During Tracy and Luke's wedding celebration, which was in full swing at the Quartermaine mansion, Edward took a private moment in his study. He spoke to Lila's photograph and told her how happy he was that Tracy had found love with Luke. He was interrupted when Michael and Jason arrived through the terrace door. They told Edward that they were there to wish him a "Merry Christmas." Edward was overjoyed.

Edward ranted against Sonny for keeping Michael away, but Jason said it was Jason's fault because he had kept Michael away from his family. Edward said it was also his own fault because he had tried too hard to keep Jason close. Michael said that Sonny had been a great father and that he took responsibility for his own actions. Edward said that he was proud of Michael and offered him a chance to become a real Quartermaine by taking an internship at ELQ. Michael was not ready and said that he had to think about it. Edward said that the offer was open indefinitely. He thanked Jason for Michael's visit and told them to go enjoy the party.

In the garden, Sonny proposed to Brenda. She said that she was afraid that something would go wrong if she agreed to marry him. Sonny said that it was their chance to have it all. Brenda said that all she wanted was Sonny. Sonny said that he knew marriage was a big gamble for them, but in the end, he thought that they would be winners because they would get to have each other forever. He said that they could not let fear keep them apart.

Sonny pleaded with Brenda to trust him enough to marry him. She said that she had tried to move on after Sonny, but could never manage it. Sonny said it was the same for him, despite being married several times and having four children. He said that he had never been able to let go of Brenda. He said that he had wanted to reach out to her many times but was afraid to hurt her once more. He said that he would never let her down again.

Sonny said that he would accept "no" for an answer, but his life would be less than it could have been. Sonny told Brenda that all she had to do was believe in him. Brenda said that she was afraid that she would disappoint him and was afraid that if she counted on Sonny, he would leave her. Sonny said to trust him and that he would not leave her again. Brenda kissed him and accepted his proposal.

Inside, the reception proceeded joyously. Luke and Lulu danced, as did Tracy and Dante, Mac and Alexis, and Nikolas and Brook Lynn. In another room, Carly met with Spinelli, who had a copy of an official document that indicated that Dante had given full custody of a child to Brenda. Carly gloated and said that it showed that Dante and Brenda were the worst kind of liars. She cautioned Spinelli not to tell Jason or anyone else what they had found out. She said she could hardly wait to tell Sonny that Brenda was the mother of his grandchild.

Jax found Spinelli and Carly together. When he wanted to know what they were doing, Spinelli said that he had convinced Carly that it would be unwise for him to hack into court files and alter the terms of Michael's parole to get him an early release. Jax was satisfied with the explanation and took Carly back to the party. When Jason spied Spinelli, Spinelli said he was there to bury the hatchet with Dante as a favor to Lulu.

Michael and Carly hugged while Ethan and Maya assembled the single ladies for the bouquet toss. Tracy heaved it over her shoulder just as Sonny and Brenda walked in. The bouquet landed unerringly in Brenda's arms. Sonny happily announced that he and Brenda were engaged. Tracy, in a snide aside to Luke, thought it very poor of Sonny to announce the betrothal at Luke and Tracy's reception. Luke agreed, but said it was better not to make a scene. Michael enthusiastically congratulated Sonny and Brenda. They received other congratulations, but Dante appeared stunned, as did Carly.

Jax said that Brenda was making the biggest mistake of her life. Mac asked Alexis if she was jealous. She said definitely not. Jason also congratulated them, but said Brenda had to stay at the penthouse because her life was still in danger. She agreed and said it would be fun to be old-fashioned and sleep apart until the wedding. Lulu told Dante that he did not have to feel compelled to rush into anything with her just because her dad had just gotten married and his had just gotten engaged.

