Sam was granted guardianship of Rafe. Lulu reluctantly agreed to return to Port Charles with Dante and her parents. Britt announced that she had decided to terminate her pregnancy. Sonny's joy over Connie's integration turned to heartbreak when she ended their relationship.

Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday

by Elisabeth

Bobbie stopped by Scott's suite to check on him. She was startled when he staggered towards her and kissed her. Bobbie pulled away from the kiss then noticed the empty bottles of liquor from the mini bar that had been scattered around the room. She demanded to know what was going on, so he explained that he had kissed the girl who had once been in love with him. Bobbie realized that Scott was drunk, so she warned him that Carly charged a fortune for the liquor in the mini bar, but Scott didn't care because he could afford it. Besides, he told her, he had more important things to worry about.

Bobbie wondered what was troubling Scott, so he revealed that he had been thinking about wrong turns and missed opportunities. He was curious if she had ever thought about how things might have turned out if they had stayed together. Bobbie admitted that she had, until she had accepted that he only had eyes for Laura. Bobbie assured Scott that Laura had been his fiancée when Laura had left and that Laura would remain his fiancée when Laura returned.

Scott was skeptical about Laura, but Bobbie urged him to have faith in love. Scott argued that he hadn't had much luck in that area, prompting Bobbie to confess that she hadn't either. Bobbie revealed that she'd had more failed relationships than she could count and that it had been ages since she had dated anyone. Scott couldn't understand what was wrong with the men in Seattle. Bobbie chuckled as she confessed that she hadn't found the right man, but she refused to give up, so she urged Scott not to either.

Later, Scott returned to the living room, freshly showered and changed. Bobbie wrapped up a phone call, so he was curious who she had been talking to. Scott was disappointed when Bobbie explained that she had to return to Seattle. He apologized for the kiss, but Bobbie assured him that she had already forgotten it. Scott admitted that he didn't want her to leave because she had helped him through a difficult time. Bobbie appreciated his kind words, but she insisted that she was needed at work.

In Dr. Obrecht's suite, Britt was disappointed when her mother announced that it was time for Dr. Obrecht to return to Switzerland because Dr. Obrecht's patients needed her. Britt admitted that she needed her mother, too, so Dr. Obrecht conceded that she was sorry to be leaving. "That's sweet of you, Mother," Britt replied, prompting her mother to clarify that sweetness had nothing too do with it. Dr. Obrecht explained that she couldn't ensure that Britt wouldn't undo all of the progress that Britt and Britt's fetus had made with Patrick if she and Britt were on two separate continents.

Britt's smile faded as she reminded her mother that Patrick was disgusted with Britt and didn't want Britt back. Dr. Obrecht insisted that Patrick just needed time, but Britt argued that Patrick wanted Sabrina, so Patrick would leave Britt to raise the baby alone, just like Britt's mother intended to leave. "Stop this incessant whining, or I will give you something to cry about," Dr. Obrecht growled. Dr. Obrecht ordered Britt to pull herself together, so Britt defended herself by explaining that Britt was a human being with feelings. Dr. Obrecht was curious if Britt thought that Dr. Obrecht didn't have feelings. "Not that I've noticed," Britt answered.

Dr. Obrecht revealed that she was hard on Britt because she wanted her daughter to stand on her own two feet, but Britt had heard the lecture before. Dr. Obrecht suggested that Britt take it to heart and reel Patrick back in, so Britt explained that she wanted a genuine relationship with Patrick, which meant that Britt couldn't treat the situation with Patrick like one of her mother's clinical trials by setting an objective and following the steps to see it through to its conclusion.

Dr. Obrecht explained that that was exactly what Britt had to do because Dr. Obrecht couldn't lead Britt by the hand. Dr. Obrecht was confident that her daughter could win Patrick back, no matter what he had told Britt. Britt scoffed, so Dr. Obrecht suggested that Britt turn her eyes toward the baby growing inside of Britt's belly. Britt rubbed her rounded stomach as Dr. Obrecht assured Britt that the baby gave Britt all of the power that Britt needed, but Britt had to learn how to use it by formulating a plan that would hit Patrick from an angle that he wouldn't expect.

"Use the element of surprise," Dr. Obrecht urged her daughter. Britt assured her mother that she understood. Satisfied, Dr. Obrecht smiled. "Mein liebes Kind," Dr. Obrecht told her daughter, "Don't disappoint me or your father." Britt promised not to because she knew what she had to do.

Dr. Obrecht was pleased and confessed that she was looking forward to being an "Oma" to the little one. Dr. Obrecht expected Britt and the baby to visit, so Britt assured her that they would. Dr. Obrecht announced that it was time for her to return home and for Britt to go to war. Moments later, Dr. Obrecht left.

At the hospital, Patrick was about to call Sabrina when she arrived for work. Patrick smiled as he noticed that she had kept her new look. Sabrina admitted that she had promised Felix that she would give it a try for a while, but confessed that it had taken her forever to put the contacts in. Patrick assured her that he liked her glasses, but he conceded that she had beautiful eyes. Sabrina smiled then gently asked him how he had been holding up. He admitted that he was still trying to make sense of everything, so Sabrina was curious how Emma was doing.

Patrick revealed that his daughter hadn't been able to stop talking about the Nurses Ball and the performance with Sabrina. Sabrina insisted that Emma had been the star, while Sabrina had merely been along for the ride. The conversation then turned serious as Sabrina reminded Patrick that they had to talk about Britt's pregnancy. Patrick agreed, but he assured Sabrina that he wouldn't let anything jeopardize what he had with Sabrina because he was certain about his feelings for her and eager to see where their relationship would lead them.

Sabrina admitted that she felt overwhelmed, but in a good way. However, she had to get ready for her shift, so she and Patrick would have to continue their discussion later. Patrick promised to catch up with her after he dropped Noah off at the airport. He kissed her and then left. Felix smiled as he walked up because he had seen the kiss. Sabrina confessed that she had never thought that she could be so happy. Felix knew that Sabrina was troubled by Britt's unexpected announcement during the Nurses Ball.

Felix confessed that Britt hadn't seemed the type that would ruin her body with pregnancy and stretch marks. "But when in doubt, use the tried and true," Felix added. Sabrina was shocked at the suggestion that Britt had gotten pregnant on purpose when there hadn't been any reason for Britt to fear losing Patrick. Sabrina reminded Felix that Britt and Patrick had been dating when Britt had gotten pregnant and that Britt had done everything in her power to keep Sabrina and Patrick apart. "That's the point," Felix argued.

Felix was certain that Britt intended to use "that little monster" growing inside of Britt to rip Sabrina and Patrick apart. "Really?" Britt asked as she set her purse down at the nurses' station. Britt was curious if Felix thought that the precious life growing inside of Britt was a monster. Felix looked ashamed as he confessed that he hadn't seen Britt. "Obviously," Britt replied. Britt assured Sabrina that, contrary to popular opinion, Britt didn't have any intention of using the baby to cause trouble between Sabrina and Patrick.

Felix wondered why Britt had decided to make the announcement at the Nurses Ball during Patrick's tribute to Robin. Britt claimed that she had thought that Patrick would want to know, but Sabrina argued that it should have been done privately. "Why wait?" Britt asked. Britt was curious if Sabrina's relationship with Patrick was so fragile that the baby might damage it. Britt didn't wait for an answer because she wondered where Patrick was. Britt offered a saccharine smile as she explained that she needed to talk to Patrick about their child.

At the airport, Noah urged Patrick not to let Britt ruin Patrick's relationship with Sabrina. Patrick assured his father that he wouldn't then confessed that he was grateful that Noah had encouraged Patrick to go after Sabrina. Noah bragged that he was older and wiser than Patrick, so Patrick asked if there was a Sabrina out there for Noah. Noah tried to change the subject, but Patrick became distracted when Dr. Obrecht dropped something as she passed Patrick and Noah.

Patrick was unaware of Dr. Obrecht's connection to Britt as he called out to her so he could return the item that she had dropped. Dr. Obrecht thanked Patrick for his gallantry then asked if he was Patrick Drake. Patrick confirmed that he was, so Dr. Obrecht confessed that she had been moved by Patrick's speech about his wife during the Nurses Ball, which she had watched on television. Patrick tensed when she congratulated Patrick on the new baby. She confided that she and her daughter had agreed that he seemed like he would be a wonderful father.

After Dr. Obrecht walked away, Noah confessed that there had been something strange about the woman. Patrick agreed. Noah shifted gears by deciding to grab a bite to eat before his flight, so Patrick bid his father farewell then left. A short time later, Bobbie arrived for her flight. She was pleasantly surprised when she bumped into Noah. Noah revealed that he was leaving town to report to his new job at Seattle General. Bobbie was stunned because she worked at the same hospital. "I know," Noah replied.

