Due to the Memorial Day holiday, General Hospital did not air. This schedule change was planned for and there were no "lost" episodes as a result this change.
Regular programming resumed on Tuesday, May 26, and picked up where the Friday, May 22, episode concluded.
In the courtroom, Kyle conceded that Jordan's plan for Shawn to cooperate with the district attorney's office was a good one and well worth the price of Shawn's freedom if it meant that Sonny would go to prison. Scott's tone was filled with sarcasm as the thanked Kyle for Kyle's approval, but Scott was curious why Kyle was there. Kyle revealed that he needed an arrest warrant issued for a Jerome associate.
Outside the courtroom, T.J. read the Port Charles Press, which featured a story about Shawn's arrest. Moments later, Molly walked up. After she gave T.J. an affectionate hug, she chastised him for reading Julian's newspaper. T.J. explained that it was his only source for information because Jordan continued to lie and keep secrets. T.J. was certain his mother was still hiding things from him.
Moments later, Kyle walked out of the courtroom and immediately approached T.J. Kyle confessed that it had been an honor to work with Jordan because undercover work was difficult under the best of conditions. According to Kyle, Jordan had been a huge credit to law enforcement, since she had dealt a major blow to organized crime in Port Charles under dangerous circumstances. Molly tactfully explained that T.J. was still trying to take everything in, so Kyle continued to sing Jordan's praises for a few minutes then left.
At the Webber residence, Carly was relieved when Jake answered the door. She hugged him as she confessed that she had feared the worst when she had heard about Hayden's shooting. Carly explained that at some point, Jake had become her best friend, so she had no idea what she would have done if anything had happened to him. Jake smiled as he admitted that he felt the same about Carly.
Carly questioned Jake about his arrest for Duke's murder, so Jake quickly filled her in about the events in the parking garage and Kyle's decision to use the arrest to Jake's advantage by gaining Julian's trust. Carly admitted that she wouldn't wish Hayden's fate on anyone, but Jake was curious if Carly had known about Sonny's plans to kill Jake. Carly assured Jake that she hadn't known about the hit until it had been too late to stop it. However, she was confident that Sonny wouldn't make another move against Jake because the initial anger and guilt over Duke's death had ebbed, and Sonny was aware that he would be the prime suspect if anything were to happen to Jake.
Carly was certain that Sonny would eventually realize that Julian had ordered Duke's murder and that Carlos had carried it out, so Jake had merely been a patsy. Jake was pleased that Sonny had backed down, but Jake regretted that he wouldn't be around to enjoy the peace. Confused, Carly wondered why, so Jake told her about his decision to quit working for the Jeromes because he refused to have another innocent person, especially someone he cared about, struck by a bullet meant for him. Jake explained that Kyle had threatened to reinstate the 53 counts of attempted murder against Jake, stemming from the incident on the Haunted Star, but Carly hoped it had been a bluff.
A short time later, Kyle arrived. Jake invited Kyle inside, since Jake didn't have anything to hide from Carly. Kyle wasn't pleased that Carly knew about Jake's undercover assignment but cut to the chase by revealing that Scott had issued an arrest warrant for Carlos Rivera. Jake was surprised, but Kyle pointed out that too many people, including Sabrina, had known the truth about Carlos' role in Duke's death. Jake made it clear that he still wanted out of the Jerome organization, so Kyle agreed to talk to Julian.
Jake was skeptical that Julian would agree to let Jake walk away, but Kyle hoped Julian's decision to warn Kyle about the hit on Jake might work to their advantage. Kyle promised to be in touch, and he left.
In the police station's lockup, Shawn was stunned when Jordan insisted that T.J. needed Shawn because Shawn was T.J.'s biological father. Shawn's temper flared as he accused Jordan of lying, but she assured him that it was true. Shawn reminded Jordan that she had told him that a paternity test had confirmed that Thomas had been T.J.'s father, but Jordan confessed she had lied in a desperate attempt to save her marriage. Furious, Shawn argued that he'd had a right to know about his son, but Jordan explained that she had done what she had thought would be best for everyone.
Shawn questioned why he should believe Jordan, so Jordan argued that she didn't have any reason to lie. Shawn disagreed because she had played him from the beginning, but Jordan countered that she hadn't forced Shawn to work for Sonny. She admitted that she was relieved he was in jail because the alternative for a man in Shawn's line of work was death. Shawn refused to believe Jordan's claims about T.J. or to turn against Sonny, so Jordan offered to give Shawn the paternity test.
Jordan hoped the paternity test would persuade Shawn to testify against Sonny, so Shawn could have a chance to build a real father/son relationship with T.J. Shawn tensed when Jordan implored him to think about T.J. because T.J. needed Shawn more than ever, since T.J. refused to even speak to Jordan. Moments later, a police guard approached the jail cell to announce that it was time for Shawn's arraignment. Jordan begged Shawn to take the deal, but Shawn silently left with the police guard.
