As Nathan walked up to Kelly's, he told Kyle on the phone that he was taking a quick food break, and then he would continue searching for Avery. He hung up the phone and entered the restaurant, only to be greeted with a shirt full of a distracted Ellie's beverage. Ellie attempted to dry Nathan off while spewing apologies, but he stopped her. He took off his shirt and assured her that he lived there. He added that he was "used to this," but he was sure that last time it had happened, Spinelli had spilled a drink on Nathan on purpose.
Ellie's ears perked up at the mention of Spinelli, and she revealed that she'd been with Spinelli before he'd reunited with Maxie. Nathan realized that he recognized her from pictures in Spinelli's apartment, and he introduced himself. Ellie responded that she should have known who he was by the "stunning physique" that Spinelli had described. She regretted missing him while he'd visited on New Year's Eve.
Nathan related that he and Maxie had been very happy until Spinelli had "wrecked everything." "Us, too, until Christmas," Ellie replied. Nathan blamed the entire situation on Ellie for putting the idea of Maxie and Spinelli into Spinelli's head and for sending Spinelli to Port Charles. She reasoned that she'd been trying to do the right thing. Nathan countered that, if she'd wanted to break up with Spinelli, "fine, but you didn't have to wreck my relationship in the process." In response, Ellie blamed the situation on Nathan for walking away from Maxie.
Nathan glumly told Ellie that he'd thought Maxie and Spinelli's bond was more important than him. Ellie informed Nathan that she'd asked Maxie if Spinelli had been Maxie's "consolation prize," but Maxie had avoided the question. Both exes acknowledged how they'd overreacted and made mistakes. They apologized to each other for blaming the situation on the other. They wondered what they were supposed to do next.
Carly demanded to know why Ric was at the Metro Court restaurant. He replied that he and Elizabeth were having dinner to celebrate getting back together. Carly reminded Elizabeth that she had feelings for Jake, but Ric reasoned that Jake was married, while Ric was not. Carly thought back to her conversation with Spinelli about who would want to take advantage of Jake's memory loss. "It was you," a wide-eyed Carly said suddenly to Ric.
Just then, Spinelli arrived and pulled Carly away to give her some important news. Ric and Elizabeth sat down and talked about how much they had missed each other's company. Elizabeth thought the night was perfect, "except for the weirdness with Carly." Elizabeth wondered what Carly had been accusing Ric of. "Global warming?" Ric joked.
Carly was annoyed at Spinelli for interrupting her, because she knew who was paying Hayden. Spinelli claimed to know the answer as well. Carly explained why she thought it was Ric, but Spinelli informed her that he'd seen a strange man exit Hayden's hotel room and shake hands with her. Spinelli showed Carly a photo he'd taken of the two on his phone, but the man's face was not in the picture. Carly demanded that Spinelli track the man down and find out who he was.
Carly went back into the dining room and was disgusted to see Ric and Elizabeth share a kiss. She wondered how their "reunion dinner" was. Elizabeth responded that they were having a "lovely time," but she was curious as to what Carly had been accusing Ric of earlier.
On the phone with Lucy, Maxie said that she and Nathan would not be together on the Nurses' Ball red carpet. She promised to be there, and she hung up just as there was a knock on the door. Maxie happily opened the door to Lulu and Rocco. Lulu told Maxie that she'd had to get away from Valerie. She understood that Valerie had gotten the "brunt" of Luke's "dark side" and had just lost her mom, but Lulu had "freaked out" when she'd found Valerie alone with Rocco. She confided that she got a bad vibe from Valerie that put Lulu on edge.
Changing the subject, Lulu wanted an update on Maxie's love triangle. Maxie revealed that she and Spinelli had agreed to give their relationship another shot, but Nathan had arrived minutes later, wanting to get back together with her. She continued that Ellie, who was clearly not over Spinelli, had shown up after Nathan had left. Lulu wondered what Maxie would have done if Nathan had shown up five minutes earlier.
Maxie answered that Spinelli was good to her and George. Lulu wondered if it was another situation where Maxie didn't want to hurt someone else's feelings so she held back her own true feelings. Maxie replied that she, Spinelli, and George were happy. The conversation reminded Lulu that Dante had a short break soon, so she decided to head out.
A short while later, Spinelli arrived and kissed Maxie. Just then, Georgie woke up. Maxie instructed Spinelli to tend to the pasta while she took care of Georgie. Spinelli was surprised and impressed that Maxie was cooking. He headed into Georgie's room, and Maxie listening to Spinelli comforting Georgie over the baby monitor. He told Georgie that he'd always wished for a loving family meal as a kid. "It doesn't get any better than this," he happily told his daughter.