Meanwhile, Patrick wasn't pleased when he returned to the hospital and saw Britt talking to Sabrina and Felix. Patrick wondered why Britt was there when she hadn't been scheduled to work. Britt explained that she needed to talk to Patrick, so she suggested that they go somewhere private. Patrick refused. Sabrina tried to defuse the tension by announcing that she and Felix had to get ready for their shift. Patrick reached for Sabrina's hand as she passed him to let her know that he would talk to her later.

After Sabrina walked away, Britt assured Patrick that their baby wouldn't cause any trouble between Patrick and Sabrina. "Because I've decided not to have it," Britt explained.

Sonny was on the phone with Olivia when he arrived home. He stopped short when he noticed that the front door was ajar, so he ended the call, pulled out his gun, and then entered the house quietly. Seconds later, Sonny burst through the living room door, ready to shoot an intruder. Startled, Michael assured Sonny that everything was okay. Sonny quickly lowered the gun but warned Michael that it had been reckless to leave the front door open because Sonny had thought that someone had been lying in wait to ambush Sonny. Michael apologized then explained that he had been waiting for Sonny to arrive home.

Sonny noticed Michael's rumpled clothes from the Nurses Ball, so he suggested that Michael get cleaned up. Michael ignored the suggestion to ask if there had been any news about Dante. Sonny gave Michael an update but sensed that something else was troubling Michael. Michael confessed that he had something to tell Sonny, so Sonny assumed that it concerned Starr. Michael revealed Starr had called to break up with Michael and inform him that she wouldn't be returning to Port Charles.

Sonny felt bad for Michael, but he assured Michael that the pain over the breakup would fade with time. Michael explained that he had gotten drunk and then had slept with someone. Sonny promised Michael that it was okay, but Michael insisted that Sonny didn't understand. Sonny assured his son that he did. "Dad, I slept with Brenda," Michael confessed.

Stunned, Sonny asked Michael to explain exactly what had happened. Michael promised Sonny that Michael and Brenda hadn't planned for it to happen. Michael apologized profusely because he realized that he had betrayed Sonny. Sonny calmly walked to the door, quietly closed it, and then pulled out the gun. Michael nervously asked Sonny what Sonny was doing, so Sonny secured the safety on the gun then explained that he simply wanted to put it away. Sonny offered Michael a drink as Sonny locked up the gun, but Michael declined because he doubted that he would ever drink again.

Sonny joined Michael on the sofa to find out exactly what had transpired between Michael and Brenda. Michael revealed that he and Brenda had been in a bad place emotionally because they had each been nursing a broken heart. Michael admitted that he and Brenda had commiserated over drinks until people from the Nurses Ball had filtered into the bar, so Michael and Brenda had gone to Brenda's suite. According to Michael, the next thing that Michael recalled was waking up in bed with Brenda the following morning. Sonny was curious if Brenda had said anything to indicate that she had felt bad about sleeping with Michael.

Michael admitted that Brenda had assured Michael that she and Michael had nothing to be ashamed of. Sonny saw the regret in Michael's eyes, so Michael explained that he loved Sonny and would never do anything to hurt or betray him. Michael wondered if Sonny could forgive him, so Sonny assured Michael that he didn't blame Michael. Sonny appreciated that it had been difficult for Michael to tell Sonny about what had happened with Brenda, so he suggested that Michael go home to get some rest. After a warm hug from Sonny, Michael left.

Sonny waited until he heard the front door close then slammed the living room door shut. "Son of a bitch," Sonny spat. "I can forgive my son, but Brenda, that's another story," he added. Sonny pulled out his phone to order his men to pick up Brenda and deliver her to him. Moments later, the doorbell rang. Sonny assumed that it was Brenda, so he cancelled the order then went to the door. He was stunned when he saw a familiar face, but he didn't know if it was Kate or Connie.

Carly knocked on Michael's front door, demanding to talk to him. A.J. walked up and suggested that Carly let Michael sleep, since Brenda had likely worn their son out. Carly was shocked that A.J. knew about what Brenda had done to Michael. A.J. clarified that Michael was an adult, so it had been mutual. Carly argued that Brenda was twice Michael's age, so Brenda had taken advantage of their son. A.J. countered that Michael had been with a beautiful supermodel. "There ain't nothing wrong with that," A.J. added.

Disgusted, Carly pulled out a key to let herself into Michael's apartment. A.J. was stunned that Carly had entered Michael's apartment without Michael's consent. He insisted that Carly didn't have any boundaries, so he followed her into the apartment to call out a warning to Michael that Carly was headed to the bedroom. Seconds later, Carly returned to the living room to announce that Michael's bed had been undisturbed, so Michael hadn't spent the night in the apartment. Carly was determined to look for Michael, but A.J. advised her against it because he suspected that Michael was with Brenda.

Carly decided that it was time for Sonny to know what had happened, but A.J. warned her that Michael wouldn't want her to do that. Carly was curious why A.J. thought that, so he explained that he had actually had a conversation with their son. A.J. confessed that he had told Michael that the tryst with Brenda hadn't been a big deal, but Carly argued that it had to have been traumatic for Michael to wake up in bed with a woman who had once been Michael's stepmother. Carly insisted that Michael needed their love, support, and perhaps a little guidance, which A.J. was unlikely to provide.

"Really? And he's going to get that from Sonny, the guy who considers Brenda his personal property?" A.J. asked. Carly was confident that Sonny would agree that Brenda had exploited Michael, but A.J. disagreed. A.J. thought that Sonny was more likely to fly into a jealous rage and shoot Michael. Carly vehemently denied that Sonny would shoot his own son. "Why don't you tell Dante that," A.J. challenged. Carly defended Sonny, but A.J. insisted that Sonny was "a violent thug with a hair-trigger temper" who was obsessed with Brenda.

"How do you think he's going to react when Michael tells him he had sex with her?" A.J. asked. Carly argued that Sonny loved his children, so Sonny wouldn't blame Michael for what Brenda had done. A.J. reminded Carly that Brenda was a famous beauty who had wanted Michael, so perhaps Brenda had built up Michael's self-esteem. "Why the hell should he feel guilty about that?" A.J. asked. Carly suspected that A.J. had wanted to sleep with Brenda himself, but Brenda hadn't given A.J. the time of day.

A.J. explained that he had simply wanted to point out that Michael hadn't been the first person to get drunk and sleep with someone that he shouldn't have. Carly argued that Michael wasn't anything like A.J. because Michael had a conscience and morals. A.J. countered that Michael hadn't gotten those qualities from Carly. Carly ignored the remark because she believed that Michael was vulnerable and screwed up because Michael had slept with "that evil whore." "Slept with a whore like I did with you?" A.J. shot back.

Carly raised her hand to strike A.J., but he stopped her by grabbing her wrist. The two glared at each other until Carly's phone rang. It was Bobbie calling to give Carly an update on the search for Lulu and to let Carly know that Bobbie was headed back to Seattle. Carly was disappointed, but wished her mother a safe trip. After Carly ended the call, she decided to look for Michael but made it clear that A.J. had to leave.

A.J. confessed that he was tempted to let Carly hunt Michael down because it would suit A.J.'s agenda, since Michael would resent Carly's interference. However, A.J. urged Carly to give their son some space. "Go to hell," Carly snarled. A.J. shrugged and invited her to treat Michael like a child. "See how that works out for you," A.J. added as he left.

A short time later, Michael arrived home. He was not pleased to discover that Carly was waiting for him. Michael reminded his mother that she couldn't just let herself into his apartment, but Carly explained that she had been worried about him. Furious, Michael ordered Carly to leave him alone.

On Cassadine Island, Luke and Laura looked through the window of the cryo-chamber that Stavros had been locked in. They were relieved that Stavros was dead but devastated that they hadn't been able to save Lulu. Dante held his wife as he wept over her death. A short time later, Dante and Luke gave Laura some time alone with Lulu. Laura's eyes filled with tears of grief as she confessed that it felt as if only minutes had passed since she had held her newborn daughter. Laura admitted that Lulu had been everything that Laura could have hoped for and more.

Laura regretted that her illness had robbed her of the years with Lulu and that she hadn't been there when Lulu had needed her. Laura insisted that she, not Lulu, should have died. "Fly away, beautiful bird, fly away," Laura tearfully said as she tucked the covers around Lulu and lovingly stroked her daughter's hair.

Luke entered the room after Laura left. "This is why I don't believe in God," Luke admitted as he looked at his daughter. He recalled when Lesley had dropped Lulu off for Luke to raise. Lulu had been an angry teenager, so they had gone through some dark times together. However, Lulu had stood by Luke when no one else had. He blamed himself for Lulu becoming a casualty in the Cassadine/Spencer war, so he begged Lulu to forgive him.

