Sonny lured Olivia to a room in the Metro Court that he had rented under a false name. When Olivia arrived at his summons, she accused Sonny of stalking her.

Sonny said, on the contrary, he just wanted to get to know her again. He said that they had always shared a connection as kids and he had strong feelings for her. Olivia was drawn to Sonny in spite of her efforts to resist his charm.

Sonny questioned her about Johnny. At first Olivia was reluctant to talk about Johnny, but then she decided to tell Sonny the truth. She told him that Johnny captured the best of both extremes. He was dark, dangerous, and mysterious. Olivia also said that Johnny was extremely hot while remaining a genuinely sweet, loving guy.

Sonny quickly responded that Olivia also said that about him. Olivia ignored Sonny as she described Johnny's beautiful soulful eyes and great sense of humor. Sonny tried to remind Olivia of a kiss they had shared on the boardwalk. He hinted that Johnny was a substitute for him.

Olivia was emphatic when she told Sonny that Johnny was not a substitute. She told Sonny that he would always have a place in her heart, but that they were different people than they were when they knew each other as teens. Olivia said that she loved Johnny.

Sonny told Olivia that they still had a connection and that they did not have to fight it, because they were both free to explore it. Olivia told Sonny that she was not free because she was with Johnny.

Sonny told Olivia that he knew she had feelings for him. Olivia looked Sonny in the eyes and admitted that she had feelings for him, but she told him that she would never act on those feelings, no matter what.

Sonny did not argue with her. He got up, and, before leaving the room, told her to enjoy the meal he had ordered for her. Sonny lingered a moment outside the door before walking away.

Nikolas and Liz talked at her place. Nikolas told Liz that Rebecca wanted to end up with Lucky and had agreed to keep quiet about seeing Nikolas and Liz having sex if they did not interfere with her plans.

Nikolas thought that it was a perfect solution, since Lucky had been attracted to Rebecca when she had first arrived in Port Charles. He thought that it would give him and Liz a chance to find out where their feelings for each other might lead.

Liz said absolutely not. She told Nikolas that their feelings were fleeting and would pass. She said that the life she wanted was the one she had planned with Lucky.

Liz told Nikolas that his feelings were not for her, but for Emily. She told him that he was trying to hold on to Emily through her. Nikolas disagreed. When Liz told him that she refused to lose the life she wanted because of an affair, Nikolas told her that it was more than an affair to him, because he was in love with her.

Liz said that what she had with Nikolas was not real love, because real love took work. When Liz told Nikolas that what they had was passing, he tried to kiss her. Liz pushed him away. She told Nikolas that if he loved her, he would leave. A tear ran down Nikolas' cheek as he told Liz that he loved her and left the house.

Lucky and Dominic bonded at the Port Charles Police Station . They found Franco's arrest record and realized that the mysterious tagger sign, "CO77X," was his booking number.

Dominic and Lucky speculated that Franco must have been the homeless guy who had waved at Jason at the ambush site. They figured that he was also the person who had crushed Joey Limbo's windpipe and posed his body.

As they were about to dig further, Mac interrupted and chastised Dominic for taking a chance on being spotted in the PCPS by one of Sonny's many law enforcement informants. Dominic reluctantly promised to get back on the job of bagging Sonny. Before he left, he and Lucky agreed to find a way to stay in touch on the Franco case.

At his studio, Franco tried to provoke Jason by revealing that he knew that Michael had killed Claudia. He taunted Jason about following him without Jason's knowledge and tried to make Jason angry enough to try to kill him. When Franco wanted to know why Jason did not shoot, Jason asked Franco if that was what he wanted.

Franco said that he did not have a death wish for himself. Jason said that he would keep that in mind, then he left Franco alone.

Maxie was with Spinelli at Jake's. She wanted to devote the night to having fun with him, but Spinelli was decidedly distant. When Maxie told Spinelli that he meant everything to her, he gave her a chance to reveal the secret she was hiding, but Maxie avoided telling that she had slept with Franco.

Spinelli remained distant, and declared that he had to work. He told Maxie to enjoy her evening then left Jake's and went to Franco's loft. It took several knocks before Franco answered. When he did, he asked Spinelli if he had ever had his heart broken. Spinelli said that was the reason that he had gone to see Franco.

Franco's manner was menacing as he brandished a razor. Franco told Spinelli that he wanted to send a message to Jason so that the next time Jason would show Franco some respect. When Spinelli tried to bring up Maxie, Franco told Spinelli that he had no interest in Maxie, and that he had used her to send a message to Jason, just like the way he was going to use Spinelli.

At the penthouse, Jason told Sam about his spooky encounter with Franco, whom he declared was certifiably insane. He told Sam that Franco was dangerous and that he kept calling Jason an "artist" and asking about his "process."

Jason said that Franco was a smart guy fixated on death and killing. He told Sam that Franco knew that Michael had killed Claudia, and he was going to use that knowledge to make Jason play his game.

Jason said that Franco had tried to be friends and to compare notes. Jason said that Franco had called the two of them "artists of death." Jason told Sam that he believed that Franco wanted to prove that he was better than Jason. He told her that Franco was sick and fixated on him.

Spinelli arrived at the penthouse, shaken, but unharmed. He told Jason that Franco had sent a message. He told Jason that Franco was angry because Jason had refused his overtures of friendship. Spinelli told Jason that Franco was waiting for him. He also told Jason that Franco had said that Jason should have treated him with more respect.

Lulu was pleased when Dominic showed up at her apartment door, but not so happy when Dominic said he needed a place where he and Lucky could meet to work on a case privately. When Lulu found out that she was not included, she stormed off to Jake's and met up with Maxie, who asked her to provide backup when she went to Franco's studio.

Franco spoke on the phone to his mysterious lady friend, who urged him to return to Paris. He said he still had business with Jason. Franco told her that he knew she could get him out of any trouble he might be in with the police.

As Franco talked to her, he cut up some pictures. He told the woman that Jason did not want to play, so he had made some new friends. He told her he was sure that these new friends would make Jason play. As he talked, he struck a match and burned a photo of Jason.

Lucky arrived at Lulu's apartment to find Dante waiting for him. Dante explained that Lulu had stepped out. Lucky took the opportunity to assure Dante that he didn't have any objections to Dante dating his sister. However, Lucky quickly changed the subject because he was eager to share what he had learned about Franco. According to the French police, there had been four unsolved murders in the Paris area.

