Due to the Christmas holiday, ABC aired an encore episode of General Hospital from earlier this year. This programming change was planned for, so there will be no "lost" episodes as a result of the scheduling change. Regular programming will resume on Wednesday, December 26, and pick up where the Friday, December 21 episode concluded.

At the hospital, Steve and Olivia were enjoying the Christmas carolers when Olivia spotted Spinelli, carrying Maxie, exiting the elevator. Maxie groaned in pain, so Olivia implored Steve to help Maxie, but Steve carefully explained that it was just a vision. Olivia looked back to where Spinelli and Maxie had been standing, but they were gone. She was certain that the vision meant that something was wrong with the baby, but Steve assured Olivia that everything was fine. He urged Olivia relax and join her family at Sonny's for Christmas Eve dinner.

At Maxie's apartment, Lulu and Dante arrived to check on Maxie and to pick up Ellie for a party at Sonny's. Lulu handed Maxie a plate of chocolate-covered pretzels that Lulu's grandmother, Lesley, had made. Lulu wondered how Maxie was feeling, so Maxie assured Lulu that everything was fine. Lulu admitted that it would be a Christmas miracle if it turned out that Maxie was pregnant with Lulu and Dante's baby. After everyone left, Maxie picked up the phone.

Carly stopped by Michael's apartment to wish her son a merry Christmas. Michael explained that he and Starr were about to leave, but Carly assured him that it wouldn't take long. She handed him a present and insisted that Michael open it. Michael's brow furrowed in confusion as he looked at the piece of paper, so Carly explained that it was the proxy for his shares of ELQ. Carly had decided to let Michael use the shares as he saw fit.

Carly appreciated that Michael wanted to build a relationship with A.J., but she cautioned Michael not to lose sight of what was important to him, especially after everything that he had endured in prison. Michael insisted that he needed to figure things out for himself, so Carly assured him that she wasn't there to argue. Starr, who had been hovering in the doorway, listening, entered the living room. Carly and Starr exchanged a brief greeting before Carly left with parting instructions for Michael to call Josslyn.

Michael showed Starr the proxy that Carly had given him. Starr congratulated him and then reminded him that he had planned for them to spend the evening with his father. She was curious which father he had meant: Sonny or A.J. Michael realized that Starr didn't have a high opinion of A.J., so he told her that he had confronted A.J. about setting Sonny up to look bad at the gym. Starr was surprised when Michael revealed that A.J. had told the truth. She assured him that she didn't mind where they spent the evening, as long as they didn't run into Todd.

Michael was curious what was going on between Starr and Todd, so Starr told him about Johnny's visit and Todd faking a heart attack to force her to rush to Todd's side. Starr was certain that Todd had pulled the stunt to keep Johnny from telling her something, which made her nervous. Starr admitted that she knew what it was like to want a relationship with a father who was flawed, but Carly had been right to warn Michael to be careful. Michael tensed as he asked if Starr had heard what Carly had said about his time in jail. Starr realized that something had big had happened, but she didn't know the details.

Michael decided to tell Starr about his rape. He assured her that he had gone to therapy, which had helped, but he confessed that he hadn't told anyone outside of his family, except for Abby and Starr. Starr assured Michael that it didn't change how she felt about him. Michael and Starr kissed. Later, Michael reminded her that they had to go to Sonny or A.J.'s house, but Starr decided that they should stay in. Michael smiled and kissed Starr again. They made their way to the bedroom, where they made love.

At Manning Enterprises, Connie appeared in the doorway, sporting a necklace that flashed colorful Christmas lights and played a Christmas tune. Todd was not pleased, so she was curious why he was in such a foul mood. Todd reminded her that they had a problem with Johnny, but Connie assured Todd that Johnny wouldn't spill their secrets anytime soon. Leery, Todd asked her what she had done to Johnny. Connie was evasive, but Todd turned off the music on her necklace and demanded an answer.

Connie made a gesture indicating that she had killed Johnny, so Todd asked her point-blank if she had murdered Johnny. Carly arrived before Connie could answer Todd's question. Carly demanded to know where Johnny was, but Connie claimed that she didn't know. Connie quickly deflected by suggesting that Todd and Carly would make the perfect sitcom couple and then left. Carly admitted that she despised Connie.

Todd chuckled, because he wouldn't have been able to trust Carly if she hadn't disliked Connie. However, Todd was curious what was going on between Carly and Johnny because he had heard Carly's message. Carly explained that Johnny had implored her to meet him at the penthouse, but Connie had greeted Carly upon arrival. Carly revealed that Connie had claimed that she hadn't seen Johnny, so she was curious if Connie might have mentioned something to Todd. Todd shook his head and deftly changed the subject by asking why Carly was there. Carly revealed that Josslyn was spending the holiday with Jax, Morgan was in Paris with friends, and Michael had had plans, so she was alone.

Carly wondered why Todd wasn't spending the evening with Starr, so Todd tried to shrug it off. Carly sensed that there was friction between Todd and Starr, but Todd would only tell her that he had "screwed up" again. Carly had thought that she was past spending Christmases alone, so Todd pointed out that he was there. Carly argued that he was working, but Todd revealed that he was only in his office because he hadn't had anything else to do, so he suggested that they spend Christmas together.

