In Anna's office at the Port Charles Police Station, Anna jotted down a list of names connected to Pikeman. Just then, John appeared. "Am I interrupting?" he asked. "My God, what happened to you?" Anna asked when she saw the bruises that John had suffered from the beating he had taken the previous night in an alley.

John said that he believed his attack had been orchestrated, and he noted that he'd been attacked near the Corinthos Coffee warehouse. Anna said that John shouldn't have gone near the warehouse, and she asked what he'd been doing there. John said that he had been following Diane in an attempt to glean information about Jason.

Anna claimed that Diane was a "paradigm of ethics." John said that he believed there was an alliance forming between Sonny and Jason. Anna recalled that Sonny had gone to ask her for an update on charges Jason had faced prior to Jason's arraignment. John recalled that Carly had stopped the beating when she'd pulled up in the alley.

Anna seemed disapproving of John having asked Jason to stay in Port Charles as "bait" to lure out the person behind Pikeman. Anna said that if Jason were caught by Pikeman, Jason would receive "a hell of a lot worse" treatment from the company than John had received after John had been jumped by two goons. Anna asked John to back off and to give Jason some credit.

At the Corinthos Coffee warehouse, Carly insisted to Jason that she hadn't slept with John. "Copy that," Jason replied. Carly noted that she didn't remember having ever heard Jason say the words "copy that" previously. When Jason said that he believed Sonny still loved Carly, Carly said that she doubted it. Jason insisted that Sonny and Carly still loved one another. Carly said that Sonny had been different since he'd returned from Nixon Falls in 2021, and she claimed that he was "infatuated" with Nina.

Carly further claimed that Sonny had barely noticed that Jason had been dead during the two and a half years Jason had been away from Port Charles. She shared with Jason what she believed had led to the breakdown of her marriage and to her divorce from Sonny, including that she'd found him in bed with Nina.

Jason's interest was piqued when Carly said that she had obtained proof that Sonny had violated the National Security Act. Jason's ears perked up when Carly said that Michael had given her the proof. Jason demanded to know how Michael had obtained proof. Carly told Jason about Dex's role in obtaining footage violating the National Security Act, and she added that she had destroyed the footage.

Jason seemed relieved that the footage had been destroyed, and he soon learned that Sonny had learned of Dex being a spy in Sonny's organization. "It was crazy. He was going to kill Dex," Carly said. She explained that she'd told Sonny the truth, and he'd been furious and felt betrayed, disowning Michael the same way that he had disowned both Carly and Jason. She pointed out that none of the things they had done or the sacrifices they had made had counted for anything. "They count with me," Jason said. "Everything that you've been through, everything you've done - Sonny might not be grateful, Carly, but I am," he added. Carly hugged Jason.

Jason said that he didn't know what was wrong with Sonny. Carly said that Sonny didn't "give a damn" about anyone other than himself, and she asked why she and Jason should "give a damn" about Sonny. She refused to set a bad example for Donna by allowing Sonny to "walk all over" her. She was surprised when Jason praised her instead of asking her to forgive Sonny. When Jason told her that it was up to her, Carly asked if he would forgive Sonny. "For now," Jason said. However, he admitted that things could change if Sonny pushed him too far. "And hearing how he treated you, he's getting pretty close," Jason said.

Carly's voice broke. "I miss him. I miss him. I miss how he used to be. And I miss how we all were together, you know, and I miss the Sonny I used to love, and I just wish there was a way we could reach him," Carly said. Jason said that all anyone could do was to live their lives and to not force Sonny to accept their help.

Carly floated the idea of her and Jason turning their backs on Sonny and "letting him drown." After a moment's pause, she said that Jason would never turn on Sonny before adding that she wouldn't, either. Carly said that she sometimes thought of how much "better" it would have been if she had never loved Sonny. "And I'd just stayed in love with you," she told Jason. "I like us the way we are," Jason insisted. "I do, too," Carly said.

At Crimson, Ava waited in Nina's office ahead of a meeting. Ava produced a Ziplock bag that contained two pills that had been prescribed to Sonny that she had lifted from his bathroom. Ava phoned a medical lab to ask if the lab could identify the prescription and its strength. Ava added that she couldn't ask the pharmacy because the pharmacy was online only. "Oh, that's wonderful. Thank you so much. I'll messenger them today," Ava said.

Moments later, Nina appeared and greeted Ava. Nina said that she had had several unexpected visitors recently, including Drew. Nina added that she'd wanted to see Ava for a "progress report" on Nina's attempted reconciliation with Sonny. Ava smiled awkwardly at Nina, and she asked if the report should be single or double-spaced.

