary because he didn't want her to continue to have trouble with Michael. Sonny was certain that Michael would eventually forgive Carly if she were to tell Michael that she had cut all ties with Sonny. Carly refused to turn her back on Sonny then added that she didn't regret helping Sonny because she hadn't wanted Michael to lose Sonny after losing A.J.

Sonny's voice cracked with emotion as he reminded Carly that he had caused both her and Michael pain, but Carly insisted that Franco had been to blame for hurting Michael. Sonny disagreed because he had kept pushing Franco despite Franco's threats, but Carly continued to blame Franco. Sonny argued that regardless of what Franco had done, Sonny had killed A.J., and Carly had helped Sonny cover it up. He insisted that they both needed to take full responsibility for what they had done if Carly had any hope of salvaging her relationship with Michael.

"What about us?" Carly tearfully asked. She appreciated that Sonny wanted to be noble because he loved her, but she refused to walk away from him. Sonny reminded Carly that he didn't have anything to offer her because he was locked up in jail for the rest of his life, but Carly didn't care because she loved Sonny and was willing to take what she could get. Carly explained that there wasn't anyone for her except Sonny, but Sonny wanted Carly to move on with her life and find someone new.

Carly reiterated that Sonny was the only man for her then added that she was confident that Michael would make peace with what had happened because she was determined to make Michael understand why she and Sonny had done what they had. Sonny refused to allow Carly to waste her life, stuck in a relationship with him while he was in jail, but Carly argued that it wasn't his decision to make. Sonny warned Carly that he would refuse to see her if she tried to visit him again then proved his point by hanging up the phone and turning his back on her. Carly's eyes filled with tears of frustration as she stood up then reluctantly left.

Afterwards, Sonny began to weep as he thought about how he and Carly had found their way back to each other over the past few months. Minutes later, he pushed the memories away then left the visitor's room.

On the piers, the man pretending to be Luke met with his accomplice, Helena. Helena hoped that the impostor had been busy furthering their agenda, so he assured her that everyone believed that he was Luke. He admitted that even the people who had never liked Luke had been sympathetic to him. Pleased, Helena gloated that her plan to make it appear that Cesar Faison had been the impostor had been brilliant. The impostor conceded that the plan had worked, but he questioned the methods she had used to liberate Faison from police custody.

Helena insisted that it had been necessary to make a big show of Faison's escape to reinforce everyone's certainty that Faison had indeed been guilty of impersonating Luke. The impostor pointed out that a police officer had been shot, but Helena merely smiled because her "soldier-boy" had executed the plan better than she could have anticipated. She explained that Nathan hadn't been killed because her operative had been a professional.

The impostor appeared annoyed as Helena bragged about her "soldier-boy," so he asked who the man was. Helena smiled indulgently as she assured the impostor that the impostor had nothing to worry about because her secret operative was not the impostor's rival. The impostor seemed pleased, but he was curious about the man Helena had sent to break Faison free. Helena revealed that the man had been mentally conditioned to follow her orders and then forget everything once the mission had been completed, including who he worked for.

According to Helena, her "soldier-boy" was the perfect weapon to use against anyone who got in Helena and the impostor's way. Satisfied, the impostor shifted gears to reveal that Michael had turned down his offer to work for ELQ. Helena reminded the impostor that they had fifteen-and-a-half percent of ELQ shares thanks to Jerry Jacks, but the impostor warned Helena that the rest of the shareholders wouldn't give up their shares easily. Helena grinned as she reminded the imposter that they had her "soldier-boy" at the ready to remove any insurmountable obstacles.

In Nathan's hospital room, Elizabeth checked Nathan's vitals as Anna gave him an update about the search for Nina. Nathan was frustrated that his sister had disappeared, but he defended her to Anna by explaining that Nina would never have taken the baby if Nina had been in her right mind. Nathan was also certain that Franco had persuaded Nina to flee town with the child. Anna promised to stay on top of things, including the hunt for the gunman responsible for shooting Nathan.

After Anna left, Elizabeth confessed that she and Jake had seen the footage of the shootout on the news. She admitted that Jake had pointed out that Sam could have easily been killed, but Nathan remained concerned about his sister and eager to get back to work. Elizabeth warned Nathan that he wasn't ready to leave the hospital, so he reluctantly stayed in bed.

