Due to the extended July 4th holiday, ABC opted to air an encore episode of General Hospital. This scheduling change was planned and there will be no "lost" episodes as a result of the programming shuffle.

Regular programming will resume on Tuesday, July 6 and pick up where Friday, July 2's episode concluded.

At the Metro Court Restaurant, Jax was looking over some papers when Skye arrived. Jax revealed that they were legal documents to finalize Morgan's adoption and Jax's divorce from Carly. Skye wasn't surprised when Jax confessed that he didn't want to end his marriage. Jax admitted that there had been a time when he had thought that putting Sonny away had been worth any price, but he had been wrong. He couldn't imagine his life without Carly.

Skye realized how strong he felt about Carly because she didn't recall him being nearly as upset over losing Brenda. However, Skye suggested that Jax was ignoring reality. She didn't understand why he was holding on so tightly when Carly would always choose Sonny in the end. Jax disagreed; he insisted that things had changed once Michael had gone to jail. According to Jax, Carly had finally realized that Sonny was an unacceptable danger to her children. He pointed to Carly's desire for him to adopt Morgan, Sonny's biological child, as proof.

Skye could see how much Jax loved Morgan because of the way he lit up whenever he talked about his stepson. However, Skye pointed out that there would always be another man in Carly's life: Jason. Jax confessed that he wasn't okay with that, but he wasn't ready to give up his marriage to Carly. Jax realized that he wasn't being fair to Skye by dumping his problems on her. Skye reminded him that she had asked, so it was okay. Skye spotted Carly at a nearby table just as Jax forlornly confessed that he wanted Carly back. Skye noticed Carly glance in their direction, so she suggested, "Kiss me now and make it look like you mean it."

At Crimson, Franco delivered six red roses, which were in addition to the five dozen red roses that he had sent to Maxie throughout the day. Maxie was rattled, but put on a brave front as Franco confessed that he was fond of the number sixty-six because it sounded dirty to him. Maxie wondered why he had sent her the roses. Franco smiled as he reminded her that they had shared some "special" time together. He added that he hoped that she hadn't forgotten. "No, I haven't," she nervously rushed to assure him.

Franco appreciated that she wanted to be loyal to her boyfriend. He explained that the roses were an apology in case he had caused her any trouble. Franco knew that she was in love with "that computer genius," so he began to ask Maxie questions about her relationship with Spinelli. Maxie insisted that she only saw Spinelli "off and on." Franco shifted gears when he noticed Maxie reaching for the phone.

He wondered if she were planning on calling the police. Maxie returned the phone to its cradle and then explained that she had been about to make reservations for her boss. Franco warned her not to lie to him and then he questioned why she didn't trust him. Maxie turned the tables on Franco by demanding to know why he had sent her the crime scene photograph of a blonde corpse. Franco's smile returned as he informed her that the photograph had been valuable.

Maxie argued that the picture had been of a real crime scene. Franco didn't seem concerned, but he was curious if it had changed her response to the picture. He suggested that she open her mind and stop thinking. According to Franco, what was real and what she imagined to be real were the same thing. He insisted that she made him what he was. Maxie disagreed; he was much more than she could have imagined. "That's right," Franco agreed. Maxie was shaken when he leaned down, kissed her hand, asked her to say hi to Jason, and then left.

Maxie went to the penthouse, where Spinelli had been working to track down Franco. Maxie wondered when Jason would be back, but Spinelli didn't know. However, he thought that it was a good time for the romantic reunion that she had mentioned. Maxie didn't think it was a good idea because Franco remained a threat. Spinelli agreed and then confessed that he was tempted to draw out the search for Franco, so that Jason wouldn't have to go back to jail right away.

"No, you can't," Maxie cried out. Spinelli argued that Jason had gone to Pentonville to protect Michael. He insisted that Jason had made a great sacrifice, for which he should be rewarded. Maxie thought that it was too dangerous to give Franco more time to stalk and kill his next victim. She insisted that it was a worse prospect than Jason going back to jail. She suggested that perhaps they could work on a plan for Jason to run away once Franco was caught.

Spinelli argued that it wasn't that simple because there would be some unfortunate consequences. He explained that Michael might end up back in Pentonville if Dante were no longer available to watch over Michael. Maxie suggested that they could find a solution for that, but Spinelli should continue focusing on catching Franco before Franco found his next victim. Spinelli finally realized how frightened Maxie was. Maxie didn't deny it; she was terrified that Franco might, target her. "Have no fear, your loving Jackal will keep you safe," Spinelli assured her.

In Woodstock, New York, Dante and Jason questioned Karen Anderson about Franco. Karen sweetly denied that she had any children or knew anyone named Franco. Dante wondered if she had once lived in Bensonhurst as Karen Frank with a son named Robert, but Karen reiterated that they had the wrong person. As Dante talked about Franco's art, Karen admitted that she had heard of the artist, but she insisted that he was too old to be her son. Dante wondered if they could continue their conversation inside her home. Karen invited Dante and Jason in and then offered them some tea.

Jason declined, but Dante accepted the tea. Jason explained that it was urgent that they find her son, but Karen continued to insist that she didn't have a son. Dante took over; he explained that they knew that she had cashed out her pension in Bensonhurst, changed her last name to Anderson, and then moved to Woodstock. Dante promised that they weren't interested in disrupting her life, but it was important that they find Franco. Karen stuck to her story, but added that she hoped everything was okay with Franco.

Dante revealed that Franco was in trouble and then told her a bit about Franco's state of mind. Karen suggested that perhaps Franco was misunderstood. Dante and Jason realized that they weren't going to make any headway with Karen, so they apologized for disturbing her and then left. However, they stopped on the porch because they realized that Karen was hovering near the window, eavesdropping. Jason and Dante made sure that Karen thought that they had believed her story and that they had decided to return to Port Charles.

After they left, Karen looked troubled. A short time later, Karen was placing some figurines on a mantle when Franco entered. "Hi, mom," he greeted his mother as he held out a bag that contained her favorite dessert. Karen hugged her son and then asked, "Bobby, what have you done now?"

