Luke woke up in his hospital bed and found Lulu sitting across the room. She confirmed that she'd been there all night and that Tracy and Bobbie were with Diane at the courthouse, "fighting for your future." Lulu thought that, after a psychiatric evaluation, the court would see that Luke belonged at Shadybrook until his hearing. Luke was convinced that he would be held at Pentonville because, "I deserve punishment."
Lulu reminded Luke that he wasn't a well man. He estimated that he deserved ten years in jail just for what he'd done to Valerie. "What about what she did to you?" Lulu countered. Luke explained that, while Lulu had seen what little good he'd done over the years, Valerie only knew the cruel version of Luke. Luke didn't want Lulu to hold a grudge against Valerie, because she was family.
Lulu vowed not to let anything happen to Luke and excused herself to "relieve Dante from Rocco duty." She didn't want to leave him alone but promised she would return later. When Lulu was gone, Luke looked down and saw his father's tattoo on his arm.
Moments later, Lulu returned, and Luke saw that the tattoo was gone. Lulu revealed that Bobbie had called her with the judge's decision. She promised that Diane was working to appeal the decision that Luke be held at Pentonville. Luke conceded that he had to pay for his crimes. Lulu cried that she didn't go through all the hard times to have Luke quit on her. She swore that she would never give up on Luke.
A few minutes later, Luke was alone, and he heard a voice say, "Looking for this?" Luke was surprised to look up and see his evil alter ego showing Tim Spencer's tattoo. "It's right here, just like me. Just like I always will be," evil Luke said.
At the hospital, Kiki and Morgan celebrated the fact that Kiki would soon be taking Avery home with her, just as someone entered Avery's hospital room. Morgan thought that what had happened was "for the best." A few minutes later, the two walked into Avery's room, but Avery was nowhere to be found.
The social worker walked into the room, and Morgan wondered where Avery was, because she was supposed to have been watching the baby. The social worker had been getting Avery's discharge papers and claimed that the medical staff was supposed to have stayed with Avery. Morgan made a phone call.
Dante tiptoed past a sleeping Valerie, but she sat up. He apologized for waking her, but she revealed that she hadn't slept anyway. He cited the day before as an eventful day for her. She felt terrible, but he urged her to stop beating herself up about it. She wondered why he hadn't arrested her "on the spot." Dante informed Valerie that he would have, had he thought that she actually would have killed Luke.
Valerie recognized that Patricia would have gone after Luke no matter what, so blaming Luke for Patricia's death seemed like "dishonoring" her mother's decision. She was happy that Patricia was no longer suffering and that her mother had gone out the way she would have wanted. She revealed that Dante had been the only reason she hadn't hurt Luke. She wondered how he'd known what to say.
Dante confided that he knew what it was like to be raised by a single mother and to have that mother mean everything to him. Dante related that he should despise Luke for what Luke had done to him, but he knew that Luke hadn't been "of sound mind."
Later, Dante was playing with Rocco. Valerie entered, and Dante introduced the two. Valerie told Dante that, though it was strange to have an entire family that she'd known nothing about, it was nice to know she had people to lean on. Dante knew the feeling and told her about the three siblings he'd found out about when he'd met his father. "Speaking of," Dante stated when he saw that Morgan was calling him. He answered the phone to a distressed Morgan, who told him that Avery had been taken.
Maxie answered her door to Nathan, and she wondered why he was there. Nathan admitted that he'd made a mistake, and he wanted another chance with her. He apologized for walking out on her and told her that they'd been through too much to be over. He told her that he loved her "with every fiber of my being." She told him to stop and walked away from him. He continued that he'd been an idiot and begged her to start again. Just then, Spinelli cleared his throat, alerting them of his presence.
Nathan thought he owed Spinelli an apology as well for hurting him in their boxing match. Spinelli put his arm around Maxie and informed Nathan that he and Maxie had decided to get back together. "It just happened one minute before you showed up," Maxie said glumly. Nathan congratulated them and maintained that all he wanted was for Maxie to be happy.
Just then, Nathan's phone rang. He answered it to Dante, who asked Nathan to meet him at the hospital. Nathan divulged that he had to go, and Maxie hoped to see him around. Nathan left, and Spinelli inferred that he'd interrupted a "moment." He wondered if Maxie regretted giving him another chance. Maxie maintained that she wanted to be with Spinelli. She wanted Georgie to have what she and Spinelli hadn't -- two available parents who loved each other. She claimed to be happy with her decision.
Spinelli swore that he'd caught "looks of yearning" between Maxie and Nathan and wondered if she still had feelings for Nathan. Maxie hated hurting Nathan but informed Spinelli that feelings didn't just disappear, just like she was sure Spinelli's feelings for Ellie hadn't either. Just then, Georgie began to cry, so Maxie went to get her. There was a knock on door as Spinelli soliloquized that "all's well that ends well." He knew that Maxie's feelings for Nathan would fade. He opened the door and was shocked to see Ellie.
Dante wondered if Valerie would mind watching Rocco until Lulu returned home. She agreed, and he promised that he owed her. He left, and Valerie played with Rocco. She told Rocco it had been cool to meet him and that he had a "cool name" and a "great dad." She revealed that she'd grown up without a father around, so Rocco would one day have to tell her what it was like having one. "Deal?" she asked, and he nodded.
"What the hell is going on?" Lulu demanded to know when she burst into the apartment. Valerie explained that Dante had asked Valerie to watch Rocco while he went to work. Lulu couldn't believe that Dante had left their son alone with someone who'd just tried to kill Luke. Valerie sincerely apologized to Lulu, who did the same to Valerie. Lulu explained that she'd just had to tell Luke that he had to wait for his hearing in Pentonville. Valerie hoped he would get through it.
Dante informed Morgan and Kiki that the footage from the security cameras was being pulled, and the hospital was being searched from top to bottom. He vowed not to rest until Avery was home. He wondered if there had been anyone suspicious around at the time of the baby's disappearance. "Your sister," Kiki said to Nathan.
Nathan divulged to Dante that Nina had been there to apologize to Silas. "Was that before or after she called my mom a home-wrecking whore?" Kiki spat. Nathan admitted that things between Nina and Kiki had escalated, but he'd stopped it. He offered to question Nina, but Kiki wanted someone else to do it. Nathan promised that he could get the answers from Nina if she was involved, and he left. Morgan suggested to Dante that Michael had taken Avery.
When Dante was gone, Kiki asked Morgan if he really thought Michael had taken Avery. He thought that explanation made as much sense as Nina taking the baby. Kiki moaned that Michael hadn't been crazy until they'd set him up, but Morgan insisted that it wasn't their fault. Kiki reasoned that, although they hadn't liked it, Avery had been safe with Michael. Morgan assured her that Avery would be found, and Kiki hoped it wasn't too late.
Sabrina carried a tray of refreshments for her and Michael in to the living room at the Quartermaine mansion, but Michael was nowhere to be found. Just then, Felix entered. He told Sabrina that he'd seen the footage of Michael tipping Avery's stroller over, and he wondered how Michael was doing. She answered that Avery had been taken away from Michael. "Can you blame them?" he wondered.
Felix continued that Michael had been "wasted" in the middle of the day. Sabrina responded that Michael had only had two drinks. Felix wondered if there had been anything else in Michael's system, and Sabrina handed him Michael's bottle of allergy pills. Like Sabrina, Felix thought that Michael only should have been drowsy. Sabrina suggested that the pills weren't the correct prescription.
Sabrina explained that she had easily switched Ava's prescription, and there were a lot of people who could benefit from Michael's downfall. Felix took one of the pills so he could get Brad to analyze it. Sabrina warned Felix that she didn't want Michael to know. Just then, Michael entered and wondered what Sabrina didn't want him to know.