Dante entered his apartment and found Valerie packing her things up. Valerie informed Dante that she was leaving Port Charles because she was making Lulu uncomfortable in her own home. She thanked Dante for his kindness toward her. Dante reminded her that she had family in town, and she could get to know them while she figured out what to do. She finally agreed not to leave but proposed that she would find somewhere else to stay.
Dante had to shower and change before going back out to look for Avery, so Valerie offered to make him some food while he was getting ready. When he returned a short while later, Valerie had made him a meal. He was surprised that she'd found anything to cook in the kitchen. She told him that Patricia had always said that a great cook could always "make something out of nothing." She reminisced about her mother and started to cry. Dante pulled her into a hug just as Lulu entered with Rocco.
Nikolas tore apart his safe for Jason's wedding ring. He called Helena, who was the only one who knew about the ring. She denied having the ring. A short while later, Spencer arrived home and sighed that his life was over. He told his father that he'd lost Emma, and Nikolas wanted elaboration. Spencer revealed that he'd asked Emma to be with only him forever, but she hadn't accepted his ring.
Nikolas demanded to know what ring Spencer meant. Spencer tried to avoid the question, but when he no longer could, he lied that he'd tried to give Britt's engagement ring to Emma. Nikolas remembered taking that ring away from Spencer and asked the question again. Spencer admitted that he'd found another, "not as good" ring in the safe, to which he knew the code. Nikolas wanted the ring back, but Spencer divulged that he'd let his emotions get the best of him, and he'd thrown it while at Emma's.
Nikolas was sorry that Spencer was feeling bad about himself, but he warned Spencer that his behavior was unacceptable. He instructed Spencer to stay put, and Nikolas went out to look for the ring.
At Patrick's, Jake looked under the couch for Sam's keys. He also pulled out a ring. Patrick thought it was his, but upon inspection, he realized that it wasn't. He noticed the inscription on the inside of the ring and read it out loud: "Alan Quartermaine." Sam realized it was Jason's ring and grabbed it from Patrick. She'd thought she'd never see the ring again and wondered why it was at Patrick's.
Sam suggested that Robin had had the ring with her, but Patrick told her that Robin had left months before and hadn't returned since. He, too, wondered why the ring was there. "I know," Emma said as she entered the house. She revealed that Spencer had tried to give it to her and had thrown it when she hadn't accepted it. She'd forgotten about the ring because Sam had arrived right after Spencer had left.
Emma asked to go see Danny and left when Sam said it was all right. Sam wondered how Spencer had gotten the ring. Jake knew that Spencer's father had been the one to pay for his medical bills, and he added that Nikolas seemed like "a decent guy." Sam vowed to find out whatever Nikolas knew about the ring and got ready to leave the house. When she opened the door to leave, Nikolas was standing at the door.
At the loft, Valerie was in tears as she apologized to Dante. He assured her that she had nothing to be sorry for, but Valerie confessed that she missed her mother because it had just been her and her mother for all of Valerie's life. Dante empathized, so he hugged Valerie as she continued to cry. Moments later, Lulu entered with Rocco on her hip. Lulu cleared her throat then asked if she had missed something.
Valerie pulled away from Dante as Dante greeted his family. Lulu explained that she had returned home to give Dante some time with their son before Dante had to return to work, so Dante took his son from Lulu's arms. Lulu noticed the food in the dining room, prompting Valerie to admit that she had cooked one of Patricia's specialty meals for Dante. However, the meal had reminded Valerie of her mother, which had led to the tears and the realization of how deep Valerie's loss was. Lulu insisted Valerie would need time and space, since it had only been a few days since Patricia had passed away.
Lulu was curious when Valerie intended to return home, but Valerie revealed that Dante had persuaded Valerie to stay in Port Charles. Lulu hid her annoyance behind a brittle smile as she pulled her husband to a quiet corner to ask why Dante had stopped Valerie from leaving. Dante claimed that he had done it for Lulu's sake because Lulu needed to get to know her cousin. Lulu admitted that she wanted to develop a relationship with her cousin, but not while Valerie lived in the loft.
Lulu turned to Valerie to let her cousin know that she wanted Valerie to remain in Port Charles. However, Lulu insisted the loft was too small for Dante, Lulu, and Rocco, so Valerie should stay somewhere else. Valerie assured Lulu and Dante that she didn't have a problem leaving, but she feared she might not be able to scrape together enough money to rent a place. Lulu had a perfect solution because Lulu's brother owned a huge castle on a private island and could use some company. Dante objected, but Lulu assured Dante that Nikolas wouldn't mind.