Jason and Dante went to the penthouse upon their return to Port Charles. Spinelli couldn't believe that Karen had lied about being Franco's mother. Jason suspected that Franco was in Port Charles. Maxie confirmed Jason's suspicions when she announced that she had seen Franco. Spinelli was stunned.

In the parking garage, Kristina admitted to Johnny that she was relieved that their charade was over because she realized that she had been in over her head. She thanked Johnny for putting up with her and hoped that they could still be friends. "Of course," Johnny assured Kristina. Johnny pressed the button to unlock his car just as he noticed that something was wrong. Sonny raced into the garage and was screaming Kristina's name while Johnny pulled Kristina to safety seconds before the car exploded.

As the smoke cleared, Sonny checked Kristina for injuries, but she was unresponsive. Johnny coughed as he slowly stood up. "You son of a bitch. Look at what you did," Johnny yelled at Sonny. Sonny focused on Kristina, who slowly opened her eyes and then asked, "Dad?" A short time later, an ambulance and the police arrived on the scene. Kristina was quickly loaded onto a gurney and then taken to the hospital.

Meanwhile, Johnny accused Sonny of planting the bomb in the car. Sonny denied that he had anything to do with the explosion; he insisted that it was on Johnny, who had many enemies. Sonny tried to accompany Kristina to the hospital, but one of the police officers detained Sonny because Mac wanted to question him. However, Johnny was permitted to leave, so that he could be checked for injuries at the hospital. A short time later, Mac and Ronnie entered the parking garage.

Mac was curious how Sonny had ended up in the parking garage in time to see the explosion. Sonny explained that he had been at Alexis' house for a family dinner when he had learned from Molly that Kristina had gone to see Johnny. Sonny insisted that Johnny had been "preying on" Kristina, so Sonny had decided to fetch Kristina. Sonny denied any involvement in the car bomb and then reminded Mac that Mac knew his history.

Mac was curious if Sonny had any suspects in mind. Sonny suggested that the Lopez brothers were known for planting car bombs, so Mac should start with them. After Mac gave Sonny permission to leave, he turned to Ronnie to discuss the bomb. Ronnie was certain that Sonny had tried to kill Johnny, but Mac pointed out that all the evidence indicated that the Lopez brothers were responsible. Ronnie was curious about Sonny's earlier comment regarding Sonny's history. Mac revealed that Sonny's first wife, Lily, had been killed in a car explosion, so Mac didn't think that Sonny would use a car bomb to kill someone.

At the lake house, Alexis left a message for Sonny to call because she was worried. After Alexis ended the call, she rejoined Sam, Molly, and Michael in the living room. Molly thought that the situation between Sonny and Kristina had all the elements of a classic confrontation. Sam feared that it was a disaster in the making, so she urged Alexis to find Sonny and Kristina. Alexis admitted that she was tempted, but she wanted Sonny and Kristina to work things out for themselves.

Michael thought that Sonny's expectations for the family dinner had been too high. Sam agreed. Alexis wondered if Michael knew why Kristina had turned so fiercely against Sonny. Michael claimed that he only knew what everyone else knew: Kristina thought that Sonny was violent and abusive to women. Alexis couldn't understand why Kristina would choose to be with Johnny, who was equally violent. Molly insisted that Johnny treated Kristina well. No one seemed surprised when Molly went on to reveal that Kristina's relationship with Johnny had been merely for show.

Sam explained to Alexis that Kristina wanted to hurt Sonny and that Johnny had gone along with it. Michael added that Kristina thought that she was safe with Johnny, but she didn't appreciate that she was in the middle of a war. Molly argued that Kristina was seventeen and therefore old enough to make her own decisions. Sam and Michael warned Molly that it had been wrong for her to cover for Kristina. Moments later, Epiphany called. Alexis was horrified when Epiphany informed her that Kristina had been rushed to the hospital.

At Lisa's place, Patrick and Lisa ripped off each other's clothes and then had sex on the living room sofa. Afterwards, Patrick was assailed with regrets. He insisted that he loved Robin and his baby. Lisa suggested that Patrick stop flipping out; she understood that what they had shared had just been about sex. Lisa also assured Patrick that they had used proper protection, so there wouldn't be an accidental pregnancy.

Patrick went to the hospital to check on Shirley after he left Lisa's. Epiphany couldn't believe that Patrick would show his face at the hospital after what he had been doing. Patrick's guilty conscience led him to start making excuses for his one-night-stand with Lisa. However, he quickly realized that Epiphany had been referring to his celebratory drinks earlier in the evening. Kristina arrived by ambulance moments later. Steve was on hand to examine Kristina, while Patrick stood nearby.

Steve ordered Kristina to be taken to an examination bay and then went to thoroughly examine his patient. Patrick remained in the waiting area until Kristina's family arrived. Sonny was the first person to show up. Patrick let him know that Kristina had been alert. Alexis, Sam, Molly, and Michael arrived moments later. Sonny wanted to see Kristina, but Alexis didn't think it was a good idea. Sonny didn't want to fight with Alexis, but he hoped that she wouldn't cut him out of Kristina's life.

After Sonny left, Patrick updated Alexis, and the rest of Kristina's family, on Kristina's condition. Johnny joined them a short time later. Alexis was infuriated when she saw Johnny; she violently slapped him across the face as she demanded to know what the hell he had been thinking. Johnny quickly recovered and then calmly explained to Alexis that he had promised that he would check on Kristina.

Patrick was standing at the nurses' station when Steve left Kristina's examination bay. Steve was giving Patrick an update on Kristina and Shirley when Lisa walked up. Steve admitted that he was surprised that Patrick and Lisa weren't celebrating Shirley's successful surgery. Lisa confessed that she and Patrick had a few drinks at the Metro Court Restaurant, but then had gone their separate ways. Patrick looked uncomfortable, but grateful for Lisa's lie. After Patrick excused himself, Lisa insisted that she needed a coffee. She offered to get Steve one as well.

