Franco was in his bed, staring at the ceiling, when Kiki entered the room. She said hello and that she'd heard how Franco had saved Nina from Heather. She added that she hadn't been surprised, because she'd known there was good in him. "You always knew there was good in me," he stated suddenly. She was surprised that he knew who she was. "You're my daughter," he told her.
Kiki told Franco that she was sorry, and he interrupted her. He told her that, whatever she'd done, he would fix it, because money could fix anything. She reminded him that they'd thought he was her father, but he wasn't. Franco "remembered" the first time he'd held her "like it was yesterday." He remembered promising to "lay down in front of a train for you." Kiki gently told him that he hadn't known her when she'd been a baby, but he recalled Kiki being "a holy terror."
Franco continued that he'd tried to give Kiki everything, but he just hadn't been able to "be with your mother" like she'd wanted him to. He went on to say how bad he and Kiki's mother had been for each other. However, he recognized that, "because of her, I have you." Kiki again told Franco that she hadn't grown up with Franco, and she tearfully added that "my mom is dead." She revealed that she was there to ask Franco for advice. He wished he was "more together" for her, and she agreed.
Kiki explained Avery's custody situation to Franco and said that her lawyer thought Kiki had a chance of winning. Kiki wondered if taking Avery away from her father was the right thing to do. "No!" Franco cried. He roared that no father should be kept away from his daughter. Franco explained that people turned into better people once they became parents. Franco advised her to make the decision that would be best for Avery but would also allow Kiki to sleep at night.
Dante arrived at the police station and asked Nathan about Johnny breaking into Maxie's apartment. "You must be livid," Dante observed. "Not at Johnny," Nathan replied. Dante wanted Nathan to elaborate, but Nathan didn't want to "drag" Dante into Nathan's mess because it wasn't in Dante's best interest. The two men went into the interrogation room, and Dante told Nathan that he didn't care whether or not it was in his best interest. Dante wanted to be there for his friend and partner.
Nathan confided in Dante that the story of Johnny breaking into Maxie's apartment wasn't true and told him the real story. Dante wondered, aside from the possible legal implications, if Nathan thought he and Maxie could get past it. Nathan responded that he didn't want to change Maxie, but she didn't understand the trouble she'd caused for herself. Dante questioned whether or not Nathan could find a way to accept what Maxie had done.
Spinelli admitted to Maxie that Ellie thought Spinelli still loved Maxie. Maxie thought that was crazy and advised him to simply tell Ellie that it wasn't true. "It's not that simple," Spinelli told her. "Because? Is Ellie right?" Maxie wondered nervously. She remembered how happy Ellie and Spinelli had seemed the last time she'd seen them together. Spinelli had thought so, too, but then Ellie had started to act differently.
Spinelli explained that Ellie had observed all the "family moments" between him, Maxie, and Georgie, and she'd thought that the three belonged together. Spinelli hadn't considered it until Ellie had said something, and it had made him wonder if he'd been ignoring his innermost feelings. Ellie had decided not to make the trip to Port Charles so that Spinelli could figure out his feelings. Maxie reminded him that she'd told him she loved him, and he'd said he'd moved on. She demanded to know if he intended to start a life in Port Charles.
Spinelli explained that he'd originally intended to spend time with Maxie and Georgie to figure out his feelings, but "I came to my senses." He admitted that he'd only told Maxie what was going on because he thought the fact that she and Nathan had had an argument had been a sign for him to say something. He continued that he owed it to Maxie, Georgie, Ellie, and himself to consider the possibilities.
Spinelli added that the nature of Maxie and Nathan's argument suggested that they weren't "ideally suited." He continued that their "different ideologies" were creating "cracks" in the relationship, which showed that they were not a perfect couple. "And you and I are?" Maxie asked incredulously. Spinelli suggested that their two flawed halves made a "flawless whole."
Spinelli concluded that their longtime friendship, "and more," gave them a good foundation. Just then, there was a knock on the door. Maxie happily let Nathan in. She wondered if he had any news about Johnny, but he revealed that Johnny was still at large. Nathan greeted Spinelli and wondered where Ellie was. As Spinelli was about to honestly explain where Ellie was, Maxie chimed in that Ellie had had to work.
Alexis kissed Julian passionately. Julian wondered if "this" was really happening. "Are you in?" he asked her. "I'm in," she confirmed, smiling. She reminded him that her being there didn't mean that they didn't have problems. She was confident in her ability to resolve his legal problems, but they still had "issues." He urged her to put the serious problems on hold for the moment so he could enjoy being with her again.
Julian wondered what had happened, and Alexis explained her night and fight with Ned. She concluded by saying that she'd been trying to make something work that wasn't going to work and that Ned had been right when he'd accused her of wanting to be with Julian. She got into the small hospital bed with him as he reached for his phone to call Ned and thank him. Alexis slapped Julian's hand away from the phone. "You'll have to find another way to keep me occupied," he told her.
Alexis kissed Julian again, but he thought she could "do better. It's a small bed, but we can make it work," he joked. He urged her to wedge the door closed. "I would love to, but I gotta go," she told him. She informed him that she'd be back as soon as she broke up with Ned, because it was "common decency." He wondered if she knew how happy she'd made him. She smiled and left.
Michael opened an ELQ file on Sonny. He said there were other ways to make Sonny pay for killing A.J. Just then, Sabrina entered. She wanted to apologize to Michael. Carlos had been her date to the party on the Haunted Star. She continued that he'd claimed to know nothing about the bomb, but he'd been working for Luke. He'd known something was wrong, but he'd done nothing. Michael assured her that nothing had been her fault. She was thankful to Michael and Sonny for saving everyone at the party by getting the bomb off the ship.
Michael commented that Sonny should never have been pardoned. Sabrina apologized again, this time for mentioning Sonny. Michael showed the ELQ file to Sabrina and told her that it was a list of all Sonny's legitimate financial holdings, which he funneled his "criminal money" through. He reasoned that, since he couldn't target Sonny's family, which was the most important thing to Sonny, he could target the second most important thing to Sonny -- his power.
Just then, Alexis entered looking for Ned. Her phone rang, and she walked away to answer Kiki's call. A few minutes later, she told Kiki that she would be in touch and hung up. Michael wondered if he'd heard right -- that Kiki was calling about Avery's custody. She told him she wasn't at liberty to discuss it.
Later, Sabrina asked Michael if he was sure about his selected method of revenge on Sonny. "I've never been more sure of anything in my life."
Kiki got off the phone, and Franco made sure she was all right. "Not really," she muttered, but she thought she'd made the right decision. She wanted to keep Avery, but she couldn't keep Avery away from Sonny. She had to go, so Franco thanked her for the visit and said that he'd miss her. She promised to be back, but Franco thought he'd never see her again.
Kiki again promised to visit. "Don't promise that. Promise you'll live the life you're supposed to live. Tell the truth when you can. Find someone you love. Don't marry them unless you trust them. Believe in yourself. I want you to have an okay life. You deserve it," Franco tearfully advised her. "You've been a gift to me. I won't forget you," he added. She blew him a kiss and left. When she was gone, he wiped a tear from his eye and said, "Go get 'em, kid."
Sonny and Carly congratulated themselves on getting Avery to sleep. As they walked down the stairs, Carly noticed a picnic dinner set up in front of the roaring fireplace. Sonny wanted Carly to know that he loved her and was grateful to have her in his life. She kissed him.
Later, Carly remarked that "I could get used to this!" Sonny promised it would be "smooth sailing from now on." As the two kissed again, they heard Avery's cries from the baby monitor. They carried Avery downstairs and played with her a little bit while they discussed how Sonny was going to dedicate himself to being a better father.