Each crime scene had resembled one of Franco's works of art. The Paris police feared that they had some type of "copycat" killer on the loose, because the murders had occurred after Franco had completed the pictures. Dante and Lucky realized that they could be dealing with a serial killer. However, Lucky didn't see how they could obtain a warrant without blowing Dante's cover. Lucky decided to call the Paris police to ask if there had been any sightings of the CO77X tag near the crime scenes of the four unsolved murders. Lucky also intended to request that the Paris police keep an eye on Franco while he was in Paris.

Lulu and Maxie sneaked into Franco's studio in the hopes of finding the compromising pictures of Maxie. Lulu had a bad feeling when the lights didn't turn on, so she decided to call Lucky. Maxie strenuously objected to involving Lucky. Maxie insisted that Franco simply liked to throw people off with his eccentricities. Besides, Maxie argued, Franco was less likely to agree to turn over the pictures and do the Crimson photo shoot if they involved the police.

Lulu laughed at Maxie's lofty expectations. Lulu's laughter faded when she noticed the collection of articles and pictures that Franco had accumulated on Jason. Lulu realized that Franco was obsessed with Jason. Maxie explained that Franco admired Jason as an artist. The girls jumped when they heard a noise. Gillian Carlyle, Franco's agent, appeared moments later. Gillian demanded to know what Maxie and Lulu were doing in Franco's studio.

Maxie claimed that she was a personal friend of Franco's, but Gillian didn't believe her. Gillian pointed out that if that were true, then Maxie would know that Franco was in Paris. Maxie explained that she and Lulu worked for Crimson. Gillian didn't care; she warned the girls that if they didn't leave she would call Kate to complain. Lulu was ready to argue, but Maxie decided that not to push their luck. She dragged Lulu out of the studio before Gillian followed through with her threat.

Later, Maxie and Lulu stood outside of their building, Winslow Garden Apartments. Maxie hoped that Franco's return to Paris meant that they had seen the last of him. Lulu didn't think that it made sense for Gillian to be in Port Charles while her client was in Paris. According to Lulu, agents couldn't be trusted when it came to discussing their clients. Maxie decided that perhaps she should tell Jason about what had happened at the studio.

Lulu entered her apartment and then screamed when she noticed someone lurking in a corner. It was Dante. He quickly apologized for frightening her; he explained that he had met with Lucky earlier. Lulu admitted that she had overreacted. She confided that she had been on edge because of Maxie. However, she refused to go into detail about what had happened. Instead, Lulu warned Dante that it had been risky for him to meet Lucky in the apartment because Maxie could have walked in.

Dante admitted that he was a bit concerned that Lucky might inadvertently blow his cover because he was suddenly cool with Dante dating Lulu. Lulu insisted that they weren't dating. Dante reminded her that they had spent the night together, went out, and they had kissed on several occasions. Lulu reminded Dante that he had slept in the chair while she was in the bed. Dante chuckled at her continued denials. As Dante prepared to leave, he decided to kiss Lulu goodbye. After the heated kiss, Dante told her, "Goodnight person that I'm not dating." Lulu tried to hide her smile.

At the penthouse, Spinelli warned Jason that Franco had been offended by Jason's lack of respect. Jason didn't care; he was concerned because Franco claimed that he had seen Michael kill Claudia. Spinelli wondered why Franco would make such a dangerous confession. Jason suspected that Franco hoped to force Jason into a deadly confrontation. Sam agreed that Franco appeared to be challenging Jason. Jason decided to show Spinelli the picture that Franco had taken of Maxie.

Jason explained that he needed to know if the picture of Claudia in the cabin had been taken with the same camera as the picture of Maxie. Spinelli paled as he looked at the chilling picture of Maxie. Spinelli suspected that Franco had coerced Maxie, but Sam quietly revealed that Maxie claimed that she hadn't been threatened. Jason apologized for hurting his friend, but Spinelli waved Jason's concerns away. According to Spinelli, they had more important issues to deal with.

Sam and Jason decided that they needed to figure out what Franco's next step was. Sam suggested that they start by following the money. Sam thought it was important to include Franco's agent's finances. Spinelli decided to go to the office, where he had access to more technology that would help him in his endeavors. Before Spinelli left, he suggested that Maxie might have been tricked into posing for the pictures. Jason conceded that Franco was a master manipulator.

Maxie arrived at the penthouse a short time later. Jason and Sam were stunned when Maxie revealed that she and Lulu had gone to Franco's studio, where they had encountered Gillian. Maxie noticed that Jason wasn't surprised to hear about Franco's shrine dedicated to Jason. Jason admitted that he had seen it; he then added that Spinelli had also seen it. Maxie was shocked to hear that Spinelli had gone to see Franco. Maxie's shock turned to dread when Jason revealed that Spinelli had seen the picture that Franco had taken of her.

Maxie took some comfort in the knowledge that she no longer had to hide her secret. However she was eager to talk to Spinelli about what had happened. After Maxie left, Jason confided to Sam that Franco claimed that he and Jason were alike. Sam didn't agree and she didn't want Jason to buy into Franco's delusions. Sam was certain that Franco wanted Jason to question himself, so that Jason would be vulnerable.

Spinelli was at the agency reviewing surveillance footage of Franco. When he glanced away, his eyes landed on a picture of Maxie. He was startled moments later when Maxie suddenly burst through the front door. Maxie held out a stack of magazines as she ordered him to "pick one."

Tracy and Luke were enjoying breakfast on the Haunted Star, when Nikolas strolled in demanding to play a game of poker. Luke grumbled that the casino was closed, but Nikolas refused to be put off. He demanded that Luke make an exception for family. Luke made it clear that Nikolas was not part of his family. When Luke referred to Nikolas as a slimy bastard, Tracy tried to intervene. Nikolas and Luke ignored Tracy as the argument escalated.

Luke accused Nikolas of not caring about anything except himself. Nikolas laughed as he called Luke a hypocrite. Nikolas warned Luke never to badmouth him again, especially after what Luke had done to Laura. Luke stood up and then slowly approached Nikolas repeating, "Nikki, Nikki, Nikki." The moment that Luke was within arm's reach, he sucker punched Nikolas.