Steve took the opportunity to assure Kristina's family that Kristina was fine. Michael quietly slipped away, as did Johnny. Alexis asked Sam to keep an eye on Molly and then walked off with a promise to be right back.

In his office at Pozzulo's, Sonny revealed to Max that Kristina had nearly been killed in the car explosion. Max was shocked as Sonny explained that Kristina had been with Johnny when the bomb had detonated. Max was relieved when Sonny assured Max that Kristina hadn't been seriously injured. Neither Max nor Sonny noticed Michael lurking outside of Sonny's office. Sonny was too busy instructing Max to make certain that the bomb couldn't be tied to them.

Max assured Sonny that the demolition guy had returned to Argentina and that everything pointed to the Lopez brothers. Sonny suggested that Max secure an alibi and then ordered him to arrange for one of the Lopez brothers to take the fall for the explosion. Max assured Sonny that it would be taken care of and then turned to leave. Max stopped short when he noticed Michael standing in the doorway.

After Max left, Sonny wondered how long Michael had been standing in the doorway. "Long enough," Michael answered. Michael clarified that he knew what Sonny had done. Before Sonny had a chance to respond, Alexis entered the office. She shut the door and then demanded to know, "Did you plant that bomb?"

Patrick arrived home to find Robin waiting for him. Robin explained that she had arrived early and then happily embraced her husband.

At the Scorpio-Drake residence, Robin was thrilled to be home from Africa. Patrick wondered how long she had been back. Robin revealed that she had arrived home ten minutes before he had. She had been tempted to call him at work, but she had decided not to disturb him. Instead, she had used the time to reconnect with Emma. Patrick smiled, but he seemed a bit subdued. Robin and Patrick put Emma to bed and then returned to the living room.

Robin admitted that she had been worried that Emma wouldn't recognize her. Patrick assured her that it wasn't possible because Emma loved Robin and had daily reminders of her. Robin noticed that Patrick had seemed quiet since he had walked through the door. Patrick insisted that everything was fine, but Robin knew that wasn't true. She acknowledged that things had been tense between them before she had left.

Robin apologized for how she had treated him, but Patrick argued that she didn't have anything to be sorry for. Patrick insisted that he should have been the one asking forgiveness. "For what?" Robin wondered. Patrick realized that he had acted like a "selfish ass." Robin refused to let Patrick take the blame because she had been the one to shut him out. The trip had opened Robin's eyes; she was grateful for everything that she had, and she vowed never to take Patrick and Emma for granted again.

Later, Patrick and Robin were snuggled up on the sofa together. Robin credited Patrick for keeping her grounded. She couldn't imagine her life without him. Patrick promised that he loved her and that he wasn't going anywhere.

At the Metro Court Restaurant, Jax realized that Skye's request for him to kiss her was likely because Carly was nearby. Skye warned Jax that the longer he waited to act, the more likely the kiss would appear to be staged for Carly's benefit. Jax leaned forward and then kissed Skye. As Skye had predicted, Carly walked up to their table. Carly smiled brightly as she commented that Jax appeared to be reconnecting with old friends.

Skye returned the false smile as she complimented Carly on the changes in the hotel. Carly explained that she had to redecorate because a madman had destroyed the place. Carly then turned to Jax to ask him if he would mind picking up Morgan at nine o'clock rather than at ten o'clock. After Jax agreed, Carly walked away. Jax was certain that Carly hadn't been bothered by the kiss, but Skye disagreed. She was confident that Carly wasn't a very happy person at that moment.

Olivia entered the restaurant to discuss a problem with one of the hotel rooms. Carly was annoyed. She blamed Olivia for falling asleep behind the wheel. Olivia wondered if Carly were truly mad at her or if Carly's anger had anything to do with Jax's dinner companion. Later, Jax approached Carly to let her know that he had received the adoption papers for Morgan.

Jax wanted to let Carly know that she could back out of the adoption if she had changed her mind. Carly promised him that she wanted to go through with the adoption. She insisted, "The sooner the better." Jax's good mood fled when Carly wondered if Jax had also received the divorce papers.

Nearby, Olivia was stunned when Johnny called to let her know about the car bomb.

In Sonny's office, at Pozzulo's, Alexis demanded to know if Sonny had planted the bomb in Johnny's car. "What happened tonight is exactly why I wanted to keep Johnny away from Kristina," Sonny cryptically answered. Alexis wasn't satisfied, so she asked him again. "Of course not," Sonny responded in an offended tone. Alexis wanted to speak to Sonny alone, but Sonny insisted that Michael stay. Michael looked uncomfortable, but he honored his father's request.

Alexis accused Sonny of leaving her home as if he knew that something terrible would happen. Sonny carefully weaved his story with half-truths as he denied any involvement in the explosion. Alexis admitted that she was sorry for everything that Michael had endured, but she didn't want her daughter to suffer a similar fate. After Alexis left, Sonny asked Michael, "You understand why I had to lie tonight, right son?"

Michael slowly nodded his head. Sonny insisted that it had been necessary to keep the truth from Alexis. Sonny justified his actions by accusing Johnny of continually pushing him and playing sick mind games with Kristina's head. Sonny believed that Johnny had to be stopped. He was certain that Michael would understand one day when Michael became a father. Michael assured Sonny that he wouldn't say anything.

After Michael left, Sonny poured himself a drink. He looked at the drink and then threw it across the room. As the alcohol slowly dripped down the door, Claire stepped into the office. She wondered if Sonny were feeling lousy because he had almost murdered his daughter. Sonny corrected her; he was upset because his daughter had nearly died.

Sonny confessed that he was angry with himself because he realized how his choices had hurt his children, but he also blamed Claire. "What did I do?" Claire demanded to know. Sonny claimed that if Claire hadn't put Johnny on the witness stand then Kristina would never have heard Johnny's lies about Sonny being abusive to women. Claire was curious how Sonny did it; he had started out taking the blame, but within minutes he had used her as a scapegoat. "No wonder Kristina doesn't trust you," she added.

