Jason was allowed to visit Carly at Ferncliff, and she was very calm and controlled in front of the doctor. After the doctor left them alone, Carly went into Jason's arms and said that she had missed him. Jason updated Carly about Michael and also told her that he had left the organization. Jason, however, promised Carly that he could still get her released from the institution. The doctor returned, and Jason and Carly went back to their innocent chatting.

Maxie panicked when she found Lucas unconscious in the backyard. Tony heard Maxie's shouts and administered emergency, life-saving treatment to Lucas. Later, Maxie told Bobbie, Felicia, and Mac what had happened, and Bobbie entered Lucas' hospital room and found Tony there. Tony blamed Bobbie for Lucas' condition, and Lucas overheard their argument.

Jax signed the deal the Feds had offered him and lost all his possessions in exchange for John and Jerry's freedom. Jax told Jerry that he wanted nothing to do with the family, and Jerry was angry that Jax had accepted the deal.

The Quartermaines set out to confront Alan, and a bum pointed out where Alan had taken a hotel room. Meanwhile, Alan had invited Tammy over, and they were beginning to make love when Monica, Edward, Ned, A.J., and Reginald arrived outside his door. Tammy opened the door and said that she was alone as Alan hid on the fire escape. Alan's cover was then blown when Lila saw him on the fire escape from her limousine. After paying off Tammy, the Quartermaines told Alan that he was beyond their help and that he was on his own from that point on.

Liz and Lucky checked out his new room over the bike shop. Liz thought it was really cool he was going to have his own place, and Lucky had to agree. Jason stopped by, opened the door for them, and told Lucky to call him or Mike if he had any problems. Liz and Lucky entered -- and were less than impressed.

At the police station, Taggert tried to convince Mac that there was something wrong with Jason's sudden change of lifestyle. Mac accused him of just being angry that he wasn't able to put Jason away. Mac was satisfied that Jason was out of the organization. They saw Jerry being released, and Mac asked how Jerry felt knowing Jax had given up everything for him. Mac told Taggert to notice the difference between "reformed" -- Jason -- and "unreformed" -- Jerry. Jerry countered by asking Taggert if he knew how Mac and Jerry had met. Mac thought that Jerry was just going to mess up again, but without Jax to save him. V handed over her letter of resignation.

In his hospital room, Bobbie asked Lucas why he'd lied about eating. Lucas told her that he'd stopped being hungry when the police had taken Jerry away. He wanted to know if Jerry would be back soon. Tony walked in saying that since his son had spent the previous night in the hospital, he wanted to see him and had a present for him. Bobbie tried to rush him out. Lucas asked if they were going to fight again.

At the Quartermaine mansion, Katherine continued to get on Reginald's nerves, along with everyone else's. She chattered on, ignoring the somber mood. She read the headline about Jax giving up everything. Jax's stock was in government hands. Ned and Edward explained that it might be complicated, but eventually they would have the first crack at buying the stock back. A.J. leaned over to Monica and assured her they were doing the right thing.

Emily entered and immediately noticed the way everyone was acting. She asked what had happened. When A.J. started to explain, she cut him off and said that they couldn't make her stop modeling -- she hadn't done anything wrong. Before Edward could start to explain what was really wrong, Ned cut him off and suggested that the meeting should really be family members only. Edward defended Katherine's right to be there as a member of the household and pointed out that they weren't going to be able to keep it quiet anyway.

A.J. told Emily that Alan was not in recovery. Edward interrupted and told her that A.J. had begun to suspect Alan and had discovered that he was going to a bad part of town. They told her that they'd caught him trying to sneak out a window. Emily wanted to know if he had ever tried to get help. They explained that Alan was leading a double life and getting away to his "own private drug den" on a regular basis.

Monica went over to comfort her as Emily realized what had been going on. She asked what they were going to do next. Alan pounded on the veranda doors. Edward told Emily that she'd find out when Alan did and instructed Reggie to let him in.

Liz and Lucky decided that they had their work cut out for them. The first thing Lucky did was plug in the laptop to continue searching for the person whose body was attached to Emily's face in the blackmail photos. Liz told him that she couldn't imagine the photos going out over the Internet. Obviously, Maggie hadn't paid the blackmail money. She wondered if the blackmailer knew Emily was rich. They figured he did, since he knew Emily's last name. Lucky said the blackmailer probably wouldn't stop at $20,000 either.

Liz uncovered the bed, which turned out to be pretty nice. They admired the brass frame, but Liz said that he'd have to replace the mattress. Lucky didn't see why, but Liz told him that until he got a chair, they'd have to sit on it, but Lucky wouldn't want to lay on it, and he definitely shouldn't put his head on it. Lucky asked why not and started to lie down. Liz grabbed him and begged him not to. Lucky agreed to humor her.

Lucky asked Liz if he should sell the bed to buy a mattress. Liz thought that he'd figure something out because he always did. She told him that the room wasn't that bad; they just had to clean it. She suggested that she could paint a mural on all the walls. Lucky told her they'd have to strip the wallpaper and clean. They agreed that it'd be a lot of work. Lucky told Liz that he'd make her a key so that she could enter and leave when she wanted.

Tony told Lucas that he was sure Bobbie would agree to a moratorium on fighting for one day, especially since Lucas was recuperating. Lucas asked what a moratorium was. Bobbie was trapped but tried to get Tony to leave, saying that he didn't want to be late to the clinic. Tony left after giving Lucas a hug and kiss.