Carly and Sonny went back upstairs to put Avery to bed. A few minutes later, Sonny wondered if Carly would help him redo Avery's room. He vowed to be there for Avery for the rest of his life. Just then, there was a knock on the door. A man entered and said that Sonny's guard had let him in. He handed Sonny an envelope and said, "You've been served." Sonny opened the envelope and revealed to Carly that Michael was suing him for custody of Avery.
When Olivia saw Ned, she thanked the nurse on the phone for "the information" and hung up. He wondered why she looked so scared and assured her that she could tell him anything. She revealed that she was just surprised to see him and wondered about his night with Alexis. Ned updated her on what had happened with Alexis. He informed her that her friend Melissa had shown up and given him a piece of her mind.
Olivia wondered what Melissa had said. Ned said that Melissa had called him an idiot and had told him that he and Olivia would be perfect together. Olivia was embarrassed and decided to call Melissa to demand an apology, but Ned stopped her. He revealed that he thought Melissa had been right. He thought he and Alexis had had the best of intentions, but Alexis and Julian belonged together. Olivia admitted that she was about to make things a lot more complicated. She revealed, "I'm pregnant with Julian's baby."
At the Quartermaine mansion, Michael heard a ruckus in the foyer as a maid tried to stop Carly from storming into the living room to talk to Michael. Michael assured the maid, Lina, it was fine and then waited for Lina to leave before asking why Carly was there. Carly cut to the chase by admitting she wanted to discuss his petition to sue for custody of Avery.
Michael clarified he had filed for custody of Avery because he believed his sister would be safer away from Sonny, but Carly suspected Michael's motivation was more personal; he wanted to hurt Sonny. She admitted he had succeeded because Sonny had been crushed when the documents had been delivered. Michael wasn't surprised Sonny and Carly had spent Valentine's Day together, reuniting after Sonny had only served 90 days in jail for murdering A.J. Carly insisted Sonny was not to blame for the governor's pardon, so it wasn't Michael's place to punish Sonny, but Michael insisted he didn't want his sister being raised by a murderer.
According to Michael, Sonny was a dangerous man who didn't value human life, but Carly staunchly defended Sonny. Michael explained a pardon hadn't changed anything; Sonny had killed A.J. Carly begged her son to reconsider because he was better than "this," but Michael was unmoved by the argument. He reminded her that both she and Sonny had taken Michael away from A.J. Carly insisted that she had made the choice she'd thought had been best for her son, but Michael laughed at the idea of a mob boss being a good choice.
Carly accused A.J. of being a "trust fund lush," so Michael conceded A.J. had been a mess. However, he assured Carly she need not worry about Avery because he wasn't an alcoholic. Carly switched tactics by suggesting Michael was more Sonny's son than Michael liked to admit because Michael's anger and desire for revenge had been passed down from Sonny. "Well, that's what you wanted, isn't it?" Michael asked with a sarcastic smirk.
Michael sobered as he vowed to make Avery a Quartermaine the way Sonny had made Michael a Corinthos, so Carly reminded Michael he would be hurting Avery by ripping his her away from her father. Michael scoffed because Avery had only lived with Sonny for three days.
Michael insisted he and his siblings had suffered because of Sonny by being kidnapped and even shot. Michael explained he'd rather not visit his sister in a hospital or attend her funeral, but Carly promised Sonny would protect Avery. She insisted Sonny was a good father, but Michael argued a good father would protect their child by letting go as Jason had with Jake.
Carly was certain a part of Michael, deep down inside, still loved Sonny because she had seen it when Michael had feared Sonny had died while saving Michael, and she had felt it when Michael had helped her give Sonny CPR. Carly insisted that Michael's love for Sonny had been written all over Michael's face, but Michael accused Carly of seeing what she wanted to see. Carly continued to try to change Michael's mind, but he refused to withdraw the petition of custody.
At Greystone Manor, Sonny held Avery in his arms as he spoke on the phone about having Spencer's birthday gift delivered. After Sonny ended the call, he told his daughter about her family and how he was eager for her to meet them. His smile slipped when he spotted the legal documents on his desk. "If you get the chance," he quietly muttered. Sonny admitted that he loved Avery's brother very much, but Sonny refused to allow anyone, including Michael, to take her away.
Later, Morgan stopped by to check on Sonny and Avery. Sonny smiled as he welcomed Morgan then told him Avery had settled in as if she had always belonged there. However, Sonny was concerned about Kiki. Morgan confessed Kiki had considered suing Sonny for custody, but had ultimately decided against it because she knew Avery should be with Sonny. Sonny showed Morgan the documents as he quickly filled Morgan in about Michael's petition for custody.
Morgan was outraged because Michael didn't have a biological or legal right to Avery, but Sonny made it clear Michael was his son regardless of recent events. Morgan was furious because he knew Michael's desire for custody of Avery was a way for Michael to hurt Sonny, so Morgan decided to have a talk with his brother and knock some sense into Michael. Sonny quickly stopped Morgan from leaving because it would make things worse, since Michael would resent anyone intervening on Sonny's behalf.
Sonny explained he had already contacted Diane Miller, who was confident that she could have the custody case thrown out. However, Sonny knew his troubles with Michael weren't over even if he prevailed in court because Michael hated him and wanted to see Sonny suffer. Sonny acknowledged that Michael was lost to him, but he refused to allow Michael to take Avery away. Morgan promised to always stand by Sonny's side, so Sonny hugged his son out of gratitude.
At Wyndemere, Helena held Spencer's hands as she guided him through the steps of a waltz as classical music filled the room. Helena was pleased with Spencer's progress, but Spencer feared she would hurt him if he messed up. Alarmed, Helena wondered what had given Spencer that idea, so he confessed he had heard the rumors about what she and Luke had done. Helena kneeled down to look Spencer in the eye as she assured him that she could never hurt him. "You're my beloved Spencer," Helena added as she stood up. She held out her hands to continue their waltz lesson.
Minutes later, Helena clapped with delight as she deemed Spencer a natural and true Cassadine. Nikolas appeared in the doorway to ask what Helena and Spencer were up to, so Spencer explained Helena had given Spencer a waltz lesson because Spencer intended to throw a birthday bash to end all parties later that evening. Helena beamed with pride as Spencer boldly asked about his birthday gift from Nikolas, but Nikolas insisted Spencer would receive it at the party. Nikolas quickly gathered Spencer's things then hustled his son out the door for school.
At Kelly's, Spencer, Josslyn, Cameron, and Emma gathered around a table as Spencer's driver, Chandler, carried their coats and backpacks to the counter, where he decided to keep an eye on the children over a cup of coffee. Spencer was eager to talk about his birthday party because he looked forward to having his girlfriend and best friends there. Cameron frowned as he reminded Spencer that they weren't best friends because Spencer hated Cameron. Emma added that Josslyn wasn't Spencer's girlfriend, either, which surprised Cameron.
Spencer admitted that Josslyn had only pretended to be his girlfriend to make Emma jealous, so Cameron asked why Josslyn would allow Spencer to use her like that. Cameron was startled when Josslyn suddenly blurted out that she had been in love with Cameron for a long time. "Why?" Cameron asked with disbelief. Josslyn listed several reasons, including his impressive origami skills, then admitted she had been waiting for Cameron to realize he had been wasting his time with Emma.