Dante remained uneasy about Valerie staying with Nikolas, so he suggested perhaps Carly could put Valerie up. Lulu argued that Carly had a full house with Bobbie, Morgan, and Josslyn living at home. Lulu insisted Nikolas was the perfect choice, so she called her brother. However, the call went to voicemail. After Lulu left Nikolas a voicemail message, Valerie seemed almost cheerful as she pointed out that she would have to spend one more night at the loft.
At Kelly's, Ellie blamed herself for losing Spinelli, so Nathan admitted it had been his fault that he had lost Maxie. Ellie smiled sympathetically then decided to leave because she knew Nathan was eager to get back to the search for the missing baby. Ellie could easily imagine the pain the baby's loved ones were going through because she recalled waking up several times and experiencing a moment of blind panic when she had noticed Georgie's empty crib. Ellie suddenly realized that she wouldn't get to be a part of Georgie's life, but Lucy breezed in and distracted Ellie from the gloomy thoughts.
Lucy warmly greeted Ellie, but scolded Ellie for not contacting Lucy sooner. Lucy was eager to sign Ellie and Spinelli up for number at the Nurses Ball, since the couple's last performance had been a huge success. Ellie quickly explained that it was impossible because Ellie and Spinelli were over. Lucy was disappointed because Ellie and Spinelli, as well as Nathan and Maxie, were supposed to be an inspiration to those -- like Lucy -- who were "romantically challenged."
Lucy cursed the fates for driving both couples apart, but Nathan and Ellie explained that there was a bright side because Spinelli and Maxie had decided to get back together. Lucy insisted it was all wrong because Maxie and Spinelli were better as friends. According to Lucy, Maxie belonged with Nathan, while Spinelli and Ellie were destined to be together. Ellie wished that Lucy was in charge of the universe, so Lucy advised both Nathan and Ellie to move on and meet other people. Nathan argued that it was too soon, so Lucy conceded he had a point because she had gotten involved with Duke while on the rebound from Kevin.
Lucy quickly added that she treasured her friendship with Duke and had been grateful for their time together, but they had not been meant to be more than friends. Lucy suggested that Nathan and Ellie could take a cue from Lucy and Duke by being friends. Lucy joined the couple's hands together to illustrate her point, but Nathan and Ellie smiled awkwardly as they quickly unclasped hands. However, Ellie and Nathan agreed to be friends. Pleased, Lucy suggested the friends "inaugurate" their new relationship by walking the red carpet at the Nurses Ball together.
Ellie feared it wasn't a good idea, but Nathan readily agreed. Delighted, Lucy jotted Nathan and Ellie's names down as attendees then she left. Ellie wondered why Nathan had told Lucy that he would escort Ellie, since Ellie wasn't interested in going to the Nurses Ball. Nathan pointed out that Spinelli and Maxie would attend the ball together, so perhaps they might realize what they were missing out on if they saw Nathan and Ellie together and moving on. Ellie liked the way Nathan thought, so she shook his hand and agreed to be his date.
At the apartment, Maxie finished setting the table as she called out to Spinelli that dinner was ready. Spinelli's phone rang, so Maxie ran over to fetch it, but her smile faded when she saw a framed photograph of her and Nathan. She quickly pasted on a smile when Spinelli entered the room to fetch his phone and update her about their daughter's new career path in science. Maxie insisted that Georgie wanted to embark on a career in fashion, but Spinelli became distracted when he noticed his phone had stopped ringing.
Spinelli saw a voicemail message from Lucy, so he listened to it on speaker. Spinelli and Maxie tensed when they heard Lucy ask if Spinelli and his "true love," Ellie, would perform at the Nurses Ball. Spinelli realized that Lucy hadn't heard about his breakup with Ellie, so Maxie admitted that she hadn't updated Lucy on everything when Maxie had told Lucy about Nathan and Maxie's split. Maxie suggested that she and Spinelli simply update their "Facebook relationship status" instead of dealing with uncomfortable explanations. Spinelli liked the idea, but he added that they could unveil their relationship by performing at the Nurses Ball.
Maxie reminded Spinelli that the ball was a week away, so Spinelli admitted it wouldn't be easy to put together a number on short notice, especially since he was working on an investigation. Spinelli quickly filled Maxie in about Carly's suspicion that Hayden had lied about being Jake's wife, but Maxie wondered why Hayden would lie. Spinelli confessed that he had uncovered a lead that appeared to support Carly's theory that someone had hired Hayden to pose as Jake's wife. Maxie was intrigued as Spinelli told her about the encounter he had witnessed between Hayden and a mystery man, so she suggested he call Sam to help him out.