Bobbie followed Tony outside and blasted him for taking advantage, on B.J.'s birthday no less. Tony told her that he wasn't going to lose another child. He told Bobbie that no judge would rule against him after he'd saved Lucas while she had been off doing "God knows what." Bobbie defended herself by pointing out that Betty had been there. Tony told her that she should be thanking him and called her a rigid, shrewish woman, same as she'd always been. She countered that since Tony had stolen her grandson and threatened to take Lucas, she didn't know what he was capable of. He told her that at least he wouldn't be sleeping with someone who was laundering money for the mob.

Just then, Jason stopped by to tell Bobbie that he had some news. Jason asked what Tony was doing there. Bobbie told Tony to leave. Jason asked if Bobbie wanted him to call the cops. Tony scoffed but ended up leaving anyway. Bobbie asked if Jason had gotten to see Carly and asked if she could see her too. Jason explained that they'd only let him see her because he was Michael's father and that they wanted to control how much information Carly received. Bobbie wanted to know if he'd told her about the changes in his life. Jason let her know that he'd told Carly about his leaving the organization. Bobbie asked if he'd told her about him and Robin.

Mac told V that he knew she was upset but wasn't sure that she wanted to resign. She told him that all she could think about was what a sham law enforcement was. V said that Jax hadn't known anything was wrong and hadn't purposely ignored that his family was dirty. In addition, they'd kept her out of the loop so that she hadn't been able to warn Jax and even the playing field. Taggert tried to convince her that quitting wouldn't solve anything and that if there were problems with law enforcement, she should try to solve them from the inside. V wanted to know if the fight against organized crime justified his one-man crusade. She told them she was not naïve, but she had to make a stand. V left to clean out her locker.

Lucky and Liz were making a list of cleaning supplies that they'd need. Liz wanted to help so that she could start painting faster. She suggested painting different locations on the walls; a beach, a forest, maybe the boxcar. As they were about to kiss, the computer started beeping, signaling that the program was finished. Lucky went ahead and kissed Liz.

Alan told everyone that he'd stayed away the night before to give everyone a chance to cool down. He tried to cover what was going on, but Emily told him that she knew. Alan was shocked that they'd told her, but Edward defended the decision and accused Alan of having made Lila physically ill. Emily was appalled that Lila had seen the drug den. Alan tried to cover that he had really been there to dry out and that the woman he had been with had been helping. When they pointed out that she had only been wearing a sheet, a shocked Emily asked if he'd been cheating on her mom. Monica asked for a few minutes alone and told Edward that he'd better get Lila.

Lucky ended his kiss with Liz and told her that he'd better check on the computer. When she asked if it was good news or bad news, Lucky lamented that he had to work with a Cassadine. He told her that he'd better go call Nikolas. After telling him that the experience would build character, Liz offered to call Nikolas - "just this once."

Jason told Bobbie that he hadn't really gotten a chance to tell Carly about him and Robin. He knew that she was going to lose it when she heard and thought maybe it was for the best that he hadn't told her, since she needed to be a zombie to convince the doctors to let her go. He'd see her again on Friday and try to find out a release date. He promised to keep Bobbie posted. Jason left to go back to the bike shop. Jerry walked up, and Bobbie hugged him, while a lurking Tony looked on.

Monica blasted Alan for his behavior. She told him that he had no idea the lengths she'd gone through to protect him. She told him the whole story of protecting him from Taggert, all because she'd thought he had been cleaning up. She'd stood by him through everything. Every time Alan tried to say something, a very angry Monica cut him off. She told him she was done with him.

Jerry told Bobbie that he had gone straight to the brownstone and found out about Lucas. Bobbie explained that Lucas had gone into diabetic shock after not eating. Jerry asked if it was because of him, and Bobbie let him know that Lucas had been worried that he'd never see Jerry again. Jerry asked about the prognosis. Bobbie reported that after staying overnight for observation, Lucas should be released that day.

Jerry apologized to Bobbie and told her that every single person he'd never meant to hurt, he'd hurt. It had been quite a week. Jerry asked if she hated him. She told him she was glad he was there. Jerry asked to see Lucas, and Bobbie took him in. Tony walked out from around the corner then rushed off.

Nikolas asked Emily if the blackmailer had contacted her again because she was so quiet. He assured her that the pictures would never go out on the Internet. Emily told him that was not it; there was a family problem, and she had been glad for the distraction when Liz had called. Nikolas knocked on the door, knocking the "A" off the door. A defensive Lucky said, "That's right. I live here." Liz rushed to tell them their plans for cleaning and painting the apartment, which even had its own bathroom.

Nikolas said there was a lot to be said for having a place of one's own. Lucky told them that his search of the company's files hadn't turned up anything with Maggie's name, but the files hadn't been computerized until 1995. They'd have to check the files at the head office. Liz was excited about sneaking around, like in a John Grisham movie. Lucky told them that first there was a bigger problem: the head office was in Manhattan. Nikolas wanted to know what the problem was.

Lila had Reggie take her to see Alan. She told Alan to look at her. He told her that he'd never set out to hurt or deceive anyone in the family. He told her that he'd tried to quit. Lila told him he was in denial, and it was time to stop hurting the people who loved him. The rest of the family entered.

V walked up to Mac with a box of her stuff. He told her that he hated that it was happening. He asked her if she would change her mind and told her it was the department's loss. One of the officers offered to help carry her stuff out to the car, but a teary V left alone. There was a phone call for Taggert, and he asked for the Marino report. Garcia showed Mac a report. Things returned to normal at the police station as V looked on.

Lucas asked when they'd let Jerry out, if he had to go back, and if he had to go on trial. Jerry explained that he didn't and asked Lucas about Thunder. Lucas said he'd missed Jerry and asked his mom if they could go see him that afternoon. Bobbie agreed. Lucas wanted to know if Jerry knew what day it was -- his sister B.J.'s birthday.

