Siobhan was tearful as she told Lucky that it was time for them to break up. Lucky was stunned. He wanted to know what had happened in the time between their heading to the bedroom and Lulu knocking on his door. Lucky asked what had spooked her: the green card marriage or the old boyfriend calling. Siobhan said that it was a little bit of both. She told Lucky that they were different people who wanted different things, and it would be best for both of them if they split up sooner rather than later.

Lucky did not see it that way. He told Siobhan that they had a connection. He challenged her to face the fire and find out what was real instead of walking away. Siobhan told Lucky that she did not care about him the way he cared about her. She said that they had to end their relationship before one of them was seriously hurt. Siobhan slammed out of the apartment, leaving a puzzled Lucky behind.

In Sonny's office, Carly was not thrilled to hear that Sonny wanted Morgan to participate in his wedding to Brenda. She told Sonny that Brenda would cause him nothing but pain. Sonny responded that he was not asking Carly to like Brenda; he just wanted to have Morgan there. Sonny told her that she would look small and vindictive if she did not let Morgan join his siblings in the celebration.

Carly asked Sonny what he would do if he found out Brenda was hiding something. Sonny said it would not matter because they were all hiding something. Carly stood, buttoned her coat, and told Sonny that she would not stand in Morgan's way if he wanted to participate in Sonny's wedding. Before leaving, she warned Sonny to keep Brenda away from her boys. She told Sonny that Brenda was his mistake, and Carly did not want her kids to pay for it.

Dante went to the penthouse and told Jason that forensic tests proved that Jerry was not the Balkan, and Brenda was still in danger. Dante and Jason were discouraged to realize that Jerry's appearance had been a diversion, and they were back to square one. Dante had other less-than-encouraging news for Jason. Dante told Jason about Abby's arrest and Michael's near throttling of Ronnie. Both men were concerned that Michael might lose control and do something that would result in revocation of parole.

Theo questioned Brenda in his office. During her recitation of the facts surrounding Anton's death, Theo insisted that she had mentioned someone named Aleksander. Brenda insisted that she had not. It did not take long for Theo to break Brenda down and find out everything that had happened on the night Aleksander had perished. She told Theo that Aleksander had never been her boyfriend. She said that he had followed her to New York, stalked her, and then attacked her police guard. She said that she'd picked up the gun the policeman had dropped and shot Aleksander.

Brenda was sobbing as she admitted that Dante was the policeman who had taken the body away. Theo called her actions murder, but Brenda pleaded self-defense. Before Theo could elicit any more information, Dante and Jason arrived to tell Brenda that the Balkan was still alive. Jason left with Brenda, but Theo insisted that Dante stay and answer some questions about the pending court case. When they were alone, he confronted Dante about Aleksander's death. At first, Dante denied that Brenda had killed Aleksander, but it soon became obvious that Brenda had told Theo everything.

When Theo said that Brenda had committed murder, Dante said it was self-defense. Theo scoffed and said a jury would not buy two murders in self-defense within a five-year span. Dante said that Aleksander had been a rich, spoiled punk, living off his father's money. He said that Aleksander had treated Brenda like property, stalked her to an alley, and attacked Dante. Dante said that Aleksander was a big guy who had been choking the life out of him. Dante said he had nearly passed out when he heard the shot that had caused Aleksander to let him go.

At General Hospital, Kelly encouraged Sam to get information about the procedure that could restore her fertility and allow her to get pregnant. Across the room, Johnny showed a syringe to Lisa, who was excited until she realized that it was not the one she had intended to use on Robin. Johnny warned her that although he had covered for her, Patrick had figured out what was going on.

A suspicious Terrell interrupted. Johnny was affable and demanded an introduction, which Lisa made. Johnny acted as though he and Lisa had a date. He gave Lisa the name of a restaurant and a time and left her with Terrell after saying, "See you later, doll." Terrell was upset that Lisa seemed to have another suitor ahead of him, but took it in stride and told Lisa that even though she was a busy woman, she was not boring.

At Kelly's, Michael and Kristina discussed Ali's memorial service. Michael did not want to go, but Kristina eventually wore him down, and he promised to be there for her. He cautioned her that he did not want to say anything, and he did not want her to refer to him as a hero. As he prepared to leave, Kristina wanted to know if he was going to see Abby. When Michael said nothing, Kristina said that he could not expect her to be happy for him when he was chasing after a stripper who was ten years older than him. Michael said that he did not expect her to be happy, but he did expect her to respect his choices.

Claire went to see Sonny. She told him that she was working for Diane's firm. He told her that he had set a wedding date with Brenda. She was happy for him. Jason arrived with Brenda. After introductions, Claire congratulated the happy couple and left. Jason told Sonny the bad news about the Balkan and left, after encouraging Sonny and Brenda to postpone the wedding date.

