In the General Hospital locker room, Sabrina looked over a Nurses Ball scrapbook that Robin had assembled for Emma. She wondered out loud if Lucy Coe could be the fairy godmother that would save the day. Liz overheard her and remarked that Lucy was not the fairy godmother type.
Liz said that Lucy was one of a kind and proceeded to tell Sabrina about some of Lucy's escapades, including how she had married Alan in a red dress, had shown up at Lila's funeral in a red dress, was a big flirt, and had auctioned off her clothes in an impromptu striptease when donations at one of the Nurses Balls had lagged. Sabrina thought that Lucy sounded interesting and wondered how to reach Lucy, after Liz said that she was sure that Lucy would help if she could.
Felix, who had been eavesdropping, said that he knew Lucy, because he worked as a sales rep for her company, CoeCo, selling cosmetics to help pay for his nursing school tuition. Felix wanted creative control, top billing, an assistant, and a private dressing room in exchange for an introduction to Lucy, but settled for Sabrina's offer to take bedpan duty for two months. Liz was impressed by Sabrina's selflessness and determination to make the Nurses Ball a reality.
At the gym, Sonny and Shawn sparred. At ringside, a young good-looking boxer chatted Alexis up but left her alone after she said called Shawn her boyfriend. Alexis received a call from Tracy, who asked her to get Robert out of jail at the Port Charles Police Station. As she left, Alexis ran into A.J., who was entering the gym.
Sonny was surprised to find that A.J. was a free man because Diane had managed to get all the charges against him dropped. Sonny introduced Shawn as his associate. A.J. assumed that Shawn was Sonny's new enforcer. A.J. blamed Sonny for Jason's death. Sonny responded by calling A.J. a coward and a drunk. A.J. shot back that he was also Michael's father. Sonny told Shawn that A.J. had been drunk when he got Carly pregnant, but had not remembered sleeping with her.
A.J. called Sonny a thug and a bully and added that Michael was wise to Sonny. Sonny asked A.J. when he was going to grow up and stop being a victim and blaming others for his actions. A.J. said that he was in the gym to tell Sonny not to interfere with his attempt to build a relationship with Michael. Sonny told A.J. to stay away, but A.J. said that there was enough room in Michael's life for both of them.
A.J. mentioned that he had sparred in the ring, but that it had been a long time before. Sonny laughed at him, so A.J. insisted on getting in the ring. Shawn handed over his boxing gloves. A.J removed his jacket and left to change. He did not hear his cell phone.
In their apartment, Michael gave Starr an update on A.J. He told her that all charges against A.J. had been dropped because A.J. had been able to provide information about Cesar Faison, a wanted international criminal, whom A.J. had seen and photographed in the Swiss clinic where A.J. had recovered from a broken back.
Michael worried because his family did not like A.J. Starr told Michael that it was possible to love his dad without judging him, which was the road that she followed with her dad. Michael wondered how Carly and Sonny would react when they found out that A.J. had been cleared of all charges. Michael said that he just wanted to get to know his biological father and he wished that his parents trusted his judgment enough not to interfere.
Starr assured Michael that working at ELQ and seeing A.J. would not change Michael into a different person. She added that Michael could not change either of his dads, but that he could set boundaries. Starr advised Michael to let Sonny know that he still thought of Sonny as his father. Starr said that powerful men were often weak. She said that her father, Todd, was a good example, because she frequently had to assure him that he was loved.
Starr said that Todd was a control freak because he was scared and that Sonny was too. She told Michael to let Sonny know that he was grown up. She said that both A.J. and Sonny had committed crimes. Starr continued that she had squared off with Todd many times, but they had always gotten through it. Starr said that Michael had to broker a peace between Sonny and A.J. or else they would tear each other up. Michael called A.J., but when he got no answer, he sent a text message instead.
After changing into boxing gear, A.J. checked his messages and learned that Michael was headed for the gym. A.J. climbed into the ring, and Shawn agreed to referee. A.J. said that he was out of practice, but Sonny told him to shut up and fight. A.J. insisted that there was enough room in Michael life for both him and Sonny, but Sonny did not agree. A.J. insisted that he was rusty and put his hands in front of his face, but Sonny kept jabbing at him. A.J. taunted Sonny, who went after A.J. Shawn separated them, but A.J. goaded Sonny even more.
A.J. said that he would get back everything that he had lost. He call Sonny a "thug" and "garbage." Sonny snapped and started punching A.J. in earnest. A.J. fell to the floor, but Sonny continued to pummel him. Shawn was trying to stop Sonny when Michael walked in with Starr. Michael screamed for Sonny to stop. Sonny regained control, but when Michael told Sonny that he did not know who Sonny was anymore, A.J. gloated.
The first person that Alexis saw at the police station was John McBain, who told her that he had taken a job as a detective and would soon pay his bill. Alexis assured him that she was not there to collect. Alexis said that she was there because Tracy had asked her to take Robert's case. John quickly brought Alexis up to speed on what he knew about Robert, Anna, and Faison. Alexis left to see Robert while John tried unsuccessfully to reach Anna by phone.
Dante spoke to Robert, who remained in his cell. Dante said that A.J. had confirmed that Faison was alive and had been seen in a Swiss clinic. Robert quickly connected the dots and realized that it was the same clinic that Anna had infiltrated after Heather Webber had said that she had seen Robin in Ferncliff and Anna had learned that a patient matching Robin's description had been moved to Switzerland.
Robert was sure that Anna had been lured to Switzerland because Faison wanted to see how Anna was handling Robin's death. Dante said that he would try to reach Anna. As he left the cell area, Robert remarked that the ski trip Anna had taken with Duke was "hooey."