Bobbie had to cover her mouth, and Jerry looked at her. She was surprised that Lucas remembered. Lucas told her that he'd always remember and that Jerry would have liked B.J., and B.J. would have liked him. Lucas said he was glad Jerry was out. Jerry hugged Lucas, and Tony took a picture, grinning to himself.

Mike showed up at the bike shop and was thanked for watching Michael while Jason had gone to see Carly. Mike wanted to make sure everything was okay. Jason told him that the place Carly was at was bad, and the letters never got to Carly. He couldn't believe what they were putting Carly through. Mike was surprised that Jason empathized with Carly. Jason was determined to get Carly out as soon as possible.

Nikolas and Lucky clashed over Lucky's reluctance to go to Manhattan. Nikolas said that money was no problem and that Lucky's Luke Spencer pride should stay out of the way, since they were trying to help Emily. Nikolas said that Lucky had computer skills the rest of them lacked, and Nikolas had money. Lucky vowed to pay Nikolas back and for Liz too. Nikolas said to add interest if it made him feel better. Emily asked if Liz had ever been to Manhattan. When Liz responded, "Only in my dreams," Emily replied, "One dream coming true tomorrow."

Edward told Alan that he was officially and legally disinherited. His assets were frozen, and he was not allowed on the property, or he'd be arrested. They'd packed a bag for him, and he was no longer a Quartermaine. They wished him well and goodbye. Alan said they couldn't do that, but it had already been done. Alan picked up the bag and left. A.J. comforted Monica. A stunned Alan stood on the patio.

Lucky, Liz, Emily, and Nikolas arrived in New York City to try to find Maggie Christian. As they rode the elevator to the Platinum Triangle Agency, Emily commented that she loved New York. One more hour there, and she could forget Port Charles forever. "Port where?" Liz jokingly replied. Liz then thanked Nikolas for paying for the trip.

The ever-practical Lucky reminded the girls that it wasn't a pleasure trip; they had a job to do. They went over their plan as they arrived at the Platinum Triangle Agency. Lucky pointed out that the agency was denying any knowledge of Maggie Christian, which was of course a lie. If they wanted her address, they would have to take it. It would require a little ingenuity.

Emily recapped the cover story, which was that she was a model who was in New York for the day with friends, one of whom was Nikolas, who was also considering a modeling career. Emily had agreed to show him around. Emily and Nikolas would distract the receptionist while Liz and Lucky searched for Maggie Christian's file. Emily and Nikolas went into the agency and introduced themselves. At first, the receptionist ignored them, but when Emily explained who she was, the receptionist apologized, saying that many hopefuls showed up every day. Emily explained that Nikolas was a friend who was interested in a modeling career. When the receptionist took a look at Nikolas, she was suddenly very interested.

V was at Jax's apartment, offering to help. Jax told her that there was nothing left in his life to administer, and besides, she already had a job. "Had a job," V explained. Jax was shocked because he knew that she loved police work. V said that she loved the work, but she didn't like the politics. Jax asked if his case had had anything to do with her decision. V said that it was a matter of principle. She had made her decision, and she asked what she could do. Jax said that there was nothing to do. The price for keeping his family out of jail was everything he had. V said giving up wasn't the answer for either of them.

Justus was talking to Moreno on the phone about the D.A. position when Tony Jones walked in. Tony wanted the records from when Justus had represented him in the original custody battle for Lucas. Justus asked why. Tony replied that not everyone with close ties to organized crime was as elusive as Jason Morgan. He was referring, of course, to Jerry Jacks. Justus asked what that had to do with Lucas.

Tony explained that Bobbie and Jerry had been romantically involved and that Jerry had been arrested at Bobbie's house with Lucas looking on. He also told about Lucas going into diabetic shock. Since Jerry was free, he was back in Lucas' life, and Tony had the pictures to prove it. He wanted to declare war.

Monica was alone in the Quartermaines' living room, reflecting on Alan's visit to Jason and the scene in the love nest/drug den where they'd found Alan with Tammy. She then reflected on when she'd told Alan what she had done to protect him because she'd thought he had been cleaning up his act. A.J. walked in and interrupted her thoughts. He asked if she was okay. She said that she'd had a rough night and that she was stifling the urge to drag Alan back home. A.J. told her that she had done the right thing, no matter how hard it seemed. Alan wouldn't be able to sustain his secret life, since he had been cut off from the family. In the meantime, she had to stay strong.

Edward entered and commented that he understood that Monica was upset because Alan was her husband, but A.J. should be worrying about the business. He was looking for the stock information he'd requested. A.J. said that he was working on it. Ned entered and said that Edward just had to ask the right person. Jax's ELQ stock was still in the government's hands, but the Feds were prepared to give them first priority. Meanwhile, Katherine was on the terrace, eavesdropping.

Edward said before they started fighting over the stock, they should decide who would control it. He offered to take on the "burden," but everyone quickly said no. Monica suggested that Emily was part of the family, so she would be a good choice. Ned suggested Brook Lyn, which prompted A.J. to point out that Ned would then have control, since Brook Lyn was a toddler.

Edward said that Emily, too, was just a child and that much power should be placed in more experienced hands. The family had been thinking with its heart, and business should be run on blood, sweat, and tears. Edward put Ned in charge of acquiring the ELQ stock. Ned said that he had to decide what to do with L&B, since Brenda was dead, and Edward was perfectly capable of handling the stock acquisition.