Sabrina lied that she had asked Felix not to talk about Michael's "incident," because gossip traveled fast around the hospital. Michael replied that the damage had already been done. Felix left, and Sabrina expressed her surprise that Michael had gone out. He told her that he'd gone for a drive to clear his head. Sabrina asked him to promise not to try to see Avery. She knew that violating the court order would jeopardize his case for custody.
Sabrina thought that Michael should let Alexis take care of everything. Michael blamed the whole situation on himself and thought he needed to make it right. She warned him not to do anything drastic. Just then, Sabrina's phone rang. She answered it to Felix, who informed her that Avery had been kidnapped. As if on cue, Dante entered, wanting to talk to Michael about Avery.
There was a knock on Franco's door, and he expected to see Nina when he opened it. Instead, he saw Scott. Franco explained his disappointment to his father, who offered for Franco to stay with him. He wondered how Franco and Nina were paying for their suite. Franco lied that he'd sold some art online. Scott wondered if Franco and Nina were an "item." Franco replied that he liked Nina "a lot." He just wished he knew where she'd gone.
Franco explained to Scott why Nina had run out. Scott didn't think Franco and Nina together were a good idea, anyway, but Franco claimed they were both getting new starts. Just then, Nina entered. She told Scott how much she was looking forward to seeing more of him. Scott revealed that he'd just found out that their "friend" Luke was going to Pentonville, and Scott left.
Franco wondered where Nina had gone. She informed him that she'd gone to the hospital to apologize to Silas, and it had gone "really well." Nathan entered the room and told Nina that he needed to ask her some question about a "missing baby."
At Metro Court Restaurant, Scott wrapped up a phone call about Avery's kidnapping as Bobbie marched to the bar to talk to him about Luke. Scott explained that he had to leave, but Bobbie refused to let him walk away until he had heard her out. Scott was unapologetic about Luke's well-deserved sentence, but Bobbie insisted her brother didn't belong in prison. Scott advised Bobbie to take it up with the judge, but Bobbie had seen firsthand how hard Scott had worked to persuade the judge to send Luke to jail. Scott explained it was his job, but Bobbie knew it had been personal, since he had slinked out the back after the hearing to avoid facing her.
Scott argued that Luke had terrorized a boat full of partygoers on the Haunted Star and had nearly killed her son, but Bobbie continued to plead for understanding. Frustrated, Scott explained that he had business to attend to, but Bobbie pointed out that it was past working hours. Her attitude quickly changed when Scott told her about Avery's abduction. Bobbie was concerned about Avery, so Scott assured her that the kidnapper would be caught and sent to jail, which turned the conversation back to Luke.
Scott and Bobbie sat down at a nearby table as Scott explained that Luke needed to pay for his crimes -- including attacking Scott. Bobbie's eyes narrowed as she asked if it was payback for Luke biting off Scott's ear, but Scott assured her that his ear was healing nicely, and he had moved on. Bobbie wasn't fooled because she knew Scott had been gunning for Luke ever since Luke had stolen Laura away from Scott. Scott denied it and insisted that Luke had dug his own grave as much as Luke had dug up Bill Eckert's grave. Bobbie pointed out that it hadn't been the act of a sane man, so she begged Scott to help because her brother was haunted by terrible demons.
Scott warned Bobbie that he wasn't impressed with Shadybrook, Miscavige, or Ferncliff, since each institution had a "revolving door," so Bobbie offered to find a more secure facility. Scott seemed reluctant to agree, but Bobbie reminded him that she had rushed to his side when Luke had attacked him, even though she had vowed to write Scott off when he had tried to send Carly to jail. Bobbie reached for Scott's hands, prompting him to wonder if he might have another chance with her if he agreed to her request. "No," Bobbie answered. However, she knew that under Scott's tough shell was a compassionate man whom she had likely never stopped loving, so she wanted him to find that man and do the right thing for Luke.
Meanwhile, in Luke's hospital room, Luke's eyes rounded with fear when he noticed his father's tattoo suddenly appear on the inside of his forearm. Moments later, he heard a menacing chuckle as his dark half manifested itself in the room next to Luke's bed. Dark Luke wondered if Luke had thought Dark Luke had been gone for good, so Luke informed his dark half that it was not real. Luke insisted Dark Luke was a creation of his mind to hide from the truth about his parents' deaths, so Dark Luke taunted Luke about killing both Tim and Lena Spencer with Luke's Louisville Slugger baseball bat. Luke explained that his mother's death had been an accident, but Dark Luke countered that Tim's death had been intentional because Tim had told Luke the truth.
"That you were just like him," Dark Luke added. Luke assured his dark half that he was well aware of why he had killed his father, so he didn't need Dark Luke anymore, which meant his dark half didn't have any power over him. Dark Luke explained that he had more power over Luke than Luke realized because Dark Luke was Luke, which meant their father's violence was as much a part of Dark Luke as it was of Luke. Luke was horrified when Dark Luke extended his arm to show Luke their father's distinctive tattoo then accused Luke of unleashing the darkness and relishing in it.
According to Dark Luke, Luke had loved seeing people beg for mercy. His dark half promised that Luke could have it all again, but Luke insisted Dark Luke was to blame for the horrible things Luke had done. Dark Luke claimed Luke had committed the crimes because Luke was his father's son. Luke was stunned when Dark Luke accused Luke of treating women the same way Tim had treated their mother then pointed to Laura's rape as an example. "And then you sold it as the greatest love story ever told," Dark Luke said.
Luke insisted he had never denied raping Laura, so Dark Luke moved on and accused Luke of getting drunk, climbing behind the wheel of a car, and running his own grandson down. Luke's expression clouded with grief as he insisted Jake's death had been an accident, but Dark Luke countered that Luke had been too "sloshed" to see straight. Dark Luke urged Luke to face the truth: Luke had loved living on the dark side, so he encouraged Luke to embrace it. "Be who you are," Dark Luke added.
Luke acknowledged that darkness lurked inside him, but he had killed Tim because there hadn't been any goodness or light in his father. Luke also agreed that he had forced himself on Laura, but he had loved her and their family. Dark Luke questioned that, since Luke had tried to kill his family, but Luke insisted he had tried to push his loved ones away to avoid hurting them. Dark Luke disagreed as he showed Luke their matching tattoos and explained that Luke had wanted everyone out of the way to enjoy the good times. "This is you," Dark Luke gloated, pointing to their tattoos.
"No," Luke shouted, but Dark Luke insisted the tattoo represented a man who didn't fear anything. Luke refused to allow Dark Luke to win, so he reminded his dark half that Luke was in control. "We'll see about that," Dark Luke said, but Luke ordered his dark half to go. Dark Luke stopped at the door, looked back at Luke, and flashed a sinister smile before disappearing through the door. Luke was relieved when he glanced at his arm and saw that the tattoo had vanished.
A short time later, Bobbie stopped by to visit her brother. Luke was happy to see his sister, so he promised to find a way out of the darkness, even if he went to jail, because he wanted to be the brother who deserved her love. Bobbie smiled as she announced that she had some good news because Scott had agreed to recommend that Luke go to a mental health facility for treatment.
In Maxie's apartment, Spinelli was startled when he saw Ellie standing on the doorstep. He smiled as he asked what she was doing in Port Charles, so Ellie explained she had wanted to check on Georgie after hearing about Georgie's recent hospitalization. Spinelli assured her that Georgie was on the mend as he invited Ellie inside. Ellie confided that she had been sick and contagious until recently, so it had been her first opportunity to visit. She seemed nervous as she shifted gears and appeared to try to work up the nerve to tell Spinelli something, but she settled for confessing that she had missed Georgie.