Edward took Maya and Ethan into his study and said that he was an old man with no heirs. He told them that they could have more than a million if they cooperated. Maya told Ethan to beware because Edward was very controlling. Edward said that he had learned his lesson. He said that he had liked Ethan since the day that they had met. Laughingly, he told Ethan that he was a con man and a thief and that was what it took to run ELQ. Edward said that he would teach Ethan everything that Edward's own children had refused to learn. Maya told Ethan to run. Edward said that he wanted to rectify past mistakes and urged Maya and Ethan to think over his offer.

After telling Luke that he threw a good party, Mac and Alexis left together. As the party wound down, Brook Lynn congratulated Luke and said that he was now her step-granddad. Luke jokingly told her not to call him that. Tracy took Nikolas aside and told him to cancel his contract with Brook. When Nikolas wanted to know why, Tracy said that he would get Brook killed just as he had Emily.

Diane was on the phone, trading racy comments with Max, when Theo interrupted. She told him that if he did not want to stay in Port Charles, she would get another associate from their New York office to help her handle the workload. Theo said he was content with the work. He said that after reading over the wrongful death suit, he was convinced that he was the best hope for Brenda and Dante. When Theo asked, Diane told him about Jason and Sonny, including that Sonny would do anything for his children. She said that Jason was the best client because he never said anything to the police. She said that both Jason and Sonny paid well. Theo left after telling Diane that he needed to see Brenda.

At the penthouse, Brenda asked for Jason's promise that he would attend the wedding. He told her that he would, but she had to remember that her life was still in danger. He told her that he hoped to find the Balkan before the wedding. When Jason left, she went upstairs.

Carly went to see Sonny at his home. He thanked her for not causing a scene when he announced his engagement. She said that she cared about him and would never wish him any pain. She said that was why she was there. She said she was trying to protect him. She begged him not to marry Brenda. Sonny wanted to know why.

Lulu and Dante went back to his loft. He fell asleep on the couch while Lulu was talking. Dante dreamed that three years before, when Brenda got in the car to leave, he had not let her go. Instead, he had declared his love for her and his desire to help her rear her baby, and she had agreed. He was startled awake when Lulu touched him. He hugged Lulu close, but his mind remained on the dream.

Jason went to see Diane, who said that Theo was not optimistic about avoiding a trial. Theo went to see Brenda and said that they needed to discuss the man that she had killed.

Tracy and Luke were alone and dancing together after everyone else had left the party. He vowed his love for her and noted that he had met her conditions by staying sober and paying for the wedding. Tracy pulled the prenuptial agreement from his pocket, looked at it, walked over to the fireplace and tossed it in. She returned to Luke, who lovingly took her in his arms. They kissed passionately.

Lisa arrived at Johnny's penthouse to check on his gunshot wound. Johnny assured her that he had been on the mend since she had given him the stolen antibiotics. Lisa insisted on seeing the injury because she wanted to make certain that he healed properly, so that he would stop blackmailing her. Johnny sat down on the sofa and then lifted his shirt. He casually asked how her plans for breaking up Patrick and Robin were progressing while Lisa examined the wound.

Lisa ignored the question as she offered Johnny some pain medication. She claimed that she could tell that he was trying to hide how much he was suffering. After Johnny took the medication, Lisa explained that she had been trying to defend herself against Robin's baseless accusations. Lisa was confident that Patrick would eventually see things her way. Johnny quickly drifted off to sleep as the medication took effect.

Within seconds, Lisa began to search the penthouse for the incriminating syringe. As she made her way back to the living room, Johnny suddenly opened his eyes and then held up the syringe as he asked, "Looking for this?" Johnny confessed that he was disappointed in her; he had decided to return the syringe to her, but her latest stunt had changed his mind.

At Jason's penthouse, Theo introduced himself to Brenda. Brenda recalled meeting Theo on the sidewalk. Theo confirmed that he had been the one to return the dropped glove to her before he steered the conversation to the lawsuit. Theo warned her that his policy was to tell his clients the unvarnished truth to prepare them for the worst. According to Theo, Brenda's prospects looked bleak.