Alexis found Robert and let him know that she was up to speed on his issues. Dante found John, who said that he had been unable to reach Anna. When Dante contacted the ski lodge where Duke and Anna were supposed to be, he was told that Duke had cancelled the reservations. Another call to the Metro Court confirmed that Anna's car was still in the parking structure. Dante told John that Robert's story was beginning to make sense.
Alexis successfully got Robert released from jail. When they joined Dante and John, Robert blamed himself for acting hastily and pushing Anna into Faison's arms. After Alexis departed and Dante left to start looking for Anna, Robert confided to John that Faison was a sociopath who would kill Anna if she did not cooperate with him. Robert said that the Swiss clinic where A.J. had been was the kind of clinic where a rich person could get anything, including a new face. Robert noted that as a former FBI agent, John had probably always wanted to be a spy and added that this was John's big chance.
In a Swiss hotel, Anna pounded on Duke's door. She broke in when there was no answer and met face-to-face with Faison. She screamed and backed away. Faison told Anna that she was more beautiful than ever. Anna said that Robert was right, that Faison had been masquerading as Duke. Faison pretended not to know what Anna was talking about. He called for his henchman, Klaus, who dragged the real Duke, bound and gagged, into the room.
Anna screamed for Faison to let Duke go. Duke struggled, but Klaus hit him in the head with his gun butt. Faison asked Anna why she wasted herself on men like Scorpio, Luke, and Duke. Klaus put the gun to Duke's head when Faison told Klaus to shoot Duke. Faison told Anna that in time, she would forget Duke. Anna said, "Never," and struggled with Klaus for the gun. Faison got behind Anna with a syringe and injected her with a drug. Anna slumped to the floor, unconscious.
Faison could not resist telling a still bound, but ungagged, Duke how clever Faison had been after Robert had figured out that Faison had been impersonating Duke. Faison said that he had cleverly gotten Anna to Switzerland so that she could see Duke and Faison in the same room. Faison told Duke that he no longer needed him and brandished a gun. Duke shouted to Anna that everything was a lie and that he still loved her. A shot rang out.
Instead of shooting Duke, Faison killed Klaus. Duke was puzzled, but Faison said it was a necessary sacrifice so that Anna would believe that Duke had saved her from Faison, who would conveniently disappear, never to be found again. Faison threatened to shoot Duke again, but Anna seemed on the verge of rousing as the real Duke vowed his love, so Faison called for Dr. Obrecht to collect Duke and take him back to the clinic.
Anna awoke with faux Duke, Faison, holding her in his arms. She noticed the deceased Klaus, whom faux Duke, said he had shot in a struggle to save Anna. He added that Faison had escaped. Anna wanted to follow Faison's trail, but faux Duke insisted that Anna was safe and that there was no need to worry because Faison was long gone. Anna cried as the imposter, with a smug smile on his face, hugged her closely.
Dante asked a fellow police officer to get a copy of the passenger lists for all domestic and international flights that had left late on December 6, 2012. Dante explained that they were looking for Anna, so it was important. Michael entered the squad room and quickly surmised that his brother was working on something big. Dante was curious why Michael was there, so Michael admitted that he wanted to have their father arrested. Dante led Michael to the interrogation room, where Michael told him about the fight between Sonny and A.J. at Volonino's Gym. Dante explained that he couldn't arrest Sonny if A.J. had willingly entered the boxing ring.
Michael reminded Dante that Sonny had recently lost Jason and Bernie, so Sonny was in a bad place. Dante conceded that Sonny had an explosive temper and a warped code of ethics, but there were always two sides to every story. Dante pointed out that Michael had just lost Jason, too, so perhaps Michael was trying to fill that hole with A.J. Michael insisted that Jason was irreplaceable and then explained that A.J. hadn't deserved to be attacked by Sonny, even if A.J. had been guilty of all the terrible things that people had accused A.J. of. Dante urged Michael to reconsider because Sonny could end up in jail.
Dante was curious if A.J. had put Michael up to it, but Michael clarified that A.J. had no idea that Michael was there. However, Michael decided that as much as Sonny needed a reality check, pressing charges wouldn't help.
At the hospital, Starr helped A.J. walk out of the elevator and then called out to Liz for help. Starr admitted that it had taken forever in the emergency room, so she wondered if Liz could examine A.J. "Liz. It's been a long time," A.J. quietly greeted her as he clutched his tender ribs. Liz admitted that she'd heard that he had returned, but she had thought that he had been under house arrest. Liz was startled when A.J. confessed that he had cleared everything up with the D.A.
Liz led A.J. and Starr to an examination room. After Liz left to fetch a doctor, Starr noted that A.J. didn't seem to make friends easily. A.J. acknowledged that he had to make amends to a lot of people, especially Michael, because A.J. regretted that Michael had seen the fight with Sonny. Starr wondered if that were really true. A.J. was surprised that she'd questioned the incident because he couldn't have known that Michael and Starr would walk in. Starr explained that A.J. reminded her of her father, so she knew what it was like to have a shady father who had a shaky grasp on what was right and wrong. A.J. found it curious that a young woman who had once held Sonny at gunpoint would give Sonny the benefit of the doubt.
Starr insisted that Sonny had been a wonderful father to Michael. A.J. felt bad for Starr's loss, but he assured her that he was not like her father. He explained that he just wanted to get to know his son. Moments later, Liz returned and revealed that she hadn't been able to find anyone to take a look at A.J.'s injuries, so she decided to take down some information before examining his wounds. A.J. explained that he didn't have insurance or even a license, but he could pay with cash. However, his wallet was still at the gym, along with his jacket, so Starr agreed to return to Volonino's to fetch A.J.'s things.
At Manning Enterprises, Todd was outraged when he caught Connie sitting in his chair. He ordered her to get out of it, but she reminded him that they shared an office, which included the chair. However, she invited Todd to enjoy the chair because she had plans. In the hallway, T.J. and Molly spied on Todd's office as they waited for Connie to leave. T.J. was ready to search the office the minute that Connie stepped into the elevator, but Molly reminded him that they still had Todd to contend with. Todd suddenly appeared in the doorway and demanded to know what they were doing there.