Moments later, Maxie entered the living room with Georgie on her hip. Ellie's face lit up with joy when she saw the baby. After Ellie and Maxie exchanged greetings, Ellie asked to hold Georgie, so Maxie handed her daughter to Ellie as Ellie peppered the parents with questions about Georgie's vocabulary and development. Maxie questioned the reason behind Ellie's visit because she suspected Ellie was really there for Spinelli. Spinelli was stunned when Ellie confessed that she had regrets about sending Spinelli to Port Charles.
Ellie claimed it hadn't been right of her to disrespect Maxie and Nathan's relationship, knowing how much they had been through to be together. Maxie looked uncomfortable as Spinelli quietly explained that Maxie had ended things with Nathan to be with him. Maxie felt compelled to be honest by revealing that Nathan had ended things with Maxie. Ellie was immediately concerned that Spinelli had been a consolation prize, since Nathan had stepped out of the running, but Maxie reminded Ellie that Ellie had been the one to send Spinelli to Port Charles to explore his feelings for Maxie.
Maxie insisted she and Spinelli made sense and shared a child, so Ellie decided it was her cue to leave. She said a quick goodbye to Georgie then walked to the door, but Spinelli called out to Ellie. He assured Ellie that she didn't have to leave, so Ellie told him she would be in town for a few days, visiting friends. After Ellie left, Spinelli confessed that her visit had been unexpected. Maxie wondered if Spinelli was okay, but he assured her he was fine and eager to celebrate being a family with Maxie and Georgie.
At the Quartermaine mansion, Michael was concerned when Dante dropped by to talk to him about Avery. Michael feared he had hurt their sister when he had knocked over the stroller, but Dante assured Michael that "A.J." was unharmed. Michael was relieved, but he was curious why Dante was there. Sabrina, who had been standing in the background, stepped forward to explain that A.J. had been kidnapped. Michael was immediately distraught that someone had taken his sister from the hospital just hours after she had been removed from his care.
Michael's worry turned to outrage when Dante questioned where Michael had been. Michael admitted he had gone for a drive to clear his head, but he had been alone. However, he assured his brother that he hadn't taken A.J. from the hospital, especially since it wouldn't help his case in court. Dante asked to look around the mansion, but Michael refused because he thought his word should be good enough. Dante implored Michael to reconsider, but Michael stubbornly ordered Dante to return with a search warrant.
After Dante left, Michael blamed himself for A.J.'s disappearance, since he had given Kiki the opening to take the baby from him. Sabrina was curious why Michael had refused to allow Dante to search the mansion for A.J., so Michael admitted it would have been a waste of time, since he hadn't snatched his sister. Sabrina argued that Michael could have saved valuable time by allowing Dante to search instead of creating doubt about Michael's involvement. Michael's temper flared as he invited Sabrina to search the mansion herself if she didn't believe him.
Offended, Sabrina explained that she loved A.J. and was worried, so she decided to go to the police station to wait for word. Michael immediately apologized. He promised that he'd had nothing to do with A.J.'s abduction and reiterated that he'd only had two drinks in the restaurant before the incident in the lobby. He admitted that he'd fought for custody of A.J. for all the wrong reasons, but he truly loved his sister. He was desperate for someone to believe him, so Sabrina assured him that she did then hugged him.
At Metro Court, Nathan paid his sister a visit to question her about Avery's disappearance. Nina was shocked that someone had kidnapped the baby, but she denied any involvement. Franco watched Nina carefully as Nathan explained that Avery had vanished around the time Nathan and Nina had been at the hospital. Nina was hurt that Nathan suspected her of abducting the baby, but Nathan reminded Nina that she had done it before. Franco defended Nina by reminding Nathan that both Franco and Nina had gotten help at the "funny farm," so they didn't have any reason to kidnap Avery.
Nathan focused on Nina as he suggested that perhaps Nina had gotten upset when she had seen the footage of Avery's stroller being knocked over and had thought to rescue Avery from further danger. Nathan also worried that Nina's encounter with Kiki had pushed Nina over the edge. Disgusted, Franco pointed out that Nathan was welcome to search the suite, since Franco and Nina had nothing to hide.
Later, Nathan confirmed Avery was not in the suite, but he remained concerned that Nina might have taken her. Franco reminded Nathan that Nina had loved Avery, so she was unlikely to have stashed her in the car with the windows rolled up or stuck the baby in a storage locker with water. Nina agreed she loved Avery, but she promised she hadn't taken the baby from the hospital. Franco suggested Nathan contact their attorneys if Nathan had any more questions, so Nathan left. Afterwards, Nina was hurt that her brother suspected her of kidnapping Avery.
Franco asked Nina to tell him the truth. He promised he wouldn't judge her if she had taken Avery, but he wanted to help her. Stunned, Nina accused Franco of thinking she was still crazy, but Franco insisted he was on her side. He explained that he needed to know the truth to protect her, so he urged her to be honest with him.
At the hospital, Sonny and Carly arrived, and Morgan and Kiki immediately greeted them. Sonny wanted to know what had happened, so Morgan accused Michael of snatching Avery. Both Sonny and Carly were skeptical of Michael's guilt, so Morgan asked Kiki to back him up. Kiki revealed that Michael had been upset and had acted as if Morgan and Kiki had done something wrong by showing up with Child Protective Services to fetch Avery. Morgan added that the whole world had seen Michael knock the stroller over, but Sonny refused to believe Michael would kidnap Avery.
Carly assured Morgan that it wasn't Michael's style to do something like that, but Morgan reminded his parents of the lengths Michael had gone to in order to obtain custody of Avery. Morgan was certain Michael had taken Avery, but Carly argued that bending the rules in court was not the same as abducting a child. Sonny wondered if Morgan had proof of Michael's guilt, so Morgan and Kiki admitted they didn't. However, Morgan was certain Michael had been careful to stay out of sight during the kidnapping. Carly refused to allow Morgan to accuse Michael of something without a shred of proof, especially since there were cameras everywhere in the hospital.
Morgan realized that Michael had been the "golden boy," but he insisted Michael had been drunk by lunch and out of control, so Michael was capable of anything. Sonny wondered if Morgan had talked to Dante. Morgan revealed that Dante had paid Michael a visit to get Avery, but Sonny wasn't ready to accuse Michael of taking the baby. Sonny pointed out that he had a lot of enemies who might have snatched Sonny's daughter, so Kiki admitted there was one other person who might have been responsible for the abduction.
Kiki told Sonny and Carly about her encounter with Nina. Carly perked up because Nina and Franco had been staying at her hotel, compliments of Olivia. Sonny was stunned, but Carly decided to pay the couple a visit, using her master keycard. Shortly after Carly left, Nathan arrived to let Sonny know that he had questioned Nina. Nathan was confident that Nina hadn't taken the baby, but Sonny wondered if Nathan could be objective. Nathan resented the implication because there wasn't any proof to suggest Nina had taken the baby.
Meanwhile, Carly entered Franco and Nina's suite to question them about Avery. Franco explained that Nathan had already been there, so he assured her that the baby wasn't there. Carly warned Franco and Nina that they had better not be involved, or they would have to answer to Sonny, who wouldn't hesitate to kill them for taking his daughter. Franco questioned if Carly intended to cover up his murder, too, so Carly admitted that she looked forward to it.
A short time later, Carly returned to the hospital to let Sonny know that she had talked to Franco and Nina. Carly admitted that Franco and Nina had denied taking the baby, but she was confident she had their feet to the fire. Moments later, Dante joined the group to let Sonny know about his talk with Michael. Morgan was curious if Dante had searched the house, so Dante explained that Michael had refused to permit it.