Emma took offense, but Josslyn ignored her rival as Josslyn admitted she was relieved the truth was out. Emma warned Josslyn to keep away from Cameron because Cameron was taken, but Spencer revealed Emma had known the truth about Spencer's feelings and relationship with Josslyn since Thanksgiving. Cameron was hurt Emma hadn't mentioned anything sooner, but Emma explained that she hadn't realized it had mattered. Spencer seemed to delight in the spat between Cameron and Emma but changed the subject by announcing the dress for the party was formal then listing the various stores where he was registered for gifts.
In Patrick's office, Lulu revealed to Tracy and Elizabeth that Luke had been hateful toward Lulu during Lulu's recent visit with Luke in jail. Lulu added that Luke had also denied that his behavior had had anything to do with Helena. Tracy pointed out that Luke was clearly wrong, so Lulu agreed because she was certain her father would have never have talked to Lulu the way Luke had in jail. Elizabeth assured the ladies that Patrick would have answers for them soon, but Tracy was tired of waiting, so she marched to the door, intent on tracking Patrick down.
Tracy stopped short when she saw a grim-faced Patrick standing on the doorstep, so she stepped aside to let him enter because Tracy, Lulu, and Elizabeth were eager to hear what Luke and Jake's MRIs had revealed. Patrick confessed it had been a bit difficult to look for something when he hadn't been clear what he had been looking for, so the ladies explained that Helena had claimed a microchip had been implanted into Luke and Jake's brain, which had given Helena control over each man's mind. Tracy demanded to know if Patrick had found anything, so he admitted he had.
Patrick slid an MRI brain scan out of an envelope and clipped it to a lit board as he showed them the location of a small device hidden behind scar tissue on Jake's frontal lobe. Elizabeth was relieved when Patrick conceded that the device might explain Jake's recent actions, so Lulu and Tracy relaxed. Lulu and Tracy wanted to know when Patrick could operate on Luke because they were anxious to get the old Luke back, but Patrick's eyes filled with regret as he explained that he hadn't found any indication that Luke had had a similar device implanted on his brain.
At Wyndemere, Nikolas noticed Helena had been enjoying her newfound freedom, so Helena reminded him that she had done her civic duty by giving the authorities imperative information about how she had been controlling Luke and Jake's minds. Helena confided she had enjoyed watching her grandson yank Scott's chain, but Nikolas wanted more answers from his grandmother. Helena grudgingly agreed to cooperate, so Nikolas asked how Jake had fit into everything.
Nikolas wondered if Helena had targeted Jake because Elizabeth had cared about Jake, but Helena assured Nikolas that she wouldn't have wasted a second tormenting Elizabeth. Nikolas wasn't convinced because that hadn't stopped her before, so Helena reluctantly admitted that she had known Jake before Jake had arrived in Port Charles. Nikolas quickly surmised that Jake had been struck by a car while fleeing from Helena, so Helena confirmed Nikolas' theory. Helena added that Jake's memory loss had been serendipitous because it had worked to her advantage.
Nikolas realized Helena knew Jake's true identity, so he demanded she tell him who Jake was. Helena prepared to tell Nikolas, but Lulu suddenly stormed into the living room to accuse Helena of lying and going back on the deal for full immunity. Helena clarified that she had told the truth about Jake, but not Luke because Lulu wouldn't have accepted the truth about Luke. Helena denied Luke was under her control, but Lulu angrily ranted at Helena until she grabbed Helena, ready to shake the truth out of the Cassadine matriarch if necessary. Nikolas finally stepped in to pull his sister away from Helena.
Nikolas reminded Helena that he wouldn't hesitate to send her back to jail if she didn't reveal the truth about Luke, but Helena insisted Luke's murderous impulses had been Luke's own and that Luke had acted of his own free will. Lulu didn't believe Helena because Luke had been behaved completely out of character at the jail and by planting the bomb. Helena snidely suggested perhaps Luke had gotten sick of Lulu, but Nikolas resented Helena insulting his sister, so he ordered Helena to reveal what had really happened to Luke.
At the local jail, Luke ate his breakfast as Jake lay on a cot in a cell across from Luke's. Luke was curious if Jake thought Patrick would find anything on the MRIs they had each undergone the previous evening to find out if Helena had done something to control each of their minds. Jake ignored Luke because he didn't want to talk to a guy who had treated his daughter as terribly as Luke had Lulu.
Luke insisted Jake was a lucky man not to be burdened with the memory of family and friends, but Jake disagreed because Jake would have rather died than hurt his loved ones the way Luke had. Luke brushed off the insult as he reminded Jake that Jake had been the one to plant the bomb, but Jake argued it had been on Helena's orders. Luke snickered because he knew Jake hoped the tests would exonerate Jake of wrongdoing. However, Luke warned Jake there was a strong possibility Helena had made up the story to get out of trouble, which meant Jake had been responsible for his actions.
Jake was certain Helena had controlled his mind because Jake hadn't wanted to hurt anyone. Jake was eager to clear his name, not just for himself but for Elizabeth too. Luke conceded Elizabeth was a lovely woman, and it was clear Jake's most cherished dream would be to justify her faith in Jake, so Jake conceded Luke was right. Jake was surprised Luke seemed perfectly content not to have proof of Helena's mind control, so Luke denied being under Helena's control.
Luke insisted he was responsible for his own actions. Jake thought Helena had done a number on Luke's mind for Luke to treat his own daughter, Lulu, the way Luke had. Luke accused Jake of being a judgmental assassin, but Jake was unapologetic because Jake hated what Jake had done. However, Jake took comfort in knowing he hadn't wanted to do the terrible things Helena had ordered him to do. "Don't you want to say the same thing?" Jake asked.
"Hell, no," Luke answered. Luke refused to blame anyone for his actions and insisted he didn't have a problem with who he was. Moments later, Elizabeth arrived to tell Jake about what Patrick had found. Jake was delighted and anxious to get the device removed from his brain, so Elizabeth explained preparations had been made to transfer Jake to the hospital for surgery. "Love is in the air," Luke snidely remarked, so Jake asked about Luke's MRI. Elizabeth cryptically revealed that Luke wasn't Jake's problem, but Luke knew it meant Patrick hadn't found anything implanted in Luke's brain to prove Luke had been Helena's puppet.
Shortly after Elizabeth and Jake left, Tracy paid Luke a visit. Luke warned her that she was wasting her time if she intended to complain about Helena controlling his mind. Tracy assured him she knew it was not the case because no one owned him. Luke was pleased she finally understood he was the real Luke Spencer, so Tracy asked what had changed him so drastically.
Luke claimed he had wanted power. According to Luke, he had stepped aside to be with Laura, which had allowed Sonny to take over the territory. However, one day Luke had realized Sonny had everything Luke had ever wanted, so Luke had reached out to Julian in the Witness Protection Program to begin steps to take back everything that should have been Luke's. Tracy wondered what kind of power Luke craved that he was willing to leave his grandson an orphan, so Luke smiled with malice as he explained he wanted the kind of power inspired by fear; he wanted everyone in Port Charles to fear him.
Tracy remained skeptical that Luke had truly been driven by a desire for power because he had been willing to kill his entire family. Luke claimed Tracy had been his main target, but he had decided to kill the rest of his family because he had wanted a fresh start. Tracy smiled because Luke's remarks had confirmed there was more to going on with Luke than met they eye. Luke appeared nervous when Tracy vowed to get to the bottom of things.
Meanwhile, Jake and Elizabeth entered Patrick's office. Jake was eager to have the mind control microchip removed from his brain, but Patrick quietly explained that the operation might not be possible because it could kill Jake.
At the Quartermaine mansion, Olivia apologized for intruding on Ned's morning, but Ned assured her it was fine. Olivia quickly explained that she had stopped by to let Ned know that she had been mistaken about her pregnancy because she had taken another home pregnancy test to confirm that she was not pregnant. Ned knew she was lying because he recalled Olivia had mentioned that she'd had blood work done, which had determined she was pregnant.
