At the Jerome Gallery, Julian admitted that he was Julian Jerome, but he insisted that he hadn't been in a position to tell Sam the truth. Julian assured Sam that he had wanted to claim both her and his grandson as his family, so they could get to know each other, but that would not happen because Sonny had arranged for a sniper to kill Julian when Julian left the gallery. Sam turned to Sonny for confirmation, so Sonny glared at Julian and then accused Julian of being a fraud who shouldn't be believed. Alexis noticed that Sonny hadn't answered Sam's question, prompting Sonny to suggest that Alexis and Sam consider the source of the allegation. Ava pointed out that Sonny hadn't denied putting a hit on Julian and then revealed that she and Julian had heard Sonny plotting to put a bullet in Julian's back courtesy of Alexis' former boyfriend, Shawn Butler.

Julian regretted that he and Sam wouldn't have a chance to get to know each other, so Sonny was curious why Julian thought that Sam would want anything to do with Julian. Meanwhile, Silas reminded Sam that Ava's knowledge about Sonny's plan confirmed that Julian and Ava had planted a bug in Sonny's office. Ava insisted that Julian had a right to protect himself, but Sonny didn't buy the excuse because Julian had arrived in Port Charles under false pretenses and a new identity.

Sonny accused Julian of sabotaging Sonny's coffee shipment, injuring a security guard, and ransacking the warehouse. Sonny growled that family was off-limits, so Julian had made a mistake by going after Morgan. Alexis quietly reminded Sonny that Julian was Sam's father, but Sonny argued that they had only just found out the truth about Julian. Sam was curious where Danny fit into Sonny's plans.

Sam explained that Julian had agreed to undergo testing because Silas hoped to extract bone marrow from Julian and bank it in case Danny's cancer returned. Alexis pleaded with Sonny to call off whatever Sonny had planned for Julian, so Sonny asked Silas what Danny's prognosis was. Silas conceded that Danny was in remission, but Danny would need another bone marrow transplant if the leukemia returned.

Ava was curious what the chances were that Danny would suffer a relapse, so Silas explained that the five-year survival rate was a little over eighty-five percent. Ava pointed out that Danny could be seven, twelve, or perhaps seventeen when the cancer returned. She was curious if fifteen percent was an acceptable chance to take on the son of Jason Morgan. Sonny assured Sam that he would never do anything to hurt Danny.

Sonny promised Sam that Julian would remain safe as long as Danny was alive, but he warned Sam not to expect Julian to be tested because Julian would use Danny as a shield. After Sonny left, Sam asked Julian if Sonny had been right. Julian assured Sam that he would do his best to protect Danny, but he needed to remain alive in order to honor the vow. Stunned, Sam tearfully asked her father what he was trying to tell her.

"He's saying no," Silas answered. Julian glared at Silas and then quickly clarified that he would donate bone marrow to his grandson if Danny should relapse, but he couldn't bank the bone marrow because Sonny wouldn't hesitate to kill Julian if he did. Infuriated and hurt, Sam blasted Julian for being selfish. Ava quietly pleaded with Silas to make Sam understand that Julian's hands were tied. Silas refused to do anything for Ava and warned Ava not to talk to him again. Moments later, Silas and Sam, followed by Ava, left.

Julian started to follow Sam, but Alexis blocked his path and informed him that he could talk to her instead. Alexis insisted that Julian would call off his campaign against Sonny and get tested if he truly cared about Sam and Danny. Julian suggested that Alexis was choosing sides, but Alexis refused to back down. She conceded that it had been very clever of Julian to pull Danny out of his back pocket because it had given Julian the opportunity to dismantle Sonny's organization piece by piece without fear of being killed by Sonny.

However, Alexis refused to stand by while Julian held Sam and Danny over the abyss, so she was prepared to do whatever was necessary to keep her family safe. Alexis snidely wished him luck with Carly and then started to leave, but Julian reached for her arm. He pulled Alexis close to quietly clarify that he had never been interested in Carly. Alexis glared at him as she jerked her arm free from his grasp. Julian appreciated why she was angry, but he assured her that he loved their daughter and grandson, so he would do everything in his power to protect them.

"Great, go get tested," Alexis shot back. Julian argued that it wasn't that simple, so he asked her to trust him. He reminded her that she had once, when she had looked into his eyes and then had followed him out to his car. Alexis' eyes rounded with disbelief. "Are you going to seduce me now?" Alexis asked. "You tell me," Julian replied as he leaned in and then kissed her. "I remember you," he growled between heated kisses. He suddenly pulled away, promised to see her soon, and then left. Alexis' eyes filled with tears.

At Sam's penthouse, T.J. confessed that he was concerned because he hadn't been able to reach Shawn. Molly innocently suggested that Shawn was in a dead zone. "Yeah, that's what I'm worried about," T.J. muttered under his breath.

Concerned, Molly asked what was troubling T.J., so he explained that he had a feeling that Sonny's new enemy was out to hurt Sonny worse than anyone ever had. Molly reminded T.J. that Shawn was a trained professional, so she was confident that everything would be okay. T.J. insisted that he couldn't lose Shawn because Shawn was all that T.J. had, but Molly disagreed; T.J. had her too. T.J. smiled and hugged her.

Later, T.J. and Molly were playing a video game when Sam and Silas arrived home. Sam was anxious to see Danny, so she dashed to her son's bedroom to check on him. Concerned, Molly started to follow her sister to help, but Silas suggested that it would be best for Molly and T.J. to leave. Silas explained that the opening had been eventful, so Sam needed some time to relax. Silas promised to stay with Sam and then handed the teens money for pizza.

After the Molly and T.J. left, Sam returned to the living room in a calmer state because she had assured herself that Danny was healthy and sleeping peacefully. Silas was curious if Sam wanted to talk about her father, Julian. Sam admitted that she was upset that Danny had ended up in the middle of a mob war between Julian and Sonny. She wanted to believe Julian, but it was difficult when her father was using her son as a shield.

Silas warned Sam that it was hard to wash one's hands of a family member, no matter how screwed up they were. Sam didn't want to think about Julian, so Silas offered to get out of her way. Sam reached for him to assure him that he wasn't in her way. Silas smiled and kissed Sam, but Danny began to cry. Silas chuckled and decided to take a rain check, but he invited Sam to call if she needed him.

In front of the gallery, Shawn checked his gun to make certain that it was loaded and ready. He heard someone approach, so he quickly turned to face the newcomer with the gun aimed and ready. Carlos held up his hands to assure Shawn that it wasn't necessary to shoot. Shawn didn't lower the gun, so Carlos tried a different tack. "Can I help you?" Carlos asked. Shawn demanded to know who Carlos was, so Carlos identified himself as the gallery's security.

Shawn pointed out that the gallery wasn't the Louvre Museum, so he was surprised that an armed guard was needed. Carlos was curious how Shawn had known that Carlos was armed. "Call it a gift," Shawn replied. Carlos claimed that he had been hired because the gallery had hosted Franco's art show, and the artist had a strange following.

Shawn revealed that he knew that Carlos worked for Julian. Carlos was impressed that Shawn had done his homework and then admitted that he knew who Shawn was, so he boldly suggested that Shawn hand over the gun. Shawn refused, so Carlos assumed a relaxed stance with his hands casually behind his back to reach for a hidden gun.

Sonny suddenly stormed out of the gallery and ordered Shawn to stand down because it was over. Sonny didn't offer an explanation as he continued to the car. Carlos advised Shawn to heed Sonny's order, so Shawn admitted that he hadn't caught Carlos' name. Carlos pointed out that he hadn't given it to Shawn. "How about we just call you Dead Man Walking?" Shawn suggested. "I prefer Carlos," Carlos replied with a smile.

