At the roadhouse, Jason had a shootout with the Russians while Sam fought hand-to-hand with Sasha and baby Jake played with blocks. Jason shot all the Russians, but one of them managed to trigger a bomb under the bar before expiring. The explosion threw Jason clear, but the bar area was an inferno. As the front of the building collapsed, Jason called for Jake.
Jason was at his car searching for firefighting tools when Sam called out that Jake was safe. Sam explained that Sasha had not finished the fight with Sam but had fled instead, so Sam had grabbed Jake and dived through a window just before the explosion. Jason was overcome with emotion as he held his son. He told Sam that they were even. He thanked her sincerely for saving Jake.
A tearful Liz was slashing all the paintings in her studio when Lucky arrived and stopped her frenzy. She said that painting was a waste of time just like being with Jason. Lucky told her that her paintings were not in the same class as her desire to be with Jason. Liz told Lucky that he could not possibly know how she felt. Lucky told Liz that her desire for Jason was exactly like his desire for drugs. He told her that she was bottoming out and that what mattered was not what had happened in the past, but what she did from that time forward.
At that moment, Liz's phone rang. Epiphany called to say that Cameron was at the hospital because Patrick had been called in to work and had to bring Cameron with him. Liz beat herself up again for not being home with Cameron.
Carly got revenge on Kate by trapping Kate in the elevator so that Carly could arrive at Kate's party first, wearing the same designer dress as Kate. Her plan worked perfectly. Kate had to endure many a snide comment from her catty competitors. Carly snickered in the background and eventually Jax escorted her away.
At the hospital, Patrick thanked Epiphany for taking care of Cameron, but she pointed to Matt, who was keeping Cameron entertained with toy cars. Patrick was impressed and, when Liz and Lucky arrived a few minutes later, Cameron was in good spirits. Patrick told Liz to stay positive and not to give up.
The phone was ringing when Lucky arrived home with Liz and Cameron. It was Sam telling them that Jake was okay. Liz said that she should have had more faith. She said that she should have known that Jason would rescue Jake. Lucky wanted to know if she was changing her mind about staying away from Jason.
Sonny walked into his living room and found Ric and Claudia kissing passionately. Sonny was disgusted. He told them it was time to set some ground rules. Sonny said he did not care what they did away from the house, but he did not want Claudia and Ric sleeping together under his roof. When Ric started arguing, Sonny exercised his authority and told Ric to leave and not come back without an invitation.
Kate escorted her business rivals to the elevator, and then turned on Lulu. Lulu stood mute as Kate chewed her out for revealing her dress design to Carly. Maxie listened in as Olivia intervened. Kate got even more upset with Olivia and she ripped Olivia for siding with Carly. She denigrated Olivia's fashion sense as well as her lack of ambition. A distraught Olivia headed for the elevator.
Jax escorted Carly back to the lobby. He told her he was on to her games, but Carly merely taunted him. He admitted that she did look good in the dress, before leaving her to return to Kate.
Olivia ran down to the docks and was trying to make a phone call when Sasha hurried by talking on her phone. She did not see Olivia as she told the person on the other end that Jason had showed up at the roadhouse and the trap had been sprung, but she did not know if Jason had been killed or not. When Sasha noticed Olivia, she pulled a knife on her and demanded to know how much Olivia had heard.
Olivia said that she heard nothing and was just passing through. Sasha appeared to let Olivia go, but as Olivia passed by, Sasha stabbed her. Before she could finish Olivia off, Patrick showed up, and Sasha fled. Patrick insisted that Olivia go to the hospital, but Olivia said that her son would be too anxious if she were hospitalized again so soon on the heels of her last stay at GH. She suggested he take her somewhere else.
Spinelli showed up at Sonny's with the news that Jake was safe. In Spinelli-speak, he told Sonny that he brought the news in hopes that it would help bring about peace between Jason and Sonny. After Spinelli left, Claudia wondered when Sonny would move against the Russians. Sonny said that he would do nothing as long as the Russians were targeting Jason and not him or the Zaccharas.
Jason had tears in his eyes as he drove Jake and Sam back to town. Sam talked and played with Jake. Liz called and talked to Jake, and Sam assured her that he was okay.
Kate was still ranting about the dress when she, Maxie, and Lulu got off the elevator at Crimson. Lulu remained mute, but Maxie jumped in and took the blame. She said that she had been talking on the phone about the dress and Carly had overheard. Maxie said she was sorry that she had been so careless and thoughtless. Kate said that it did not matter, because heads would roll. She was about to fire both Lulu and Maxie when Jax walked in and intervened. He pointed out that Maxie had single-handedly put out the issue that everyone was raving about, especially the key demographic. A reluctant Kate backed down.