Olivia's eyes welled up with tears as she confessed Ned was right; she was pregnant. Ned was curious why she had tried to lie to him, so Olivia apologized because she knew that Ned had deserved better. However, she was desperate to keep the pregnancy a secret. Surprised, Ned wondered if Olivia intended to terminate the pregnancy, because she couldn't keep the pregnancy hidden much longer. Olivia conceded that an abortion was an option, but not one she could live with, so she had decided to leave town.
Stunned, Ned asked if she was prepared to leave both Dante and Rocco behind, but Olivia insisted it was necessary because she couldn't allow Julian to find out about the baby, since Julian was a "sleazy mobster" who had done a "piss-poor" job of protecting his family. Olivia reminded Ned that Lucas had been shot because of Julian and that Alexis' house had been fire-bombed when Alexis, Molly, and Danny had been scheduled to be home. Ned refused to allow Olivia to run away, so he asked her to give him time to figure things out.
After Olivia agreed, Ned asked if she had seen a doctor. Olivia confessed she hadn't, so Ned offered to take Olivia to the doctor. Olivia was touched, but Ned promised that he intended to be there for her.
In Julian's hospital room, Julian squeezed a small stress ball as Alexis entered the room. He grumbled the ball had been the only thing the guard had permitted Julian to use to burn off energy, so Alexis offered to keep Julian active with a kiss. Julian pulled back as he warned her he would only kiss her if she had ended things with Ned. Alexis quietly confessed she hadn't had time to break up with Ned because Ned hadn't been home, but Julian wasn't satisfied, since he believed there had been sufficient time for Alexis to talk to Ned.
Julian questioned if Alexis truly wanted to be with him, but Alexis resented the question. She informed Julian that she had been busy persuading Scott to drop all charges against Julian and release him from police custody. Startled, Julian apologized then expressed his eagerness to get out of the hospital. Alexis decided to make Julian squirm by refusing to fetch the guard to remove the handcuffs, so Julian tried to bribe her with a kiss. Alexis declined, claiming she was no longer interested.
Later, Alexis pushed Julian's wheelchair to the elevator as they prepared to leave the hospital. Alexis took pleasure in jarring Julian when she bumped his wheelchair into the wall. Julian feigned annoyance as the two flirtatiously bantered until the elevator doors opened. However, their smiles quickly vanished when Alexis and Julian saw Ned and Olivia exit the elevator.
In Patrick's office, Jake admitted he needed time to consider everything Patrick had told him, so Patrick nodded in understanding. Elizabeth started to follow Patrick out, but Jake asked her to stay because he wanted to discuss his options with her. After Patrick left, Jake conceded that he could play things safe by leaving the microchip in his brain, but it would mean he would remain under Helena's control. Jake couldn't live with the possibility that he might be used to hurt Elizabeth or her children, so the answer seemed simple to him.
"Live free or die," Jake explained. Elizabeth was uneasy with Jake's decision to have the life-threatening surgery because people cared about him. Jake scoffed at the suggestion, but she pointed out that at least one person did care. Jake realized she had been referring to herself, so he assured her that he appreciated everything she had done for him. Jake realized Elizabeth had been the only person to believe in him when no one else had, but Elizabeth insisted she hadn't wanted to lose their friendship.
Jake appeared touched by Elizabeth's confession, but she quickly shifted the focus back to Jake's options. Elizabeth offered to talk to Nikolas to find out if there was a way to neutralize the microchip in Jake's brain so Jake could avoid surgery, but Jake didn't trust Helena to tell the truth.
In the hallway, Patrick greeted Sam as she approached him to ask if there had been any word about Jake. Patrick admitted Jake had a difficult choice to make because the surgery might leave Jake incapacitated or worse -- dead. Sam recalled Jason had once been in a similar situation when Patrick had given Jason the same odds, but Patrick assured Sam that Jason and Jake were completely different people.
Moments later, Jake and Elizabeth approached Patrick. Jake announced he had decided to go through with the surgery, but Patrick reminded Jake of what could go wrong. Jake insisted he was willing to risk it but made it clear that he wanted to be removed from life support if he ended up in a vegetative state. Elizabeth didn't want to think about it, so Jake changed the subject by revealing he didn't have medical insurance. Both Elizabeth and Sam assured Jake it wouldn't be a problem, but Patrick was more concerned about full disclosure as he confessed his last surgical patient had died.
Jake asked for Elizabeth's opinion of Patrick as a surgeon, so she promised Patrick was the best. Satisfied, Jake reiterated he wanted Patrick to operate.
Later, Jake was being wheeled to the operating room when Sam asked for a moment to talk to Jake. Jake was glad Sam was there because he wanted her to know he intended to make up for everything he had done to her. Sam insisted she just wanted him to make it through surgery okay. She wished him luck, but Jake suddenly frowned as he recalled pulling out a wedding band from the box he had seen in Sam's bedroom and then sliding the ring on. "There was only one ring," Jake murmured as he recalled seeing only Sam's wedding ring in the box when he had looked in it.
Confused, Sam asked what Jake was talking about, but he didn't have an opportunity to reply as the nurses proceeded to take him to the operating room. A short time later, Patrick offered Jake a few words of encouragement before Elizabeth leaned down to gently ask Jake to begin counting backwards from ten. Jake started to count as he suddenly had flashbacks of a meeting with Helena when Helena had revealed he was Jason Morgan. Jake fought the anesthesia to try to tell Elizabeth.
At Wyndemere, Helena promised to do whatever was necessary to keep peace with Nikolas, even if it meant telling Lulu what Helena knew about Luke. Tracy entered the living room, eager to hear what Helena had to say, but Lulu was curious if Tracy had talked to Luke. Tracy admitted she had but confessed Luke hadn't made any sense, so Tracy had decided to have a chat with Luke's partner in crime, Helena.
Helena explained she had fled to Amsterdam after the Crichton-Clark Clinic had been destroyed because she'd known Jerry Jacks had a safe house in the Netherlands. According to Helena, she had been surprised to discover Luke with Jerry in Amsterdam. She had initially been alarmed because Luke had shot her and left her for dead during their last encounter, but Luke had surprised Helena with an unexpected offer. Luke had wanted to join forces with Helena to break Sonny and take over Port Charles.
Helena explained Luke had been determined to take down anyone who got in his way, but Tracy was skeptical. Helena assured Tracy it was true and revealed that Faison had been put into place to provide Luke with an opportunity to return to Port Charles. Helena conceded Luke had behaved strangely when she had checked on him at Miscavige to ensure he would be found, but he had snapped out of it when she had threatened him. However, Helena had been surprised by Luke's hostility and his lack of awareness of their arrangement.
Lulu noticed Helena talked about Luke as if he had been two different people, but Helena suspected whatever was afflicting Luke was far more complicated than that. Helena explained she had once overheard Luke talking to someone in the basement, but she had only heard Luke's voice. Later, Helena had discovered Luke had been talking to Bill Eckert's corpse. Nikolas was stunned, but Tracy was curious if Luke had acknowledged talking to a corpse. Helena admitted she had tried to broach the subject, but Luke had threatened to void their partnership if Helena had continued to pursue it.
Tracy was frustrated because Helena hadn't given them any valuable information. Helena disagreed; she had given Lulu and Tracy the pieces to a puzzle. Helena insisted Luke was deranged, and it was tied to the house on Elm Street. Helena suspected something traumatic had occurred in the basement of Luke's childhood home, which had eventually given rise to Luke's dark side. Helena conceded she liked the new version of Luke, but Tracy was disgusted and stormed out. Lulu followed Tracy as Nikolas promised to call his sister if he learned anything else that might be of use.