Shawn warned that knowing Carlos' name wouldn't save Carlos, so Shawn advised Carlos to leave town if he wished to live. Carlos argued that it wouldn't be loyal to ditch his boss, so Carlos was confident that he and Shawn would see more of each other, since their bosses were on a collision course. Shawn disagreed. "You won't even see me coming at all," Shawn warned Carlos and then left.

At Greystone Manor, Olivia objected to Max dragging her away from Pozzulo's against her will. Max assured Olivia that she was a terrific person, but she had the ability to be a "real pain in the ass." Olivia didn't disagree, but she resented being manhandled by Max. Max explained that Sonny had ordered him to keep Olivia safe and under wraps, so Max intended to carry out the order. He then pointed out that Olivia had manhandled him first by giving him a black eye.

Olivia backed down, so Max admitted that he appreciated that Olivia and Sonny cared about each other. Olivia explained that she had been forced to set aside her feelings and romantic attraction to Sonny because he had needed time to heal, so she was afraid that their moment had passed.

A short time later, Sonny arrived home. Sonny dismissed Max, so Olivia asked Sonny how things had gone at the gallery. "The son of a bitch is still alive," Sonny growled with frustration.

Sonny filled Olivia in on what had transpired at the gallery when he had confronted Morgan and then Julian. Olivia was stunned that Morgan had chosen to betray his father by planting the bug in Sonny's office. Sonny was heartbroken because he felt as if he had lost his son, so Olivia put her arms around Sonny to comfort him. She asked him how she could make it better, so he asked her to stay with him. Sonny kissed Olivia and then made love to her.

In Franco's suite, Carly pulled away from Franco's passionate kiss. "Oh, my God, what am I doing?" Carly asked in horror as she tried to put some distance between herself and Franco. Carly insisted that getting involved with Franco didn't make sense after everything that had happened, so Franco agreed that he wasn't worthy of her because she was beautiful and amazing.

Carly assured Franco that she hadn't kissed him out of pity, so Franco wanted to know why Carly was fighting her feelings for him. She explained that she couldn't be with him after what he had done to Josslyn and Michael. Carly appreciated that it had been part of a sick game with Jason and that Franco had never intended to get Michael hurt, but she couldn't ignore what had happened.

Franco admitted that he had been stupid and arrogant to think that he could control the situation, but in his own misguided way, he had thought that he had been protecting Michael and keeping him safe from the danger in Pentonville. Franco promised Carly that he had never meant for Michael to get hurt. Carly assured him that she believed him, but Franco realized that it wasn't enough. He recalled that Carly had once told him that the removal of the tumor hadn't absolved him of his sins.

Franco wondered if Carly would ever be able to trust him, so she confessed that she didn't know. Franco assured her that it was enough because it gave him hope. However, he wanted to know what he could do to prove himself to her.

Franco explained that it felt as if all of the horrible things that he had done had been done by someone else and that he had woken up after the surgery because of Carly. Carly confessed that she feared that the darkness in him would return, but he was confident that it wouldn't. Carly reminded Franco that he had hurt her family and friends, so it would take a leap of faith for her to be with him. Franco urged her to take it, but Carly couldn't. She rushed out of the door, so he quickly followed her.

On Pier 52, Michael and Morgan brawled until Kiki rounded the corner and cried out for Michael to stop pummeling Morgan. Morgan used the distraction to sucker punch Michael. Michael stumbled and hit his head before falling into the water. Horrified, Kiki ran over to check on Michael, but Michael had disappeared. "Morgan, what have you done?" Kiki cried.

Michael suddenly broke the surface of the water, so Kiki begged Morgan to help her get Michael out of the water. Morgan refused and walked away as Michael slipped under the water again. Kiki tried to reach Michael but couldn't, so she desperately called for someone to help. No one responded, so Kiki pulled off her shoes and then jumped into the water to look for Michael.

Moments later, Carly and Franco walked up. Kiki floundered in the water and cried for help, so Franco fished her out of the harbor. On the pier, Kiki breathlessly explained that Michael was in the water and in trouble. Franco didn't hesitate to jump into the harbor and look for Michael. Meanwhile, Carly called for help.

Franco managed to locate Michael, so he grabbed Michael and then swam to the pier. Carly and Kiki pulled Michael out of the water. Carly immediately began CPR as Kiki tearfully declared her love for Michael and begged him to wake up. Michael's eyes suddenly snapped open as he began to cough.

After Michael sat up, Carly demanded to know how Michael had ended up in the harbor. Michael claimed that he had dropped his cell phone, bumped his head, and fallen into the water. He credited Kiki with saving his life, but Kiki explained that she hadn't saved Michael. Michael was curious who had pulled him out of the water. Carly revealed that Franco had saved Michael's life, so Michael quietly thanked Franco. Franco insisted that Carly had deserved all of the credit because Carly had done CPR on Michael.

A short time later, a paramedic determined that Michael had a concussion and advised Michael to go to the hospital. Michael refused despite Carly's objections. Michael insisted that he was fine and just needed a hot shower, so Kiki promised to keep an eye on Michael.

Later, Kiki waited for Michael, and he joined her in bed. She was curious what had happened between Michael and Morgan, so Michael explained that Morgan couldn't see past the anger and jealousy. Michael feared that someone would end up hurt, but Kiki insisted that someone already had. She revealed that she had begged Morgan to help pull Michael out of the water, but Morgan had refused and had walked away.

Kiki thought that Michael should have told Carly the truth about what Morgan had done, but Michael refused to break his mother's heart. However, Michael was determined to find a way to save his brother. Kiki smiled and then kissed Michael. Afterwards, they made love.

On Pier 52, Morgan waited until everyone had left to step out of the shadows and walk to the edge of the pier. He gazed thoughtfully at the water until Ava walked up. She immediately became alarmed when she saw Morgan's bruised face, so she demanded to know what had happened. "Michael hit back," Morgan answered. Ava gently reminded Morgan that she had warned him that there would be a price to pay for pitting himself against his father. Morgan assured Ava that he was prepared to pay it, so she promised to help him.

In Franco's suite, Franco was surprised when Carly turned up on his doorstep. He immediately asked her how Michael was, so she assured him that her son was fine. She handed him the jacket that he had loaned to Michael and then revealed that she was ready to take a leap of faith because he had saved her son's life. Franco quickly kissed her as he pulled her into the suite and closed the door. He then led Carly to his bedroom and tenderly made love to her.

Julian walked around his suite in his boxer briefs as he spoke on his cell phone. Moments later, someone knocked on the door, so he ended the call and answered the door. He was surprised when he saw Alexis standing in the hallway. Alexis glared at him, but he smiled pleasantly and suggested she should have called, so he could have put on a pair of pants. "Or, I don't know, maybe not," Julian added flirtatiously.

Alexis ignored Julian as she brushed past him to enter the suite. She informed him that she wasn't staying and then showed him the front page of the Port Charles Press. The headline read, "Good morning, Port Charles. I am Julian Jerome" and featured a picture of Julian. "Well played," Alexis told him. She sarcastically confessed that she had been particularly impressed with the part of the story chronicling Julian's sacrifice by stepping out of hiding to donate bone marrow to his poor grandson.