At the courthouse, T.J. fondly recalled how Shawn had treated him when T.J. had first arrived in town. T.J. insisted that Shawn had been like a father to him, so it hurt T.J. that Jordan had arrested Shawn because it felt like his mother had taken his father away. T.J. was frustrated that Jordan's work had only resulted in Shawn's arrest, while Sonny and Julian walked free, and Luke Spencer had been deemed insane. Molly reminded T.J. that her father was a brilliant attorney, so nothing had been set in stone, but T.J. doubted that Shawn would be able to walk away from the charges, since Shawn was a black man accused of shooting a white woman.
At the hospital, Liesl listened to her iPod as she danced her way to her office. Her good mood instantly vanished when she noticed the "Egg Salad" painting missing from her wall, so she immediately called the hospital's security to report the theft. However, she ended the call when Franco appeared in the doorway to confess that he had taken the painting. Confused, Liesl wondered why, since he had given her the painting as a gift.
Franco reluctantly explained that he had hoped the painting would be a sufficient peace offering to Nina, but it had failed because Nina had decided to marry another man. Liesl was surprised when Franco told her about Nina's wedding to Ric. Liesl had a vague recollection of Ric locking a pregnant woman in a panic room, so Franco confirmed the story was true. He was startled when Liesl suggested that perhaps Nina had made a good match with Ric, but Franco argued that Ric was "psycho." Liesl smiled as she explained that Ric's mental state proved Liesl's point.
Franco was not amused because he believed that Nina deserved better than Ric for a husband. He was certain that Nina had only married Ric to get back at Franco, but he couldn't figure out why Ric would marry Nina. Liesl was certain that Ric had plans to get his hands on Nina's fortune because Ric was an attorney who didn't have any qualms about skirting the law. Franco realized that Liesl might be right, so he decided to warn Nina of Ric's intentions. Liesl doubted that Nina would believe Franco, but Franco was determined to save Nina from Ric's greedy clutches.
Liesl knew that she wouldn't be able to stop Franco from going to Nina, but she asked that he retrieve the "Egg Salad" painting because she wanted it back.
At Metro Court Hotel, Nina stared at the painting Franco had given her while she recalled his confession that she meant everything to him. She snapped back to the present when Ric entered the living room. Ric stopped short when he saw the painting, so he asked why she hadn't gotten rid of it. Rather than answer the question, Nina questioned why Ric had married her. Ric was surprised, but Nina thought it had been a fair question, since they'd had a whirlwind romance and chaste wedding night.
Ric assured Nina that he had married her for several reasons, including not having to pretend to be someone he wasn't, unlike his past relationships. Ric reminded Nina that he and Nina were kindred spirits because they thought a lot alike, which he had explained when he had proposed to her, but Nina wondered if Ric had been honest with her. Ric assured her that he had been, but a knock at the door forced the couple to table their discussion.
Ric opened the door and greeted his brother when he saw Sonny on the doorstep. Sonny insisted that he and Ric needed to talk, so Ric agreed as he invited Sonny into the suite. Sonny tensed when he saw Nina standing in the living room, but Ric approached Nina and introduced his wife to Sonny. Sonny was shocked that Ric and Nina were married, so he wondered what Nina had held over Ric's head to force Ric into marriage. Ric assured his brother that he had willingly married Nina, but Sonny didn't believe Ric because Ric had proposed to Elizabeth days earlier at the Nurses Ball.
Sonny explained that a man didn't go from loving one woman to falling in love with another within a matter of days, but Ric was adamant that he was not being blackmailed. Ric insisted that he and Nina had decided to get married in good faith, so Ric wanted Sonny to respect Ric's decision. Sonny let the matter drop because he and Ric needed to get to the courthouse, but Ric didn't think it would be a good idea for Sonny to be seen with Shawn. Sonny refused to stay away from the arraignment, so Ric promised to return home to his new bride as quickly as possible then left with Sonny.
At the courthouse, T.J. and Molly entered the courtroom when Ric and Sonny arrived. Scott was surprised that Sonny had decided to attend Shawn's arraignment, since Sonny liked to send Sonny's "goons" in to do Sonny's dirty work. Sonny was confident that Scott would eventually end up alone and washed up, but Scott cautioned Sonny not to be too confident about Shawn's testimony. Moments later, Shawn, followed by a police officer and Jordan, arrived. Nearby, T.J. exchanged a long look with Jordan and Shawn.