After Tracy and Lulu left, Helena asked Nikolas to call for breakfast because the confession had worked up her appetite. Nikolas suggested breakfast could wait because he wanted to finish their earlier conversation about Jake. Nikolas demanded to know who Jake was. Helena produced a small box that contained the answer to Nikolas' question. Nikolas looked inside but didn't recognize the ring. Helena suggested Nikolas read the inscription, so he picked it up and saw it had once belonged to Alan Quartermaine.
Helena explained Monica had given Nikolas' "bastard cousin, Samantha" the ring, which Sam had given to Jake on their wedding day.
At the local jail, Luke lounged on a cot until a guard announced that Luke had a visitor. Luke couldn't imagine anyone was left who would want to yell at him until Bobbie approached the jail cell. He immediately advised her to save her breath because he had heard it all before from the "whole herd of sheep" before her. Bobbie argued that none of them knew him better than she did because they had grown up together and shared the same history.
Bobbie's voice quivered with emotion as she demanded an explanation for what her brother had done. Luke was unapologetic as he freely admitted he had been responsible for the bomb on the Haunted Star, but he snidely reminded her everyone had survived thanks to Sonny. Luke was furious that Sonny had managed to use the incident to wrangle a full pardon, but Bobbie didn't want to talk about Sonny. She wanted to know how Luke could have ordered a hit on his own nephew and namesake.
Luke clarified that Lucas wasn't his family by blood and added that he hadn't asked Bobbie to name her son after him. However, he denied putting a hit on Lucas specifically. He had simply ordered a hit on someone in Julian's family to teach Julian a lesson about trying to walk away from Luke. Bobbie was horrified when Luke revealed he had been at Lucas' bedside to finish the job, but Julian had foiled his plans.
Bobbie tearfully admitted she had always believed she could count on her brother because she had always seen Luke as her protector who would save the day, no matter what she did or who was after her. She reminded him they were Spencers, who had been through dark and bleak times together, especially during their childhood. "Where are you, Luke?" Bobbie cried in desperation.
Luke suddenly clutched his head as his eyes clouded with confusion. He looked around and asked where he was. Bobbie's anger flared because she was certain it was an act, but Luke begged his sister to tell him why he was in jail. Bobbie refused to play his games so she started to leave, but Luke implored Bobbie to help him as he became increasingly agitated. Luke denied doing anything wrong and blamed everything on the man who had stolen his face, but Bobbie believed she finally saw Luke for who he really was. She informed him that he meant nothing to her and then left.
Luke appeared frantic as he cried out, "What's going on?" Luke muttered to himself then called out for Anna, Tracy, or Lulu. Luke begged someone to help him because he was an innocent man. "That's what they all say," a familiar voice said. Luke turned and saw the man with his face standing on the other side of the cell, wearing a police uniform. Luke demanded to know who the man was and what he had done to Luke, so the man suggested Luke listen carefully.
"I am you, and you are me. We are the same," the man with Luke's face told Luke. Luke refused to accept that because the "impostor" had done terrible things. The man with Luke's face advised Luke to calm down because Luke was making a fool out of both of them, but Luke yelled for someone to get him out of jail. Luke's vision suddenly cleared as a guard stood before him. The guard warned Luke to be quiet, and he left. Luke was shaken when he realized the man with his face had been a hallucination.
Meanwhile, Bobbie met Tracy and Lulu at Kelly's. Bobbie confessed she was upset after visiting with Luke because she hadn't expected Luke to be as cold and unfeeling as he had been. However, Bobbie was furious that Luke had continued to play mind games with her by pretending to suddenly turn into a different person. Tracy and Lulu quickly filled Bobbie in about their meeting with Helena and Helena's suspicion that the two sides of Luke were connected to a traumatic event in the house on Elm Street during Luke and Bobbie's childhood.
Bobbie conceded it was possible, but she confessed her recollections of her years in the house on Elm Street were hazy. However, Bobbie knew someone who might be able to provide some clarity.
At the hospital, Carly approached Sam to ask if it was true that Jake was in surgery. Sam nodded as she explained Jake had just been taken to the operating room. Carly was stunned by what Helena had done, but she was also relieved to have proof that Jake hadn't been responsible for his actions. Sam admitted she believed Jake's claims because Sam had seen firsthand how horrified Jake had been when the memories of helping Faison escape and planting the bomb on the Haunted Star had flooded back.
However, Sam was troubled by an odd remark Jake had made prior to being taken to surgery. Carly was curious what Jake had said, so Sam told her about Jake's remark about there only being one ring. Confused, Carly asked what ring Jake had been referring to, but Sam had no idea.
Later, Carly apologized to Sam for saying harsh things to Sam when Sam had accused Jake of taking Sam hostage and helping Faison escape. Sam was surprised by the apology, but conceded Carly hadn't been completely wrong about Jake because Jake had been Helena's puppet. Carly regretted abandoning Jake by handing the evidence over to the police and then turning her back on him, but Sam insisted Carly had had a lot going on at the time.
The conversation drifted to Sonny's pardon. Sam was happy Sonny wouldn't have to serve life in jail because Avery would need her father, but Carly revealed Michael had petitioned for custody of Avery to punish Sonny for A.J.'s death. Sam was stunned because she feared Michael's petition would hurt Avery, but Carly explained Michael believed he was protecting Avery from Sonny's lifestyle. Sam agreed danger surrounded Sonny, but Carly insisted Sonny was a devoted father to Avery.
Sam couldn't argue that Sonny was a loving father but she reminded Carly that each of Sonny's children had faced danger because of Sonny's choices. Carly admitted Michael had hit Sonny where Sonny had been most vulnerable, which was a tactic Michael had learned from Sonny. Carly realized the adage to "be careful what you wish for because you might get it" was true because Carly had learned the lesson the hard way.
Carly explained she had hoped to keep Michael away from A.J. because she hadn't wanted Michael exposed to A.J.'s toxic combination of self-pity and entitlement. According to Carly, A.J. had never taken responsibility for his actions because A.J. had been a weak person, so Carly had wanted Michael to grow up to be like Jason and Sonny because both men were fearless, smart, and willing to pay the price for their actions. Carly pointed out that Michael was everything Carly, Sonny, and Jason had raised Michael to be, but Michael had used the things they had taught him to hurt Sonny.
Carly's eyes filled with tears as she cried in frustration over not being able to get through to her eldest child to make him understand how his actions were ripping their family apart. Sam hugged Carly until Carly pulled herself together. As Carly sniffled, she tried to imagine what Jason would say if he saw Sam comforting Carly. Sam suspected Jason would think hell had frozen over.
In the operating room, Elizabeth urged Jake to relax as he counted backwards from ten. She promised that soon everything Helena had put into his head would be gone, but Jake suddenly recalled Helena confessing he was really Jason Morgan. Jake fought the anesthesia, so Elizabeth leaned down to ask what Jake was trying to say. Jake whispered that he knew who he was but fell asleep as the anesthesia kicked in.
Later, Patrick sensed Elizabeth was troubled, so he offered to have someone step in for her because he appreciated that she was in a difficult position. Elizabeth assured Patrick she was fine, but she was curious if Patrick had heard Jake reveal he remembered who he was. She realized it could have been the result of the anesthesia, but Patrick conceded Jake could have remembered. Patrick added they would find out when Jake woke up. "If he wakes up," Elizabeth quietly replied with a pensive expression.