Next, Dante entered the room to spend some time alone with his wife. Dante had no idea how to go on without Lulu. He talked about the first time that he had met her and when he had fallen in love with her. Dante insisted that Lulu had been too good for him, but he had loved her and always would. Dante tenderly kissed his wife then laid his head on her chest. He was stunned when he heard a faint heartbeat, so he called out to Luke and Laura.

Luke and Laura rushed into the room and quickly began to administer CPR. After several minutes, Lulu opened her eyes, but she appeared dazed. Lulu wondered where she was, so Luke, Laura, and Dante told her about the kidnapping. However, they were quick to assure Lulu that she was safe and that Stavros was dead. Dante was eager to get his wife home, but Lulu tensed. "I've never seen you people before in my life," Lulu told her husband and parents.

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by Elisabeth

At Greystone Manor, Sonny canceled the order for his men to pick up Brenda when he heard the doorbell. He ended the call then opened the front door, expecting Brenda, but instead it was another familiar face. Sonny greeted Connie/Kate and invited her inside. Connie/Kate explained that she had been released from the sanitarium a few hours earlier, so he asked if she was Connie or Kate. Connie/Kate was curious who Sonny wanted her to be, but he insisted that it didn't matter as long as she was happy and healthy.

Connie/Kate assured Sonny that she was healthy, but happy was another matter. She smiled sadly then explained that she was neither Connie nor Kate, but rather an integrated version of both personalities. Sonny admitted that it made sense, but he was curious what he should call her. She revealed that she had decided to use the name that she had been given at birth: Connie Falconeri.

However, Connie insisted that she was not the Connie that Sonny had known. Connie explained that Connie and Kate had been separate personalities that had been merged into one, so she had both of their memories, good and bad, which she would have to learn to live with. "And I have to learn to live without you," Connie quietly added. Shocked, Sonny insisted that he loved Connie, but she explained that he created conflict in her life. Connie insisted that the only way to ensure that she didn't relapse was to avoid him. Sonny was devastated, but Connie insisted that she couldn't afford to splinter again, which meant that she had to avoid him.

Sonny wondered how long Connie intended to stay away from him. Connie remained quiet. "For good?" Sonny asked. She explained that she needed to make certain that there wasn't any hope for reconciliation, but Sonny argued that hope had sustained him. He couldn't believe that she intended to leave him after everything that they had been through. Connie tearfully begged him to understand. "I don't want to understand," Sonny yelled then quickly apologized for the outburst. He suggested that they talk to the doctor to find a way to make things work, but Connie revealed that she already had.

According to Connie, the doctor had been concerned that one or both alter personalities might return if Connie were to stay with Sonny. Sonny argued that the doctor could be wrong, so Connie confessed that she felt how tenuous the threads were on her integration when she was near him. She admitted that she loved Sonny and was grateful that he had stood by her through everything. However, she was determined to remain whole.

Connie lovingly caressed Sonny's face. He gently took her hand in his then kissed it. Connie's eyes filled with tears as she kissed his cheek, told him to take care of himself, and then left.

At Kelly's, Tracy was seated at the counter when A.J. strolled in and asked Shawn for a BLT sandwich. Tracy ordered Shawn to ignore her nephew because she wanted Shawn to focus on her proposal. Tracy hoped to stock Kelly's with Lila's Pickle-Lila relish, but Shawn wasn't interested because the diner was a "relish joint." A.J. thought that the hot dog stand on pier 52 might be interested in the relish, so he suggested that Tracy head to the pier then take a long walk off of it. Tracy ignored A.J. to make her pitch to Shawn. She revealed that her next stop was Wyndham's department store, which she was certain would carry the once-popular relish.

A.J. asked Tracy to do everyone a favor by heading to the department store right away. Tracy invited A.J. to joke all he wanted, but he couldn't stop her from re-launching the relish. "Is that a fact?" A.J. asked with a smug smile. A.J. reminded his aunt that he was CEO of ELQ, but Tracy assured him that it was only temporary because Luke had been searching for Franco's daughter. A.J. doubted that finding Franco's daughter was foremost on Luke's mind since Lulu's kidnapping.

Tracy accused A.J. of trying to profit off of the Spencer family's misfortune, so A.J. quickly clarified that he wished the Spencers all the best, but Tracy was another matter. A.J. explained that the longer Luke searched for Lulu, the more time that Spinelli had to find the missing Quartermaine heir. Tracy argued that Spinelli didn't work for A.J. "Oh, but he does," A.J. revealed.

A.J. bragged that Spinelli was, at that very moment, likely talking to someone who knew the exact whereabouts of Franco's daughter. A.J. was confident that Spinelli would find the missing heir, which would allow A.J. the opportunity to sway his niece with his considerable charms. Tracy laughed at the idea, but A.J. suggested that a simple Internet search would reveal Tracy's heinous past. Tracy reminded him that his own transgressions were online, so A.J. explained that he intended to be truthful about his misdeeds because he wanted his niece to know that he was a changed man.

Tracy conceded that she would have been proud of A.J. if he hadn't been so despicable. A.J. offered Tracy the option to exit gracefully or crash and burn. "Okay, you win," Tracy replied. "ELQ is yours," she added. A.J. wondered what the catch was, so she assured him that there wasn't one because it was pointless for her to fight for a company that wasn't worth the paper its stock was printed on. Tracy announced that she planned to start her own company, TAQ. "Tracy Angelica Quartermaine," Tracy clarified.

"Very original," A.J. told Tracy. She reminded him that she was following in Edward's footsteps, since ELQ were Edward's initials. A.J. invited Tracy to go for it because it would keep her out of his hair. Tracy vowed that while ELQ floundered under A.J.'s leadership, TAQ would soar on he wings of her mother's relish. A.J. was curious what she intended to name her relish. "Pickle-Lila, of course," Tracy answered.

A.J. informed Tracy that the Pickle-Lila name had been trademarked to ELQ, so she couldn't use it. If she tried, A.J. promised to slap her with an injunction that would stop the production of the relish in its tracks. Tracy assured him that it wouldn't be necessary because she would simply think of another name for the relish.

Spinelli went to Miscavige maximum-security psychiatric facility to get information about the missing Quartermaine heir from Heather Webber. The guard warned Spinelli to avoid any physical contact with Heather, so Spinelli assured the officer that he understood the rules. Satisfied, the guard gave Spinelli access to the visitor's room. Heather sat behind a table with her hands folded as Spinelli entered the room. The guard locked the door behind Spinelli, so Spinelli sat down and asked for Heather's help.

Heather wondered why she should help Spinelli, so Spinelli explained that he was there on behalf of a wealthy client who had a lot of influence. Spinelli didn't think that answering a few questions was too much to ask of Heather. Heather hadn't thought that it had been too much to ask to deliver a letter to her son, Steven Lars, when Sam had been sniffing around for information, yet Sam had lied. Heather accused Sam of being a lazy, duplicitous worm like Spinelli. Spinelli revealed that earthworms were actually hard-working, so Heather pointed out that birds like the cuckoo ate worms.

Heather reminded Spinelli that she disliked him because he had helped Olivia to uncover some dirt on Heather that had been shared with Steven Lars. Spinelli argued that Heather had been the one who had kidnapped Luke, prompting Heather to wonder how Luke was doing. She wasn't surprised when Spinelli told her that Luke was out of town. Heather admitted that she wouldn't have tried to kill Anna if she had known that things wouldn't last between Luke and Anna. She realized that Luke had never had any luck with woman, so Spinelli mentioned that Luke was busy with a woman.

Heather demanded to know who, so Spinelli claimed that that Luke and Tracy had rekindled their romance. Heather refused to believe him. Spinelli feigned sympathy for Heather, so he suggested that she could end Luke and Tracy's relationship. Heather's interest was piqued. "Tell me what you know about Franco's daughter," Spinelli asked.

Heather played dumb by asking which Franco: the bodybuilder, the dictator, or the brilliant artist. "The Quartermaine," Spinelli clarified. Heather acted surprised by the news that Franco had had a daughter, but Spinelli cut to the chase by revealing that Franco had once told Carly about the little girl. Heather refused to confirm anything, so Spinelli reminded her that she had told A.J. that the key to controlling ELQ had been buried in Edward's will. Heather suggested that perhaps she had made a mistake.

Spinelli knew that Heather had been referring to a missing Quartermaine heir and that Heather had been connected to Franco's mother, Susan Moore, and Franco's adoptive mother, Betsy Frank. He was certain that Heather would know about Franco's daughter, so he implored Heather to cooperate. Heather was curious how telling Spinelli about Franco's daughter would help get Luke away from Tracy. Spinelli explained that A.J. and Tracy had been embroiled in a power struggle for ELQ and that A.J. had seized control.

