Comprehensive daily recaps for General Hospital, dating back to 1996.

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by Boone

When Anthony complained about the sad classical music that Johnny played on the baby grand, Johnny said it fit his mood after learning that Anthony was doing deals behind Johnny's back. Anthony got a call, which he took on the balcony, out of Johnny's hearing. Anthony was not pleased to hear of trouble at the bakery. At the other end of the line, two of Anthony's thugs had captured Liz, who was bound, gagged, and blindfolded. Anthony left the apartment immediately. Johnny followed.

Kate Howard took the elevator to the Crimson offices, all the while berating the person she was conversing with. Once in her office, Kate discovered a man supine on her floor.

Lulu met with Olivia on the docks. Olivia wanted to know what had happened between Lulu and Dante. Lulu said that they had broken up because Lulu could not trust Dante to be honest with her. Olivia remarked that perhaps Lulu's expectations were too high. Olivia suggested that Lulu weigh the good with the bad.

Olivia said that Dante had told Olivia that it was killing him to keep a secret from Lulu, but Dante felt he had to. Lulu said that Dante would choose his job over her. Olivia said that Dante was loyal and would never leave Lulu. Lulu received a call from Maxie, who begged Lulu to go to Crimson and handle some business for her. Lulu reluctantly agreed and left Olivia on the docks.

A few minutes later, Johnny stumbled across Olivia. He told her that he was following Anthony. He also spoke of the power struggle that he and Anthony were engaged in. Johnny told Olivia that Anthony thought Johnny was nuts for keeping the peace with Sonny. Johnny said that he had enough money to move on and do something on his own, but he stayed in Port Charles to protect the people he cared about. Olivia replied that Johnny was trying to manage a situation that he had no hope of controlling.

Johnny wanted to know how Olivia's relationship with Steve was working out. Olivia said she was not going to discuss it with Johnny. Johnny responded that Steve was a good guy. Johnny said that he knew Olivia was safer with Steve, but he wondered if she was happier with Steve than she had been with Johnny. Olivia declined to comment, but told Johnny to think about what effect the decisions he made would have on his own life.

Anthony met with his goons. He slapped Darryl and chastised him for letting Liz follow him from the hospital. Anthony seemed relieved to learn that Liz had spotted only Darryl before she was captured. Anthony told his thugs that he had a plan. He cautioned Darryl to keep his mouth shut. Anthony said that he would not hurt Darryl, but that if Darryl made another mistake, it would be his last.

At General Hospital, Carly and Sonny argued about Morgan. When Carly told Sonny that he could not get to Morgan, Sonny said he would have to figure out a way to get to Carly. Carly asked if Sonny was threatening her. Sonny said he was not trying to hurt her. Carly said that he already had because he was responsible for Josslyn growing up without a father. Sonny insisted on seeing Morgan. Carly wanted to know why Sonny was so focused on Morgan when Kristina was in the hospital and needed his support. Carly said that Sonny was fixated on Morgan because Sonny always wanted what he could not have.

As Sonny demanded that Carly return Morgan home, Shawn stepped off the elevator and told Sonny to back off. Shawn was not intimidated by Sonny's threats and forced him to leave Carly alone. Once Sonny was gone, Carly thanked Shawn and said that he had an uncanny way of showing up when she needed him. Shawn said that he did not like bullies. He was at GH to apply for a job. Carly told Shawn that he was driving her crazy because he would not tell her what kind of job he was applying for and would not take her help. Shawn said he was not trying to drive her crazy, just trying to take her mind off Sonny.

Molly found Sam in Jason's room. Molly shared her fears that Kristina's injuries were due to the near fatal car bomb that Sonny had planted in Johnny's car instead of the beatings that Kiefer had administered. Sam told Molly that speculating about the cause would not change Kristina's condition. Sam asked Molly to keep her theories to herself because she did not want Kristina to find out; that might cause harm to Kristina's relationship with Sonny. Sam said that it was okay for Molly to be angry with Sonny but it did not cancel out all the good that Sonny had done.

Sam defended Sonny. She said that Kristina was hard on Sonny because they were so much alike. Sam said that both Sonny and Kristina were emotional and stubborn, and wanted their own way all the time. Molly wondered if Sonny's problems were related to his bipolar condition. Sam said that might be part of the problem might but another part might be that Kristina did not understand that people would use her to get to Sonny. Sam said that Sonny was vulnerable through his children. Molly asked why, if Sonny loved his children so much, he did not protect them better. Sonny was outside in the hall and heard the entire conversation between Molly and Sam.

As soon as Lulu entered the Crimson offices, Kate was all over her. Lulu said she was filling in for Maxie, and if Kate did not like it, Lulu would leave. Kate told Lulu she was not going anywhere until she dealt with the man in her office. The man was revealed to be a very disoriented Spinelli. Lulu determined that the Jackal P.I. character was gone with only vague memories remaining in Spinelli's dazed brain.

When Lulu told Spinelli that he had pulled a gun on Anthony Zacchara, Spinelli said that Jackal P.I. was a better man than Spinelli. Lulu said that Jackal P.I. was a part of Spinelli, and all the good traits of Jackal P.I. were good traits of Spinelli's as well. Spinelli gazed out the window at the stars and was convinced that they meant something to him. He was trying to puzzle it out when Lulu approached and wanted to take him home.

Kate intervened and told Lulu that Kate had work for her to do. Lulu stood up to Kate and said she did not work for Kate and that she would take care of Spinelli first. Kate was impressed and told Lulu that she had grown a spine. Kate added that Lulu's job was waiting when she wanted it back. Lulu agreed to phone Federico before she left with Spinelli. As Lulu made the call, Spinelli got on the elevator and left by himself. Kate had an intense phone conversation. She hung up after telling someone not to push her.

Spinelli looked puzzled as he peered into an alley near Luzetta's Bakery. Unbeknownst to him, Anthony's two thugs and Liz were concealed behind a dumpster.

Edward was asleep in his chair when Skye got to the Quartermaine mansion. She tried to leave quietly, but Edward woke up and wanted to know why she was not on the jet making her getaway. Skye was surprised that Edward knew she was in trouble. Edward explained that Ethan had asked to use the jet for a damsel in distress, and Edward had guessed the rest. Skye said that Ethan was a fine young man, but she did not want him involved. Edward said that Ethan was already involved.

Skye said that Tracy was about to get slapped, and Skye wanted to make sure that Edward was protected. Skye said that Tracy's financial situation was about to be revealed, and she wanted Edward's assets to be shielded. Skye advised Edward to move his assets out of ELQ into a shell company. Edward said that he should feel sorry for Tracy, but he did not. Skye suggested that she could make a play for Luke and distract Tracy. Edward said that was a bad idea because Skye was carrying a torch for Luke, and she had lit one in Ethan. Skye said that she was not attracted to Ethan.

Edward told Skye that she was playing with fire. He asked what would keep Anthony from turning on her. Edward said that Skye was risking her life if she was doing business with Anthony. Edward told Skye that Anthony was using her. Skye replied that maybe she was using Anthony. Skye had a serious moment when she told Edward that she should have protected him from Anthony.

Skye admitted that she'd had a selfish moment. Edward comforted her and acknowledged that everyone had those moments. Edward told Skye that the jet was ready to take her anywhere with no questions asked. Skye thanked Edward. He told her not to be a stranger and to bring her daughter, Lila Rae, to visit. Edward cautioned Skye to be careful. She promised that she would. A man observed them from outside the window.

Anthony dropped in on Tracy at ELQ, ostensibly to serve her dinner and get to know her better. Tracy resisted his efforts, but Anthony persisted. Tracy was appalled when the main course turned out to be tongue. When Tracy said she was disgusted. Anthony revealed that the dinner was from a deli recommended by a mutual friend, Gino Soleito. A man, Anthony insisted, that Tracy had know very well because she had robbed Gino's family blind after Gino had dropped dead in the arms of a hooker that Tracy had hired for him.

Sonny eavesdropped when Johnny caught up to Molly in the hospital. Johnny said he would do anything that he could to help out. He gave Molly his card and phone number so that she could notify him when Kristina got out of surgery. When Johnny warned Molly not to tell Sonny that he had checked on Kristina, Sonny listened and fumed silently.

Sonny followed Johnny home and kicked in his door. Sonny told Johnny to stay away from Kristina. Johnny responded sarcastically and goaded Sonny. When Johnny turned his back, Sonny hit Johnny in the head with his gun butt then pointed the gun at Johnny's head.

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by Elisabeth

Robin entered the hospital's locker room, where Patrick was changing because he didn't see the point of wearing scrubs. Robin realized that her decision to let Matt operate on Kristina had seemed sudden, but she assured Patrick that she had given it thought. Maxie entered the locker room before Patrick could reply. Maxie immediately sensed the tension in the air, so she asked if she had interrupted them. "Never mind," Maxie said when she noticed their solemn expressions. Maxie explained that she needed to search Matt's pockets for Sam's missing engagement ring, so she asked where Matt's locker was. Robin pointed it out, so Maxie began to riffle through Matt's things.