A short time later, Patrick removed the microchip from Jake's brain, but the alarms suddenly sounded as Jake's vital signs crashed. Patrick and Elizabeth sprang into action to save Jake's life.
Later, Carly and Sam were anxious for news about Jake's surgery when they saw Patrick leave the operating room.
At Wyndemere, Nikolas was shocked when he realized he was holding Jason's wedding band. Helena promised to wait while he finished putting the pieces together. "Are you telling me that Jake is actually Jason?" Nikolas asked in disbelief. Helena smiled with satisfaction as she confirmed Jake was indeed Jason Morgan, so Nikolas decided to tell his cousin, Sam. Helena immediately objected because she insisted Jake was not Sam's husband.
Helena reminded Nikolas that all Sam knew of Jake was that Jake had taken Sam hostage and had helped Faison escape. Helena chuckled at the irony of Jason helping the man who had tried to kill him flee justice, but Nikolas was not amused. He was determined to share the news with Sam, but Helena advised Nikolas to reconsider because Helena wouldn't hesitate to reveal his true association with Kyle Sloane and Nikolas' part in the rigged mayoral election. Nikolas argued that only Helena had benefited from Nikolas' actions, but Helena vowed to share the proof if Nikolas told Sam the truth about Jake.
Nikolas was curious why his grandmother wanted him to remain quiet about Jake's true identity, so Helena handed him a file on ELQ that held all the answers. Nikolas looked in the folder, which contained Skye Quartermaine's shares of ELQ as well as Skye's daughter's shares. Nikolas pointed out that even with Skye's shares, he would only have 32 percent of the votes, which was not enough to secure control of ELQ. Helena insisted there were several Quartermaines not loyal to Michael who might support Nikolas' bid to seize control of ELQ, including Nikolas' ex-girlfriend, Brook Lynn.
Nikolas realized Jason was the heart of the Quartermaines and completely loyal to Michael, so everyone would follow Jason's votes if Jason were revealed to be alive. Helena was pleased with Nikolas' insight into the Quartermaine family dynamics, but he reminded Helena that the Quartermaines had once been his in-laws. However, Nikolas was uncomfortable with keeping the news about Jason from Sam because Jason had a son. Helena scoffed because Jason had never been a father to Danny, and Danny had no memory of Jason. Nikolas argued that a lot of people cared about Jason including Elizabeth, so he was curious how Helena expected him to lie to Elizabeth.
As if on cue, Elizabeth appeared in the doorway.
At the hospital, tensions were high when Alexis and Julian bumped into Olivia and Ned as Olivia and Ned exited the elevator. After the two couples exchanged stilted greetings, Ned asked why Julian wasn't back in jail. Julian grinned with satisfaction as he announced that Alexis had managed to get the charges against Julian dropped, so Julian was free to pick up his life where he had left off. Ned didn't bother to hide his disdain as he congratulated Alexis. Julian seized the opportunity to remind Alexis that she had wanted to talk to "Ted" about something, so Alexis carefully asked if she could speak to Ned privately.
Olivia assured Ned it was fine, so Ned followed Alexis to a quiet corner, where Alexis confessed that Ned had been right when he had accused Alexis of wanting to be with Julian. Alexis apologized for lashing out at Ned but admitted she had been defensive because she hadn't been ready to admit the truth. She promised Ned that she had entered into their relationship with the best of intentions because she had really wanted things to work out between her and Ned. She hoped he could forgive her, since she wanted to remain friends.
"How?" Ned asked. Ned thought it was a mistake for Alexis to reconcile with Julian because Julian would end up in legal trouble again. Ned went as far as to suggest that Julian was more interested in Alexis' legal skills than in a real relationship with her. Julian overheard Ned's cruel words, so Julian declared his love for Alexis. Ned was not impressed as the two men began to trade heated words. Meanwhile, a nurse approached Olivia to reschedule Olivia's appointment with Dr. Chu because Dr. Chu had been called away on an emergency.
"Are you pregnant?" Julian asked when the nurse walked away. Olivia sputtered with indignation as she tried to brush it off as a preposterous question. Julian knew Dr. Chu was an OB/GYN, so Ned informed Julian that it didn't concern Julian. Julian disagreed because he might be the baby's father if Olivia was pregnant, but Alexis reminded Julian there were a thousand different reasons a woman would need to see a gynecologist. Julian demanded an answer from Olivia, but Ned resented Julian badgering Olivia.
Ned and Julian continued to argue until they decided to step outside to settle their argument with their fists. Olivia panicked when Julian and Ned entered the elevator, so she blurted out that she was pregnant. Julian stopped the door from sliding closed then stepped out of the elevator with Ned trailing behind. Julian assumed he was the father, but Ned recalled Olivia explaining that she didn't want Julian to know about the baby. Ned shocked Olivia by claiming he, not Julian, was the baby's father.
At Greystone Manor, Sonny wrapped up a phone call with a request for the caller to keep Sonny updated. Moments later, Duke entered the living room. Sonny warmly greeted his friend, so Duke congratulated Sonny on becoming a father again and gave Sonny a gift for Avery. After Sonny thanked Duke, Duke revealed he also wanted to return control of the Corinthos organization to Sonny by turning over the "keys to the kingdom."
Sonny surprised Duke by declining because Sonny couldn't afford to be associated in any way with organized crime while he battled for custody of Avery. Duke was shocked when Sonny filled Duke in about Michael's petition for custody of Avery. Sonny insisted he needed to be careful because his character would be called into question, so Sonny wanted Duke to remain in charge until Avery's custody was settled.
At Kelly's, Kyle Sloane was startled when Anna suddenly approached the counter and swiped a French fry from his plate as she sat down next to him. Kyle was curious what she was doing in town, so she revealed she had wrapped things up in Washington, DC, then informed him that the charges against her had been dropped. Kyle made a snide remark about Anna paying people off but added that it didn't matter because she was still out of a job.
"Oh, on the contrary," Anna replied with a smug smile. She revealed she had taken a new job and officially introduced herself as Special Agent Anna Devane. "My first order of business is you," Anna added. She explained she intended to launch an investigation into the recent mayoral election because she suspected Kyle had conspired with Mayor Lomax to secure the election in exchange for Kyle being appointed the new police commissioner.
Kyle was curious how Anna intended to prove it, but Anna merely smiled and warned him that she intended to take him -- and everyone who had helped him -- down. Frustrated, Kyle grabbed her wrist to warn her to be careful, but Duke suddenly reached for Kyle's wrist and squeezed it. "Get your hands off the lady," Duke growled in warning.
Kyle smirked as he made a remark about Anna's criminal friends. After Kyle stormed off, Anna thanked Duke for the intervention but assured him that she'd had everything under control. Duke confessed that he couldn't stand to see any man put his hands on her, but he was curious why Kyle had been in a foul mood. Anna revealed that she had accepted a position as a federal agent assigned to clean up Port Charles. She warned Duke to be careful because she would go after him next if he still worked for Sonny.
At the Quartermaine mansion, Michael smiled as he ended a phone call. His mood improved when Sabrina arrived to drop off notes she had made for the clinic. Michael suggested they go over her suggestions, so Sabrina commented on his obvious good mood. Michael bragged that he had scored his first victory in the war against Sonny because Sonny's attorney had failed to get Michael's petition for custody of Avery tossed out. Michael insisted it was proof his request had merit.
Sabrina smiled politely as she congratulated Michael, but he sensed she wanted to say more. Sabrina confessed she was concerned because it seemed Michael had been driven by revenge rather than what was best for his sister, Avery. Michael conceded he wanted to pay Sonny back for what Sonny had done to A.J. by taking Avery from Sonny the way Sonny had taken Michael from A.J., but Michael also wanted to protect Avery from the danger of Sonny's lifestyle. Michael decided to spare Sabrina the ugly details, but he revealed he had once lingered in a coma for a year because he had been shot in the head by a bullet meant for Sonny.