In Luke's hospital room, Tracy talked to Luke about developing a treatment plan for Luke once he was settled in a new facility. However, she noticed his eyes were closed, so she snapped her fingers in front of his face. Luke quickly apologized for not paying attention, so Tracy wondered why he wasn't in a better mood, since Scott had agreed to recommend Luke for treatment. "Oh, great. Who wouldn't want to be indebted to old one-eared Baldwin?" Luke groused.
Luke explained that things had worked out well for him, but there hadn't been justice for the people he had terrorized. As if on cue, Sonny entered the room. Tracy immediately ordered Sonny to leave out of fear that he would try to retaliate against Luke, but Sonny revealed he had been invited. Luke admitted he wanted to talk to Sonny privately, so Tracy agreed to check on the paperwork for Luke's transfer. However, she first asked if there had been any word about Sonny's daughter.
Sonny shook his head, so Tracy assured him that Avery was a lovely baby, and everyone was worried about her. After Tracy left, Luke asked if something was wrong with Avery. Sonny revealed that his daughter had been abducted, and Michael might have been responsible. Luke felt bad for Sonny because he wouldn't wish that kind of situation on his worst enemy. Sonny decided to broach the subject of their friendship, so Luke confessed his deep regret for what he had put Sonny and Sonny's family through.
Luke knew there would have to be a reckoning, but he wanted Sonny to know that Sonny hadn't deserved anything Luke had done to him. Sonny admitted that Dante had filled him in about Luke's recent struggles and painful past. Sonny knew firsthand the ramifications of childhood abuse and how it could tear a person down, but he urged Luke to face it head-on. However, Sonny was baffled about why Luke had targeted him.
Luke confessed he had secretly envied Sonny for taking over Frank Smith's territory. Sonny was surprised because Luke had never objected to Sonny taking over the territory following Frank's death. Luke explained that he had given up his claim to the organization to please Laura, but it had forced him to bottle up all the violence and hatred he had inherited from Tim Spencer. However, Luke's dark side had seen how Sonny had been able to have both power and a family, which he had coveted for himself.
Luke realized that he couldn't expect Sonny's forgiveness when Luke was unable to forgive himself, but Sonny surprised Luke by assuring his friend that all was forgiven. Sonny regretted that he hadn't been a better friend to Luke, so he wished Luke well. Luke hoped Sonny's daughter was found soon, so Sonny thanked Luke and then left.
At Metro Court Hotel, Nina returned to the suite after a run, but she stopped short in the doorway when she saw Franco stretched out on a table as a masseuse worked on Franco's back. Franco invited Nina to make herself comfortable on the table next to him because he had arranged for them to have a couples massage, but Nina declined, since she didn't feel like she was part of a couple.
After Nina freshened up, she returned to the sitting area as Franco finished getting dressed. He explained that he had canceled the massage session, since it wouldn't have been fun without her. However, he suggested they take advantage of some other spa services. Nina refused to act as if nothing had happened because she was hurt that Franco hadn't trusted her when she had denied kidnapping Avery. Franco reminded her that he had backed her up when Nathan had questioned her about the abduction, but Nina wasn't satisfied, since Franco had later asked if she had taken the baby.
Franco assured Nina that he had believed her, but Nina accused him of being a liar, so he decided to prove he trusted Nina by confiding to her about plans to seize Ned's shares of ELQ. Nina wondered how that proved anything, so Franco explained that he could go to jail for what he was doing to secure a future. He invited Nina to take a ride to the Quartermaine mansion with him, but Nina told him she would be busy checking on the baby she had stolen. Disappointed, Franco promised Nina he was trying, but Nina confessed it wasn't enough.
At the hospital, Liesl was intercepted by a swarm of reporters as she was about to enter her office. Nathan walked up as the reporters peppered Liesl with questions about "A.J.'s" abduction and how the baby could have been taken from the hospital. Liesl informed the reporters that the board of directors would issue a statement soon, but the reporters wanted to know if Liesl might lose her job. Nathan quickly stepped forward to let the reporters know that Liesl had been cooperating with the police, so Liesl seized the opportunity to slip into her office.
Nathan followed his mother to ask if Liesl was okay. Liesl closed the door as she assured him that she could handle the "vultures," but her main concern was for the patients because the reporters were on every floor of the hospital. Liesl implored her son to find the missing baby and get rid of Luke Spencer. Nathan promised that Luke would be transferred to another facility later that afternoon and that the police were doing everything possible to find "A.J." Liesl wondered if there were any suspects, so Nathan admitted there were two, but only one could be placed at the hospital at the time of the kidnapping.
Liesl realized Nina was one of the suspects because she knew about Nathan's visit with Nina following Nina's confrontation with Kiki. Nathan admitted that Nina was under suspicion, but so was Franco, since Franco had a history of kidnapping children. Liesl defended Franco, but Nathan pointed out that the hospital's cameras had been turned off, which indicated an inside job. Liesl surprised Nathan by revealing another employee had had the means, motive, and opportunity to whisk the baby way. "Who?" Nathan wondered.
"Silas Clay," Liesl answered. Nathan quickly dismissed the possibility but Liesl was curious if Nathan had questioned the doctor. Nathan admitted he had tried to reach Silas, but Silas was out of town. Liesl pointed to Silas' long absences, his sudden arrival prior to the kidnapping, and Silas being the last person to see A.J. as proof of Silas' guilt, but Nathan insisted there wasn't any evidence to back up the theory. Liesl urged Nathan to investigate because she was certain Silas was hiding something.
A short time later, Liesl paid her niece a visit as Nina had been about to leave the hotel suite. "Going somewhere?" Liesl asked.
In New York City, Silas had been about to enter Ava's hospital room when his cell phone rang. He noticed Ava was asleep, so he answered the call from Kiki. He was stunned when Kiki tearfully told him about her sister's disappearance, but he calmly offered her words of encouragement and reminded his daughter to stay strong for Avery's sake. He was curious if the police had any leads, so Kiki revealed that Nina was a suspect. Silas doubted Nina had taken the baby, but Kiki thought her father was still blinded by Nina's lies.
Kiki admitted that Michael was also a suspect, but Silas argued that Michael simply needed to clean up his act to regain custody of Avery. Kiki suggested that perhaps Michael had not been in his right mind, but Silas urged Kiki to let the police handle the investigation. Ava woke up and heard Silas mention the police, so she called out to him. Silas quickly wrapped up his call with Kiki then entered the hospital room.
Ava was pale with dark circles under her eyes as she struggled to sit up in bed and ask Silas about the phone call. Silas admitted there was some trouble at home, but he assured her that she need not be concerned. Ava worried that it might involve Avery, but Silas promised that Avery was fine. He showed her the picture he had taken of the baby during Avery's recent examination. Ava's face lit with joy as she gazed lovingly at the photograph of her baby, but she sensed Silas was holding something back.
Ava relaxed when Silas assured Ava that Avery had been happy and healthy the last time he had seen Ava's daughter. She changed the subject by asking if he had managed to get his hands on the medication to end her life. Ava became alarmed when Silas tensed because she feared that he had changed his mind. She implored Silas to take her pain away, so he reluctantly showed her the two small vials hidden in his pocket. Ava was surprised that such a small amount of "poison" could end her life then made light of her frail health, but Silas wasn't amused. Ava immediately apologized because she appreciated all he had done for her, including helping her to die.
Meanwhile, Nathan stopped a nurse in the hallway to ask if she knew where he could find Dr. Silas Clay.