Later, Carly smiled as she and Todd finished decorating a large potted plant with various office supplies. Todd decided that their impromptu Christmas "tree" needed one more thing, so he instructed Carly to close her eyes. Carly decided to pour a glass of wine instead, so Todd put the Christmas necklace that Connie had left behind on the top of the tree and turned on the music. Carly smiled as they wished each other merry Christmas.

At Greystone Manor, Max and Milo put the finishing touches on the dinner table's place settings, while Spinelli checked his phone. Max noticed that Spinelli seemed tense, so Spinelli explained that he was eager to introduce everyone to his paramour. Milo was surprised because he hadn't realized that Ellie couldn't walk. Max informed his younger brother that a paramour was someone who saw ghosts. Spinelli decided not to correct either of the Giambetti brothers. Shortly afterwards, Maxie called Spinelli to ask him to meet her at her apartment.

Spinelli explained that he was busy, but Maxie insisted that it was an emergency. Spinelli raced to Maxie's apartment and burst through the door. Maxie was munching on the chocolate-covered pretzels as she greeted Spinelli. Spinelli demanded to know if everything was okay, so Maxie admitted that she had felt overwhelmed because everyone wanted her to be pregnant, but she couldn't forget Olivia's strange visions. Spinelli relaxed and explained that what Maxie felt was dread. Moments later, Olivia called to check on Maxie.

Maxie assured Olivia that everything was fine and ended the call. Spinelli announced that he had to leave, but he only made it as far as the door when Maxie doubled over with intense cramps. Spinelli quickly rushed her to the hospital.

In the foyer of Sonny's home, Trey thanked Kristina for inviting him to spend Christmas Eve with her. Kristina admitted that she cared about Trey, so she couldn't stand the thought of him being alone on Christmas after everything that he had been through. Trey was curious if she cared enough about him to move to Los Angeles with him.

In the parlor, Sonny told Alexis and Shawn that he had thought that he'd be spending the holiday with Kate and Michael, but instead, Kate was gone, and Michael was debating whether to spend the evening with Sonny or A.J. Alexis tried to offer Sonny words of encouragement, but Sonny couldn't understand why Michael had been so upset, since Sonny could have hurt A.J. far worse in the boxing ring than he had. Shawn was certain that Starr had told Michael about A.J.'s attempt to make Sonny look bad, but Sonny accused A.J. of having another trick up his sleeve. Moments later, Kristina and Trey entered.

Sonny greeted his daughter and Trey. Sonny conceded that he hadn't liked Joe, but he appreciated that Trey had loved him, so Sonny knew that it was a difficult holiday for Trey, especially given what had happened to Kate. After Sonny walked away, Alexis asked Kristina where Molly was. Kristina admitted that Molly had decided to volunteer at a soup kitchen with T.J. because it exemplified the true spirit of Christmas.

A short time later, Lulu, Dante, and Ellie arrived. Max explained that Spinelli had left to attend a quick errand, so he offered to fetch Ellie a peppermint martini. Ellie accepted and joined the rest of the guests in the parlor.

Sonny greeted Olivia when she arrived. She handed him fresh baked biscotti that she had made and asked him where Michael was. Sonny admitted that he had no idea, so he wondered if her visions could help. Olivia confessed that her visions weren't that reliable, so they adjourned to the parlor. Elsewhere, Ellie received a text message from Spinelli explaining that he would be there soon.

Sonny thanked his gathered guests for attending his Christmas Eve celebration. He confessed that he looked forward to the following year when his grandchild could be with them. Sonny then talked about those who couldn't be there including Jason, Michael, and Kate. As if on cue, Connie boldly strolled in. Sonny wondered why she wasn't at home with Johnny, so Connie claimed that Johnny was busy Christmas shopping. Sonny wondered why Connie was there, so she explained that she needed an answer about doing the photo shoot at his gym.

Sonny saw through the lie; he realized that she had nowhere else to go, so he invited her to stay. Connie immediately accepted. After everyone cleared out of the room, Connie approached Trey to ask him if he had ever envisioned them breaking bread together. Trey wasn't in the mood to deal with Connie, so she agreed to leave him alone. Connie admitted that she had despised Joe, but she refused to kick her kid while Trey was down. Later, Trey was outside, watching the snow fall, when Kristina joined him and revealed that she intended to move to Los Angeles with him.

Later, Steve called Olivia to tell her that Maxie had been admitted to the hospital. Lulu, Dante, and Olivia raced to the hospital. Maxie was seated on an examination table as they entered the hospital room. Everyone's concern turned to joy when Maxie revealed that she was pregnant.

Meanwhile, Ellie received another text message from Spinelli promising that he would be there soon. Ellie grew tired of waiting, so she grabbed her things and headed out the door just as Spinelli arrived. Spinelli tried to explain why he had been late, but Ellie didn't care because she knew that he had been with Maxie and that Maxie would always be his first priority. Spinelli was stunned when Ellie broke off their relationship and stormed away.