After several minutes, it was clear to Robin and Patrick that Maxie's search hadn't yielded anything, so they tried to shoo her out of the locker room. Maxie was curious if Patrick or Robin knew what Matt had been so secretive about recently, and what he had been eager to celebrate with her. Patrick suggested that perhaps Matt had wanted to tell Maxie that about a surgical assignment that Matt had been given. Robin glanced at Patrick with an expression of exasperation, and then advised Maxie to focus on Matt instead of worrying about everyone else's relationships. Maxie explained that Jason and Sam needed her help because their wedding was on September 23rd, and Sam was hopeless about wedding plans. Patrick suggested that Sam was more concerned about Jason's recovery than planning her nuptials.

Maxie claimed that it wasn't her fault that Sam's engagement ring had been lost, or that Spinelli was not Spinelli, but then changed her mind by conceding that Spinelli would not have been shot if Maxie had been a good hostage by keeping her mouth shut. Robin insisted that no one blamed Maxie for Lisa's insanity. Maxie appreciated Robin's support; however, Maxie realized that she was to blame for the missing engagement ring, so it was imperative that Maxie find it. Patrick noticed that Maxie was sifting through Matt's wallet, so he told her that he doubted that the ring was there. Maxie explained that she had hoped to find a clue as to what Matt had wanted to tell her. Maxie's efforts were in vain, so she put everything away, closed the locker, and then left.

Robin and Patrick resumed their discussion about Kristina's surgery, and Robin's decision to allow Matt to operate. Robin explained that she had been concerned because Patrick had just completed an eight-hour surgery, so it had been clear to her that he had been exhausted. Patrick surprised Robin by agreeing that she had made the right call because he had no business operating on Kristina when he was so tired. Robin wondered why Patrick hadn't wanted to talk to her about it, so Patrick admitted that he had wanted to "outperform" for her because she was his boss. "Competitive much?" Robin asked with a smile.

Patrick reminded Robin of her own competitive nature, which had led her to claim that she had been on the Olympic ping pong team when they had first met. Patrick smiled as he recalled that Robin had thrown the paddle at him after he had won a game. Robin assured Patrick that she had let him win, and then changed the subject by suggesting that Patrick seemed to need a massage, and a shower to ease his tension. Patrick agreed, so they walked to the shower together. Afterwards, they got dressed as Robin wondered if they would always be like they were at that moment. "Yes," Patrick answered without hesitation.

Patrick admitted that he was more attracted to her than the day that he had married her, so he was confident that things would keep getting better between them. Robin confessed that she was happy that they were back on track because it felt like they were doing what they should. Patrick assured Robin that he was determined to protect what they had, so Robin kissed him. After the kiss ended, Patrick promised to cook dinner for Robin when they got home. Patrick wandered over to the break room table, while Robin finished touching up her makeup. Moments later, she smiled when she saw Patrick sound asleep at the table.

In the alley behind Luzetta's Bakery, Joey and Darryl were crouched out of sight with Liz, while Joey kept a firm grip over Liz's mouth. Unaware of Liz's plight, Spinelli searched the area for clues in the hopes of jogging his memory. Spinelli grew frustrated when he couldn't remember, so he left. Joey praised Liz for keeping quiet, and not causing trouble for anyone else. Joey and Darryl decided to drag Liz into the bakery before anyone discovered them. Meanwhile, Spinelli went to the waterfront to lie down on the dock, and then stare up at the constellations as he repeatedly sang, "Twinkle, twinkle little star," to himself. Eventually, Spinelli stood up. He was about to leave when a gust of wind blew a wayward napkin under his feet.

Spinelli picked up the napkin, and then noticed that Luzetta's name was emblazoned on it. A smile spread across his face as he stared at the napkin.

Later, Maxie walked along the pier as she left Sam a voicemail message to update Sam on search for the engagement ring. Maxie explained that she had retraced her steps, to no avail. However, she suddenly realized that she had forgotten to check Luzetta's, where she had sampled wedding cakes. She recalled that she had gotten some chocolate icing on the ring, so she had taken it off with the intention of cleaning it later. Maxie quickly ended the call and then dashed off to Luzetta's. A short time later, Maxie entered the alley behind the bakery to check the dumpster for the crumpled up napkin where she had put the ring.

Maxie smiled victoriously when she found the ring a short time later. She slid the ring onto her finger just as Joey slipped out of the backdoor with his hostage. Maxie's smile disappeared when she realized that she and Liz were in serious danger.

At ELQ, Anthony sat in front of Tracy's desk as he made himself a sandwich, from the deli food that he had arranged to be catered. Tracy insisted that she had no idea where Anthony had gotten his "fairytales" from, but Anthony insisted that they were "true crime" dramas. He admitted that Gino had been a "powerful man, and thieving bastard," whom Anthony had been proud to call friend until their falling out. Tracy claimed that she didn't associate with "that element," but Anthony reminded her that she had been Mrs. Gino Soleito. Tracy wasn't in the mood for Anthony's games, so she ordered him to get out or get to the point. Anthony admitted that Gino had liked women who could hold their own, so that they could run the business if Gino had ended up in jail; however, Gino had ended up in a "wooden box" instead.

Tracy took a sip of wine, and then revealed that Gino had been an awful man. Anthony pointed out that Gino had also been rich, so he was certain that Tracy had helped herself to Gino's fortune after Gino had died. Tracy denied it, but Anthony didn't believe her. However, he confessed that he admired her because she had been able to do what the police hadn't. "You dropped him," Anthony clarified. Tracy didn't like the direction of their conversation, so she ordered Anthony to leave, but he ignored her.

Anthony explained that Tracy needed to understand that they would be spending lots of quality time together. Tracy finished off her glass of wine, and then poured herself another. She was curious if it bothered Anthony that she found him repulsive. "No," Anthony quickly replied. "How about morally bankrupt?" Tracy queried. Anthony chuckled, and then continued to talk about Gino.

Eventually, Tracy admitted that she had been married to Gino, but the marriage had ended tragically. Anthony wanted to know details, but Tracy insisted that she was fuzzy on the facts. Anthony reminded her that Gino had been wealthy, while she had been poor. Tracy tried to toss Anthony out of her office again, but he simply chatted about what a pleasant time they'd had together at the spa. Tracy disagreed, but Anthony continued talking as if she hadn't spoken. He informed her that he expected her to join him at Metro Court for dinner the following evening, so Tracy admitted that she would rather set her hair on fire.

Anthony informed her that the topic on the agenda would be her "dirty money." Tracy denied that she had any, but Anthony argued that Gino's fortune had disappeared around the time that ELQ had experienced a financial windfall. "Skye, that bitch," Tracy growled between clenched teeth. Anthony suggested that Tracy should be nicer to people, and then picked up his sandwich. He started to leave, but stopped long enough to advise Tracy to consider an herbal wrap to ease the tension in her bunched-up shoulders.

Lulu went to the waterfront to look for Spinelli. She called out for him, but he didn't reply. As Lulu stood on the docks, she recalled going to the opera with Dante, and being moved to tears, so she decided to go to ELQ to talk to Tracy. At ELQ, Lulu announced that Lucky had relapsed because of a case that Lucky had been working. Lulu then revealed that Dante had been covering for Lucky. Tracy was sad to learn about Lucky's troubles, but she warned Lulu not to expect a pity party because Tracy was married to Luke, who was the master of lies and deceit.

Lulu insisted that Dante was quickly catching up with Luke, but Tracy argued that Dante was nothing like Luke. Tracy assured Lulu that she had meant that in the nicest way possible. Lulu explained that Dante had looked Lulu in the eye, and then lied to her. According to Lulu, Dante was more like Luke than Lulu wanted to admit. Lulu revealed that she had decided not to move in with Dante because of Dante's deception, and that Olivia had suggested that Lulu teach Dante a lesson by making him wait. Tracy claimed that Olivia was a fool because Olivia should have stood by her son, and supported him.

Lulu confessed that she was surprised by Tracy's attitude because she had been under the impression that Tracy hadn't liked Dante. Tracy explained that she had been wrong about Dante because Dante had proven to be steadfast and true. Lulu was curious what part of "Dante lied" Tracy hadn't understood. Tracy argued that Dante had been guilty of trying to protect Lucky, but she had no doubt that Dante had suffered. Lulu accused Tracy of whitewashing the situation, but Tracy insisted the Luke had never suffered guilt over the lies that he had told. Lulu was startled when Tracy suddenly suggested that Lulu get over herself.

Tracy warned Lulu that Lulu was walking away from a good, sober, and decent guy. Lulu couldn't believe that Tracy expected her to stay with a guy who was comfortable hiding things from her, but Tracy was curious if Dante had cheated on Lulu, stolen, or gambled away Lulu's life savings. "No," Lulu replied. Tracy explained that Dante had nobly protected Lulu's brother, but Lulu insisted that Dante had trouble being honest with her, and that he had admitted that he would do it again if he were faced with the same situation. Lulu claimed that she needed honesty in a relationship, so Tracy wondered where Lulu had gotten such an "infantilized" idea of relationships. According to Tracy, people who were madly in love sometimes fought about silly things, things that were about unresolved issues.