Spinelli was reluctant, but Maxie explained that it would free up time for Spinelli to work on their performance number at the ball. After Spinelli made a call asking to meet Sam, Maxie expressed concern that Spinelli would leave Maxie stranded at the ball. Spinelli assured Maxie that she didn't have anything to worry and promised they would be the hottest couple on the red carpet.
At the Drake residence, Patrick and Sam explained to Jake that Nikolas was Helena's grandson. Jake revealed that he had never met Nikolas, but Nikolas had been kind enough to pay all of Jake's medical expenses. Sam decided to pay Nikolas a visit to question her cousin about Jason's ring, which Spencer had tried to give to Emma. She offered to drop Jake off, so Jake followed her to the door. However, Sam froze when she opened the door and saw Nikolas on the porch.
Sam invited Nikolas inside as she explained that she had intended to pay him a visit to ask what he knew about Jason's wedding ring. Sam wondered how Nikolas had been in possession of a ring that Jason had been wearing when Cesar Faison had shot her husband. Nikolas recalled Helena confessing that Jake was Jason and giving him the ring as proof, but Nikolas claimed he had found the ring after he had banished his grandmother to Cassadine Island. Nikolas had questioned his grandmother about it, but Helena had been vague with the details beyond revealing that it had been found among the ruins of the Crichton-Clark Clinic.
Sam couldn't understand why Nikolas had held onto the ring without telling her about it, so Nikolas assured her that he'd had every intention of giving his cousin the wedding ring. However, the ring had been forgotten in the safe because later that evening, Spencer had been injured in the fire at Wyndemere. Sam immediately apologized for assuming the worst then recalled Nikolas trying to tell her something the first time she had visited him at Shriners Hospital for Children. Nikolas apologized but allowed Sam to believe her misconception that he had intended to tell her about the ring.
Sam assured Nikolas that apologies weren't necessary, so Nikolas thanked Sam for understanding. Nikolas started to leave, so Jake seized the opportunity to thank Nikolas for Nikolas' generosity. Nikolas admitted he felt partly responsible for Jake's troubles because of everything his grandmother had done. Jake made it clear that Nikolas was not to blame, so Nikolas thanked Jake then left. Afterwards, Patrick offered to give Jake a ride home in exchange for Sam getting the children to bed.
Later, Spinelli called Sam to ask for her help with a case. Sam agreed to meet Spinelli the following day and wrapped up the call when Patrick returned. She told him that both children were asleep in bed then asked about Jake. Patrick assured her that he had dropped Jake off, but Patrick was concerned about Sam because of Jason's wedding ring. Sam confessed that she was relieved because the ring was physical proof that Jason had died at the clinic. Sam added that Jason's wedding ring was the closest thing she would have to closure.
Patrick watched as Sam pulled the canister she had kept at her beside from a box and dropped Jason's wedding ring inside it alongside her own wedding band. Afterwards, she returned the canister to the box. Patrick remained concerned, but Sam joined him on the sofa as she assured him that she was at peace. Patrick playfully wondered if it had anything to do with her boyfriend, the doctor, so Sam smiled as she admitted he made her happy, and she looked forward to their new life together. Patrick returned her smile then kissed her.
At Metro Court Restaurant, Carly checked on Ric and Elizabeth. Elizabeth decided to question Carly about Carly's earlier suggestion that Ric had done something wrong, but Carly brushed it off as simply wanting to let Elizabeth know that Elizabeth could do better than Ric. Carly suddenly smiled when she noticed Hayden enter the restaurant, so Carly quickly excused herself to greet Hayden and drag Hayden to Ric and Elizabeth's table on the pretext of introducing Hayden to Ric. Carly was curious if Hayden had met Ric before, but Hayden shook her head.
However, Hayden confessed that Jake had mentioned Ric, but Jake hadn't been a fan. Hayden shifted gears when she pretended to realize that Elizabeth and Ric had worked things out. Hayden claimed that she was happy for Elizabeth because she hadn't wanted Elizabeth to be the "odd man out," since Hayden and Jake had reconnected. Carly's interest was piqued when Elizabeth assured Hayden that Elizabeth fully understood that Hayden and Jake had reconnected -- "over and over again."