At the Quartermaine mansion, A.J. put Michael's present under the tree as he confessed to Monica that he hoped that Michael would join them. Tracy strolled into the parlor and immediately began to needle A.J. by asking if he was concerned that his "snow job" on Michael hadn't worked. A.J. explained that Michael had also been invited over to Sonny's house. Tracy imagined that spending the holiday with a crime lord was better than spending it with a "degenerate deadbeat." Monica reminded A.J. and Tracy that it was Christmas, so they should stop bickering, but Tracy wasn't in the mood to celebrate the holiday without Edward.

Tracy insisted that A.J. belonged in jail, but A.J. pointed out that the charges had been dropped against him. Tracy and A.J. continued to trade insults. Frustrated, A.J. admitted that he wished that they could find a way to break the tie, so that he could remove Tracy as CEO of ELQ. Monica surprised both of them by announcing that there might be a way. Monica picked up a jar of Lucy's cream as she explained that Lucy had one percent of ELQ's shares.

A.J. was curious if Monica had Lucy's telephone number. Lucy, decked out in a sexy, festive Santa dress and hat, entered the parlor as she inquired if someone had said her name. Monica demanded to know how Lucy had managed to get into the mansion, so Lucy confessed that she hadn't returned the key that she had taken. Lucy admitted that it was good to see A.J. and then picked up Alan's picture to kiss it. Lucy felt bad that Alan couldn't be there to see A.J., so A.J. admitted that he felt the same way.

Alice offered to toss Lucy out, but Lucy insisted that she was part of the family because Lucy had once been married to Alan. Monica argued that Lucy had only been married to Alan for less than a year. Lucy explained that she had stocking stuffers for everyone, but Monica wasn't impressed. However, A.J. and Tracy seized the opportunity to garner favor with Lucy. A.J. fetched Lucy a glass of wine, while Tracy handed Lucy two presents, which she said Lucy could exchange if they didn't fit.

Lucy basked in the attention, but Monica insisted that A.J. and Tracy only cared about Lucy's one-percent share of ELQ. A.J. pleaded his case, but Lucy was reluctant to support A.J.'s bid for control of ELQ because A.J. had once tried to kill Alan. Tracy reminded Lucy that A.J. had also embezzled millions from ELQ. A.J. regretted what had happened with Alan and assured Lucy that the money had been returned. Tracy promised to take care of Lucy by giving Lucy a job, if Lucy voted with Tracy. A.J. warned Lucy that Tracy was driving ELQ into bankruptcy, but Lucy reminded A.J. and Tracy that she ran CoeCoe Cosmetics, so she didn't need a job at ELQ.

Later, Tracy left the parlor, muttering under her breath that she couldn't stand Lucy. "You and me both, sister," Monica replied as she left the parlor with Tracy. Tracy was shocked that Monica had referred to her as sister. Monica explained that they had to stick together because Lucy was back. "Merry Christmas to you, sister," Tracy replied with a smile.

Meanwhile, A.J. and Sonny each called Michael, assuming that Michael had opted to spend the holiday with the other. They each left Michael a message wishing him a merry Christmas.

In Michael's bed, Michael kissed Starr awake and asked how she had slept. Starr smiled as she confessed that she hadn't slept much. Michael chuckled because he thought that sleep was overrated. Starr and Michael decided to make up for lost time, so they made love again. Later, Michael and Starr snuggled together in bed, as he pointed out that it was New Year's Eve. Michael suggested that they venture out, but Starr admitted that she'd rather stay in bed with him.

Starr revealed that she had been scheduled to perform at the New Year's Eve party on the Haunted Star, but everything had changed when Johnny had married Connie. Starr suddenly recalled how Johnny had been on the verge of confessing something to her during his last visit. Michael noticed that Starr was distracted. Michael didn't like the idea of Starr thinking about Johnny when she was in bed with Michael. Starr apologized and admitted that she was starting to feel sorry for Johnny.

Michael pointed out that no one had forced Johnny to marry Connie, but Starr had her doubts about that. She confided that Johnny had been genuinely distraught about whatever it was that he had intended to tell her when Todd had faked a heart attack to get her away from Johnny. Starr was determined to track Johnny down so that they could finish their conversation, so Michael decided to pay Sonny and A.J. a visit to let them know that he had spent Christmas with Starr. However, they weren't in a rush to leave, so they made love again.

At Maxie's apartment, Lulu and Dante dropped by to give Maxie a present. It was a book about all the changes that Maxie's body would go through during pregnancy. Lulu went to the kitchen to fetch a glass of milk, while Dante and Maxie flipped through the book and spotted a picture of what the baby looked like in the early stages of development. Dante and Maxie agreed that the baby resembled a semi-colon. Lulu returned in time to hear what they had said, so she scolded them for comparing the baby to a punctuation mark. Maxie grimaced when Lulu handed her the glass of milk, but she accepted the drink because Maxie had promised Steve to increase her intake of calcium during the pregnancy.

Lulu and Dante were curious why Maxie had ended up in the hospital on Christmas Eve, so Maxie told them that she had felt overwhelmed by everything and had called Spinelli to help her through the panic attack. Maxie explained that the cramps had started when Spinelli had been about to leave. Lulu was upset that Maxie hadn't called Lulu and Dante because they were the baby's parents. Maxie conceded that, in hindsight, it would have been the right thing to do to, but Lulu wasn't satisfied. The argument escalated until Dante stepped in to remind both ladies that their behavior wasn't good for the baby.