Liz and Lucky were anxiously listening at the door of the Platinum Triangle Agency, waiting for a sign that they were clear to sneak in and look for Maggie Christian's file. Lucky said that he had known Nikolas couldn't cut it, and he'd meant what he'd said about paying him back for the trip, right down to the sidewalk hotdog. Meanwhile, Nikolas was sweet-talking the receptionist, who agreed that he certainly had all the required physical attributes. He asked for a tour so he could see how things worked. The receptionist was reluctant because she wasn't supposed to leave her desk. Emily volunteered to stay in case anyone stopped in, so the receptionist agreed. As soon as Nikolas and the receptionist walked away, Emily opened the door and told Liz and Lucky that the coast was clear.

V and Jax discussed his financial situation. V suggested that they start going through the mail. She sorted through several invitations and such, but Jax told her to stop because he couldn't pay her. He said that the only person he would accept help from was Brenda.

While Lucky and Liz were still in the file room, Nikolas and the receptionist returned from their tour. Emily commented on how quick they had been and said that their friends probably hadn't even had time to do what they'd wanted to. Taking her cue, Nikolas distracted the receptionist by thanking her profusely for her time while Liz and Lucky sneaked out the door. Emily and Nikolas left and joined Liz and Lucky in the hall.

Liz and Lucky told Emily and Nikolas that they had the file and that Emily's agent had previously represented Maggie Christian. Emily asked if they thought that was her blackmailer. Lucky said he didn't know but that he had Maggie's address, so they could ask her. As they got in the elevator, Emily told Liz and Lucky how brilliant Nikolas had been and that the receptionist had been falling all over him. Liz teasingly said, "Oh, she thought Nikolas was hot, did she?" to which Emily replied, "Well, she has eyes." Emily and Liz laughed while Lucky looked unamused.

Jax thanked V for everything she had done but said that he never made a move without thinking, and he needed to think for a while. They were interrupted by a knock on the door. Brenda's attorney had arrived unexpectedly to discuss her will. She'd left everything to Jax.

Justus was going over everything he had on Tony's custody file. He told Tony that making Bobbie look bad didn't make him look good or increase his chances of winning Lucas back. Justus said that he would be better off finding someone who was already reputable to support him.

Monica left for work while A.J. and Edward discussed his performance at ELQ. A.J. pointed out what an excellent job he was doing and that he deserved a little respect. Edward told him to earn it as A.J. left the room. After A.J.'s departure, Edward called the federal government to arrange the purchase of Jax's ELQ stock. Reggie interrupted him by dragging a screaming Katherine, who was still eavesdropping, in from the terrace.

Katherine admitted that she had been listening. She hadn't meant to, but when she'd heard how A.J. was treating Edward, she had gotten very angry. She was appalled at the disrespect and outright nastiness. She thought that Edward deserved better. Edward said that the family had lost its spine and that they needed Katherine to get them back.

Jax read Brenda's will. V said that it was Brenda reaching out to help him. She reminded him that he'd said Brenda was the only one he would let help him, and there it was. Ned arrived in response to Jax's message. V excused herself to take care of some of Jax's mail. After she left, Jax thanked Ned for putting up his bail. Ned said that it was what Brenda would have wanted.

Ned asked how Jax was. Jax said that it still seemed a little unreal. Ned agreed. He told Jax that he had just returned from the bank. He'd had a meeting about L & B's future, since there was no L and no B. Jax asked what was going to happen. Ned said that he couldn't let it go, not yet. Jax said that Brenda would have wanted that too. Jax suggested that Ned hire V, since she was out of work. V returned, and Ned offered her a job at L&B.

Tony visited Monica to try to gain her support in his custody battle. He asked for sympathy from an old friend and went on to remind Monica of the trials he had suffered including the death of his daughter, the demise of his marriage, and the loss of his son. He had once been a good man and a fine doctor. Monica asked what he wanted. Tony said that he hadn't turned Alan in when he had been hit by his own personal tidal wave, and he would like a little reciprocity. All he was asking was that Monica reinstate him on some level at General Hospital so that he could get his life back. Monica said that she couldn't help him.

Tony said that no one could stop him. He might get desperate, and desperate people did desperate things. Monica said that the way things had been going with her family, he would have to do something desperate for her to even notice. Tony said that he hadn't even told her about the second time Alan had been taken into his clinic. Monica said that she didn't want to know.

Monica suggested that Tony leave and that on the way to the door, he ask himself if a good man threatened his friend to get what he wanted. Tony said that he wanted her to help him get his son back. Monica told him to find someone else because she was not interested. She also told him that if he wanted to turn Alan in, to be her guest.

Edward was on the phone, telling the party on the other end to draw up the papers. He hung up and told Katherine that he had purchased the ELQ stock seized by the government and that he wanted her to buy it. Besides, he needed someone on her side. Katherine asked about the others. Edward said that he didn't care what they thought; he wanted her to have the stock. If she wouldn't do it for herself, then she should do it for him.

Liz, Lucky, Emily, and Nikolas were having lunch at Café Matisse in New York, which a roommate had disclosed was where Maggie Christian was employed. Emily commented that it was just like the one in Port Charles. Nikolas asked if they went all the way to New York to eat what they could have had at home. Lucky said that they weren't there for the dining experience but for information. The waiter arrived to take their order.

Emily went first and stumbled over the French pronunciations. Nikolas offered to order for them both and proceeded to order in perfect French, while Lucky looked on in disgust. Liz ordered quiche, and Lucky ordered a side salad and water. They asked the waiter if Miss Christian was there, and he left to find her. Liz said she could get used to lunch in French in New York. Emily said that she could, too, and that she had even dreamed of lunch in Paris with friends, but it could all go up in smoke if they didn't find the blackmailer. Liz said that they wouldn't let that happen.