Sonny argued that he took responsibility for his wrongs. He realized that his life had affected his children, but he insisted that Claire had also played a role in their suffering. However, he was adamant that the real problem was Johnny. Sonny proceeded to spin his story about how Johnny had constantly courted danger and had numerous enemies who wanted Johnny dead. Claire confessed that she was tempted to believe Sonny. Sonny insisted that he had nothing to do with the car bomb. He was confident that Claire would never find evidence to prove otherwise.

Shortly after Claire left, Olivia entered Sonny's office. She demanded to know if Sonny had been responsible for the car bomb. Sonny grumbled that he was tired of people asking him that question. Olivia wanted to believe hat he hadn't been behind it. However, she had her doubts because Sonny had given up too easily when she had asked him to ignore Kristina and Johnny's attempt to get under his skin. Sonny insisted that he had followed her advice.

Olivia knew that Sonny was a gifted liar, so she implored him not to lie to her. Sonny maintained his innocence. Olivia recalled the moment that Sonny had shot Dante. She knew how much Sonny had suffered when he had realized what he had done. She also understood how deeply it had affected Sonny when Michael had been sent to prison. Olivia knew that Sonny loved his children, so she asked him to swear on Dante's life that he hadn't planted the bomb. Sonny did as she requested. Olivia was relieved. "Thank you," she told him and then left.

Alexis returned to the hospital. Molly wondered where Alexis had been. Alexis ignored the question to inquire after Kristina. Sam assured Alexis that Kristina was fine. Molly refused to allow Alexis to avoid her question, so Alexis explained that she had gone to the police station to see if there had been any arrests in the bombing.

Kristina joined her family moments later. Kristina was in a wheelchair, but she didn't appear to have any injuries. Molly hugged Kristina and then announced that she would never keep another secret. Kristina smiled weakly as she returned her sister's hug. Mac walked up shortly afterwards; he wanted to ask Kristina some questions.

Sam thought it should wait, but Kristina assured Sam that she was up to it. Mac wondered what Kristina had been doing with Johnny. Kristina explained that she couldn't handle the idea of sitting through a dinner with Sonny, so she had gone to see Johnny. Mac was curious where she and Johnny had been headed when the bomb had detonated. Kristina admitted that Johnny had planned to take her home.

Alexis objected when Mac began to ask Kristina if she were familiar with any of Johnny's business associates. Kristina clarified that the only person she knew who wanted Johnny dead was her father. Mac was curious why Kristina would make such an accusation. Kristina explained that Sonny hated the idea of her dating Johnny, so he had threatened Johnny's life. Sam worried that Kristina might need an attorney, but Mac assured Sam that it wasn't necessary.

Mac asked Kristina to walk him through the accident. Kristina insisted that it hadn't been an accident. "The explosion," Mac corrected himself. Kristina recalled walking to the car. She thought that she had heard someone scream, but she wasn't certain. After the blast had knocked her to the ground, things were fuzzy, but Kristina's first recollection was of Sonny leaning over her. After Kristina gave her statement, Alexis took Kristina, Molly, and Sam back to the lake house.

Kristina was frustrated because no one seemed upset that Sonny had tried to kill Johnny. Molly reminded Kristina that Alexis didn't think that Sonny had been responsible for the explosion. Sam decided to take Molly to the kitchen, so that Alexis could speak to Kristina alone. After Sam and Molly left the room, Alexis made it clear that Kristina was not permitted to see Johnny again.

Kristina insisted that it wouldn't change anything; she was certain that Sonny had planted the bomb. They were interrupted by a knock at the door. It was Johnny. Alexis couldn't believe that Johnny had turned up on her doorstep after she had ordered him to stay away from Kristina. Johnny apologized to Alexis for endangering Kristina and then promised her that he would not see Kristina again.

Kristina insisted that she could always go to see Johnny. "Are you kidding me?" Alexis asked Kristina. Johnny asked to speak to Kristina, so Alexis agreed to give him two minutes. After Alexis left the room, Kristina complained that Alexis refused to believe that Sonny had been responsible for the bomb. Johnny explained to Kristina that he had many enemies who wanted him dead. However, he wanted to focus on Kristina's relationship with Sonny.

Johnny thought that Kristina's relationship with Sonny could be fixed; it was better than carrying around the hate. He wondered if she still intended to stick to their bargain to stop their charade. Kristina agreed to stay away if Johnny wanted her to.

In Woodstock, New York, Franco assured his mother that he hadn't done anything wrong. Karen told her son that the police had been at her house to ask questions about him, but she had denied knowing him. "Keep it that way," Franco gently advised his trusting mother. Karen confessed that she had heard terrible things about Franco, even though she had avoided watching the news and listening to gossip. "They are true, aren't they?" she asked with trepidation.

Later, Karen returned to the living room with a snack for Franco. Franco apologized for upsetting his mother. As Karen talked about the police officers who had questioned her, Franco realized that it had been Jason and Dante. Karen revealed that the men had accused him of killing people and being obsessed with death. Franco readily admitted that he was obsessed with death; it was the subject of his work. However, he added, "Art, as of now, isn't a crime in this country."

Karen wished that he would be more careful because she worried about him. Franco reminded his mother that he was in the public eye and under constant scrutiny. It was the reason that he had a film crew follow him around. "It's proof," Franco explained. Karen was relieved that the camera crew hadn't accompanied him on the visit because she hadn't had a chance to fix her hair. Franco smiled indulgently as he assured his mother that she looked fine.

Franco admitted that he didn't think that the police officers would return. Karen promised her son that she would know what to say if they did. Franco confessed that everything would be over soon. "What do you mean?" she asked with concern. Franco revealed that they were finally there, "the culmination of everything I've been working for," he clarified. "That's good, right?" Karen asked innocently. "A dream come true," Franco confirmed.

Karen regretted that she hadn't paid more attention to him when he had been a child. She admitted that she had been more consumed with pursuing her own interests rather than giving her son what he had needed. Franco smiled lovingly at his mother as he assured her that he didn't hold it against her. They started talking about the path he had taken to become a world-renowned artist. She teased Franco that he hadn't called graffiti art until he had been caught.