Lulu immediately apologized and admitted that she was having a difficult time believing that she and Dante were going to be parents because Maxie was carrying the baby. Maxie suspected that Lulu didn't trust Maxie to properly take care of the baby, so she wondered if Lulu regretted agreeing to let Maxie be the surrogate. Dante assured Maxie that he and Lulu wouldn't have gone through with the surrogacy if they didn't trust Maxie. Lulu conceded that she was being a bad team player, so Maxie confessed that she would probably feel the same way if their roles had been reversed. Everyone smiled and returned to looking at the picture of an embryo in the early stages of development. Maxie conceded that it looked more like a garbanzo bean, so she joked that perhaps Lulu and Dante should name the baby Garbanzo Bean Spencer Falconeri.

On the hospital's rooftop, Spinelli was shocked when he saw Ellie with a cigarette because Ellie didn't smoke. Ellie assured him that she knew the dangers of smoking and that there were toxic chemicals in cigarette, but she didn't know what to do with herself since their breakup, so she had resorted to shredding cigarettes. Spinelli argued that they hadn't broken up; she had dumped him on Christmas without an explanation. Ellie couldn't believe that Spinelli hadn't figured out why she had ended things, so she reminded him that he had left her stranded in a gangster's house, filled with strangers, and had sent her vague and dismissive texts about arriving "soonish."

Spinelli insisted that ending things with him because of Maxie was a mistake because nothing had happened with Maxie. Spinelli explained that Maxie had been concerned that there might have been something wrong with the baby, so she had called him. Ellie was curious why Maxie hadn't called her parents or Lulu and Dante. Spinelli revealed that Maxie hadn't wanted to spoil their holiday, but Ellie wasn't appeased, since it was clear that Maxie hadn't had any qualms about ruining Ellie's Christmas. Ellie then pointed out that nothing had been wrong with Maxie or the baby, so she suspected that Maxie had called Spinelli to prove that Spinelli would always race to Maxie's side. Spinelli conceded that it had crossed his mind that Maxie had called him for that reason, but Maxie had been genuinely upset when he had arrived at the apartment.

Spinelli regretted that he had disappointed and upset Ellie, but Ellie was certain that Maxie would remain Spinelli's first priority. Spinelli argued that he had chosen Ellie, not Maxie, because he wanted to be with Ellie. Ellie hated that she had turned into an insecure and irrational person, but Spinelli pleaded with her to give their relationship another chance. Ellie reminded him that she had opened up about her past and her reluctance to get hurt again. Spinelli had promised her that he wouldn't hurt her, but he had. Spinelli apologized and assured her that it had never been his intention.

Ellie didn't think that the odds were in her favor that things would work out with Spinelli because he had undeniable history with Maxie. Ellie needed simplicity and predictability in her relationships, not messy. She urged Spinelli to be honest with himself because she suspected that a part of Spinelli wasn't completely satisfied with the choice that he had made. Spinelli insisted that he didn't regret choosing Ellie, but Ellie didn't want to hear it. She implored him to think things through carefully because his decision affected three lives.

Spinelli suggested that they take a cue from the movie An Affair to Remember . He reminded her that the two main characters had agreed to meet at the top of the Empire State Building at a specific time on a certain date if they wanted to proceed with their relationship. Ellie feared that her car wouldn't make it to New York City, so Spinelli proposed that they meet on the hospital's rooftop at midnight. Ellie agreed, on the condition that Spinelli weigh his decision carefully. Spinelli and Ellie sealed the deal with a handshake.

"See you at midnight," Spinelli told Ellie. "Or not," Ellie quietly said as she left.

At Kelly's, Kristina and Trey talked about their move to Los Angeles. Kristina had no idea how she was going to break the news to her parents, unaware that Alexis had walked in and had overheard her comment. "Break what news to your parents?" Alexis asked. Kristina and Trey greeted Alexis with hugs and then invited her to sit down. Alexis was curious what was going on, so Kristina explained that she had wanted to tell Alexis and Sonny together. Alexis revealed that Sonny was busy with a photo shoot, so he had promised to catch up with Kristina later.

Kristina told Alexis about Trey's career opportunity in Los Angeles. Alexis was happy for Trey and congratulated him. Trey admitted that there was more, so Kristina confessed that she had decided to move to California with Trey. Kristina wanted Alexis' support, but Alexis feared that things might not work out if Kristina's feelings for Trey changed. Alexis wanted to know what her daughter planned to do in Los Angeles. Kristina explained that she hadn't figured it out yet, but she was certain that the move was a step in the right direction.

Alexis hoped that it wasn't a mistake, but she gave Kristina her blessing. Kristina and Trey were relieved and hugged Alexis. Alexis reminded Kristina that Sonny needed to be told, so she warned her daughter that Sonny was struggling with everything that had happened with Kate and A.J. Alexis explained that Sonny feared that he would lose Michael to A.J., so Sonny might not react well to Kristina's news.

Kristina wondered if Alexis would tell Sonny, but Alexis refused. However, Alexis suggested that Kristina go to Volonino's Gym to tell Sonny because Sonny would be distracted with the photo shoot, so it might help. Kristina was relieved when Alexis agreed to go with Kristina and Trey to break the news to Sonny.