At Metro Court Restaurant, Olivia was reading the newspaper when Julian approached her table to talk to her about "the baby." Annoyed, Olivia immediately lectured him about boundaries, since he wasn't the father of her baby. Julian clarified that he had been referring to his missing niece, Avery. Olivia appeared embarrassed, but quickly recovered as she assured Julian that she and Carly had fully cooperated with the police. Julian appreciated Olivia's help, but he suggested it was time for Olivia to think about her own baby.
Olivia's eyes narrowed as she accused Julian of talking in circles. Julian explained that he didn't believe that Nina or Franco had been rehabilitated, so he offered Olivia his protection. Olivia assured him that Ned could take care of her, but Julian disagreed because Ned was out of his league with people like Nina and Franco. Julian reminded Olivia that Nina had stolen Avery from Ava's womb, so there was a good chance Nina could become fixated on Olivia's baby and try it again. Olivia warned Julian that she would report him to Dante if Julian went near Nina and Franco, but Julian remained concerned.
Moments later, Franco's masseur approached Olivia to let her know that Franco had sent him for reimbursement for a couples massage session. Olivia asked the man to email her an invoice, so he thanked her and left. Julian tried to pick up their earlier conversation, but Olivia warned him to leave her alone, and she left.
A short time later, Kiki met her uncle in the restaurant. Kiki was distraught about Avery because there hadn't been any news. Julian offered Kiki words of encouragement, but Kiki insisted she had failed her sister. Kiki explained that her sister would be safe with Michael if she and Morgan hadn't interfered and messed things up. Julian disagreed because Michael was an alcoholic, but Kiki confessed that she and Morgan had drugged Michael.
At the Quartermaine mansion, Michael read the Port Charles Press headline questioning if Nina or Michael had abducted the baby. Disgusted, he tossed the newspaper on the coffee table as Ned and Alexis entered the living room. Michael accused Julian's newspaper of libel, but Alexis asked if Michael had taken A.J. Offended, Michael assured Alexis that he knew what it was like to be kidnapped, so he would never put his sister through that. Alexis wasn't satisfied because it hadn't been a direct answer. Michael's temper flared as he swore on his life that he hadn't abducted his own sister.
Michael suggested Alexis stop hounding him and go to the police station to urge the police to focus on a real suspect like Nina Clay. Ned promised that the police would do everything possible to find the baby but admitted they had other concerns to deal with. Michael was only concerned about his sister's disappearance, so Ned explained that Michael needed to step down as CEO because Michael's situation had caused trouble for ELQ.
Ned assured Michael it would only be a temporary measure, but Michael was curious who Ned intended to put in Michael's place. "Me," Ned answered. Ned reiterated it would only be until Michael had things sorted out with A.J., but Michael didn't trust Ned. Alexis assured Michael that Ned only wanted to help, but Michael remained skeptical because he suspected Ned wanted to remain in charge of ELQ.
Moments later, Tracy entered the room. Ned tried to send his mother way, but Tracy wanted to know what was going on. Michael revealed that Ned wanted to take over as CEO of ELQ, so Tracy smiled and settled back to watch the coup unfold. Michael was livid because Tracy had allowed her shares of the company to fall into Luke's hands, which had given Helena 32 percent ELQ's shares. Ned suggested Michael was partly to blame, since it had happened under Michael's watch, and Michael refused to take responsibility for Tracy and Skye's decisions.
Everyone pushed Michael to sign the document, but Michael asked Alexis if it was possible to get the shares back from the Cassadines. Alexis promised to discuss it with Nikolas, but she advised Michael to sign the document. Michael looked at the document for several long moments then slowly ripped it up. Michael felt betrayed by the Quartermaines because they had failed to offer him support when he had needed them. Tracy admitted they were a treacherous and dysfunctional family, but she assured him that they all cared about A.J. and wanted her back as much as Michael did.
Ned continued to plead his case, but Michael grew frustrated and marched to the bar to pour himself a drink. Concerned, Alexis asked if Michael planned to drive, so Michael pointed out that he had a driver. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go check on the baby I stole," Michael snidely said as he stormed out.
"That went well," Ned said as he looked at his mother. Tracy reminded Ned that he could seize power without Michael's consent by calling for a straight up-and-down vote. Ned was reluctant to take that step, but Tracy argued that Michael had slammed down a couple of drinks just like Michael's father, A.J., had. Alexis informed Tracy that Ned wouldn't have the votes to secure control of ELQ, so Tracy offered her assistance if Ned needed help outmaneuvering Michael.
After Tracy left to check on Luke to see if he had survived his showdown with Sonny, Alexis offered to talk to Nikolas but she warned him that Helena's votes would not be cheap. Moments later, Olivia burst into the room, eager to talk to Ned, but she froze in her tracks when she spotted Alexis. Alexis greeted Olivia then explained that she and Ned had been about to wrap up a business meeting. Everyone was startled when Franco suddenly entered the room and asked why he hadn't been invited to the meeting.
At the Quartermaine mansion, Alexis was flabbergasted when Franco announced that he had to be included in all ELQ business meetings. She reminded Franco that he was not a Quartermaine or a shareholder, but Franco smiled smugly as he revealed that he had recently obtained Ned's eleven-and-a-half shares of ELQ. Olivia suddenly recalled her conversation with Ned the previous day when Ned had assured her that he had taken care of Franco. Horrified, Olivia realized that Ned had turned over his shares of ELQ to keep Franco quiet about her unborn child's paternity.
Alexis remained confused and demanded answers, so Franco carefully explained the arrangement was linked to Olivia and Olivia's "bundle of joy." Olivia quickly cut Franco off to confess that she had paid Franco a visit at Shadybrook and had offered Franco and Nina a place to stay at Metro Court. Alexis was astounded by Olivia's generosity, but Olivia claimed she had empathized with Franco's plight, since Heather had injected Olivia with an overdose of LSD too. Olivia admitted she had grown to regret the decision because Franco and Nina had taken advantage of her, which had prompted Ned to offer to deal with Franco. Franco smirked and reminded Olivia that she had left out the part about the baby, but Ned quickly assured Franco that Franco would get the shares.
Alexis explained there were other ways to deal with Franco and Nina without giving in to Franco's blackmail, but Ned insisted it was necessary because Metro Court couldn't afford additional negative publicity after the incident with Michael in the lobby. Alexis offered to take steps to legally evict Franco and Nina, but Ned wanted Alexis to focus on getting Michael removed as CEO, since Michael was in the midst of a mental breakdown.
Moments later, Alexis received a call from Julian advising her to get to Metro Court Restaurant to deal with a situation involving Michael. Alexis heard Michael ranting in the background, so she quickly ended the call and left. Franco resumed threatening Ned, so Olivia begged Ned not to give in to Franco's demands. Ned ignored Olivia's pleas, marched to the wall safe to retrieve the shares, and handed the folder to Franco. However, Ned warned Franco that Franco's days of exploiting Olivia were over.
At Metro Court, Nina was about to exit her suite when she bumped into her aunt on the doorstep. "Going somewhere?" Liesl asked. Nina assumed Liesl was there for Franco, so she informed her aunt that Franco was at the Quartermaine mansion. Liesl wondered why Franco would visit the Quartermaines, but Nina claimed she didn't know. Liesl suspected that Franco had decided to do some damage control, since it was clear Nina was the "lunatic" who had kidnapped baby A.J.
Liesl pushed her way past Nina to enter the suite. Resigned, Nina followed her aunt to the sitting area as Liesl admitted she and Nathan had talked about Nina's possible involvement in the kidnapping. Liesl was disappointed that Nathan had believed Nina's claims of innocence because Nathan, like Franco, saw Nina as a "damsel in distress" in need of rescuing. Nina denied that she needed rescuing, but Liesl clarified that Nina couldn't be rescued, which was why Nina would drag Franco down with her. Nina scoffed at the suggestion since Franco and Nina were living in the lap of luxury.