Brenda told Sonny that she did not want to postpone the wedding. She said the longer they waited, the greater the chance that something would go wrong and they would never wed. Sonny said the wedding would be an opportunity for the Balkan to hurt her, but Brenda said that she did not care. She said she was tired of hiding and being afraid. She made Sonny promise that they would be married on February 18th as planned.

Outside Kelly's, Abby's former boyfriend caught up with her. She told him to go away, but he refused. Instead, he gloated about her recent arrest. She realized that he had been the one to call in the anonymous tip that had sent police to arrest her. Carly overheard part of the conversation. When Brandon walked away, Carly accused Abby of being a hooker. Abby denied it, but Carly was adamant when she told Abby that Michael could be sent back to prison if he continued to associate with her. Carly said that if Abby cared about Michael, she would get out of his life and stay out.

Sam went to the penthouse and used Spinelli's computer to look up the fertility procedure. Jason arrived shortly after and told her that Jerry was not the Balkan. He told her about Abby's arrest and how Dante had stopped Michael from attacking Ronnie after Ronnie arrested Abby. Jason was torn. He worried about Michael's volatility, but also saw that Michael could talk to Abby because she listened to him and accepted him.

Carly pounded on Jason's door. As soon as he let her in, she told him that Abby had been arrested and that they had to talk about Michael.

Michael caught up with Abby at Kelly's. He wanted to know why she had not responded to his messages. She said that she had needed time to think. She told him that he was a nice kid. Michael said that he thought they were past the nice kid phase. Abby wanted to know how he knew that she was not a hooker. Michael said it was because she had told him she was not a prostitute. Abby said that she had lied to him. Michael said that she was a dancer not a hooker. Abby looked Michael in the eyes and insisted that she was a prostitute.

Siobhan met the Balkan in a confessional booth. He told her about Aleksander's death from his perspective and painted Brenda and Dante as callous murderers who would soon pay for their crimes. Siobhan said she was sympathetic, but he would have to proceed without her because Lucky had broken up with her. The Balkan told Siobhan to do whatever it took to get Lucky back. Siobhan insisted that it was not possible.

Siobhan's phone rang, and when she answered it, she heard her sister's terrified voice begging Siobhan to help her. Siobhan immediately agreed to the Balkan's demands. He told her to go back to Lucky and make sure she made it to the wedding. The Balkan told Siobhan that she would help him make sure that Brenda's wedding never happened.

At his apartment, Lucky told Dante about his breakup with Siobhan. Lucky shared his bewilderment with Dante, as he pondered what Siobhan was not telling him.

At the lake house, Molly woke up from a nightmare about the bus crash. Alexis immediately rushed to her daughter's side to make sure that Molly was okay. Molly admitted that she had dreamed about the crash and that the nightmare had been more frightening than the actual crash. Alexis assured Molly that the nightmares would eventually end if Molly continued to talk about it. Kristina arrived home moments later.

Molly snapped at her sister when Kristina nearly knocked over a vase. Alexis ignored Molly's uncharacteristic outburst because she noticed that Kristina had arrived home without something. Kristina realized that she had forgotten to pick up Molly's award. Molly assured Kristina and Alexis that it wasn't a big deal. Kristina's eyes narrowed as she inquired if Molly still had a stomachache.

Alexis decided to dash out for some chicken soup. The minute that Alexis left, Kristina let Molly know that she was aware that Molly had faked the stomachache. Kristina tried to get Molly to open up about what was troubling her, but Molly quickly changed the subject by asking to use Kristina's laptop. Kristina suggested that Molly use their mother's computer, which annoyed Molly. As the argument escalated, Molly threw the vase across the room and shouted that she hated Kristina.

Kristina was the first to recover. She demanded to know what was wrong with Molly. Molly didn't answer, so Kristina called Molly a brat and then confessed that she hoped that their mother grounded Molly for a month. Alexis arrived home a short time later. Alexis immediately sensed the chill in the air when she greeted her daughters, so she demanded to know what was going on.

Molly started to confess to breaking the vase, but Kristina quickly took the blame. Kristina explained that it had been an accident. Alexis brushed it off. According to Alexis, it had just been a vase. Kristina wondered if she would be grounded. Alexis chuckled as she suggested that Kristina "stop with the drama." However, Alexis expected Kristina to pay the next time that she broke something. Alexis then jokingly added, "With my money."

After Alexis went to the kitchen, Molly wondered why Kristina had lied for her. Kristina shrugged her shoulders as she admitted that Molly had covered for Kristina plenty of times. Kristina figured she owed it to Molly.