Maggie Christian arrived at the table and asked if she knew them. Lucky said no but that they knew her. Nikolas explained that they'd heard that she had been the victim of a blackmailer. Maggie was clearly uncomfortable and replied that everyone in New York was a victim. She asked who they were. Lucky asked what she could tell them about the photos. She said that they were ancient history and started to walk away. She stopped when Liz told her that the blackmailer was trying to do the same thing to Emily.

Emily said that all she wanted to do was model, but her career was in jeopardy. She asked Maggie for help. Maggie said that she'd like to, but she couldn't. Nikolas asked why she wouldn't help. Maggie said that she was sorry that the sleazebag was at it again, but she'd never found out his identity. She wished them luck and walked away.

Emily was dejected and said, "So, that's it." Liz said, "No, that's not it. We'll just come up with another plan." She looked at Lucky and said, "Right?" Lucky agreed that they would find the guy. Emily asked how, and Lucky said that they would start from the inside.

Ned tried to convince V to work for L&B. V said she would take the job as long as Ned could use her and Jax wasn't just trying to get rid of her. Ned assured her that she would work hard.

Monica told Tony that he wasn't in any shape to return to GH. Tony said that he wouldn't be responsible for what happened next. Monica said that he hadn't taken responsibility for his actions in a long time.

Edward finally "persuaded" Katherine to buy the ELQ stock. Edward congratulated her and told her that it was nice to see her excited about something again. As Edward left, Katherine had a very satisfied look on her face.

Ned was furious with Edward when he found out that the ELQ stock had been sold to Katherine. He said that he was the CEO, and his first order of business was going to be to get rid of Katherine, even if he had to fit her with cement over shoes. Katherine said that she felt terrible about being the cause of so much dissension among the family. A.J. said if she weren't causing problems, something else would.

Katherine turned to Edward and said slyly that she never should have let him talk her into buying the stock. Edward replied that while the cool cat was away, the old fool would play. Ned was flabbergasted that Edward had deliberately put ten percent of the company in Katherine's hands. Edward said that it had taken some doing because Katherine could be very bullheaded. Ned asked if Edward had decided to pull the rug out from under the rest of the family to take a slap at him. Edward said, "Excuse me," but explained Jason had "the aptitude of cole slaw;" Tracy, Ned's mother, was "criminality personified;" and that Alan was a "gelatinous mass of appetites." He added that Ned was nothing but a "bohemian wannabe with dreams of adoring fans and piercing his nose."

Edward turned to A.J. and asked if he felt like he'd had the rug pulled from under him. A.J. said that he hadn't expected it, but more diversity couldn't hurt the board. Edward said that blood and ideas were what were going to keep the company alive for Brook Lyn and Emily. Ned said that Katherine was not the one to save the day. She was a curse, the terminator, the thing from outer space who wouldn't die -- and she had a new best friend, Helena Cassadine. She would sell them out in a heartbeat.

A.J. told Ned that he was overreacting. Ned told him to cram it like a good little suck-up. Ned told Edward that if he didn't like the family he had, he should ask himself why. The only member of the family Edward hadn't turned into some kind of monster was Emily. Edward replied that Ned should title his memoirs, When Troubleshooters Go Bad. He was at the heart of every family disaster. Edward didn't think that the stocks would be any worse off in Katherine's hands than they had been in Jax's. Ned said that Jax was out of the way, and if Edward wanted, he could be out of the way as well.

Bobbie and Jerry were at the hospital, talking about family. Bobbie said that Luke had known that her daughter had been alive but had lied to her. It was wrong, but he had done it because he loved her. Bobbie said she had been mad at him, but that one day, she'd just remembered loving him for so long that it would be exhausting not to. She said that "one of these days," Jax would wake up and remember the same thing. Jerry said that he had the time to wait.

Jason was at the motorcycle shop, telling Michael about his visit with Carly. He said that Carly had been glad to see him but was mad about every day she spent away from Michael. Robin arrived in the doorway as Jason was telling Michael that his mommy would return home. Robin walked in and said hello. Jason welcomed her home and asked her about her trip.

Robin gave Jason a gift from Heather then laughed when he figured out what it was right away. She said that Heather thought he was a genius. Robin then told Jason that she'd heard him telling Michael about Carly. She asked if Jason had seen her. Jason said yes and told Robin how bad the place was and that Carly had the doctor completely fooled.

Robin said that she knew better than most people that Carly almost never got caught in her lies, but it surprised her that Jason admired her for it, since he never lied. Jason said he admired Carly because she wouldn't let anyone break her. Robin asked if Jason thought Carly would be that strong about Michael living with them.

Edward told Ned that he wasn't going to fire Ned because he was Edward's grandson. He then apologized for being overly critical, but he'd thought Ned was man enough to take it. He told Ned to take the rest of the day off. Ned told Edward to get ready to kiss up to him big time. Ned also told A.J. that before he started redecorating Ned's office, he ought to be careful what he wished for.

After Ned left, Edward asked for A.J.'s opinion. A.J. said that he didn't idealize Katherine, but that as long as she was living in their house, it certainly couldn't hurt to align her self-interests with the Quartermaines'. Edward talked more to himself than anyone about how his children had turned out so badly. Edward said that he'd read an article that had concluded that children were rotten because they were rotten. He asked himself who was left to step up to the plate.

Edward told A.J. that he was the only Quartermaine male left with any focus or drive. Ned had lost his since Lois had left. Michael was unspoiled, but Jason kept him under lock and key. Edward said that if Ned had used his head, Michael would be living with the Quartermaines already.