Nina turned the focus on Liesl by asking why Liesl cared about Franco's private life, since Liesl and Franco weren't friends. Liesl explained that Franco was a genius and "creature of rare sensitivity" who needed protection from people like Nina who would take advantage of him, but Nina accused her aunt of having a crush on Franco. Liesl laughed because the accusation was absurd, since everyone knew Liesl only had eyes for Cesar Faison. Nina reminded her aunt of Liesl's affair with Victor Cassadine, but Liesl denied it had been a romantic relationship.
Intrigued, Nina questioned if Victor was Nathan's father, but Liesl pointed out that Victor wouldn't have believed Liesl's confession about Nathan being his son if the relationship hadn't been consummated. Nina decided to do some digging anyway, so Liesl warned Nina to tread carefully because Liesl wouldn't hesitate to share some of Nina's secrets. Nina argued that all of her dirty laundry had been aired, but Liesl cryptically explained there were some things Nina didn't know about. Nina wondered if Liesl was implying there were secrets about Nina that Nina didn't know about.
"Never mind," Liesl replied in a pleasant tone as she lovingly stroked Nina's hair. Liesl thought it best not to dredge up old family history, but she wanted Nina to know that it was in Nina's best interest to keep her "crazy theories" about Nathan's father to herself. Nina thanked her aunt for stopping by, so Liesl took the hint to leave. However, at the door, Liesl advised Nina -- if Nina had taken the baby -- to return A.J. before it was too late.
At Metro Court Restaurant, Kiki tearfully confessed that she and Morgan had drugged Michael to make Michael appear drunk. Stunned, Julian quietly asked what drug they had used, but Kiki had no idea, since Morgan had switched out Michael's allergy medication. However, she knew it had been a date-rape type of drug that had an adverse reaction when mixed with alcohol by making a person appear far more intoxicated than they were. Furious, Julian wondered if Morgan had mentioned that drugging someone was considered an assault.
Stunned, Kiki explained that neither she nor Morgan had realized it was crime. Kiki's eyes welled up with fresh tears as her thoughts drifted back to Avery. She realized that her sister would have been safe with Michael if she and Morgan hadn't interfered with the baby's custody.
Meanwhile, Michael stumbled to the bar, but the bartender recognized Michael. According to the bartender, he was prohibited from serving Michael alcohol, so Michael sullenly ordered a club soda. Moments later, Michael spotted Kiki and Julian.
Furious, Michael approached the table to confront Kiki about their missing sister. He was outraged that Kiki was having breakfast instead of worrying about A.J. Michael accused her of failing to protect A.J., but Kiki assured Michael that she was terrified for their sister. Michael turned his anger on Julian because Julian had spread lies in the newspaper rather than focusing on finding A.J. Julian refused to apologize, so Michael warned him that every minute the police wasted looking at Michael as a suspect was another minute the real kidnappers had to get away with the baby.
Michael's eyes narrowed as he suddenly wondered if Kiki and Morgan had snatched A.J. Kiki vehemently denied it, but Michael was skeptical because he was certain that Morgan only saw A.J. as a prize to be returned to Sonny. Michael continued to rant at Kiki until a waiter appeared and threatened to call security if Michael didn't leave. Michael refused to budge, so Julian decided to call Alexis.
Later, Alexis arrived as security guards tried to persuade Michael to leave peacefully. Michael continued to yell and berate everyone, so Alexis attempted to reason with Michael. Michael resented Alexis' interference because he viewed her as a traitor for helping Ned. Meanwhile, Kiki's expression clouded with guilt as she glanced at her uncle. Eventually, Alexis managed to get through to Michael by reminding him that he stood to lose more than just his job if he continued to make a public spectacle of himself. Michael staggered to the elevator as Alexis promised to meet him at the Quartermaine mansion.
In Duke's hotel suite, Duke and Lucy wore matching robes as they ate breakfast. Duke read in the newspaper about Avery's abduction, but he quickly noticed Lucy's distraction when he saw her scribbling notes on a piece of paper. Lucy confessed she was overwhelmed with everything she needed to do for the Nurses Ball, which was in two weeks. Dante was confident that Lucy would manage to pull everything together, but Lucy had a problem with one of the numbers. "Which one?" Duke asked.
"Ours," Lucy answered. Duke was uncomfortable with the idea of performing at the Nurses Ball, since he couldn't sing, but Lucy reminded him that he was an excellent dancer. Duke argued that he only knew the tango, so Lucy decided to put them down for a tango until she noticed Duke's less than enthusiastic reaction. Lucy was embarrassed when she realized the tango was Duke and Anna's dance, but Duke assured Lucy that he would be happy to dance the tango with Lucy.
Duke reminded Lucy that they had intended to perform the dance two years earlier at the Nurses Ball, but Lucy feared she might have forgotten the steps. Duke offered to refresh her memory and held out his hand to her. Lucy smiled as she accepted the invitation and danced with him. However, Duke's smile faded when he dipped Lucy and suddenly recalled doing the same with Anna during their performance at the previous Nurses Ball.
Lucy noticed the sudden change in Duke, so she quickly deduced that he was thinking about Anna. Lucy realized Duke wanted Anna back, but Duke denied it. Lucy didn't believe him, so she encouraged him to talk to Anna, but Duke insisted he was committed to Lucy. Lucy confessed that their liaison had been lovely, but she knew Duke's heart was with Anna just like Lucy's heart remained with Kevin. Duke was shocked by Lucy's honesty as she talked about her feelings for Kevin and then encouraged Duke to fight for Anna.
Duke doubted Anna was interested in working things out with him, since she had sent an undercover agent wearing a wire to obtain evidence to put Duke in jail. Lucy suggested Anna's investigation might be a desperate attempt to keep Duke in Anna's life, so Lucy insisted Duke pay Anna a visit to talk things out.
A short time later, Duke emerged from the bedroom, wearing a suit. Lucy decided he looked dapper and ready to face Anna, so Duke thanked Lucy for her friendship. Lucy promised to always be there for him then offered him a few words of encouragement before sending him on his way.
In Anna's suite, Anna was surprised when Sloane knocked on her door, asking for help. Sloane was dressed in a robe as he explained that he needed to use her shower because his was oozing brown sludge, and he didn't have time to wait for maintenance to fix it. Anna advised Sloane to use the shower at the police station, but Sloane revealed that it was being renovated. Sloane insisted he needed to shower because he had an important meeting with Mayor Lomax, so Anna agreed to let him in provided he gave her the name of his informant.
Sloane refused to risk his informant's safety or the investigation, but Anna pointed out that Sloane knew who her operative was. Sloane offered to compromise by giving her information about Duke. Alarmed, Anna agreed to hear him out, so Sloane confided that his informant had overheard Carlos Rivera and Julian Jerome plotting a hit on a high-ranking member of the Corinthos organization. Sloane didn't have a name, but Duke was a likely target.
Sloane could tell by Anna's reaction that she still cared for Duke, but Anna claimed that she simply wanted to avoid an all-out mob war. Sloane accused Anna of being defensive, but Anna demanded to know if there was any other information. Sloane shook his head, but promised to keep her updated if he heard anything else. Anna collected her things then invited him to use her shower as she left her suite.
A short time later, Sloane answered a knock at the door. It was Duke. Sloane imagined Duke wondered why Sloane was in Anna's suite, wearing a robe, but Duke pointed out that it didn't concern Duke, and he left.