Julian was curious if there was a point in the article that she would like to dispute. Alexis conceded that everything had been factually correct, but she resented that he had slanted the story to paint himself in a favorable light. Julian wondered if that had been the real reason for her visit. "What other reason would there be?" Alexis asked.

Julian reminded Alexis of their kiss. "Did you come back for more?" he asked with a knowing smile. Alexis smiled back and then slapped him. "Ouch," Julian replied. "Did I strike some sort of nerve?" he wondered. Alexis confessed that it had felt good to slap him, but she was there because, whether she liked it or not, Julian was a part of her family. She admitted that she didn't know what to do with that. Julian was surprised that Alexis was upset that Sam had a father.

Alexis clarified that her problem was that Julian was Sam's father. Alexis reminded him that their daughter had already been involved with someone in the mob who had died and that Alexis had recently ended things with someone in the mob because Alexis didn't like the mob. Julian insisted that he had printed the story because he had wanted to be honest and to make it clear that he was not affiliated with organized crime. He insisted that he was a changed man.

Alexis didn't believe Julian because of what had transpired at the gallery the previous evening. She ordered him to stay away from Sam and Danny, but he argued that it was up to Sam. Alexis made it clear that she would not let Julian pull their daughter into a mob war, so Julian reiterated that he wasn't in the mob and then pointed out that there hadn't been any proof that Julian had been behind the attacks on Sonny's business. Alexis was surprised that he had denied any involvement, so Julian promised her that he would never allow anything to happen to her, Sam, and Danny.

Alexis believed that Julian would keep Danny safe because Danny was Julian's insurance policy. Julian insisted that he cared about Alexis because they had unknowingly shared a lot together. He reminded her that they had shared a special connection at the hospital, while they had waited for news that their grandson's transplant had worked, so whatever had drawn them together years earlier was still there. However, it had matured.

"Like red wine; ripe for the tasting," Julian quietly added. Alexis explained that his lie by omission and his decision to purposefully leave out pertinent details about himself had soured the wine. She announced that she was expected in court and then left. Afterwards, Julian called Scott to ask Scott to stop by.

At the courthouse, Scott looked at Franco's original birth certificate listing Scott as Franco's father. He quickly tucked it away when he spotted Diane. Diane greeted Scott and then congratulated him. Scott assumed that she had been referring to his election victory, but she clarified that she had been talking about his son, Franco. Scott scowled as he grumbled that he might lose his job before he had been sworn in because of the scandal.

Diane assured Scott that Franco wasn't that bad, especially since the "vicious tumor" had been removed. Scott congratulated Diane on using the tumor defense to keep Franco out of jail. He then made a snide remark about Diane going to the "mattress" for her boyfriend. Diane chuckled and confessed that Franco had never been her boyfriend; he had merely used her as a smokescreen to hide his involvement with Heather.

Diane revealed that Franco's heart belonged to Carly. "This gets worse and worse," Scott admitted. According to Scott, he liked Bobbie, but Carly was a pain in the neck. After Diane left, Scott received a call from Julian.

A short time later, Scott arrived at Julian's suite and greeted Julian by shoving a copy of the latest edition of the Port Charles Press into Julian's hands. Scott confessed that the article about Julian had been quite the story. Julian feigned remorse as he apologized for knocking the story about Scott's impressive victory off of the front page.

Scott decided to cut to the chase by accusing Julian of being behind the recording that Morgan had given to Scott to secure the victory. Julian smiled as he conceded that Scott was a smart man, so Scott admitted that he liked to think so and then asked what Julian wanted. Scott suspected that Julian hoped to use Scott the same way that Sonny had used Lazaro.

Julian insisted that he was a legitimate businessman, but Scott didn't believe him, so Julian offered to run a story about Scott's campaign. Julian outlined the story and then mentioned Lucy's involvement in helping Scott on the campaign trail. Julian admitted that he knew Lucy because she had once broken Julian's father's heart, which, Julian believed, had led to Victor's death. Julian conceded that most men, like Sonny, would want to avenge their father's death, but Julian was determined to let the past go and to focus on the present. Julian appreciated that the newspaper and district attorney's office might clash occasionally, but Julian was confident that Julian and Scott would be able to work together.

In Franco's suite, Carly woke up in Franco's arms as he gazed off into the distance, deep in thought. She greeted him with a warm smile, so he admitted that he was surprised that she was still there. Franco wondered if there was a small part of her that, in the cold light of day, thought that it had been a mistake to sleep with him. Carly was curious why he would ask that, so he reminded her that he was the son of a second-rate district attorney and a crazy woman who hated his guts. Carly insisted that Heather hated her, not him.

Franco argued that he also owed Carly a lot of money, so he expected her to dump him and run back to her boyfriend, Derek Wells. Carly insisted that Derek wasn't her boyfriend and then asked why Franco seemed determined to push her away. Franco explained that once she left the suite, everyone would urge Carly to break things off with him. Carly conceded that he was right, but she assured him that she had never cared about what other people thought.

Carly made it clear that she wanted to be with Franco. Franco confessed that he was afraid that he would lose her because he had wanted Carly more than anything he had ever desired. Carly promised Franco that she wasn't going anywhere and then kissed him.

Later, Carly invited Franco to take a shower with her and then slipped into the bathroom. Franco started to follow her, but someone knocked on the door, so he went to answer the door. It was a bellman with a box of flowers for Carly. Franco was taken aback when he opened the box and discovered dead roses nestled inside, so he asked who had sent the flowers. The bellman pointed to the card with the flowers, so Franco closed the door and then read the card.

Franco was dismayed to discover that Heather had sent the flowers as a warning for Carly to stay away from Franco. Carly emerged from the bathroom to find out why Franco hadn't joined her. She was startled when she saw the bouquet of dead roses, so she asked who they were for. "You," Franco admitted as he offered the bouquet to her. He claimed that he had wanted to give her something, but there had been a mix-up at the flower shop. Carly had never heard of a flower shop sending dead roses, but she let the matter drop and then invited Franco to race her to the bedroom.

Carly dashed off, but Franco lingered behind to drop the flowers on the coffee table. He followed Carly, unaware that the card that he had shoved into the pocket of his robe had fallen out.

In the bedroom, Carly announced that she had won the race, so she was entitled to a prize. Franco smiled and then joined her on the bed and kissed her. Later, Carly was asleep in his arms as he thought about Heather's warning to Carly.

In Luke's hotel suite, Tracy was eager to take Luke to the hospital for a checkup. Luke reminded her that everything had worked the previous night, so Tracy smiled and admitted that she hadn't had any complaints. Luke suggested that they stop off at the police station first to let the police know that Jerry Jacks was alive, but Tracy objected because they had agreed that the cops couldn't know anything until they were certain that the cure had worked.

"Cops can't know anything about what?" Dante asked as he and Lulu appeared in the doorway. Tracy distracted Dante from the question by cooing to Connie and then whisking the baby out of Lulu's arms. Meanwhile, Lulu greeted her father with a warm hug and then peppered him with questions about how he had gotten his hands on the cure. Tracy insisted that the details weren't important because what mattered was that Luke had an opportunity to be a grandfather to his granddaughter.

Dante confessed that it would depend on what happened at court. Dante and Lulu told Luke and Tracy about the revelation that Connie was Maxie and Spinelli's biological daughter and the battle for custody of Connie. Lulu explained that they had stopped by to ask Luke and Tracy to babysit while Dante and Lulu went to court. Tracy and Luke readily agreed to watch Connie, but they explained that they had to stop off at the hospital so Luke could have some blood tests.