Nikolas and Stefan were discussing Laura. Nikolas told Stefan that he'd resented Laura for so long that it had never occurred to him until the trial that he knew next to nothing about Laura and his father. If the lies that had been told to keep him from being curious about his mother were taken away, the only thing he had left was what Laura and Stefan had told him: that he had been conceived in love. Stefan was surprised and asked if Laura had said so. It was true, but it was not something he thought she would want her family to hear.

Nikolas said that no matter how his father had treated everyone else, he had loved Laura -- Nikolas checked to make sure he was right. Stefan said that he had from the moment he'd laid eyes on her. He told Nikolas of the first time Nikolas' father -- who was really Stefan -- had seen Laura. He hadn't met her until one night in the garden when she'd appeared out of the trees with her hair flying. She had been running and had run into his father's arms. His father's heart had stopped, and in that moment, it had seemed that without knowing it, he had been waiting for her for a long time.

Nikolas asked if Stefan knew that from his father. Stefan said yes, with a very faraway look in his eyes. Nikolas said that he was glad Stefan remembered.

Jerry went to Jax's and demanded that he let him in, it was about their mother -- and Jerry asked if Jax had sold her out to the FBI too. That prompted Jax to angrily open the door and tell Jerry to get out; he didn't want to hear anything Jerry had to say. Jerry told Jax that his parents hadn't left because they were hoping for a chance to see him before they went. Jax said that he would send them a postcard when he could afford the stamps. Jerry said that their parents had given him everything; they'd loved him into life.

Jax said to spare him, he'd heard it too many times. Jerry said he'd had a pretty lousy two weeks himself. Jerry told Jax to call his mother, and he left, slamming the door behind him. As he left, Jax told Jerry that he would call a shrink for him instead.

Ned arrived at the gatehouse and found V listening to an Eddie Maine CD while she waited for him. She told Ned that he was very gifted. There were executives and there were singers, "and seldom the twain shall meet," at least that had been her observation. Ned thanked her but said that he wasn't an executive, and as for a singer, that was dear, departed Eddie Maine.

Ned commented that V was getting right into the thick of things. V said that even though L&B hadn't shown any growth that year, all of their connections were still alive and well. Mr. Jacks had always said that a business was exactly as healthy as who a person could get on the phone. Ned asked her why she had been calling booking agents. V said that they couldn't rely on Luther, so she had devised a new plan: Ned.

A.J. asked Edward if he was worried about Ned, his dedication, and his follow-through. Edward asked, "Shouldn't I be?" A.J. said that he would be more concerned with having Ned as an enemy. Edward should keep him in the fold. A.J. said that he was on top of the biggest ELQ project, the docks. As far as the family, Monica was overloaded, Alan was out of the picture for the time being, and Emily had her modeling.

Even though Edward disapproved, A.J. thought that modeling was good for Emily; it gave her something to do besides doing drugs with her loser friends. It threw her into a better crowd, like Nikolas Cassadine, and A.J. saw no harm in that. A.J. said that he had also been in touch with Jason. Edward was surprised. A.J. said that he'd told Jason he was being paranoid and that the only thing he was protecting Michael from was being loved. A.J. said that Jason didn't change his mind, as everyone knew, but Robin was willing to listen.

Jason told Robin that he hadn't really gotten a chance to tell Carly of the current living arrangements because they had only been able to speak freely for the few minutes that the doctor had been out of the room. He promised that he would the next day. Robin asked if he had thought about how much he would tell her. Jason said that how he lived and who he loved was not up to Carly, but that she was Michael's mother, and she had to be okay with what Jason planned for him.

Robin said that Jason was picturing a calm, reasonable discussion. She asked what would happen if Carly freaked out when she found out that the three of them were living together like a family. Jason said he didn't understand what Robin thought was going to happen, explaining that Carly wasn't really nuts. As Jason walked away, Robin said, "No?"

Ned said that he hadn't bought back L&B to make himself a headliner. V said that they needed cash, and Eddie Maine was all they had to peddle. Ned said that Eddie Maine had sung his last note when Lois had left, and he wasn't going that route again. V said, "Then don't. Be Ned Ashton. Be famous as yourself." Ned laughed and said he was sorry, but it was not going to happen.

Jason said that Carly had been faking. He asked if Robin really thought she wasn't. Robin said certifiable was not what she was afraid of. Bobbie stopped by and asked Jason to say hello to Carly and to tell her that she was thinking about her. Bobbie visited with Michael as a concerned Robin looked on.

Edward told A.J. that he felt like he had seen a whole new side of him that day. A.J. said that he had better get going or his new secretary, handpicked by Ned, would tell on him. Edward said he would fire her and take care of the problem. Edward told A.J. that Ned's office and family were A.J.'s for the taking the day he took Michael into the Quartermaine house to live.

Mac arrived home as Felicia was trying to figure out the next chapter in her book. Mac suggested that they try to get the kiss in the first chapter just right, but Felicia said that they'd already covered that. She set the stage of chapter two, leading up to Mac being on the Orient Express with her and only having 30 minutes to find the emerald before they got to the border. Felicia said that was where she needed Mac's help. She asked how a man would go about looking for the emerald. Mac said, with a sly smile on his face, that he thought he could handle that.

Alexis and Stefan were discussing Katherine's acquisition of ten percent of the ELQ stock. Stefan commented that she might be positioning herself with the Quartermaines and that they would be powerful allies if she chose to align herself against the Cassadines. Stefan thought Helena might be behind it all. Stefan had an assignment for Alexis. He thought Katherine deserved better than to fall into Helena's web. She'd survived the fall, and he wanted her to survive the family. He wanted her to find Luke Spencer because he thought Luke knew more than he had revealed.