T.J. and Molly explained that they were Connie's newly hired interns. Todd objected until he realized that he could take advantage of the free help by assigning Molly to make copies and T.J. to monitor the Internet for celebrity news. T.J. and Molly agreed, provided that Todd would let them search his office for Molly's missing manuscript, which they were certain that Connie had stolen. Todd refused, so Molly threatened to call Starr and enlist Todd's daughter's help.
Todd decided to step out to fetch something to eat, so he agreed to let them look around for the manuscript as long as they left his dark closet with its skeletons alone.
At Volonino's Gym, Shawn was curious what would have happened if Michael and Starr hadn't walked in while Sonny had been beating on A.J. Sonny insisted that A.J. had deserved what had happened because A.J. had goaded him. Sonny admitted that it had almost seemed like A.J. had wanted things to turn that violent. However, Sonny regretted that Michael had seen it.
Sonny admitted that he'd always had a short temper, but he assured Shawn that he'd never taken his anger out on Michael. Sonny confessed that he tended to throw things when he was mad. Shawn wondered how A.J. had managed to enter the private gym. Sonny agreed that it was a good question, so he ordered Shawn to check into it and to instruct everyone not to let the "scum" in there again. Connie suddenly appeared. "That's no way to talk," she said in a false hurt tone. Shawn offered to escort Connie to her car, but Sonny declined because he suspected that she had grown tired of playing with boys.
After Shawn left, Sonny continued his workout and then confidently asked if Connie liked what she saw. Connie explained that she had been scouting out locations for a photo shoot for the cover of her magazine, so she wanted to talk to the owner. Sonny smiled charmingly as he revealed that he had bought Volonino's Gym a few weeks earlier. Sonny flirted with Connie, which surprised her because she thought that he'd been pining for Kate. Sonny explained that he had to move forward because Connie had insisted that Kate was gone.
"So, who's the model?" Sonny asked conversationally. Connie smiled, "You're looking at her." Connie revealed that she intended to grace each cover of her magazine "like Oprah," except Connie planned to share the spotlight with someone "hot." She claimed that she wanted a professional boxer to be on the first cover with her, so she was curious if he was interested. Sonny warned her that they would have to keep things real, so it might get hot between them. He wondered if she was brave enough to get in the ring with him. Connie was clearly rattled as she left.
Meanwhile, Starr arrived and talked to Shawn about what had happened prior to the attack in the ring. Shawn revealed that A.J. had provoked Sonny. Starr was curious if it was possible that A.J. had known that she and Michael were on their way to the gym, but Shawn doubted it. Starr went to fetch A.J.'s jacket and noticed Sonny's cell phone nearby. She saw the message from Michael about heading to the gym to talk to Sonny, so she asked Shawn if A.J. had been near the bench.
Starr wasn't surprised when Shawn recalled seeing A.J. sitting on the bench and putting on the boxing gloves. She showed him the cell phone and explained that she suspected that A.J. had seen the message prior to entering the boxing ring with Sonny. Later, Shawn checked on Sonny to see how things had gone with Connie. Sonny was encouraged about Connie, but concerned about what Michael had witnessed. Shawn confided that it might not be a problem and then told him about Starr's suspicions. Shawn revealed that Starr was on her way to the hospital to talk to Michael.
At Manning Enterprises, Todd was furious when he returned to his office, which was in complete disarray. Molly promised to clean it up when they were through searching for the manuscript. T.J. was certain that Connie had hidden it somewhere else, prompting Molly to wonder why Connie would steal her manuscript in the first place. Todd explained that Connie was mean and spiteful, so she didn't need a reason. Molly refused to believe that people could be that bad. "Oh, honey, people are so much worse," Todd told Molly.
Todd let them continue their search, so Molly smiled because she realized that Todd wasn't as bad as he pretended. Connie suddenly appeared. She demanded to know what was going on, so Todd told her to return Molly's manuscript. Connie denied that she had it, but Molly and T.J. didn't believe her. As they bickered, Todd received a call from his publisher. Afterwards, Connie smiled secretly as Todd announced that Molly's manuscript had been dropped off at his publishing house and that they wanted to publish it.
At the hospital, A.J. made a crack about Sonny burning his jacket. Liz confessed that she wouldn't blame Sonny. A.J. wondered if Liz was on Sonny's side, too, so Liz asked if A.J. had any idea how many people would like to take a "crack" at A.J. Liz pulled the cap off of a large syringe and then cleaned up A.J.'s cuts. She was curious how he had managed to get out of his legal trouble, so he told her that he'd cut a deal with the district attorney.
Liz couldn't believe that A.J. had managed to avoid serving any prison time after everything that he had done. A.J. agreed that he had been a messed up, out of control train wreck, but it had been a long time before. A.J. insisted that he had changed. Liz recalled how Emily had always believed A.J.'s promises that he had changed each time he had returned from rehab. "So, what's different about this time?" Liz asked. A.J. suggested that they make things easier by getting someone else to treat his wounds.
Liz left but returned a short time later to do her job. A.J. didn't blame her for having a problem with him, but Liz admitted that she wasn't in a position to judge because she had done something that she would always regret right before Jason had been shot, but Jason had forgiven her. She hated that she hadn't been able to make it up to Jason, but A.J. assured her that it hadn't been necessary. A.J. realized that some might be surprised, but he had known his brother quite well. A.J. insisted that Jason had always been the type who had forgiven and let go.
Liz smiled and apologized for being so hard on A.J. A.J. was confident that whatever Liz had done to Jason hadn't been nearly as bad as what A.J. had done to his brother. A.J. revealed that he had looked through some photos recently and had found one of him and Jason during happier times. A.J. showed Liz the picture as he confided that he vividly recalled that day because A.J. hadn't been in trouble for once, and Jason had been getting straight A's and looking forward to medical school. A.J. and Jason had had their whole lives ahead of them on the day that the photo had been taken.