In Johnny's office, Connie called Sonny at the gym to confirm their appointment for the photo shoot. Sonny assured her that he was waiting, so Connie ended the call and glanced at Johnny, who had been tied to a chair with a gag covering his mouth. Johnny glared at Connie as she applied lipstick and bragged that Sonny had a crush on her. Johnny struggled to break free, so Connie decided to give him something to drink before she left. She removed the gag, which prompted Johnny to call out for help.

Connie patiently waited until Johnny stopped yelling. She informed him that no one was there to help him. Johnny couldn't understand why Connie was worried about him confessing to the police, since it would clear her of any wrongdoing in the crash that had killed Hope and Cole. Connie argued that Johnny going to jail would ultimately lead to her integration, which she refused to let happen. Johnny wondered why she didn't just kill him, but Connie insisted that she had a conscience. Connie was annoyed when Johnny laughed at the suggestion.

Connie confessed that Johnny's tortured soul act was hot, so she seductively caressed his face. Johnny bit her hand, so Connie snatched it away and cradled it. She assured him that she would never force someone to have sex because she had experienced the horrors of rape. Johnny's anger abated marginally, but he wondered what she planned to do with him, since she wouldn't kill him. Connie didn't have an answer, so Johnny switched tactics by claiming that he had changed his mind about confessing to the police.

According to Johnny, Connie had given him a taste of what it was like to be imprisoned, so he had no desire to go to Pentonville. Connie feared that he would eventually tell Carly and Starr the truth, so she decided to slide the gag back on and leave for her appointment. Johnny yelled at her through the gag, but Connie ignored him as she left. Connie was about to lock the door to the office when Starr appeared in the hallway. Starr demanded to know what Connie was doing there, so Connie deflected by turning the question around on Starr. Starr admitted that she was looking for Johnny, so Connie informed Starr that Johnny was out of town on business.

Starr was curious why Johnny would leave town when the Haunted Star was hosting a New Year's Eve party. Connie explained that Lulu was in charge of the party, but Starr remained suspicious. Connie deftly changed the subject by suggesting that Starr try to move forward with Michael, because Connie was ready to put the past behind her. Starr refused to let Connie get away with killing Hope and Cole, but the conversation was cut short when Starr heard a loud noise from inside the office. Starr demanded to know what was going on in the office, but Connie denied that she had heard anything. Johnny, who had heard Connie and Starr talking, tried desperately to get Starr's attention by tipping his chair over.

In the hallway, Starr decided to investigate the noise, so Connie tried to stop her. A brief struggle ensued until Starr managed to burst through the door to Johnny's office. Starr was stunned when she saw Johnny bound to the chair.

At Volonino's Gym, Shawn was surprised that Sonny had agreed to do a photo shoot with Connie. Sonny admitted that yelling at Connie and kidnapping her hadn't worked, but he had scored points by inviting her to stay for the Christmas celebration. Sonny refused to give up on Kate, so he had realized that his best chance of reaching Kate was by turning on the charm and being nice to Connie.

Later, Sonny and Shawn were sparring in the boxing ring as they talked about Michael. Sonny was disappointed that Michael had decided to spend Christmas with A.J. "You're wrong," Michael said as he entered he gym. Sonny immediately stepped out of the ring to greet Michael. Sonny hoped that Michael's decision not to go to A.J.'s for the holiday meant that Michael intended to distance himself from A.J. "No," Michael clarified. Sonny was sorry to hear that because A.J. would eventually disappoint Michael.

Michael realized that A.J. was capable of some shady things, but A.J. had admitted that he had set Sonny up in the boxing ring. Sonny warned Michael that A.J. only saw Michael as the prize in a battle with Sonny and Carly. Michael conceded that A.J. had done a lot of wrong, but A.J. had never had an opportunity to know Michael, so Michael wanted to give A.J. that chance. Sonny was curious if Michael had forgiven A.J. for everything that A.J. had done. Michael was willing to try, but he assured Sonny that A.J. could never change the way that Michael felt about Sonny. Sonny hoped that A.J. justified Michael's faith in A.J.

Michael regretted that he had been so hard on Sonny after what had transpired between Sonny and A.J. in the boxing ring. Sonny insisted that A.J. had deserved everything that had happened, but Michael hadn't. Sonny admitted that, as Michael's father, Sonny should have had more self-control. Michael wanted to put the incident behind them, so Sonny wondered if Michael would give Sonny a second chance. "Of course," Michael assured Sonny.

Moments later, Kristina, Trey, and Alexis arrived. Alexis explained that Kristina had something important to tell Sonny, so Kristina revealed that she intended to move to Los Angeles with Trey. Michael was stunned and questioned if Trey had coerced Kristina into going. Trey assured Michael that it had been Kristina's decision. Michael reluctantly gave his sister his blessing, but Kristina noticed that Sonny had remained ominously silent. She begged Sonny to say something, so Sonny made it clear he wouldn't allow Kristina to follow Trey to California. "Over my dead body," Sonny added.