With Jax's consent, his parents arrived for a visit on their way to the airport. His mother thanked him for agreeing to see them. His father reprimanded him for making the deal for his and Jerry's release. He told Jax to take care of himself and that they'd raised him to be smarter. His mother thanked him for giving up everything to save his brother and father.

Jax replied that the only thing he'd wanted was to sever his relationship with the three of them, and the deal had accomplished that goal. He didn't want any of the money because if it were traced back far enough, there would eventually be a link to organized crime. Jax's mother was sure that he would be able to rebuild because he could do anything if he set his mind to it. As they left, Jax's mother said that she couldn't go without his promise to keep in touch. Jax said that he couldn't make that promise -- but they did owe him an answer before they left.

Robin arrived at the motorcycle shop with Michael in tow. Jason asked why she was there, and Robin explained that Leticia's mother was still ill, and she had classes. Bobbie and Monica were in surgery, and Emily was at school, so Jason was the only one left who could watch Michael. Jason said that he couldn't watch Michael because he had to visit Carly. Robin asked why he couldn't reschedule his visit.

Jason said that he'd promised Carly that he would be there; she was counting on him. If he didn't show, Carly would start thinking that he didn't care about her and that she would be stuck there forever. Robin told him that he had better find a sitter because she wasn't going to miss her class so he could go see Carly. Jason told Robin that she hadn't seen the place where Carly was being held. Her doctor was a control freak. Jason couldn't understand how she had made it that long. Robin was surprised that Jason felt sorry for Carly.

Jax asked his parents if Jerry was going to Alaska with them. His father said they weren't concerned with what Jerry did next. Jax's mother said that the saddest part of the whole situation was that they should be mourning for Brenda, and instead they ware caught up in the legal issues. As they left, his mother stayed behind and tried to explain that they'd kept him in the dark out of love.

Jax disagreed. He said that love was honest, and sometimes it took courage to be honest -- and on those occasions, love was both. People turned to lies to get what they wanted when they thought the truth wouldn't make them look like the person they wanted to be. His mother said that he might be right, but they'd also kept him from the knowledge because they hadn't wanted him tainted, and that was for him, not for them. She believed that what Jax had done was to sacrifice to protect his father and brother. As she went, she asked him to please stay in touch.

Alexis told Stefan that she was willing to pursue whatever Luke was withholding, but if he didn't want to be found, they wouldn't find him. Stefan said that he wasn't so sure that Luke was in hiding. He might just want to avoid Laura. He might not be so difficult to locate if he was confident Laura wasn't looking. Alexis commented that it seemed Katherine's rancor toward him had more to do with the fact that Katherine thought Stefan had never loved her.

As the doorbell rang, Alexis asked Stefan how he thought Laura would react if she knew that Stefan was trying to pin attempted murder on Luke. As Laura entered the room, Stefan said that if Luke was guilty, he doubted Larua's problem would be with him. Laura asked if she was interrupting, and Alexis said no, she was just leaving.

After Alexis' departure, Laura told Stefan that she had gotten his message and asked if something was wrong. Stefan said no. He asked Laura if it was true that she'd told Nikolas that he had been conceived in love. Laura told Stefan not to read anything into it. Stefan thanked her. It had helped Nikolas. It was what he'd always wanted to believe, and he'd needed to hear it from her.

Stefan asked if Laura had ever told Nikolas how she'd first met his father. Laura said she didn't understand why it was important for Stefan to know that. Stefan asked her to go outside to avoid prying eyes and ears.

Mac had arranged a candlelit dinner scenario to help Felicia with her novel. Felicia had hidden an "emerald" somewhere, and Mac had to try to find it. As they played out the scene, Mac made several amorous advances, which Felicia rebuked him, saying that they were supposed to be working on the novel. Felicia finally gave in, and Mac carried her to the couch, where they lay locked in a passionate embrace.

Robin said that she didn't feel sorry for Carly. Carly was a crisis junkie. She was in Ferncliff because she'd put herself there. She was there because she'd pretended to be insane, another lie. Robin asked why Jason couldn't get that. Jason said he got it. Carly lied all the time. She always had some dumb plan to get someone, and it always blew up in her face. Robin asked if he wanted Michael raised like that.

Jason said that Michael was okay. Robin said that they weren't going to be. Carly was going to use Michael to control Jason. Jason disagreed and said Carly knew there was a line she couldn't cross. Robin said that somehow Carly got him to cross lines no one else could get him to cross. Letting everyone believe that Jason was Michael's father was a perfect example. Michael tied Jason to Carly. Carly was a user, completely selfish and incapable of thinking ahead. As Robin turned to leave for class, Jason told her that he knew that Robin didn't want him to see Carly but that he'd promised to stand by her, and he was going to.

Felicia and Mac were on the couch, looking very satisfied. Felicia said that they were going to have to do it again because she needed to work on her book. Mac asked why, because he had done his part. He held up the "emerald." Felicia was amazed that he'd found it without her knowing and begged him to tell her how he had done it so she could write it down. Mac smiled but refused to tell her. He kissed her goodbye. As he left, Felicia smiled and said she loved being married.

Nikolas was visiting Katherine at the Quartermaine mansion. He couldn't believe that Katherine thought she needed someone to be excited for her when the Quartermaines liked her enough to let her buy ten percent of the company. Katherine said that only Edward was excited. Ned and A.J. were very angry, and she never would have done it if she'd thought it would make matters worse. Nikolas asked why she would want to live there if practically everyone, including the butler, was mean to her, and why she would go into the business with them. Katherine said that they were family, and she'd lost hers.