Carly asked Hayden about Elizabeth's remark, so Hayden feigned embarrassment as she confessed that Hayden and Jake had resumed their "marital relations." Carly smiled knowingly because Carly remembered Jake admitting that he hadn't been able to have sex with Hayden because Hayden had felt like a stranger to him. Hayden's smile vanished and Elizabeth perked up when Carly called Hayden out on the lie. Hayden went on the defensive by demanding to know why Carly had been talking to Jake about his relationship with Hayden, but Carly wasn't intimidated.
Ric looked distinctly uncomfortable as the conversation continued, so he asked Carly and Hayden to take their argument elsewhere. Hayden warned Carly to stay away from Jake, and she marched out of the restaurant. Carly smiled smugly and made a snide remark about Jake's wife being a "joy." Elizabeth decided to return to her earlier question by asking why Carly had implied that Ric had done something wrong. Carly recalled her conversation with Spinelli about Ric possibly hiring Hayden but Spinelli's insistence that Hayden appeared to be in league with someone other than Ric.
"Turned out to be nothing," Carly said. Elizabeth appeared skeptical, but Ric managed to distract Elizabeth by suggesting that Carly always believed the worst of him ever since he had locked Carly in the panic room. Carly assured Ric that she was done. "For now," Carly added before she left. Moments later, Ric suggested that he and Elizabeth leave, but Elizabeth remained troubled because she couldn't understand why Hayden had lied about being intimate with Jake. Ric suggested that perhaps Hayden had felt intimidated by Jake's feelings for Elizabeth and had hoped to eliminate the competition.
Meanwhile, Jake arrived at the restaurant. Carly was happy to see him, but Jake tensed when he saw Elizabeth and Ric at a nearby table. Carly apologized for not warning him, but Jake assured her it wasn't necessary because he had known that Elizabeth had been thinking of working things out with Ric. Carly fetched Jake a beer as Jake continued to watch Ric and Elizabeth.
At the table, Ric reminded Elizabeth that Jake and Hayden's relationship didn't matter, since Ric and Elizabeth were happily in love. Ric kissed Elizabeth as Jake watched from the bar. Carly handed Jake a beer as she urged him to stop torturing himself. Jake realized Carly was right, but Carly cryptically assured Jake that he might have another chance with Elizabeth. Jake reminded Carly that he was married, but Carly admitted she still had doubts about Hayden.
Jake's mood soured because he wanted Carly to stay out of Hayden's business. Carly agreed to back off, but she admitted that Hayden was rude. Jake decided to head to his room because he was tired, so Carly watched him leave. She muttered that there was so much more he needed to know about "that weasel," so Carly intended to get some answers about Hayden and share them with Jake.
At Wyndemere, Nikolas angrily threw a glass into the fireplace as Hayden appeared in the doorway. Hayden closed the door as she slowly approached him, while he wondered why she was there. Hayden seductively approached Nikolas as she confessed that she'd had a frustrating encounter with Carly, Ric, and Elizabeth, but she changed the subject to ask if she and Nikolas were alone. Nikolas confirmed that Spencer was asleep, and the staff had left for the day.
Hayden purred with delight until Nikolas' cell phone rang. He started to reach for the phone, but Hayden dropped her coat to show him the skimpy lingerie she'd worn for him. Nikolas ignored the call from his sister as he reached for Hayden and kissed her. Passion flared between the couple as they began to make love. Later, Hayden confessed that their lovemaking had been "refreshingly unrestrained."
However, Hayden was curious why Nikolas had been mad when she had arrived. Nikolas turned things around by asking who was bankrolling Hayden. Hayden refused to tell him, so she kissed him instead.
At the Drake residence, Sam returned home and saw Patrick on the sofa. Patrick was curious where Sam had been, so she admitted that both Alexis and Molly had demanded some quality time with Danny. She apologized if she had woken Patrick up early on his day off, but Patrick assured Sam that it was fine because he'd had to take Emma to rehearsal for the Nurses Ball. Sam joined Patrick on the sofa, and he began to rub her feet and tell her about the plans for Anna to stop by to visit with Emma after rehearsal. Patrick invited Sam to join them, but Sam declined because she had a "hot date" with Spinelli to discuss a case.
At Metro Court Restaurant, Anna left a voicemail message for Sloane, asking him to return her call because she wanted to know if he had learned anything new about the hit Julian had ordered on a high-ranking member of the Corinthos organization. Moments later, Duke entered the restaurant with his bodyguard in tow. Duke saw Anna as she prepared to leave, so they briefly exchanged pleasantries until Anna revealed that she had a date with her granddaughter. Duke smiled and asked Anna to pass along his love to Emma. Anna agreed then glanced at Bruce before quietly asking if she could have a moment of Duke's time.