Franco chuckled at the idea that all it took was him insisting it was art to be art. If he had known it had been that easy then he wouldn't gone through so much trouble. The comment troubled Karen, so Franco hugged his mother and then assured her that he loved her. "I love you too," she told him as she returned the affectionate embrace.

At the penthouse, Jason, Dante, and Spinelli questioned Maxie about her encounter with Franco. Spinelli wondered why she hadn't told him about it. "I came right here," Maxie explained. She revealed that Franco had sent her dozens of roses. "What do you think he wants?" she nervously asked.

Jason wondered if Franco had threatened her. Maxie shook her head, but she explained that Franco had a way of making her skin crawl. She then passed along Franco's message to Jason. Spinelli was upset because he realized that Maxie could have been killed. Spinelli insisted that it would have been his fault.

Dante continued to question Maxie about Franco, including her connection to the artist. Spinelli felt as if his inadequacies had led Franco to Maxie. Jason reminded Spinelli that Maxie had just been a means to an end; Franco could have used anyone to get to Jason. Jason insisted that he was the reason that Franco was in their lives, so it was up to him to stop Franco.

Spinelli decided to check nearby florists, in the hopes of getting a lead on Franco. Jason was curious what the significance of sixty-six was, so Dante tried to review everything that Franco had said to Maxie to see if they had missed anything. Spinelli perked up when Maxie revealed that Franco had asked her about her relationship with Spinelli. Spinelli was curious why she hadn't mentioned it sooner. Maxie reminded Spinelli that she had a five- minute conversation with a serial killer, all the while wondering where her body would be found, so she had been a bit rattled.

Dante decided to take Maxie home. Maxie wanted to stay with Spinelli, but Spinelli thought that it would be best for her to leave with Dante. "If that's what you want," Maxie quietly agreed. After Maxie left, Spinelli admitted that he had hurt Maxie. "It has to stop," he decided. Jason and Spinelli resumed trying to find Franco. They were frustrated when surveillance footage near Metro Court, around the time of Franco's visit, didn't yield anything. Jason was certain that there had to be a clue somewhere because Franco always left one for Jason to find.

When Maxie and Dante arrived at her apartment, she invited him in. Lulu was surprised to see Maxie and Dante together. Maxie gave Dante an opportunity to explain what had happened, but he was reluctant to upset Lulu. Maxie quickly lost her patience, so she told Lulu about her encounter with Franco at Crimson. After Maxie went to take a bubble bath, Lulu acknowledged that Dante had been right; Jason's release had lured Franco out of hiding.

At the Metro Court Restaurant, a waitress let Jax and Carly know that the receipts were locked up in the safe and the rest of the staff had clocked out. Before the waitress left, she reminded Carly that the Tiramisu was in the cooler. Carly grinned as she jokingly chastised the waitress for forgetting that it was supposed to have been their secret. The waitress chuckled and then left.

Carly defended her penchant for the decadent dessert by insisting that she only indulged occasionally. Jax wasn't fooled; he accused Carly of not having any willpower. Their easy camaraderie disappeared when Jax announced that he had to get in touch with the attorney about the divorce papers. After Jax left, Carly turned off the lights and then headed to the elevator. She stopped short when Franco called out to her.

Carly demanded to know what Franco wanted. Franco revealed that he wanted to apologize to her. When he mentioned Josslyn's name, Carly stiffened. She warned Franco that she would kill him with her bare hands if he touched her family. Franco assured Carly that he would never harm Josslyn because he felt connected to her and to her brother, Michael. "What about him?" Carly wanted to know.

"It seems that your oldest was quite the prize in prison," Franco revealed. As tears filled Carly's eyes, Franco added that thankfully Michael was out of jail and home safe.

Robin and Patrick were holding hands when they approached the nurses' station. Nearby, Lisa was surprised to see that Robin had returned from Africa. Lisa walked up to Robin to welcome her home. After an affection hug from Lisa, Robin asked if she had missed anything exciting. Lisa teasingly wondered if Patrick had told Robin what he had been up to.

Patrick tried to hide his discomfort behind a polite smile. He seemed relieved when Steve walked up to greet Robin. As Robin and Steve chatted, Robin revealed her plans to put together a presentation to raise awareness and funds for the AIDS wing. Lisa quickly volunteered to help Robin. Patrick's annoyance with Lisa grew when Lisa proceeded to make several veiled references to their sexual encounter under the guise of singing Patrick's praises as a doctor.

Later, Steve advised Lisa to keep her personal and professional lives separate. He warned Lisa that she had not been subtle when she had talked to Robin. Steve had also noticed Patrick's guilty expression, so was fairly certain that Lisa and Patrick had slept together. Lisa tried to pass it off as paranoia, but Steve reminded her that he wasn't stupid. He realized that he had merely been a means to an end for Lisa to get Patrick's attention. Steve made it clear that he wasn't in the mood for games. If she wanted to screw up her personal life, it was her business, but Steve did not want it to affect the care of the hospital's patients.

Patrick spotted Lisa at the nurses' station. He let her know that he needed to talk to her in the locker room after their rounds. Lisa joked that it sounded serious, but Patrick wasn't amused. He warned her not to mess with him and then walked away. Later, when Patrick met up with Lisa, he made it clear that Robin must never find out about their one-night-stand. Lisa assured Patrick that he could relax because his secret was safe with her. Patrick looked nervous when Robin suddenly appeared in the doorway.

Steve was delighted to bump into Carly and Josslyn. He noted that it was nice to see Carly smiling again. Carly thanked him and then suggested that they catch up over lunch.

Liz and Nikolas entered Shirley's hospital room to find Shirley indulging in a huge breakfast. Shirley explained that the Metro Court Restaurant had sent the breakfast over. Nikolas was surprised when Shirley thanked him for it. He quickly clarified that he had nothing to do with the breakfast. Shirley revealed that she had ordered the breakfast and then charged it to Nikolas' account because she figured that he could afford it, since he had covered all of her medical expenses. Liz and Nikolas smiled.