Spinelli revealed that A.J. needed another sliver of stock to guarantee that Tracy would never regain control of ELQ. Heather wondered why she should care, so Spinelli pointed out that Tracy would become rich and powerful if she became CEO. "Did I mention she's single?" Spinelli asked. "That's like catnip to Luke," Heather realized.

Heather agreed to give Spinelli the information, but with one stipulation. Spinelli was curious what it was. "I need you to take a letter to Steven Lars," Heather replied as she burst out laughing. Spinelli chuckled. Heather promised to give him the scoop, but she refused to shout it out loud, so he asked Spinelli to lean closer so that she could tell him everything that she knew about Lauren Frank.

On Cassadine Island, Lulu looked at Dante, Luke, and Laura as she confessed that she had no idea who they were. Dante thought that Lulu needed some time to get her bearings, so he suggested that they leave. Lulu refused to blindly follow the strangers out of the lab, so she demanded to know who they were. Laura calmly suggested that Lulu take a moment to let the cobwebs clear, but Lulu wanted an answer. Laura introduced herself as Lulu's mother, so Luke revealed that he was Lulu's father. Finally, Dante explained that he was Lulu's husband.

Lulu insisted that she was married to Stavros and demanded to know where Stavros was. Dante, Luke, and Laura recovered from their shock and tried to explain that Stavros had kidnapped Lulu. Dante told Lulu about their special wedding, but nothing jogged Lulu's memory. Lulu became agitated, so Luke pulled Dante aside to give Lulu some space.

The two men huddled in a corner as Luke warned Dante not to make things worse. Dante feared that Lulu might never remember them, but Luke was confident that in time, Lulu's memory would return. Dante was concerned about what Stavros had done to Lulu, but Luke insisted that it didn't matter because Stavros was gone, and Luke refused to let any Cassadine get the better of them.

Meanwhile, Lulu explained that she didn't remember anything except Stavros. Laura assured her daughter that everything would be okay. Lulu wondered what kind of name Lulu was, so Laura smiled as she explained that Lulu's real name was Lesley Lu Spencer Falconeri. Laura revealed that Lulu had been named after Laura's mother and Laura.

Moments later, Dante walked over to announce that they had to get off of the island. Lulu was curious why, so Luke explained that the island was a graveyard full of bodies of people who hadn't had any love for Lulu. Laura stood behind Lulu to discreetly motion for Luke not to frighten their daughter. Lulu panicked at the realization that he had been talking about Stavros, so Lulu called out for the Cassadine prince.

Luke started to apologize for upsetting his daughter, but changed his mind because he felt that she needed to know the truth. Luke explained that Stavros had kidnapped Lulu then had brainwashed Lulu into thinking that Stavros had been her husband. Luke confirmed that Stavros was dead and admitted that he was glad. Luke realized that she had reservations and that she didn't trust them, but he pointed out that Lulu needed to leave the island with the people who loved her.

Lulu argued that they couldn't force her to leave. Luke agreed, but he warned that she'd want to leave before another Cassadine arrived. Lulu wasn't concerned because she was Stavros' wife, but Laura told her daughter that Lulu was the only person who believed that. Laura explained that the rest of the Cassadine family would want Lulu out of the way. Lulu reluctantly decided to leave with them, so Dante tried to steady her when she stood up. Lulu assured Dante that she could walk on her own, but Dante hovered close to her.

Nearby, Laura worriedly asked Luke what Stavros had done to Lulu because it was clear that Lulu had been traumatized. Laura feared that Lulu would never be the same again.

In Nikolas' hospital room, Nikolas was on the phone with his son, Spencer. Spencer wanted to know when his father would return home, so Nikolas explained that he was still recuperating. However, Nikolas suggested that Grandma Lesley could accompany Spencer to Port Charles for a visit. Nikolas thought that it would be a nice for Spencer to see Wyndemere and spend time with the cousins.

Moments later a doctor entered Nikolas' room, so Nikolas wrapped up his phone call with his son then apologized for keeping the doctor waiting. She smiled at Nikolas and asked if he had been on the phone with his son, Spencer, who had been named after Nikolas' mother's other family. Nikolas thought that it was a strange question, so the doctor explained that she always tried to put her patients at ease. "Prince Nikolas," the doctor added.

"Nikolas will do fine," Nikolas replied. The doctor introduced herself as Dr. Kelly Curtis then assured Nikolas that their conversation would remain private. Kelly picked up the chart and skimmed over the notes. She conceded that he'd had a rough time lately because he had been shot, his sister had been kidnapped, and his mother had left before Nikolas had recovered. Nikolas clarified that Laura had gone to search for his sister, Lulu.

Nikolas became uncomfortable with the direction of the conversation, but Kelly ignored him as she asked if he could confirm or deny the return of his father who had been presumed dead. Epiphany entered the room in time to hear the inappropriate question. "You did not just ask that," Epiphany growled at Kelly. Kelly tried to dismiss Epiphany, but Epiphany ordered Kelly to step away from the patient. Nikolas realized that something was wrong, so Epiphany explained that Kelly Curtis was a sleazy tabloid reporter.

"Journalist," Kelly corrected Epiphany. Kelly revealed that she was from Access Port Charles then fired several questions at Nikolas. "Katie," Nikolas started. "Kelly," Kelly corrected him. Nikolas cut to the chase by informing Kelly that if she tried to air any part of their conversation, his aunt, Alexis Davis, would slap her with a lawsuit. Afterwards, Nikolas would purchase Access Port Charles, shut it down, and fire Kelly.

Outraged, Kelly accused Nikolas of infringing upon her First Amendment rights, so Nikolas assured her that he could afford to. Epiphany ordered Kelly to leave, so Kelly walked out. Epiphany shut the door, but Nikolas insisted that it wasn't necessary because he doubted that Kelly would return. Epiphany smiled as she announced that it was time for Nikolas' sponge bath.

In the locker room, Felix and Sabrina changed into their scrubs. Felix was horrified when he saw Sabrina twist her hair into a sloppy bun then secure it with a clip. He pulled it out of her hair as he made it clear that he refused to let his hard work go to waste by having her undo the makeover that he had given her. Sabrina snapped at him, prompting him to realize that she was worried about Britt. Sabrina refused to discuss it.

Felix warned Sabrina that Britt would exploit the pregnancy to manipulate Patrick, so Sabrina confessed that she agreed that Britt had gotten pregnant on purpose. Felix insisted that Patrick and Sabrina were a couple then urged her to enjoy and savor the moment because Patrick cared about her. Sabrina smiled, so Felix encouraged her to not to hesitate to sleep with Patrick.

Elsewhere in the hospital, Patrick was shocked when Britt assured him that their baby wouldn't be a problem for Patrick's relationship with Sabrina because Britt intended to terminate the pregnancy. Britt insisted that it was the only option that made sense, but Patrick disagreed. He reminded her that she had stormed the stage during the Nurses Ball to announce her pregnancy, so he couldn't understand why she had suddenly decided to have an abortion. Britt blamed her change of heart on the horrified expression on his face when she had told him about the baby.

"What did you expect?" Patrick asked. He reminded Britt that she had blindsided him with the news. Britt conceded that she could have handled things better, but it was obvious that Patrick didn't want the baby. She made it clear that she didn't intend to go through a pregnancy and childbirth only to raise the baby alone. Patrick insisted that he was trying to process everything, but Britt reminded him that he had told her that he wanted nothing to do with her regardless of whether or not there was a child.

"So, that's it? You're having an abortion?" Patrick asked. Britt told him that she could terminate the pregnancy or spend the next couple of decades raising the baby on her own. Patrick pointed out that she could give the baby up for adoption, but Britt refused to be an "incubator" for another couple. She claimed that she didn't want her baby to enter a world where it was unloved and unwanted by its own father because she knew what it was like to grow up without a father.

Patrick felt bad for Britt, so Britt thanked him then continued to manipulate him with guilt. She assured him that he wouldn't have to worry about unexpectedly bumping into Britt and their child while he was feeding the ducks in the park with Emma. She also pointed out that Patrick wouldn't be burdened with paying child support because there wouldn't be a baby. Britt had wanted him to know about her decision because she had thought that he had a right to know. Patrick was curious when she planned to terminate the pregnancy.

Britt assured Patrick that she would take care of it, so he could go back to his life as he had planned. "Congratulations, you're free," Britt said then left. Moments later, Sabrina walked up. She immediately sensed that Patrick was troubled, so he told her about Britt's plan to terminate the pregnancy.

Britt was applying lipstick at her locker when Felix strolled up. "Out and proud with the baby bump, I see. All the better to show off to Dr. Drake," Felix taunted. Britt grumbled that doctors and nurses needed separate changing areas. Felix ignored the remark as he accused Britt of hoping that Patrick's guilty conscience would increase along with her expanding girth. Felix had no doubt that she intended to use the pregnancy to manipulate Patrick until he eventually joined her for a checkup and heard the baby's heartbeat.