Duke assumed it had something to do with the Girl Scouts cookies he had failed to pick up from Patrick's, but Anna clarified that it had nothing to do with Patrick or Emma. Anna was about to elaborate on what she wanted to discuss with Duke when her phone rang. Duke tensed when he noticed the call was from Sloane because it reminded Duke of Sloane answering Anna's door in a robe. Duke curtly advised Anna to take the call then walked away. Anna quickly answered her phone because she was eager to know if Sloane had an update.
Sloane confessed that he didn't have anything new to report, but he intended to meet with his informant later that morning. Anna wasn't satisfied, but Sloane abruptly ended the call.
Later, Anna arrived at Patrick's house, but she was disappointed when Patrick revealed that Lucy had called to explain the rehearsal would be running late. Patrick immediately apologized for mentioning Lucy's name because he knew Duke and Lucy were dating, but Anna assured Patrick it was okay. Patrick tried to shift gears by asking if Anna was seeing anyone, since he recalled Anna dancing with the new police commissioner on New Year's Eve. Anna quickly clarified that there was nothing romantic going on between her and Sloane, prompting Patrick to wonder if Anna and Duke might work things out.
Anna explained that she would always love Duke, but she could not live with his lifestyle choices. Patrick pointed out that Anna hadn't had a problem in the past with Duke working for the mob, but Anna insisted things had changed. She admitted there had been a time when Duke had been willing to compromise so they could be together, but no longer. Anna understood why Duke continued to work for Sonny, since Duke felt indebted to Sonny and wanted vengeance against Julian for everything Julian had done to Anna and Duke, but she couldn't live with Duke's decision.
Anna changed the subject by asking about Patrick and Sam living together. Patrick regretted that he hadn't had a chance to tell Anna about Sam moving in before Emma had, but Anna wondered why Patrick was worried. "Because of Robin?" Anna asked. Anna insisted that Patrick had every right to move on with his life. She hated what had happened to Robin and Patrick's marriage and couldn't understand why Robin continued to stay away from Emma, but Anna wanted both Patrick and Emma to be happy.
Anna confessed that Sam seemed to be good for Patrick, so he admitted that he suspected Emma saw Danny as a "pseudo" replacement for Gabriel because he had caught Emma checking on Danny several times while Danny was sleeping. Anna pointed out that both Patrick and Sam were in a unique position to appreciate what the other had lost because Sam had known Robin, and Patrick had known Jason. Anna was pleased that things had worked out for Patrick and Sam, but Patrick confessed there had been a few "hiccups." Anna was stunned when Patrick told her about Jason's ring.
Moments later, Anna's phone rang. It was Jordan asking to meet with Anna. Anna agreed then quickly ended the call to explain to Patrick that she had to leave. However, Anna urged Patrick not to let the incident with Jason's wedding ring get between him and Sam because he deserved to be happy. Patrick smiled and assured Anna that she did too.
In Jordan's apartment, Jordan smiled after making love with Shawn. She breathlessly confessed that she had never experienced anything like what she and Shawn had just shared because she had felt completely connected to him. Shawn smiled with satisfaction as he advised her to get used to it, since he could finally give himself fully to her. Jordan's smile wavered as Shawn pointed out that he was assured that she was not in league with Anna. Shawn acknowledged that he didn't know the details, but he suspected Duke had asked her to kill someone to prove herself.
Jordan confirmed that Duke had ordered her to kill Julian, but Duke had backed off once she had agreed to carry out the hit. Shawn was curious if Jordan would have killed Julian if Duke hadn't rescinded the order, so Jordan assured Shawn that she would have. Later, Shawn served Jordan her favorite breakfast in bed. Jordan was touched that Shawn had remembered how she liked her breakfast. Shawn returned to the kitchen to pour himself a cup of coffee as Jordan talked about how well T.J. had done in school, so Shawn credited Jordan for T.J.'s success.
Jordan argued that Shawn deserved the credit because she had missed several years of her son's life, but Shawn insisted Jordan was a wonderful mother. Uncomfortable with the direction of their conversation, Jordan asked him to change the subject. "I love you," Shawn suddenly blurted out. Jordan was momentarily speechless as Shawn confessed that he had loved her for as long as he could remember. Shawn and Jordan talked about their turbulent relationship, which had begun as an affair. They both regretted betraying T.J.'s father, Thomas, but Shawn confided that he had hoped Jordan's arrival in Port Charles had been a new beginning for the star-crossed lovers.