Nikolas was happy to see that Shirley was feeling better, but he couldn't stay because he had promised to take Spencer riding. After Nikolas left, Shirley offered Liz something to eat. She was surprised when Liz declined. Shirley confessed that she had a very healthy appetite during her pregnancies. Liz was shocked by the confession; she had no idea that Shirley had children because Shirley had never mentioned them before.

"That doesn't mean that they don't exist," Shirley replied. Liz wondered if Shirley would like her to contact them, so that they could help handle Shirley's affairs. Shirley confided that her affairs had been a lot like Liz's, which was why Shirley had made a point not to mention them. Shirley went on to reveal that she had once had a man like Lucky in her life. Liz was stunned to learn that Shirley had been in love with a man named Ralph, who had left Shirley heartbroken when he had left town.

Shirley confessed that she had moved on with Ralph's best friend, Leonard. Shirley and Leonard eventually married and had two children: a boy and a girl. Shirley admitted that it had been a good life, even though there had been times when she and Leonard had to grit their teeth to get through it. Everything had changed when Shirley met up with Ralph one day. According to Shirley, all the old feelings had returned and then flourished. Shirley ended up leaving her husband and children to marry Ralph.

Liz wondered what had happened after that. Shirley revealed that she had finally had the life that she had always dreamed of until Ralph died. Afterwards, Shirley had been diagnosed with cancer. Shirley admitted that a part of her had been relieved because it meant that she could be reunited with Ralph. Liz was curious if Shirley had ever regretted leaving her children for Ralph. "No," Shirley confessed, but her children had never forgiven her, so she did have regrets.

At the Metro Court Restaurant, Jax assured Skye that he was working to locate Lorenzo's hidden fortune. Carly approached the table moments later to let Jax know that Josslyn's checkup with the pediatrician had gone well. Skye took the opportunity to mention that Jax had told her about Carly's encounter with Franco. Carly confessed that the incident had left her shaken, so she hadn't gotten much sleep. Jax praised Carly for doing the right thing by calling the police. He then offered to take Josslyn to her next appointment.

Carly assured Jax that it wasn't necessary because it had given her an opportunity to catch up with an old friend. As if on cue, Steve entered the restaurant. Carly happily announced that her date was there and then excused herself. Skye quickly assured Jax that their plan was working. Jax had his doubts as he stared at Carly and Steve. Skye disagreed; she was certain that Carly was trying to make Jax jealous.

Steve realized that Carly had an ulterior motive for inviting him to lunch when he noticed her staring at Jax. He could see that Carly was still very much in love with her husband. Carly didn't deny it. However, she explained that it would do Jax some good to remember what he could lose.

At Lulu and Maxie's apartment, Lulu waited impatiently for Maxie to get ready for work. Maxie revealed that Matt and Spinelli were on their way over, so she didn't intend to go to work. Maxie planned to have Spinelli catch her with Matt, in the hopes of making Spinelli jealous. Lulu thought it was a bad idea because Maxie might end up losing Spinelli and Matt if she continued to play games. Maxie was confident that she knew what she was doing. After Lulu left, Maxie left Spinelli a message to let him know that he was running late. Seconds later, someone knocked on the door. It was Matt.

Maxie was irritated that he was early; she taunted him that he must be desperate to see her. Matt suggested that perhaps he was just raised right. Maxie ignored the comment as she informed him that she wasn't ready, so he would have to wait. Matt didn't seem to mind, which further annoyed Maxie. She reminded him that she was only interested in him for one reason: to make Spinelli jealous. Matt didn't believe her; he kissed her to prove his point.

Spinelli found the front door to Maxie's apartment ajar, so he pushed it open. Spinelli was stunned when he saw Maxie in the throes of a heated kiss with Matt. Lulu walked up in time to see Spinelli's hurt expression as he turned to leave. Maxie pulled away from Matt's kiss to deny that she had enjoyed it. Lulu argued that she could see for herself how much Maxie had liked the kiss.

After Matt left, Maxie dismissed the kiss as a wasted effort since Spinelli hadn't seen it. She was shocked when Lulu revealed that Spinelli had seen the kiss. Maxie was curious how Spinelli had seemed. "What does it matter? It was a bad idea," Lulu replied. Maxie agreed; she decided that it was time for a serious reality check.

Johnny was annoyed when Ethan walked into the penthouse without knocking. Ethan confessed that he was too preoccupied worrying that there might be a bomb planted under his car. Ethan admitted that working for Johnny had been fun, but he was fond of breathing. Ethan threatened to quit if Johnny retaliated against Sonny. According to Ethan, Johnny had a good thing going, so Johnny shouldn't push it by going after Sonny. Johnny offered to double Ethan's pay, but Ethan wanted to be around to enjoy the money.

Johnny assured Ethan that he didn't intend to go after Sonny, but Ethan didn't believe him. He demanded to know what Johnny was really planning on doing. Johnny smiled and then explained that Sonny expected Johnny to retaliate, so Johnny intended to throw Sonny off balance by doing the unexpected. Johnny was certain that it would drive Sonny to make a mistake.

Ethan realized that they would remain targets until one of them, or Sonny, was dead. He warned Johnny that the law of averages would eventually take over, so Johnny would end up dead.

After Ethan left, Olivia stopped by to see with her own eyes that Johnny was okay. It broke Olivia's heart that Johnny probably wouldn't live long enough to settle down and have kids. Johnny pulled her into his arms. They kissed and then made love. Afterwards, Olivia got dressed. She told Johnny that she had decided to walk away for good because she couldn't watch him die. She kissed him goodbye and then left. Johnny seemed sad, but he didn't stop her.

In Sonny's office at Pozzulo's, Lucky explained that he had some questions about the bomb that had been planted in Johnny's car. Sonny informed Lucky that he had already given a statement to the police. Lucky recalled how deeply affected Sonny had been by Lily's tragic death, so he couldn't wrap his head around the idea that Sonny would use a bomb under any circumstances. Sonny admitted that he carried Lily and their unborn child's deaths with him every day, so he thanked God every second that Kristina was alive and safe.