"Like honesty?" Lulu sarcastically asked. Tracy clarified that couples argued about things like self-worth, and fear of abandonment and then moved on when it was over. Lulu suggested that some people left because the relationship was too broken. Tracy suggested that the bottom line was that a rich and rewarding relationship required work, which meant that each person forgave when it was the last thing that they wanted to do, and didn't give up. Lulu feared that she might not be able to do that, so Tracy warned Lulu that Lulu would end up alone like Tracy. Tracy explained that Lulu could focus on her work, and "stuff," but she would be left with nothing if it all went away.

At the Zacchara penthouse, Sonny put a gun to Johnny's head as he shoved Johnny up against the balcony railing. Sonny was tried of Johnny going after Sonny's family. "It's gonna end now, Johnny," Sonny warned. Johnny refused to cower as he blamed Sonny for Kristina's situation because of the bomb that Sonny had planted in Johnny's car. Sonny accused Johnny of preying on Kristina, but Johnny reiterated that Kristina was in the hospital because of Sonny's actions. Johnny invited Sonny to toss Johnny over the balcony, but it wouldn't change anything because Sonny would always know the truth.

"Stop," Olivia shouted as she suddenly appeared in the balcony's doorway. Sonny turned to look at Olivia, but kept his gun aimed at Johnny, while Olivia pleaded with Sonny to let Johnny go. Sonny ordered Olivia to leave, but she refused. Meanwhile, Johnny continued to blame Sonny for Kristina's health crisis until Sonny threatened to push Johnny off of the balcony. Olivia raced into the living room, and then reappeared moments later with a gun. She fired a warning shot into the air, but vowed that the next time, she would shoot Sonny.

Johnny ordered Olivia to stay out of it, but Olivia ignored him. Sonny explained that Johnny had gone to see Kristina in the hospital. Olivia reminded Sonny that she had borne his son when she was fifteen, but Sonny insisted that the situations were completely different. Johnny agreed because Johnny had never laid a hand on Kristina. Sonny refused to allow Johnny to drag Kristina into the middle of a mob war, so Johnny reminded Sonny of Claudia. Sonny accused Johnny of targeting Kristina because Johnny wanted revenge for what had happened to Claudia.

Johnny claimed that Sonny's convoluted lies were an attempt to cover up the fact that Sonny had had almost killed Kristina. Sonny and Johnny continued to blame each other for Kristina's spinal cord injury, but Olivia warned Sonny that she knew what Sonny had done. Sonny accused Olivia of picking sides. Olivia insisted that she wasn't just trying to save Johnny's life, but Sonny's too. Sonny warned Olivia to stay out of his business, but Olivia argued that killing Johnny wouldn't solve anything. Sonny pointed out that accidents happened, so Olivia argued that no one would believe that Johnny had died accidentally.

Olivia begged Sonny to think things through because Kristina would never forgive Sonny if anything happened to Johnny. Sonny couldn't understand why Olivia would defend Johnny. "Is he that good in bed?" Sonny snidely wondered. Olivia claimed that she was defending Sonny, like she always had. Sonny continued to justify killing Johnny, but Olivia insisted that Johnny had been trying to keep the truce that Sonny had agreed to honor. Johnny asked for Olivia to hand him the gun, but Olivia refused to make matters worse.

Sonny warned Olivia that Johnny would try to take him out the first chance that Johnny got. However, Johnny insisted that Sonny would have been dead long before, if that were what Johnny had wanted. Olivia switched tactics by urging Sonny to return to the hospital to be with Kristina. Sonny promised Johnny that it wasn't over. Olivia was concerned because she feared that Sonny was in serious trouble. Sonny disagreed, and then threatened Johnny by claiming that he could take Johnny out at any time.

After Sonny left, Olivia practically threw the gun at Johnny. Johnny appreciated her help, so Olivia asked Johnny to take the high road with Sonny. Johnny doubted that it was possible, but Olivia reminded Johnny that Johnny had wanted to make a decent life for himself. Johnny agreed, but he insisted that Sonny had reminded him that it wasn't possible. Olivia admitted that she had made excuses for Sonny by blaming his behavior on Brenda walking out on the marriage. Johnny realized that Olivia gave Sonny the benefit of the doubt because she had history with him, but Olivia insisted that she also had history with Johnny.

Olivia begged Johnny not to let Sonny drag him down. She wondered what Johnny intended to do if Sonny continued to go after him. Johnny warned her that he wouldn't let it get that far. At the hospital, Sonny placed a call to report that he was back at the hospital. However, Sonny wanted the person on the other end of the line to make arrangements to "take care of Johnny."

Dante was startled to find Lucky hiding out in the bathroom. Dante's concern turned to anger when he spotted the bottle of pills on Lucky's sink. "What the hell is this?" Dante demanded. Lucky begged Dante to stop him from making a drug buy, and then admitted that he had been taking hydrocodone. Dante was furious because he had covered for Lucky. Lucky explained that he had been shot up with drugs on the waterfront, but then he had succumbed to the lure of the pills. However, Lucky clarified that he had only taken a few hydrocodone tablets; Lucky insisted that he had flushed the rest of the pills.

Dante didn't understand how Lucky could have jeopardized his sobriety like that, but Lucky explained that addicts never really recovered, so they were never safe from a relapse. Dante handed his cell phone to Lucky and then ordered Lucky to call a sponsor or attend a meeting. Lucky refused, but Dante insisted that Lucky couldn't stay in the bathroom until the urge to take drugs had faded. Lucky admitted that he might be tempted to score some drugs on the way to the meeting, so Dante decided to stay with Lucky. Dante suggested that they talk about where Lucky liked to go camping, but Lucky couldn't think clearly, so Dante decided that it might help Lucky to imagine sitting in a boat, and casting out a fishing line.

Lucky explained that he preferred to wade in the water, rather than fish from a boat. Lucky then changed the subject by wondering if Dante and Lulu had worked things out. Dante revealed that Lulu had moved out; he realized that Lulu had been right to be concerned about Lucky. Lucky reminded Dante that he had assured Dante that the drugs wouldn't be a problem, so Dante wasn't to blame for the relapse. Dante regretted that he hadn't taken Lucky off of the investigation, but Lucky revealed that addicts were experts at deception. Lucky admitted that it had been a dream case for him because finding a warehouse full of drugs was like finding a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

Dante vowed that he wouldn't keep any more secrets from Lulu. Lucky realized that Dante had to do what was necessary. Lucky admitted that he should never have asked Dante to keep Lulu in the dark about what had happened. Lucky decided to check his voicemail, so Dante and Lucky listened to Liz's frantic messages. Lucky started to rush out of the door to find Liz, but Dante insisted that Lucky wasn't in any condition to search for her. Lucky argued that he had failed Jake and Siobhan, so he refused to fail Liz.

Lucky decided to call Liz, but she didn't answer her cell phone. Dante wanted to call the police, but Lucky asked Dante not to. Lucky explained that he wasn't asking Dante to cover for him because Lucky intended to tell Mac everything; however Lucky needed to find Liz first because she was in trouble. Lucky suddenly recalled that he had recognized one of the men who had held him down while J.T. had pumped drugs into Lucky's system. Lucky realized that the man had worked at Luzetta's Bakery, and that Siobhan's clue had been the first two letters of Luzetta's, and a partial "Z." Lucky and Dante realized that Liz had overheard something that had led her to Luzetta's, so they headed to the bakery to investigate.

Shortly afterwards, Lulu entered Lucky's apartment, looking for her brother. She was stunned when she spotted the empty bottle of hydrocodone on the sink.

Elsewhere, Anthony was on the phone with Joey. Anthony explained that he would have the drop aborted, so he instructed Joey to get Liz out of the bakery. Joey wondered what he should do with Liz, so Anthony ordered Joey to take her to a place to "chill," and not to worry about cleaning up any evidence. Later, Lucky and Dante arrived at the alley, but there wasn't any sign of Liz. They were startled when Spinelli suddenly appeared. Spinelli spotted Sam's engagement ring on the ground, so he picked it up and then revealed that Maxie had been there.

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by Elisabeth

On the Haunted Star, Skye wrote Ethan a letter to tell him goodbye. She looked up when she heard someone enter the casino. "Hello, Blaze. Miss me?" Luke asked as he pulled off his cap and then stepped out of the shadows. Skye quickly recovered from her surprise as Luke wondered why she was in town. She explained that she had been there on business, but she was preparing to leave because it had been concluded. Luke admitted that Alcazar's millions suited Skye, so she confessed that the fortune was gone.

Skye deftly changed the subject by claiming that she had been disappointed that she hadn't been invited to Luke and Tracy's wedding. Luke smiled, and then asked if Skye's wings had been clipped yet. Skye explained that she had been focusing on raising her daughter, Lila Rae. They chatted for a few minutes about inconsequential things before Skye broached the subject of Jake. Luke's smile faded. Skye admitted that she knew about the tragedy, including the family's attempt to get Luke to stop drinking, so she was curious if Luke had given up alcohol.