At Kelly's, Abby falsely claimed that she was a prostitute and that Michael had to stay away from her because he could end up in trouble. Michael didn't believe Abby's claims, but she insisted that she hadn't told him the truth sooner because she hadn't wanted him to stop respecting her. Michael assured her that he didn't judge her for the choices that she had made. Abby argued that she couldn't be around him, so she kissed him on the cheek and then ran out of the dinner.

At Jason's penthouse, Carly demanded that Sam tell Abby to stay away from Michael. Carly explained that Abby had been arrested for prostitution. Sam insisted that Abby wasn't guilty, but Carly didn't care because Michael's parole was at risk. Jason suggested that Carly direct her anger at him, since he hadn't told Michael to stay away from Abby. Carly's concerns mounted when Jason told her about Michael's encounter with Ronnie at the police station following Abby's arrest.

Sam continued to assure Carly that Abby wasn't a prostitute, but Carly didn't care because Abby was a stripper. Sam clarified that stripping wasn't against the law and that Abby was good for Michael. Sam suggested that Carly try to listen to Michael. According to Sam, Michael didn't have to pretend to be something that he wasn't when he was around Abby. Carly informed Sam that she was fully aware of what was going on with her son, but she pretended that everything was okay because that was what Michael wanted her to do.

Carly made it clear that, as a mother, she would do whatever she had to for her son, so Sam needed to back off. Jason didn't think that yelling at Sam would help the situation; he insisted that they needed solutions. Carly let Jason know that she was at the end of her rope, so she was desperate for him to talk some sense into Michael. Jason surprised Carly by letting her know that he wouldn't push Michael away by telling Michael what to do. Jason believed that Michael had the right to make his own decisions.

Carly disagreed if those choices landed Michael back in jail. Carly reminded Jason and Sam that she had seen the bruises on Michael's face when she had visited Michael in Pentonville, so Carly would do whatever was necessary to make sure that Michael didn't return to prison. Moments later, Michael stopped by to see Jason. Michael's hurt turned to anger when he saw his mother standing in Jason's living room. Michael screamed at his mother that he was through defending himself and Abby to her.

Carly flinched when Michael ordered his mother out of Jason's penthouse. Carly insisted that she was on Michael's side, but she agreed to leave. After the door closed behind Carly, Jason reminded Michael that Carly loved Michael very much. Michael confessed that he hated arguing with his mother. Michael thought that only Jason could understand what Pentonville had been like.

Sam sensed that Michael wanted to speak privately with Jason, so she offered to leave. Michael asked Sam to stay because he realized that he needed to track down his mother to straighten things out. After Michael left, Sam wondered if Jason were okay. Jason was frustrated because he was certain that Michael had been on the verge of opening up about what had happened in Pentonville with Carter.

Moments later, Bernie called to let Jason know that Mike was in trouble. According to Bernie, Mike had accumulated a substantial gambling debt because of a losing streak. Jason promised to discuss it with Sonny and then ended the call. As Jason made his way to the door, he asked Sam to call Abby to arrange a meeting.

In Sonny's office at Pozzulo's, Dante tried to persuade Sonny to postpone the wedding. Sonny knew that he wouldn't be able to convince Brenda to wait, so he insisted that the wedding would go ahead as planned. Dante worried that the Balkan would try to make a move against Brenda, but Sonny assured Dante that there would be extra security at the wedding. Dante decided to shift gears by letting Sonny know that Brenda had told Theo about Aleksander's death. Dante pointed out that he could end up losing his badge if the truth were revealed in court, but Sonny reminded Dante that Theo's job was to protect Dante and Brenda.

Shortly after Dante left, Jason stopped by to talk to Sonny about Mike's gambling problem. Sonny was disappointed because Mike had promised to steer clear of gambling after Mike had landed in the hospital the last time that Mike had lost a lot of money. Sonny realized that it was time for Mike to go to rehab; however, the timing couldn't be worse because of Sonny's impending wedding. Sonny suggested that Jason was an enabler when Jason suggested that they delay seeking treatment for Mike. According to Sonny, some people had to fall.

Jason confessed that he didn't like seeing his loved ones suffer. Jason offered to make the arrangements to send Mike to rehab, but Sonny insisted on taking care of it himself. Sonny then changed the subject by revealing that he had intended to ask Jason to be his best man, but Michael had suggested Dante. Jason assured Sonny that he understood and then reminded Sonny that he had agreed to walk Brenda down the aisle.

Jason returned to the penthouse to find Sam and Abby waiting for him. Abby assured Jason that she had never taken money for sex, but she had told Michael that she was a prostitute because it had been best for Michael. Abby conceded that Carly had good reason to be concerned about the effect of Abby's lifestyle on Michael's parole. Jason argued that Michael had a right to know the truth, so that Michael could make his own choices. Abby refused to let Michael get hurt for her sake, but Jason insisted that it was up to Michael to deal with any possible consequences.