Jordan assured Shawn that she loved him, too, so Shawn kissed her. "What now?" Shawn asked as he got dressed. Jordan suggested that they attend the Nurses Ball together and walk the red carpet as a couple to let the world know that they were together. Shawn liked the idea and promised it was just the beginning for them.
At Metro Court Restaurant, Duke sat on the terrace as he checked in with Lucy to give her an update about what had transpired when he had gone to Anna's hotel room. They spoke for several minutes about Duke's encounter with Sloane until Duke told Lucy to get back to work on the Nurses Ball. After the call, Duke invited his bodyguard, Bruce, to join him at the table instead of hovering behind Duke. Bruce sat down and asked if Duke had made a decision about Jordan. Duke realized he was in a tough spot because he couldn't risk Jordan testifying against him in court, but he was reluctant to kill a woman who had a child.
Bruce pointed out that Shawn might have a problem with Jordan being killed, too, so Duke acknowledged that Shawn would be devastated. However, Duke knew that Jordan had to be eliminated. Bruce agreed with Duke's decision, but he was curious when Duke wanted the hit carried out. "Today," Duke answered. However, Duke wanted Bruce to make it appear that the Jerome organization had carried out the murder in retaliation for Jordan flipping to the Corinthos organization. Bruce promised to take care of it and left.
"What was that about?" Shawn asked as he took Bruce's vacated seat. Shawn was concerned that Bruce had left Duke unprotected.
Outside Jordan's apartment, Bruce skulked in the hallway and checked his gun. He ducked out of sight when he saw Jordan exit her apartment, and he followed her.
Outside Kelly's, Spinelli stopped short when he spotted Jake. Spinelli called out to Jake, so Jake warily asked if Spinelli still understood that Jake was not Jason. Spinelli apologized for what had happened at the hospital when they had first met, so Jake assured Spinelli that it was fine. However, Jake was glad he had bumped into Spinelli because Jake knew about Carly's request for Spinelli to dig up information about Jake's wife. Jake made it clear that he wanted both Spinelli and Carly to back off, but Spinelli suggested that Jake take it up with Carly. Spinelli warned Jake it might not be easy because Carly was formidable and had great instincts, which tended to be "spot-on."
Jake wondered if Carly was ever wrong, so Spinelli conceded that there had been a few rare occasions when Carly had made the wrong call. Jake was certain that Carly was wrong about Hayden because Jake and Hayden were fine.
A short time later, Sam joined Spinelli at a table inside the diner. The two friends happily chatted about the changes in their lives before Sam asked about the case Spinelli had asked her to consult on. Spinelli quickly filled Sam in about Carly's suspicions that Jake's wife, Hayden, was not who she claimed to be. Sam wondered if Spinelli had any proof that Hayden had lied about being Jake's wife, so he told her that Hayden had opened a new bank account after receiving a windfall of cash, and he detailed the exchange he had overheard between Hayden and a mystery man at the hotel.
Spinelli showed Sam the picture he had taken of the mystery man shaking Hayden's hand, but he admitted it had been a bad angle, since he hadn't captured the man's face. However, Spinelli could identify the man if he saw him again. Sam studied the photograph until she noticed the man had been wearing a class ring. Spinelli quickly zoomed in on the ring, which revealed the name of the college the man had attended and the year the man had graduated. Spinelli immediately went to work hacking into the school's computer system to look for class yearbooks.
Sam worried that it would take a long time, but Spinelli discovered there had only been an average of 500 students a year. Moments later, he accessed pictures of the yearbooks. Spinelli scrolled through the pictures of the graduating class the ring had shown until he saw a picture of a man named Pete Ross. Spinelli instantly recognized Hayden's accomplice.
Meanwhile, Jake returned to his hotel room, but he was not pleased when he saw Sloane waiting for him. Sloane assured him that Hayden was not there, but Jake wasn't happy that Sloane had entered the room uninvited. Sloane explained that he needed Jake to find out who Julian Jerome intended to target in the Corinthos organization, but Jake argued that it wasn't something he could simply ask Julian. Sloane insisted that it was imperative to find out because lives were at stake, but Jake was unmoved.
Jake explained that he was uncomfortable betraying Sam, since she had gotten him the job, but Sloane didn't care. Sloane insisted that Julian was a "heinous" criminal, but Jake doubted that Sloane wanted to take Julian down for altruistic reasons. Jake suspected Sloane simply wanted to secure his position as police commissioner and make a name for himself by taking down a local kingpin. Sloane argued that Anna wanted answers, too, but Jake was curious why Anna was involved.