At the Jerome apartment, Julian announced to his family that he intended to leave the mob. He realized that Sam, Lucas, and Kiki had heard it before, but he promised that he meant it because recent circumstances had made him appreciate the important things in life. Lucas jumped up to answer the door when someone knocked because Lucas was expecting Brad. Lucas, Julian, Sam, Alexis, Kiki, and Morgan were stunned when a woman with dark hair, a heavy New York accent, and an uncanny resemblance to Ava entered the apartment and asked for a drink.
"Mom?" Kiki asked as she approached the woman, intending to give the woman a hug. The woman immediately held up her hands to stop Kiki then clarified that she was not Ava. Everyone seemed at a loss for words as the woman wandered around the apartment, offering decorating tips, but Julian quickly recovered and accused the woman of being Ava in disguise. The woman argued that she was "Denise DeMuccio" from Queens.
Denise claimed that she had worked in a hair salon until one of her friends had mentioned seeing a picture of a woman with a striking resemblance to Denise in a newspaper. Denise had read the article about Ava and had realized that Ava had indeed looked exactly like Denise. Denise had no idea why she and Ava were the spitting image of each other, so Denise had decided to pay Port Charles a visit to get some answers. Sam didn't believe a word of Denise's story and accused Denise of being Ava in a black wig.
Denise assumed that Sam was Julian's "chippie," but Sam quickly corrected her. Denise was curious why she would don a disguise to visit her family if she were indeed Ava, so Sam informed Denise that Ava was wanted for murder. Sam was disgusted that Ava would put her loved ones through the heartache of believing that she had died, but Denise continued to deny being Ava. Moments later, Lucas answered another knock at the door.
Kyle entered the apartment to talk to Julian but became distracted when he noticed Denise. Kyle's eyes narrowed then quickly rounded with recognition as he looked at Denise. Denise was stunned when Kyle informed her that she was under arrest.
Shawn entered the courtroom as Jordan and a police officer trailed behind him, but he stopped short when he saw T.J. Shawn recalled Jordan's confession that T.J. was his biological son but pushed the memory away when T.J. asked if Shawn was okay. Shawn promised he was fine but revealed that T.J. needed to know something. However, Shawn's confession was cut short when the bailiff announced the judge's arrival. As everyone took their seats, Sonny quietly addressed Jordan as "Judas" when he asked if she was proud of herself.
Jordan ignored Sonny's hostility as Scott informed Judge Roth that the district attorney's office had offered Shawn a deal that would allow Shawn to walk away without any jail time in exchange for Shawn's testimony against another individual. Sonny tensed when he realized that Scott had been referring to him. Ric immediately objected because Scott had approached Shawn behind Ric's back, but Scott insisted it had been necessary because Ric had connections to "other players." Scott handed Ric a file detailing the offer made to Shawn, but Shawn surprised everyone by announcing that the deal was irrelevant because Shawn didn't have any evidence to offer the district attorney.
Shawn insisted that he had worked for Corinthos Coffee and had never been asked to do anything illegal. Flabbergasted, Scott carefully reminded Shawn what Shawn stood to lose by covering for Sonny, but Shawn was adamant that he didn't have any information to share. Annoyed, Scott accepted Shawn's decision, but Shawn wasn't finished. Shawn shocked the courtroom by pleading guilty to the charges. Ric desperately tried to reason with Shawn, but Shawn's mind was made up. Satisfied, the judge ordered Shawn be transferred to Pentonville and left the bench.
Sonny immediately assured Shawn that he would do everything possible to make things right for Shawn and promised to stay in touch. After Sonny left, T.J. walked up to ask why Shawn had decided plead guilty, so Shawn explained that it had been the right thing to do because loyalty meant staying true to oneself even when the chips were down. T.J.'s eyes filled with tears, but he changed the subject by asking what Shawn had wanted to tell him earlier. Shawn claimed that he had merely wanted to warn T.J. about his decision to plead guilty, so T.J. wouldn't have been blindsided.
Shawn carefully shifted gears by confessing that his thoughts would always been on T.J. Shawn admitted that he had never been more proud of anyone than T.J., so T.J. hugged Shawn. After T.J. pulled away, Shawn blinked away his own tears then left the courtroom. T.J. began to sob as Jordan stood nearby and watched helplessly until Molly raced to T.J.'s side to let him know that he was not alone. T.J. tearfully explained that Shawn had been the closest thing he'd ever had to a father.
In the hallway, Jordan called out to Shawn because she was curious why he hadn't told T.J. the truth about being his father. Shawn reminded her that he had taken T.J.'s father away once, so he refused to do it a second time. Jordan's expression softened as she assured Shawn that she was sorry for everything, but Shawn remained silent as he walked away with the guard.
At Metro Court, Nina smiled with delight when she saw Franco standing on her doorstep because it had saved her from throwing away the "Egg Salad" painting. Franco insisted that he wanted Nina to keep the painting, but she refused. The two bickered about the painting until Nina smashed it over Franco's head. Franco carefully removed the painting as he explained that he had stopped by because he knew why Ric had married her, so Nina assured Franco that her husband had married her because she was beautiful, smart, and vivacious.