Nikolas and Luke briefly exchanged blows until Lucky, who had entered the Haunted Star, pulled his brother and father apart. Lucky demanded to know what was going on, but Nikolas and Luke refused to enlighten him. Nikolas reminded Lucky that Lucky was his brother and Nikolas loved him, regardless what Luke told Lucky. Luke accused Nikolas of lying. Nikolas ignored the accusation as he left the casino.

Lucky wanted to know why Luke and Nikolas were suddenly at each other's throats; he had thought that the two of them had made peace. Lucky wanted to know what Nikolas was lying about, but Luke remained stubbornly silent. Lucky warned Luke not to test his loyalty. Luke wondered how it got to the point where Luke was the first person that Lucky doubted and the last person that Lucky trusted. Lucky claimed that Luke was like the wind; Lucky never knew where Luke would be even when they were sitting in the same room.

Luke accused Lucky of having blinders on. Luke admitted that he saw the worst in people, while in contrast, Lucky seemed determined to see the best in those around him, except for Luke. Lucky suggested that Luke stop trying to keep Lucky in the dark about what was troubling him. Lucky promised that, contrary to what Luke believed, Lucky did not live to give his father "the finger."

Luke loved Lucky, but he sensed that Lucky was determined to prove to everyone that he was nothing like his father, which was one of the reasons that Lucky was determined to marry Liz. Lucky argued that not everything was about Luke. According to Lucky, the love that he had for Liz had nothing to do with Luke. Lucky explained that he was just trying to live his life; if Lucky was hurt then it was on him, not Luke.

Epiphany notified Lisa, Robin, and Patrick that two trauma patients had been admitted. The patients required immediate surgery. Lisa volunteered to operate on the patient with the spinal cord injury, but Patrick wanted to wait until they heard back from a neurosurgeon at Mercy Hospital. Lisa was offended by Patrick's unspoken suggestion that she wasn't capable of performing the necessary operation. Patrick explained that the patient had too many injuries for one surgeon to handle alone.

When Robin offered to assist Lisa with the surgery, Patrick reluctantly agreed. Robin and Lisa quickly scrubbed in and then entered the operating room. The operation progressed smoothly until Shannon Kwan's spleen ruptured.

Later, Patrick asked Epiphany how Shannon had fared during surgery. Epiphany sadly reported that Shannon had died and that Lisa and Robin had signed out for the day. Steve stood nearby. When Steve heard that the patient had died, he asked to see Shannon's records. Patrick assured Steve that Robin and Lisa had done everything to save their patient. According to Patrick, Shannon's injuries had been too extensive.

As Steve and Patrick were arguing about the surgery, a young man approached the nurses' station. It was Shannon's brother. He demanded to know why his sister had died. Patrick tried to assure the young man that his sister had not died as a result of malpractice , but the young man was too angry. Steve stepped in to defuse the situation.

Later, Patrick accused Steve of not supporting the hospital staff. Steve explained that he had reviewed the reports and that he had agreed with Patrick's assessment about Lisa's conduct in the operating room. However, according to Steve, doctors didn't just treat patients; they also had a responsibility to the family members. Patrick wasn't interested in hearing Steve's philosophy. He suggested that Steve allow Patrick to do his job and, in exchange, Patrick would return the courtesy.

Robin and Lisa entered Jake's. Lisa was sad that their patient had died, but she realized that it was part of being a doctor. Lisa explained that her internship had been at a hospital in Atlanta where fatal gunshot wounds had been common. Lisa had learned to step back from the patients that she couldn't save, in order to focus on the patients that she could save. Lisa was certain that Patrick would review Shannon's records and conclude that he could have saved her. Deep down inside, Lisa feared that Patrick might be right.

Kate smiled when she spotted Coleman working behind the bar at Jake's. Coleman revealed that he had ordered a special brand of champagne just for her. Kate was flattered. As they sipped the champagne, they talked about a movie that was scheduled to open in late December. Coleman was eager to see it, since his favorite actress was in the film. Kate offered to get tickets to the premiere if Coleman agreed to go with her.

The conversation eventually drifted to Maxie. Kate was disappointed that Franco had not agreed to do the Crimson photo shoot. Coleman assured Kate that Maxie would do anything for Kate, so he was certain that Maxie had done her best. However, he was confident that Kate would have secured the photo shoot if she had approached Franco with the offer. According to Coleman, no one could refuse Kate.

Kate wondered if that included a "cool, sexy, trouble-loving, but always intriguing bartender." Coleman smiled. Kate returned to the subject of Maxie. According to Kate, Maxie was her own worst enemy, but for all of her mistakes, Maxie showed promise. Coleman suggested that Kate saw a bit of herself in Maxie. He had noticed the pride, and occasional touch of sadness, in Kate's eyes when she looked at Maxie. Kate was impressed by Coleman's insight.

Kate admitted that Maxie could have the moon if she wanted it. Coleman wondered if that was what Kate had. Kate admitted that she had the moon and a sprinkling of stars. Coleman confessed that he could see the stars in Kate's eyes. As he leaned closer to Kate, Coleman warned her that he was going to kiss her. Kate didn't pull away as Coleman followed through on his promise.

Someone, dressed in black, spray painted "CO77X" on the front sidewalk of Winslow Garden Apartments. He walked away before anyone spotted him.

At the hospital, Patrick and Steve argued about Lisa's patient who had died. Patrick claimed that he had handled the situation properly. Steve clarified that the "situation" was a grieving relative who had deserved to be treated with sensitivity. Patrick insisted that he was the best neurosurgeon in the hospital; he arrogantly promised to make Steve look good if Steve stayed out of his way. Steve wondered what kind of chief of staff he would be if he allowed one of his surgeons to do as he pleased.

Patrick snidely commented that the only reason that Steve was chief of staff was because of nepotism. Steve ignored the insult; he realized that something was bothering Patrick. He couldn't figure out why Patrick would be upset about another doctor losing a patient. Patrick warned Steve that Mercy Hospital would love to have a doctor like Patrick. Steve didn't doubt it, but he realized that Patrick's anger stemmed from frustration. Steve suspected that a part of Patrick believed that he could have saved Lisa's patient.