Luke explained that he'd had lots of problems, but drinking hadn't been one of them. Skye was curious why Luke had bothered to return, so Luke revealed that, like her, he was there on business. Skye wondered why Luke was incognito, but she quickly realized that he wasn't trying to dodge a mark; he was hoping to avoid his family. Luke denied it, but Skye didn't believe him. She suspected that he had hoped that she would give him a progress report on his family.

Skye advised Luke to go straight to the source if he wanted information about his family, but Luke claimed that it wasn't worth the effort. He turned on the charm as he suggested that he might head out of town with Skye, so she informed him that he wasn't invited because she didn't want to be his ticket out of the mess that he had created. Luke confessed that he knew that there wasn't any such ticket. Skye insisted that Luke needed to find out for himself how his family had fared, but she warned him that he might not like what he saw.

Johnny was cleaning up when Anthony arrived home. Anthony assumed that Johnny and a lady friend had made the mess, so Johnny didn't bother to disabuse his father. Johnny was more interested in finding out where his father had been because he knew about Anthony's boat in the harbor that had been filled with drugs. Anthony was spared Johnny's interrogation when Dante arrived to question Anthony about Anthony's whereabouts earlier that evening. Anthony claimed that he had been with Tracy. Dante assured the elder Zacchara that he would verify the alibi; however, Dante was curious if Anthony knew anything about Luzetta's Bakery, and a man named Joey Bruzetta.

Anthony pretended to think about it for a moment, and then claimed that the name didn't sound familiar. Johnny wondered if Dante were accusing Anthony of a crime, so Dante assured Johnny that he had just been asking questions. Johnny ordered Dante to stop harassing Anthony, and instead arrest Sonny for pistol-whipping Johnny, and then dangling him over the balcony. Dante appeared skeptical, but Johnny pointed to the bullet hole in the ceiling and then advised Dante to verify the story with Olivia. Dante was curious why his mother would be at Johnny's penthouse, so Johnny suggested that perhaps Olivia had realized that Sonny was unstable. Dante told Johnny to file a complaint at the police station, and then resumed questioning Anthony.

Anthony remained tight-lipped, so Dante warned Anthony not to leave town, and then headed for the door. At the door, Dante stopped to ask what had happened to Anthony's bandaged hand. Anthony claimed that he had hurt himself while pruning flowers. Dante recalled that Anthony had been at the hospital on August 22nd, to have the injury treated, so the Zaccharas were curious what Dante was getting at. Dante assured them that it was probably nothing, but Siobhan Spencer had died on the same night. After Dante left, Johnny glared at his father, who had adopted an innocent expression.

Anthony praised Johnny for the way that Johnny had stood up to Dante, but Johnny wanted to discuss the boat in the harbor. Anthony became evasive, so Johnny grabbed Anthony's injured hand and then squeezed it tightly. Anthony cried out in pain as Johnny warned his father not to mess with him. Johnny knew that a drug deal had gone bad on the boat, which had led the cops straight to Johnny's door. Johnny insisted that he would not stand for that, but Anthony insisted that he would always make certain that Johnny was protected. According to Anthony that was what families did; they went down in flames together, if necessary.

Johnny made it clear that he was trying to avoid that. Anthony suggested that Johnny let him handle it. "I'm almost done," Anthony assured his son, but Johnny didn't want any more trouble with the cops. After Johnny stormed out, Anthony stepped out onto the balcony to call Joey. Anthony warned Joey that a cop had been fishing around for information, so Anthony was certain that the cop knew about the missing women. Anthony instructed Joey to keep the women "on ice," but if they became too much trouble then Joey should be prepared to get rid of them. Anthony was unaware that Johnny had returned, so he had overheard his father's end of the conversation.

At the apartment, Lucky called Sly at the police station to ask Sly to run a check on Luzetta's Bakery. Afterwards, Lucky retrieved his lockbox, opened it, and then pulled out a gun. Lulu slowly entered the living room, and then asked if Lucky should be handling a gun. Lucky wondered what Lulu was doing there, so Lulu explained that she had been worried about Lucky. Lucky wasn't in the mood to indulge her with a repetitive argument that went nowhere. He insisted that he didn't have the time, so Lulu held up the empty bottle of pills that she had found in his bathroom, and then demanded to know if he'd had time for the pills.

Lucky held out his hand as he asked her to give him back the bottle. Lulu held them out of reach as she accused Lucky of taking the pills. Lucky sarcastically admitted that he had taken every single one of them, but Lulu wasn't satisfied. She was adamant that he tell her what was going on. The anger seeped out of Lucky as he assured her that he had disposed of the pills. However, he insisted that he was on the clock, so she had to leave.

Lulu refused to budge until she had some answers. Lucky realized that she didn't want to leave because she didn't trust him, but Lulu argued that he was the one who didn't trust her. Lulu insisted that Lucky should have told her that he had been struggling with the temptation of pills, so that she could have stopped him from taking the next step. Lucky explained that the drugs had been forced into his system, so he hadn't taken them willingly. However, he conceded that the second time, he had taken a pill to prove himself to the drug dealer, and avoid jeopardizing the investigation. "And then?" Lulu asked. Lucky confessed that he had popped a few more pills to numb himself from the pain of losing Siobhan and Jake.

Lulu assured Lucky that she wouldn't have judged him if he had talked to her about it because she only wanted to help him. Lucky appreciated it, but he explained that addicts lied, so he wouldn't have told her the truth because he had wanted to take the pills. Lulu didn't understand how Dante could have been so oblivious to Lucky's situation, but Lucky revealed that Dante had done all that he could to help Lucky. Lulu was furious because Dante had kept quiet about something that could have killed Lucky; she had no idea how to forgive Dante for that. Lucky argued that Dante was not a bad guy because he had been protecting the case, Lucky, and Lulu. Lulu insisted that she didn't want to be protected with lies, so she couldn't be with a man who kept the truth from her.

Lucky assured Lulu that Dante had planned to tell her everything, but Lulu argued that Dante hadn't gotten around to it. Lucky explained that Dante was a good guy, probably the best that she would ever find, so he urged his sister not to throw away what she had with Dante. Lucky confessed that he didn't want to bear the responsibility of one more bad thing happening. Lulu was eager to help Lucky, but Lucky revealed that she couldn't because addiction was about the addict making choices; Lulu couldn't make those choices for him. Lulu claimed that it was just an excuse for him to push people away, just as Luke had done. Lucky suggested that perhaps he was more like their father than Lucky had thought. Lulu admitted that at least Lucky had taken responsibility for his mistakes.

Lucky assured Lulu that he loved her, and that she had good intentions; it meant more to him than he could say. "Thank you," Lulu replied. However, Lulu wanted to help in some way, so she offered to cook for Lucky. Lucky confided that he wasn't feeling well. Lulu was curious if the worst of the withdrawal symptoms were over, but Lucky confessed that he didn't know. However, he promised her that he would not backslide.

Moments later, Sly called Lucky with an update. At the same time, someone knocked on the door, so Lulu decided to answer it. It was Dante. Lulu invited Dante in and then excused herself. Lucky wrapped up his phone call and then asked if Dante had any news about Liz or Maxie. Dante shook his head, so Lucky revealed that Sly had discovered that Joey Bruzetta had been in Pentonville until recently, and that he had shared a cell with one of the Trujillos.

Dante was curious where Spinelli was. Lucky seemed confused because he had been under the impression that Spinelli had been with Dante. Neither man appeared concerned about Spinelli, so Lucky decided to take the empty bottle of pills to the police station, to log it in as evidence. Lulu returned to the living room just as Lucky was hit by a dizzy spell. However, Lucky quickly recovered, so he promised to return shortly. At the door, Lucky wished them luck, and then left.

Dante assured Lulu that he had planned to tell her about Lucky. Lulu explained that Lucky had pleaded Dante's case, so she believed Dante. Dante wondered if it had made a difference. Lulu realized that Dante was a cop, so he had to do what whatever was necessary to protect his case, but it didn't mean that she had to accept it. Lulu knew that it would always be like that, which would create distance between them. Dante insisted that they could work through that because he loved her. Lulu revealed that she loved him too, which was why she was so hurt. She asked Dante to take care of Lucky, because it seemed that he could do more for her brother than she could, and then left.

On the waterfront, Lucky contemplated the empty bottle of pills. Luke lurked nearby, spying on Lucky, but he quickly ducked out of sight when Lucky turned in Luke's direction after sensing that someone was watching him.

At the hospital, Sonny called out, "Bodyguard," when he spotted Shawn standing at the nurses' station. Shawn reminded Sonny that he had a name, so Sonny repeated, "Bodyguard." Shawn decided to drop the matter when Sonny warned Shawn that Shawn was an outsider. According to Sonny, whatever happened between Sonny and Carly was their business, so Sonny expected Shawn to stay out of it. Shawn suggested that Carly saw things differently, so if she decided to confide to Shawn then that was Carly's business. Sonny warned Shawn that he didn't appreciate Shawn's interference, and then walked away.