Moments later, Elizabeth answered a knock at the door. It was a volunteer delivering a big plant that had been sent to Nathan. Nathan's curiosity turned to surprise when he realized that the volunteer was Maxie. Maxie quickly entered the hospital room then approached Nathan's bed with the plant as Elizabeth closed the door. Nathan scolded Maxie for defying Judge Walters' order to stay away from Nathan because Nathan didn't want to jeopardize Maxie's custody hearing. Maxie explained that she had needed to check on Nathan because she had been worried about him all night.

Maxie promised Nathan that there was nothing to worry about because she had been volunteering at the hospital for ten years. She turned to Elizabeth for confirmation, so Elizabeth agreed then asked when Maxie's custody hearing was. Maxie admitted that it was the following day, but Maxie was confident that everything would work out, so she would soon have both Georgie and Nathan back in her life. Elizabeth watched as Maxie and Nathan flirted and talked, so she good-naturedly muttered for Maxie and Nathan to get a room and then left. Maxie kissed Nathan but quickly pulled away when another nurse entered the room to reminded Maxie that the magazine cart needed to be taken to other patients.

At Metro Court Restaurant, Jake returned to Sam's table to reveal that Carly was expected soon. Sam perked up when she received an email from Spinelli of the security footage from the police station. She invited Jake to watch the video with her but warned him that it had been illegally obtained. Jake didn't appear to mind, so he walked to Sam's side to watch the video.

Sam was rattled as she watched the gunman take her hostage. Jake noticed Sam's reaction, so he asked if she was okay. She confessed that the footage had been unsettling to watch, but she was more disappointed that it hadn't yielded anything useful about the gunman other than his approximate height of six feet. Jake jokingly pointed out that he could be considered a suspected based on that information, so Sam played along by asking if he had an alibi for the time of the shootout. Jake revealed that he had been job hunting, but Sam wanted to know where.

Jake listed several businesses that he had supposedly gone to but suddenly stopped as he wondered if Sam truly thought he might have been responsible for Faison's escape. Sam assured him that she didn't suspect him of any wrongdoing. Relieved, Jake started to leave but wished Sam luck finding the gunman. Sam smiled as she told Jake that she hoped Carly showed up soon. Jake made a remark about having all day to wait, which triggered a memory of the gunman saying something similar while Sam had been held hostage. Jake noticed the tension in Sam, so he asked if she was okay. She assured him that she was fine as she quickly gathered her things then left.

Moments later, Carly entered the restaurant then made a beeline for the bar to grab a bottle of alcohol. She was startled when Jake suddenly appeared at the bar to offer his help.

At Ryan's bar, Ava conceded that she had done terrible things, but she implored Morgan and Kiki to put all of that aside until they found the baby. Kiki explained that it wasn't that easy, so Morgan added that Ava had murdered someone. Silas agreed that Ava should be held accountable for her crimes, but finding the missing baby was their priority. Delia reminded Kiki that the baby was Kiki's sister then appealed to both Morgan and Kiki to have a heart and give Ava a break. Morgan and Kiki reluctantly agreed, so Silas revealed that he had been expecting someone who might have information about Franco.

Moments later, Silas saw a woman enter the bar. He approached her when he noticed that she appeared to be looking for someone. The woman introduced herself as Betsy Frank, Franco's mother. Delia was confused because she had thought that Heather Webber was Franco's mother, so Betsy clarified that Heather had given birth to Franco but Betsy had raised him. Betsy insisted that Franco had been a "good boy," but Silas was curious if Betsy knew where Franco was.

Betsy wondered why she should tell Silas anything, so Ava stepped forward to explain that Franco had taken a baby. "Oh, no, not again," Betsy said as a frown clouded her expression. Kiki was curious what Betsy had been referring to so Betsy revealed that Franco had once kidnapped a nurse's infant from General Hospital to make up for being denied an opportunity to have a relationship with his daughter, Lauren. Betsy began ranting about Ava Jerome, having no idea that the woman standing before was Ava.

Silas realized that Franco hadn't told Betsy that the truth about Lauren's paternity, so he explained that he, not Franco, had been Lauren's father. Ava wisely kept her identity to herself as she begged for Betsy's help finding the missing infant. Delia was delighted when Betsy agreed. "Did you hear that, Ava? She said she can help," Delia said. Betsy's smile instantly vanished as she demanded to know if Ava was Ava Jerome.