In New York City, Nathan approached a nurse to ask if she knew where he could find Silas. The nurse explained that Silas was with a patient whose identity had to remain private. Nathan assured the nurse that he didn't want to compromise doctor/patient confidentiality, but he needed to talk to Silas about a missing child.
In Ava's hospital room, Ava weakly thanked Silas for helping her. Silas wondered if she had changed her mind, but she assured him that she had made peace with her decision and was ready to die. Silas and Ava were startled when Nathan suddenly knocked on the door, asking to speak to Silas in the hallway. Ava tensed, but Silas promised to take care of Nathan.
Moments later, Silas joined Nathan in the hallway. Nathan told Silas about Avery's abduction, but Silas revealed that Kiki had already called him with the terrible news. Nathan pointed out that Silas had been the last person to see Avery, so Silas wondered if Nathan was suggesting that Silas had kidnapped the baby. Nathan admitted that Liesl had raised the possibility, but Silas denied any involvement. Nathan shifted gears to confide that Nina was also a suspect, but Silas doubted Nina had taken the baby.
Nathan wondered if Silas had seen anything that might help the police locate Avery, but Silas shook his head. Nathan thanked Silas for answering his question,s and he left. Once Nathan was gone, Silas slipped back into Ava's hospital room. Silas claimed that Nathan had been asking questions about Nina because Franco and Nina had moved into Metro Court and were up to their old antics. Ava confessed that she wouldn't miss Franco or Nina when she was gone.
"Speaking of which, let's get this show on the road," Ava added with a weak smile. Silas filled a syringe with the contents from the vials he had taken from General Hospital, but hesitated before injecting it into her I.V. Ava promised him that she was ready to put an end to her pain, but she was curious if he had ever loved her. Silas assured her that, in his own way, he had.
Silas wished there was another way to help Ava, but he intended to keep his promise. Ava thanked Silas, so he offered to call Kiki to give Ava an opportunity to hear their daughter's voice one last time. Ava declined because she feared she would want to talk to Kiki. Ava reminded Silas that the sooner he injected her with the lethal dose, the sooner she would be out of her misery, so he reluctantly injected the needle into the I.V.
Silas settled on the bed next to her and asked if she was comfortable. Ava assured him that she was then asked him to take care of Kiki and Avery. He promised that he would, so Ava and Silas talked about what things might have been like if they had stayed together. Afterwards, Ava quietly confessed that she was filled with regrets because she had made a lot of mistakes. Tears glistened in Silas' eyes as Ava admitted he looked exactly like he had the first time they had met.
Moments later, Ava's eyes drifted closed and her head dropped to the side. Silas gently kissed her forehead.
At the Quartermaine mansion, Olivia was upset because Ned had relinquished his shares of ELQ to Franco, but Ned assured her that it wasn't a big deal. Olivia disagreed, since the shares had been Ned's birthright but Ned insisted it had been necessary to stop Franco from telling Alexis everything. Ned and Olivia were startled when Alexis suddenly cleared her throat. Ned jumped up to ask why Alexis was there, so she filled Ned and Olivia in about Michael's latest "drunken" incident at Metro Court. Ned promised to have a talk with his cousin, but Alexis shifted gears because she wanted Ned's assurance that he hadn't given in to Franco's demands.
Alexis reminded Ned that it would have been a grave mistake to hand over Ned's shares to Franco with 32 percent of the stock unaccounted for and last seen in Helena's clutches. Ned assured Alexis that he retained possession of his shares, but he seized the opportunity to ask Alexis to talk to Nikolas about the missing shares. Alexis doubted Nikolas would be able to shed any light on the ELQ stocks. "His hands are clean on this matter," Alexis assured Ned, but she agreed to pay her nephew a visit.
After Alexis left, Ned and Olivia breathed a sigh of relief that Alexis hadn't overheard their conversation, but Olivia remained upset about what Ned had done. She was certain his grandfather was rolling in his grave, but Ned confided that Edward had followed more than money -- Edward had also followed his heart. Ned was confident his grandfather would approve of what Ned had done, but Olivia was skeptical because it was a great sacrifice to make for a friend.
"Sweet, beautiful Olivia -- you mean so much more to me than that," Ned softly said as he gazed at Olivia with adoration. Ned realized it had taken him a long time to see the truth, but he promised that he cared deeply for Olivia. "It's you, Liv. It's always been you," Ned said as Olivia's eyes glistened with tears of joy. Ned revealed he had intended to tell Olivia, but she had surprised him with the news of her pregnancy before he could say anything. Olivia assured Ned it had been worth the wait.
Olivia smiled but wondered what happened next. Ned showed her by leaning forward to kiss her. After several passionate kisses, Olivia confessed that she had imagined what it would be like between them for a long time, but she had never envisioned herself pregnant with her life in a tailspin. "Details," Ned said between kisses. He promised Olivia that she would not be alone because he intended to give her and the baby the best life possible.
Olivia wished her and Ned's happiness had not been at the expense of ELQ, but he assured her that he would find a way to get the shares back. Until then, Ned intended to focus on Olivia. To drive his point home, he kissed her again.
At Metro Court, Franco waved the file with his shares of ELQ in the air as he entered the suite and called out to Nina, but he was disappointed when he quickly realized Nina wasn't there. Moments later, Nina returned to the suite. She was surprised when she saw Franco because she hadn't expected him back so soon. Franco smiled with satisfaction as he announced that his mission had been a success, but Nina remained skeptical until Franco handed her the file with Ned's shares of ELQ.
Nina looked over the papers then smiled because she had been certain that Ned would have put up more of a fight. Franco confided that Alexis had been at the mansion, so Ned and Olivia had stumbled over themselves to give him the shares. Franco looked forward to having a healthy monthly income, but his smile faded when he noticed Nina yawn. Nina quickly attributed it to not taking a nap, but Franco was curious where she had been. Nina became defensive because she realized Franco still suspected her of kidnapping Avery.
Franco explained that Nina seemed agitated, which raised some concerns, but Nina admitted she was tired of everyone, including her aunt, accusing her of something she hadn't done. Nina was doubly hurt that Franco seemed to be leading the charge against her. Franco promised he was on Nina's side, but he was curious about Liesl's visit, so Nina revealed that Liesl had implied that Nina had another skeleton in the closet. Nina was touched when Franco offered to talk to Liesl to get Liesl to back off from accusing Nina of taking the baby, since he believed in Nina.
At the Drake residence, Sam was impressed when Patrick served her breakfast, including muffins that Emma had baked. She wanted to thank the chef, but Patrick revealed that Emma was at a rehearsal for the Nurses Ball. Disappointed, Sam offered to help Patrick clean up the kitchen, but Patrick wanted Sam to relax and enjoy breakfast. Sam smiled because she could easily get used to being spoiled, so Patrick returned the smile as he confessed that it was his plan.
After Patrick disappeared into the kitchen, the doorbell rang. Sam called out to let Patrick know, but he told her to answer it. Sam was surprised when she saw Jake standing on the porch, so Jake explained he was there to drop off her car, which had been repaired. He figured that Sam would want it back quickly, since all her possessions had been inside. Sam appreciated Jake's consideration, so she invited him inside and offered him one of Emma's muffins.
Jake declined the muffin, but he was glad to see that Sam was happy. He said she deserved to be in a good place after everything he had put her through, but Sam assured Jake that he deserved to be happy too. Moments later, Patrick appeared in the doorway. Jake explained he had dropped off Sam's car then turned to leave, but Sam offered to give Jake a lift. Jake assured Sam that it wasn't necessary, but Sam insisted.