Kate and Jax left the office, and Maxie told Lulu to leave, also, so she could get some work done. Lulu wanted to know why Maxie had covered for her, and Maxie grudgingly admitted that she was coming to like Lulu. Lulu wanted to know how she could make it up to Maxie and Maxie told Lulu that she could start getting coffee for Maxie when she got coffee for Kate and Clarice. She also said that Lulu could acknowledge that Maxie was the first assistant. Lulu agreed as she left on the elevator.
Jax and Carly went another round in the lobby. He told her that because of the dress stunt, Lulu and Maxie had almost been fired. Carly said that just pointed out how mean and selfish Kate was. Carly still believed that she and Jax could patch things up, but Jax said not as long as Carly kept putting Sonny first.
Spinelli dropped by Crimson to tell Maxie the good news about Jake. Just as she hugged Spinelli, Mac showed up and ordered Spinelli away from Maxie. Mac vented his rage on Spinelli and told him that he was wasting himself working for Jason. He told Spinelli that he was just as guilty of murder as Jason was, even though he did computer work. Spinelli listened patiently. Mac ordered Spinelli to stay away from Maxie. Before Spinelli could reply, Maxie put her foot down and told Mac that Spinelli was her best friend and she did not intend to stay away from him.
Claudia and Sonny were discussing their relationship. Sonny appeared to be giving consideration to Claudia's idea that they have a marriage in more than name only, when Patrick rushed in with a bleeding Olivia.
It was a joyous homecoming when Jason and Sam arrived at Lucky's. Liz was radiant as she held a healthy, unharmed Jake in her arms.
Mac told Spinelli he didn't want the younger man hanging out with Maxie anymore. Maxie was upset and said Mac couldn't take away the one friend she had. Spinelli agreed with Maxie and said he wouldn't turn his back on his friend. Mac gave an ultimatum and said if Maxie and Spinelli were still going to be friends, Maxie couldn't live in Mac's house any longer. If Maxie moved out, Mac wouldn't let her take the car, either. Both Mac and Maxie said they wouldn't back down, so Mac asked Spinelli if he was proud of what he had done.
Once Mac was gone, Spinelli tried to convince Maxie to apologize to Mac. Spinelli was concerned about Maxie being homeless, but Maxie said it was time for her to move out, anyway. She would humbly take public transportation if she needed to. Maxie wasn't sure where she would move, so Spinelli suggested she stay at Jason's until she found a more permanent place. Maxie didn't think that was a good idea, though. She didn't want to intrude on any more private moments between Sam and Jason. Spinelli was taken aback by that comment and asked her to elaborate. Maxie said that since Sam and Jason were both adrenaline junkies, they were probably getting pretty hot and heavy since Jake had been rescued. Spinelli was stunned, but Maxie shocked him even more by complimenting him. She said she was very proud of the way he handled Mac. Maxie said that Spinelli made her a better person. He was the one person she looked forward to seeing each and every day. If she had to choose between spending the rest of her life with a cute boy or one more hour with Spinelli, she would choose Spinelli.
Mac arrived home and immediately called Robin to come over. Robin soon arrived with Emma in tow. Mac briefly explained what had happened between him and Maxie, and Robin knew exactly what had happened. She knew Mac and Maxie well enough to know how the conversation had gone without needing to be there. Mac regretted giving the ultimatum and wanted Robin to talk Maxie out of moving out. Robin thought Spinelli was sweet, so Mac and Robin got sidetracked as they disagreed over Spinelli.
When Maxie arrived home, Mac apologized for their fight. Maxie said she loved Mac, but she needed to grow up and move out, regardless of Mac's feelings for Spinelli. Maxie went upstairs to pack and was ready to leave quicker than Mac was prepared for it. Maxie planned to take a cab, but Mac told her to go ahead and take the car. Maxie told Mac that she loved him and was grateful to be able to call him Dad. She thanked him for providing some stability to her crazy family life. Mac told Maxie to claim her life and her fashion career. Maxie said she would let Mac know where she was staying as soon as she knew. Once Maxie was gone, Mac had already noticed how quiet the house was. Robin told Mac it was all for the best, but Mac said Robin would be singing a different tune when it was Emma moving out.