Abby began to cry as she confessed that she cared about Michael. Jason advised Abby to respect Michael enough to tell the truth. After Abby left, Sam tried to comfort Jason. She had been impressed that Jason hadn't warned Abby to stay away from Michael. Jason reminded her that it was up to Michael.

Sam realized that it was difficult for Jason to watch Michael grow up. Jason corrected her; Michael had grown up in Pentonville. Jason didn't know what had happened to Michael in jail, but he would do anything to fix it. Sam confided that Abby insisted that Michael was special. Sam believed that Michael had inherited the trait from Jason.

Sam was confident that Michael knew that Jason would be there when Michael was ready to talk. She insisted that Jason was very much a father to Michael and that he had been the best parent that Michael could ask for.

At the Jacks residence, Michael found his mother in the living room. He quickly apologized for yelling at her in Jason's penthouse. Carly realized that Michael thought that she had been judging him and Abby, but she insisted that she hadn't. She believed that she wasn't wrong to be concerned about a woman who had been arrested for prostitution while he was on parole. Michael conceded that Carly had a right to worry about him, but ultimately he had a right to make decisions for himself.

It was important for Michael to know that Carly respected his right to make his own choices. Carly recalled how she couldn't touch Michael after his birth because she had felt that she hadn't been good enough to be his mother. Carly acknowledged that she had failed Michael in many ways, but she had always been driven by the desire to protect him. However, she agreed that he had the right to make his own choices. "Even about Abby?" Michael wondered. "Yes," Carly reluctantly admitted.

Michael assured Carly that she had never failed him. However, he needed her to promise to stay out of his relationship with Abby. Carly reminded Michael that she had essentially just done that, but Michael didn't agree. He pointed out that she always left herself a loophole. Carly hated that Michael knew her so well, so she agreed to try her best to stay out of his relationship with Abby. Michael was satisfied by the concession, so he hugged his mother and then told her that he loved her.

At the loft, Lulu and Maxie were working on some Crimson business. Maxie noticed that Lulu had been periodically checking for messages, so she wanted to know what was going on. Lulu admitted that she was concerned about Dante being in danger and Brenda's influence on Dante. The talk was cut short when Theo stopped by to see Dante. Lulu explained that Dante wasn't there, but Theo insisted on waiting.

Maxie quickly made her excuses and then left. Lulu fetched Theo something to drink while he settled in a chair. Theo assumed that Dante had told Lulu about Aleksander, so she played along to glean as much information as she could about Dante's secret. Theo claimed that he was concerned about Brenda's instability, which might pose a problem on the witness stand. Lulu assured Theo that Dante felt terrible for what had happened to Aleksander, but Theo didn't believe her.

Theo warned Lulu that Brenda might confess to killing Aleksander on the witness stand and then name Dante as her accomplice. Lulu pointed out that even if Brenda testified about Aleksander, it would still be considered self-defense. Theo argued that Brenda and Dante's accounting of what had happened was suspect because of the role that they had played in Aleksander's death. Lulu wondered how they could stop Brenda from testifying. Theo confided that their attempts to settle the case out of court had failed, so it would be up to him to prepare Brenda.

Theo decided that he couldn't wait any longer, so he asked Lulu to let Dante know that he had stopped by. Lulu waited until Dante arrived home. Dante immediately sensed that Lulu was upset. Lulu revealed that Theo had stopped by and that he had told her about Aleksander. Dante immediately explained that Brenda had broken things off with Aleksander when she had discovered that he was involved in crime, but Aleksander had stalked her.

Lulu demanded to know why Dante had lied to her about Brenda. Dante explained that he had tried to protect Brenda. The confession fueled Lulu's hurt and rage; she wondered what else he had hidden from her. Dante explained that it hadn't been his secret to tell. Lulu recalled all the times that people had warned her not to trust him.

Lulu felt betrayed. Dante insisted that she meant everything to him, but Lulu didn't believe him because she couldn't trust him. "This is done," Lulu announced before she stormed out.

At Pozzulo's, Sonny stepped out of his office to find Theo seated at one the tables. Conan fetched a bottle of wine while Theo invited Sonny to have a seat. Theo tried to engage Sonny in some small talk, but Sonny preferred to get to the point; he assumed that Theo was there to discuss Brenda and Dante's case. The conversation drifted to the topic of Aleksander, prompting Sonny to refer to the Balkan's son as a "dirt bag." Theo hid his annoyance behind a tight smile as he warned Sonny that Brenda and Dante could end up in prison if the details of Aleksander's death were revealed.