Nina was taken aback to learn that Sonny was drinking again. Ava added that Sonny didn't like to hear Nina's name. She offered that it proved Sonny still missed Nina and that it was "progress." Nina expressed skepticism. Ava asked where Nina's skepticism stemmed from. Ava added that Sonny wasn't pressuring Nina to demand that Nina sign her divorce papers.

Ava encouraged Nina to be patient, and she said that she had to wait for the right moment for Sonny to realize how much he wanted Nina back. Nina asked if it would make any difference if she were to sell her half of Metro Court to Jason. Nina admitted that the "novelty" of running the hotel had worn off, and she said that she didn't truly enjoy running the hotel.

Nina added that she was certain that Jason would purchase the hotel and hand it to Carly. Nina said it was worth selling her half of the hotel to Jason because it might earn her "half a point" with Sonny. Ava noted that Sonny and Jason had once been as close as brothers. Ava said that Sonny would be "deeply moved" if Nina were to make a deal with Jason.

At the Quartermaine mansion, Gregory told Lois that he had stopped by to visit Brook Lynn. Gregory admitted that he was struggling to write a draft of what he would say at Brook Lynn and Chase's wedding. Lois received an urgent call from Brook Lynn, and she asked Gregory to excuse her.

In the stables at the Quartermaine estate, Tracy was excited as she prepared to go horseback riding. Cody said that there had been a problem with the way a saddle had been stored. Tracy noted that the saddle had been a dressage saddle that had been custom-made. She added that Cody was "out on [his] hind end with no pillion to cushion [him]" if there was a problem with the saddle.

Sasha appeared, and she shared that she had been able to repair the saddle. Tracy thanked Sasha. After Tracy stepped away, Cody thanked Sasha for having saved his "hind end." Moments later, Lois appeared to urgently plead with Sasha that Sasha was needed at the Home & Heart studios. Sasha left with Lois.

Back in the main room of the Quartermaine mansion, Tracy greeted Gregory, who shared that he had gone to talk to Brook Lynn but that he'd chatted with Lois instead. Gregory told Tracy that he wouldn't be taking a plus one to the wedding because Alexis had had to cancel. "Well, I don't think that that's much of a tragedy. Alexis and weddings don't mix. Of course, I'm prejudiced ever since she went runaway bride and left Ned at the altar," Tracy said.

Gregory said that Alexis couldn't attend the wedding because she had to appear in Manhattan the morning after the wedding. "She's hoping to get her disbarment overturned," Gregory noted. Gregory added that he would be "going stag" to the wedding. Tracy said that she would share his news with Brook Lynn. Tracy assured Gregory that he wouldn't be alone and that he would take his place next to his family at the wedding. "Next to me," Tracy said warmly. Gregory said that he would enjoy being next to Tracy.

At the Home & Heart channel studios, Maxie and Brook Lynn watched as Lucy gushed to Haven on live television about having been the mistress of ceremonies for the Nurses Ball for many years. Nearby, Maxie told Brook Lynn that Maxie had called in "the cavalry" to save Lucy and Deception's performance.

Moments later, Scott joined Maxie and Brook Lynn. Maxie asked Scott to convince Lucy to talk about Deception products. Scott soon approached Haven and Lucy, who introduced viewers to Scott. Lucy continued to talk about past Nurses Balls. Scott tried to shift the focus to Deception's facial cream product. Lucy continued to talk about the Nurses Ball. Lois and Sasha joined Maxie and Brook Lynn. Sasha soon joined Scott, Lucy, and Haven in front of the cameras. Sasha shared that she wasn't wearing any makeup, and she proceeded to show the audience what the facial cream could do for viewers.

Backstage, Lucy asked Maxie what Sasha was doing at the studio -- and why Sasha was dressed like "an escapee from Mayberry." Just then, Lucy's phone started to chime. Lucy said that her phone was "blowing up." "I'm trending. I'm actually trending. My public has never loved me more!" a giddy Lucy told Scott.

Nearby, Haven thanked Sasha for having saved the live performance. Haven admitted that she wished she had been kinder to Sasha, for Haven's past transgressions that dated back to 2022. Haven formally apologized to Sasha, and she said that she hoped Sasha would return to the studio.

• Lois has a surprise for Olivia and Brook Lynn.

• Anna summons someone to her office "immediately."

• Jason lectures Carly.

• "That's unforgiveable," Sonny growls to Ava.