In Jason's hospital room, Jason was horrified when an orderly named Orlando insisted on giving Jason a sponge bath. Sam smiled as she stood in the doorway, while Jason refused to let Orlando near him. Sam quickly rescued Jason by volunteering to bathe Jason. Orlando handed the bowl of water and sponge to Sam, and then revealed that Jason's other option had been Epiphany. Jason appeared greatly relieved after Orlando left the room. Sam picked up the sponge and then admitted that she had some time to kill because Kristina was still in surgery.

Later, Sam wondered if she was a horrible and selfish person for being happy when Kristina was going through so much. Sam explained that Kristina had been desperately looking for love, but in all the wrong places, so Sam wanted to help her sister. Jason warned Sam that no one could stop another person from making bad choices, but Sam reminded Jason that he did it all of the time. According to Sam, it was impossible for Jason to let Sonny, Carly, Michael, and others, suffer the consequences of their actions. Jason was curious if it bothered her, so Sam admitted that it did at times, but she had made peace with it, or else she wouldn't be marrying him.

"You're getting married?" Sonny asked from the doorway. Sonny was surprised that Jason hadn't mentioned it sooner. Jason explained that Sonny hadn't been around. Sam wondered if Sonny intended to congratulate them, so Sonny quickly did so, but he warned them that things didn't always work out. Sam appeared disgusted with the remark, so she decided to check on her mother and sister. Sonny watched Sam leave, and then wondered why she seemed to be in a bad mood.

Jason reminded Sonny that Sam was worried about Kristina. Sonny admitted that he was concerned too because he had caught Johnny "sniffing" around Kristina. Jason confessed that it didn't make sense to him, but Sonny insisted that it was true. Sonny grumbled that he should have pushed Johnny over the balcony when he had the chance. Jason wondered what Sonny was talking about, so Sonny revealed that he had paid Johnny a visit.

Sonny claimed that Johnny had bragged about being able to use Kristina whenever Johnny needed to. Jason appeared skeptical, but Sonny assured him it was the truth. Sonny complained that Jason should have killed Johnny when Sonny had given Jason the order. Jason was curious if there had been any witnesses to Sonny's confrontation with Johnny, but Sonny assured Jason that there wasn't anything to worry about. Sonny was surprised when Jason revealed that he had assigned someone to watch Sonny's back. Sonny wasn't interested in having Max constantly hovering around him. "No, that would be me," Shawn announced from the doorway.

Sonny turned to Jason for confirmation. Jason assured Sonny that it wasn't a joke. According to Jason, Shawn was qualified, so he was the right man for the job. Sonny argued that he didn't like Shawn, but Jason insisted that it didn't matter. Shawn promised to do his best to protect Sonny, but Sonny wasn't pleased. Sonny reminded both men that Kristina was sick, so Sonny didn't want to deal with Shawn.

After Sonny left, Shawn sarcastically noted, "That went well." Jason revealed that he had left instructions for everyone in the organization to give Shawn anything that Shawn needed. Shawn decided that Jason should be aware of something. "I suffer from PTSD," Shawn admitted. Shawn explained that he had experienced a recent episode with Jax, and that Jax had taken advantage of it by snatching Josslyn. Jason confessed that he knew about Shawn's struggles, and that it was clear that Shawn had been able to get past the incident because Josslyn had been returned to Carly.

Jason was confident that Shawn could handle Sonny, but he warned Shawn that Shawn would have his hands full because Sonny wasn't a walk in the park, and the Zaccharas were unpredictable. Jason added that there was also Carly to deal with. Shawn chuckled, and then admitted "Now that could be what brings me to my knees."

In Kristina's hospital room, Michael was curious if they had figured out how a bone fragment had drifted near Kristina's spine. Molly suggested that it might have happened when Sonny had planted a bomb in Johnny's car. Michael looked to Alexis for confirmation, so Alexis admitted that it was possible. Alexis decided to send Molly to the gift shop, so that Alexis could have a private word with Michael. After Molly left, Alexis acknowledged that Michael loved Sonny dearly, so she understood Michael's need to defend Sonny. However, she cautioned Michael not to distort the truth until it suited Sonny.

"You know a lot about that, don't you?" Michael shot back. Alexis realized that she had walked into that, because she had done exactly that when she had been Sonny's legal counsel. However, Alexis insisted that Sonny's impulse control was currently nonexistent. Michael snidely wondered if it had been better when she had represented Sonny. Alexis confessed that it had been, but she admitted that if she had to do it over again, she wouldn't have taken Sonny on as a client because she had evolved, while Sonny had remained a "dark twisted throwback." Alexis and Michael were unaware that Sonny had walked up in time to overhear Alexis' remark, and Michael's refusal to turn his back on his father.

Shawn saw Molly crying in the hallway. Molly explained that she was upset because Kristina might be paralyzed. Shawn sat down, and then talked about how he had felt when he had returned from Afghanistan. He recalled his first PTSD episode. Molly wondered how he had gotten through it, so Shawn revealed that he had seen a stone on the ground. He had picked it up, and then realized that it had endured weathering, erosion, and people kicking it to survive.

Shawn had decided to take inspiration from the stone by refusing to let life wear him down. "That's really beautiful, Shawn," Molly said. Shawn pulled the stone out of his pocket and then handed it to Molly. He wondered if she could feel the energy from the stone. Molly nodded, so Shawn decided that she should have it. Molly was touched, but she assured him that he could have it back if he needed it. Shawn appreciated the offer, but he hoped that it wouldn't be necessary. Molly smiled as she confided that she thought that Shawn was her guardian angel.

Later, Alexis hugged Molly, and then praised Sam and Molly for handling things so well. Alexis revealed that she drew her strength from her two daughters. Sam confessed that she hated waiting, but she assured everyone that the surgeons at General Hospital were amazing, and then pointed to Jason's speedy recovery as proof. Michael was surprised that no one had tried to blame Sonny for what had happened to Jason. "Would you like us to?" Alexis wondered. Michael shook his head just as Sonny entered the room. Sonny was curious if there had been any news about Kristina's surgery, so Alexis decided to check with a nurse.

After Alexis left, Michael quietly asked if Sonny had gone after Johnny. Sonny reminded Michael that they had agreed that Michael would stay out of the mob business. Michael insisted that he wanted to help, but Sam pointed out that Michael was on a good track, so he shouldn't screw it up. Sonny assured Michael that Michael didn't have anything to worry about because Sonny had everything under control. Shortly afterwards, Sam returned to Jason's room to update him on Kristina's surgery. Sam feared that the news wasn't good, but Jason warned her that there was no way to tell.

Sam changed the subject by asking if Sonny had killed Johnny. Jason quickly alleviated her fears, and then revealed that he had assigned Shawn to guard Sonny. Jason refused to continue discussing mob business because he was officially off duty. Sam was curious how it felt, so Jason admitted that it was different, but good. Sam smiled as she suggested that she could make Jason feel better. Jason returned the smile as she leaned forward to kiss him.

In Kristina's hospital room, Sonny was impressed with how Molly had decorated the room with balloons and streamers. Sonny was certain that Kristina would be pleased. Molly remained concerned about her sister, so Michael assured Molly that Kristina would be as good as new after the surgery. "And mad as hell," Sonny added. Sonny revealed that Kristina had been upset with him before the operation, and that they hadn't had the opportunity to work things out. Michael promised to let Kristina know that Sonny had been worried about Kristina, and that he'd been there with the rest of the family.

Sonny appreciated Michael's support because Michael had been on his side when no one else had been. Molly became concerned when she spotted Alexis standing in the doorway with a solemn expression. Sonny and Michael turned to look at Alexis as she revealed that there had been a complication during Kristina's surgery.

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by Elisabeth

In Jason's hospital room, Sam confessed that she was a terrible wedding planner, but she conceded that Jason was worse, so she had left it to Maxie. However, Sam wondered if that had been a mistake because Maxie had been slacking. Sam explained that she hadn't heard from Maxie, just as Spinelli burst through the door to announce that he had distressing news regarding "Maximista." Sam and Jason were surprised by the nickname because they realized that it wasn't something that Jackal, P.I., would have said. "Spinelli?" Jason cautiously asked. Spinelli nodded, so Jason invited Spinelli to tell them what had happened.

Spinelli revealed that Jackal had deciphered the clues about Luzetta's Bakery, as had Maxie and Liz, who were both missing. Spinelli then admitted that what he had deduced as Jackal was also gone and forgotten. Sam and Jason had difficulty following Spinelli's ramblings, so Sam urged Spinelli to focus. Spinelli confessed that it was a bit confusing, so Sam was curious if he remembered anything about being Jackal. Spinelli explained that it had been an illusion that he couldn't sustain after he had visited Jason, at Maxie's urging, following Jason's surgery. Spinelli admitted that the fear of losing Jason had made him realize everything that Jason had done for him, so the need to be Jason's friend had prevailed.