Sonny ordered Theo not to let Brenda testify. Theo insisted that it was up to him whether or not his client testified. Theo made it clear that Brenda would take the stand; all the work that Theo had done depended on it.

ABC aired encore episodes from the past that highlight its "Sexiest Men." This programming change was anticipated, so there are no "lost" episodes as a result of the preemption.

For a complete listing of which episodes aired, please read "ABC to air encores on January 19."

Regular programming will resume on January 20 and pick up where the January 18 episodes concluded.

At the lake house, Sam found Molly resting on the sofa while working on the laptop. Sam wasn't surprised that Molly was doing homework. However, Sam was a little curious when she saw that the subject matter was bipolar disorder. Molly claimed that it was for a science paper. According to Molly, she had chosen to do a report on bipolar disorder because Sonny had it.

Sam thought that Sonny was lucky that there were ways to treat the disorder. Molly wondered if Sam had ever been concerned that Sam's stillborn daughter would have inherited the disorder from Sonny. Sam explained that Sonny hadn't been diagnosed with bipolar disorder when she had been pregnant, so it hadn't been an issue. Sam assured Molly that she would have loved her daughter regardless, but she conceded that it would have been difficult for them to watch their child suffer, knowing that they had caused it. Molly was curious if that had been the reason that Jason and Sam hadn't gotten married and had children. "Yes," Sam answered.

At Wyndemere, Brook Lynn entertained Nikolas with stories about her favorite bakery in Bensonhurst. Nikolas found it refreshing that Brook enjoyed food. Nikolas then changed the subject to ask Brook out on a date. She happily accepted the invitation, so Nikolas leaned forward to seal their agreement with a kiss. Later, Brook was on the phone, making arrangements for her date with Nikolas, when Liz entered.

Brook ended the call and then informed Liz that Nikolas was out riding his horse. Liz thanked Brook for the update and then sat down on the sofa with the intention of waiting for Nikolas. Brook bristled as she wondered what "lame excuse" Liz had found to justify the visit. Brook thought that it was disgusting how Liz behaved. According to Brook, Lucky hadn't fallen for it and neither would Nikolas.

Liz gave Brook a saccharine smile as she suggested, "times change." Brook and Liz traded insults as Liz accused Brook of taking advantage of Nikolas' loneliness. Brook shot back that Liz was looking for a man to save her. "Which one of us is the paid escort?" Liz sarcastically asked. Brook decided to offer Liz some unsolicited advice; she warned Liz that men didn't like clingy women, which was why Lucky had chosen Siobhan.

Brook suggested that Liz could stop showing up to see Nikolas, but Liz quickly pointed out that she shared a child with Nikolas. Liz then accused Brook of being nothing more than a "glorified hooker." Liz smiled when Brook admitted that she had never slept with Nikolas. Liz took pleasure in knowing that it was another thing that she had shared with Nikolas that Brook hadn't.

Brook reminded Liz that Liz's affair with Nikolas had ended long ago. Liz countered that the only reason that Nikolas had hired Brook was because he knew that he wouldn't get emotionally invested. Brook didn't have an opportunity to reply because Nikolas walked in. Brook immediately let Nikolas know that she had told Liz about their plans to go to Manhattan. Liz apologized for disturbing Nikolas and then excused herself.

Nikolas wondered why Liz had stopped by. Liz assured him that it was nothing; she explained that she had made a doctor's appointment for Aiden because he had a slight fever and had been tugging on his ear. Liz was certain that it was just a minor ear infection, so she promised to call Nikolas with an update after the doctor's appointment. Brook silently seethed with frustration when Nikolas insisted on going to the doctor with Liz.

At Crimson, Lulu talked to Maxie about the breakup with Dante. Lulu revealed that she had found out about Dante and Brenda on her own instead of from Dante, so the trust was gone. Maxie argued that people screwed up all the time; she was certain that Lulu had never loved anyone as much as Dante. Lulu didn't deny it, but it bothered her that Dante had felt comfortable enough to continually lie to her. Maxie urged Lulu to talk things out with Dante.

Lulu assured Maxie that she had talked to Dante and that he had professed to love her. Maxie sensed that Lulu hadn't believed Dante's declaration of love. Lulu didn't think that it mattered, since her relationship with Dante was over. Maxie pointed out that Dante hadn't exactly cheated on Lulu because his relationship with Brenda had occurred three years prior to meeting Lulu. Lulu insisted that Dante obviously had feelings for Brenda because he had been willing to risk his job for her.