Michael didn't want Avery to suffer the way Michael and his siblings had, but Sabrina remained skeptical. Michael reminded Sabrina that even she had targeted Avery to hurt Ava. Sabrina tensed, so Michael quickly assured Sabrina he had simply wanted to illustrate to her that Sonny's children lived with a target on their backs because of Sonny's lifestyle. Michael promised he had thought things through carefully before proceeding with the petition for custody of Avery, but Sabrina remained uneasy.
Moments later, Sonny entered the room. Sabrina quickly tried to excuse herself, but Michael asked her to stay. Sonny explained he wanted to talk to Michael in private, so Sabrina slipped out of the room before Michael could stop her. After Sabrina left, Sonny explained that Michael didn't have to worry about Avery's safety because Sonny had decided to stay out of the mob. Michael didn't believe Sonny, since it would be easy for Sonny to use Duke as a figurehead, but Sonny assured Michael it was true.
Sonny reminded Michael that Michael had had a good life growing up, but Michael disagreed because it had been "open season" on Michael Corinthos III, while Morgan had been hidden away in military school and Alexis had "mercifully" kept Kristina away from Sonny as much as Alexis could. Sonny promised not to let anything happen to Avery, but Michael argued that no one was safe around Sonny, and he ordered Sonny to leave.
At the local jail, Luke heard the voice of the hallucination he'd had of himself reminding Luke that they were the same person. Luke cried no as a guard appeared to announce Luke had a visitor. It was Tracy. Luke's eyes filled with tears as he begged her to help him because he was in trouble. Luke realized what he said next might sound crazy, but he suspected the man with his face had never existed.
Luke feared he was the man who had done all the horrible things he had been accused of. Luke tearfully implored Tracy to help as she looked deep into his eyes. He sagged with relief when she quietly assured Luke that she believed him. Luke acknowledged she didn't have any reason to trust him after everything that had happened, but Tracy confessed Helena had hinted Luke had been suffering from some type of psychological problem. Luke immediately accused Helena of exerting some kind of mind control over him, but Tracy shook her head as she explained that it wasn't as simple as that.
Tracy revealed that she had talked to Luke's "other side," so Tracy had firsthand knowledge what the dark half of Luke was like. Tracy suspected Luke's issue was somehow tied to a traumatic event that had occurred in the house on Elm Street when Luke had been a child, so Luke conceded growing up with Tim Spencer as a father had hardly been "Christmas with the Osmonds." However, he couldn't think of anything specific that would trigger him to wreak havoc on Port Charles without conscious thought.
Luke became increasingly agitated when Tracy questioned him about his childhood until she mentioned his older sister, Patricia. "Stop!" Luke suddenly yelled as his dark side emerged. "You mind your own business, you miserable bitch," Luke growled. Tracy immediately recognized the man who had plotted to kill Luke's loved ones, so she vowed to do everything in her power to help Luke. Luke coldly told her to take the hint and leave him alone, but Tracy remained determined to get answers.
Luke's temper flared when Tracy revealed she intended to find Pat, so he warned that Pat was long gone and likely dead. Tracy was undeterred because she was desperate to get to the bottom of things. Luke hurled threats until Tracy left. Afterwards, he began to mutter to himself as he paced the cell like a caged lion. "If the truth comes out, things are gonna go south real fast for both of us," Luke said.
At the loft, Lulu was surprised when Maxie stopped by for a visit with Georgie. Lulu quickly scooped Georgie out of Maxie's arms as Maxie followed Lulu into the apartment. Lulu cooed over Georgie and confessed the little girl was beautiful. Maxie tensed when she suddenly realized that it might be awkward for Lulu to be around Georgie, but Lulu assured Maxie it was fine because Lulu understood Georgie was Maxie's daughter as much as Rocco was Lulu's son. Lulu introduced Georgie to Rocco as she set the baby on the floor next to Rocco.
Maxie and Lulu beamed with pride as they agreed Rocco and Georgie were "epically adorable." Lulu pointed out that Rocco and George might one day date and fall in love, which meant Lulu and Maxie might become in-laws along with Spinelli. Maxie seized the opportunity to tell Lulu about Spinelli's breakup with Ellie and Spinelli's desire to be a family with Maxie. Lulu was surprised because Maxie was with Nathan, so Maxie opened up about how Maxie had helped Johnny flee town.
Maxie explained she had confided to Spinelli about her fear that Nathan might not forgive her, which had led Spinelli to believe Spinelli and Maxie had a chance to make things work. Lulu was curious if Spinelli was right, but Maxie insisted that Maxie and Spinelli's romance was "deader than disco." Lulu knew Maxie had once loved Spinelli and had been heartbroken when he had become involved with Ellie, but Maxie was adamant Nathan was her future.
Maxie changed the subject by asking about Luke. Lulu started to fill her friend in about Luke's odd behavior when Tracy suddenly barged into the loft to ask to speak to Lulu privately about Luke. After Maxie left, Tracy told Lulu about Tracy's visit with Luke and Luke's reaction when Tracy had mentioned the house on Elm Street.
Outside Kelly's, Nathan returned from a jog but bumped into Spinelli as Spinelli exited the diner with a hot chocolate. Spinelli apologized profusely when his drink spilled down the front of Nathan's shirt, but Nathan assured Spinelli it was fine because Nathan lived above the diner. Nathan entered Kelly's with Spinelli trailing behind as he continued to apologize to Nathan. Nathan pulled off the wet shirt and excused himself to change. "How am I supposed to compete with that?" Spinelli quietly mumbled under his breath.
Later, Nathan returned to the diner, so Spinelli offered to buy Nathan a hot chocolate with extra whipped cream to make up for the earlier mishap. Nathan appreciated the offer but declined because Nathan didn't want to have to work off the calories from the sugar in the beverage. Spinelli smiled awkwardly as he sipped on his own hot chocolate.
Moments later, Nathan and Spinelli sat down as Nathan asked about Ellie. Spinelli confessed he and Ellie had split up, so Nathan offered to be a sounding board if Spinelli needed someone to talk to. Spinelli seized the opportunity to make it about Nathan and Maxie, talking about how a person could believe they were completely in tune with their beloved only to have a disagreement shed light on fundamental differences that made the couple utterly incompatible. Spinelli drove his point home by suggesting Nathan might appreciate what Spinelli meant, since Maxie had helped Johnny escape.
Nathan was stunned that Maxie had shared the secret with Spinelli, but Spinelli promised he was the soul of discretion. According to Spinelli, Maxie had told Spinelli because both Spinelli and Maxie understood that things weren't always black and white in life -- sometimes there were mitigating circumstances. Spinelli claimed Spinelli and Maxie's values were more in line like a "real couple" than Nathan and Maxie's values, but Nathan argued that Spinelli and Maxie weren't actually a real couple.
"Not if I have something to say about it," Spinelli quietly replied. Startled, Nathan invited Spinelli to speak his mind, so Spinelli revealed Ellie had ended things with Spinelli because Ellie thought Spinelli wanted Maxie back. "And the truth is, I do," Spinelli confessed. Stunned, Nathan looked up just as Maxie entered.
At the hospital, Olivia admitted she was pregnant. Alexis was shocked, while Julian immediately assumed the baby was his. However, Ned surprised everyone by claiming to be the baby's father. Alexis didn't believe Ned, so Ned asked why he would lie. Alexis reminded Ned that he had lied once before by claiming to be Kristina's father.