Jason confessed that he had missed Spinelli, so it was good to have Spinelli back. Spinelli insisted that all of the credit went to Maxie because she had been tireless in her efforts. Spinelli realized that it had been incredibly painful for Maxie to take him to Georgie's grave. Sam was curious if Spinelli had thanked Maxie, so Spinelli reminded Sam that he couldn't do that because Maxie, as well as Liz, had vanished. According to Spinelli, everything pointed to them being abducted from Luzetta's Bakery. Jason quickly clarified that there hadn't been anything going on at Luzetta's; Jason had made everything up to keep Spinelli out of trouble.

Spinelli insisted that Jackal had realized that the Zaccharas had been moving drugs through the bakery, and that the answer was in the stars. Sam suggested that whatever Jackal thought he had seen had only seemed like illegal activity, but Spinelli explained that Liz had caught someone stealing drugs from the hospital, and then she had followed the person to Luzetta's. Spinelli revealed that Lucky and Dante had found Liz's cell phone near a dumpster behind the bakery. Spinelli then confided that he had discovered proof that Maxie had been in the alley around the time of Liz's disappearance. Jason wanted to know what it was, but Spinelli confessed that it couldn't be seen by "the bride-to-be." Sam looked away, so that Spinelli could show Jason the engagement ring that Maxie had been searching for.

Spinelli tucked the ring away, and then admitted that he had newfound empathy for Jason because Spinelli appreciated how disconcerting it was not to trust the accuracy of one's mind. Sam and Jason finally realized that Maxie and Liz were in trouble, so Jason explained that Shawn was temporarily in charge, while Jason recuperated. Jason promised to alert Shawn. Sam decided to check on Kristina, and then call Shawn. Spinelli was startled to realize that something had happened to Kristina, but Sam quickly assured him that Kristina would be fine. Sam gave Jason a pointed look as she suggested that Spinelli stay behind to talk to Jason about the wedding. After Sam left, Jason asked Spinelli to be his best man.

Spinelli was stunned; he wondered if Jason would prefer to have Sonny, Michael, or Carly stand at Jason's side when Jason exchanged vows with Sam. Jason insisted that Spinelli had always been dependable, so Jason trusted Spinelli with his life. Jason also appreciated that Spinelli had supported Jason's relationship with Sam. Spinelli was honored to be asked, so he accepted and then hugged his friend. Afterwards, Jason asked Spinelli to hack into the surveillance cameras around the waterfront to check for clues that might lead them to Maxie and Liz. Jason also ordered Spinelli to contact Bernie, and then transfer the missing twenty million dollars back into Sonny's account.

At the nurses' station, a young woman asked Matt where the cafeteria was. Matt pointed her in the right direction, but warned her that she would be eating at her own risk. Patrick approached Matt as the young woman walked away. Matt's smile faded when Patrick asked for an update on Kristina. Matt was curious if Patrick were asking as a colleague or a brother who always second-guessed everything that Matt did. Patrick explained that he was concerned because Kristina had originally been Patrick's patient.

Patrick was surprised when Matt revealed that Kristina's C-7 vertebrae had been fractured. Patrick demanded to know how Matt had handled the tricky surgery, since the injury had occurred a year earlier, which meant that Kristina had likely sustained it when she had been thrown during the explosion of Johnny's car. Matt revealed that he had performed an oblique facet wiring technique. Patrick realized that it meant that there would be swelling, so they wouldn't know if there might be lasting damage to the spinal cord until the swelling had gone down. Matt resented Patrick's tone, so he told Patrick that he would pretend that he hadn't heard the small note of hope in Patrick's voice that Matt's patient was paralyzed.

Johnny slipped into Kristina's hospital room, and then quietly closed the door when he noticed that Kristina was asleep. Johnny approached the bed, and then softly confessed, "This is my fault. Well, mine and Sonny's." Johnny vowed that it would stop before Kristina, or anyone else, was hurt again. Johnny insisted that he had been trying to keep the peace between their fathers. Seconds later, Sonny entered the room. He was furious when he saw Johnny at Kristina's bedside, so he warned Johnny to stay away from Kristina.

Sonny ordered Johnny to leave, but Johnny suggested that Sonny focus on Kristina, so that it would sink in that Sonny had almost killed her out of revenge over nothing. Kristina's eyes drifted open as the argument escalated. Sonny rushed to her side, but Kristina ordered her father to leave. Sonny ignored the request as he asked his daughter how she was feeling. Kristina told Sonny to stop pretending to care, and then revealed that she had heard Sonny threatening Johnny.

Sonny was stunned when Kristina angrily accused him of causing her spinal injury by planting a bomb in Johnny's car. Sonny started to dispute her claims, but Kristina reminded him that she had been thrown across the parking garage during the blast, and that she had landed hard enough to black out. "You did this to me, Dad. You," she tearfully shouted. Sonny offered to discuss it with her after Johnny had left, but Kristina surprised him by insisting that Johnny could stay, but Sonny had to leave. Kristina threatened to call security to remove Sonny, so Sonny reluctantly agreed to leave, but he promised to let the doctors know that she was awake. After Sonny left, Johnny confessed that Kristina's situation was his fault, as much as it had been Sonny's.

Johnny apologized, but Kristina argued that Sonny was the one who had hurt her. However, she doubted that Sonny would ever tell her that he was sorry. Moments later, Sam entered. Sam demanded to know what Johnny had said to Kristina to upset her, but Kristina quickly explained that Sonny was to blame. After Johnny excused himself and left, Sam assured her sister that Sonny loved Kristina. Sam conceded that Sonny had handled things badly, but she explained that nothing was worse than the pain of losing a child. According to Sam, it went deeper when it was the result of a parent's actions.

Kristina wondered if Sam truly believed that Sonny felt that way. Sam explained that Sonny could deny it and hide it behind anger, but Sam was certain that Sonny felt responsible for Kristina's situation. Sam believed that Sonny was dealing with tremendous guilt, which he didn't know how to handle. Kristina wondered why it was Kristina's job to make Sonny feel better, so Sam assured her sister that it wasn't. Moments later, Matt arrived to discuss Kristina's post-surgical prognosis. He was curious if Alexis were around, but Kristina insisted that she was an adult, so he didn't need to discuss her case with Alexis.

Matt explained that it was complex stuff, so he suggested that perhaps Sonny could join them. Kristina made it clear that her father was the last person that she wanted to be present. Sam decided to look for Alexis. After Sam left, Kristina was curious where Patrick was. Matt explained that Patrick had been pulled off of the case because Patrick had completed an eight-hour surgery, so he hadn't been able to operate on Kristina. Kristina didn't want to wait for Alexis to arrive, so she asked Matt to tell her what he had done, and how soon she would recover.

Matt started to tell her, but stopped when Patrick joined them. Matt resented Patrick's interference, but Patrick refused to leave. Kristina didn't object, so Matt decided to perform some tests to determine where they were in the recovery process. "You mean if the surgery worked or not," Kristina clarified. Matt nodded and then pulled back the covers from Kristina's feet.

Matt asked Kristina to turn her head away, so that she wouldn't know which foot he tested. After Kristina looked away, Matt ran a pen along the bottom of Kristina's left foot. Kristina felt it, so Matt moved to the right foot. Matt and Patrick exchanged a look of concern when Kristina didn't feel it. Kristina realized that something was wrong, so she demanded to know why she hadn't felt anything.

Anthony sat down in the waiting area of the hospital, near where Darryl was standing. He ordered Darryl to pretend to be working, instead of watching the medicine cabinet. Darryl assured Anthony that he had only slipped up once, so Anthony quickly reminded Darryl that the mistake had led Liz straight to Luzetta's, which could have compromised everything. Darryl promised Anthony that Joey had stashed Liz and Maxie away, but Anthony warned Darryl that nothing else had better go wrong. Anthony started to walk away, but Johnny suddenly appeared. "Fraternizing with the help?" Johnny wondered.

Anthony tried to pretend that he had no idea what Johnny was talking about, but Johnny didn't believe his father. Johnny demanded to know what Anthony was doing at the hospital, so Anthony held up his injured hand, and then explained that he was there to repair the damage that Johnny had done. After Anthony brushed past his son, Johnny approached Darryl. Johnny questioned Darryl about Darryl's association with Anthony, but Darryl insisted that he had no idea who Anthony was. Darryl walked away, so Johnny followed him.

Patrick stopped Anthony when he saw Anthony near the nurses' station. "I want you out of my hospital," Patrick ordered Anthony. Anthony snidely questioned Patrick's authority to turn patients away, and then threatened to contact Angela Dwyer about filing a malpractice suit. Patrick reluctantly agreed to put Anthony on the waiting list, and then instructed Anthony to have a seat in the waiting area until a doctor could check Anthony's hand. After Patrick stormed off, Anthony made a call, and then insisted, "I need to see the doctor today."