Felix suspected that Britt hoped that Patrick would take her back because Patrick wanted to raise the baby as a family. "Ain't gonna happen," Felix warned her. Britt was curious how Felix could be so certain. Felix insisted that Patrick was too smart to let Britt use the baby to get between Patrick and Sabrina. "Well, as usual, you don't know what you're talking about," Britt informed him then walked away.

^ back to the top

by Elisabeth

At Kelly's, Shawn was curious if T.J. and Molly had plans for their spring break. T.J. pushed his breakfast aside as he grumbled that Molly would rather spend the day in court with Rafe. Shawn advised T.J. to keep things in perspective by remembering that Molly was just looking out for someone who had had a rough time. T.J. conceded that things might have started out that way, but they had changed. Shawn pointed out that the courthouse wasn't exactly a romantic place for two young people to hang out.

Shawn realized that T.J. intended to head to the courthouse, so he advised T.J. against it. T.J. insisted that he just wanted to show Molly his support, but Shawn knew better. However, T.J. refused to change his mind, so Shawn handed T.J. money for bus fare and advised T.J. to play it cool. T.J. smiled as he bragged that he was always cool.

At Sam's penthouse, Spinelli played with Danny, while Sam questioned him about the check that Spinelli had given her. Spinelli explained that they had a new client, so it was her cut for services rendered. Sam was curious who the new client was, so Spinelli told her that it was A.J. Sam reminded Spinelli that she had plenty of money, so she insisted that Spinelli take the check back because he had been struggling for money. She wanted Spinelli to use the money to pay rent and take Ellie out on a date. Spinelli reluctantly accepted the check, so Sam asked about the case.

Spinelli revealed that he had been hired to search for a Quartermaine. "Who?" Sam wondered. Spinelli tensed because he didn't want to upset Sam. Sam realized that it had something to do with Franco, so Spinelli revealed that Franco had a daughter. Sam quickly recovered from her shock as she admitted that she was glad that Danny's father had turned out to be Jason. They agreed that Jason would have been an amazing father if Jason had lived. Spinelli regretted that he wouldn't get to be a father either.

Sam thought that Spinelli and Ellie had worked things out, so he clarified that he and Ellie had decided to agree to disagree on the subject of having children in the future. According to Spinelli, the only baby that he and Ellie talked about was the one that Maxie was carrying. Sam wondered why, so Spinelli told Sam about the conversation that Ellie had overheard between Frisco and Maxie at the Nurses Ball. Spinelli and Ellie suspected that the secret that Maxie had referred to had been Britt's surprise pregnancy.

Sam wanted to hear more about Franco's daughter, so Spinelli told her about his visit with Heather. Sam hoped that Heather hadn't asked Spinelli to deliver a letter. Spinelli chuckled as he confessed that Heather had asked, but only in jest. However, he admitted that the visit had been unnerving, even though Heather had given him useful information. Moments later, Sam's phone rang, so she stepped away to take the call.

Spinelli admitted that Danny looked more like Jason with each passing day. He told Danny about what a loyal and fearless man Jason had been. Spinelli also revealed that Jason had been great with children, so he was certain that Danny would have loved Jason. Spinelli realized that he wasn't a substitute for Danny's father, but he vowed to look after Danny the same way that Jason had looked after Spinelli.

Moments later, Sam explained that the call had been from Danny's nanny. The nanny was sick, so Sam needed to find someone to watch Danny because she was expected at the courthouse. Spinelli quickly volunteered to babysit Danny. Sam thanked Spinelli, rattled off some instructions, and then kissed her son goodbye.

At the courthouse, Molly fidgeted nervously as she and Alexis waited for Rafe to arrive. Molly lit up when she spotted him, so she ran over to greet him and ask how he had been holding up. Rafe admitted that the kids at the group home still saw him as the son of a crazy lady and vampire. However, he was curious why he was at the courthouse. Alexis revealed that someone had petitioned the court for guardianship of Rafe. Shocked, Rafe asked who. "Moi," Lucy answered as she breezed in.

Molly thought that Kevin and Lucy had been turned down because they weren't residents of Port Charles. Lucy revealed that she and Kevin had decided to move back to Port Charles, so there shouldn't be any reason for the judge not to grant the request. Rafe couldn't understand why Kevin and Lucy would open their home to him, so Lucy reminded him that they were family. According to Lucy, her cousin had considered Rafe his son, so that made Rafe and Lucy cousins.

Later, Molly was surprised when T.J. entered the courtroom. T.J. claimed that he was there to show his support. Rafe thanked T.J. for being there, so T.J. wished Rafe good luck. Moments later, the judge invited Lucy to take the stand to state her case. Lucy revealed that she had been close to Rafe's mother and that Lucy was eager to take Rafe in. Alexis handed the judge a list of Kevin's references as she explained that Kevin was out of town, working with a patient. The judge conceded that he had concerns about Lucy's mental stability because she had impaled a police officer and had escaped from a sanitarium.

Alexis insisted that it had been a case of mistaken identity because the police officer had looked like a serial killer, but the judge remained uneasy. Alexis announced that she had a character witness ready to testify, so the judge agreed to hear what the witness had to say. Sam stepped forward and told the judge that Lucy had saved Sam and others from a killer that no one else had believed existed. Sam assured the judge that, as a parent, Sam wouldn't hesitate to entrust her son's life to Lucy's care.

Later, everyone waited anxiously while the judge disappeared into his chambers to review Lucy's request. Rafe feared that the judge hadn't been impressed with Lucy, so T.J. reminded Rafe that Rafe still had a roof over his head at the group home. Everyone's attention returned to the bench as the judge entered the courtroom. The judge explained that his primary concern about Lucy was her belief in vampires because it suggested a break with reality that indicated a form of mental illness. Lucy assured the judge that vampires were in the past for her, but the judge argued that she had never sought help from a psychiatrist.

The judge apologized to Rafe as he denied Lucy's request. Molly was devastated, while Rafe whispered to Alexis that he couldn't return to the group home. Alexis promised that she would work on it. After Alexis stepped away for a moment, Molly assured Rafe that Alexis could work magic. Nearby, Lucy felt terrible because Rafe was upset. Alexis explained that they would need to find someone who lived in town that could take Rafe in. Sam wondered if her mother had anyone in mind. Lucy suddenly announced that she had an idea: Sam could petition for guardianship of Rafe.

Outside of Kelly's, A.J. was not pleased when he spotted a poster announcing that impending return of Lila's Pickle-Lila relish. Michael walked up then asked A.J. what was going on. A.J. admitted that he was on edge, so Michael confessed that he empathized. A.J. revealed that he had stopped by Michael's apartment earlier, but Michael hadn't been at home. Michael confessed that he had gone to Sonny's house to tell Sonny about what had happened with Brenda. A.J. was curious what Sonny's reaction had been, so Michael admitted that Sonny had assured Michael that Michael had nothing to feel guilty about.

A.J. agreed, especially since Sonny had done worse in the past. Michael made it clear that he didn't want to discuss it by asking about the poster that had been displayed prominently in front of Kelly's. A.J. explained that the famous relish had been created in Kelly's kitchen, so it had been a brilliant idea on Tracy's part to promote it at the diner. However, A.J. revealed that ELQ owned the trademark on the brand name, so Tracy couldn't sell the relish as Lila's Pickle-Lila relish. A.J. realized that Tracy planned to promote the product under the old name to garner interest until she was ready to unveil it with a new name, which meant that it was more important than ever for Spinelli to locate Franco's daughter.

A.J. and Michael entered the diner to inform Shawn that the posters would have to be taken down because Tracy didn't own the rights to the brand name. Shawn thought that it was a shame because the name alone would have sold the relish. After Shawn walked way, Michael suggested that they sell their own relish under the Lila's Pickle-Lila name. A.J. feared that it would only hold off Tracy for a short time because they didn't have the key ingredient, so they had to find Franco's daughter.

A.J. and Michael were surprised when Spinelli suddenly entered the diner, pushing Danny's stroller. Michael was curious how Spinelli had ended up with Danny, so Spinelli confessed that he'd been in the right place at the right time. A.J. knelt down to play with his nephew as Spinelli wondered if A.J. and Michael minded having Danny there for their meeting. A.J. reminded Spinelli that Danny was family, so their meeting concerned Danny in a way.

Pleased, Spinelli sat down and told A.J. and Michael about his visit with Heather. According to Spinelli, Heather had remained in touch with Franco's mother, Betsy Frank, and that Betsy had told Heather about Franco's daughter. Spinelli then revealed that Betsy's last known address had been in Woodstock, New York, so Spinelli intended to pay Franco's mother a visit after he dropped off Danny. Spinelli stood up to leave then checked his phone. Spinelli was surprised when he saw a missed call from Carly.