Maxie suggested that perhaps Dante had been afraid to tell Lulu the details of his relationship with Brenda, but Lulu argued that he was not the Dante that she had fallen in love with. Maxie was certain that Dante genuinely tried to be a decent person. Lulu insisted that she and Dante didn't have anything without trust. Maxie worried that Lulu might revert to the "stupid idea" that all Spencers were doomed to fail at love.

At the loft, Dante revealed to Michael that Lulu had found out about Dante's past with Brenda. Michael wondered if Lulu had been upset about the lie or about Brenda. "Both," Dante admitted; however he insisted that he didn't have feelings for Brenda. Michael disagreed, but Dante clarified that Brenda was "three-quarters fantasy" and that she represented what could have been. Dante made it clear that Lulu was the real thing and that his love for her would never change.

Michael was curious how Lulu had found out about Dante's past with Brenda. Dante confessed that someone else had told her. Michael couldn't blame Lulu for not trusting Dante if he hadn't been the one to tell her the truth. Dante was desperate to fix things because he loved Lulu. Michael admitted that Abby had broken things off with him too. Dante was sorry to hear it. Michael explained that his point was that he had to respect Abby's decision just like Dante had to respect Lulu's.

Dante argued that it was different for him and Lulu; he refused to give up on her. Just then, Lulu entered the loft. Michael quickly made himself scarce, so that Dante and Lulu could have some privacy. After Michael left, Lulu wondered whom Dante had been referring to when he had said that he wouldn't give up on "her." Dante assured Lulu that he had meant her. He insisted that he loved her, but he acknowledged that she had every right to be angry.

Lulu admitted that she wasn't angry; she was simply done. Lulu started to pack her things as Dante explained that he had wanted to tell Lulu about Brenda, but it hadn't been his secret to tell. Lulu wasn't moved because she feared that Dante was hiding more. Dante denied it, but Lulu didn't believe him.

At Greystone Manor, Sonny and Brenda talked about their wedding plans over breakfast. Sonny suggested that they postpone the wedding because Jason didn't believe that Jerry had been the Balkan. "No way," Brenda argued. Sonny assured her that he wanted to marry her, so she told him about her wedding dress. Sonny was eager to see it, but Brenda would only reveal that the dress and veil were traditional. Sonny smiled as she listened to Brenda talk about the wedding. He loved seeing her happy.

Later, Sonny entered his office at Pozzulo's to find Claire waiting for him. Claire explained that she had some legal documents for him to sign. After Sonny signed the contracts, Claire gathered her things. Sonny wondered why she hadn't sent the documents by messenger. Claire explained that she wanted to show him that she could handle working with him.

Sonny felt bad for not being able to return Claire's feelings. He didn't want her to be uncomfortable around him or Brenda, but Claire assured him that she was fine. Claire was a little surprised when Sonny confided to her that Jason wanted the wedding postponed, but that they had refused to do it. Claire was curious if Sonny worried about Brenda's safety. Sonny assured Claire that he had arranged for additional security, but he and Brenda had waited long enough to get married. Claire carefully hid her annoyance.

Diane had a meeting with Theo in her office about Brenda's lawsuit. She then switched gears when she confessed that she hated being right. Diane had Theo's full attention as she grumbled about Claire dropping off some paperwork for Sonny to sign instead of sending it with a messenger service. Diane told Theo about Claire's ill-fated affair with Sonny and her certainty that Claire had used the paperwork as an excuse to be around Sonny. Shortly afterwards, Theo made a beeline to Pozzulo's to manipulate Sonny into asking Claire to work on the wrongful death lawsuit.

After Theo left, Sonny called a rehabilitation facility to get Mike help for his gambling addiction. Sonny assured the person on the phone that Mike was ready to make changes in his life, so Sonny would drop Mike off later that day. Molly walked in just as Sonny ended the call. Sonny was happy to see his niece, but he wondered if Alexis knew about the visit. Molly confessed that she hadn't told Viola or Alexis about her plans. Sonny explained that he was busy, so he would have someone drive her home. However, he was curious why she had stopped by.

Molly quietly explained that she was doing a paper on bipolar disorder for science and that she had to interview someone who had it. Sonny confessed that it had gotten quite bad for him and that he had hurt a lot of people before he had been diagnosed with the disorder and then received treatment. Molly wondered how he had realized that something was wrong. Sonny told Molly about the terrible mood swings when he yelled and broke things. Molly pointed out that many people did things like that, so she wondered what the difference between normal outbursts and bipolar episodes were. Sonny admitted that deep in his heart, he had known that something was wrong with him.

At the hospital, Terrell surprised Epiphany with a vanilla latte. He overheard Robin on the phone with the director of the Stone Cates Memorial AIDS Wing. Robin was upset to learn that a doctor had been laid off because of budget cuts. Patrick walked up as Robin slammed down the phone. Robin took her frustration out on Patrick when he asked her what was going on.