A.J. was filled with regret because he had wanted the opportunity to make things up to Jason. A.J. was stunned when Liz confided that Jason had once gone to A.J.'s grave to apologize for keeping Michael away from A.J., so he had regretted the hurt that he had caused A.J. A.J. knew that Liz hadn't known Jason before the accident, but he assured her that Jason had deserved a different life. Liz pointed out that Jason had loved his life.
A.J. wanted Liz to keep the picture of him and Jason, so she thanked him and advised him to stay away from Sonny. After A.J. left, Liz studied the picture of the smiling and happy brothers as tears filled her eyes.
In the hallway, Michael greeted Starr and asked how A.J. was doing. Starr confessed that she needed to tell Michael something, but just then, A.J. left the examination room. Michael explained that he had talked to Dante about pressing charges against Sonny, but A.J. asked Michael to drop it. Michael apologized as he explained that his shares were being held in trust until he was twenty-five. A.J. assured Michael that it was fine and then suggested that perhaps they could find a way to sway Carly to vote with them. A.J. was delighted when Michael announced his decision to go to work with A.J. at ELQ.
In Lucerne, Anna stood in the hallway outside of her hotel suite with a man from Interpol. The agent assured Anna that everyone had been alerted to Faison's return and that they would do everything possible to capture Faison. Anna warned the agent that Faison would not give up easily and that they shouldn't assume that Faison had left Switzerland. Anna couldn't understand how Faison had managed to escape the hotel so quickly, so the Interpol agent suggested that perhaps Faison was still in the hotel. He assured her that everyone would watch her and Duke closely, in case Faison made a move against either of them.
In the hotel suite, Faison, disguised as Duke, called to check in with Dr. Obrecht. She assured him that Duke was confined and that Robin had been moved to a secure location, so neither would be able to tell the police the truth about Faison. Faison was confident that their ruse had worked because Anna had seen Duke and Faison next to each other, so she shouldn't question Duke's identity again. Dr. Obrecht praised Faison's brilliant move.
Seconds later, John and Robert arrived at the clinic. John showed Dr. Obrecht his badge and introduced himself and then added that Robert was a consultant with Interpol. John showed the doctor the picture of Faison that A.J. had provided and then asked her if she recognized the man in the picture. Dr. Obrecht denied that she had ever seen them man in the picture, so they showed her a picture of A.J, who had claimed that the man in the first picture had been at the facility. Dr. Obrecht recalled treating A.J. but insisted that Faison had never been at the clinic. John pulled out a warrant that the local police department had given to him, so he could search the clinic.
Dr. Obrecht stiffened and asked to see the picture of the first man that John had shown her. John held up the cell phone to show her the picture of Faison. Dr. Obrecht pretended to suddenly recall the man and explained that he'd had plastic surgery after sustaining burns to the face, which was why she had barely recognized him. Dr. Obrecht assured them that the man was long gone. Robert pretended to be outraged and demanded that she tell them what she knew. John played the good cop by hustling Robert away under the guise of trying to calm him down. Once they were out of earshot, John reminded Robert not to overplay their hand because the warrant was actually a Chinese menu.
At the hotel, Faison, disguised as Duke, invited Anna into his suite. Anna had heard him on the phone, so she was curious who he had been talking to. Faison easily lied, claiming that he had been on the phone with his handler in Washington to let him know the latest development with Faison. He then deftly steered the conversation away by asking what Interpol had said. Anna revealed that Interpol was broadening their search for Faison, so Anna decided to call her people in Port Charles. Faison suggested that it was unnecessary, but Anna pointed out that Faison could head to Port Charles, so her officers should be alerted.
Anna also wanted to make certain that Robert was released from custody because even though he had been wrong about Duke, he had been right about Faison being alive. Anna became frustrated when her phone didn't work properly, so she walked around to see if she could get a signal. After Anna stepped out of the room, Faison pocketed the battery that he had taken from her cell phone at one point. Moments later, Anna returned to ask to use his phone. Faison agreed, but first he wanted to clear the air and make certain that she didn't have any lingering doubts about him. Faison explained that he wanted her to trust him the same way that she had trusted him during their marriage.
Anna explained that all of her doubts had fled the second she had seen Faison's thug shove Duke into the room. Anna confessed that she had realized then that she couldn't bear to lose Duke again. Faison smiled with satisfaction and then kissed her. Anna pulled away to go to her room to freshen up. Faison was disappointed, but she reminded him that they would have the rest of the evening together. After Anna left, Faison ordered champagne and fondue.
Moments later, Dr. Obrecht called Faison to let him know that John and Robert had been snooping around. She bragged that she had managed to get rid of them, but seconds later, John snatched the phone out of the doctor's hand. Dr. Obrecht refused to tell them where Faison was, but John was confident that they could have the call traced.
A short time later, Anna returned to Faison's suite. Faison complimented her outfit and then kissed her passionately, pressing her up against the door. He invited her to the bedroom, so she agreed, but they only made it as far as the sofa when they were interrupted by a knock at the door. It was John and Robert.
Dante arrived at the hospital where Lulu was anxiously waiting for him. She explained that she and Maxie had been hanging out when Maxie had suddenly developed a rash. Lulu feared that Maxie might have had some kind of allergic reaction to the hormone treatment, so Maxie might not be able to carry their baby.
In the examination room, Britt studied Maxie's hives. Maxie nervously wondered if the rash meant that she might not be able to carry Lulu and Dante's baby. Britt wanted to have a closer look at the rash before she decided what had caused it. Later, Lulu, Dante, and Maxie were relieved when Britt announced that the hives had been caused by an allergic reaction to food, not the hormone treatment. Britt decided to check Lulu and Maxie's hormone levels to see if they might be ready for the next step.