Michael assured Spinelli that Carly would call back if it was important. After Spinelli left, A.J. asked by why Michael had seemed troubled about Carly's phone call to Spinelli. Michael denied it, but A.J. didn't believe him. However, A.J. dropped the subject when Shawn returned with the posters to let A.J. know that they were ready to go into the trash. A.J. asked Shawn to hold onto the posters because A.J. had decided that it was time to beat Tracy at her own game.

A.J. explained that he and Michael would make a new and improved relish to sell under the Pickle-Lila name. Shawn invited A.J. and Michael to use Kelly's kitchen to create the new relish, so A.J. quickly accepted the offer. A.J. and Michael were about to head to the kitchen when Brenda suddenly entered the diner.

At Greystone Manor, Sonny stared at snapshot of Connie during their days in Bensonhurst, but a knock sent him to the front door. Olivia threw herself into Sonny's arms when he opened the door. She was overjoyed because she had happy news. Sonny assumed that she had heard about Connie's return, but Olivia revealed that Dante had called to tell her that Lulu had been rescued. Sonny was relieved that his son, daughter-in-law, and Lulu's parents were on their way home.

Olivia spotted the picture of Connie that Sonny had been looking at, so he filled her in on Connie's integration. Olivia was delighted that Sonny and Connie would finally get their happily-ever-after, but Sonny revealed that Connie had left him. Sonny explained that Connie's psychiatrist had told Connie that she was better off without Sonny because Sonny was a trigger that each personality fought over. Sonny confessed that Connie believed that the only way for Connie to remain integrated was to stay away from him.

"So, basically, you're hazardous to her mental health," Olivia said. "Basically," Sonny agreed. Olivia was curious if Sonny might have misunderstood what Connie had told him, but he assured her that her cousin had been very clear. Sonny asked Olivia to keep an eye on Connie. Olivia felt terrible for Sonny because Connie had been in love with Sonny since their days in Bensonhurst. Sonny explained that that was part of the problem; Connie loved him so much that he drove her crazy. "Literally," Sonny added.

Olivia urged Sonny to focus on the good things like their son's return. After Olivia left, Sonny glanced one more time at the picture of Connie then put it away.

At the former offices of Manning Enterprises, Connie supervised two workers as they put up the new Crimson sign. Carly entered the reception area to demand to know who had approved the renovations. One of the workers pointed to Connie's office, so Carly marched in. Carly was startled when she saw Connie. Connie revealed that she had been discharged from the sanitarium the previous night. Carly wondered why Connie was there, so Connie explained that she had decided to reclaim the office.

Carly was curious what name Connie was going by, so Connie stepped away from her office door to reveal a nameplate that read Connie Falconeri, Editor-in-Chief. Connie explained that she had decided to use her birth name, so Carly wondered what Crimson thought about that. "I am Crimson," Connie replied. "And there you are, Kate," Carly said with a smug smile.

Connie asked Carly never to call her Kate again because Kate had been an identity created for an alter and a symptom of mental illness. Connie explained that she had to stay away from triggers that might cause her to regress. Carly assured Connie that she understood and was glad that Connie was doing well. Carly suspected that Sonny was equally happy about Connie's recovery.

Connie suggested that Carly talk to Sonny about that. "Why? What did you do?" Carly asked. "The only thing that I could do," Connie answered. Carly was furious when Connie explained that she had ended things with Sonny, because Sonny had been through hell as he had stood by Connie through her illness and recovery. Carly told Connie about Brenda's return and Brenda's desire to rekindle things with Sonny.

According to Carly, Sonny had turned Brenda down because of the promises that he had made to Connie. Connie insisted that the only way for her to make a fresh start with her new identity was to be alone. Connie explained that she couldn't take any chances of her alters returning. Carly advised Connie to think things through carefully because Connie might have a change of heart down the road. Connie assured Carly that she hadn't made the decision lightly, so Carly wished Connie luck lying in the bed that Connie had made.

Later, Olivia marched into Connie's office to welcome her cousin back. Connie smiled until Olivia smacked Connie upside the head then asked, "What the hell are you thinking?"

Meanwhile, Carly called Spinelli to ask him to hunt down Brenda. Spinelli explained that he was headed out of town to work on a case, but he offered to postpone the trip if Carly wanted him to. Carly declined because she had decided to deal with Brenda on her own. She suspected that someone else would want to do the same.

A short time later, Carly arrived at Sonny's home. She revealed that she had talked to Connie, so she knew about the breakup. Carly insisted that Sonny had deserved a better outcome, but Sonny doubted that Carly was there to talk about Connie. Carly admitted that he was right; she had decided that Sonny needed to know something. Carly told Sonny that Brenda had seduced Michael on the night of the Nurses Ball. She was stunned when he admitted that he already knew. "Then why isn't Brenda dead?" Carly demanded.

At the hospital, Ellie apologized when she accidentally bumped into Maxie. Maxie accused Ellie of stalking, but Ellie denied it. Maxie didn't believe Ellie because she suspected that Ellie continued to believe that Maxie was harboring a secret about the baby. Ellie confessed that she and Spinelli had realized that Maxie's secret had been about Britt's surprise pregnancy. Britt overheard the exchange from the nurses' station, so she demanded to know what Ellie and Maxie had been talking about.

Ellie apologized because she hadn't seen Britt. Britt admitted that it hadn't been the first time in the last few hours that she'd heard that. "Such fun being the talk of the hospital," Britt snidely remarked. Ellie denied that she had been gossiping about Britt, but Britt lost interest in the conversation because it was time for Maxie's appointment. Shortly after Britt and Maxie left, Ellie spotted a lab tech with Maxie's file. The lab tech explained that he had some test results to drop off to Britt, so Ellie offered to take care of it for him.

Meanwhile, in the examination room, Britt admitted that she had seen the reports on the news about Dante and Lulu. Britt imagined that Dante and Lulu wouldn't be attending Maxie's checkups for a while. Maxie revealed that Dante had called to let Maxie know that he and Lulu were on their way home. Maxie confessed that she was relieved because it had been all that she had been able to think about. Britt doubted it because Maxie had found time to gossip with Ellie.

Maxie explained that Ellie had overheard a private conversation between Frisco and Maxie at the Nurses Ball about the secret. Maxie revealed that Ellie had assumed that Frisco and Maxie had been talking about Britt's pregnancy. "We both know that's not true," Britt replied as Ellie opened the door. Maxie was furious when she spotted Ellie in the doorway, so Britt reminded Ellie that the hospital's policy ensured that all medical appointments remained private.

Ellie explained that she had the results for Maxie's blood work, so Britt snatched the file out of Ellie's hand then shut the door in Ellie's face. Maxie wondered if Britt thought that Ellie had overheard their conversation. Britt ignored the question as she reviewed Maxie's test results. Moments later, Britt assured Maxie that everything was fine with the baby, but Maxie was distracted because she feared that Ellie would discover the truth about Maxie's baby. Britt reminded Maxie that she had warned Maxie that the lie would end up crashing down on Maxie. "Especially if she tells Spinelli," Maxie added.

Ellie was surprised when she spotted Spinelli playing with Danny outside of Kelly's. She smiled as she approached Spinelli, but her expression turned serious when she admitted that she had something to tell him. Ellie explained that they had been wrong to assume that Maxie's secret had been about Britt's baby because Ellie had overheard Britt and Maxie talking about the secret. She confessed that the secret was definitely about the baby that Maxie was carrying, prompting Spinelli to wonder what it could be.

^ back to the top

by Elisabeth

At Crimson, Olivia wanted to know what Connie had been thinking when Connie had ended things with Sonny. Connie explained that it had been necessary and that her doctor had agreed that Connie should avoid Sonny. Olivia questioned the success of Connie's integration if Connie couldn't trust herself to be around Sonny, so she advised Connie to sue the doctor for sending Connie out into the world in such a fragile state that Connie couldn't function properly. Connie invited Olivia to look around the office because it was clear that Connie was functioning fine, but Olivia argued that reclaiming control of the fashion magazine was merely a way for Connie to hide out.

Connie assured Olivia that she hadn't been hiding from Sonny because Connie had explained to Sonny why they couldn't be together. Olivia reminded her cousin that Sonny had stood by Connie through everything, which no other man would have done. Olivia pointed out that Connie wouldn't have received treatment if Sonny hadn't fought for Connie, found the doctors, and gotten Connie into treatment, so Olivia couldn't understand how Connie could kick Sonny to the curb after what he had done for Connie. Connie admitted that she loved Sonny and that she didn't want to leave him, but it was the price that she had to pay to integrate the alter personalities into one person.