At Jake's, Lisa admitted that Patrick might have been able to save Shannon's life. Robin assured Lisa that Shannon's injuries had been too extensive; she had been beyond any hope of recovery. Lisa felt as if she had failed Shannon. Robin refused to allow Lisa to blame herself for what had happened to their patient. Lisa appreciated Robin's pep talk.

Patrick arrived at Jake's a short time later. Patrick told Robin and Lisa about his confrontation with Steve. Patrick was surprised by Robin's lack of support; she suggested that Steve had saved Patrick from himself. Patrick explained that Shannon's brother had accused Lisa of malpractice, so he had felt compelled to explain the facts to him. Robin believed that Shannon's brother had needed compassion, not facts. Lisa was worried that Steve thought that a more skilled surgeon could have saved Shannon.

Patrick, Robin, and Lisa were surprised when Steve entered the bar a few minutes later. As Steve approached the table, he noticed their sudden silence. Robin cut through the tension by thanking Steve for stepping in to help Patrick. Steve accepted Robin's offer to buy him a drink. As Robin and Steve walked to the bar, Lisa confided to Patrick that Robin had helped her deal with the loss of her patient.

At the bar, Steve and Robin talked about Patrick's reaction to Shannon's brother. Robin wondered if Patrick had pulled his "Mercy would be happy to have me" speech. Steve confirmed Robin's suspicions, prompting her to assure Steve that she would make certain that Patrick remained at General Hospital. When Steve and Robin rejoined Patrick and Lisa, the foursome decided to throw darts. Steve was impressed with Robin's skill. Patrick pointed out that Robin was an expert marksman because her parents were super-spies.

At Spinelli's office, Maxie announced that Spinelli deserved a "freebie." Maxie explained that she had always been terrible with relationships; she had learned long ago that it was easier to lie. It was the reason that Maxie had refused to marry Spinelli; she didn't want to hurt him. According to Maxie, Spinelli had inspired her to be a better person, but she didn't always succeed. Maxie admitted that she had not told Spinelli the truth about what had happened with Franco.

Spinelli didn't understand what any of that had to do with the stack of magazines. Maxie explained that she knew all of the top models, thanks to her line of work. She promised Spinelli that he could have his pick of any of the models in the magazines to sleep with. Maxie was shocked when Spinelli revealed that he knew about her sexual encounter with Franco. Spinelli explained that he had overheard Sam and Maxie talking in the penthouse.

It bothered Maxie that Spinelli wasn't upset about her betrayal. Spinelli tried to make excuses for what had happened between Maxie and Franco, but she refused to let him. Maxie made it clear that she had not been forced to sleep with Franco. However, she was determined that Spinelli have sex with someone, so that they could be even. She threatened to end things with Spinelli if he didn't agree to her demands.

Spinelli explained that he didn't want to be intimate with anyone except Maxie. Maxie insisted that it wasn't possible for him to simply forgive her and then move on. She needed to feel the same pain that Spinelli had felt, in order to move forward with their relationship. Spinelli argued that he loved Maxie and could only have sex with her. Maxie didn't understand how Spinelli could not want revenge.

Spinelli admitted that he had gone through a gamut of emotions, including anger, but in the end he simply wanted to repair the damage and then move on. Maxie insisted that Spinelli had to sleep with another woman if he truly loved Maxie.

Lucky bumped into Michael outside of Kelly's. Lucky struck up a conversation with him, but Sonny quickly put an end to it when he approached them moments later. Sonny casually asked about Liz and the boys, and then quietly sent Michael on his way. Michael apologized to Lucky for his outburst at Jake's, and then left. Lucky urged Sonny to get help for Michael. Sonny assured Lucky that he took care of his children.

Sonny reminded Lucky of the time when Lucky had walked out on Luke. Lucky recalled that Sonny had helped Lucky out by giving him odd jobs; Lucky suspected that Sonny had done it as a favor to Luke. Sonny clarified that he had done it for Lucky, not Luke. Sonny appealed to Lucky as both a friend and a father; he wanted Lucky to leave Michael out of the investigation. Lucky explained that eventually he would have to step aside because Carly and Michael were his cousins, so it was a conflict of interest. Lucky warned Sonny that the next police officer assigned to the case would not be as understanding as Lucky.

Later, Lucky arranged to meet Dante. Lucky suggested that Michael might have the answers that they were seeking; he advised Dante to befriend Michael. Lucky was certain that Michael needed someone to talk to, so he might trust Sonny's lieutenant.

On the Haunted Star, a city official threatened to shut down the casino if Luke didn't adhere to the noise ordinance. A very drunk Luke responded by turning on his sound system and then blaring music. Ethan emerged from the back room and immediately went into damage-control mode. Ethan hustled the official out of the casino with promises that he would reason with Luke. Once Ethan was alone with Luke, he demanded to know what was going on.

Luke wanted to be left alone. He advised Ethan not to waste his time by trying to save Luke. Luke claimed that, in the past, many had tried and failed. Meanwhile, Luke's music continued to blast through the casino speakers. Frustrated, Ethan left.

A short time later, Sonny arrived at the casino to talk to Luke. Before he approached Luke, Sonny turned off the music. Luke was not pleased to see Sonny after what had happened with Joey Limbo. Sonny explained that he was there to talk to Luke about their sons. Sonny wanted Luke to ask Lucky to stop questioning Michael. Luke suggested that Sonny might have more success talking to Lucky than Luke would.

Sonny revealed that he had tried to persuade Lucky to stop pressuring Michael for answers, to no avail. Luke shrugged as he explained that it wasn't his problem. However, Luke clarified that if anything happened to Lucky or his loved ones, then Luke would make it his business. Luke admitted that he would like to help, but he couldn't.

Luke suggested that Sonny should be grateful for his relationship with Michael. Sonny confided that he sometimes wished that Michael would turn against him. Luke warned Sonny to be careful what he wished for; it could break his heart. Sonny realized that, but it also meant that Michael might choose a different path than the one that Sonny had chosen. Luke thought that Sonny wasn't being completely honest. According to Luke, Sonny saw a part of himself in Michael and Sonny was proud of it.