Alexis explained that she had blamed Sonny for her sister's death, so she had been determined to keep Sonny away from Kristina. Ned had stepped up to say he was Kristina's father to help Alexis, so Alexis suspected Ned had decided to repeat history to keep Julian from being a part of Olivia's baby's life. Ned insisted Alexis was wrong, but she ignored him as she suggested they act like adults about the pregnancy, since they all knew Olivia and Julian had slept together. Julian agreed with Alexis, so he asked Olivia when the baby had been conceived.
Alexis was equally interested in Olivia's answer, since Ned and Alexis had been dating for roughly six months. Alexis glanced at Olivia's flat stomach as she observed Olivia didn't look that far along. Olivia explained that she and Ned had had a brief liaison between Thanksgiving and Christmas when Ned and Alexis had been apart. According to Olivia, Alexis had walked in on Olivia and Ned just as they had been about to make a decision on how to proceed with their relationship the night Alexis and Ned had reconciled. Alexis recalled seeing Olivia and Ned watching a movie with 3-D glasses on but remained skeptical.
Alexis was curious why Ned hadn't told her about the fling with Olivia, so Ned claimed he had hoped to avoid hurting Alexis. However, he reminded Alexis how Olivia had treated Alexis with hostility at the Metro Court Restaurant the following morning. Olivia confessed she had felt rejected and had taken it out on Alexis. Alexis was surprised Ned had cheated on her, but Ned reiterated they hadn't been together at the time. However, he conceded he should have been honest with her.
Julian was curious if Alexis believed Ned, so she angrily confessed that she did. Alexis resented how Ned had constantly called her out on her feelings for Julian while keeping an affair with Olivia a secret. Olivia tried to defend Ned, but Alexis snapped at Olivia because Alexis hadn't forgotten how Olivia had once given Alexis' sixteen-year-old daughter and T.J. a key to a hotel room. Ned warned Alexis to lay off Olivia, since he was certain Alexis hadn't been entirely faithful to him, either, but Alexis assured Ned he was wrong. Julian cleared his throat and reminded Alexis of the time Alexis had tried to "pump" Julian for information.
However, Julian wanted to know if there was any chance the baby could be his. Olivia shook her head as she insisted Ned was the father. Satisfied, Julian and Alexis left. Julian confided a part of him had wondered what it would be like to be a father to a baby because he regretted not being around for Lucas or Sam when they'd been children. Julian chuckled because he hadn't thought Ned had had it in him to get someone pregnant, especially behind Alexis' back. Alexis appeared troubled as she agreed.
At Wyndemere, Nikolas wondered how Helena expected him to lie to Elizabeth about Jake. He was startled when he heard a noise in the doorway and saw Elizabeth standing there. Nikolas carefully slid Jason's wedding ring into his pocket as Elizabeth explained she had stopped by to give Nikolas an update on Jake. However, Elizabeth was curious what Helena was doing there. Helena resented the question, but Elizabeth was unapologetic as she informed Helena that the device implanted in Jake's head had been removed.
Nikolas asked his grandmother if the removal of the device meant that Jake was no longer susceptible to Helena's orders and was able to act of his own free will. Helena cryptically explained if the device had given her control over Jake, then it meant she could no longer force Jake to follow her commands. Elizabeth was sick of Helena's "double-talk," so she demanded Helena give them a straight answer. Elizabeth believed it was the least Helena owed her after everything Helena had put Elizabeth through. Helena disagreed and added that she wasn't interested in Elizabeth's "humdrum" life.
Elizabeth didn't believe Helena because Elizabeth had heard Nikolas and Helena discuss lying to Elizabeth when Elizabeth had arrived. Elizabeth looked to Nikolas for an explanation, so Nikolas claimed he had hoped to keep Elizabeth from finding out that he had offered his grandmother temporary sanctuary. Nikolas knew it would upset Elizabeth, but he promised Helena's stay would be brief. Helena assured Nikolas and Elizabeth that she didn't intend to stay in Port Charles any longer than necessary. Elizabeth glared at Helena because she was furious about how Helena had used Jake, so Nikolas interceded by offering to cover Jake's medical expenses.
Nikolas insisted it was the least he could do because of everything Jake had suffered, including memory loss, at the hands of the Cassadines. Nikolas and Helena were surprised when Elizabeth revealed that Jake had remembered who he was just as the anesthesia had pulled Jake under, so Elizabeth looked forward to hearing from Jake what Jake remembered instead of relying on Helena's version of events.
Elizabeth thanked Nikolas for forcing Helena to reveal how Helena had been controlling Jake because Elizabeth knew it hadn't been easy for Nikolas, since Helena was family. As Elizabeth started to leave, Helena made a snide remark about Elizabeth having a safe ride back to the mainland, so Elizabeth stopped to advise Nikolas to find a way to get Helena out of his life. He assured Elizabeth that he would.
After Elizabeth left, Helena confessed she was impressed because Nikolas had kept the secret about Jason despite Nikolas' weakness for Elizabeth. Helena anticipated seizing control of ELQ because Nikolas had proven himself to be a worthy Cassadine, but Nikolas explained that Jake would reveal his true identity when he woke up. Helena disagreed, since brain surgery was unpredictable. However, she insisted the important thing was that he had lied to Elizabeth, but he admitted he hadn't lied about everything.
Two bodyguards entered the room as Nikolas informed his grandmother that he had meant what he'd said about her leaving Wyndemere. Helena was startled when the two guards grabbed her. Outraged, she reminded the men that they worked for her, but Nikolas informed his grandmother he had been busy during her stay at Wyndemere, using the time to secure his inheritance and power base. Nikolas explained that Helena no longer had any leverage over him because he had blocked her from accessing the Cassadine fortune.
Nikolas revealed he was in charge of everything, including Helena's future, so she asked what he planned to do. Nikolas explained that Helena would be taken to Cassadine Island to live out her days in solitude, away from the family she cherished. Nikolas was delighted at the prospect of never having to see Helena again, but she begged that she be allowed to see Luke one last time. Nikolas denied her request. Helena was confident they would see each other again because she knew Nikolas would need her.
At the hospital, Sam and Carly were eager for news about Jake when they saw Patrick leave the operating room. Patrick explained that he had successfully removed the device from Jake's brain and had turned it over to the authorities. Carly and Sam were relieved when Patrick admitted he was optimistic about Jake's recovery. Carly confided that Jake had suffered terribly while under Helena's control because he had been terrified of what he was capable of whenever he'd had a brief flashback. Carly regretted turning him over to the police, but Sam believed it had been for the best because it had allowed them to confront Jake, which had triggered Jake's memory of planting the bomb on the Haunted Star.
Sam felt bad for Jake because Jake was a lost soul, but Patrick confessed that Jake might not be. He quickly filled Carly and Sam in about what Jake had told Elizabeth as the anesthesia had taken hold. Carly and Sam were curious if Jake had given Elizabeth a name, but Patrick shook his head. Carly hoped it meant that Jake would have the answers he wanted when he woke up, but Sam remained uneasy because she was curious why Helena had picked Jake and what his connection to Sam was.
A short time later, Elizabeth returned to ask how Jake was doing. Patrick admitted that Jake hadn't woken up, so Carly and Sam questioned Elizabeth about what Jake had told her. Elizabeth confessed Jake hadn't said much, so she hoped he would remember when he woke up. Moments later, a nurse approached Patrick to let him know Jake was awake.
Patrick and Elizabeth entered Jake's hospital room to check on him. Elizabeth wondered if Jake could tell them who he was, so he told her that he could.
