Edward collapses from a heart attack and is rushed to General Hospital. Tracy and Alan argue with one another in their state of despair, and Alan tells the family that Edward almost died in the ambulance ride to the hospital. He informs them that the only thing that can save him is surgery, and he is probably not strong enough to handle it. Justus sits with Edward and tells him that they have so much to work through, and that he can't leave now. Tracy then goes in and tells him that she loves him and wants to make him proud of her. Edward opens his eyes and looks at her, but asks for Justus. Justus helps Edward sign a legal document as an angry Tracy looks on from the hall. The doctors wheel Edward into surgery after an emotional goodbye from the Quartermaines, and then Tracy turns on Justus and demands to know what her father signed. Justus claims confidentiality, but Tracy grabs it from his hand and reads Edward's sworn statement that he, and not his family, is solely to blame for the fire.

Emily sobs as she says goodbye to Nikolas and boards the helicopter. He waves to her as she goes into the air, and she screams as the roof explodes in flames and collapses around him. Nikolas manages to live through it and finds his way to the stairwell where Jason has been handcuffed to the railing. Jason yells at Nikolas to leave him and get out, but Nikolas refuses. He walks away and quickly returns with an ax to break Jason's handcuff. As the men try to figure out a way to get out, they realize that a gas pipe is leaking and they run as it explodes.

Maxie tries to help a devastated Georgie remain calm for Mac's sake. Georgie fears she can't go in to see him without breaking down, so Dillon comforts her by offering to go with her and help her out. Georgie goes into Mac's room, and bravely keeps it together as she sits with him. Dillon comforts her after she leaves the room.

Sam is distraught at the possibility of Sonny being dead. Jax accuses her of being in love with him, but she admits that she's unsure of her feelings and wants him alive to give her the opportunity to figure them out. Jax leaves her in the alley outside of the hotel.

Luke and Skye continue to revel in their freedom outside of the fire. They go to the hospital to be looked at briefly, and then to Skye's place on the lake. As Skye and Luke toast each other with water and whiskey, respectively, a towel-clad Jax emerges from the bathroom and interrupts their near kiss. Skye demands that Jax leave her house immediately, and then she turns to Luke and tells him to go to. She explains she'd prefer to be alone after the fire rather than have all the male attention she usually craves, but they are all interrupted by a phone call from Ned that sends Skye rushing to the hospital to check on Edward.

Back at the hospital, Monica rushes Emily into a room to get blood and be treated for her cut. Emily is out of it, but awakes after her transfusion in terror over Nikolas. Monica tries to comfort her, but Emily can't calm down. After Monica tells her to rest, and then leaves the room, Emily removes her I.V. and goes to find Nikolas herself.

Sonny cries over his unconscious wife, and tells her that he loves her. Carly finally begins to awake as Lorenzo comes upon the scene and interrupts them. He pulls Carly out of the pit where they are trapped, and Sonny tells them to go on without him. Carly screams that she will not leave him alone, and they work to get Sonny out as well. They make it out of the collapsed area and into a hallway, where Sonny walks into the elevator and hot-wires it to get them downstairs ahead of the fire.

An enraged and hysterical Courtney beats against Ric's chest when she sees that he's escaped the fire but Sonny and Carly have not. She screams at him and Liz, and asks them if they are happy that they've gotten what they wanted. Ric defends himself as Sonny's brother who has lost someone too, but Courtney gets further enraged and Mike has to pull her away. Emily and Monica come upon Ric next and demand to know about Nikolas and Jason. Meanwhile, Courtney breaks away from her dad and finds Capelli who tells her Jason isn't coming out of the hotel. Courtney can't believe her ears as Capelli makes up a story about Jason attacking him, and she begins to flip out. Her tirade brings Ric over, and she screams at him about Jason's situation. When a fireman tells her they've abandoned the search in Jason's area, she tries to run into the building herself, but is stopped by another officer. Courtney continues to struggle against the police, when Sonny, Carly, and Alcazar suddenly emerge from the building. She runs and throws herself into Carly's arms and tells them that Capelli handcuffed Jason to a pipe and left him in the building to die. Sonny yells at Ric that it will be on his head, but they all agree to believe that Jason can make it out alive.