After Britt left the room, Lulu tried to figure out how Maxie had ended up eating something that Maxie had been allergic to. Maxie suspected that it had been the jelly that she had used when she had made a peanut butter and jelly sandwich at Lulu's place. Maxie realized that she probably should have checked the label instead of assuming that it had been grape jelly. Maxie wasn't surprised when Dante confirmed that it had been blackberry jelly, which she was allergic to.
Lulu was furious that Maxie had been so careless with her body because it didn't bode well for the safety of Lulu and Dante's baby. Maxie was hurt, but conceded that Lulu had a point, so she promised to be more careful in the future. Lulu immediately apologized for the outburst, but Maxie assured her that it was okay because they were both dealing with raging hormones. Dante seemed slightly confused when the two friends suddenly hugged.
Britt returned and explained that if everything checked out, they would be ready for the next step, which would be injections to prepare Lulu for the egg retrieval. Lulu smiled with joy as she realized that she might be a step closer to motherhood.
At Manning Enterprises, Todd revealed that his publishing house had picked up Molly's manuscript. Molly was excited until Todd revealed that Connie had submitted the manuscript. Molly and T.J. glared at Connie, who insisted that she had written the manuscript. T.J. realized why they hadn't found Molly's book in the office. Connie was outraged that the teens had agreed to work under false pretenses, so she fired them. Molly appealed to Todd for help, but he refused to intervene.
Todd reminded Molly that he had warned her that he was not a good man. Todd insisted that it was a smart business move to publish the book, so he suggested that T.J., Molly, and Connie work things out before the book went to press. After Todd left, Molly vowed that she would not let Connie steal the book. Connie pointed out that Molly didn't have any proof that Molly had written the book because Molly had lost all copies of the manuscript. Besides, Connie added, her book was nothing like Molly's.
Molly couldn't believe that Connie would be so cruel as to steal Molly's book. Molly insisted that the whole point of writing a book was to tell a story that was a part of the author. Connie argued that the point of writing a book was to make money. T.J. ushered Molly out of the office as he promised that they would find a way to stop Connie. After they left, Connie smiled victoriously and practiced her brief bio that would appear on the book's jacket.
Connie talked about growing up in Bensonhurst and then taking many years off to "find" herself. However, Connie promised that she was back and better than ever. "This is her first novel," Connie added with a sly smile.
At Kelly's, Josslyn squealed with delight when she spotted Johnny, so she threw herself into his arms as she confessed that she had missed him. Johnny hugged Josslyn and lifted her onto the counter as he asked her why she was up past her bedtime. Carly quietly explained that Josslyn had been excited to get a Christmas tree, so they had picked one out and then had decided to stop off for hot chocolate. Josslyn wanted to color, so Carly set her daughter up with paper and crayons at a nearby table. Once Josslyn was focused on coloring, Johnny thanked Carly for not poisoning Josslyn against him.
Carly was reluctant to drag her daughter into their drama, especially since she was certain that Josslyn would eventually forget all about Johnny. Johnny was hurt and confessed that he missed Carly. Carly quietly warned him that he didn't have the right to say that to her and then wondered how his wife would feel about his admission. Johnny insisted that he couldn't stop thinking about Carly, but that infuriated Carly. Carly reminded him that he had known that Josslyn would spend Christmas with Jax and that Morgan had plans to fly to Paris with some friends, so he had promised to take her away for the holidays.
Carly recalled that Johnny had been reluctant to finalize their plans, which she suspected had been a sign that he had never intended to spend them with her. Carly started to turn away, so Johnny reached out to grab her arm. Carly warned him to let go, so Johnny quickly dropped his hand and apologized. However, he insisted that he needed to tell her the truth about why he had married Connie. Carly reluctantly agreed to hear him out, but Todd suddenly entered the diner and asked if Carly was parked out front with the biggest Christmas tree that he had ever seen strapped to the roof.
Todd greeted Josslyn, who smiled up at him. Carly asked for a moment of privacy, but Todd ignored her as he joined her and Johnny. Carly explained that Johnny had been about to tell her the real reason behind Johnny's marriage to Connie. Todd was curious what Johnny had to say, but Johnny refused to continue the conversation while Todd was present. Josslyn ran up to give Johnny a picture that she had drawn of Johnny and Carly.
Johnny thanked Josslyn, so Carly took Josslyn back to the table with the promise of hot chocolate. Todd seized the opportunity to ask if Johnny were truly prepared to confess to killing Hope and Cole. Johnny insisted that he was tired of being blackmailed, but Todd didn't feel sorry for Johnny because Johnny only had himself to blame for the predicament. After Johnny left, Carly admitted that she had wanted to hear what Johnny had to say.
Todd was curious if Carly would take Johnny back if Johnny were to miraculously explain away every horrible thing that Johnny had done. Carly insisted that she couldn't consider the question, but Todd argued that she should have shuddered, cringed, and said, "No." Carly explained that she was determined to look to the future, not back.
At Manning Enterprises, Connie practiced various poses as Johnny entered the office. She bragged that his wife would soon be on the cover of a magazine, but Johnny informed her that she wouldn't be his wife for much longer. Connie immediately reminded him that she had the power to send him to jail, so Johnny warned her that he was tired of her blackmailing him every ten minutes. He realized that the only way to get out of the "purgatory" of his marriage was to confess to his crimes. He left.
At the penthouse, Sam left a message for John, explaining that she had called for an update about Jason's case. Moments later, the doorbell rang. It was Alexis and Kristina who each sported a Santa hat and carried bags of Christmas decorations. Sam insisted that she was not in the holiday spirit, but Alexis and Kristina ignored her. Kristina sprinted for the door when the doorbell rang, so Alexis confessed that she had ordered a tree.