Brenda found Theo's honesty refreshing as he laid things out for her. Theo assured Brenda that no one doubted that Anton Banovic had intended to harm her, but they believed that Brenda had been given special treatment because of her celebrity status. Theo explained that he would argue that there wouldn't have been a lawsuit if Brenda hadn't been famous. Theo was certain that the Banovic family wanted to exploit the situation for financial gain, even though Brenda had acted in self-defense. Brenda clarified that she had shot Anton to protect a police officer.

Theo urged Brenda to tell him everything about the shooting. Brenda agreed, but several minutes later, Jason arrived home. Brenda introduced Theo to Jason, but he had already known about Theo. Brenda wanted some fresh air, so she decided to take a walk. After Brenda left, Jason asked what Theo's take on the lawsuit was.

Theo explained that Brenda's fame and connection to Sonny were problematic. Theo warned Jason that a jury would watch Brenda closely. Jason was certain that Brenda would fall apart on the witness stand, so he ordered Theo to settle the case before it went to trial. Theo didn't think that it was possible because the Banovic family wanted to make Brenda suffer. Jason confided that killing a man, even in self-defense, had nearly destroyed Brenda.

At the loft, Dante confessed that the wedding seemed to have freaked him out more than he had thought. Lulu was curious about Dante's dream. Dante was reluctant to share the details, but Lulu insisted on hearing them because the dream had clearly rattled Dante. Dante spun a tale about marrying Lulu in his patrolman's uniform, but instead of pants he wore the boxers that Lulu had given Dante on Valentine's Day. Lulu chuckled, but she realized that he had made everything up.

Dante insisted the dream had been hazy and that he only recalled disjointed bits and pieces of it. Lulu let the matter drop when Dante leaned forward to kiss her. Later, Dante was on his way home from the grocery store when he bumped into Brenda and Max on the sidewalk. Max stepped away, so that Brenda could speak privately to Dante. Dante congratulated Brenda on her engagement to Sonny.

Brenda admitted that she had been thinking about telling Sonny about their relationship and the baby. Dante agreed to support whatever she decided, but he cautioned her to think things through carefully. He suggested that sometimes the truth wasn't for the best. Dante used Michael's situation as an example. Dante explained that he had thought that he had done the right thing by revealing that Michael had killed Claudia.

Dante had been certain that Michael would only receive a suspended sentence, but instead Michael had been sent to prison. Brenda imagined that it had been difficult for Dante. Dante realized that it was a judgment call, but he wondered if telling Sonny the truth about the baby would make things better for Brenda and Sonny. "Probably not," Brenda admitted. Dante was curious how she thought that Sonny would react to the news.

Brenda confessed that Sonny would likely feel terrible. Dante wondered why she would hurt Sonny when he was clearly happy. Brenda realized that Dante had a point, so she thanked him for being good to her and then left. Dante arrived home a short time later. Lulu admitted that she had been worried because Dante had been gone for quite some time.

Dante explained that he had gone to the store and then had run into Brenda and Max on his way home. "Oh," Lulu said as her smile slipped. She realized that Dante hadn't told her how he felt about Sonny's engagement to Brenda. Dante acknowledged that Sonny and Brenda had history together, which had its own baggage, but he hoped that they could work things out. Lulu noted that old habits were hard to break sometimes.

Dante chuckled as he quipped that it boded well for them that they hadn't developed any old habits. Lulu disagreed; she teased that Dante had a tendency to inhale fries and behave immaturely. Dante smiled as he suggested that they focus on their future, not their mistakes, and then he kissed her.

Brenda returned to the penthouse in a good mood. She shared the news about her engagement with Jason, but he had already heard about it. Brenda revealed that she had seen Dante and that he had congratulated her. It had made Brenda realize how silly she had been to believe everyone who had made her feel as if she and Sonny were doomed. Brenda insisted that the opposite was true.

Brenda thanked Jason for forcing her to return to Port Charles because it had been the best thing to happen to her. Jason tensed when Brenda ordered him to stand still. Seconds later, Brenda hugged Jason. Jason hesitated a moment and then wrapped his arms around Brenda to return the hug.