Sonny and Carly share a close moment while Alcazar is distracted by the paramedics. Carly asks him what he was saying to her when she awoke, but before he can answer, Sam rushes up to him, jumps in front of Carly, and throws her arms around him. With the moment ruined by Sam's interruption, Carly leaves them together and goes to comfort Courtney. Emily shows up, and together with Courtney, they worry as they wait for word on Nikolas and Jason. Ric kills their hope when he tells them that the building has become too unstable, and the rescue search has completely been called off. Emily begs Sonny to do something and make them continue looking when suddenly, Jason emerges from the building. Courtney runs to him, and he hugs her. Over his shoulder he looks at Emily, and she reads his eyes and knows that Nikolas isn't coming out with him.

Bobbie tells Luke that Scotty is dead. The police found his body, and she remembers him as the first man she ever loved. As Luke's disbelief turns into an attempt to comfort his sister, Scotty emerges from a fireman uniform back at the hotel and digs in vain into the garbage for the treasure that he hid earlier.

Tracy reads aloud Edward's confession of fault for the fire, and announces that he's saved the family. Skye lunges at her and accuses her of caring nothing about Edward, but only about his bank account. Tracy attacks back and says she's the only one who really knows what her father is all about. Alan quietly agrees with her, and she walks off, but is obviously shaken over Edward's poor odds.

Courtney runs to Jason as he emerges from the building and hugs him. They exchange I love you's to each other, and then he walks over to Emily. He tells his sister that Nikolas survived the roof collapse, found him and saved his life, but unfortunately broke a gas pipe in the process. He recounts his memory of running into a hotel corridor with Nikolas when an explosion occurred, pinning them both under beams. Jason awoke and was able to get out, but he couldn't get to Nikolas. Emily begins to sob and refuses to believe that Nikolas is dead.

Back at the hospital, Dillon attempts to comfort his mother by telling her that she can love and be frightened for her father. Tracy tells Dillon that her and Edward are alike and don't need love, but rather respect. She tells him that she could handle not having the sentiment, but that she needs Dillon to stand up for himself. He's shaken by her lack of warmth, and realizes how much Edward has molded her. Bobbie announces that Edward is out of surgery and asleep, and Tracy goes into his room to sit with him. He wakes up, and upon seeing his daughter, thinks he's in hell. Tracy smiles at him and reassures him she'll take care of the family's business problems just like he'd want her to.

Jason and Courtney bring Emily back to the hospital to be checked out, but she can only call for people to find Nikolas. After they wheel her into a room, the police arrive to arrest Jason for the attempted murder of Brian. Courtney tries to follow him to the station, but he tells her to look after Emily. As Jason leaves, a nurse informs Courtney that Brian has been asking for her. She goes to his room and discovers he's been wheeled into emergency surgery and his prognosis is not good. Brian returns from surgery and has enough time to tell Courtney that while Ric did force him to use her, he did truly love her. He tells her that his wife and son are waiting for him, and he dies.

Emily refuses to stay at the hospital, even after Monica and Alan demand it. She tells them that either they drive her to the hotel or she'll walk over to find Nikolas. Liz walks into the room and offers to take her. As Emily dresses, Liz tells Alan that Emily has to deal with Nikolas in her own way, and they can't make her accept his death until she's ready. Back at the hotel, Liz blocks Ned from holding Emily back, and Emily begins to dig through the rubble to find Nikolas. When she can't find him, she calls out to him and then breaks down. Alan and Monica break the news to the rest of the Quartermaines that Nikolas has died, and Helena comes upon the family in the hospital corridor. She curses them for the loss of her grandson, and promises to spend the rest of her life making sure each and every Quartermaine pay for his death.

Sonny rents Sam a hotel room at another hotel, and she thanks him and tells him she's glad he made it out alive. He asks her how she got out, and she admits Jax helped her but gives him no details of her time with Jax in the penthouse, or of their lovemaking. Sonny goes home and Sam later finds Jax to thank him again for saving her life. Jax agrees to not tell Sonny that Sam slept with him during the fire, and he warns Sam to beware of a betrayed Sonny Corinthos.