At Volonino's Gym, Sonny told Kristina that he wouldn't let her move to California with Trey. Trey pointed out that Kristina was an adult, so it wasn't Sonny's decision nor could Sonny tell Kristina what to do. "The hell I can't," Sonny argued. Kristina reminded Sonny that it wasn't his call to make, so Sonny accused Kristina of acting like a child because she wanted to move away with a man who had married her so that his father could kill her. Michael thought that Sonny was being unfair because Trey hadn't known what Joe Jr. had planned to do. Kristina was curious what had happened to the father who had been nice to Trey on Christmas and who had enlisted Trey's help to have Connie committed for treatment.

Sonny explained that he had lost Kate and Jason, so he couldn't lose his daughter too. Sonny believed that it was his job, as a father, to tell his children when they were making a mistake. Kristina reminded Sonny that moving away didn't mean that she wouldn't be a part of his life, because they would be able to Skype, text, and visit each other. Alexis suggested that Sonny think of it as Kristina going away to college. Alexis pointed out that Trey had given Kristina an annulment and had saved her life when Joe Jr. had tried to kill Kristina, so he could be trusted.

Sonny appreciated that Trey didn't have any reason to stay in town, but Kristina had family in Port Charles. Kristina warned Sonny that he would lose her for good if he did anything to stop her. Kristina acknowledged that she had behaved childishly when she had returned from Yale, but she assured him that that she had grown up since then. Kristina was excited about the move and had even applied for various internships in Los Angeles because she was ready to try something new. Kristina wanted Sonny's blessing, so Sonny checked his calendar and asked if Alexis was available on the tenth.

Alexis told Sonny that she was, but she was confused about the sudden change in subject. Sonny explained that Kristina and Trey should have had time to settle in by the tenth, so it would be a good time for Sonny and Alexis to visit the kids in California. Overjoyed, Kristina hugged her father. Sonny reminded Kristina that she was free to return home if things didn't work out in Los Angeles. After another round of hugs were exchanged, Michael stepped aside to call Starr, but the call went to voicemail, so he decided to catch up with her at the Haunted Star.

Sonny pulled Trey aside to remind Trey that Sonny depended on Trey to take care of Kristina. Trey assured Sonny that he would and then confessed that Sonny's comment about Trey not having any family in town had struck home. Trey confided that he had hoped to build a relationship with Kate, but Sonny explained that it wouldn't be possible as long as Connie was around. Trey wondered if Sonny thought it might help if Trey told Connie about his plans to move, but Sonny didn't know.

After the kids left, Alexis received a call from Molly. Molly was babysitting Danny, but Danny was being fussy, so Alexis gave Molly some tips on how to appease Danny and promised to be home shortly. Alexis ended the call, so Sonny and Alexis talked about how much Danny looked like Jason and all of the things that had happened over the past year, including their daughter's decision to move. Sonny was certain that Kristina would be back and admitted that he had only given his blessing because Alexis had supported Kristina's decision.

Alexis was confident that Trey had good sense and would take care of Kristina. Sonny thought that it was easier for Alexis to let Kristina go because Alexis had Molly, Sam, and Danny. Alexis was curious how things were going with Michael, so Sonny told her that Michael had found something out about A.J. that had opened Michael's eyes, but Michael remained determined to give A.J. a second chance. Alexis advised Sonny not to worry, but Sonny was certain that A.J. wanted Sonny out of Michael's life.

"That's not going to happen," Sonny vowed. Sonny was more determined than ever to not lose Michael. The conversation then turned to their New Year's Eve plans. Sonny suspected that Connie would be ringing in the New Year with Johnny.

At Manning Enterprises, Todd was annoyed when his call went to Connie's voicemail. He ordered her to call him back because he wanted to know what she had done to Johnny. Todd's mood didn't improve when he entered his office and saw Sam trying to break into his safe. "Some things never change," Todd told Sam as he made his way to the phone to call for security. Sam refused to apologize because she had been looking for her sister's stolen manuscript.

Todd assured Sam that he would never steal a child's manuscript, and if he had, he wouldn't be foolish enough to leave it in his safe. Moments later, Carly, accompanied by two security guards, entered Todd's office. Carly had heard that there had been a burglary in progress. Todd demanded that Sam be arrested for trying to break into his safe. Carly asked Sam if Todd's claims were true, so Sam explained that she had been trying to recover stolen property. Sam revealed that Todd was publishing Molly's book under Connie's name.

Carly was curious if Sam had actually taken anything, so Todd admitted that he had caught Sam before she had managed to open the safe. Carly dismissed the security guards and asked for Todd's side of the story. Todd explained that Starr and Molly had dropped off a "sappy teenage" manuscript, but it had disappeared. According to Todd, it had happened around the same time Connie had announced that she had written a book. Todd admitted that he had never read Molly's manuscript, so he had no way of knowing if Connie had stolen Molly's manuscript.

Todd wanted to know if Carly intended to call John McBain to arrest Sam or if he should. Carly reminded Todd that Sam had just been reunited with Danny, so it wouldn't be right to keep mother and child separated for even one more day. Sam doubted that Todd cared, since he hadn't had any qualms about keeping Danny away from her for the first six months of Danny's life. "What's another night?" Sam asked. Todd conceded that Sam had had a bad year, so he agreed to let the matter drop, but he wanted Sam to leave him alone.