Ava's expression confirmed Betsy's suspicions, so Betsy launched into a lecture about how Ava had ruined "Bobbie's" life. Betsy refused to help Ava, but Morgan stepped forward to explain that he was the missing baby's father. Betsy glared at Ava with disgust then accused Ava of being shameless. Morgan assured Betsy that he agreed with Betsy's assessment of Ava and vowed that he would not allow Ava to touch his daughter, but he pleaded with Betsy to help him find the missing baby.

Later, Betsy sat at the bar as Delia discussed their children. Delia conceded that both of their children had a "needle missing from their moral compasses," but it hadn't stopped either mother from loving their child. Betsy agreed. Betsy confessed that she loved Franco, but it broke her heart that he kept committing violent crimes.

At the hospital, Dante bumped into Anna as he exited the elevator. He quickly filled her in about Hooper's offer to tell them where Hooper had taken Franco, Nina, and the baby in exchange for immunity. However, Dante didn't hold out much hope that Scott would agree to Hooper's terms because Franco was Scott's son. Anna was certain she could persuade Scott to change his mind by reminding Scott that it would look good for Scott to return the missing baby to its home.

A short time later, Anna wrapped up a phone call then assured Dante that Scott had agreed to give Hooper immunity. Moments later, Dante received a text message revealing where Hooper had taken Franco and Nina. He showed Nina the text message, so she promised to alert the Canadian police and request their help when Dante arrived.

In Canada, Nina hid out of sight with the baby as Franco dealt with a woman on their doorstep who had recognized Franco. Franco insisted that the woman was mistaken about who he was, but the woman didn't believe him because she was a fan of the infamous artist. She introduced herself as Zoe then revealed that she had seen him in person at one of his art exhibits. Zoe was eager to see his latest creation -- the baby. Nina decided to step forward and introduced herself as Franco's wife.

Zoe cordially greeted Nina then smiled at the baby but noted the baby didn't look anything like Nina or Franco. Franco assured Zoe that the child was his and Nina's, so Nina tactfully explained that she needed to put the baby to bed. Zoe thanked Franco for introducing her to his family then admitted that she couldn't wait to tell her friends. Franco asked her not to say anything because he and Nina wanted to protect their daughter's privacy.

After Zoe left, Nina warned Franco that they were in trouble, so they needed to flee as quickly as possible. She began to pack their things, but Franco feared that it would be too risky to leave. Nina argued that they couldn't trust Zoe to keep quiet, so they had to protect their daughter. Franco surprised Nina by offering to get rid of Zoe. Nina's eyes rounded as she asked if Franco was truly willing to kill someone to safeguard their family. Franco admitted that Zoe wouldn't be his first victim.

"Wow," Nina replied. "So, you want me to do it?" Franco asked.

A short time later, Franco slipped out of the house as he clutched what appeared to be a baby wrapped in a pink blanket close to his chest. However, Franco only made it a few steps before Dante called out to him. Franco immediately froze as Dante, flanked by two Canadian police officers, approached him.

Friday, December 12, 2014

by Elisabeth

At Metro Court Restaurant, Jake offered to pour Carly a drink. He noticed that she seemed upset so he assumed that it had to, do with Franco. Carly explained that Franco was the least of her problems, but she regretted that she hadn't heeded everyone's warning that Franco was "psychotic." She realized that she had gotten exactly what she had deserved by agreeing to marry "the freak."

Carly shifted gears by admitting that the good thing about crashing and burning was that there was nowhere to go except up. Carly believed that it was important for a person to hold on to their loved ones during dark times, but Sonny had a different view of things, which was why Sonny had pleaded guilty to shooting A.J. Carly insisted that Sonny could have easily been acquitted of murdering A.J. because there had been mitigating circumstances.

Carly explained that A.J. had been a raging alcoholic who had left a path of destruction in his wake, including the night of the shooting. According to Carly, Sonny had shot A.J. because Sonny had walked in on A.J. strangling Ava. However, Sonny had pleaded guilty to murder because he had wanted to spare Carly from being charged with obstruction of justice for her role in the cover-up. Jake remarked that he didn't blame Sonny for trying to protect Carly, but Carly argued that Sonny had never been the type to sacrifice himself.