On the sidewalk, Theo ordered one of his goons to keep Brenda under 24-hour surveillance. Dimitri suggested that Theo simply kill Brenda, since Theo had gained full access to her. Theo explained that he needed information from Brenda, so he intended to break her down to get what he needed and then kill her.

At Greystone Manor, Carly insisted that Brenda was a disaster. She was curious what Sonny knew about the eight years that Brenda had lived abroad. Sonny didn't care; he refused to let Carly stop him from marrying Brenda. Carly was certain that Sonny's marriage to Brenda would fall apart. Sonny suspected that Carly wasn't upset about Sonny's relationship with Brenda, but rather Sonny's relationship with Carly.

Carly was curious how Sonny had reached such a ridiculous conclusion. Sonny explained that Carly always seemed to object to the woman in his life. Carly smiled snidely as she informed Sonny that it was because he had terrible taste in women. She then argued that Sonny also seemed to object to the men in her life. Sonny threw her words back at her.

Sonny realized that he couldn't force Carly to wish him well, but he warned her that she would be sorry if she interfered in his marriage. Carly vowed that Sonny would be the one who would be sorry and then stormed out. A short time later, Michael stopped by to congratulate his father on the engagement and to suggest that Sonny ask Dante to be his best man. Michael thought that it would give Sonny and Dante a chance to grow closer. Sonny agreed.

Sonny wondered how Kristina and Molly would take the news. Michael was certain that they would be excited to have Brenda join the family. However, Michael was curious if Sonny intended to invite Carly to the wedding. Sonny explained that Carly would try to stop the wedding because she was unable to let go of certain things.

At the Davis residence, Kristina spoke to her mother on the phone. Kristina wanted Alexis to have fun on the date with Mac instead of calling home to check on things. After Kristina ended the call, Molly admitted that she was thrilled that things were finally going well between Alexis and Mac. Kristina warned Molly not to jump ahead of things. Molly wondered if they should cancel their ski trip to make certain that the momentum between Alexis and Mac continued. Kristina explained that Taylor was looking forward to his first time on a mountain, so she wanted to go on the trip.

Michael walked in a short time later to let Kristina and Molly know that the judge had approved his request to go on the ski trip. The girls were thrilled that Michael would be joining them. Michael then told them about Sonny's engagement to Brenda. As he had predicted, Kristina and Molly were excited about the prospect of Brenda joining the family. Kristina was curious why Michael seemed less than enthusiastic about Sonny and Brenda's impending marriage. Michael smiled as he explained that they were excited enough for everyone.

Spinelli stood outside of Diane's office as he listened to her compose a romantic love scene. Spinelli entered the office to let Diane know that he had been impressed. Diane closed her laptop and then tried to explain away what he had overheard. Spinelli didn't believe any of her excuses, so Diane deftly changed the subject by demanding to know why he was there. Spinelli revealed that he had unearthed some information that would be better left in obscurity, so he needed her advice about what to do.

Diane was curious what it was, but Spinelli refused to share any of the details. However, he explained there would be tremendous fallout if the information became known. Spinelli also confessed that he was contemplating telling Jason about it. Diane wondered if it would help with the fallout if Jason knew. "No," Spinelli admitted.

Diane suggested that it would best to keep quiet because Jason already had enough on his plate to deal with. Spinelli thanked Diane for her guidance just as Claire walked in. Spinelli exchanged a brief greeting with Claire and then left. Once Claire and Diane were alone, Claire revealed that she wanted to talk to Diane about a job. Claire had been transferred to Alaska, so she wanted to line up a new job before she told her bosses to "shove it."