Sam was not happy about the tree, but Alexis refused to apologize for making sure that her grandson had a tree for his first Christmas. Sam's sour mood immediately evaporated. Meanwhile, at the door, Kristina was surprised that Trey had delivered the tree. Trey reminded her that he continued to do volunteer work for the church in exchange for a room. After Trey set up the tree, he invited Kristina out for some hot chocolate. Kristina agreed, so Alexis sat down on the sofa to find out what Sam had been working on.
Sam's avoidance told Alexis that the case was about Jason. Sam revealed that the police department had hired John, so the case had been assigned to him. Alexis admitted that she had bumped into John, but she pointed out that there was a difference between investigating who had shot Jason and finding Jason. Sam admitted that she had felt bad for lashing out at John, and that she knew that everyone else had given up on Jason.
However, Sam had faith that Jason was alive. Alexis was disappointed with Sam's continued denial, but Sam pointed out that Christmas was all about faith. Later, Alexis surprised Sam by returning to the living room with Danny, whom Alexis had dressed in a Santa suit. Sam laughed, which made Alexis smile because it had been so long since she had seen Sam like that. Alexis and Sam decorated the tree. Afterwards, Sam added two more ornaments: the dragon and the phoenix, which she and Jason had given to each other the previous Christmas.
Meanwhile, the doorbell rang, so Alexis answered it. It was Molly. Molly asked Alexis to sue Connie on Molly's behalf.
Outside of Kelly's, Trey admitted that he had meant to see Kristina sooner. Kristina reminded Trey that he was always welcome at the lake house to visit. Trey smiled and explained that he hadn't wanted to leave town without saying goodbye to her. Kristina was startled by the news, so Trey revealed that he had taken Kristina's advice and had sent out a reel of his work. Trey confided that it had mostly been footage of Kristina on Mob Princess, but it had been enough for a job offer. Trey told her that he had an opportunity to be an assistant producer for a new David Vickers movie.
Kristina recalled that all of David Vickers' films tended to be huge flops. Trey shrugged and suggested that he might be able to turn things around for David Vickers. Kristina was certain that Trey would be a success, so she asked when he was leaving. Trey admitted that he had almost passed on the job because he had hoped that he and Kristina could work things out. Kristina confessed that she wanted the same thing, so Trey surprised her by inviting her to move to Los Angeles with him.
Kristina reminded him that she had a life in Port Charles, but Trey was certain that she could find something to her liking in Los Angeles. He explained that he wasn't leaving for another two weeks, so she had time to make a decision. Kristina promised to mull things over, so Trey decided to give her something to think about by kissing her.
In Lucerne, Faison, disguised as Duke, suggested that he and Anna continue things in the bedroom. Anna agreed, so he kissed her, but a knock on the door interrupted them. Faison assumed that it was room service, but it was Robert and John. "Scorpio, you've got to be kidding," Faison growled as Robert and John entered the suite. Anna demanded to know what Robert and John were doing there, so Robert and John revealed that Faison was alive.
Robert and John were surprised when Anna admitted that she knew about Faison and that she had already alerted Interpol. Robert and John questioned her about her encounter with Faison. Anna told Robert and John that she had seen Duke and Faison together at the same time, so Faison couldn't have been masquerading as Duke. Satisfied that his ruse had worked, Faison demanded an apology from Robert, but Robert refused to concede that he had been wrong. Faison smugly accused Robert of grasping at straws to make sense of an absurd theory, which Faison insisted stemmed from jealousy because Anna had picked Duke over Robert.
John told Anna about his and Robert's visit to the clinic where they had met Dr. Obrecht. Anna's interest was piqued when John revealed that they had caught Dr. Obrecht sneaking a call to the man that Anna believed was Duke. Faison tried to talk his way out of it, so John showed Anna the phone that he had confiscated from the doctor and then hit redial to see who Dr. Obrecht had called. Moments later, Faison's phone buzzed. Faison ranted, as he accused Robert and John of buying a disposable phone and then making the call to fabricate evidence.
Anna became increasingly upset and complained about the heat. John admitted that his instincts had told him to turn up the temperature in the suite. John noticed that everyone was perspiring except for "Duke." Faison tried to explain his lack of sweat by reminding them that he had spent years in a Turkish prison, but Robert and John didn't believe him. Robert reminded Anna that Faison had been a covert operative who had had access to state-of-the-art resources that would have allowed him to make himself the perfect likeness of Duke Lavery.
Desperate, Faison reminded Anna that she had seen with her own eyes that Duke and Faison were not the same person. Faison implored Anna to leave with him. Robert and John were stunned when Anna agreed and then asked Faison to take her to a special place where she and Duke had once been snowed in. Faison assured her that he remembered, but Anna pulled away from him because the story had been a test, which he had failed because she and Duke had never been snowed in. Faison tried to talk his way out of it as he stormed to the door, but Robert intercepted him.
Robert threw a clear chemical onto Faison's face. Faison crumpled to the ground, screaming in agony, while Robert and John watched dispassionately. Robert explained that the chemical dissolved latex. Anna was horrified when the mask melted away to reveal Faison's face. Faison insisted that he loved her, but Anna refused to listen. John quickly notified Interpol that they had captured Faison, so Robert and John restrained Faison until the Interpol agents arrived.
Later, Faison was about to be hauled away when Anna stopped the agents. Faison's eyes filled with hope as Anna approached him. His joy quickly turned to shock when she punched him in the jaw.
At Kelly's, Maxie pushed her plate of food away as she explained that she was too nervous about the following day's procedure to eat. Mac felt bad that Felicia couldn't be there, but they were concerned that Felicia's illness might complicate Maxie's impending pregnancy. Maxie was surprised that Felicia had Rubella because most people had been immunized against it. Moments later, Olivia entered the diner, in high spirits because her grandchild would soon be on its way. She wondered if Maxie and Mac were as excited as she was. "I am," a quiet little voice replied.