Sonny was curious what the point of Lucky's visit was. Lucky confessed that he just wanted to keep everyone safe. Sonny assured Lucky that he wanted the same thing. Sonny made a point of accusing Johnny of using Kristina before reminding Lucky that Johnny had made many enemies, including the Lopez brothers who were known to eliminate their enemies by planting bombs. Sonny concluded his rant by insisting that Kristina was in danger every second that she spent with Johnny.

Lucky warned Sonny that everyone Sonny loved was in danger, but Sonny insisted that he could protect his loved ones. Sonny conceded that it would be easy to pin the explosion on him, but if Sonny were taken out of the equation then the peace that Sonny had brokered between the families would fall apart. Sonny promised that the police would have a war on their hands. Lucky feared that Sonny's grudge would eventually lead to Sonny's arrest if Sonny didn't back off. Sonny appreciated Lucky's concern, but it wasn't Sonny's problem.

Later, Kristina entered Sonny's office. She was furious that her father had nearly killed her and Johnny. Sonny insisted that Johnny had numerous enemies, but Kristina refused to believe that anyone other than Sonny was responsible for the bomb. Kristina was determined to stay away from Johnny because she didn't want Johnny to die; however, she vowed that she would never forgive her father if anything happened to Johnny.

Kristina started to leave, but Sonny made it clear that they were not through talking. Sonny was fed up with Kristina's behavior. It was time for Kristina to pay the consequences for breaking her parents' trust. Kristina nervously wondered what her father meant by that. Sonny laid down the law; she would have a curfew, her credit cards would be cut off, and every Tuesday night she would be expected to have dinner with him. Sonny also clarified that she would be expected to treat her parents with respect. He warned her that if she continued to defy them then there would be more restrictions.

Kristina was curious how long her punishment would last. Sonny responded, "This is your life now, so get used to it." He asked if they understood each other. Kristina nodded, but he insisted on hearing her say the words. Kristina quietly replied, "Yes Dad, I understand."

At the police station, Lucky told Claire about Lily's death and how losing his wife and child had nearly destroyed Sonny. Lucky admitted that he would never have believed that Sonny would use a bomb, but that had changed. Lucky was certain that Sonny had been responsible for the explosion. Claire revealed that Sonny had flirted with her on several occasions, so she intended to use that to her advantage.

Claire hoped to gain Sonny's trust by pretending to be receptive to his advances. She intended to use whatever Sonny revealed to her to build a case against him. Lucky warned her to be careful. He reminded her that others had tried to use the same tactic with disastrous results. Lucky suggested that she not do such a good job of pretending to fall for Sonny that she actually did.

Liz arrived at the police station to talk to Lucky. Lucky wasn't available, so she was asked to wait. After Liz sat down, she spotted Lucky enter an interrogation room where Maxie was waiting. Liz was stunned to see Maxie greet Lucky with a passionate kiss.

In Pozzulo's, Claire sat down at a table just as Sonny walked out of his office. She invited Sonny to join her. Sonny was curious why Claire was there. Claire explained that she wanted to apologize to Sonny because it appeared that the Lopez brothers had planted the bomb after all. Claire continued to spin her web of lies by claiming to realize that it must have hurt Sonny deeply to almost lose Kristina in the same manner that he had lost Lily. She hoped that she hadn't added to Sonny's pain. Sonny appreciated her apology. He confessed that he might have been wrong about her.

In the hospital locker room, Robin talked to Lisa and Patrick about a drug regimen for a patient they both shared. Lisa asked Robin if Patrick had told her what they'd done while Robin was away. Lisa could have been referring to Shirley's surgery or to the night they had sex. She had fun with the double-entendre, which made Patrick nervous. After Lisa left, Robin said that she wished she could have been there, and she kissed him.

Later, Patrick confronted Lisa at the nurses' station and demanded to know if she had been deliberately trying to make him squirm. She told him to lighten up and stated that their night together meant nothing, but he'd give himself away to Robin if he kept acting guilty. Lisa changed the subject to a work matter when Robin approached.

Robin slipped Patrick a note to meet her at the supply closet. When he arrived, he was opposed to making love there, but Robin wouldn't take no for an answer. When Patrick continued to resist, she asked him what was up.

At Pozzulo's, Sonny and Claire shared a bottle of wine. Claire apologized for jumping to conclusions and assuming he'd been responsible for the bomb that blew up Johnny's car. Sonny forgave her and poured her another glass of wine. Claire accused him of trying to be charming and said that he couldn't possibly make her forget who he was.

She explained that he portrayed himself as an ordinary guy and agreed that Sonny did care about his kids, but she called him a career criminal and vowed that she would get him off the streets. Claire stated that she looked forward to that day. Sonny said he was looking forward to it but, at that moment, he planned to make lunch for her. Claire declined and left, but she left behind a bracelet on the table.

Maxie passionately kissed Lucky at the police station while Liz looked on. Lucky, thrown for a loop, asked what had prompted her to kiss him. Maxie babbled about how Matt had kissed her and that she was concerned because it had been pleasant so she wanted to do a comparison with someone else whom she enjoyed kissing--Lucky. She told him that he still had the touch, which Lucky bashfully appreciated.

As he walked Maxie out, Liz confronted her and called her a slut. Maxie replied that whatever happened with Lucky was none of her business. She called attention to the fact that Liz was pregnant with one child and had two others for a total of three, all of whom had different fathers. "And you're calling me a slut?" she intoned. Lucky put an end to the exchange and Maxie left after calling him "hot lips."

Liz asked Lucky to explain what had just happened, but he declined. She begged him not to get back together with Maxie, but he told her that the past was in the past, and it was no longer Liz's concern.

At the Metro Court restaurant, Carly, on her way to sit with Steven, walked by the table at which Skye sat with Jax. Skye suggested to Jax that he pay more attention to her if he really wanted to make Carly jealous. Jax apologized. Jax and Skye exited the restaurant soon thereafter.