Olivia was curious if the new person was Connie from Bensonhurst or Kate, the "snooty fashion editor." Connie explained that it was as if both of her alter personalities had reached a truce, so she had all of their memories. Olivia was happy for her cousin, but argued that none of what Connie had said had made sense. "No, I'm not telling you what you want to hear," Connie suggested. Olivia insisted that it didn't seem right that Connie had to stay away from the person that Connie loved most in order to remain whole and healthy.

Connie explained that both alter personalities were integrated, but they had each loved Sonny in different ways. Connie couldn't risk upsetting the balance, which might happen if she were around Sonny. Connie admitted that she felt the same kind of fear at the thought of one of the alters regaining control again that Olivia had felt when Heather had given Olivia the overdose of LSD. Olivia advised Connie to make certain that she was prepared to give up Sonny for good.

Connie confessed that it hadn't been an accident that her personality had splintered when she had reconnected with Sonny. Olivia was shocked that Connie blamed Sonny, but Connie quickly clarified that Sonny had been the catalyst, not the cause, because he had trigged all of the ugly memories and feelings to resurface. Olivia thought that the point of integration therapy had been to work thought the horrific memories and feelings, so she couldn't understand how things could get worse if all of the secrets were out.

According to Connie, her love for Sonny had doubled, so the emotions had overwhelmed her. Olivia realized that Connie couldn't be "a little in love" with Sonny; it had to be all or nothing. Connie nodded as she admitted that she couldn't be with Sonny for her own sanity. Moments later, Olivia received a text message from Dante. Olivia was overjoyed when she read the message because it stated that Dante and Lulu were close to the airport. Connie was happy for her cousin, so she ordered Olivia to get to the airport.

Olivia apologized if she had overstepped her bounds, but she assured Connie that she had done it because she knew how much Connie and Sonny loved each other. Olivia and Connie shared a warm hug and told each other "I love you." After Olivia left, Connie walked over to her desk to pull out a picture of her and Sonny during happier times.

At Greystone Manor, Carly told Sonny that Brenda had seduced Michael. She was shocked when Sonny revealed that he already knew, so Carly demanded to know why Brenda wasn't dead yet. Sonny realized that Carly was angry, but Carly made it clear that she expected Sonny to be angry, too, because Michael was their son. "Tell me you don't want to murder Brenda for sleeping with Michael," Carly asked.

Sonny explained that Michael had stopped by for a visit the morning after the Nurses Ball to confess that he had slept with Brenda. Carly insisted that it had been the other way around because Brenda had instigated the sexual encounter. Sonny assured Carly that he understood, but Carly wanted to make certain that Sonny knew exactly what had happened. Carly revealed that Michael had been devastated after his breakup with Starr, so Michael had gone to the bar to get drunk.

According to Carly, Brenda had taken advantage of Michael's vulnerability and had exploited him sexually. Sonny didn't want to talk about it, but Carly insisted that they had to deal with it because Brenda had been an authority figure who had manipulated Michael while his judgment had been impaired. "She abused him," Carly declared. Sonny confessed that he couldn't think about it because he feared that he would lose his mind. Carly thought that Brenda deserved it, but Sonny pointed out that Michael would blame himself if something were to happen to Brenda.

Sonny explained that the only way to spare Michael more hurt was for them to leave things alone, but Carly warned Sonny that Brenda was still after Michael. Sonny was certain that it had been an isolated incident because Brenda had been hurt and had self-destructed after Jax had left her. Carly argued that Brenda had slept with Michael to get back at Carly for telling Jax the truth about Brenda's visit with Sonny. Sonny didn't want to hear what Carly thought was true, but rather what was actually true.

Carly told Sonny how she had found Brenda naked in bed with Michael. Carly had spotted the tuxedo pants on the ground, so she had accused Brenda of picking up a stranger for the night, but Brenda had smiled with satisfaction as she had informed Carly that the man in the bed was not a stranger. Carly had been shocked to discover Michael when Carly had pulled the covers off of the bed. According to Carly, Michael had been naked, confused, and so hungover that he hadn't known where he was.

Sonny was curious what Brenda had said, so Carly admitted that Brenda had insisted that it wasn't what it had looked like and then had tried to get Carly to leave because Brenda didn't think that a mother should see her son with another woman like that. Brenda had reminded Carly that Michael was a legal adult, but Michael had seemed embarrassed and had tried to take full responsibility for what had transpired between him and Brenda. It had broken Carly's heart.

Carly insisted that Brenda had been out for revenge and wasn't done, so Sonny and Carly needed to stop Brenda from ruining Michael's life. Carly explained that Brenda had approached Carly in the lobby to ask Carly to return Michael's bowtie that Brenda claimed Michael had left behind in the bed. Sonny wondered if Carly had hit her. Carly said that she had held her temper in check until Brenda had accused Carly of being a "creepy mother" then had reiterated that Michael was an adult who was free to choose who he wanted. Carly had slapped Brenda when Brenda bragged that one thing had led to "another and another" between Brenda and Michael.

Afterwards, Brenda had told Carly that Brenda and Michael were consenting adults and that Carly had been the one to turn Brenda's encounter with Michael into something ugly. "What could be more pure and innocent than Brenda sleeping with her own stepson?" Sonny sarcastically asked. Sonny hated what Brenda had done. "At best, she was stupid, at worst, she manipulated our son," Sonny concluded. Carly implored Sonny to do something, so Sonny wondered if Carly expected him to shoot Brenda.

Carly made it clear that she wanted Brenda gone, but Sonny refused take action. Carly and Sonny briefly talked about his breakup with Connie then resumed their discussion about Brenda. Sonny had thought that Brenda had been out of his life until she had showed up on his doorstep to ask him to give their relationship another try. He couldn't understand why Brenda would ask that only to turn around and sleep with Michael. "Because she wants to matter to you," Carly replied.

Sonny admitted that, in that way, Carly and Brenda were a lot alike. "That's the meanest thing you've ever said to me," Carly angrily replied. Carly reminded Sonny that they had once slept with each other out of revenge, but they had been adults and had known what they were doing.

Carly insisted that Michael hadn't known what he was doing. Sonny assured her that he knew that, but Carly wanted more from him; she wanted him to make sure that Brenda didn't do something worse because Carly was certain that Brenda would continue to pursue Michael. Sonny was outraged at the suggestion because Michael was a "kid." Carly explained that Brenda would rather have Sonny's hate than for him to ignore Brenda.

Carly believed that Brenda would keep using Michael if Sonny didn't stop Brenda. Sonny promised that he would figure something out then apologized for comparing Carly to Brenda. Sonny conceded that Carly could do damage, but she would never go after a kid to get back at a parent. Carly admitted that she hated the air that Brenda breathed, but she appreciated that Sonny had loved Brenda. Carly didn't think that Sonny had deserved what Brenda had done to him.

Sonny argued that Michael hadn't deserved it either. Carly confessed that the only consolation was that Brenda had guaranteed that Sonny would never touch Brenda again.

At Kelly's, A.J. warmly greeted Brenda with a friendly hug when she entered the diner. "You know my son, Michael," A.J. said with a smile as Michael and Brenda exchanged awkward greetings. Brenda apologized for not catching up with A.J. at the Nurses Ball, so A.J. assured her that he understood that she had been busy throwing food at Carly and "having sex with my son." Brenda's smile faltered as she realized that Michael had told people about their encounter.

A.J. promised Brenda that his lips were sealed because he respected that Michael and Brenda were consenting adults and single. A.J. admitted that he was happy that Michael and Brenda had made a meaningful connection and thought that it was great that Carly had walked in on Michael and Brenda. A.J. noticed Michael and Brenda exchange a look, so he asked them not to start judging each other. According to A.J., Michael was a good-looking guy and Brenda was a beautiful woman, so it made sense that they would be attracted to each other.

Michael asked A.J. to stop, while Brenda agreed that A.J. was not helping. "It is what it is," A.J. explained as he reminded Michael and Brenda that they were both adults who had done what consenting adults did. Michael decided to send A.J. on his way by reminding A.J. that A.J. had mentioned catching up with Elizabeth at the hospital. A.J. took the hint, but before he left, he asked Brenda to take care of Michael and for them to be good to each other.

After A.J. left, Brenda revealed that Carly had kicked her out of the hotel, so Brenda had decided to head back to Rome. She confessed that she was eager to get back to her son because she missed him. Michael held out a chair for Brenda so that they could talk about what had happened. After Brenda sat down, Michael took a seat across from her to explain that he had felt obligated to tell Sonny about what had happened.