Carly confided that Sonny had told her not to visit again because Sonny hoped that Michael would eventually forgive Carly if Michael believed that she had cut all ties with Sonny. Jake surprised Carly by revealing that he had met Michael at the hospital. She beamed with pride when he confessed that Michael had given him sage advice by suggesting that Jake accept help even when Jake didn't want it. Carly's eyes filled with tears as she admitted that it hurt her deeply that her firstborn wouldn't even look at her, but she resented Sonny making decisions without giving her an opportunity to have a say in the matter.

Jake suggested that perhaps letting Carly go had been the only thing that Sonny had had power over. Frustrated, Carly decided to get another drink, so Jake seized the opportunity to show his bartending skills. Carly ordered a dry martini, "very dirty," then sat back to watch Jake work his magic behind the bar. Jake stumbled his way through making the cocktail, but he seemed confident that he had made a decent dirty martini.

"That drink could be dirtier," Carlos said with a sneer as he walked up. "It's nowhere foul enough for this Bruja," Carlos added as he glared pointedly at Carly. Jake tensed as he quietly asked if Carly needed assistance, but she assured Jake that she could handle it. Carlos didn't bother to hide his hatred for Carly as he confronted her about knowing an innocent man had gone to jail for a murder she'd known Sonny had committed. Carly reminded Carlos that he had confessed to killing A.J., but Carlos wasn't satisfied with Carly's excuse because he wanted her to suffer as much as he had.

Jake quickly interceded when Carlos took a menacing step toward Carly. Before Carlos could react, Jake shoved Carlos' head to a table then demanded that Carlos apologize to Carly. After Carlos grudgingly complied, Jake released Carlos. Carlos growled to Carly that they weren't finished then stalked away. Stunned by what had unfolded, Carly thanked Jake for stepping in with Carlos. She suggested that perhaps Jake had been a bodyguard in the past, but Jake was certain she was wrong.

Carly decided to try the martini Jake had made but grimaced when she took a sip. Carly confessed that "mixology" was not his forte, but she offered him a job with her security team. Jake declined because he was a "lover not a fighter."

At the local jail, Julian was working out when the guard announced that he had a visitor. Julian smiled when he saw Alexis, but she coldly asked him to put on his shirt. Julian teasingly wondered if his shirtless state had aroused some emotions in Alexis, but she warned him that she was not there to banter with him. Her expression remained serious as she explained that she wanted to talk about her daughter.

Julian immediately pulled on a shirt as he asked if Sam and Danny were okay. Alexis reminded Julian that she had three daughters then clarified that she hadn't been referring to Sam. Julian realized that Alexis had been talking about Molly, so he reminded Alexis that he had never intended for Ric to die. Alexis snidely assured him that she knew Julian felt as if he hadn't had a choice in framing Ric, but Julian promised Alexis that he took full responsibility for his role in Ric's death.

"Ric is alive," Alexis revealed. Julian listened in stunned disbelief as Alexis explained that Ric's death had been a ruse to flush out Julian's boss then added that Ric had agreed to go into the Witness Protection Program to keep his family safe. Julian was relieved that he wouldn't have to continue to carry the burden of Ric's death on his conscience, but Alexis warned Julian not to be too hasty because Ric had vanished. She explained that she had been about to tell Molly that Ric was alive when Anna had called to reveal that Ric's handlers had gone to retrieve Ric and discovered that Ric's apartment had been in shambles and Ric had been gone.

Alexis demanded to know if Julian knew anything about Ric's disappearance, but Julian denied any involvement. Alexis appeared skeptical, so Julian pointed out that he hadn't even known that Ric had been alive until Alexis had told him. Alexis wondered if it was possible that Cesar Faison had taken Ric, but Julian doubted it. Julian explained that Faison had never hinted at suspecting that Ric was alive and that it was unlikely that Faison would risk being captured to snatch a man who had merely been a patsy.

Julian begged Alexis to help him get out of jail, but she suggested that he call Diane. Julian admitted that he had, but Diane had claimed that it would be a conflict of interest to represent him. Alexis was confident that Julian would find someone else because Julian always looked out for number one -- Julian. Julian insisted that she was his number one priority, but Alexis walked away.