Nina also reminded Franco that she had been in a coma for twenty years, so it was a great conversation starter at cocktail parties. Franco assured her that he remembered everything about her because Nina was always on his mind, but despite how incredible Franco thought Nina was, Ric had married Nina for her money. Nina laughed because her money had been taken away from her when she had been remanded to Shadybrook, so it would take years to get her hands on her money. Franco reminded her that Ric was an attorney with a history of running scams, so he was certain Ric saw dollar signs when Ric looked at Nina.
Franco's tone softened as he took Nina's hands and offered to call Diane or Alexis to get her marriage to Ric annulled. Nina surprised Franco by declining his offer because she refused to kick her husband to the curb. Nina's temper flared as she ordered Franco to leave because she was through with his games. Nina shoved the painting into Franco's hands, but Franco refused to leave without first warning Nina that she would soon know the truth because Ric would ask about her money. Franco insisted that he, not Ric, was the man for her.
Franco hoped that Nina realized the truth before it was too late because Franco didn't want Ric to take everything from Nina. Nina reiterated that she didn't have control of her money, but Franco clarified that he had been referring to the unique qualities that made Nina who she was. Franco begged Nina not to let Ric -- or anyone -- take that away from her because it was the one thing Franco couldn't handle.
At the Jerome apartment, Kyle informed the woman who bore an uncanny resemblance to Ava Jerome that she was under arrest. Denise denied being Ava, but Kyle didn't believe her. He accused "Ava" of hiding behind a terrible disguise, and he called for backup. Ava's doppelgänger insisted that her name was Denise DeMuccio, but Kyle suggested she save it for the judge.
Later, Denise became increasingly upset as she was handcuffed. She insisted it was a case of mistaken identity, but the uniformed police officers led her out of the apartment. Denise appealed for someone to help her, so Kiki and Morgan decided to follow her to the police station. Julian didn't know what to make of Denise, but he asked Alexis to represent her on the off chance that Denise was his sister, Ava. Alexis reluctantly agreed.
After Alexis left, Kyle revealed that an arrest warrant had been issued for Carlos Rivera in connection to Duke's murder. According to Kyle, Carlos had managed to flee the country, so Kyle wondered if Julian had any idea where Carlos might have gone. Julian wasn't surprised that Carlos had vanished but denied any knowledge of Carlos' whereabouts. Julian added that Carlos had acted on his own by killing Duke, but Kyle didn't appear to believe Julian. Sam was relieved that Jake's name had been cleared, so Kyle seized the opportunity to ask Julian to let Jake go.
Kyle reminded Julian that Julian had tipped Kyle off to the hit on Jake because Julian had been concerned about Jake's welfare, but Julian seemed reluctant to fire Jake. Kyle warned Julian that Jake would continue to have a target on his back as long as Jake worked for Julian, so Sam reluctantly agreed with Kyle. Sam thought it was only fair for Julian to cut Jake loose, since Julian intended to walk away from the organization. Kyle appeared skeptical of the news, but Julian assured the police commissioner that Julian intended to focus on Derek Wells Media.
Later, Sam thanked Julian for agreeing to let Jake walk away, but Julian conceded that his daughter had been right about giving Jake a fresh start. Lucas confessed that he was still surprised by Denise's appearance, but Sam was certain the woman was really Ava.
Across town, Elizabeth was on the phone with Nikolas when she arrived home. She reminded him that Hayden wasn't in a position to tell anyone anything because Hayden was in a coma, but Nikolas argued that Hayden might wake up. Elizabeth revealed there hadn't been any change in Hayden's condition, so Hayden wouldn't be able to tell Jake who Jake was. She was startled when she looked up and saw Jake standing in the doorway.
After Elizabeth quickly ended the call, she admitted that she hadn't expected Jake. Jake apologized for not calling first, but she waved away his apology because she had given him a key to her home for a reason. She started to ask about his meeting with Kyle, but Jake was curious who Elizabeth had been talking to because he had heard Hayden's name mentioned. Elizabeth claimed that she had checked in with Patrick, but there hadn't been a change in Hayden's condition. Jake accepted the explanation, so he told her about his talk with Kyle and Kyle's offer to get Jake out of the Jerome organization.
Overjoyed, Elizabeth hugged and kissed Jake. She was thrilled that Jake was finally free to live his life, but Jake had reservations because he didn't trust Kyle. Elizabeth's smile soon faded when she realized that all their troubles weren't behind them because Sonny still believed that Jake had killed Duke. Before Jake could respond, the doorbell rang just as Jake's phone beeped. Elizabeth went to the door as Jake answered his phone. She immediately tensed when she saw Sonny standing on her porch.