Olivia was startled when she saw a puppy, wearing a bib, sitting at the table with Maxie and Mac. Olivia quickly recovered from her shock and angrily scolded the puppy for talking. Mac appeared confused, but Maxie quickly figured out that Olivia had had a vision. Olivia desperately tried to change the subject, but Maxie demanded to know what Olivia had seen. Olivia reluctantly told Maxie about the puppy and then mentioned that it had spoken. Maxie became upset, so Olivia decided to escape by explaining that she had promised to meet Dante and Lulu at the hospital.
After Olivia left, Maxie bemoaned the possibility that she might give birth to an ugly child or a baby with a birth defect. Mac insisted that it had just been a hallucination that could be open to many interpretations. Maxie feared the worst was going to happen, so Mac admitted that he was concerned about Maxie's reaction. He imagined that she had a lot to worry about, but she appeared to be panicking unnecessarily. Mac pointed out that perhaps Maxie had reservations about undergoing an invasive medical procedure that would require her to give up nine months of her life and a baby.
Maxie argued that she had already gone through all the pros and cons with everyone, so her mind was made up. However, she conceded that she was afraid. Maxie revealed that she had accidentally ingested blackberry jam, which she was allergic to, when she hadn't been paying attention. Maxie worried that there might be more serious ramifications that could harm the baby the next time that she became distracted. Mac assured Maxie that he had faith in her, so he was certain that she would be a wonderful surrogate.
Maxie smiled and then confessed that even if she wanted to back out of the surrogacy, which she she didn't, she wouldn't want to because it would disappoint Lulu and Dante. Mac agreed that Lulu and Dante would probably be hurt, but he insisted that they would get over it and not hold it against Maxie, so Maxie shouldn't let that stop her from backing out if that was what she wanted to do. Maxie stood by her decision, so Mac announced that he had to pick up Emma. He promised Maxie that he would support whatever she decided and then left.
At the hospital, Dante was curious if Lulu was nervous about the next step. Lulu smiled and assured him that she was excited to have her eggs extracted. Felix handed Dante a cup and explained that they couldn't fertilize the eggs without Dante's contribution. Britt grinned as she explained that Lulu was at peak ovulation, so there shouldn't be a problem. After Britt left, Felix pointed to the DVD player and then showed Dante the cabinets with the movies and magazines that might help Dante. Felix waited for Lulu to follow him out so that Dante could get started, but Lulu refused to budge.
Lulu didn't want Dante fantasizing about other women because she thought that their child deserved better. Dante promised to think only about Lulu, so Lulu smiled and left.
At the nurses' station, Patrick complimented Sabrina's elf hat. Sabrina smiled as she explained that she had been in a festive mood. Patrick assured Sabrina that it was appreciated because there were too many Scrooges at the hospital. Sabrina confessed that she loved Christmas and that she was working with the kids in pediatrics to sing Christmas carols. Patrick was impressed. Their conversation quickly drifted to the topic of the Nurses Ball. Patrick was surprised when he realized that Sabrina was once again hopeful of finding a sponsor.
Sabrina told Patrick about Lucy Coe and Felix's connection to Lucy. Patrick recalled Robin mentioning Lucy, so he knew that Lucy had played an important role in past Nurses Balls. Sabrina was positively giddy at the prospect of Lucy's help, that she jumped with joy. Patrick got caught up in Sabrina's enthusiasm, so he hugged her without warning. Sabrina momentarily froze, but then slowly slid her hands around Patrick's shoulders, while Britt lurked nearby, watching with barely undisguised anger.
Britt plastered on a smile as she approached Patrick and Sabrina to ask what they were celebrating. Patrick revealed that Sabrina had managed to find new hope for the Nurses Ball. Sabrina added that Felix knew Lucy Coe, so Lucy might be able to help sponsor the charity event. Moments later, Lulu walked up to ask to speak to Britt privately. After Britt reluctantly led Lulu to a quiet corner, Sabrina spotted Felix and called out to him. Sabrina invited Felix to tell Patrick all about the meeting with Lucy.
Felix seemed reluctant to discuss it, so he frantically looked around until his gaze landed on the mistletoe hanging above Patrick and Sabrina. To Sabrina's horror, Felix urged Patrick to kiss her. After a little prodding, Patrick agreed, but just then Britt reappeared. "Is that mistletoe?" Britt innocently asked and then kissed Patrick. "That sneaky bitch," Felix growled under his breath to Sabrina. After the kiss, Britt asked if Sabrina and Felix were on their way to New York City.
Felix turned the tables on Britt by inviting Patrick to join Sabrina and Felix on the trip. Patrick explained that he couldn't leave town because he had promised to decorate a tree with Emma. Felix insisted that Emma could join them and that Patrick and Sabrina could take Emma to see the tree in Rockefeller Center and then go ice-skating. Patrick was tempted but ultimately declined. Britt walked away with Patrick and suggested that she stop by to help Patrick and Emma decorate the tree.
Patrick thought about his last Christmas with Robin when he and Robin had posed for a picture with Emma and then had looked out the window, hoping to spot Santa's sleigh. "Maybe," Patrick told Britt and then added that he would text her to let her know. Britt's brittle smile hid her disappointment as he walked away.
Nearby, Sabrina was upset that Felix had invited Patrick to New York City. Felix refused to apologize, so Sabrina made it clear that any idea of a romance between Sabrina and Patrick was all in Felix's head. Felix disagreed, but Sabrina insisted that Patrick was still grieving for his wife.
Meanwhile, Patrick arrived home. He flipped on the lights and stopped short when he saw Robin standing by the fireplace.