At their table, Steven mentioned to Carly that it was the second time in 48 hours that a woman had used him to make another man jealous. He lamented that Carly was in "Sonny's orbit" when last he attempted to start something with her, and this time, Jax was her "sun and moon." Carly replied that Jax was about to be her ex-sun and moon but that she wasn't about to let him go to Skye.

Carly apologized for having gotten him there under false pretenses. He told her that spending the evening with a lovely woman was a burden that he gladly suffered. Carly then admitted that she still loved Jax and thought they had something worth saving.

Dante and Jason returned to Jason's penthouse after surveilling Franco's mother's house. Spinelli sat mindlessly plunking away on his computer. Dante got a report from forensics on the 66 roses sent to Maxie, but there was nothing conclusive. An angry Spinelli lashed out at Dante and lamented the futility of life. Dante left, and Spinelli told Jason that he and Maxie had broken up.

He explained that he had walked into Maxie's apartment to find her in a liplock with "the heinous doctor Matt Hunter." Maxie's plan had been to make Spinelli jealous, but he had simply walked away disgusted. Jason reasoned that maybe it was Maxie's way of showing that she loved him. Spinelli replied that he believed Maxie didn't have the guts to tell him that she had lost interest in him and that her plan would force him to break up with her. He stated that he was through with romantic delusion and that he would throw himself into the investigation.

Jason told Spinelli to follow the money to see where the profit from the sales of Franco's artwork was going. Carly showed up, and Jason invited her in. He asked her to tell him exactly what had happened when Franco showed up at the Metro Court the prior night. She said that Franco had acted calm and sane and that she hadn't felt threatened. She reported that Franco had apologized for causing her family grief.

Franco had promised that he'd never harm Josslyn and that Jason, Carly, Josslyn, and Michael were all connected. He'd said that Michael had been quite the prize in prison. Carly wanted to know what that meant. Jason pretended not to have any idea what Franco had been referring to.

After Jason went to shower, Carly checked in with Spinelli to make sure he still had time to work on their "other project." He told her not to worry. Later, after Carly was gone, Dante returned and asked for an update on Franco. Jason replied that Franco was all about riddles and games, that he dropped clues so subtle that they couldn't see them.

Franco broke into the dilapidated old Laughlin Mansion and uncovered the furniture before he relaxed on a sofa. He wound up a toy bear, which clapped cymbals between it's paws. Franco watched and smiled. He then tagged the wall above the fireplace with "CO77X." Franco got an expected call from someone and told the person to get there right away.

Later, Wilhelm von Schlegal arrived at the mansion. Franco welcomed him, and the man acknowledged he was a big fan of Franco's work. Franco explained that he was interested in an art show that von Schlegel had curated years before for an artist named Maria Anasaria, who compulsively painted portraits of her nine dead siblings--all of whom had died under mysterious circumstances.

The man stated that the show had been very profitable, as was Franco's work since charges had been leveled against him. Franco explained that he was putting the finishing touches on a new exhibit and that it would be shown at the mansion. He referred to the toy monkey as his associate and told Mr. von Schlegel that it was art and that there would be a lot more to come. After Mr. von Schlegel left, Franco sat with his monkey, Leonardo, and pored over photos of Carly, Maxie, and Lulu, while musing "so many women, so little time."

After Dante returned home, Michael explained that he was going to see his probation officer. He asked if Dante had pulled an all-nighter to work on the car bombing. Dante asked what Michael was talking about, and Michael explained that Kristina and Johnny had nearly died in a car bomb the previous night. He said the police thought it might have been the Lopez brothers who rigged Johnny's car. Dante worried that it may have actually been Sonny.

Lulu entered, upset that people who loved each other did hurtful things to one another. Michael left for his appointment with his parole officer. Lulu explained to Dante what Maxie had done to Spinelli. Dante and Lulu promised that they'd never play such games. They began to make out, but both kept getting urgent texts regarding each of their jobs. They decided to ignore the pleas and take a shower together instead.

Liz arrived at the park to find Nikolas and Spencer. Nikolas told her that he was trying to get it right with his son. Liz apologized for having tried to keep Nikolas out of her baby's life. She asked him if he wanted to be there when she delivered and suggested that he consider becoming her birth coach. Nikolas promised to try not to be overwhelming and thought that being a birth coach would be a Cassadine first.

Claire arrived at the police station and asked Lucky for an update on the car bombing. He explained that there was no evidence that tied the crime to Sonny or anyone else. She told Lucky, who was aware of her plan to trick Sonny into incriminating himself, that she'd almost choked when she apologized to Sonny for assuming he'd been responsible for the bombing.

Lucky asked Claire what her next move was. She replied that she'd "accidentally" left her bracelet behind at Sonny's restaurant and that she'd have to go back to get it. Lucky conveyed to her that he thought the plan was ill-conceived.

Max took Michael to see Sonny at the restaurant after his visit with the P.O. In the office, Michael told Sonny that they couldn't keep seeing each other. Sonny asked Michael what his community service was, and Michael replied that he was on a road crew. Sonny balked, but Michael told him that it was better than Pentonville.

Michael went on to tell Sonny that it was foolish for Sonny to have gone after Johnny, which had almost resulted in Kristina's death. Michael said that, though it looked like he had gotten away with it, Sonny would have to cover it up and keep it all inside. "Who knows better than me what that does to you," Michael said.

Sonny admitted that he'd been having nightmares about Lilly preparing to enter a car that was wired to explode but that, when she turned to face him, it was Kristina. He said that what almost happened to Kristina would haunt him. Just then, Claire entered the office.

Jax took Josslyn to the park and promised her that he would work to reunite their family. Lulu happened by and said hello. Jax remarked on how happy she seemed, and she explained that she was in love. Lulu was surprised that Jax was supportive of her relationship with Dante, since few others were.

Jax handed Lulu her goddaughter while Franco watched from a distance. Jax asked how Dante's search for Franco was going. Lulu responded that she had faith in Dante but that he was worried Franco would go after her again. She said farewell and continued on her way. As soon as Lulu was gone, Franco revealed himself to Jax.