Carly tried to get Jax to admit he wasn't attracted to Kate, but Jax was still upset that Carly had shown up wearing the same dress as Kate to Kate's own party. Carly pointed out that Jax couldn't keep his eyes off of her, but Jax said it was just a very attractive dress. Carly grabbed Jax's hand and told him they needed to be honest with each other. They had nothing else to lose at that point. Jax said he couldn't be seduced. They were over and done. Carly looked at Jax's hand and noticed his wedding band. She asked him why he was still wearing his wedding band if they were truly over and done. Jax said he was continuing to wear the ring out of respect to their marriage. That didn't mean anything to Carly, though. She felt respect was out the window after Jax had slept with Kate. Jax tried to explain he had slept with Kate because it was easy and fun. It meant there would be no getting back together with Carly, and he didn't want to be the couple that always broke up and got back together. Carly said the only reason why Jax slept with Kate was to get back at Carly for her relationship with Sonny. Carly still wanted to work it out with Jax, but he was insistent that nothing could be done to repair their relationship. He thought it was time to take the wedding band off.
Carly went home and talked to a picture of Michael. She said everything seemed to be going badly without Michael in her life. Carly wasn't sure she could be with anyone, and thought maybe she and Jax weren't right for each other. Carly said she tried to remove Sonny from her heart, but she couldn't do it - not even for Jax. Carly wanted honesty and truth. Maybe she was growing up, or maybe she was just being a fool.
Liz, Lucky, and Cameron rushed outside as Sam and Jason were bringing Jake back home. Everyone was very excited to see Jake again, but Jason was clearly uncomfortable. Lucky took the boys inside to get snacks while Liz thanked Jason and Sam. Jason tried to say Sam was the true hero, but Sam said Jason was the one who found where Jake was being held. Liz didn't care about the specifics; she was just thankful her boy was safe. Liz went inside to allow Lucky the chance to come out and properly thank Jason and Sam.
When Lucky came outside, he hugged Sam and thanked God she was okay. Lucky asked what had happened, and Sam and Jason briefly recapped rescuing Jake. Lucky was upset they hadn't called the cops, but Sam said they did what they thought was best at the time. Lucky decided it was time to get back inside, but asked Jason to make sure Sam got home safely. Lucky went in the house and read a book to Jake and Cameron with Liz at his side. They all agreed that they liked being back together.
As they drove, Jason asked Sam if she was okay. Her hip was hurting a bit, but she was glad to be alive and happy Jake was safe. Sam said she hoped Jake was okay, but he had acted calm and steady. Actually, she thought Jake acted a lot like his father. Jason said he didn't want Jake to be like him. He didn't even want Jake to remember who he was. Sam said Jason was being too hard on himself, but Jason blamed himself for setting off the explosion. It wasn't the first time he put his son in danger, but it would be the last. When they arrived at Sam's, Jason thanked Sam for her role in saving Jake's life. Sam admitted that she owed Jake and Liz for the past, but Jason said that was over. Sam thanked Jason for the ride and they went their separate ways.
When Claudia saw Olivia bleeding on the couch, she wasn't very sympathetic to Kate's cousin. She asked why Olivia was there, and Sonny also asked what had happened to Olivia, while Patrick examined her injuries. Olivia told Sonny she had overheard a blonde Russian speaking on the phone about an explosion and a kidnapping that had gone bad. When the blonde saw Olivia, she pulled a knife on Kate's cousin and tried to kill her. Patrick had saved her life when he came across the situation. He brought her to Sonny's, because Olivia didn't want to go to the hospital and worry Kate or Dante. Claudia interrupted at that point to say Milo should take Olivia over to Kate's house. Sonny thought otherwise, though. His house was plenty big enough, so there was no reason why Olivia couldn't stay there. Patrick assured everyone that Olivia would be okay, and he took her upstairs to get settled in a room.
When Patrick came back downstairs, Sonny thanked him and said his own private doctor would tend to Olivia from then on. Patrick didn't like that idea. He said Olivia was his patient and he would continue to check on her. Sonny seemed okay with that. He asked how Robin and Patrick were getting used to parenthood, and Patrick said that Robin was in a learning phase. Then, Sonny asked Patrick for his professional opinion as to whether or not Sonny should call Dante. Although Patrick thought Olivia wasn't revealing her true level of pain, he knew Olivia would be all right. It was his professional opinion that Dante didn't need to be called. Sonny thanked him and told Patrick to give his love to Robin when he got home. Claudia walked in and told Patrick to tell Robin that Sonny and Claudia had gotten married and were accepting well-wishes.
Patrick arrived at Mac's to take Robin and Emma home, and Mac reminded him that it was getting late. After Robin commented how long it had taken when Patrick had visited Liz earlier, Patrick told her about spending time with Liz and then stumbling upon Olivia's stabbing. There was no other woman for him anymore, though, except Robin.