Elizabeth tried to defend Jake by assuring Sonny that Jake hadn't killed Duke, but Sonny shoved past Elizabeth because he wanted to hear the denial from Jake. Jake ended the call as Sonny entered the living room. Jake promised that he hadn't shot Duke then added that he had quit the Jerome organization because of everything that had happened. Jake hoped he and Sonny could move forward in peace and put the enmity behind them.
Meanwhile, Lulu stopped by Wyndemere to visit her brother. She entered the living room and looked around as she asked if Valerie was there, so Nikolas explained that Valerie had left to see Dante. "Of course she did," Lulu grumbled. Nikolas was surprised because he had been under the impression that Lulu and Valerie had worked things out. Lulu assured her brother that they had -- for the most part. However, Lulu couldn't understand why Valerie always had to be attached to Dante's hip. Nikolas suspected Valerie had paid Dante a visit because she had heard about Olivia's devastating loss.
Lulu recalled rushing to the police station to check on Dante when she had heard the tragic news, but Dante had pulled Lulu aside to confide that the baby hadn't died. Lulu returned to the present when Nikolas asked about Olivia. Lulu assured her brother that Olivia had been holding up then quickly changed the subject by expressing concern for Nikolas because of Hayden's shooting. She was confused when Nikolas tried to downplay his relationship with Hayden, so he assured her that he was concerned about Hayden. Lulu hoped it helped knowing that Shawn had been arraigned, which meant the shooter would pay. "There is that, isn't there?" Nikolas quietly replied.
At the police station, Valerie approached Dante in the squad room to offer her condolences on the loss of his brother then she hugged him. Dante smiled uncomfortably because he recalled Olivia's confession about the elaborate ruse to protect his brother from Julian's enemies. He carefully changed the subject by assuring Valerie that it hadn't been necessary for her to visit him at work, so Valerie revealed that she'd had an ulterior motive. Dante was pleasantly surprised when Valerie explained that she had decided to apply for a job because she had seen an opening for a "PAA."
Valerie knew it was an administrative position, but Dante warned her that they needed someone with law enforcement knowledge. Valerie grinned because she had minored in criminology while in college. Valerie was confident that she would be the right fit for the job, but she was concerned that Dante might have a problem working with her. Dante assured her that he didn't, so Valerie wondered if Lulu might object because Lulu had made an effort to get Valerie out of the loft. Dante promised Valerie that it wouldn't be a problem, so Valerie went to submit her application.
Later, Dante was stunned when Denise and a uniformed police officer entered the squad room, followed by Kiki and Morgan. Denise continued to insist that she had been falsely arrested, but Dante didn't believe her because he assumed she was Ava in a poor disguise. Dante looked to Kiki and Morgan for answers as Alexis arrived. Alexis promptly informed Dante that she represented Denise, so Dante decided to clear up Denise's identity by running her fingerprints. Denise explained that it would be impossible because years of working in a hair salon without wearing gloves had left her without fingerprints.
Dante immediately became suspicious, so he suggested they run a DNA test. Kiki was certain that Dante could find a sample of Ava's DNA for comparison at the hospital because Ava had been tested as a possible bone marrow donor for Danny. Alexis objected to the DNA test, so Dante agreed to obtain a warrant, but he warned Alexis and Denise that Denise would be transferred to Pentonville because there was reasonable cause to believe Denise was Ava. Denise balked at the idea of going to prison, so Dante suggested that Denise save time by volunteering a DNA sample for testing, which would allow her to spend the night in lockup until the results were in the following day.
After Denise was taken away, Valerie returned to let Dante know that she had submitted her application and had used him as a reference.
At Wyndemere, Nikolas sipped coffee as he read the Port Charles Press, which featured a story about Jake being vindicated of Duke's murder and the manhunt for Carlos. He looked up when Valerie suddenly rushed in and snatched up a napkin to dab at a coffee stain on the front of her print dress. Nikolas assured her that the spot wasn't noticeable, so Valerie breathed a sigh of relief because she had a job interview at the police station. Nikolas' expression clouded with concern at the news, but Valerie didn't notice as she checked her hair and makeup in a mirror.
Valerie explained the position was for an administrative assistant to the detectives then gushed that Dante had likely put in a good word for her because they had responded quickly to her application. Nikolas smiled, but his thoughts strayed to his recent talk with Lulu when Lulu had expressed annoyance over Valerie's tendency to attach herself to Dante's hip. However, Nikolas decided to politely wish Valerie well rather than warn her of his sister's frustration.