At Jax's request, a huge Christmas tree was delivered to the Jacks residence. After they selected a place for the tree, Jax revealed that he had a special gift for Carly. Carly was eager to open it, but she decided to wait until Michael arrived home. However, she agreed to Morgan's suggestion that they string up the lights. As Carly opened one of the boxes of ornaments, she found one that Michael had made when he was in kindergarten. She was unaware that Michael lurked in the hallway.

When Michael joined his family, Jax gave Carly her gift. It was a Christmas ornament to commemorate Josslyn's first Christmas. Carly showed the ornament to Josslyn while Jax and Morgan hovered nearby cooing to the baby. Michael sat on the sofa, quietly watching them. Later, after they added the last ornament to the tree, Jax realized that the angel was missing. Jax suspected that it was at the hotel, where the boxes had been stored since their move.

Morgan offered to go with Jax to the hotel, in order to fetch the angel. After Morgan and Jax left, Carly asked Michael how he was doing. Michael admitted that it felt a bit odd to realize that the year before, they had celebrated Christmas without him. Michael decided that he wanted to spend some time with Sonny. Michael didn't want his father to be alone.

Shortly after Michael left, Lucky stopped by to talk to Carly. Carly resented Lucky's presence until he explained that he wanted to help Michael as a cousin, not as a police officer. Lucky could see where Michael was headed. Lucky had been in a similar situation with Luke. Lucky confided that Michael would eventually be faced with the reality that the man he looked up to had done some terrible things.

Lucky insisted that Michael was a good kid. However, Michael would reach a point where he would pull away from Sonny. Lucky advised Carly to be there for her son when it happened. Lucky was certain that the secret was eating away at Michael; he warned her that, one way or another, the secret would find a way out.

When Michael arrived at Greystone Manor, he found Dominic in the parlor instead of Sonny. Michael explained that he had stopped by to drop off some of Mike's Christmas cookies. Dominic took the opportunity to talk about his own family's holiday traditions, in an attempt to gain Michael's trust. Eventually, the discussion drifted to Claudia, who had decorated the Christmas tree with Sonny the previous year. At Dominic's prodding, Michael revealed that Sonny had made certain that Claudia would never be found.

At the Davis residence, Kiefer, Kristina, Molly, and Alexis were gathered around the table decorating Christmas cookies. Diane stood nearby watching the fun while she sipped from a glass of wine. Molly invited Diane to decorate one of the cookies, but Diane was reluctant to agree. Molly continued to push until Diane finally sat down try her hand at decorating. After several minutes of hard work, Diane proudly presented her cookie. Everyone applauded Diane's effort.

As Alexis and Diane wandered to the living room, Diane asked for Alexis' help with her local clients. Diane explained that her work in Philadelphia was taking up a large part of her time, so her local clients were being neglected. Alexis was reluctant to help Diane. Alexis admitted that she had reservations about some of Diane's clients. Diane defended them; she insisted that they were all high-powered businessmen. Under his breath, Kiefer commented that they were gangsters. Kristina asked, "Like my father?" Before Kiefer could respond, someone knocked on the door. It was Ethan.

Kristina lit up when she saw Ethan. Kiefer didn't miss Kristina's reaction. Kristina invited Ethan in and then offered him cookies. After Ethan complimented everyone on the cookies, he explained that Luke needed help with the noise ordinance issue. Alexis and Diane offered to look into the matter. Kristina was impressed that Ethan was trying to help his father. Kiefer accused Ethan of complaining about Luke, not helping him. Diane noticed Kiefer's hostility.

Overcome with jealousy, Kiefer announced that he had to leave. Kiefer's abrupt departure prompted Kristina to follow him. Diane stopped Kristina at the door; she warned Kristina to never chase after a man. Alexis agreed with Diane. All heads turned when Mac walked through the door.

At the piers, Nikolas apologized to Lucky about the fight on the Haunted Star. Lucky appreciated the apology, but he made it clear that he didn't want to be involved in the dispute between Nikolas and Luke. Nikolas was surprised when Lucky revealed that he had been waiting for Rebecca. Before Nikolas could question Lucky about the meeting, Rebecca approached the brothers. She was happy to see Nikolas. According to Rebecca, she intended to be open and up-front.

Rebecca wanted to make certain that she and Lucky could remain friends despite her breakup with Nikolas. Lucky assured her that he didn't have any problems with her. Rebecca smiled as she invited Lucky out for a friendly game of pool at Jake's. She wanted to celebrate her release from the hospital. Lucky agreed to meet her, but with the understanding that he was happily engaged to Liz.

Rebecca arranged to meet Lucky later and then left. Nikolas thought it was a bad idea. Lucky reminded Nikolas that Rebecca was Emily's sister, so he didn't see any reason not to be friends with her. Nikolas agreed that Rebecca deserved some kindness after the way that Nikolas had treated her.

Rebecca was waiting when Lucky entered Jake's. As they sipped beers and played a game of pool, Rebecca apologized for acting "weird" around Nikolas. She then smoothly guided the conversation, so that Lucky talked about himself. Lucky opened up about his childhood; he revealed that Luke had taught him to shoot pool at an early age.

Once Lucky had mastered the game, Lucky and his parents had traveled around the world, hustling people out of money. Rebecca was fascinated as Lucky shared some colorful stories about his various scams. He admitted that once, at the tender age of five, he had bilked someone out of thirty-two hundred dollars. As Lucky and Rebecca sat down at a table, Rebecca confessed that she had chosen the wrong brother.

Lucky understood that Rebecca was hurting, but he cautioned her that he was not the answer to her problems. Lucky reminded her that he was engaged to Liz. Rebecca argued that Liz didn't deserve him. Lucky didn't appreciate Rebecca maligning his fiancée. Rebecca explained that she didn't care about Liz; however, Lucky deserved to know the truth.

Liz was busy working at the nurses' station when Epiphany approached her. Liz griped when Epiphany added to her workload. Epiphany reminded her that Liz had made a dangerous error the previous day that could have cost a patient his life. Epiphany pointed out that the incident had been grounds for suspension. Duly chastised, Liz apologized. When Steve overheard the exchange, he asked to speak to Liz alone.

Before Epiphany walked away, she warned Liz that she would write Liz up if Liz didn't adjust her attitude. Alone, Steve demanded to know if Liz's feelings for Nikolas were making her "suicidal." Liz admitted that she had considered taking the night off, but they had been short-staffed. Steve appreciated Liz's dedication; he reminded her that the staff knew that she was a responsible person and therefore were willing to make some allowances for recent behavior, but it couldn't continue.