Brenda wanted to know exactly what Michael had told Sonny, so Michael confessed that he had told the truth because Sonny was his father. Brenda argued that Michael had the right to keep his personal life private. Michael was glad that Brenda didn't have any regrets, but Michael insisted that he shouldn't have been with Brenda. "This is all Carly's fault," Brenda argued. She insisted that Carly had overacted to the situation and had made Michael feel as if he had done something horrible.

Michael argued that his mother wasn't to blame; it had been his choice. Brenda couldn't understand why Michael had told Sonny, knowing that it would upset his father. Michael admitted that he had felt as if he had betrayed his father because Brenda had once been married to Sonny and Sonny loved Brenda. According to Michael, keeping a secret was the same as lying, so he had needed to tell Sonny the truth. Brenda was curious what Sonny's reaction had been.

Michael revealed that Sonny had heard him out and then had forgiven him. However, Michael could tell that Sonny had been hurt, so Michael feared that things would never be the same again between him and Sonny. Brenda apologized, but Michael insisted that he had to live with the consequences of his choices. Michael admitted that he couldn't remember anything that had happened after they had left the bar, but it didn't matter because they couldn't change it. "Actually, we can change it," Brenda revealed. Michael was startled when she admitted that she had to confess something.

Elizabeth entered Nikolas' hospital room and announced that she had exciting news to share, but she stopped short when she caught a shirtless Nikolas out of bed. She demanded to know what he was doing, so Nikolas explained that he had been restless and eager to stretch his legs. Elizabeth checked the chart, which confirmed her suspicion that the doctor had ordered him to rest. Nikolas assured her that he was fine then changed the subject by asking her about the news that she had been eager to tell him. Elizabeth refused to tell him anything until he sat down.

Nikolas slowly made his way to a chair rather than the bed and sat down. He promised that he would "allow" Elizabeth to take care of him, but she had to meet him halfway. "What's the big announcement?" Nikolas asked. Resigned, Elizabeth revealed that his sister was on her way home, along with Dante, Luke, and Laura. Nikolas was relieved, but he was curious what had happened to Stavros.

Elizabeth admitted that she hadn't heard anything about Stavros, so Nikolas assumed that his father had been killed. He hoped that Stavros hadn't hurt Lulu, so Elizabeth pointed out that Lulu couldn't have been harmed too badly if Lulu was on her way home. Nikolas shuddered at the thought of what his father might have done to Lulu, so Elizabeth suggested that he focus on Lulu's return. Nikolas and Elizabeth smiled then hugged each other as A.J. suddenly appeared in the doorway.

Elizabeth admitted that she had been so scared that she had barely been able to breathe. She noticed Nikolas look past her shoulder, so she turned and found A.J. standing in the doorway. A.J. offered to return later, but Elizabeth invited A.J. into the room so she could share the news with him. A.J. was happy that everything had worked out for Lulu and her family. Meanwhile, Nikolas commented that he had heard that A.J. was back. A.J. acknowledged that he had cheated death as Nikolas apparently had.

Elizabeth sensed the tension in A.J., so she asked if he was okay. Before A.J. could reply, Elizabeth was called away to attend to another patient. A.J. seized the opportunity to close the door to have a private chat with Nikolas about Elizabeth. A.J. informed Nikolas that A.J. and Elizabeth were dating. A.J. knew that Nikolas and Elizabeth had a complicated history and that they had briefly been more than friends, but A.J. refused to let Nikolas get in the middle of what A.J. and Elizabeth had. Nikolas was curious if A.J. was asking Nikolas to stay away from Elizabeth.

"No, of course not," A.J. replied. A.J. appreciated that Nikolas was Cam and Aiden's uncle, but A.J. knew that what Nikolas and Elizabeth had shared had been intense and traumatic, so A.J. didn't think that Nikolas was the best thing for Elizabeth. Nikolas admitted that he had similar concerns about A.J. because A.J. had a history of alcoholism, an accident that had left Jason with brain damage, multiple kidnappings, and shooting Alan, among other things. A.J. reminded Nikolas that the charges had been dropped, but Nikolas accused A.J. of buying his way out of his legal troubles.

Nikolas didn't think that A.J. was right for Elizabeth, so A.J. wondered if Nikolas was qualified to make that judgment. "You have a problem with that?" Nikolas asked. The argument began to escalate until Elizabeth returned. She immediately picked up on the tension between A.J. and Nikolas, so she asked what was going on. Nikolas tried to distract her by asking about her patient, but Elizabeth wanted to know if everything was okay. "Couldn't be better," A.J. assured her, but she wasn't convinced.

In the courtroom, Lucy proposed that Sam petition the court for guardianship of Rafe. Rafe and Molly overheard part of the conversation, so Rafe wondered what Sam, Alexis, and Lucy had been talking about. Lucy told Rafe about her idea. Sam feared that she might not be the best guardian for Rafe. Alexis agreed with Sam because Sam had recently been widowed. T.J. was not pleased when Molly suggested that Alexis take Rafe in because they had plenty of room at the lake house. Lucy pointed out that it would be a bad idea for Alexis to take in a teenage boy with a teenage daughter in the house.

Lucy was certain that it would also cause problems between T.J. and Molly if Rafe were to move in with Alexis. T.J. agreed that he would prefer that Rafe live with Sam. Rafe assured everyone that he appreciated their concern, but he didn't want to be a burden. Lucy reminded Sam that Rafe had protected Danny from a serial killer, so Sam owed Rafe. Alexis was sympathetic to Rafe's plight, but Sam was still grieving for Jason. Lucy thought that Sam was uniquely qualified to help Rafe deal with the loss of his mother, so Alexis reminded Lucy that Sam had her hands full raising a baby.

Lucy reminded Sam that Rafe was great with Danny and would be able to babysit when needed. Alexis was certain that they would be able to find a suitable foster home for Rafe, but Lucy argued that foster parents weren't eager to take in a teenager who had ties to a serial killer who'd had delusions of being a vampire. Sam admitted that she wasn't opposed to the idea of Rafe living with her. Molly squealed with delight, but Alexis pulled Sam aside to make certain Sam hadn't been pressured into taking Rafe in.

Sam admitted that the penthouse felt empty without Jason, so Alexis reminded Sam that Rafe had been raised on the streets. Sam pointed out that she'd had a similar upbringing and that Danny adored Rafe. Sam felt that it was the right decision and something that Jason would do if he were alive. Alexis warned Sam that Sam wouldn't have Jason to help her with Rafe, so Sam would be taking care of Rafe on her own.

Sam conceded that losing Jason had been terrible, but she had his son. Sam also reminded her mother that Jason had provided them with a beautiful home and enough money to last Sam a lifetime. Sam strongly believed that Rafe could make her home less lonely. Alexis smiled as she confessed that she was proud of her daughter. Sam returned to the group to announce that she was willing to try if Rafe was. Rafe agreed, so Alexis and Sam went to talk to the judge.

Lucy pulled T.J. aside to find out how things were between T.J. and Molly. T.J. assured her that he and Molly were in a good place because T.J. had taken Shawn's advice to back off of Rafe and to be as supportive as possible, so Molly wasn't put in a position of having to choose sides. Lucy thought that Shawn was a wise man. T.J. thanked Lucy for suggesting that Sam take Rafe in because he'd had concerns about Rafe and Molly living together. Lucy smiled knowingly as she fist-bumped T.J.

Meanwhile, Rafe and Molly waited in the hallway for Alexis and Sam to return from the judge's chambers. Rafe warned Molly that nothing was guaranteed, so Molly suggested that they run away together if the judge rejected Sam's request for guardianship. Rafe refused to consider exposing Molly to a life on the streets, but Molly couldn't let Rafe return to the group home. Moments later, Alexis and Sam returned. Everyone was eager to know what the judge had decided, so Alexis decided to drag out the answer.

Sam eventually put Rafe out of his misery by revealing that the judge had approved Sam's request. However, Sam explained that it was temporary because the judge intended to review Rafe's case in ninety days. Rafe was grateful for the temporary reprieve, so Sam decided to take Rafe home. After Sam and Rafe left, Lucy arranged to meet Molly and T.J. at Kelly's for banana splits later that afternoon and then went to talk to Alexis about the judge's decision. Meanwhile, Molly assured T.J. that it wasn't necessary for him to pretend that he wasn't relieved that Rafe wouldn't be moving in with her.

Later, Sam invited Rafe into the penthouse. She explained that Danny was with his godfather, Spinelli. "Wow," Rafe said as he looked around the penthouse. "Welcome home," Sam said with a happy smile.

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by Soap Central

Due to ABC News coverage of the aftermath of the Boston Marathon bombings and the search for the bombing suspects, today's episode of General Hospital did not air.

An ABC spokesperson tells Soap Central that today's episode will be aired on Monday, April 22, and subsequent episodes will be bumped back one day. There will be no "lost" episodes of this pre-emption.

Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone impacted by the tragedies in Boston and in West, Texas.

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