A short time later, Mayor Lomax sailed into the living room without bothering to wait for Chandler to announce her. Nikolas dismissed Chandler then asked the mayor why she had stopped by. Lomax explained that she had her eye on the governor's mansion in 2016, but she had hit a snag because Kyle Sloane had become a liability. Nikolas reminded Lomax that Kyle had helped secure her mayoral win, but Lomax grumbled that her approval rating had dropped significantly since Sonny had been revealed to be A.J.'s killer. Lomax was disgusted with Kyle's inability to properly solve a crime, including the recent fiasco with Jake Doe and Carlos Rivera.
Lomax insisted Kyle's ineptitude as a police commissioner reflected poorly on her, so she and Nikolas needed to address the matter if Lomax had any chance of winning the governor's race. Nikolas was curious what Lomax had in mind, so she quickly filled him in on her plan. He agreed to let the mayor handle things, provided her corruption and his election tampering weren't exposed. Pleased, Lomax assured Nikolas that he would continue to have her support, and she left.
In Anna's suite, Anna's eyes welled up with tears as she gazed at an urn containing Duke's ashes, but her despair quickly turned to trepidation when she heard a loud knock at the door. Anna quickly swiped at her tears as she tentatively approached the door then mustered up the courage to open it. Carlos grinned as he asked how his "little murderer" was doing. Horrified, Anna slammed the door in Carlos' face, but he manifested in the living room to taunt her about dumping him into the bottom of the harbor, tied to cement blocks.
Anna became distraught as she desperately tried to block Carlos' cruel words out of her mind by shouting for him to stop talking. She covered her face with her hands, but jerked in panic when she felt someone reach for her. Anna was stunned when she looked up and saw Kyle's concerned expression. Confused, Anna asked how Kyle had gotten into her suite, so he explained that she had slammed the door in his face when he had knocked moments earlier. He admitted that he had jimmied the lock because she had screamed at him, so Anna confessed that she had been yelling at Carlos.
Anna told Kyle about her visions, which Kyle assumed had been triggered by a guilty conscience. He assured Anna that Carlos had deserved to die, but Anna explained that there was a vast difference between killing someone and murdering a person. Anna regretted taking Carlos' life because it had been wrong and pointless, since Julian had been responsible for Duke's death. Anna was frustrated because they would never get the opportunity to persuade Carlos to flip on Julian, so Julian could pay for killing Duke.
Kyle promised that Julian would pay one day, but Anna seemed uncertain. She told Kyle about Sabrina's visit and assured him that Sabrina had believed Kyle's carefully concocted lie, but Anna was concerned about what Elizabeth might have seen on the docks. Kyle wasn't worried about Elizabeth then told Anna about the steps he had taken to extract Jake from the Jerome organization and clear Jake's name. Kyle explained that everyone believed Carlos had fled the country, so nothing would ever tie Anna to Carlos' disappearance, but Anna remained uneasy.
At the hospital, Lucas found Brad asleep on a gurney in a hallway, so he waved a health drink under Brad's nose and gently woke him. Brad sat up and took a sip of the energy health drink, but immediately regretted it when the taste registered. Lucas grinned as Brad handed the drink back to him, so Lucas asked about the DNA test to determine if Denise DeMuccio was Ava Jerome. Brad assured Lucas that the lab was working on it and that Nathan had been supervising the process to ensure nothing "funny" happened, so Lucas explained his family was eager for answers, especially Kiki.
Brad promised that his days of tampering with tests were behind him, so the results would be accurate. Satisfied, Lucas changed the subject to talk about their wedding. Lucas wanted to set a wedding date, so they could start planning a big wedding. Brad confessed that he'd rather the wedding be a quiet affair at City Hall, but Lucas frowned, since Brad relished making grand gestures. Brad reluctantly explained that there was an issue with his parents. Lucas feared that Brad hadn't told them about Lucas or the wedding, but the conversation was cut short when Brad was notified that the DNA results were ready.
Shortly after Lucas left to take the DNA results to the police station, Brad's phone rang. He appeared troubled when he saw it was his father, so he let it go to voicemail.
In Kiki's bedroom, Kiki had a vivid dream about the night she'd celebrated Ava's birthday with her mother during Ava's pregnancy and Ava's wish for Ava and Kiki to have a closer relationship. Kiki woke up with a gasp, prompting Morgan to stir. Morgan asked if Kiki was okay, so she told him about her dream and how Ava had made a wish before blowing out a candle. Morgan was curious what Ava had wished for, but Kiki didn't know. However, she suspected that Ava had hoped to find a way to remain alive because Sonny had been threatening to kill Ava after the baby's birth.
Morgan suggested that perhaps Ava had found a way, so Kiki asked if Morgan thought Denise might actually be her mother, Ava. Morgan admitted it was easy to explain away the different hair color and accent, but there was no denying that Denise and Ava had identical facial features. Kiki confessed that she had once thought her mother was invincible, but Kiki couldn't imagine how Ava had survived getting shot and then falling from the bridge into the frigid waters of the rushing river. Kiki also couldn't fathom why her mother would return to town, wearing a flimsy disguise, because it would land Ava back in jail.