As Terrell and Lisa walked away from the nurses' station, Lisa complained about Robin's "self-righteous moral superiority." Terrell immediately defended Robin by explaining that it was personal for Robin because she had HIV. Terrell thought that they should admire someone who stood up for what they believed in. Lisa glared at Terrell, but didn't say anything. Moments later, Carol, the wedding planner, walked up to Robin at the nurses' station. Carol was horrified when she realized that Robin was Brenda's matron of honor.

Robin stopped by to visit Brenda at the penthouse. Brenda was stunned when Robin told her about Carol's visit because Brenda hadn't had a chance to ask Robin to be her matron of honor. Robin was happy to stand next to Brenda on her wedding day, but Robin wasn't thrilled with the term "matron." Brenda chuckled and then confided that Carol was incredibly rude, but had fabulous ideas. Robin confessed that she wished that Stone could be there to see Brenda and Sonny's wedding day.

Robin was certain that Stone would have been happy for them; both agreed that Stone was smiling down on them. Robin implored Brenda to always be honest with Sonny and to talk things out when something was bothering her. Robin believed that her failure to do those things had led to the breakdown of her marriage. Brenda thought that Robin and Patrick had been getting along better in recent weeks. Robin admitted that she had snapped at Patrick earlier that day when she had received some unpleasant news about Stone's wing.

Robin revealed that there was always tension between her and Patrick when Stone was mentioned because Stone had been such a huge part of Robin's life. Robin then talked about Terrell. Brenda was curious if Patrick had cause to be concerned. Robin assured Brenda that it wasn't like that. According to Robin, Terrell "gets it" because he had a friend who had died of AIDS.

Carol barged into the penthouse moments later. Brenda immediately informed Carol that she was expected to close the door when she walked into Brenda's penthouse and that Brenda was the boss. Brenda resented Carol telling Robin that Robin's coloring was wrong. Brenda insisted that Robin was perfect. Carol refused to apologize as she asked if Brenda had another friend who could fill in for Robin.

Carol promised that Brenda would have the wedding of her dreams, provided she followed Carol's advice. Brenda fired Carol, but Carol ignored her. Brenda and Robin stared in disbelief as Carol dashed out the door to attend to some other wedding plans with promises to meet with Brenda later that evening. After Robin left, Dante stopped by to let Brenda know that Theo had told Lulu about their role in Aleksander's death. Brenda couldn't believe that Theo could do that.

Dante took full responsibility for telling one lie too many. He assured Brenda that he had never regretted helping her. Brenda wanted to know how to fix things for Dante, so Dante asked her to postpone the wedding.

At the hospital, Lisa asked Terrell how things were going with Robin. Terrell joked that they were great and that Robin had begged him to have sex. Terrell then turned serious as he warned Lisa that he wasn't the type to kiss and tell. Lisa started to insult Robin, but Terrell told her to give it rest. Lisa noticed that Terrell had defended Robin on several occasions. Terrell explained that he intended to do things his way, so she could accept that or find someone else to help her.

Robin returned to the hospital a short time later to see if the director of the AIDS wing had left her a message. Epiphany told her no, but then handed her a file that someone had dropped off. Robin scanned the contents of the file and then immediately sought out Terrell to ask him why he had volunteered to work in the AIDS wing. Robin was deeply touched because he had been the only doctor to step up. Meanwhile, Patrick approached Lisa at the nurses' station to find out what was going on between Robin and Terrell. Lisa smiled with satisfaction as she told Patrick that it had something to do with the AIDS wing.

Theo placed a call to someone to find out if they would be squeamish about abducting a bride on her wedding day.

While doing research for a school paper, Molly asked Sonny about his bipolar disorder. Sonny wondered if Molly was concerned about her own mental health, and she admitted that she feared she could have a genetic predisposition to the disorder. Sonny told her that she probably had nothing to be concerned over and assured her that he would support her no matter what. Molly changed the subject and expressed her excitement for the upcoming wedding.

Later, as Molly emerged from the building, she literally bumped into Lucky as she texted while walking. She apologized and sat on a bench to finish her text. Moments later, Molly witnessed a car accident and froze. Vivid memories of the bus crash flooded her mind.

As Liz shared her concern over Aiden's possible ear infection, Brook chimed in with her theory that Aiden was suffering a lack of sleep because Liz continuously interrupted his routine in order to manipulate Nikolas. A defensive Liz offered to take Aiden to the doctor by herself, but Nikolas insisted on accompanying them. Brook did not take Liz's protestations well.