At Greystone Manor, Sonny was in bed, reading the Port Charles Press, until Olivia began to stir beside him. "Good morning, sunshine," Sonny greeted her as he put the newspaper down. Olivia nervously asked what time it was and then started to get out of bed because she explained that she needed to get to the courthouse. Sonny asked Olivia to wait because he wanted to talk about what had happened the previous night.

Olivia began to talk about Julian and Danny, but Sonny clarified that he had been referring to Sonny and Olivia's night together. Olivia suggested that they not turn one night of intimacy into something that it wasn't. She reminded him that they were both still grieving, so their sexual encounter hadn't meant anything. "But it did," Sonny argued, to Olivia's surprise. Sonny opened up to Olivia about what she meant to him and how she had recently saved him.

Sonny had no idea where their relationship was headed, but he insisted that she meant more to him than a casual fling. Sonny then turned on the charm and complimented her beauty. Olivia relaxed and smiled. Sonny kissed her, but Olivia wanted to get ready for court. Sonny assured her that they had plenty of time to get to the courthouse, so he pulled her back in bed and then made love to her.

At the hospital, Ellie smiled happily as she confessed to Spinelli that she felt like the world's luckiest girl because he had forgiven her and had taken her back. Spinelli insisted that there had been more than enough blame to go around. Ellie believed that everything was as it should be, except for "Brad the Cad," whom she suspected had intentionally scheduled her to work. She regretted that she couldn't attend the court hearing with Spinelli, but she promised to think positive thoughts so Spinelli and Maxie could get their daughter back.

Ellie kissed Spinelli and urged him to get going because the fate his daughter would soon be decided. Spinelli confessed that he was worried that Maxie would be the target of vicious attacks because Dante and Lulu were determined to keep the baby. Ellie was confident that Diane would be able to turn things around with compelling counterarguments, but Ellie was curious if Diane had discussed strategy with Spinelli. Spinelli admitted that Diane had made a suggestion that would protect Maxie and assure the judge that Spinelli and Maxie could provide the baby with a stable family life.

Ellie was stunned when Spinelli revealed that Diane had advised Spinelli to marry Maxie. Spinelli rushed to assure Ellie that he had refused because the marriage would have been a fraud. Spinelli insisted that if he ever married again it would be to Ellie because he loved her. Ellie smiled with joy.

Later, Ellie was surprised when she saw Luke and Tracy approach the nurses' station. Ellie couldn't believe that Luke was still alive despite being exposed to a lethal amount of polonium, but she grew alarmed when she suddenly noticed Connie. Ellie demanded to know where they had gotten the baby. "eBay," Luke replied. He confessed that the bidding war had been brutal, but Ellie was not amused because she wanted to know what Luke and Tracy were doing with Spinelli's daughter.

Luke reminded Ellie that Connie was Lulu's daughter, so Tracy added that Maxie had lied, deceived, and defrauded Dante and Lulu. Tracy also revealed that she and Luke knew about Ellie's role in the cover-up. Ellie quickly apologized for what she had done, but she insisted that she had told the truth in the end because the baby belonged with Maxie and Spinelli. Tracy suggested that they wait to see what the judge had to say on the matter.

Ellie tactfully changed the subject by asking how Luke had survived the polonium poisoning, so Luke explained that he had found an alternative to chelation therapy, but he needed to find out if it had worked.

Meanwhile, Felicia approached Maxie in the courtroom to greet her daughter and to let Maxie know that Mac couldn't make it. Maxie assured Felicia that she understood that Mac needed to focus on tracking down Robert and Anna. Felicia was curious how Maxie had been holding up, so Maxie confessed that she had tried her best to pick an outfit that didn't make her look like an unfit mother. Felicia assured Maxie that Maxie looked nice, but Maxie wanted to know if her outfit screamed "good mother."

Felicia pointed out that she wasn't in a position to determine what a good mother looked like, but Maxie argued that what mattered to her was that Felicia was there at that moment when Maxie needed her mother most. Maxie debated changing her outfit, but Felicia advised Maxie against it and urged Maxie to calm down. Maxie worried that the judge might rule against her, so Felicia promised Maxie that they would get through it together.

A short time later, Spinelli joined Maxie at the table. He confessed that he was nervous just as Dante and Lulu arrived. The couples exchanged awkward glances as Dante and Lulu approached Alexis. Alexis quietly asked Dante and Lulu if they were certain that they wanted to go through with the hearing because it wouldn't be pleasant. Lulu insisted that she and Dante were prepared to do whatever was necessary to keep their daughter.

Moments later, Sonny and Olivia entered the courtroom. Dante was surprised to see his father because he knew that Sonny had his hands full with Julian Jerome. Sonny insisted that he had everything under control, so he wanted Dante to focus on the hearing instead of worrying about Sonny.

Everyone took their seats when the judge entered the courtroom. The judge quickly outlined the case and then asked what grounds Dante and Lulu had for challenging Maxie and Spinelli for custody of Connie. Alexis explained that the Falconeris believed that Maxie was an unfit mother. The judge invited Alexis to call her first witness, so Alexis called Elizabeth to the stand.

Elizabeth was sworn in and then testified that she had known Maxie for many years, but they weren't friends. At Alexis' prodding, Elizabeth revealed that Maxie had had an affair with Elizabeth's husband, Lucky, who had been battling an addiction to pills at the time. Elizabeth explained that Maxie would steal pills to feed Lucky's addiction until Lucky had decided to get clean and end things with Maxie.

Alexis asked Elizabeth to tell the judge what had happened after Lucky ended the affair with Maxie, so Elizabeth revealed that Maxie had faked a pregnancy to win Lucky back. However, Maxie had been forced to throw herself down a flight of stairs to fake a miscarriage when Maxie had failed to find someone to seduce her and get her pregnant.

Maxie leaned close to Spinelli to apologize because she realized that her past might cost them the case.

After Elizabeth stepped down, the judge called a brief recess. Dante admitted to Lulu that he wouldn't want to be in Maxie's shoes, so Lulu assured him that she had not enjoyed attacking Maxie like that, but Maxie had been the one to set things into motion. Lulu insisted that they had to do everything possible to keep their daughter. Alexis asked the couple how much further they wanted to go, so Lulu urged Alexis to do what was necessary. Dante wondered what else Alexis could possibly throw at Maxie. "Whatever she needs to," Lulu answered.

The judge returned and invited Alexis to call the next witness. Alexis called Maxie to the stand. Maxie panicked, but Diane reminded Maxie that they had prepared for Maxie to testify. Maxie argued that she wasn't ready, so Diane calmly instructed Maxie to answer the questions as simply as possible.

Olivia whispered to Sonny that she felt bad for Maxie, but Sonny reminded Olivia that no one had said that it would be easy. Sonny explained that Alexis didn't have a choice because Dante and Lulu would be heartbroken if they lost Connie. "And so will we," Olivia conceded.

After Maxie was sworn in, she asked to address the judge. The judge agreed, so Maxie explained that she deeply regretted that she had hurt Lucky and Elizabeth, but she insisted that she had been in a bad place at that time. Maxie promised the judge that she was not that same person, but the judge wanted to know if Elizabeth had told the truth on the stand. Maxie admitted that Elizabeth had; however, Maxie argued that it didn't mean that Maxie was an unfit mother.

"What about the fact that you're a murderer?" Alexis asked.