Meanwhile, Sonny wanted to know why Claudia was so bent out of shape about Olivia. Claudia admitted she didn't like Olivia, and she thought Olivia was using the injury as an excuse to get together with Sonny. He reminded Claudia not to get territorial. Sonny was not free to love Claudia or Olivia because he was still in love with Kate. They were interrupted when Olivia walked down the stairs, much to Sonny's despair. He hadn't wanted her moving around. Olivia said she was fine but couldn't sleep. Olivia decided to spend some time with the newlyweds. Sonny promised to find out and retaliate against whoever stabbed Olivia. Claudia started to protest, and Olivia actually agreed with her. Neither woman wanted Sonny to fight with the Russians over Olivia's wounds.
Emma had a less fitful night, so Robin and Patrick finally got some rest. As Patrick left for work, Robin was optimistic that she and Emma would have a good day. She was happily making plans to take Emma on a walk in the park. As soon as Patrick left home, Emma started crying again.
At Nadine's farm, Nikolas offered to help with the chores. Nadine scoffed at the idea that a "prince" would do manual labor. Nikolas assured Nadine that he was strong and reasonably intelligent and could probably figure out what to do. Nadine laughed as she took him out to the barn.
Once in the barn, Nadine instructed Nikolas on how to milk a cow. Nikolas made many attempts, but could not bring himself to actually touch the cow's udder. Nadine laughed when Nikolas leaped off the milking stool and stood up. He admitted that he did not want to milk the cow. He and Nadine started kissing.
Lulu and Johnny were on the couch in his apartment sharing morning coffee when Jax burst in and said he wanted his apartment back. Johnny said he had a lease, but Jax told him to read the fine print. Johnny accepted Jax's decision to take the apartment back and said he would be out in a week. Lulu put in a few good words for Carly, but Jax was definite about his split from her and was not swayed by Lulu's words.
Jason arrived home and was talking to Spinelli about Jake's rescue, when Maxie came downstairs at the penthouse where she had spent the previous night in the guest room. Before Maxie could make much of an explanation of why she was there, Jason told her that it was not safe for her to be around him and she had to go elsewhere.
Luke and Edward discussed Luke's attempt to win Tracy back while Alice made Luke a Bloody Mary to help cure the hangover he had from playing cards and drinking with Tracy the night before. Luke had blacked out while playing poker with her and when he awoke, Tracy was gone. Both he and Edward feared that Tracy had gone through with the divorce. Edward guessed that Tracy would be even more shrewish than usual if she had actually divorced Luke.
Patrick went to the hospital and told everyone that Robin and Emma were doing fine. He was chipper because he had gotten six hours of uninterrupted sleep. Both Epiphany and Matt had a few comments as they shared chitchat at the nurses' station.
Sam met Alexis at the hospital so that she could apologize and tell her what had really happened with Jerry. Alexis said that she was glad that Sam had told her everything, but that she already knew. Alexis said that she was playing Jerry just like he thought that he was playing her. Sam was amazed and touched when Alexis said that the drug charges against Sam were being dropped and that she would never have allowed Sam to be prosecuted. They shared a tender, familial hug.
Matt and Patrick bantered about Patrick's parenting skills. Patrick was encouraged that Robin and Emma were headed to the park and were bonding.
Robin unsuccessfully tried to quiet Emma until Maxie arrived. As soon as Maxie told Emma to pipe down, she did. Robin was completely flummoxed. She did not understand why Emma responded to everyone but her. Maxie said it was just coincidental, but Robin did not think so. Maxie told Robin about her housing dilemma and Robin agreed that she should not stay at Jason's. After consideration, Maxie decided that she could find a place to live using online ads.
Jason explained to Spinelli why he did not want Maxie in their place. He told Spinelli that Jake would have died in the explosion if it had not been for Sam's quick thinking. Jason blamed himself for triggering the explosion. He thought that the explosion was a result of the gunfire. He did not know that the bomb had been deliberately set off by one of Sasha's henchmen. Jason was very regretful and said that he did not want anyone else hurt because of him. He said he did not want his son to know anything about him.
Diane showed up and told Jason to get dressed because he had a meeting downtown with the Feds. Spinelli was gone when Jason came beck downstairs in a suit. Jason wanted to know if Diane had taken care of some private business that he had asked her to handle and to keep confidential. Diane said she had done as he asked, but that business could wait so that Jason could concentrate on the upcoming meeting.
Diane told Jason that the Feds wanted to question him about the shootout at the roadhouse. She told him that his usual silent treatment would not work because he would be looked at as arrogant and would face every charge they could throw at him. Diane advised Jason to be honest and tell the truth about what really happened at the Russian roadhouse.