At the hospital, Carly thanks Alcazar for saving her life. He tells her that he'd do anything for her, but admits that Sonny helped save her as well. Carly hopes that Sonny will now compromise with her over the children, and then attempts to go to the station to help Jason. Alcazar stops her and tells her she needs to go home and rest, and when she tells him she no longer has a home, he asks her to come home with him. She accepts and goes to his place to clean up. Carly thanks him again for saving her life on more than one occasion, and let's him know that she needs time to figure things out with the boys before she can move in with him. He offers her his other house, and they kiss before being interrupted by a call from Sonny. Sonny tells Carly that Michael is upset and wants to see her, and that she needs to come over. She agrees, and he tells her to come over alone.

At the police station, Ric tries to get Jason to talk by telling him that he knows that Capelli is on Alcazar's payroll, and he also thinks that Jason is innocent. Jason refuses to speak without his attorney, and Justus shows up in time to hear Ric badger him and tell him that he'll be executed if Brian dies and he's convicted of it. Jason explains what happened to Justus, and that he did not kill Brian and was only identified by him because he was wearing a sweatshirt he found in the hallway. Ric returns and Justus tells him that Jason is the victim of mistaken identity. Ric begins to argue, and Jason screams at him that he didn't shoot Brian. Capelli tells Jason he's going down for Brian's murder, but Ric returns with ballistic reports that set Jason free.

Carly rushes into the penthouse and hugs Michael tightly. Sonny watches as she tells Michael that she loves him and thought about nothing but him and Morgan while she was in the fire. She tells him that it's late, and asks to tuck him in, but he wants her to stay the night and have their family back the way it used to be. Sonny and Carly join together to put their son to bed, but begin to fight immediately afterward when Carly says she'll pick the boys up the next day. Sonny tells her she can't take them, and she reminds him she has custody. He shoves her out of the apartment, and tells her she will not get his sons.

Jason learns that Brian died and that Courtney took responsibility for burying him. Jason finds Courtney at Brian's gravesite. Courtney can no longer endure Jason's lifestyle and makes it clear they can't be together. Courtney is stunned when a man gives her a check for ten million dollars. Armed with a gun, Capelli ambushes Jason. Justus suggests that Edward should claim to be senile in order to avoid any lawsuits against the family. Tracy uses this to her advantage and starts to go after control of ELQ. Emily learns that Edward is responsible for the fire and blames him for Nikolas' death. Alexis stands up to Helena. Edward pretends to be out of touch with reality when Ric questions him. An angry Lucky accuses Luke of being happy that Nikolas died. Edward tells Skye that he named her as his heir, but insists they keep it their secret. Alexis and Luke pay their respects to Cameron. Skye questions Luke about the kiss they shared earlier.

Courtney is surprised when the older woman she helped rescue from the hotel fire shows up with her dog to thank her for saving her life and her dog's. Courtney hands the check for $10 million back to the woman and tells her she can't accept it since it is too much money. The woman asks her to accept it anyway as her thanks and tells Courtney that she reminds her of her late daughter who was her age when she died. Courtney doesn't know what to say and is still in shock. The woman recommends that she use the money as a way to have many choices to do what she wants with her life. She recommends that Courtney share the money with her husband. Courtney informs her that she and her husband aren't together anymore. The woman tells her she is sorry and insists she keep the money. She tells Courtney that money doesn't buy happiness but that it can be used to bring happiness to others who need it and it allows people to make choices they didn't have with money. Meanwhile, Detective Capelli points a gun at Jason and tells him to give him his gun when he finds him at the remains of the hotel. Jason tells him that he will never get away with killing him since the cops will find a bullet in his back and that he is already in trouble for handcuffing him to the stairwell during the fire. Capelli tells him he will think of a way to convince the cops and Ric that he killed him in self-defense after he "retaliated" for the fire by trying to kill him first. Jason hands over his gun and while Capelli is distracted, Jason presses a button on his cell-phone to get Ric on the phone. Ric answers his cell-phone and overhears Jason and Capelli talking. He hears Capelli tell Jason that he is going to kill him like he should have done at the hotel. Jason gets Capelli to admit that he shot and killed Brian in the hotel and tried to set him up for the murder. Jason tells Capelli that he wanted Brian dead himself and isn't going to tell the police any of that. Capelli tells him that he doesn't believe him when he says he won't retaliate. Capelli is about to shoot and kill Jason and Jason tells him that if he kills him he will have Sonny out for him and that Sonny will find him anywhere he tries to hide. Ric and some uniformed police officers arrive at the scene. While Capelli is distracted, Jason jumps him and tries to get the gun out of his hands. The two men struggle for the gun when it goes off and Capelli falls to the ground. Ric checks his pulse while the two uniformed cops restrain Jason. Ric tells them that Capelli is dead. The cops start to arrest Jason and place him in handcuffs. Ric stops them and tells them to release Jason. One of the cops questions Ric's orders since they see Jason being a cop killer. Ric informs them that Jason shot Capelli in self-defense and commends him for using his cell-phone to allow him to hear Capelli's confession. The cops are given their orders to get Capelli sent to the morgue. Ric asks Jason to come to the station and make a statement about what happened with him and Capelli at the fire and what just happened now with the shooting. Jason refuses to make a statement without his speaking to his lawyer first. Ric tells him that he isn't up to anything with him and is just trying to do his job. Jason tells him that he is a liar and that he wants something from him like a favor in return for his statement. Ric tells him that when he has him convicted it will be for doing something illegal and that when that happens he will make it stick. Jason tells him he should have arrested him when he had a chance and walks away.