Patrick surprised Sam by reminding her that Jake was a grown man and could take care of himself. Jake smiled politely but froze when he spotted a photograph of Robin. Jake had a flash of memory as he picked up the picture, so he asked about the woman in the picture. Patrick revealed that Robin was Patrick's ex-wife who lived in Paris, but Jake confessed that he recognized her. Sam suspected it was because Jake had seen pictures of Robin while living at Elizabeth's house, since Elizabeth and Robin were close friends.
Jake agreed it was possible then changed the subject by offering to carry in some of Sam's boxes. Patrick offered to help, so he followed Jake out the door. After the car was unpacked, Jake went to toss Sam the car keys, but his aim was off, and they slid under the sofa, next to Jason's wedding band.
At the Webber residence, Elizabeth smiled when she opened the door and saw Ric standing on her porch, holding a huge bouquet of colorful flowers. Elizabeth took the flowers from Ric as she considered putting them next to the flowers he had sent the previous day. Ric said he was eager to show her how grateful he was that she had given him another chance but admitted he had stopped by to invite her out to dinner. Elizabeth was touched that he had taken the liberty of asking Molly to watch the boys.
Elizabeth smiled happily as she dashed up the stairs to change out of her work clothes. Moments later, someone knocked at the door. Ric was stunned when he saw Pete standing on the doorstep, so he quickly joined Pete on the porch and closed the door behind him. Pete cut to the chase by demanding more money from Ric, but Ric objected, since he had given Pete a generous bonus in exchange for Pete's promise to disappear. Pete threatened to expose Ric and Hayden's charade if Ric refused to cooperate, so Ric reluctantly agreed to give Pete money.
However, Ric ordered Pete to lay low and remain out of sight until Ric contacted him. After Pete left, Ric opened the door to enter the house but was met by Elizabeth in the foyer. She glanced over Ric's shoulder as she asked who Ric had been talking to. Ric claimed the man had been lost and looking for directions because the man's phone battery had died. Elizabeth easily believed the lie, so Ric called to confirm that Molly was on her way.
After the call, Ric vowed to Elizabeth that things would be different. He was determined not to lose her, so she told him that she was counting on it. Ric smiled then kissed her.
In Hayden's suite, Hayden looked up Nikolas' phone number online and called him at Wyndemere. Nikolas was surprised to hear from Hayden, so he asked how she had gotten his number. Hayden told him then explained that she had called because she was "ravenous" and wanted him to "butter" her muffin. Nikolas was startled by the proposition, but Hayden admitted that she preferred the direct approach. "Life's too short, Prince Formal," Hayden said as she poured herself a glass of Champagne.
Nikolas agreed that his interlude with Hayden had been "nice," but he was uncomfortable with the idea of becoming involved with someone who was scamming Jake. Hayden pointed out that Nikolas and his grandmother were also keeping secrets from Jake, so Nikolas revealed that he had talked to Helena. Nikolas admitted that Helena had confirmed Hayden was not in Helena's employ, but his grandmother had advised him to "eliminate" Hayden. However, Nikolas had decided Hayden was more valuable to him alive than dead because he wanted to know who was bankrolling her. Hayden suggested she might be tempted to tell him if he paid her a visit, but Nikolas turned her down and ended the call.
Later, Nikolas was reviewing a list of ELQ shareholders when the doorbell rang. Nikolas yelled out for Alfred to answer the door, but Alfred didn't respond. Annoyed, Nikolas went to the door. His mood didn't improve when he saw Hayden on his doorstep. Hayden smiled brightly as she explained that she had decided to drop by to find out if Nikolas would be as eager to rebuff her if he saw "the goods" in front of him.
Nikolas warned Hayden that it wasn't a good idea for her to be there, but she ignored him and entered the living room. Hayden saw the piece of paper Nikolas had been studying, so she picked it up from the table and asked what it was, but he quickly snatched it out of her hands. Undeterred, Hayden once again tried to seduce Nikolas by suggesting that he needed "carnal pleasures" as much as she did. Nikolas seemed resolved to ignore her advances until Hayden turned to leave.
At the last moment, Nikolas reached for Hayden and pulled her into his arms for a passionate kiss. Things quickly heated up as they stumbled around the room, tearing each other's clothes off and kissing. However, Nikolas froze when he heard Alexis call out to him. Nikolas quickly pulled away from Hayden and began to pull his shirt back on as he ordered Hayden to get dressed and slip out the back door. Hayden wanted Nikolas to get rid of his visitor, but Nikolas insisted it wasn't possible.
Seconds later, Nikolas entered the foyer, closing the living room door behind him. Alexis was surprised by Nikolas' rumpled appearance, but he claimed that he had fallen asleep while working. Alexis entered the living room then broached the subject of Tracy, Alice, and Skye's shares of ELQ that Helena had obtained through Luke. Nikolas denied any knowledge of the stocks, but offered to talk to Helena. Alexis didn't see the point, since Helena had refused to tell Nikolas the truth about Jake's identity. Shortly after Alexis left, Nikolas went to put the list of ELQ shareholders in the safe but immediately noticed that Jason's wedding ring was missing.
At Metro Court Restaurant, Carly happily greeted Spinelli and thanked him for agreeing to meet her. Spinelli asked how Carly had been holding up, so she told him about Michael's recent outburst in the restaurant. Carly desperately wanted to reach out to her eldest child, but she suspected it would make matters worse. Spinelli was curious if there had been any news about Avery's abduction, so Carly shook her head. Carly shifted gears by asking if Spinelli had good news to share.
Spinelli happily announced that he and Maxie had worked things out and intended to raise Georgie as a family. Carly was happy for Spinelli, but she had hoped he'd had news about Hayden. Spinelli revealed it hadn't been easy to dig into Hayden's past because she hadn't had much of a paper trail. However, he had been able to confirm that Hayden Barnes lived in Beechers Corners and had rented an apartment with Jake Barnes. Carly was disappointed because she had been certain Spinelli would uncover something to confirm Carly's suspicion that Hayden had lied about being married to Jake.
Carly perked up when Spinelli confided that Hayden had opened a bank account four weeks earlier, following a financial windfall. Spinelli reminded Carly there could be a number of legitimate reasons for Hayden to receive a large sum of money, but Carly was certain Hayden had been paid to pose as Jake's wife. However, Carly couldn't imagine who would pay Hayden to do such a thing. Spinelli noticed Carly seemed protective of Jake, so she explained that Jake had become a good friend.
Carly and Spinelli reminisced about Jason and agreed that they both missed him. Carly assured Spinelli that he could count on her if he needed someone to talk to, so he thanked her. Their conversation turned back to Hayden because Carly wanted Spinelli to sneak into Hayden's room to snoop around for any clues they could use to expose Hayden's lies and the person behind the scheme.
Meanwhile, Hayden returned to her hotel room, but she was startled when Pete suddenly stepped out of the shadows. Stunned, Hayden asked how Pete had gotten into her room, so he confessed that he had told the maid he was her husband. He showed Hayden the mock wedding photo of him and Hayden as proof, so she snatched it out of his hand and reminded him that they couldn't afford for him to be caught. Unconcerned, Pete admitted that he was aware of the credit line Ric had extended to her.
Pete revealed that he had demanded more money from Ric but decided Hayden should pay, since Pete didn't want to wait. Pete threatened to take a stroll around the hotel if Hayden refused to cooperate, so Hayden agreed.
In the hallway, Spinelli pressed his ear to Hayden's hotel room door but quickly ducked around the corner just as Pete exited the room. Hayden asked if she and Pete had an agreement, so Pete nodded and shook Hayden's hand. Spinelli seized the opportunity to snap a quick picture.
In the restaurant, Carly recalled talking to Spinelli about who would benefit from Hayden's deception. She smiled knowingly when she saw Ric and Elizabeth walk in.