Tracy walked in while Edward and Luke commiserated, and Alice hovered in the background. Luke made another attempt at reconciliation, but Tracy told him to forget it. She then told Alice to take Luke away, pack his bags and show him the door. A disbelieving Luke left passively.
When Edward and Tracy were alone, Edward said that Tracy was not acting like someone who had just gotten a divorce, but like someone who was still married. Tracy admitted that she had not divorced Luke, but said she was not ready for Luke to know. Unbeknownst to her, Luke was just outside the door eavesdropping on their conversation
When Nikolas and Nadine returned to the farmhouse, Nadine admitted that she had been having a laugh at Nikolas' expense, because all the milking on the farm was done by machine, not hand. They were laughing when Aunt Raylene joined them. She wanted to know when Nikolas and Nadine would marry.
Robin continued to be frustrated with Emma's crying. Robin viewed it as a form of rejection from her daughter, and decided to leave the apartment to give Emma what she wanted. Robin headed to the park where Mac bumped into her. He saw that his niece was troubled and lent her a sympathetic ear while she poured her heart out to him. Her deep desire to have a child and her love for Emma made her failure as a parent more painful. Mac felt that Robin was too hard on herself. He told her that parenting had a learning curve and that mistakes were a part of the journey. He used himself as an example to illustrate that parents continued to learn even after the children were grown.
Mac stepped away for a few minutes to fetch some popcorn from a nearby vendor. When he returned, he handed the treat to Robin. She smiled at the loving gesture and announced that her meltdown had passed. She thanked Mac for his support just as Patrick walked up. Emma was sound asleep in her stroller. Robin was happy to see her family and stood up to check on her daughter. Patrick took the opportunity to remind Robin that she was an amazing mother and then hugged her. They said goodbye to Mac and then returned to their apartment. As they walked in, Emma began crying. Robin dashed off to fix a bottle while Patrick soothed his daughter. By the time Robin returned to the living room with the bottle, Emma had quieted down. Robin had an uneasy expression on her face as she watched Patrick rock a content Emma.
Olivia left the guest bedroom and went downstairs to Sonny's living room. She found it empty, so she picked up a picture of his children. Claudia walked into the room and found Olivia studying the photo. When she noticed that Olivia was able to get around without any difficulty, Claudia suggested that Olivia return home. Olivia refused to be pushed out of Sonny's home by Claudia. She received support from Sonny when he walked into the room and countered Claudia's order for Olivia to leave. He made it clear to Claudia that it was his home and that Olivia was a welcomed guest. Claudia bristled with annoyance and argued that if Olivia was well enough to walk around, she was well enough to leave. Claudia's irritation mounted when Sonny dismissed Claudia after Olivia asked to speak to Sonny alone.
With Claudia out of the room, Sonny changed his tune and suggested that Olivia leave his home. He reminded her of his new position as the head of the Zacchara organization, as well as the mob war in Port Charles. Olivia agreed to go but not without warning Sonny that the path he had chosen came at a cost.
Later, Max found Sonny working at his desk. Max was baffled by Sonny's plans for a romantic dinner with Claudia. Sonny explained that he believed that the Zaccharas might have been responsible for Kate's shooting. Sonny hoped to seduce Claudia into revealing who had masterminded the hit. Shortly afterwards, Claudia arrived home to find Sonny in the dinning room waiting for her with a gourmet meal that he had prepared himself. She was impressed with the cuisine and flattered by the thoughtful gesture. However, she realized that Sonny probably had ulterior motives for the act of kindness.
At the Quartermaine mansion, Edward handed Tracy a phone and told her to call Luke. Tracy wondered why Edward was lobbying for her to reconcile with Luke. Edward tried to pass it off as fatherly concern for a cherished daughter, but Tracy saw through the lie. She snatched the newspaper out of his hand and looked at the front page. When she saw that the company stocks were down, she realized that Edward wanted Tracy focused on business, not her personal life. To do that, she needed to work things out with Luke. Edward was unapologetic which enflamed Tracy's ire. She insisted that she didn't want anything to do with Luke, but Edward didn't believe her. He pointed out that she had not obtained a divorce from Luke. Tracy countered that Luke didn't know that.