Ric questions Edward about the fire while he is at the hospital. Justus tries to keep Edward from giving himself away too much by demanding to know why Ric is badgering Edward when it is clear that he isn't of sound mind. Edward goes along with Justus' plan but after Ric leaves, Edward tells Justus that he will not do anything so crazy that he will lose his dignity. Justus advises him to act like he is senile if he wants to get out of being held liable for the hotel fire. Meanwhile, Tracy talks to the new female lawyer in town, Jan McNeal. Jan tells Tracy that by being power of attorney over ELQ by showing that Edward is not sane enough to run the company, she will be able to avoid any lawsuits. Tracy and Jan show up to visit Edward. Tracy holds a document giving her power of attorney over ELQ and shows it to Justus. She tells Edward that she is sorry to do this but she must do what is best for him and for the family and that she will now be able to prove to him that she can run the company without anyone's interference. Edward is livid but hides his anger at first for the benefit of Jan, Tracy's attorney. Justus tells Tracy she won't get away with this. Jan tells him that she already has gotten away with it. Edward tells Tracy that he won't be acting crazy anymore if it means letting her run ELQ. Tracy enjoys every minute of Edward's fit. Later, Justus runs into Jan in the hallway while he is waiting to get into the elevator. Jan points out to him that she was #1 in their law class and he was #2 and that is why she won this round of sparring. Justus tells her that she was at the top of their legal class because she was having an affair with one of the big law professors at the time. Jan congratulates him on his ability to challenge her and that she has always had the impression that he never liked her much. Justus tells her one of the things he never liked about her was that she lacked creativity and tells her that she needs to watch her step since the unexpected may just happen and she may miss it. Justus leaves in the elevator. Meanwhile, at Wyndemere, Helena blasts Emily and blames her for Nikolas' death. She tries to kick Emily out of Wyndemere but Emily refuses to leave and points out that she bought Wyndemere back for Nikolas and that she can't make her leave. Helena continues to blame Emily for not allowing Nikolas to escape the fire when he could have and that she should have bled to death. Emily tells Helena that she is going to tell Monica that she was the one who loosened her tourniquet and tried to kill her. Alexis walks in and hears Helena lighting into Emily cruelly and orders her to leave Emily alone. Helena turns around and tells Alexis to leave with Emily and that she has no right to be there. Alexis informs her that she is the executor of the estate and if there is anyone who isn't welcome at Wyndemere is herself. Helena tells her that Emily wasn't good enough for Nikolas and that she should have died instead of him. Alexis tells her that Nikolas loved Emily and that he wouldn't want her treating her like this. Helena vows revenge on Emily and leaves. Alexis talks with Emily about Nikolas. Alexis tells her that she was the one constant true love in Nikolas' life and that she should be proud of that. Emily takes comfort from Alexis, who informs her that Nikolas never changed his will before he "died" and that he left half of his estate for Lesley Lu and Kristina and that he set up trusts for them for college and made sure that Laura could still be able to live in the mental facility she is currently staying in. Emily asks Alexis if she can look through his desk and that there are some photos she would like to have of him. Alexis tells her to take what she wants. Emily looks at some recent photos taken of her and Nikolas. She looks at them and cries. She hears a voice calling her name and she looks up. An injured and weak Nikolas is in the doorway and having difficulty walking. Emily is in shock but runs to him and hugs him fiercely.