Olivia arrived at the hospital. She asked Felix where Dante was, so he pointed to one of the examination rooms. Olivia ran down the hallway and burst through the door. Startled, Dante quickly pulled up his pants as he asked, "Mom, what the hell are you doing?" Olivia reminded him that she had changed his diapers, so he didn't have anything that she hadn't seen before. "Not like this. You haven't seen it like this," Dante informed her as he zipped up his pants.
Olivia explained that she had just wanted to let Dante know that she loved him and was behind him. Dante appreciated the support, but he assured her that it wasn't necessary for what he had to do. Olivia told him to break a leg and left. Moments later, she breezed by Lulu. Olivia was on her way to the cafeteria, so she wondered if Lulu wanted anything. Lulu declined, so Olivia continued on her way.
In the examination room, Dante locked the door, made certain that all of the blinds were closed, and then went to the cabinet to grab a DVD. However, he froze when he recalled the promise that he had made to Lulu. Dante decided that he would focus on fantasizing about his wife, but his mind kept replaying various conversations that he'd had that day, so he sent Lulu a text message asking her to join him in the room. Moments later, Lulu entered. Dante admitted that he was having trouble, so Lulu seductively unzipped his pants and kissed him.
Meanwhile, Maxie arrived at the hospital and spotted Olivia. Maxie made it clear that she didn't want to hear anything else about strange visions and then explained that she needed to talk to Lulu and Dante. Olivia pointed Maxie to the room where Lulu and Dante were.
At the clinic in Switzerland, Robin looked at the calendar on the wall and realized that it was almost Christmas. She imagined that Patrick and Emma had decorated the Christmas tree and then became homesick because she wished that she could see it. Robin quietly confessed that she missed her husband and daughter. Moments later, Dr. Obrecht entered and deposited a food tray on Robin's table. The glass of juice tipped over, so the doctor nervously righted it and announced, "Dinner." Robin sensed that something was troubling the doctor, so she invited the doctor to talk about it.
Dr. Obrecht unlocked one of Robin's handcuffs, but ignored Robin's attempt to get the doctor to open up. Robin decided to goad the doctor by making several snide remarks about the doctor's unethical behavior. "Be quiet," Dr. Obrecht snapped. Robin was pleased because she had struck a nerve, so Robin pointed out that Dr. Obrecht could tell her anything, since Robin wasn't in a position to tell anyone. Dr. Obrecht angrily revealed that Faison had been captured.
Robin immediately perked up as she tried to find out what had happened and if her parents had been involved. Dr. Obrecht bragged that Anna had easily fallen for Faison's brilliant plan, but Robin didn't believe her because Faison had clearly been caught. Robin was certain that Anna and Robert had put the pieces together, but Dr. Obrecht insisted that Robin's parents could "go to hell." The doctor was upset because Faison had left her to deal with the fallout.
Robin urged Dr. Obrecht to release her and promised that she would speak on the doctor's behalf to garner leniency from Anna and Robert. Dr. Obrecht was unmoved, even when Robin appealed to the doctor's compassionate nature that had led Dr. Obrecht into medicine to begin with. Robin insisted that the doctor shouldn't have to pay for Faison's crimes, but Dr. Obrecht had complete faith that Faison would find a way out of his predicament. Robin warned the doctor that it was only a matter of time before Anna and Robert tracked Robin down, so it would be in the doctor's best interest that Robin not be found handcuffed to a bed.
Dr. Obrecht decided that Robin was a liability that needed to be removed, along with another patient. Robin realized that someone else was a prisoner at the clinic, so she demanded to know who it was, but Dr. Obrecht refused to tell her.
At the hotel suite in Lucerne, Robert arrived with a cup of coffee for Anna. Anna had been staring at Interpol's Most Wanted list, which had Faison's picture featured with the word "captured" across it. She slammed her laptop shut in frustration as she screamed, "Can I be any more stupid?" Anna invited Robert to say, "I told you so," but Robert declined. Anna felt foolish for falling for Faison's lies because she had been trained as a spy to see through disguises.
Robert suggested that Anna hadn't been able to see the truth because she had been blinded by her grief for Robin. Robert accused Faison of exploiting Anna's loss by entering her life as Duke during a time when Anna had been most vulnerable. Anna warned Robert that she didn't intend to make the same mistake twice by ignoring her instincts. Robert wondered what she was talking about, so Anna told him about what had transpired in the hotel room when she had seen Faison and Duke together.
Robert insisted that the man that she had seen Faison with had been one of Faison's henchmen wearing the latex mask, but Anna disagreed. She explained that when Faison's thug, Klaus, had dragged Duke into the room, there had been something in Duke's eyes that had made her realize that Duke had been trying to warn and protect her. She was certain that she had been looking into Duke's eyes, but Robert remained doubtful. Anna reminded Robert that Faison had known things that only she and Duke could have known, which made her wonder if a part of Faison's story might have been true.
Robert agreed to hear Anna out, so she suggested that perhaps Faison had found Duke in a Turkish prison and then had somehow forced Duke to reveal private details about Anna and Duke's relationship. Robert thought that Anna was off-base, but he knew where they could get answers to some of her questions.
Later, Dr. Obrecht made her way down the clinic's hallway with a lethal-looking syringe in her hand. She debated who to inject first: Robin or Duke. Seconds later, Anna slammed into Dr. Obrecht and shoved the doctor against the wall. The syringe fell out of Dr. Obrecht's grip as Robert walked up behind Anna. Anna demanded that Dr. Obrecht tell Anna everything, but the doctor refused to cooperate. Anna decided to try another tactic. Dr. Obrecht shrieked when Anna decided to search each room.
Anna threw open the door closest to her and stopped short. "Oh, my God," Anna whispered in shock.
Due to ABC News coverage of the tragic shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, today's episode of General Hospital was pre-empted nationally. The episode that was scheduled to air today will now be broadcast on Monday, December 17. There will be no "lost" episodes as a result of this programming changeRecap --->