Liz confessed that she felt overwhelmed by everything. Every time she turned around, it seemed as if Nikolas was there. Steve was curious if Liz had asked Nikolas to stay away from her. Liz assured her brother that she had; however she admitted that she hadn't always meant it. Liz realized that she was making self-destructive choices, but she didn't know how to stop.

Steve wondered what Liz would do if one of her boys stood in the middle of a pile of toys and threw a tantrum. Liz responded that she would take his toys away until he calmed down. Steve suggested a similar solution for Liz. Steve advised his sister to separate herself from everything, so that she could focus on taking one step at a time.

Later, Nikolas stopped by the nurses' station to ask Epiphany where Liz was. Epiphany sniped that she had no idea, since Liz had forgotten to sign out. Steve approached Nikolas to request a moment of his time. Nikolas stepped away from the nurses' station to have a private word with Steve. Steve cut to the chase; he told Nikolas that Liz was having a difficult time. Nikolas didn't want to discuss Liz with Steve.

Steve refused to be dismissed. He explained to Nikolas that Liz was miserable. Steve hadn't seen his sister smile since he had returned to Port Charles, so he wanted Nikolas to leave Liz alone. Nikolas explained that he was in love with Liz; he had no intention of walking away from her. Steve revealed that Liz had been so distraught over the affair that she had made a serious error with a patient.

Steve argued that if Nikolas truly loved Liz then Nikolas would give her the time and space that she needed, in order to heal. Steve suggested that Nikolas could afford to take an extended vacation far away from Port Charles. Neither man was aware that Liz stood on the second floor landing, with a patient's file clutched in her hands, watching them.

Later, Liz met Nikolas on the piers. She admitted that she had seen him talking to Steve. Nikolas told her about Steve's request for him to stay away from her. She seemed uncomfortable with the idea of Nikolas and her brother talking about her. That was forgotten when Nikolas revealed that Rebecca had followed through on her threat to seduce Lucky by inviting him to Jake's. Liz was furious; she was certain that Rebecca would tell Lucky everything.

Olivia was startled when she entered her apartment to find Dante waiting for her. He explained that his investigation against Sonny might be over, but he would have to pit father against son. Dante explained that Lucky knew that Dante was an undercover police officer. Olivia was stunned; she demanded to know how it had happened. Dante revealed that he had been investigating a familiar graffiti tag. Lucky had discovered Dante on one of the police computers.

Olivia realized that Luke and Sonny were friends; she assumed Luke and Lucky were the father and son that Dante had referred to. Dante clarified that he had been talking about Sonny and Michael. Dante revealed that Lucky suspected that Michael knew what had happened to Claudia. Lucky and Dante were certain that Michael was on the verge of talking about the night that Claudia had died. However, Dante wondered if he had the right to use Michael against Sonny.

Olivia realized that there wasn't an easy answer to Dante's dilemma. Dante feared that Michael would never forgive himself for causing his father's downfall. Dante didn't think he could live with himself if he forced Michael to betray Sonny. On the other hand, Dante couldn't let someone get away with a murder.

Olivia assured Dante that she would support whatever he decided. Dante appreciated his mother's guidance; he could always rely on her to say the right thing. Dante realized that Michael was the "silver bullet" that could bring about the end to a powerful criminal. Olivia quietly commented that no son wanted to destroy his own father.

Dante met Ronnie on the piers. Ronnie was frustrated because Dante had not returned his calls. Dante claimed that he had been busy, but Ronnie realized that Dante was bitter because the evidence that Dante had collected had not been sufficient to secure an arrest warrant against Sonny. Ronnie explained that they just needed a bit more evidence. Dante confided that he might have found a witness.

Ronnie wondered if it was someone that they could subpoena. Dante misled Ronnie; he claimed that Carly had enough money to fight any subpoena. Ronnie wondered if perhaps a guard, housekeeper, or one of the children had overheard something useful. Dante insisted that Sonny was careful never to discuss business around his children. Ronnie urged Dante to find out where Claudia was buried. Ronnie was confident that if they had Claudia's body then they would be able to arrest Sonny.

At Greystone Manor, Jason updated Sonny about the situation with Franco. Sonny was surprised when Jason revealed that Franco knew about Michael's involvement in Claudia's death. Jason admitted that Franco likely had proof that Michael had killed Claudia. Jason assured Sonny that Michael was not Franco's target. Jason explained that in Franco's twisted mind, he viewed Jason as a fellow artist.

Sonny demanded to know why Jason had not killed Franco when he had the opportunity. Sonny warned Jason not to allow Franco to distract him. Sonny could see that Franco had made Jason doubt himself. Jason assured Sonny that he would "take care of" Franco. After Jason left, Sonny called Dominic.

When Michael stopped by to visit his father a short time later, Sonny wanted to know if Michael had told anyone about what had happened to Claudia. Michael assured Sonny that the only time he had slipped had been during his confrontation with Lucky. Michael was angry at Lucky because he considered Lucky's decision to be a police officer to be a betrayal to Luke. Sonny reminded Michael that he didn't know the entire story, so he shouldn't judge.

Sonny insisted that Michael had killed Claudia in defense of Carly and Josslyn, so Michael shouldn't feel guilty. Michael assured his father that he didn't feel any remorse for killing Claudia. Sonny wanted Michael to let him know if anyone tried to question Michael about Claudia. Sonny promised that he would handle it.

Dominic arrived after Michael left. Sonny asked Dominic to back up Jason. He gave Dominic directions to where Claudia had been buried and then ordered Dominic to make sure that no one had been "sniffing" around her grave.

Sam arrived at the office to find Spinelli working. Sam was annoyed because Franco remained elusive. Spinelli updated her on his search through Franco and Gillian's financial records. He hadn't found anything useful. Spinelli took the opportunity to change the subject by asking Sam if she and Jason had a list of people that they could sleep with without suffering any repercussions. Sam tried to ignore the question, but Spinelli refused to drop the subject.