Kiki knew Ava should pay for her crimes, but she didn't want her mother to be dead. Morgan promised that he would stand by Kiki's side, regardless of the DNA results. Morgan was certain his brother had put a rush on the test, so he invited Kiki to go to the police station to check for an update.
In the squad room, Dante was pleasantly surprised when he saw Lulu standing at his desk. Lulu explained that she had decided, with a little prodding from their son, to drop off a healthy breakfast for Dante. Dante kissed his wife as she finished setting everything up on his desk. He regretted missing breakfast with his family, but things had been hectic at the police station with the appearance of Ava's doppelgänger and Carlos vanishing. Lulu asked about the woman in lockup, but Dante had concerns about the DNA test's accuracy, even with Nathan overseeing everything, because Brad had a history of changing test results.
Lulu assured Dante that Brad had changed, but she was eager to see woman in question. Dante explained it would have to wait because Sonny was with the woman. Lulu questioned if that was a good idea, but Dante was certain the woman was Ava, so he hoped Sonny would be able to rattle the truth out of her. Lulu relaxed when Dante assured her that a guard would keep a close eye on Sonny. Lulu decided to let Dante get back to work but first asked about Valerie's visit the previous day. As if on cue, Valerie walked in and greeted both Dante and Lulu with a big smile.
Lulu was stunned when Valerie announced that she was there for a job interview, thanks to Dante, and Valerie offered Dante a doughnut to show her appreciation. Lulu's smile was strained as she asked why Dante hadn't mentioned it, so Dante claimed that it had slipped his mind. Valerie worried that Lulu might have an issue with Valerie working at the police station, but Lulu promised her cousin it was fine and quickly changed the subject by asking who Valerie had an interview with. Valerie explained she had an appointment with the police commissioner, but Mayor Lomax suddenly appeared to inform Valerie that Kyle was not available. Lomax was curious if Dante knew where the police commissioner was, but Dante shook his head.
Annoyed, Mayor Lomax instructed Dante to have Kyle call her, and she left. Lulu offered to wait with Valerie, so Dante could get back to work. After Lulu and Valerie walked away, Dante received a call from Lucas to let Dante know that the DNA results were in.
In lockup, Denise complained about the coffee as a police officer approached her jail cell. The police officer suggested Denise take it up with her visitor then stepped aside to allow Sonny to enter. Denise's eyes rounded with surprise because she recognized Sonny from various newspaper articles. Sonny coldly told "Ava" to drop the act, but Denise denied that she was Ava. Sonny didn't believe her, but Denise stuck to her story.
Denise had read enough about Sonny and Ava to know their history, so she understood why Sonny would be reluctant to believe Denise, but Denise assured him that he had the wrong person if he thought she was Ava. Sonny challenged Denise to prove it, so Denise reminded him that they were waiting for DNA test results. Sonny reminded Denise that Ava had been shot in the chest on the bridge prior to presumably falling to her death, so he wanted to see if Denise had a scar on her right breast.
Denise balked at showing Sonny her breast but reluctantly agreed. Sonny's certainty that Denise had lied was reinforced when he saw a tattoo of a rose in the area where Ava had been shot. He pointed out that it was a clever way to hide a scar, but Denise claimed the tattoo had been an attempt to cover up another tattoo of her ex-boyfriend's name. Denise invited Sonny to take a closer look because he would see the name "Bobo" hidden in the tattoo. The issue became moot when Dante walked up to announce that the DNA test results were ready.
A short time later, Denise was escorted into the squad room with Sonny trailing behind. She smiled when she saw Kiki and Morgan and immediately struck up a conversation with them. Sonny was disgusted that "Ava" would continue to torture her daughter, but Denise denied that Kiki was her daughter. Just then, Lucas arrived with the DNA test results.
In Anna's suite, Anna was startled when she heard a knock at the door. Kyle assured her that he had heard it, too, so Anna decided to slip into the bathroom to pull herself together while Kyle dealt with her visitor. Kyle was surprised when Mayor Lomax greeted him as she entered the room. According to the mayor, a maid had seen Kyle enter Anna's suite, so Mayor Lomax had decided to pay Kyle a visit to let him know that he was fired.
At the Quartermaine mansion, Rosalie swung by to drop off some papers for Michael, who was working from home because Sabrina had the day off. "Full-time nanny who takes a day off?" mused Rosalie, adding, "Kinda defeats the purpose, doesn't it?" Rosalie and Michael had something important to discuss: his hope that she might help him prevent ELQ being taken over by the mystery person gobbling up all the stock. Michael hoped Rosalie might talk her former employer Nina into convincing Franco to hand over the shares of stock he'd obtained, via blackmail, from Ned.