Alcazar shows up at Carly's new house and is pleased with her new hairdo which is a dark color instead of her usual blonde hair. She tells him that she needed a change and that it is fitting to have a new hairstyle to go with her new life. She shows him all the toys she bought Morgan and Michael when they come to live with her. Alcazar worries about her custody fight with Sonny. Meanwhile, Sam shows up at Sonny's penthouse to see him. He asks her if there is anything he can do for her and is a little uncomfortable seeing her in his home. She tells him she is getting all set up to live on her boat and came by to see how he was doing. She touches his cheek just as Michael comes down the stairs. He calls out to her and asks her who she is and why she is touching his father like that. Sonny explains to him that she is just a friend and came over to visit him. Michael isn't too thrilled with seeing this stranger in his home but relaxes and smiles at her once he sees she isn't a threat to them and goes back upstairs to do his homework. Sam tells Sonny that Michael didn't seem too pleased with her. Sonny tells her that Michael has been through a lot lately and that he will come around one day. Carly shows up outside Sonny's penthouse with Alcazar and Lucky. She tells Alcazar that he should go and let her handle things alone with Sonny and assures him that Lucky will make sure Sonny abides by the law and gives her the children. She comes in with Lucky and is dismayed to see Sam there. She asks him what she is doing there when this is a family matter. Sonny points to Lucky and asks her why she brought a cop with her. She reminds him that Lucky is also her family and he understands what is going on with the custody situation. Sonny insists that Sam can stay. Carly asks to see Michael and Morgan and to take them home with her. Sonny tells her that she shouldn't take the children right now like this or she is going to confuse and frighten them more with Lucky being there in his uniform. Carly reminds him she was granted temporary custody and she wants to see the children now so she can explain what is going on and tell them she loves them. She tells Sonny that she doesn't want to fight with him about this and Sonny agrees with her. He tells her that he will talk to the children and bring them to her home later. Lucky tells Carly that she should bring the children with her right now but Carly trusts Sonny to honor his word and bring them to her home later. She leaves with Lucky. She goes to her new home with Lucky and Alcazar. She starts to worry what Sonny is going to do and Lucky tells her she should have maybe listened to him and taken the children right then. She asks Lucky to stay until Sonny brings the children to her and he tells her he can stay but has to call the station and check in. Alcazar tries to comfort her and asks her if she thinks Sonny will double-cross her. She tells him she doesn't think Sonny would do that but she looks doubtful. A knock at the door interrupts their conversation. Carly answers the door. Sam is on the other side of the door. She had talked to Sonny after Carly had left the penthouse and questioned why Sonny would so willingly let her barge in to his home and demand his children and that he would so easily agree to let her have the children. Sonny asked her to do something for him before she left. Sam tells Carly that Sonny asked her to give her a message that he wouldn't be bringing the children over to live with her and is keeping them with him at his home. Carly looks at Lucky and tells him to arrest Sam for aiding and abetting Sonny and fears he is going to be leaving the country with them if they don't stop him. Sonny calls to Leticia after the luggage is gathered near the door. He orders her to bring Michael and Morgan downstairs and that they have to leave now. Leticia comes down the stairs holding Morgan and tells him Michael isn't in his room and asks if he is downstairs with him. Sonny is livid and asks Leticia if it has become too difficult for her to care for both Morgan and Michael and yells at her for not keeping a better eye on him. Courtney heads into Kelly's but sees Jason. She asks him if he came to Kelly's looking for her but he tells her he came to meet his lawyer there. Michael comes running over to them and asks him if he is going to the airport with them. Jason calls Sonny to let him know that Michael is with him. Sonny is relieved to know that Michael is safe with Jason. Sonny asks Jason to bring Michael to meet him and Morgan... at the airport.