Sam relented by asking Spinelli who was on his list. Spinelli named an actress and several fictional characters. Sam pointed out that no one on his list was attainable. Before Spinelli could respond, Maxie entered the office and demanded to know if Spinelli had decided whom he would sleep with. Sam advised Maxie and Spinelli to reconsider their plan; she warned them that infidelity was never a solution.

Maxie appreciated the advice, but she was determined to do whatever she could in order to save her relationship with Spinelli. Sam advised Maxie and Spinelli to fight through the pain or, if their relationship was beyond repair, to just let go.

Jason entered the office shortly after Maxie left. Sam and Spinelli explained that they hadn't found anything to help them track down Franco. Jason suspected that Franco wanted Jason to focus on the studio, in order to keep Jason away from some place else. Sam, Spinelli, and Jason reviewed what they had uncovered about Franco. Jason suddenly realized where Franco was headed. As Jason raced out the door, Sam grabbed her coat and followed him.

Maxie and Lulu were shopping for an eight-foot Christmas tree with "Bavarian splendor" that Kate wanted, even though Kate intended to spend the holidays in Zurich. Lulu realized that Maxie was distracted. Maxie admitted that her mind was on Spinelli. Maxie worried that the scales of infidelity would never be balanced because Spinelli was unlikely to find a woman to sleep with who was in the same league as Franco. Maxie feared that it was already too late to save her relationship with Spinelli.

When Jason and Sam arrived at the spot where Claudia had been buried, they discovered an empty grave. Jason suspected that it had been Franco.

Franco reviewed pictures of Jason standing by Claudia's grave. Franco set the pictures aside and then marked a spot on a map. Later, Franco returned to his secret location covered in dirt and carrying a burlap bag. Franco reached into the bag and then pulled out a piece of jewelry that Claudia had been wearing on the night that she had died.

At Jake's, Rebecca tried to warn Lucky about Liz. She insisted that Liz would be terrified to know that Lucky and Rebecca were spending time together. Lucky suggested that Rebecca stop beating around the bush and tell him what was on her mind. Rebecca agreed, but first she wanted to apologize for hurting him. Before Rebecca could continue, Liz entered Jake's.

Liz had hoped to find Lucky, so that he could help her pick out Christmas trees for her, Audrey, and Steve. Rebecca laughed at the feeble excuse. Lucky admitted that Liz's reason for tracking him down sounded weak. Lucky could tell that Liz was afraid, which gave weight to Rebecca's earlier claim that Liz wouldn't want Rebecca talking to Lucky. Nikolas entered the bar as Lucky demanded to know what was going on.

Liz stuck to her story. Rebecca questioned Liz's timing; she found it curious that Liz wanted to go tree shopping on the night that Lucky and Rebecca were spending time together. Liz turned to Rebecca to snap, "Shut the hell up. I wasn't talking to you." Lucky was taken aback by Liz's anger. He assured Liz that she didn't have any reason to worry about Rebecca.

Nikolas decided to put an end to the "nonsense." Rebecca agreed; she was more than happy to enlighten Lucky. Before Rebecca could elaborate, Nikolas accused Rebecca of wanting to have an affair with Lucky, in order to punish Nikolas. Rebecca laughed at the suggestion. Lucky decided to take the opportunity to explain to Rebecca the special connection that Lucky, Nikolas, and Liz had shared with Emily.

Rebecca had entered their lives with Emily's face, but Rebecca hadn't known anything about her twin sister. Rebecca wasn't interested in hearing about the magic of the four musketeers; she insisted that she knew all about it. Liz informed Rebecca that the "magic" had started with Liz being raped. Rebecca's smirk immediately faded.

Liz quietly shared the events that had led to her violent rape. Audrey had bought Liz a beautiful red dress for a Valentine's Day dance at school. When Lucky had broken their date, in order to go to the dance with Sarah, Liz had decided to put on her dress and go out. Audrey, thinking that Liz was going to the dance, had lent Liz a special bracelet that had been a gift from Liz's grandfather, Steve, to Audrey.

Liz had gone to the movies. She had stopped off at the park on her way home. Liz recalled that it had snowed earlier that day, so it had been very still and quiet in the park that night. She had always wondered why she hadn't heard her attacker's approach. As Liz sat on a park bench, someone had grabbed her from behind and then dragged her into the bushes where she had been brutally raped. Afterwards, Liz had crawled out of the bushes, desperately looking for her grandmother's bracelet.

Lucky picked up the story, as he revealed that he had found Liz bruised, bloody, and with her dress torn. Liz insisted that Lucky had taken care of her that night and every day since. Liz admitted that the rape had profoundly changed her, but Lucky had healed her. Lucky clarified that he had just wanted to help Liz. Lucky went on to explain that Liz had never seen her attacker, but she had remembered that he had whispered to her, "Not a word."

Those words, and the man's arrogance, had been his downfall. Liz credited Emily and Nikolas for sending the man to jail where he continued to serve out his sentence. The following Valentine's Day Lucky had taken Liz to a small church where they had declared their love and then exchanged heartfelt vows of commitment. Emily and Nikolas had rescued the lovebirds from the church during a blizzard. The four friends had returned to Emily's hotel room where they had spend the remainder of the snowstorm ordering room service and having fun.

Nikolas confessed that he would have cherished those times more if he had known that the sun wouldn't shine on that world for long. Lucky admitted that he would love to return to that church and exchange the same vows with Liz once they set a date for their wedding. Liz loved the idea. Lucky noticed that Rebecca had tears in her eyes. Rebecca assured Lucky that she was fine. Their stories had helped Rebecca to make an important decision.

At Greystone Manor, Sonny ordered Dominic to go to the woods where Claudia had been buried. Sonny wanted Dominic to make certain that Claudia's grave had not been disturbed. Carly entered the parlor moments later; she had Josslyn in her arms. Dominic quickly excused himself while Carly explained that she had dropped by to help Sonny get the Christmas tree ready. She was surprised when Sonny told her that he planned to decorate the tree with Kristina. Carly was delighted to know that Kristina and Sonny would spend time together.

Later, Kristina arrived to help her father decorate the tree. Sonny was happy to see his daughter. His joy dimmed when Kristina revealed that she had been instructed to call Viola when she was ready to leave. Alexis didn't want Sonny to drive Kristina home. Sonny was determined not to rock the boat, so he didn't make an issue of Alexis' demands. Kristina smiled as she extended a box of Christmas cookies to Sonny.