In the courtroom, Maxie insisted that the horrible things that she had done in her past didn't mean that she was an unfit mother. "What about the fact that you're a murderer?" Alexis asked. Stunned, Maxie glared at Lulu as Diane objected to Alexis' question because it was false and inflammatory. Spinelli jumped up to explain that Maxie had only confessed to Lisa Niles's murder to cover for Matt Hunter. The judge ordered Spinelli to sit and then gave Alexis an opportunity to explain her question.

Alexis clarified that she hadn't been referring to Lisa Niles's murder, although Spinelli had provided the judge with another example of Maxie's "extremely poor" judgment. Alexis revealed that she had been talking about the death of Maxie's cousin, Robin Scorpio-Drake. Alexis explained that Maxie herself had taken responsibility for killing Robin. Outraged, Felicia rose from her seat and approached Lulu.

"Lulu, how could you?" Felicia asked as she reminded Lulu that Maxie had been grief-stricken when Maxie had made those statements. The judge ordered Felicia to return to her seat and then warned everyone that he would not tolerate another outburst. In the gallery, Sonny whispered to Olivia that it was clear that Dante was not pleased with the direction of Alexis' questioning.

At the table, Dante ordered Lulu to call off Alexis. "It's too much," Dante explained. Lulu refused to look at Maxie as the judge asked if Maxie had been responsible for Robin's death. "Yes, your honor, I was," Maxie quietly confessed. Spinelli implored Maxie to stop, but the judge warned Spinelli to keep quiet. The judge invited Maxie to tell her side of the events that had led to her cousin's death, so Maxie revealed that she had had an argument with her boyfriend, Matt, because Matt had been furious that Maxie had gotten Elizabeth fired.

Maxie explained that she had gone to her cousin for advice and to invite Robin to attend a party with Maxie. Maxie admitted that she hadn't taken it well when Robin had refused to go to the party, so Maxie had picked up her purse and then had yanked hard when the strap had snagged on a gas valve. Maxie confessed that she had inadvertently broken the valve, which had caused the explosion that had killed Robin.

Maxie tearfully recalled accusing Robin of being selfish, but Maxie insisted that it hadn't been true because Robin had been a generous person who had been both a sister and a best friend to Maxie. Maxie regretted that she would never have the chance to tell Robin how sorry she had been for her parting words to Robin.

After Alexis sat down, Diane cross-examined Maxie to establish that Maxie had never intended to cause Robin's death, so it had been a horrific accident. Moments later, the judge called a brief recess.

Felicia immediately hugged her daughter and insisted that Alexis had been wrong to accuse Maxie of murdering Robin. Spinelli claimed that Alexis' line of questioning hadn't made Maxie look like an unfit mother; it had showed the judge that Dante and Lulu were desperate. Felicia and Spinelli suggested that Maxie step out of the courtroom to clear her head, but Maxie declined because she wanted to talk to Diane.

Meanwhile, Alexis, Sonny, and Olivia filed out. Dante started to leave, so Lulu offered to join him, but he told her not to bother. Moments later, Maxie and Lulu found themselves alone in the courtroom.

Lulu started to leave, but Maxie tearfully demanded to know how Lulu could have used Robin's death against Maxie. Maxie reminded Lulu that Lulu had been the one to make Maxie understand that the explosion had been an accident and that Maxie hadn't been to blame for Robin's tragic death. Lulu appreciated that Maxie had grieved deeply for Robin, but Maxie had also lied to Dante and Lulu and had allowed them to fall in love with a baby that they had believed was theirs.

Lulu insisted that Maxie was denying Connie the only parents that Connie knew by trying to take Connie away from Dante and Lulu. According to Lulu, it was as if Maxie was incapable of empathy because Maxie never appreciated the damage that Maxie caused until it was too late, and then Maxie tended to throw her hands up in the air and say "Oops, I didn't mean to." Maxie argued that her actions hadn't been malicious; she had been trying to do the right thing.

Lulu countered that Maxie never knew what the right thing was. "Do you, Maxie?" Lulu asked. Lulu couldn't understand why Maxie wanted Connie when Maxie would only end up hurting Connie the same way that Maxie had hurt Lulu and Robin. Lulu turned to leave, but Maxie grabbed Lulu's arm to stop Lulu.

In the hallway, Sonny checked on Dante. Dante explained that he wanted to keep his daughter, but he was not happy about what Alexis had done to Maxie on the stand. Sonny reminded Dante that a parent had to keep their children close or they would lose them.

In the courtroom, the confrontation between Lulu and Maxie heated up. "How dare you?" Maxie demanded as she held onto Lulu's arm. Lulu was stunned by Maxie's audacity and turned the question around on Maxie. Moments later, Dante and Spinelli returned to the courtroom and promptly pulled Lulu and Maxie apart before the judge witnessed the volatile exchange between the two women. Alexis quietly warned Lulu to calm down because Alexis wanted to put Lulu on the stand.

Meanwhile, Spinelli conceded that Elizabeth's testimony had hurt their case, so Maxie instructed Diane to go after Lulu as heartlessly as Lulu had instructed Alexis to go after Maxie. Maxie decided that it was time for the judge to see how fit Lulu was as a mother.

Moments later, Lulu was sworn in. Lulu conceded that Robin's death had been an accident, but she explained that it had been caused by Maxie's carelessness. Lulu accused Maxie of having a lot of accidents, like carelessly chasing after a dog who had wandered into Maxie's apartment and then tripping over it. Lulu revealed that the careless accident had killed Dante and Lulu's baby, so Lulu feared that something terrible might happen if Maxie was careless with Connie.

After Alexis finished with Lulu, Diane remarked that Maxie hadn't killed anyone, but Lulu had.

In the hospital's laboratory, Felix was curious why Brad had asked Felix to stop by. Brad handed Felix a framed snapshot that someone had taken of Brad and Felix during the Halloween party. Brad thought that it would remind Felix that Brad was not such a bad guy, but Felix pointed out that just because Brad had changed costumes didn't mean that Brad was a saint. Brad pointed out that it was a start, so Felix grudgingly agreed and then admitted that he liked the picture.

Brad's smile vanished when Ellie entered the lab. She immediately sensed that she had interrupted something, but Felix insisted that he was about to leave. After Felix left, Brad blasted Ellie for having the worst timing. According to Brad, he had finally made progress with Felix after the mess with Britt's baby. Ellie refused to apologize because she was furious that Brad had scheduled her to work on the day of Spinelli's court hearing. Ellie was upset because she had been told that things had not gone well for Spinelli and Maxie.

Brad couldn't understand what the big deal was because Spinelli and Maxie had been ready to let Dante and Lulu raise the baby. "Now, all of a sudden, they want it back?" Brad asked. Ellie argued that Brad didn't have a right to judge anyone, since he had told Dante and Lulu about the baby when it hadn't been Brad's business. Brad insisted that he had done it to show Felix that Brad wasn't who Felix thought that Brad was. Ellie suggested that Brad show some interest in his own son if he wanted to impress Felix.

Moments later, Brad's cell phone rang. Ellie noticed that it was Britt, so she suggested that the mother of his child was calling to say the same thing that Ellie had said.

At Wyndemere, Robin told Nikolas that she was eager to be reunited with Patrick and Emma, so she had worked through the night to figure out a way to isolate the cure from Luke's blood to give to Jerry. She confessed that it had been difficult for her not to rip off her mask and to reveal herself when Emma had hugged her during the Halloween party, so she was tired of waiting. Nikolas appreciated that Robin loved her husband and daughter and was anxious to be with them, but he pointed out that she had taken a risk by slipping into the hospital because Jerry wouldn't hesitate to kill Robert and Anna.