Sam accused Todd of stealing Danny and giving the infant to his ex-wife, but Carly defended Todd by reminding Sam that the police had determined that Heather had been responsible for the baby switch. Sam wondered if Carly was truly that stupid. Todd warned Sam that Carly was he only reason that Sam wasn't sitting in the back of a squad car. Sam argued that Carly had only spoken up for Sam because it was what Jason would have wanted. Sam warned Carly that Todd was not Carly's friend.

Carly couldn't understand why Sam refused to believe that Heather had lied to Todd the same way that Heather had lied to everyone else and had changed the results of Danny's paternity test. Sam didn't dispute that Heather was evil, but she insisted that Todd was just as bad. Sam was frustrated that Carly defended the man who had stolen Jason's son and had denied Jason precious time with Danny. Carly was adamant that Todd was innocent because Carly had questioned Todd about his role in the baby switch, and he had sworn on his daughter's life that he hadn't switched the babies.

Sam couldn't imagine anything worse than swearing on one's child's life when they were lying. Sam was certain that a person who did that would go to Hell. Sam decided to leave, but she warned Todd that she intended to find out what had happened to Molly's missing manuscript because she refused to let him get away with hurting another innocent child. Sam urged Carly to be careful and suggested that Carly to trust her own instincts.

After Sam left, Carly asked Todd if he intended to make a fool of her the way that Johnny had. However, Carly quickly changed her mind because she trusted Todd and refused to let Sam change that. Todd admitted that he tended to disappoint the people that he cared about, but he assured her that he tried to do the right thing, even when he wasn't certain what the right thing was. Todd didn't want to let Carly down because he believed that she deserved better. Carly was touched by Todd's admission and decided to focus on the future and not the past.

Todd wondered what Carly was doing for New Year's Eve, so she was curious if he was asking her out. Todd admitted that he was, so she agreed to go out with him.

At the Haunted Star, Starr heard a loud noise in Johnny's office, so she decided to check it out, but Connie tried to keep Starr from entering the office. A brief struggle ensued until Starr broke free and burst through the office door. Starr was stunned when she saw Johnny bound to a chair with a gag covering his mouth, lying on the floor. Starr raced to Johnny's side to check on him as she demanded to know what Connie had done to him. Connie tried to pull Starr away from Johnny, but Starr refused to leave Johnny's side.

Starr suspected that Johnny's situation was somehow linked to Johnny's forced marriage to Connie. Connie claimed that Johnny liked kinky sex, especially being tied up, so Connie had demanded that he make an honest woman of her if he wanted to continue sleeping with her. Starr doubted that Johnny had been trying to tell her that he had married Connie because he had been into bondage. Connie was not pleased that Johnny had confided that much to Starr, but she assured Starr that everything was fine.

"Beat it," Connie ordered Starr. Starr went to the hallway to call the police, but Connie suddenly appeared behind her, dragged her into the office, and knocked her out. Johnny was outraged and screamed at Connie to leave Starr alone. Connie ignored his muffled cries as she tried to figure out what to do next. Johnny pleaded with Connie to call 9-1-1 because Starr was hurt, but Connie refused.

Later, Michael arrived at Johnny's office. He ran to Starr's side when he saw her on the floor. Starr slowly regained consciousness, but her head hurt. Michael demanded to know what had happened, so Starr revealed that Connie had attacked her and had kidnapped Johnny.

In a parking garage, Tracy was loaded down with boxes and bags as she followed Lucy to the car. Lucy suddenly stopped to look for something in her purse, so Tracy bumped into her. The boxes and bags fell to the ground, so Tracy insisted on picking everything up because she didn't want Lucy to break a nail. A.J. applauded Tracy's efforts as he walked up. Tracy demanded to know what he was doing in the parking garage, so A.J. freely admitted that he had been following Tracy and Lucy because he suspected that Tracy would use the shopping trip to pressure Lucy into voting with Tracy.

A.J. conceded that he couldn't afford to buy Lucy's vote, so he cut to the chase by asking what it would take to gain Lucy's support. Lucy conceded that they each had their own agenda. Tracy insisted that the only way for ELQ to remain strong and profitable was if Tracy remained at the helm. A.J. was curious if Lucy had had a chance to look at the numbers because the company had been losing money. Tracy blamed it on the tough economy, but Lucy suggested that they remain on topic.

Lucy explained that her company was under investigation, so she would look favorably on whoever helped her. Tracy claimed that ELQ couldn't afford to get involved in a pyramid scheme, so Lucy pointed out that all the charges would be dropped if all of CoeCoe Cosmetics' members had a full return on their investment. A.J. revealed that Tracy had her own troubles with the Securities and Exchange Commission, so it was only a matter of time before the SEC took down Tracy and ELQ. A.J. was confident that the problems would go away if he were in charge of ELQ, which meant that he would be in a position to help Lucy.

Tracy reminded Lucy that A.J. had shot Alan, the man who had given Lucy the one-percent share, in the back. Lucy admitted that the share had been a payoff, but she was bothered about what A.J. had done to Alan. A.J. argued that the charges against him had been dropped, but Tracy argued that A.J. had managed to work out a deal. Lucy decided to continue the discussion later because she had a meeting to go to. After Lucy left, Tracy claimed that she was headed home, but A.J. didn't believe her, so he decided to remain by Tracy's side.