As Sonny opened the box, Kristina explained that she, Molly, Alexis, and Diane had made the cookies. Sonny laughed as he confessed that he would love to have been there to see them decorating cookies. Kristina blurted out that it would have been terrible if he had been there. Kristina immediately regretted her words and apologized. Sonny assured Kristina that it was okay.

Kristina decided to get to work on the tree. As she reached into one of the nearby boxes, she pulled out an ornament. She was curious where Sonny had gotten it. Sonny's silence told her that Claudia had bought the ornament. Sonny confirmed her suspicions when he took the ornament from Kristina and then tucked it into a drawer. Kristina realized that Claudia had not left town. She wondered if Sonny had killed Claudia. Kristina had her answer when Sonny remained silent. She decided to call Viola to pick her up.

Jax arrived at Greystone Manor a short time later. Sonny wanted Jax to pull some strings to get Claudia declared a missing person, so that the investigation would go away. Jax pointed out that Sonny was asking for quite a bit; he wondered if Sonny was trying to protect Michael or himself. Sonny reminded Jax that it would destroy Carly if Michael were sent to jail. Sonny thought that Jax should be grateful that Michael had been around to protect Carly and Josslyn.

In the woods, Sam and Jason stared at Claudia's empty grave. Jason was certain that Franco had stolen Claudia's body. Sam didn't understand what Franco hoped to gain by taking the body. Jason worried that the body had evidence that could link Michael to Claudia's death. Jason was determined to find the body before the police did.

Sam and Jason returned to the penthouse. Jason immediately ordered Spinelli to redouble his efforts to find Franco. Spinelli explained that Franco remained elusive. Sam wondered how elusive a person could be if he was lugging around a dead body. At Spinelli's look of confusion, Jason revealed that Franco had unearthed Claudia's body.

Jason was furious because he had failed to kill Franco when he had the opportunity. Jason decided that he needed to face Franco alone. Sam urged Jason to reconsider; she offered to be his backup. Jason appreciated her concern, but he refused to change his mind. Jason made the surprising request for Sam and Spinelli to purchase a Christmas tree. He explained that he needed Sam and Spinelli to be out in public while he tracked down Franco.

At a Christmas tree lot, Sam remained worried about Jason. She couldn't understand why Jason suddenly wanted a Christmas tree. Spinelli suggested that perhaps the tree was an excuse to keep them occupied. He also suspected that Jason might want a Christmas tree because it was a symbol of normality. Sam wished that Jason had accepted her offer of assistance while he met with Franco. Spinelli thought that Jason might need to deal with Franco on his own terms because Jason saw Franco as a reflection of himself.

Dante stood in the woods looking at an empty grave when his phone rang. It was Ronnie. Ronnie demanded to know why Dante had risked blowing his cover, in order to check the Port Charles Police Department's computer for an old arrest record. Dante revealed that he might have a serial killer on his hands.

Dante reminded Ronnie of the familiar graffiti tags that Dante had seen around Port Charles. Dante explained that he recalled arresting someone near the scene of an unsolved murder. The guy that Dante had arrested had made the same tag as the ones that were appearing in Port Charles. Ronnie didn't care. According to Ronnie, Dante was in Port Charles to bust Sonny. Ronnie demanded that Dante do his job.

A short time later Dominic arrived at Jason's penthouse. Jason explained that he had a situation with Franco. Jason revealed that Franco was a psycho who was fixated on Jason. Jason was certain that Franco had taken Claudia's body. Dominic confessed that he already knew that Claudia's body was missing because Sonny had sent Dominic to check the grave.

Jason wanted Dominic to help him take out Franco. Dominic readily agreed, but Jason felt obligated to warn Dominic that Franco wasn't one of their "normal enemies." According to Jason, Franco enjoyed what he did, so anyone was expendable to Franco. Later, Dominic and Jason arrived at Franco's studio, but Franco wasn't there. Jason was unsettled when he discovered the bracelet that Claudia had been wearing on the night that she had died. Jason knew that Franco had intended for him to find it.

Ronnie discovered Franco tagging a door in an alley near the piers. Franco immediately recognized the voice of his old acquaintance. The tension was thick between the men as Ronnie warned Franco that the Port Charles Police Department considered Franco a prime suspect in an unsolved murder. Franco wondered if Ronnie planned to do anything about it. Ronnie wanted to know if Franco had killed the man who had been discovered near where Franco had been arrested.

Franco claimed that he had been innocent, but he was curious why Ronnie had made certain that none of the evidence in the case had pointed to Franco. Franco wondered if Ronnie had done it because he owed Franco a favor or because he had believed in Franco's innocence. Ronnie wasn't concerned about the past; it was what Franco planned for the future that scared Ronnie. Franco smiled as he admitted, "Rightly so."

Franco threatened to expose the truth about Ronnie if Franco landed in jail. As Ronnie walked away, Franco called out, "Keep your eyes open. You never know what will sneak up on you."

At Christmas tree lot, Lulu wondered how Maxie would feel if Spinelli actually liked the person that Maxie wanted him to sleep with. Maxie didn't appreciate the suggestion. Lulu pointed out that Maxie had liked Franco enough to sleep with him, so it was entirely possible that Spinelli might have the same reaction to someone he chose to sleep with. Maxie quickly changed the subject to Lulu's relationship with Dominic. Maxie thought that it would be good for Lulu to go after Dominic. Maxie insisted that Lulu had closed herself off from love.

After Maxie left, Lulu ran into Carly and Josslyn. Carly was looking for a Christmas tree for the playroom. Lulu was curious if Carly and Jax had worked things out. Carly admitted that she and Jax had made significant progress. Carly was confident that Jax understood that he could no longer keep secrets from her.

Later, Lulu followed paramedics as they rushed a man into the hospital. It was Ronnie. While Steve examined Ronnie, a police officer talked to Lulu about the accident that she had witnessed. Lulu claimed that a black sports car with tinted windows had struck Ronnie. According to Lulu, the car had never slowed down.

At the Christmas tree lot, a black sports car with tinted windows idled nearby while Carly looked at various Christmas trees. Carly found the perfect tree, but before she could locate an attendant to help her, Franco stepped into her path. Franco expressed an interest in the same tree that Carly had chosen.