A short time later, Carlos approached Julian's jail cell. Julian was surprised that Carlos was out of jail, so Carlos smiled as he vowed that Julian would be the next to get out of jail.

Meanwhile, Alexis went to Metro Court Restaurant for a drink. Carly smiled as she handed Alexis the martini that Jake had made.

At the hospital, Sam thanked Spinelli for cleaning up the security footage that he had obtained from the police station. She explained that she was on her way to talk to Nathan, but she had wanted Spinelli to know that she was grateful for what he had done, especially since she had a suspect. Sam wrapped up the phone call as she thought about Jake using a similar expression to the one the gunman had used during the shootout.

Moments later, Sam bumped into Elizabeth. Elizabeth immediately asked how Sam was doing because Elizabeth and Jake had seen the news with the cell phone video of Sam being held hostage. Sam promised that she was fine except for a few bruises, so Elizabeth asked if the police had any leads on the gunman who had helped Faison. Sam admitted that she didn't know but confided that she had one. Sam explained concerns about Elizabeth's houseguest, Jake, then told her about the similar expressions that Jake and the gunman had used.

Elizabeth immediately dismissed Sam's suspicions as preposterous because Jake had been job hunting. Elizabeth was certain that someone could vouch for Jake. "But just not you," Sam said. Elizabeth resented Sam's tone, so she warned Sam to back off then reminded Sam that Jake was still recovering from the accident. Elizabeth insisted that he wasn't physically capable of doing what the gunman had done at the plaza, but Sam remained unconvinced.

Sam was curious what made Elizabeth so certain that Jake was a good guy when he had arrived at the hospital without any identification. Elizabeth pointed out that it wouldn't make sense for the gunman to remain in Port Charles after helping Faison, but Sam wasn't swayed. Sam suggested that she and Elizabeth agree to disagree, but Elizabeth warned Sam that Sam's theory made Sam look foolish.

Later, Jake approached Elizabeth at the nurses' station. Elizabeth appeared tense as she asked about his efforts to find a job. Jake chuckled then confessed that alcohol consumption would plummet if he worked as a bartender. Elizabeth smiled, but Jake sensed that something was troubling her. She quickly assured him that she was fine then changed the subject by inviting him to join her for a bite to eat. They were unaware that Sam had been lurking nearby, watching them.

At Pentonville, Johnny Zacchara asked how Sonny's visit with Carly had been. Sonny was curious why Johnny had been keeping track of Sonny's business, but Johnny claimed that a guard had merely mentioned that a pretty blonde woman had visited Sonny. Johnny knew that Carly was the only blonde woman who would drive all the way to Pentonville to spend time with Sonny, but Sonny warned Johnny not to mention Carly's name again. Johnny chuckled then continued to taunt Sonny about Sonny being powerless in jail. Johnny continued to goad Sonny until Sonny's temper flared.

Sonny suddenly shoved Johnny against the wall then held a sharp makeshift weapon to Johnny's throat. Johnny's men immediately stepped forward to help, but Johnny didn't feel threatened by Sonny because Sonny wouldn't get away with murdering Johnny. Johnny was curious if Sonny was prepared for Sonny's loved ones to learn that Sonny had died a slow and agonizing death in prison. Sonny reluctantly backed off, so Johnny praised Sonny for making a smart decision.

Johnny changed the subject by revealing that he wanted to take over Sonny's territory. Sonny scoffed at the suggestion that Johnny could run Sonny's territory from inside prison, so he declined Johnny's offer because Sonny was confident that Sonny could make due. Johnny revealed that he knew that Sonny had put Duke Lavery in charge, but Johnny doubted that Duke had the "cojones" to do what was necessary to hold on to Sonny's territory. Sonny made it clear that he would never agree to hand his territory over to Johnny, but Johnny was confident that Sonny would change his mind.

Johnny explained that he would cut up Sonny's brother, Ric, piece by piece if Sonny refused to cooperate. "That's right," Johnny said with smug satisfaction at Sonny's stunned expression, "Ric's alive, and I've got him."