Robin assured Nikolas that Faison and Liesl kept close watch, so it would be next to impossible for her to sneak away again, but she found it disturbing that Faison had been skulking outside of her bedroom. Concerned, Nikolas asked if Faison had been bothering her.

Robin explained that Faison's mere presence was unsettling because it was a constant reminder that Faison's "rodent" face had been the first face that she had seen when she woke up after the explosion. Nikolas assured Robin that her ordeal would soon be over, but Robin worried that Patrick would marry Sabrina before Robin could get to him. Nikolas revealed that he might be able to help because he had discovered that Luke had scheduled a doctor's appointment.

In the parlor, Britt was startled when she saw her mother appear to walk through a wall. Liesl was surprised that Nikolas hadn't told Britt about the secret passage that led to a labyrinth of catacombs around Spoon Island. Britt wanted to know what Liesl had been doing in the secret passage, so Liesl claimed that Faison had taken Liesl for a stroll down memory lane because Faison had once resided in the underground network. "Ah, along with the rats. I couldn't think of a better place for him," Britt grumbled.

Liesl resented the nasty remark and admitted that she wasn't surprised that Patrick had grown to despise Britt, which had forced Britt to search the hospital's lab for another father. Britt's expression briefly clouded with guilt, but she hid it behind a mask of indifference as she faced her mother. Britt pointed out that Liesl and Faison had been estranged, so she was curious what had changed. Liesl smiled as she explained that she and Faison were a part of each other, so a disagreement couldn't keep them apart for long. Britt realized that her mother was lying, but Liesl denied it.

Britt was curious why Faison wasn't with Liesl, so Liesl claimed that Faison had wanted to stay in the catacombs for a while longer. Britt suspected that something else was going on, so she decided to track down her father to find out what Liesl and Faison were really up to. However, before Britt could enter the secret passage, Nikolas and Robin entered the parlor to announce that they needed Britt's help and that it would involve Ben's "deadbeat" father.

Nikolas and Robin quickly filled Britt in on Luke's appointment and explained what they needed her to do, so she decided to check on Ben and then make the call to Brad. After Britt left, Nikolas pointed out that if everything worked out, Liesl and "Gandalf the great" would soon be gone. "And I will be home," Robin added.

Liesl cautioned Robin not to get ahead of herself because Robin had been gone for a long time. Liesl suggested that Patrick might choose Sabrina over Robin, but Robin argued that Patrick was Robin's soul mate. Robin insisted that no one could get in the way of that. Liesl thought that it was a romantic notion, but she reminded Robin that Patrick had slept with Britt mere months after the explosion and Robin's supposed death.

Nikolas stepped in to remind Robin not to listen to Liesl because Liesl was bitter that Faison couldn't stand the sight of her. Liesl pointed out that no one could deny that Patrick had connected with Britt through the baby and that he had been devastated when he had found out that Britt's baby hadn't been his son.

At the lab, Brad answered Britt's call and asked if she was calling because of the baby. "Of course not," Britt replied and then asked if a sample of Luke's blood was in the lab. Brad admitted that it was and that Ellie had started to process the tests. Brad was curious why Britt wanted to know, but Britt had abruptly ended the call.

At Wyndemere, Britt confirmed that Luke's blood was in the lab. Pleased, Robin turned to leave with the intention of heading to the hospital, but Liesl stopped her. Liesl reminded Robin that no one could know that Robin was alive until Jerry had the cure or else Robert and Anna would die. Robin pointed out that she needed access to special equipment to process the blood sample, so Liesl suggested that Nikolas order what Robin needed. Robin argued that they didn't have time for that.

Liesl acquiesced, but reminded Robin that Robert and Anna's lives were at stake if Robin were to make a mistake. Nikolas asked Britt to call Brad back with instructions and then left with Robin. Later, Britt caught Liesl about to sneak into the secret passage with a tray of food, so she demanded to know what her mother was doing.

At the lab, Ellie was curious why Britt had asked about Luke's blood sample, so Brad admitted that he didn't know. Moments later, Britt called back to ask Brad for a favor.

After Brad ended the call, he told Ellie that she could take the rest of the day off, so she could go to court. Ellie immediately became suspicious, so Brad explained that he was trying to be a better person, but if she didn't leave then he would fire her. Ellie started to collect Luke's blood sample to put it away, but Brad assured her that he would take care of it. Ellie reminded him that there was a protocol in place, but Brad barked at her to leave.

Shortly after Ellie left, Nikolas and Robin arrived. Robin was dressed in hospital scrubs and had a surgical mask that covered most of her face and a cap to hide her hair. Nikolas asked where Luke's blood sample was, so Brad pointed to the nearby table and microscope. Robin immediately went to work, but Brad objected because he had no idea who she was. Nikolas was disgusted that Brad was more concerned about the woman in the lab than Brad's own son, so he ordered Brad to stand guard outside of the lab and to make certain that no one entered.

After Brad left, Nikolas closed the door, so Robin took off the surgical mask and cap. Nikolas noticed that Robin looked troubled, so she explained that the lab had been the last place that Patrick had seen her alive. Nikolas was concerned about Robin, but she assured him that she would be fine. Nikolas left the lab with a promise to return soon and then stopped to remind Brad not to let anyone into the lab.

In the lab, Robin worked on the blood sample, but her thoughts were on the moments before the explosion when she and Patrick had said goodbye.

At the Drake residence, Patrick and Sabrina surprised Emma with a long white dress that they wanted her to wear for their wedding. Emma was delighted when they revealed that they intended to get married the following week, so they had booked the church, sent the invitations, and had made arrangements for the reception. Emma wondered if Spencer and Cameron would be at the wedding. Sabrina was curious if Emma wanted them there, so Emma admitted that she didn't because the boys would spill punch on her again.

Emma talked about the nice lady who had cleaned her outfit at the Halloween party. Sabrina reminded Patrick that Emma had been referring to the woman who hadn't spoken any English, but Emma told them that the lady had spoken English to her. Patrick explained that the woman was Spencer's nanny and that she only spoke a little English. Emma lit up with delight and asked if Patrick could take her to Wyndemere, so she could thank the lady for helping her.

Patrick explained that he had to go to work, so Emma asked if Sabrina would take her. Sabrina didn't have a chance to answer because Felix arrived with wedding dresses for Sabrina to try on. Felix quickly hustled Patrick out of the door and then carried the dresses into the house, so Emma dashed off to try on her flower girl dress.

Later, Emma modeled her dress. Felix and Sabrina agreed that Emma looked lovely. Next, Sabrina tried on the wedding dresses that Felix had picked up. Felix and Emma weren't impressed with any of the dresses. Discouraged, Sabrina didn't know what to do. Emma slipped out of the room for several minutes and then returned with Patrick and Robin's wedding picture to suggest that Sabrina wear Emma's mother's wedding gown. Sabrina gently explained that the dress was for Emma to wear when Emma got married.

Sabrina confessed that she had always dreamed of wearing her own mother's wedding gown, so Felix asked if Sabrina had a picture of it because he might be able to find one that looked similar to the one that Sabrina's mother had worn. Sabrina revealed that she didn't have any pictures of her mother because Sabrina's father had put all of the pictures away. Emma was curious why, so Sabrina explained that her mother had died when Sabrina had been a young girl and that her father had been sad. Emma realized that was why Sabrina understood that no one could ever replace her mother.

Sabrina promised to take good care of Emma because she loved her, so Emma assured Sabrina that she believed her and loved Sabrina too. Moments later, Felix decided to leave, but he promised to find Sabrina's wedding dress. On the porch, Felix called Brad to ask Brad to meet him because Felix needed his help.