Carly decided to pay Shawn a visit to drop off a cup of coffee and his favorite kind of Danish. She knocked on Shawn's door, but he didn't respond, so she let herself in. Moments later, Shawn appeared in the doorway, dripping wet from a shower, and wearing only a towel. Carly immediately became flustered as she explained that she had hoped to talk to him about something. Shawn thought that it would be best for him to get dressed first, so Carly turned her back to give him some privacy. Shawn smiled and then suggested that she wait for him in the hallway.

Carly stepped out of the room, while Shawn got dressed, but she decided to talk to him through the closed door about what was on her mind. She realized that it had been a "little overkill" of her to set him up with a job as a professor at Port Charles University, so she revealed that she had arranged a job interview for him at the college. Carly thought that it would be better if he were hired on his own merits. After Shawn was dressed, he opened the door and then admitted that Jason had hired him to keep an eye on things until Jason could get back on his feet. Shawn explained that Jason wanted to focus on the wedding to Sam. He then warned Carly that the wedding would happen, so she might as well get used to it.

Carly assured Shawn that she was fine with Jason marrying Sam, and that she had been nice to Sam, but she couldn't say the same for Sam. According to Carly, Sam had been a little sensitive for some reason. Shawn glanced down when his cell phone rang. He explained that he had to leave because Sonny had asked to see him. Carly hoped that Jason was paying Shawn extra to deal with Sonny, but Shawn told her that it was part of the job. She was surprised when he revealed that she was too.

Carly wondered what she had to do with Shawn's job. Shawn reminded her that she was a smart woman, and then added, "Figure it out." Carly insisted that she didn't need someone to babysit her, but Shawn had already left. Later, Shawn entered Sonny's office at Pozzulo's. Sonny wondered how much it would cost him to get Shawn out of the organization. Shawn reminded Sonny that Jason had hired him, so only Jason could fire him.

Sonny warned Shawn that he knew about Shawn's history, and that Jason didn't know what it was like to be haunted by demons that showed up out of nowhere. Sonny recalled that Shawn had frozen up at Sonny's wedding, so Sonny doubted that Shawn could handle working for Sonny. Sonny insisted that Shawn wasn't cut out for a job where people could die if Shawn screwed up. According to Sonny, Shawn was a disaster waiting to happen, so Sonny couldn't afford to have Shawn around. Moments later, Carly stormed into the office to defend Shawn. She accused Sonny of being a hypocrite, and then demanded, "Who the hell are you to judge Shawn?"

Sonny reminded Carly that it was his organization, so it was his call to make. Carly argued that Sonny needed someone to run things while Sonny ripped his life apart. Shawn appreciated Carly's defense, but he insisted that it wasn't her business. Sonny burst out laughing when Shawn referred to Carly as Mrs. Jacks. "Shut up," Carly told Sonny. Shawn explained that he had work to do, so he tried to get Carly to leave with him, but Carly revealed that she needed to talk to Sonny privately.

After Shawn left, Carly warned Sonny not to think about making trouble for Shawn. Sonny was curious if Carly were sleeping with Shawn, but she insisted that it wasn't any of Sonny's business. Sonny shrugged, and then suggested that he didn't need Shawn because Jason would be getting out of the hospital soon. Carly reminded Sonny that Jason was getting married, but Sonny doubted that Carly cared. Carly argued that Sam made Jason happy, and that Jason deserved it, so she was fine with Jason marrying Sam. Eventually their bickering led to the topic of Jax.

Sonny insisted that he couldn't always play nice because he'd had to fight for everything that he had. Carly was sick of him carrying around his damaged childhood on his sleeve. "Get over it," she told him. Sonny was shocked that Carly would throw that in his face, so she suggested that Sonny return to Bensonhurst to "fix it" if it were causing him so much trouble.

At Crimson, Kate was on the phone, doing damage control, when Olivia marched in demanding to talk to Kate. Kate ended the call and then explained that she had a deadline, so she didn't have time to deal with Olivia. Olivia insisted that it was serious, and that Kate was the only person who could reach Sonny. Olivia claimed that Kate needed to get to Sonny before Sonny went over the edge. "And why the hell would I give a damn again?" Kate asked. Olivia reminded Kate that Kate had history with Sonny, so Kate argued that Olivia also had history with Sonny.

Kate suggested that Olivia deal with Sonny, but Olivia admitted that Sonny had never loved her the way that he had loved Kate. Kate reminded Olivia that there had been plenty of women whom Sonny had claimed to love, so perhaps one of them could provide assistance. Olivia suspected that Kate was referring to Brenda, so Olivia explained that Brenda had been a fantasy who hadn't been cut out to be married to man like Sonny. Kate pointed out that Carly might be available, but Olivia revealed that Carly had washed her hands of Sonny because there had been too much damage and dysfunction between them. Olivia explained that Sonny was going to a dark place, so he needed Constanza Louise Falconeri to pull him back. Kate insisted that she had left Constanza Louise in Bensonhurst to become someone better.

"Better or different?" Olivia wondered. Kate pointed out that she had gone to college and then embarked on a career, while Olivia had been fine with staying in Bensonhurst to raise Sonny's child. Olivia was curious what choice she'd had, but Kate reminded Olivia that no one had pressured Olivia to dump Sonny. Olivia explained that Sonny had been in love with "Connie," so Kate growled that her name was Katherine Hardwicke Howard. The argument momentarily ceased when Kate's phone rang. Kate took the call, but then yelled at a former employee to stop groveling for her job back because Inga hadn't been qualified.

"Wow, aren't you just a big, fat freaking deal?" Olivia said as Kate slammed down the phone. Kate explained that Inga had been a distraction that Kate hadn't needed, much like Sonny. Olivia didn't believe her cousin because she knew how much Sonny had meant to Kate. Kate insisted that it was in the past, and that she and Sonny hadn't been compatible. Olivia wondered who Kate was trying to convince, so Kate questioned why Olivia cared. Olivia admitted that things were bad between Sonny and Dante, so she didn't want to see one of them end up dead.

Kate insisted that Sonny wasn't her concern, but Olivia argued that Kate had loved Sonny enough to want to marry him. Kate claimed that it had been a lapse in judgment that had gotten her shot at the altar. Olivia argued that Sonny had let Kate in when he pushed everyone else away, and that Kate understood Sonny in a way that no one else did. Olivia reminded Kate that Kate had been the one to talk Sonny down from killing Sonny's abusive stepfather, Deke, so Kate was capable to talking Sonny down from his worst impulses. Kate insisted that she didn't have any sway with Sonny, so they might as well be strangers. Kate was fine with that because she didn't want any part of Sonny or his past.

Olivia argued that it was "Connie's" past too. Kate was adamant that she had left that name behind, so she didn't want to hear it again. Olivia claimed that nothing about Kate's business was real, and then proceeded to rant about how the fashion industry distorted young women's body image. Kate wondered if Olivia were truly holding Kate responsible for the evils of the fashion world. Olivia confessed that she recalled a girl who didn't mind eating a couple of slices of pizza, or getting dirty. Olivia insisted that Kate had once had compassion enough to see the damaged boy inside of Sonny.

Kate claimed that it had been an adolescent fantasy to save the bad boy. Kate hadn't realized until she had lain bleeding on the altar that she couldn't save Sonny; it wasn't worth her life to try. Olivia congratulated Kate because Katherine Hardwicke Howard had won, and Connie was gone. According to Olivia, an ice-cold bitch had been left in Connie's place. Kate wasn't thrilled with Olivia's choice of words, but she was glad that they had agreed on something. Olivia insisted that Kate had lost the best part of who she was, which had left Kate walled up in a nice-looking palace all alone. Kate asked Olivia to wrap up the sermon because Kate had a deadline to meet.

Olivia imagined that the word deadline made Kate feel powerful. She apologized for wasting Kate's time, and then stormed out. Later, Kate went to Pozzulo's to see Sonny. She entered the darkened restaurant while Sonny was in his office, preparing to leave. They each reached for the doorknob to the office at the same moment, unaware that someone stood on the other side of the door.

In Jason's hospital room, Shawn reported that Liz hadn't arrived home, so the babysitter had called Audrey to watch the boys. Jason ordered Shawn to get everyone out on the streets to search for Liz and Maxie, and to find out what was going on at Luzetta's. Shawn suspected that the women had been moved from the bakery. Jason agreed, but he assured Shawn that Spinelli was working on it. Shawn wondered if that were a good idea, but Jason assured Shawn that Spinelli could do anything on a computer. Meanwhile, at the penthouse, Spinelli looked at his laptop, but didn't seem to know what to do.

Anthony entered Lisa Niles's hospital room. Lisa lingered in a coma as Anthony grumbled about Patrick's lack of respect. Anthony was determined to teach Patrick a lesson. Anthony then shifted gears by confessing that Lisa had needed an advocate who was committed to pulling her out of the coma. He confessed that it was amazing what a person could do when the right wheels were greased. Anthony admitted that misery made strange bedfellows, but he looked forward to making "some fine misery" with Lisa.