Later, Connie was dragging a large blue recyclable bin out of an elevator when she bumped into Lucy. Lucy recognized her as Kate Howard, but Connie insisted that Lucy was mistaken. Lucy revealed that she had met Kate at a convention once and that Lucy had advertised CoeCoe Cosmetics in Crimson, so she thought that Connie had an uncanny resemblance to Kate. Connie claimed that people told her that all of the time. Lucy apologized and entered the elevator. After the door slid closed, Connie growled, "You are not making this easy for me, Johnny."

Connie pushed the heavy bin to her car, where she encountered Tracy and A.J. Connie snapped at Tracy, who had accidentally stumbled into the bin. A.J. reached out to keep his aunt from falling as Connie warned Tracy to be careful because Connie had valuable cargo in the bin. After Tracy and A.J. left, Connie managed to stuff Johnny into the trunk of her car. She ignored Johnny's muffled cries for help as she slammed the trunk closed. Connie was about to get into her car when Trey and Kristina walked up.

Trey asked for a moment of Connie's time, but Connie tried to brush him off. Trey pointed out that he had never asked her for anything, so the least that Connie could was give him a few minutes of her time. Connie agreed, so Kristina leaned against the trunk of the car, while Trey revealed that he was moving to California. Kristina jumped when she heard a loud thump from the trunk. "What was that?" Kristina asked as Connie glared at Kristina.

At the nurses' station, Patrick asked Sabrina if she had any plans for New Year's Eve. Sabrina immediately became lost in a fantasy of Patrick wanting to spend New Year's Eve with her on a date, but in reality he wanted her to babysit Emma. Sabrina covered her embarrassment by agreeing to watch Emma. Moments later, Britt walked up, so Patrick told her that they could go out New Year's Eve because Sabrina had agreed to babysit Emma.

Britt smiled with satisfaction because everything had worked out. Patrick confessed that he was a bit surprised that Sabrina had been free for the evening. He wondered if the men in town were blind, so Sabrina pointedly looked at Britt as she admitted that she'd rather not spend New Year's Eve with the wrong person. Besides, Sabrina assured him, she welcomed the opportunity to work on plans for the ball when Emma went to bed. After Sabrina stepped away, Britt commented that Lucy had made quite an entrance by announcing that the ball was a go.

"Too bad it's not," Britt added. Sabrina was close enough to overhear as Patrick asked what Britt was talking about. Britt claimed that she had read about Lucy's financial woes and the SEC investigation. According to Britt, Lucy was penniless and couldn't fund the Nurses Ball. Sabrina returned to the nurses' station as Patrick warned Britt that Todd Manning would print anything to sell his newspaper. Britt revealed that she had done some research to be helpful, so she knew that Lucy's assets had been frozen.

Britt thought that Sabrina should have done her homework because it could have saved everyone a great deal of heartache. Patrick defended Sabrina by suggesting that Lucy had misrepresented herself. Sabrina confessed that Lucy had been truthful about her financial difficulties and that Sabrina had intended to tell Patrick that the meeting hadn't gone well. Britt reminded Patrick that Sabrina had given everyone the impression that the meeting had been a success, but Patrick argued that Felix had been the one to make those claims, not Sabrina. Sabrina explained that she hadn't mentioned what had transpired at the meeting with Lucy because Lucy had shown up and had announced that the ball was going to happen.

Britt continued to try to make Sabrina look bad, but Sabrina assured Patrick that she had thought that Lucy had worked things out with the SEC because Lucy was a smart businesswoman. Patrick was curious if Lucy had written a check for the ball, so Sabrina admitted that Lucy hadn't. Britt argued that any money from Lucy would be tainted because of Lucy's shady business dealings, but Patrick pointed out that everyone had looked the other way in the past when less-than-savory people had donated money to the hospital. Britt advised Sabrina to carefully check out any other potential benefactors, but Sabrina admitted that there wasn't anyone else. "Too bad," Britt replied with a hint of satisfaction.

Patrick insisted that Lucy might still help, so Sabrina revealed that she had been scheduled to meet with Lucy. Britt was curious what time the appointment was, so Sabrina glanced at her watch and realized that Lucy was late. Britt smiled smugly.

Later, Patrick noticed Sabrina watching the elevators closely, so he wondered if she had heard from Lucy. Sabrina admitted that she hadn't as Britt walked up to announce that Sabrina's shift was over, so Sabrina could leave. Sabrina decided to wait for Lucy, so Patrick suggested that perhaps Lucy was stuck in traffic. Britt revealed that people sometimes couldn't say no, so Sabrina asked what Britt meant by that. Britt didn't have an opportunity to reply because Lucy arrived and apologized for her tardiness.

Britt hid her annoyance behind a polite smile. Lucy assured Sabrina that she had a lot of ideas for the ball, but Sabrina pointed out that they needed funding. Lucy agreed, but admitted that she wasn't in a position to fund the ball. Sabrina was dejected because it meant that the ball wouldn't happen. Moments later, Tracy and A.J. exited the elevator. Lucy announced that even though she couldn't underwrite the ball, ELQ would. Patrick and Sabrina smiled when Lucy informed them that either Tracy or A.J. would write a check to fund the ball.