Diane admitted that Claire would be a wonderful addition to the law firm, but her history with Sonny presented a problem. Diane let Claire know about Sonny's engagement and then wondered if Claire would be able to handle seeing Sonny and Brenda constantly. Claire suggested that she could work on other cases, but Diane didn't think that it would be a good idea for Claire to subject herself to the heartache. Claire assured Diane that she was not surprised by Sonny's decision to marry Brenda because Sonny had been in love with Brenda for years. Diane argued that Claire needed a fresh start, so she urged her to consider taking the transfer to Alaska; however, she let Claire know that she would be a welcome addition to the law firm if Claire decided to stay.

Claire promised to think things over and then left. A short time later, Claire arrived at Greystone Manor to talk to Sonny about her career options. Sonny wished that Claire hadn't heard about his engagement from Diane, but Claire insisted that it had been for the best. She confessed that she wanted to move forward with her life, but she didn't want to remain in Port Charles if she would be a constant reminder of Sonny's regrets. Sonny assured Claire that he only regretted the timing, not meeting her.

Claire realized how Sonny had felt about Brenda, so she wanted them to be happy. Sonny thought that Claire deserved more than he had given her. Claire agreed, but she had a decision to make. Sonny admitted that he selfishly wanted her to join Diane's law firm because he'd love to have her legal skills on his side. Claire smiled and then promised to let him know once she made a decision.

Spinelli was delighted when Carly entered McCall and Jackal Private Investigations because it gave him the opportunity to talk to her about Brenda and Dante's secret. Spinelli didn't think that Carly should use the information to hurt Dante because too many other innocent people, including Carly's children, would be affected. Carly refused to believe that anyone, except Dante, would be hurt by the news that Brenda and Dante had a child together. According to Carly, Michael and Sonny would be fine.

Carly made it clear that she wasn't afraid to do the "right thing." She sensed that Spinelli was tempted to tell Jason, so she warned him that Jason wouldn't be able to stop her. Carly insisted that Sonny needed to know the truth. As Carly made her way to the door, Spinelli nervously asked her what she intended to do. Carly would only say that she had finally figured out a way to reveal Dante and Brenda's "dirty little secret."

Ethan was relieved when he arrived at Johnny's penthouse to discover that Lisa wasn't there because he had an aversion to stalkers. Johnny chuckled, but then told Ethan about Lisa's unsuccessful attempt to find the syringe. Ethan couldn't believe that Johnny had been foolish enough to accept drugs from Lisa. Johnny wasn't concerned about Lisa harming him, but he realized that he needed to find a better place to hide the syringe. Ethan warned Johnny that Lisa might turn deadly if she were pushed too far.

Johnny assured Ethan that Lisa was fully aware of the consequences if she harmed him. Ethan insisted that Johnny was dealing with a "psycho," so she was unpredictable. Ethan understood why Johnny was drawn to the beautiful doctor, but he hoped that Johnny wasn't "banging" Lisa. Johnny explained that Lisa had spent the night once; however, they hadn't had sex. As if on cue, Lisa arrived to check on Johnny's wound.

Johnny made it clear that Ethan could leave, but Ethan decided to have a word with Lisa first. Ethan warned Lisa that the syringe was no longer in the penthouse and that if anything happened to him or Johnny then Lisa had better watch her back. "You two have fun," Ethan suggested and then left. Johnny took the opportunity to engage in some playful flirting while Lisa checked his wound, but Lisa was not amused. She was upset that her secret would be exposed if Johnny or Ethan were hurt or killed.

Johnny assured her that nothing would happen to him or Ethan, but Lisa disagreed. She reminded Johnny that he and Ethan were mobsters, so they had the life expectancy of a rodent. Lisa wanted Johnny to return the syringe to her. Johnny was curious if she intended to chase after a man who wanted nothing to do with her. He wondered if Lisa truly believed that Patrick could appreciate her finer qualities. "Like you can?" Lisa questioned. She warned Johnny to get over whatever fantasy he had about her.