In Canada, Dante, flanked by two Canadian police officers, confronted Franco, who appeared to be clutching a baby wrapped in a pink blanket. Dante ordered Franco to hand over the baby, but Franco made a move as if he were about to flee. The Canadian police officers reached for their guns as Dante warned Franco that they wouldn't hesitate to shoot Franco in the back if Franco tried to run. Franco was confident that Dante and the two other police officers wouldn't risk the baby's life by firing at him, so Franco ran.

Nearby, Silas, Ava, Morgan, and Kiki stood outside a building that Betsy Frank had claimed Franco had occasionally used as a hideout. The foursome decided that it would be best if two people approached the door while the other two waited in the courtyard in case Nina tried to flee. They were debating who should go and who should stay when Franco suddenly rounded the corner with Dante and the police in hot pursuit. "Oh, my God. My baby," Ava cried out when she saw the pink bundle in Franco's arms.

Franco immediately stopped in his tracks when he saw Kiki, but he warned everyone to stay away from him, or he would throw the baby into the snow. Horrified, Ava accused Franco of being a monster, but Kiki stepped forward to plead with Franco to hand them the baby. Silas quietly slipped away to check the address Betsy had given him as the others tried to talk Franco into giving them the baby. Franco insisted that he and Nina could give the baby what Ava couldn't because Ava would be locked behind bars, but Morgan thought Franco was delusional if Franco thought that Franco and Nina could keep the baby.

Ava vowed that she would raise her daughter then begged Franco to return her baby, but Franco was unmoved by Ava's pleas because Ava had once tried to kill him and had lied to him for years about Kiki. Franco insisted that the baby had parents who loved her then shocked everyone by violently throwing the bundle onto the cold hard ground. Everyone screamed until they realized that it had been a bag of flour wrapped in a blanket. Disgusted, Kiki asked why Franco would do something that cruel to them.

The Canadian police quickly grabbed Franco as he assured Kiki that the baby was safe, but Kiki wondered if he truly intended to do to her what Ava had done to him by denying Ava an opportunity to know the baby. Franco quietly admitted that the baby was inside the house with Nina, so Morgan and Ava left as Dante stepped forward to inform Franco that Franco was charged with "stalking, assault, and the kidnapping of a child."

After Dante handed Franco off to one of the Canadian police officers, Dante decided to follow Morgan and Ava. Dante warned Kiki to be careful around Franco, but Franco promised that he would never hurt Kiki because Franco loved her. Dante reminded Franco that Franco had said the same thing about Carly. Kiki waited until Dante left then demanded to know why Franco had pulled the stunt with the flour, so Franco explained that he had intended to use the bundle to convince a woman to let him into her home so he could stop the woman from calling the police. Franco insisted that everything he had done had been for Nina.

Meanwhile, Silas knocked on the door then calmly asked Nina to let him in. Inside, Nina stood frozen as Silas continued to talk to her until he eventually persuaded her to open the door. Silas looked down at the baby snuggled in Nina's arms as Nina stood in the doorway.

Nina assured Silas that she knew the baby wasn't her biological child, but Nina firmly believed she had been meant to have the baby because Madeline had taken their child. Silas calmly talked to Nina as he carefully told her everything she wanted to hear including that he wanted to raise the baby with her. Nina's spirits soared as she asked if Silas meant it, so Silas assured her that he did. He asked her if he could hold the baby, but Nina seemed reluctant to let go of the infant because she wasn't certain that she could trust what Silas had told her.

Silas managed to persuade Nina that he had meant everything he had said, so she gently handed him the baby as she revealed that she had named the baby Jaime.

Moments later, Morgan and Ava rushed into the living room. To Nina's horror, Silas handed the baby to Ava as Morgan physically restrained Nina from running to tear the baby out of Ava's arms. Nina became distraught as she cried that the baby was her daughter then begged Silas to return the infant to her. Ava smiled with joy as she looked at her daughter for the first time then quickly left the house as Morgan handed Nina over to Silas. Silas wrapped his arms tightly around Nina as she wept inconsolably and tried to break free.

In the courtyard, Morgan asked Ava if the baby was okay. She assured him that their daughter was perfect, so he asked to hold the baby. Ava warned him to be prepared to fall in love then handed the baby to him. As soon as the baby was safely in Morgan's arms, Dante approached Ava to place her under arrest for the murder of Connie Falconeri.