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by Marcello Aurelio Lanfranchi

At Jason's penthouse, Spinelli desperately tried to gain access to security footage through the Internet, but was unable to remember how. Frustrated, he gave up and berated himself until Sam walked in. She let him know that Kristina's surgery had gone well. Spinelli didn't share with Sam that he was having trouble with his hacking skills. He abruptly left to search for Maxie and Liz. Sam found it odd that he'd left without his computer.

Liz and Maxie, each of whose hands had been bound, tried to find a way out of the storage room they were locked in. Maxie asserted that Spinelli would find them and reminded Liz that Spinelli's mental state had led him to believe he was Jackal, P.I., the fearless detective character in the novel Diane was writing.

Liz called attention to the fact that Maxie was acting as if she were still in love with Spinelli and wondered what that meant for Matt. Maxie was taken aback. Liz expressed that she was offended by the way Maxie had been treating Matt. Maxie snidely declared that Liz was jealous. Joey yelled through the door for them to shut up.

Maxie demanded to know why Liz was so protective of Matt. Liz said she and Matt had a working relationship. Maxie compared Liz's interest in Matt to Lisa's motivation to break up Patrick and Robin's marriage. Maxie mentioned that Lucky had married Siobhan, a woman he'd barely known, just to get over Jake's death.

Liz and Maxie competed over the pain they'd each felt after losing a loved one, and Maxie told Liz to stay away from Matt. She referred to Liz's affair with Nikolas. Liz reminded Maxie that Maxie had once supplied Lucky with drugs and faked a pregnancy to keep him and Liz apart. Maxie deridingly stated that Matt preferred a woman who took care of her appearance, not a harried mother who didn't have the time to look at herself in a mirror before leaving the house.

Maxie offered her wrists to Liz to smell, stating that the fragrance was what had attracted Lucky and Spinelli. Maxie explained that she'd left a trail of coconut delight icing for Spinelli to follow. Liz let Maxie know that she'd left Lucky voicemail messages but admitted that she'd not mentioned the location.

When Joey entered, Maxie fell to the floor and pretended to be sick. Liz said it might be appendicitis and asked to examine her. Maxie pretended that she didn't want Liz's help, which lent credibility to their ploy. Against his better judgment, Joey unbound Liz's hands and allowed her to check Maxie out.

With her back to Joey, Liz took the rope off Maxie's hands and told Joey there were obvious signs that Maxie needed medical attention. When Joey went over to Maxie, Maxie shot him in the face with pepper spray. While he was temporarily blinded, Liz wrestled the keys from him, and Maxie was able to escape. However, the man who Liz had followed earlier arrived and prevented her from leaving. Joey left to find Maxie, while the other man held a gun on Liz.

Lucky called Dante from the alley behind Luzetta's Bakery and updated him on the situation. Dante reported that there had been no sign of Maxie or Liz. Lucky figured that Siobhan had tried to leave behind a clue when she'd written "LU" on her pillowcase with lipstick before she died. Lucky knew that Maxie would never have accidentally left behind the engagement ring in the alley. That, along with Liz's phone found in the dumpster led both men to believe the women had been abducted.

After Lucky hung up, Spinelli arrived and explained that he'd left to apprise "Stone Cold" of the state of affairs. Spinelli noticed icing on the side of the dumpster and became obsessed with it. Lucky didn't read too much into Spinelli's strange behavior and left to search for more clues inside the bakery.

Spinelli tasted the frosting and discovered it to be coconut delight, a sure message from Maxie, he thought. Spinelli desperately searched for clues that would lead him into the direction Maxie had been taken. He found an item he thought important just as Maxie ran by, screaming, while Joey chased her.

Lucky searched inside the bakery and noticed bags of flour on the baking table. Suspicious, he cut one open and tasted its contents. He realized that they were filled with cocaine. He called Mac and told him he was booking what he'd found as evidence. Lucky placed a sack of flour into an evidence bag as he took a call from Sly, who informed Lucky that there might be a connection between the fire at Sonny's warehouse and the activities at Luzetta's.

Lulu entered the Haunted Star and found Ethan out cold on the floor. Ethan regained consciousness and explained that one of his marks had beaten him up. Lulu told Ethan that he was throwing away his life, just like their father had. Behind a curtain, Luke listened in on their conversation. Ethan defended Luke and said that he and his dad were cut from the same cloth.

Lulu warned her brother not to mess with dangerous women like Luke had with Helena Cassadine. Lulu admitted that she'd grown up with all of the Luke and Laura stories and said that those years had obviously been the best times of Luke's life. She expressed guilt for her illness having been the reason her dad had been tied down.

Lulu acknowledged that her plan to own the casino and run it together with her family as one, big, happy unit had been a farce. Ethan replied that her desire for their family to be closer-knit was anything but pathetic. Regarding Luke, she retorted, "He made his choice, and it wasn't us."

Lulu fretted over Lucky having fallen off the wagon. Luke's ears perked up when he heard that his son was using drugs again. Ethan pointed out that losing a child and a spouse within months of each other might drive anyone to drug use. Lulu bitterly stated that they were all damaged goods, the legacy Luke had left behind.

Lulu proposed that she could sell the Haunted Star, prompting Ethan to suggest that he manage the business if she'd maintain ownership. Lulu saw right through his proposal, surmising her brother would pay off the gaming commission to continue illegal activities. She declined the offer.

Lulu received a call from Kate, who demanded that Lulu go to Crimson and attend a fitting in Maxie's absence. Lulu, needing the money, left the casino, followed by Ethan. A forlorn Luke walked into the open. He found the letter to Ethan that Skye had written in which she advised Ethan not to wait around for Luke. In the letter, she'd alluded to the romantic potential between her and Ethan that would not be realized because she'd fled the country.

As Kate waited for the elevator at the Metro Court, she answered her phone and was confused when the desk clerk explained that no one was in the Crimson offices to receive a shipment of dresses. Kate went to the office and called Maxie, leaving her an angry message. Olivia walked in and asked how Kate's talk with Sonny had gone. Kate dismissed her cousin's concerns and said she hadn't bothered to discuss anything with the man.

Olivia noted that the old Connie would have cared about Sonny's welfare but, since she'd transformed into Kate, she'd become coldhearted. Olivia told her that one could change their name, their look, and the way they spoke, but not where they were from. As Kate looked through the wedding dresses hanging in her office, one in particular distracted her.

Once Kate regained her focus, she accused Olivia of using her motherly concern for Dante as a pretext for keeping close to Sonny, the man she truly loved. Olivia denied it and accused Kate of treating everyone in her life as if they were beneath her. Kate challenged Olivia to an arm wrestling match. "I guess there's still a little Bensonhurst left in you," Olivia said as she laughed.

Kate replied that Connie hadn't fared too well with Sonny. "You were lucky," Kate began as she looked at the dress she'd taken off the rack. She continued, "You got a child as a souvenir. All I got was a bloody wedding dress."

After Lulu got to Crimson, Kate cynically mocked the upcoming "blushing bride" magazine cover, noting that fairytale endings were a travesty. Olivia balked over the magazine's usual covers that showed women in clothing that was torturous. Lulu commented that fashion was about form over function and that a wedding issue would be a nice change of pace. "You don't need a husband to feel complete," Kate snapped. In walked Sam, who interjected that she was marrying Jason because she loved him. The news of the impending nuptials surprised Kate.

Later, Dante arrived, looking for his mother. He chastised her for having been involved in Sonny and Johnny's confrontation the night before. Olivia deflected Dante's concern by telling him he needed to fight for Lulu and not just let the woman he loved walk out of his life. Outside the office, Sam thanked Lulu for her help and left. As Lulu looked longingly at the wedding dress Sam had chosen, Dante approached. Both were caught off-guard.

Sonny assumed that one of the Zaccharas had been responsible for torching one of Sonny's warehouses in retaliation for Johnny having been roughed up by Sonny's goons. Over the phone, Sonny instructed one of his men not to take any action. Dante entered Sonny's office, annoyed that he'd been summoned to see his father.

Sonny made the accusation that Johnny had burned down one of the Corinthos warehouses and asked Dante to investigate. Sonny warned that it was a sign of things to transpire should there be no response by the Corinthos organization. He cautioned that Olivia, Dante, and his siblings could be in danger.

Dante refused to compromise his integrity to help Sonny get revenge. Dante reminded Sonny that, just because he was Sonny's progeny, didn't mean he was as malleable as Michael. Sonny promised that Michael was not in "the business" but working legitimately at the warehouse. Dante chided Sonny for having threatened Johnny the previous night. Sonny blew it off and said that Olivia had overreacted. As he walked out the door, Dante made it clear that, should any harm befall Olivia, he would make retribution against Sonny.

Alone in his office, Sonny had a flashback of him exiting an abandoned building in a bad neighborhood. In his memory, there had been a "for sale" sign on the door, which Sonny had ripped down. Becoming more present, Sonny walked into the dining area just as Kate walked in the front door. She told Sonny that they always seemed to meet in Italian restaurants. All that was missing, she said, was a fortune-teller. "Maybe it's time we make our own future," he proposed. "Not until we get out of the past," Kate replied.

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