Theo went to the police station to get everything that Lucky had on the Balkan. Theo claimed that he needed it in order to properly defend Brenda against the wrongful death lawsuit filed by Anton Banovic's family. Lucky explained that Dante was overseeing the case. Theo suggested that there might be a presumption of bias, since Dante had been involved in the shooting. Lucky argued that Brenda had acted in defense of Dante and that the Balkan had sent several assassins to kill Brenda.

Lucky suggested that Theo speak to Agent Bates and then handed Theo a business card with the Interpol agent's phone number. Theo decided to question Lucky about Ronan O'Reilly. Lucky pretended that he had no idea who Ronan was. Theo explained that he had done extensive research on the Balkan and his associates. According to Theo, Ronan was a known contract killer, so Theo hoped to be able to prove that Ronan had been sent after Brenda.

Theo claimed that it would give his argument that Anton had intended to kill Brenda more weight. Lucky accepted the explanation, so he agreed to forward a copy of the case file to Theo. Theo thanked Lucky, asked him to have Dante call, and then left. Later, Theo encountered Alexis on the sidewalk. He invited Alexis to have lunch with him, so that he could alleviate her concerns about him.

Alexis was confident that Theo could provide Brenda and Dante with an excellent defense. However, in the spirit of full disclosure, Alexis told Theo that Sonny was her middle daughter's father and the uncle of her youngest child. Theo revealed that Diane had already told him. He couldn't help but notice that everyone in town seemed all "tangled up" with each other. Theo admitted that he hadn't been able to research Sonny, so he was curious how close Sonny, Brenda, and Dante were.

Theo wondered if it were possible that they could have conspired to paint the killing as self-defense. Alexis thought that Theo was asking the wrong question. She warned Theo that Sonny was protective of Brenda, so he would look to blame someone if the verdict went against Brenda. Alexis cautioned Theo that a defense attorney was an easy target.

Spinelli was making his way to the front door when Jason called out to him. Jason wanted to know why Spinelli had gone to Luke and Tracy's wedding uninvited. Spinelli claimed that he had gone to the wedding to make peace with the "devious detective." Jason didn't believe Spinelli. Spinelli opted to lie again. According to Spinelli, he had been concerned about Brenda.

Spinelli insisted that Brenda and Sonny's engagement was a bad idea because they wouldn't make each other happy. Jason argued that it wasn't their call to make, so he warned Spinelli not to say anything to Brenda. Spinelli thought that it was their duty, as Brenda's friends, to intercede when disaster loomed. Jason disagreed; their only responsibility was to protect her from the Balkan. Spinelli didn't think that the Balkan was a threat since Jerry Jacks was dead.

Jason admitted that he wasn't convinced that Jerry had died or that Jerry was the Balkan. After Spinelli left, Lucky stopped by to let Jason know that Theo had been at the police station. Lucky had realized that Brenda and Dante were in a lot of trouble. Jason was concerned that Brenda might confess to killing Aleksander if she were forced to testify because Anton's shooting had been eerily similar to what had happened to Aleksander. However, Jason sensed that something seemed off about the lawsuit; he couldn't understand how Anton's family hadn't known what Anton had been planning to do to Brenda. Lucky suggested that perhaps the Banovic family were in denial.

Jason argued that the timing of the lawsuit and Jerry's sudden appearance in town were suspicious. Lucky thought perhaps Jason was looking for a connection where there wasn't one. Jason admitted that the connection might not be between Jerry and the lawsuit, but rather Jerry and Siobhan. Lucky was curious how Jason had reached that conclusion. Jason reminded Lucky that Siobhan had been the one to provide them with Jerry's name.

Lucky and Jason discussed what Siobhan had witnessed on the piers when Jerry had been shot. Lucky assured Jason that Siobhan was a reliable witness, but Jason questioned the convenience of Siobhan stumbling into Jerry just in time to see him shot by a sniper and then plunge into the water. Lucky reluctantly agreed that he couldn't ignore the coincidence. Jason revealed that it was odd that Jerry's body hadn't been recovered.