Luke, who had been lurking outside on the patio, chose that moment to stagger into the living room. It was clear that he had not overheard the last of the argument as he made a beeline for the bar and poured a drink. Tracy was disgusted, while Edward excused himself and left the room. Meanwhile, Luke played the heartbroken drunk. He claimed that he no longer had any reason to go on living without Tracy. Tracy wasn't swayed. She told Luke he could drink himself into oblivion but not in the house. She didn't want him sullying the carpet. They bickered back and forth until Luke stumbled into Tracy's arms and tried to kiss her. Tracy was livid when she realized that Luke had scammed her. He didn't have any alcohol on his breath.
Luke didn't deny the accusation. Instead, he told Tracy that he had tried to figure out why she had turned on him. The only reason he could think of was that he had made the mistake of being honest with her about where he stood with Laura. Luke felt that everyone would have been better off if he had told Tracy what she had wanted to hear. Lying to her might have saved their marriage. Tracy disagreed and told him that she turned on him because she didn't have any desire to be his second choice. Luke had reached his limit. He yelled out that she had not been his second choice, then announced that he intended to go on a bender of all benders. Tracy pretended not to care, but after Luke stormed out of the house, she started to follow him. Alan's arrival stopped her. He pointed out that her lack of a divorce and her instinct to follow Luke was proof that she still cared for her husband.
Lulu and Maxie moved into their apartment and began discussing decorating plans. When Maxie called dibs on the larger of the two bedrooms, Lulu objected. Maxie felt that she should have the room because it had a bigger closet and she had better quality clothes than Lulu. Lulu was annoyed by the insult but focused on her own reason for taking the bedroom: Johnny. The two argued until Spinelli arrived. They decided to let him settle the matter, but Spinelli refused. He felt that they should work it out between themselves and establish a few ground rules while they were at it. Neither Maxie nor Lulu seemed keen on the idea, so Lulu suggested that they play a game of cards. Maxie nixed the idea because Lulu's father was a gambler and she didn't trust Lulu to play fair. Johnny's arrival settled the matter. They had Johnny and Spinelli play a game of high card. Spinelli drew a jack while Johnny drew an ace. Lulu was delighted that she had won the room. Maxie reluctantly agreed that it worked out for the best, since Johnny would be living with them. Spinelli was stunned and protested the addition of the new roommate.
Lucky brought Liz and the boys home after they had spent the night at his house. Liz appreciated Lucky's consideration and hospitality. She told him that they were blessed to have him in their lives and thanked him for everything he had done for them. Lucky told Liz that he loved the children as his own, so thanks were unnecessary. Liz smiled and suggested that they plan a family outing to celebrate Jake's return. Lucky agreed and mentioned taking the boys to the zoo to see the Christmas decorations. Liz thought it was a wonderful idea; unfortunately a phone call put those plans on hold. Liz was asked to go to the courthouse to give a statement about the events that had led up to Jake's kidnapping. Lucky agreed to stay with the boys until Audrey could arrive to take over
At the courthouse, Sam and Jason waited to be interviewed by FBI Special Agent Thomas Rayner. As they sat outside his office, Sam and Jason talked about Jake's rescue. Sam was happy that everything had worked out, but confessed that all the pressure, tension, and split-minute decisions made the aftermath seem flat. She likened it to the end of the Wizard of Oz when everything returned to black and white. Then she realized that Jason probably never saw the movie, and therefore wouldn't understand what she meant. She was wrong; Jason admitted, in a sad voice, that he knew exactly what she meant.
When they were seated in Agent Rayner's office, the questions began. Jason and Sam kept the self-incriminating information to themselves and gave the agent an edited version of what had transpired. The agent wasn't completely fooled and asked them whose decision it had been to rescue Jake without calling the police. Jason and Sam each took responsibility. Sam went on to explain that it had been the only viable option under the circumstances. The agent then moved on to the deaths of the men found at the scene. He pointed out that not all of the five men killed had died in the explosion. One had a broken neck and several others had died of gunshot wounds. Again, Sam and Jason gave him a watered down version of what had happened. In the end, the agent concluded that they had acted in the defense of a child, and cleared them of any wrongdoing.
Before Sam left the courthouse, she let Jason know that she intended to go after Sasha. Jason said nothing as she walked away. A moment later, Diane walked up. As she was talking, Liz arrived at the courthouse. Diane quickly realized that Jason wasn't paying any attention to her; his entire focus was on Liz. Diane felt that it wasn't the appropriate time for the lovers to have a heart-to-heart talk, but Jason ignored her. Diane walked away as Jason approached Liz.
When he sat down with her, Jason told Liz that he wanted her to ask Agent Rayner about the five men who were killed. Jason wanted Liz to hear the gory details so that she could understand that Jake could have met the same fate as some of the men who had died if Sam had not rescued him in time.