"I'm not in any position to ask favors of Nina," admitted Rosalie, adding, "I'm basically dead to her." Michael, however, suggested that perhaps Nina would listen if Rosalie used cold, hard cash instead of words. Michael had heard through the grapevine that Nina was in need of money. Somewhat reluctantly, Rosalie agreed to give it a try -- after which, she phoned her other boss, Nikolas, and said they needed to have a meeting very soon. Olivia interrupted Nina's attempt to order lunch at the Metro Court by announcing, "The gravy train has pulled outta the station!" Nina not-so-subtly reminded Olivia how blackmail worked but found out that Julian already knew he had fathered Olivia's baby -- and that the baby had not survived. Although Nina seemed genuinely moved by the news, completely unaware it was a lie, Olivia insisted that the hotel's unwanted guest had to pack her backs and leave. Just then, however, Ric arrived and announced that, as Nina's new husband, he'd be paying her bill.
Olivia was somewhat shocked to hear about Ric's marriage. "This deep and abiding love you feel for Elizabeth," she mused, "it disappeared, just like that?" She said his marital state did not matter, as he was no more welcome at the Metro Court than was his new bride. The legal eagle declared, "You can't discriminate against people just because you don't like them... this isn't Indiana!"
After Ric's promise to pay, Olivia secretly made a quick call to check on Ned and the baby, while Nina and her hubby chatted about their individual and joint financial situations. Ric assured Nina he was not after the money she insisted she had no access to anyway, but the unbalanced beauty wisely seemed wary of his words. And that was wise, indeed, for what she didn't know was that Ric was apparently in cahoots with her mom, Madeline, whom he visited in prison. Ric said to Madeline, "Sorry for the delay... I just had to make sure that your daughter wasn't suspicious!"
Maxie and Nathan were still lounging in bed, but they awoke and found Franco sitting in a chair, filing his nails and watching them sleep. "Oh, hey, sleepyheads!" the former artist greeted them, "I've been waiting forever for you two to return to the land of the living!" Maxie was obviously displeased, and asked, "What if I hadn't been wearing any clothes?" Franco's response -- "It's not like I haven't seen it before!" -- led to a rather awkward discussion in which Nathan found out about his girlfriend's sordid past with their unwelcome guest.
Eventually, Franco got around to explaining that he was at Maxie's place, hoping to convince Nathan, whom he dubbed "Atlas who shrugs a lot," to talk some sense into Nina. Concerned to hear about his sister's newly married status, Nathan agreed to pay his sibling a visit, but he made it clear that he wasn't doing it to help Franco.
Nikolas shared a chat with Lulu, who had gone to Wyndemere in order to ask that he use his influence with the Port Charles Police Department to keep Valerie from getting a job there. Surprised, Nikolas asked if that was what Lulu truly wanted. "Do I want my rich brother to exert questionable influence on a public official in order to keep my cousin from getting a job for which she is well qualified for?" replied Lulu, her voice trailing off. "Wow, that sounds even worse when I say the whole thing aloud! What the hell is wrong with me?" she asked rhetorically.
Tamping down her inner jealous female, Lulu thanked Nikolas for listening and not judging but then got a most worrisome phone call from Bobbie informing her that Luke had gone missing from the institution.
In her room at the Metro Court, Anna found out from Kyle that Lomax had fired him, supposedly for his role in the Carlos Rivera mess. Unfortunately, Kyle knew he couldn't defend himself without revealing that Jake had been working undercover. Anna took her fair share of the blame for his firing, pointing out that he'd also kept quiet, at least in part, to protect the secret that she'd killed Carlos.
There was, however, a bright side: Kyle said the secret to taking Lomax down was to reveal that the election had been rigged. Manning up, he confessed to having stolen the election out from under Felicia, on the mayor's orders, in return for Anna's job. He also informed Anna that someone else had been involved in the political quagmire: Nikolas Cassadine.
Although anxious for Lucas to read the DNA results so Ava could be shipped back to Pentonville, Sonny delayed the process long enough to question Julian about Carlos' whereabouts. Julian claimed ignorance then revealed that he was getting out of the business. Speaking in barely veiled terms in deference to the fact that they were standing in the middle of the police station, Julian said Port Charles was Sonny's -- as long as he could hold onto it.
At long last, Lucas opened the truth-revealing envelope. Everyone wondered if Denise and Ava were a match. The answer was that they were close but not a match. "She's a member of Ava's immediate family," Lucas said upon examining the genetic markers. As everyone, including Denise, asked what the heck that meant, Ava's mom, Delia, strolled in, declaring, "I think I can clear all of this up!" Sonny did what could only be described as an epic facepalm.