Lucky thought that Jason, of all people, should be able to appreciate that bodies weren't always recovered from the water off of the piers. Jason argued that Jerry's body hadn't been found after the van had crashed, so Jason suspected that Jerry was alive and buying himself some time to go after Brenda from another direction.

Michael ran into Abby on the sidewalk. She was happy to see Michael, so she invited him to go out for dinner. Michael quickly agreed, but explained that he had to make a phone call. Moments later, Kristina and Molly walked up. Molly was excited about the ski trip, but Michael explained that he had to cancel.

Kristina immediately suspected that Abby was the reason for Michael's sudden change of plans. Kristina insisted that Ali would be disappointed because she had been expecting Michael to join them. Michael reminded his sister that he wasn't interested in Ali, but Kristina argued that he should hang out with people his own age. Abby didn't want Michael to stay behind because of her, so she urged Michael to go on the ski trip. Michael asked to have a private word with Abby, so Kristina and Molly agreed to leave, but Kristina made it clear that she expected Michael to join them.

After Kristina and Molly left, Michael explained that he would rather remain in Port Charles with Abby. Abby thought that the trip sounded fun, so she insisted that he go. She promised Michael that they could go out for dinner when he returned.

At Metro Court, Carly tracked down Olivia to implore Olivia to take Carly's place on the ski trip with Morgan. Olivia wasn't interested in going skiing, but Carly offered to cover all of Olivia's expenses, including the ski clothes that Olivia would need. Olivia realized that Carly hoped to have some alone time with Jax. Olivia realized that Jax wasn't happy about Brenda and Sonny's engagement. Carly was curious if Jax had mentioned anything to Olivia.

Olivia admitted that Jax had told her about the engagement, but nothing beyond that. Olivia confided that Sonny seemed happier than she had ever seen him. Olivia hoped that Brenda might be the woman who convinced Sonny to leave the mob, which would make Dante's life easier. Carly tried to hide her annoyance. Olivia confessed that she wished Sonny and Brenda all the joy in the world, just like she wished the same for Carly and Jax, so she agreed to chaperone the ski trip.

Jax was surprised when he saw Carly working behind the front desk. Carly explained that she had persuaded Olivia to take her place, so that Jax and Carly would have two days to themselves. Later, Carly told Jax about her dinner plans for them. Jax appreciated her effort, but he found the timing curious. Carly confessed that she knew that he was not happy about Brenda's decision to marry Sonny.

Jax admitted that he was sad that Brenda had agreed to marry Sonny, but he realized that he couldn't do anything about it. Carly agreed that Brenda had made her own choice, so she had to live with the consequences. After Jax left, Carly was delighted when she saw Jason enter the lobby. Carly was curious what Jason had thought about her Christmas gift to him. Jason appreciated the pool table, but he insisted that it had to be stored at her house when it was delivered because he didn't have room at his place.

Carly suggested that he simply get rid of his dinning room table, but Jason refused to consider it. Carly argued that she had bought a pool table for them, so that they could shoot pool at his place, since he no longer met her at Jake's. Jason patiently explained that he didn't have time to play pool with her because he was busy protecting Brenda. Carly didn't think that they had to worry about Brenda because she would be leaving soon. Jason was curious what Carly meant by that.

Carly quickly explained that Brenda would be moving out after she married Sonny. Jason didn't believe Carly because he knew that she didn't want Sonny to marry Brenda. He was certain that Carly intended to stop the wedding in some way. Carly denied it, but Jason saw through the lie. Jason tried to question her further, but Morgan called Carly to give his mother an update about the trip.

Liz and Robin were talking about how much their children had enjoyed Christmas when Patrick joined them at the nurses' station. Liz smiled as she asked Robin and Patrick if they had plans for New Year's Eve. Robin admitted that she had invited Patrick to stay at the house through New Year's Eve to give the "trial togetherness a whirl." Moments later, Steve approached the nurses' station to find out where Cameron was.