Sam arrived home to her empty apartment. As she started to walk into her bedroom, someone knocked at the door. It was Lucky. As soon as Sam opened the door, Lucky pulled her into his arms and apologized for not seeing her sooner. He felt that it wouldn't have been right for him to leave Jake so soon after his return. Sam was understanding, and invited Lucky inside. Things took an uncomfortable turn when Lucky went to kiss Sam and she pulled way.
At the dinner table, Claudia and Sonny argued over their marriage of convenience. Claudia thought Sonny had an agenda, and he admitted he did. He needed at least one Zacchara on his side, and it was obvious that Claudia had no one to trust, based on how poorly her family treated her. Claudia didn't say anything but appeared to agree with Sonny's comments. Sonny got up to leave, and Claudia asked where he was going. Sonny said he needed to visit his father in the hospital and explain why he married Claudia-before Mike found out the news from someone else and had a heart attack.
Once Sonny was gone, Claudia sat in the living room and started going through her e-mail. Ric walked in and asked if she was working on business or pleasure, while he tried to look at her laptop screen. Claudia said it was private and closed her laptop. Ric was clearly jealous of Claudia's relationship with Sonny. He asked how she was doing with gaining Sonny's approval, considering she had always wanted her father's approval and had never received it. Ric said that Sonny might sleep with Claudia, but he would never trust her. Ric warned her to stay out of Sonny's way, but Claudia said she didn't want to. Claudia suggested that Ric was only interested in her because she was his brother's wife. Ric prepared to leave, but Claudia told him not to leave angry. She said they were good together, and they could be good together again once she got what she needed out of Sonny.
When he arrived at the hospital, Sonny was surprised to see Kate visiting Mike. Sonny told her she could stay, but she said she couldn't pretend to be okay with his marriage to Claudia. Sonny tried to explain he had married Claudia to find out who shot Kate. He was pretty sure it was a Zacchara, but he wasn't sure yet. Kate didn't really care what Sonny's motives were. She was upset that she had spent an entire year of her life living a lie by thinking Sonny was leaving the mob. Kate blurted out that she had slept with Jax. Since Sonny was married to another woman, they had a definitive end to their relationship. No matter what they did, Kate didn't want Sonny to continue to use her as an excuse for his actions. Mike tried to intervene and get the two to stop fighting, but Kate just ended up leaving.
Once Kate was gone, Mike and Sonny talked about Kate, Jax, and Claudia. Sonny tried to explain why he married Claudia, but Mike wondered aloud if anything would change once Sonny found out the truth about Kate's shooting.
When Sonny arrived home, Claudia asked how Mike was doing. Sonny asked about her visit with Ric, and Claudia immediately knew the guards had ratted her out. Claudia thought they would do better if they were on the same side, and Sonny agreed. He said it wouldn't be easy, though. Claudia said one of them had to make the first move, so Sonny leaned in and kissed his bride.
At the courthouse, Jason tried to explain to Liz why they could never see each other ever again. He explained in graphic detail how Sam rescued Jake and how their little boy could have died. Liz couldn't understand why Jason was reliving their nightmare, but Jason said Liz needed to know why their relationship was ending permanently. Liz understood, and apologized for not listening to him all the other times he tried to warn her. She had just wanted to be with him. Jason tried to take some of the blame from her and said they were both at fault. He would never have any contact with her, Jake, or Cameron ever again. He set up a trust fund and paid off the house Liz was renting. Liz didn't want to take his money, but Jason said it was the only thing he could do. He would never see his son again, and Jake wouldn't have Jason's last name. He wanted to at least support his family. Liz promised to give their son a good, safe life. She also apologized for not listening to him and for putting their family in danger. Jason said they were both at fault.
Lucky leaned in to kiss Sam, but she pulled away. He asked her why she pulled away from him, and she made up an excuse about hurting her hip during Jake's rescue. Lucky immediately wanted to take her to the hospital, but Sam said she would be fine. She told him about when she testified to the Feds and that they were dropping all the charges against her. Lucky thought that was wonderful until he realized she wasn't done with the Russians. Sam said she had a gut feeling and she couldn't just drop it. He thought she should leave the investigating up to the cops, but Sam wanted to do it herself. Lucky also suggested Sam become a cop, but they both knew she would never be hired because of her criminal background. Besides, Sam said she preferred to work without rules. Lucky decided he would leave and go to work, but Sam said they would talk later over dinner. She was sure they would work something out that they could agree upon.