Stefan and Laura were in the garden. Stefan wanted to tell Laura what he'd told Nikolas about the night they'd met. Laura didn't think they should go back there, but Stefan thought it was important that they get their stories straight in case Nikolas ever asked her. They flashed back to the time when Laura had been held on the Cassadines' island. She was running away from the guards and had right into, Stefan who protected her. When Laura realized he was also a Cassadine, she asked why he hadn't turned her in. Stefan replied that he knew what it was like to want to get away.

In the flashback, Laura said she knew she couldn't get off the island, but sometimes it helped to just get away for a while. As she turned to go, Stefan told her that he had always found the garden they were in very safe. Laura smiled and told him that she would remember that. Back in the present, Laura reminisced about how angry Stavros had been when she'd returned and said that it had been a week before she had seen Stefan again. "Six days," corrected Stefan.

V arrived at Jax's to check the addresses on some of the RSVP cards she was handling for him. Jax commented that it would be interesting to see how long he stayed on the invitation lists for all the charities. V said only one event looked fun anyway, a Bacharach tournament. Jax said that he'd always loved that tournament.

V said that he should go; they had $67,000 between them. Jax said that would barely get him into one hand. He would have to appear to have someone backing him. Jax tried to convince V to pose as a rich benefactor and accompany him to the tournament. She said, "No way, it ain't going to happen."

Mike was at the garage, watching Michael as A.J. arrived. Mike told him that Jason wasn't there but would be back after his visit to Carly. A.J. was surprised that Carly was being allowed visitors. Robin walked in and relieved Mike of his babysitting duties. After Mike left, A.J. commented on how big Michael was getting. He asked how Robin was doing and how things at the cottage were going. He then asked about Carly returning home. Robin said that it could be soon.

A.J. said that no one knew better than he did that Carly complicated things. He asked if they were all going to live together. Robin laughed and said, "How long do you think the roof would stay on if that happened?" A.J. said that it would all go up in smoke before midnight. Robin asked who he thought would be standing when the smoke cleared. A.J. said, "Nothing personal, but almost nothing will stop Carly."

Jason arrived at Ferncliff for his visit with Carly. The doctor agreed to leave them alone and whispered to Jason, "nothing conjugal" as he left. Jason gave the doctor a funny look then turned and said hello to Carly, who was overjoyed to see him. Carly mentioned that Jason had been about to tell her something about Robin at their last visit when the doctor had interrupted. She suggested they discuss it before the doctor interrupted again. Jason told Carly about the new living arrangements, and she reacted about the way Robin had predicted she would. She angrily asked where in a "cottage" she was supposed to sleep, "on the lawn?"

Jax told V to stop saying no because it was exactly what he needed. Besides, they didn't really have anything to lose. V said, "Your last $67,000, for one." Jax said, "You told me I could win." V replied, "That was before you wanted me to go with you." Jax told V that she would be great.

V was afraid that everyone would see through her and would know that she was a fraud. Jax said, "No, we will make you into someone else. You can be a South American heiress or someone self-made." V said that she wasn't self-made, she wasn't a jet-setter, and she wasn't someone that all eyes fixed on when she walked into the room. Jax smiled and said, "But you will be." He charmingly pleaded with her to say yes. V was clearly considering it.

A.J. apologized to Robin and said that he hadn't thought Carly could still push his buttons like that. It had to have something to do with seeing how far Jason had gone since Robin had returned from France. He knew that it was her influence that had gotten Jason to leave the life. It meant a lot to A.J. because he knew if it weren't for him, Jason never would have gotten involved with organized crime in the first place.

Anyway, A.J. said, he'd just stopped by to thank Jason for the heads-up on Alan; he had been right. It was weird that Jason could see the truth about Alan but not about what Carly was doing. A.J. just didn't want to see Carly steal another person's happiness, especially Robin's or Jason's. Jason was still his brother, even though he didn't feel that way. As he left, he apologized to Robin for what Carly had done to her and Jason.

Carly continued her tirade, asking how Jason could just yank Michael out of a home that she had created for him without consulting her first. Jason told her to calm down. Carly said not to tell her to calm down. She asked what she was supposed to do -- and sarcastically asked if she should go live with Jason and Robin and tiptoe around little Miss Perfect's rules

Jason again told Carly to calm down. She yelled, "Don't tell me calm down when someone else is out there trying to kidnap my baby." She asked if Michael was calling Robin "Mama." Jason told Carly to listen to him. Carly yelled, "What else haven't you told me? Are you going to marry her, what else?" As Jason grabbed her hands and tried to get her to calm down, the doctor walked in the room and asked what was going on.

Katherine told Nikolas that she was "such a fool" for thinking she could get a family by bulldozing her way into the Quartermaines. Nikolas said that she wasn't a fool and that there were plenty of people who loved her. Katherine said that with anything regarding love, she was unlucky. Nikolas said that just wasn't true, and he was honored that Katherine considered him a close friend. Katherine said that if the room were full, he would always be the best of the lot for her. They hugged as Katherine brushed what look like real tears from her eyes.

Stefan was pleased that Laura's memory of the night they'd met was the same as his. Stefan said that no matter what had happened between them since, he had always held firm to the belief that Nikolas had been conceived in love. The memory of her face that night had never left him. Laura said that she remembered Stefan's face, his voice, that incredible feeling that she hadn't been a prisoner anymore. Overcome with memories, Laura and Stefan shared a passionate kiss.