At the hospital, Luke and Tracy waited for the results of Luke's blood work. Connie was fussy, so Tracy suspected that the baby was hungry. Luke suggested that perhaps the baby knew that her parents were in court, fighting to keep her. Tracy handed the bottle to Luke and ordered him to feed the baby. Luke cautiously approached Connie and then offered the baby the bottle. He began to talk about Lulu and how his daughter had always built him up in her mind.

Tracy assured Luke that she didn't have any illusions about him because she knew exactly how awful he was. However, she conceded that he could also be amazing.

Later, Luke and Tracy bumped into Patrick at the nurses' station. Tracy made some caustic remarks about the hospital's decision to fire Monica and then admitted that it was good to see a familiar face. Patrick smiled as he greeted Tracy. "I see you finally got the daughter you always wanted," Patrick quipped. Luke and Tracy chuckled.

Tracy explained that they had been waiting to talk to Dr. Beckett. Patrick revealed that the doctor had been called into surgery, so he offered to help Tracy and Luke. Tracy revealed that Luke had met a doctor who had spent eighteen months working on a cure for polonium poisoning and that Luke had taken the serum. Patrick hadn't heard about the doctor's work, but if the serum had worked then Patrick wanted to meet the doctor.

Tracy and Luke quickly explained that the doctor was in another country and preferred to keep a low profile. However, Tracy was eager to find out if Luke had been cured. Patrick offered to collect a sample of Luke's blood, but Tracy revealed that Ellie had already taken it. Tracy asked Patrick to go to the lab to check on the results, so Patrick agreed.

Luke and Tracy went to the waiting area and played with Connie as they talked. Tracy confessed that Patrick had been right; she had always wanted a daughter. Tracy revealed that being Lulu's stepmother had been the most rewarding experience of her life, so Luke warned Tracy that it wasn't over because Lulu might need Tracy if things didn't work out in court.

Meanwhile, Patrick rounded the corner and approached the lab.

At the custody hearing, Diane accused Lulu of being a murderer, but Dante argued that Lulu hadn't killed anyone. Diane assured the judge that she could prove that Lulu had killed twice.

Meanwhile, Mac entered the courtroom and quietly sat down beside Felicia. Felicia was curious how his search for Robert and Anna had gone, so Mac admitted that it seemed as if the duo had vanished into thin air.

On the witness stand, Lulu was shocked when Diane asked Lulu how Logan Hayes had died. Lulu insisted that it had been self-defense, but Diane hammered home the point that Lulu had stabbed Logan. Next, Diane asked about the "murder" of Lulu's unborn child. Lulu was taken aback by the question and glared accusingly at Maxie. "How could you?" Lulu asked Maxie.

Alexis immediately objected and pointed out that the United States Supreme Court had upheld the right for a woman to choose, but Diane argued that she had simply wanted to know why Lulu was eager to raise Maxie's baby but had aborted her own child. The judge agreed with Alexis, so he told Lulu that she didn't have to answer the question. Lulu explained that she had been a teenager when she discovered that she was pregnant, so she had made the difficult choice to end the pregnancy because she hadn't been ready to be a mother. However, Lulu assured the judge that things had become different for her.

The judge instructed Diane to get to the point, so Diane asked Lulu what Lulu's state of mind had been when Lulu had learned that Maxie and Spinelli intended to take custody of their baby. Lulu admitted that she had been upset, but Diane was curious if Lulu had told Maxie that Lulu had talked to Dante about taking the baby and fleeing the jurisdiction to avoid returning the baby to Maxie and Spinelli. Lulu recalled the incident, but denied that it had happened and accused Maxie of lying.

According to Lulu, she had never considered leaving town with the baby nor had she discussed it with her husband. Dante tensed because he knew that his wife had perjured herself on the stand. Moments later, the judge called a brief recess.

Spinelli turned to greet Ellie as Maxie walked over to Mac and Felicia. Spinelli admitted that he had hoped that Dante and Lulu would see reason and work things out privately with him and Maxie. He admitted that throwing Lulu's abortion in Lulu's face had been wrong, so Maxie and Lulu's friendship was beyond repair.

Nearby, Maxie told Mac and Felicia that Lulu had lied on the stand. Felicia felt bad for Maxie because she realized that it was Maxie's word against Lulu's. Diane admitted that it wasn't necessarily true.

On the other side of the courtroom, Lulu thanked Sonny and Olivia for being there because she appreciated their support. Dante pulled his wife aside to ask her why she had lied on the stand. Lulu explained that she had made the confession to Maxie in a moment of weakness, but Maxie couldn't prove it. Lulu pointed out that it would have hurt their case if she had told the truth.

Moments later, the judge returned to the courtroom and resumed the proceedings. Diane called Dante to the stand to ask Dante if his wife had lied on the witness stand by claiming that Dante and Lulu had never discussed going on the run with the baby.

At Wyndemere, Britt caught her mother trying to sneak into the secret passage with a tray of food, so she demanded to know what Liesl was up to. Liesl claimed that she had been taking the tray of food to Britt's father, but Britt didn't believe her mother. Britt was certain that her parents were up to something in the catacombs, so she decided to check on her father. Britt asked Liesl to lead the way, but Liesl argued that it was too dangerous in the catacombs for Britt because there weren't any lights and the path was too perilous. Liesl asked Britt to kiss the "little schnitzel" for his grandmother and then entered the secret passage.

Moments later, Nikolas walked in and immediately sensed that something was troubling Britt. Britt admitted that she suspected that her parents were plotting something because she had caught them sneaking in and out of the secret passage. Nikolas chuckled and brushed it off, so Britt let it drop and asked if Nikolas had managed to get Robin into the hospital's laboratory.

Nikolas quickly filled her in on what had transpired at the lab. Britt was surprised that Nikolas had left Brad guarding the door to the lab because Brad wasn't reliable. Nikolas debated returning to the hospital, but Britt assured him that everything would be fine. Nikolas confessed that he had left Robin because he had been worried about leaving Britt alone with her parents. Britt was touched when Nikolas admitted that he didn't want Liesl or Faison anywhere near Britt and Ben.

Britt conceded that they were in an impossible situation, so there was only so much that Nikolas could do to protect Robin and Britt. Nikolas was certain that there had to be a way to even the playing field with Britt's parents and Jerry. He pointed out that he was a Cassadine, so he should be able to channel his twisted, treacherous side. He was certain that his uncle and grandmother would have known what to do. Britt suspected that Stefan and Helena would have resorted to murder, based on what Nikolas had told her of the infamous Cassadines.

Nikolas admitted that killing Liesl, Faison, and Jerry would solve their problems, so Britt wondered if he could actually murder someone. Nikolas assured Britt that all options would be on the table if it meant protecting his family, friends, and the people that he loved. Britt was skeptical, so Nikolas confessed that as tempting as it would be, she was right; he wouldn't hurt her parents.

Pleased, Britt praised Nikolas for being a good man who was both generous and honorable. She confessed that there had been a time that she had suspected that it had been an act, but she had realized that Nikolas was a true prince and her personal hero because he had stood by her even when she had given him good reason not to. She appreciated that he had provided her with a chance to be a better person, so she wanted him to hold on because she was confident that they would find a way to prevail over her parents while keeping their souls intact.

Nikolas warned Britt that he could not be held accountable for his actions if anyone tried to hurt her because he cared deeply about her. Surprised, Britt was curious when that had happened, so Nikolas admitted that his feelings for her had grown slowly without him realizing it. However, he liked the feeling and didn't want to let it go. Britt smiled as he leaned down to kiss her.