Lucky met up with Liz at the courthouse, where she told him about the testimony she had given. Lucky asked her why she was so upset, and she revealed her conversation with Jason. They had agreed it would be their last conversation together. Even if Jason hadn't suggested they never see each other again, Liz had already decided to break things off with him. Liz had been given a second chance to prove she wasn't a terrible mother. She hadn't put her children first, and Lucky should be furious at her. She told him about the trust fund Jason had established for the boys, and Lucky agreed not to refuse the money. Liz thanked Lucky for being such a good friend to her and a great father to her boys.
Jason arrived home and started working out by punching his punching bag. Carly soon arrived and asked him why he hadn't returned any of her phone calls. It only took one look for her to realize something was seriously wrong. Jason explained that he would never see his son again after realizing the risks he put Jake through just by associating with Liz. When they were rescuing Jake and the shack exploded, all Jason could think about was that he was watching his son die. He realized no one was safe anymore-no one.
Spinelli was appalled at the idea of Johnny living with Maxie and Lulu, so he tried to convince Johnny to turn down the girls' offer. Johnny thought he really needed to live on his own and stand on his own two feet. Lulu said he would still be standing on his own two feet if he lived with them. Spinelli didn't realize Johnny didn't have access to his family's money anymore. He mentioned that the apartment only had one bathroom. Spinelli also didn't like Johnny potentially seeing Maxie in her skimpy nightclothes. Maxie thought it was sweet that Spinelli was acting so jealous. Lulu said she and Johnny would spend most of their time in their bedroom, so it wouldn't be a problem. They decided to go see Lulu's new room, while Spinelli and Maxie measured the fireplace mantle.
When Lulu and Johnny walked into her new room, Lulu commented that it was a far cry from what they were both used to when they lived with their families. Johnny said the room just needed Lulu's special touch. Lulu told him she was very proud of him for leaving his family, and she knew that had been a hard decision for him. Johnny said he knew he had to leave when Claudia married Sonny. Johnny knew he would feel better once he knew what he was going to do, and they started to kiss.
Spinelli and Maxie measured her new room and realized Lulu's room was bigger. Maxie didn't mind, though, because she had a better view. Maxie still couldn't believe Mac had given her an ultimatum. They continued to talk as noise from Johnny and Lulu's bedroom became louder and louder. Spinelli, unaware of what was going on, got up to ask the lovers to keep it down. Maxie revealed to her dear friend what Johnny and Lulu were actually doing, and Spinelli was clearly uncomfortable. He offered to take her for coffee, but Maxie wasn't about to be run out of her own house. Spinelli couldn't stay there, though, and said he needed to check in with Jason before he rushed out frantically.
Continuing to hear the noise from Lulu's room, Maxie couldn't stand it anymore. She yelled to them about being rude and inconsiderate as she stormed down the hall. She opened the door to find Johnny and Lulu not having sex, but moving furniture around. Stunned, Maxie apologized for barging in.
When Spinelli arrived home, he started to tell Jason about Maxie's new apartment. Jason said he couldn't talk about Maxie, because he needed Spinelli to focus on getting information about the Russians. Spinelli said he had a file about Karpov already, so Jason thought they should start there. Jason asked if there were any other apartments available in Maxie's building, but Spinelli didn't think so. Jason thought it might be a good time for Spinelli to move out, also. Spinelli was concerned that he had upset Stone Cold, but Jason revealed he was just worried about Spinelli's safety. Spinelli said he would only be in danger if he left Jason's penthouse. As they talked, they were sidetracked and didn't notice the message that appeared on Spinelli's laptop, saying files had been copied.
Sam hid and watched as Sasha and her guard walked into a building. As soon as the coast was clear, Sam got into their vehicle to look through files that were kept in the back. It didn't look like she was finding anything, but suddenly, Sam heard the door slam and knew Sasha was coming back. Sam ducked down and listened as Sasha's phone rang. Sasha told the caller it might not be as easy as they thought to eliminate Jason Morgan.
When Nikolas walked in the house, Nadine told him she should have gone to the funeral home. She couldn't stand the thought of Aunt Raylene being there all alone. Nikolas said he talked to the funeral director and Nadine could go to the funeral home whenever she was ready. Nadine thanked him for everything he had done, but Nikolas said he was just trying to help. Nadine said that her Aunt Raylene always thought something good came from the bad. Nadine thought that maybe the blessing about her aunt's death was that she died with a smile on her face.
Nikolas and Nadine were interrupted by a knock at the door. Nikolas answered the door and a strange man rushed in and hugged Nadine. It was Eric, a friend of hers from high school, and Aunt Raylene's attorney. He said Nadine and her relatives would need to get together quickly, because Aunt Raylene had left explicit instructions that the will be read right after the funeral service was over. She had left something very important to Nadine.