Terrell examined Aiden and informed Liz that there was no sign of an ear infection but that he was cutting a tooth. Liz apologized to Nikolas but explained that she wanted him to spend time with his son. She invited Nik to tuck Aiden in. However, Aiden fell asleep on the car ride to Liz's, so Nikolas declined the invitation. When Nikolas returned home, he explained to Brook that she might have been right about Liz exploiting the situation to prevent Nik and Brook's date.

Brenda articulated sorrow for her part in the problems Dante and Lulu were having. Dante insisted that Brenda postpone her wedding to Sonny. Brenda thanked Dante for always having protected her but insisted that she didn't need protection from Sonny. She knew the dangers of becoming a mobster's wife. Dante and Brenda agreed that they would continue to keep the child they'd given up a secret.

Robin thanked Terrell for his offer to work in the AIDS ward. They bonded over their individual losses to the disease. Lisa and Patrick looked on, and Lisa smiled at Patrick's obvious discomfort with the growing friendship between his wife and Terrell. Patrick saw through Lisa's attempts to make him jealous by playing up the relationship between Terrell and Robin.

Terrell asked Robin to meet him after work to discuss the AIDS outreach budget cuts and how they could raise funds. After they left, Patrick complained to Matt that all the female staff were fawning over Terrell. Lisa looked on with satisfied amusement.

Later, Lisa caught up with Terrell and congratulated him for getting so close to Robin so quickly by sharing the loss of his childhood best friend to AIDS. She urged him to "milk Ricky's death for all its worth." After Lisa left, Robin arrived and left with Terrell to discuss finances.

Patrick met Matt at Jake's. Matt implored his brother to chill out for a moment and try to have some fun. Amusement seemed impossible, though, as Patrick turned to see Robin and Terrell laughing and having a good time playing darts.

Claire approached Carly at the Metro Court bar with paperwork that needed signatures. Carly laughed when she realized Claire was working for Sonny and applauded her for positioning herself to rescue Sonny once his marriage to Brenda crumbled. After Claire left, Diane stopped by to see Carly. Diane gave kudos to Carly for her "wildly inappropriate desire to butt into other people's lives" because, that time, it had borne fruit. Diane had procured undeniable proof that Dante had given up all rights to the child he and Brenda had conceived.

Carly shared with Diane her plan to reveal the explosive truth just as the minister asked for objections during Sonny and Brenda's wedding. Diane balked and pleaded with Carly to share the information with Sonny in private. As Carly crowed about exposing Dante and Brenda's lies to everyone in Sonny's life, Dante walked in and overheard her scheming. Diane warned Carly that there would be fallout. Immediately after Diane left, Dante approached Carly. He told her he knew what she had and not to use it.

Sonny summoned Claire to his office to ask her to assist Theo in the defense during Brenda and Dante's wrongful death suit. Claire agreed. Brenda arrived, and Sonny informed her that Claire would be on the defense team. After Claire left, Sonny told Brenda that Mike needed rehab for his gambling addiction and that Sonny would drive Mike to the facility the following morning.

Lucky arrived at Jake's to see Siobhan. She did not want talk to him, as she was working. She reiterated that their romance was over. Lucky let her know that they needed to talk about the Balkan. She stated that she'd taken care of herself all her life and didn't need Lucky to do it for her. Siobhan received a call and rushed out.

Dante went to Jake's and ran into Lucky. He informed Lucky that Lulu had discovered that Dante had covered up Alexander's death after Brenda had accidentally killed the man. Theo, Dante explained, had discussed the matter with Lulu, assuming she was already aware of the incident.

Lucky assured Dante that Lulu would keep it a secret, and Dante shared that she had broken up with Dante. Lucky agreed that Lulu would be safer not having information that could make her a target. He urged Dante not to give up on Lulu and to prove to her why Dante was worth risking her heart.

Siobhan met up with one of the Balkan's men outdoors. He handed her a cell phone and let Siobhan talk to her sister, Megan, who pleaded for help. The man snatched his phone back, and Siobhan struggled with him to retrieve it as Lucky happened by. Lucky demanded that the man return Siobhan's phone immediately. Lucky drew his gun, but Siobhan blocked him, which allowed the man to escape.

At Crimson, Maxie railed against Lulu for avoiding dealing with Dante. Lulu made it clear that Lulu and Dante had broken up. Maxie urged Lulu to forgive Dante for denying his past with Brenda because he had lied to protect Brenda. As Maxie railed against Brenda's manipulative charms, Brenda walked in and asked to talk with Lulu.

The two women went into Kate's office for privacy. Brenda apologized and took full responsibility for Dante having lied. She said that the thought of losing Lulu was killing Dante. Lulu laid into Brenda and accused her of selfishness. Brenda agreed and said that Dante was a good man who loved Lulu and that it would be a big mistake for Lulu to let him go because he'd lied to protect Brenda.