Liz revealed that Cam was waiting for Steve at the daycare center and that Cam was so excited about the ski trip that he had refused to take off his ski boots. Liz explained to Robin and Patrick that she couldn't take Cam on the trip because she had to work, so Steve had volunteered to take his nephew. Steve admitted that he looked forward to teaching Cam how to ski. Liz chuckled as she warned Steve that the majority of the people going were teens, so it would be a long trip.

Later, Patrick instructed Liz to tell Lisa that he wasn't available if Lisa needed a consult for one of her patients. A short time later, Maxie approached the nurses' station, looking for Matt. Maxie was annoyed when she didn't immediately spot him; she complained that he had better not be with a patient because they were due to go on the ski trip. "How dare people get ill and mess with your plans," Liz quipped moments before Matt appeared. Steve returned to the nurses' station with Cam in tow, so that Liz could say goodbye to her son.

Steve smiled when he spotted Olivia and Morgan. Steve was pleasantly surprised to learn that Olivia would be one of the chaperons on the trip. Olivia noticed that Steve had packed his guitar for the trip, so she admitted that she hoped to hear him play. Nearby, Maxie talked to Robin about the trip. Maxie feared that she was being selfish by going away with Matt. Robin was happy that things were working out for Maxie and Matt, so she wanted her cousin to have fun.

At the nurses' station, Kristina and Molly met up with Ali and Taylor. Molly was mortified when Alexis rushed up seconds later with a paper bag that had Molly's long thermal underwear inside. Alexis promised Molly that Molly would be grateful that she had the underwear when Molly was standing outside in the cold. Kristina apologized to Ali because Michael had backed out of the trip. Ali assured Kristina that it was fine because Ali had agreed to go on the trip to snowboard, not to spend time with Michael.

Ali revealed that she had been seeing someone from school, so she was only interested in being friends with Michael. Kristina and Molly were overjoyed when Michael suddenly walked up. The teens discussed their plans for the trip until Steve announced that it was time for everyone to board the bus.

Lisa walked up to the nurses' station to talk to Patrick about one of her patients. Lisa invited Patrick to join her in the cafeteria, but Patrick declined. He thought that it was better for them to remain at the nurses' station because it would be less of a distraction. Robin smiled as she reminded Lisa that they all knew how easily distracted Lisa became. Meanwhile, Liz confessed that she missed Cam.

Patrick assured Liz that Cam would return from the trip ready for the Olympics. Robin empathized with Liz because Robin had missed Emma while Robin had been in Africa. Patrick grew quiet as Robin talked about how difficult it had been for her to be separated from her daughter. After Robin walked away, Liz apologized to Patrick. Patrick assured Liz that it was okay and that he and Robin were working through it.

On the bus, Ali hummed her new favorite tune. Olivia recognized it, so she asked Steve to pull out his guitar to sing the song for everyone. Steve began to serenade the passengers with "Hallelujah." Everyone quickly joined in. After the song ended, Morgan decided to call his mother. As they talked, the bus began to swerve.

Carly was horrified as she heard Morgan and others scream before the phone went dead. The bus careened off the road and then down the side of the mountain. Afterwards, bodies littered the ground, but no one moved. At Metro Court, Carly turned to Jason to tell him that she was certain that the bus had crashed.

Due to the extended New Year's holiday, ABC opted to air encore episodes of its entire daytime lineup -- All My Children, One Life to Live, and General Hospital. This scheduling change was anticipated and there will be no "lost" episodes as a result of the scheduling change.

Regular programming will resume on Monday, January 3, 2011 and pick up where the Wednesday, December 29, 2010 episode concluded.

Due to the extended New Year's holiday, ABC opted to air encore episodes of its entire daytime lineup -- All My Children, One Life to Live, and General Hospital. This scheduling change was anticipated and there will be no "lost" episodes as a result of the scheduling change.

Regular programming will resume on Monday, January 3, 2011 and pick up where the Wednesday, December 29, 2010 episode concluded.