In the catacombs, an unconscious Duke had been bound, gagged, and secured to a pipe. Faison entered the cavern and threw a bucket of cold water on Duke as he ordered Duke to wake up. Duke's sputtered around the gag and glared at Faison. Faison suggested that Duke get used to being Faison's prisoner because it wouldn't change anytime soon. Duke made a muffled vow to kill Faison with his bare hands, so Faison decided to remove the gag. Duke immediately called for help, but Faison revealed that no one could hear Duke.

Duke began to threaten Faison, so Faison slid Duke's gag back into place and told Duke that he should have stayed out of Faison's affairs and away from Anna. Moments later, Liesl entered the cavern with the tray of food. Faison was annoyed that it had taken her so long, so she explained that she had been trying to satisfy their suspicious daughter's curiosity. She warned Faison that they couldn't keep Duke hidden much longer, but Faison barked that it wouldn't have been a problem if Liesl had given him a son. "I'll forward your complaint to your sperm," Liesl replied with a sneer.

"You're both mad as hatters," Duke said. Faison looked at the tray of food with disgust and informed Liesl that he wanted his prisoner to be well fed. Liesl argued that Duke could expose them, so they should "eliminate" Duke, but Faison made it clear that Duke was not to be harmed. Liesl disagreed and lunged at Duke with a knife, but Faison quickly sprang into action and restrained her before the knife reached its target.

Liesl insisted that Duke's life didn't serve any purpose, but Duke disagreed. Duke explained that Faison wanted Duke alive to get to Anna because Faison was more obsessed than ever. According to Duke, all Faison knew was his desire for Anna, so Faison would say anything and use anyone to coerce his way into Anna's life. Faison stood behind Liesl, silently warning Duke to stop talking, but Duke ignored him.

Duke revealed that Faison intended to blackmail Anna into being with Faison by threatening to make Duke pay the price if she refused. Duke dared Faison to deny it, so Liesl asked if Duke was right. Faison pointed out that even a broken clock was right twice a day. Liesl was furious that she had fooled herself into thinking that Faison had given up on Anna.

"Did Sisyphus give up?" Faison whispered in Liesl's ear. "Sisyphus was cursed, you idiot. Doomed to eternal failure, as are you," Liesl growled. Faison argued that Liesl was wrong because he was certain that he could win Anna's love as he had in the past. Duke told Liesl that she wasn't powerless because there was a way that she could stop playing Faison's game and save herself in the bargain.

Faison insisted that Liesl was loyal "like a dog." Duke warned Liesl that Faison would never give up his quest for Anna, so she could put a stop to it all by giving herself up and cutting a deal. Faison was confident that Liesl would never do that. "Watch me," Liesl shot back as she turned to leave. Faison quickly grabbed Liesl, but she managed to retain a tight grip on the knife in her hand.

In the laboratory on Cassadine Island, Robert became frustrated when his latest attempt to open the door failed. Robert regretted that he had kept his brother in the dark because no one would know where to look for them. Anna suggested that they prepare for the guards, but Robert pointed out that the odds of overpowering them weren't in their favor because the two guards were young and burly. Anna proposed that they try to negotiate with the men, but Robert argued that they didn't have anything to bargain with.

Dejected, Anna and Robert began to talk to fill the time. Robert was suddenly struck by inspiration when Anna mentioned something from their past, so he asked her if she had any more gum. A short time later, Anna and Robert were each chewing on gum, but Robert complained about the flavor. Anna explained that it was their granddaughter's favorite and then looked up when she heard the door open. She casually spit the gum into her hand then made her way to the lunch tray and asked the guards if there had been any news about her daughter.

The guards refused to tell Anna anything, so Robert asked for some salt and perhaps a bottle of wine. One of the guards set a shaker of salt on the tray and then walked out with his partner. Anna and Robert quickly went to work. Robert used tape to lift the guard's thumbprint from the control panel as Anna grabbed the shaker of salt.

At the table, Robert sprinkled the salt on the tape to make the thumbprint three-dimensional. Next, Anna pressed a wad of gum on the salt and tape. Robert used his thumb to lift the wad of gum with the thumbprint impression and then went to the control panel. Seconds later, the door opened.

At the Drake residence, the doorbell rang as Sabrina draped the wedding dresses across the sofa. She was surprised when she saw Carlos standing on the doorstep. Carlos explained that he needed to talk to Sabrina and pushed his way into the house with a promise that it would only take a moment of her time. Carlos stopped short when he saw the dresses on the sofa and demanded to know what was going on.

Sabrina explained that she and Patrick had decided to get married the following week and then asked why Carlos was there instead of with Mr. Wells. Carlos realized that she had heard the news about Julian, so Sabrina admitted that she couldn't believe that Carlos had chosen a life of organized crime. Carlos claimed that he hadn't known that Derek Wells had once been a part of a crime family, but he assured Sabrina that Julian was a respected businessman and that Carlos' work for Julian was completely legitimate.

Sabrina appeared skeptical but conceded that it didn't have anything to do with her. Carlos disagreed because he intended to spend the rest of his life with her. Sabrina warned that it was a mistake to think that way because he would get hurt, but Carlos smiled because he realized that she cared. Sabrina freely admitted that she cared about him and wanted him to be happy because he had been a big part of her life for a long time. However, her future was with Patrick, not Carlos.

Carlos looked at the dresses with disgust because none of the dresses reflected who Sabrina really was. Sabrina decided that it was time for Carlos to leave, so she marched him to the door. Carlos insisted that he had something to tell her, but Sabrina wasn't interested and slammed the door in his face.

In the hospital's lab, Robin stood by the door and reminded herself to focus and save Jerry, so she could see Patrick again. She panicked when she heard a doctor in the hallway call out to Patrick as Patrick was about to enter the lab. Robin was stunned when she overheard Patrick talk about his plans to marry Sabrina the following week.

Patrick mentioned that he was at the lab to pick up test results from Brad, so the doctor revealed that Brad had just left. Patrick knew his way around the lab, so he was confident he could find the results without Brad's help. Robin managed to hide under a worktable before Patrick entered the lab.

Moments later, Sabrina entered the lab to drop off a wedding invitation for Ellie. Robin was forced to listen as Patrick and Sabrina talked about their wedding plans. Patrick pulled Sabrina close as he reminded her that she would soon be "Mrs. Doctor Patrick Drake" and then kissed her.

Patrick sensed that something was troubling Sabrina, so she admitted that Carlos had stopped by the house to talk to her about Derek Wells's true identity, Julian Jerome. Patrick was not happy that Carlos had been near Sabrina and Emma, so Sabrina assured Patrick that Emma had been at a sleepover. Patrick explained that Robin had been close to two men who had been in the mob and that they had endangered Robin, Emma, and Patrick on several occasions.

Sabrina suggested that they ask Anna to talk to Carlos to make it clear that Carlos was to keep his distance from them. Patrick agreed that it was a good idea and then announced that he needed to get some test results to Luke.

Meanwhile, Carlos asked a nurse if Sabrina was working, so she directed him to the lab.

After Patrick and Sabrina left the lab, Robin crawled out from under the table and then looked at wedding invitation that Sabrina had left behind. Moments later, Carlos burst through the door. "I told you I wasn't through, Sabrina," Carlos said to Robin's back. Robin froze, so Carlos reached out to turn her to face him. He was startled when he realized that she wasn't Sabrina.