Sloane explained that Anna was a federal agent and had a personal connection to Duke, so she wanted to know if Duke's life was in danger. Jake insisted that he would need time, but Sloane pointed out that time wasn't a luxury that Jake had. Sloane warned Jake that Jake would go to jail if Jake didn't get Sloane the information Sloane needed. Jake resented being blackmailed, so he threatened to tell Julian everything.
At the car shop, Julian was looking over some paperwork when Carlos strolled in. Carlos was curious why Julian had asked to see him, so Julian asked why Duke was still alive. Julian was concerned that Carlos had gone soft or switched sides, but Carlos was offended by the suggestion, since he had always had Julian's back. "Except for the time you tried to kill me," Julian countered.
Carlos argued that Luke Spencer had been behind the hit on Julian but pointed out that Carlos hadn't carried out the assassination. Carlos explained that he hadn't been able to get close enough to Duke because Duke's bodyguard, Bruce, was always around. Julian decided to take a different approach by killing Duke from a distance. Julian reminded Carlos that Duke collected money drops every day at Metro Court Restaurant and had started to take his tea on the terrace because of the warmer weather.
Carlos smiled when he realized that Julian wanted Carlos to find a sniper's nest to wait for an opportunity to kill Duke. Julian revealed that the hotel's top floor rooms on the east side would be ideal, but Carlos doubted that Olivia or Carly would rent him a room, since both women were staunch supporters of Sonny. Julian smiled because he already had a man staying in one of the rooms. Julian revealed that Jake's hotel room would be perfect, since Jake's wife liked to spend her days in the gym. Julian promised to keep Jake occupied while Carlos slipped into the room to carry out the hit.
A short time later, Jake arrived at the shop. He confessed to Julian that he had something to tell Julian.
At the same time, Carlos entered Jake and Hayden's hotel room. He glanced out the window then unpacked a sniper's rifle.
On the piers, Duke's bodyguard, Bruce, skulked in an alley with a gun aimed at Jordan as Jordan met with Anna. Anna was surprised when Jordan announced that Jordan was done working undercover and wanted out. Jordan explained that she and Shawn were in love, so Jordan refused to be the instrument of Shawn's downfall by sending him to jail. Anna objected, but Jordan insisted that she had given Anna all she could. Anna was curious if Jordan intended to tell Shawn the truth about working undercover, but Jordan admitted that she hadn't worked out all the details yet.
Anna warned Jordan that outing herself could have catastrophic consequences, but Jordan was well aware of the danger she faced. Anna insisted that Jordan was in an impossible situation because Anna knew firsthand from her own relationship with Duke that Jordan and Shawn could never be a real couple, since each were on fundamentally different sides. Anna feared that it was inevitable that either Jordan or Shawn would get hurt. Jordan remained undeterred because she and Shawn had been through a lot, and finally had a real chance at a relationship. Jordan was confident that she had given Anna sufficient evidence for an indictment, but Anna warned Jordan that it would not be enough to take Duke down.
Anna explained that Shawn would be the only person to go to jail because there hadn't been anything to directly link Duke to tampering with the mayoral election. Jordan was frustrated that Shawn would take the fall for following Duke's orders, while the man that Anna loved would remain free. Anna confided that Duke faced another danger because Sloane had learned that the Jerome organization intended to take out a high-ranking member of Sonny's organization. Jordan pointed out that there were several people besides Duke who could be targeted, including Sonny, Max, Shawn, and even Jordan. Meanwhile, Bruce's finger tightened on the trigger as he had Jordan firmly in his sights.
At Metro Court Restaurant, Shawn and Duke were seated at a table on the terrace as Shawn questioned why Bruce had left Duke vulnerable. Duke recalled instructing Bruce to assassinate Jordan but claimed that he had sent Bruce on an errand because there had been chatter that Julian intended to retaliate for the Corinthos organization blocking Julian's men from using the piers. Shawn assured Duke that it hadn't been necessary to send Bruce because both Shawn and Jordan had Duke's back. Duke tensed, but Shawn didn't appear to notice as he seized the opportunity to inform Duke that Shawn and Jordan had taken their relationship to the next level.
Duke's smile didn't quite reach his eyes as Shawn confessed that he couldn't be happier. Things became more awkward for Duke when T.J. suddenly appeared. T.J. greeted Shawn then explained that there was a problem with T.J.'s college tuition. Shawn assured T.J. that Jordan would be able to help pay for T.J.'s tuition, but T.J. was reluctant to ask his mother for money. Duke surprised both T.J. and Shawn by offering to cover T.J.'s tuition.
Shawn assured Duke that it wasn't necessary, but Duke argued that it was the least he could do, since Duke's employees didn't have traditional benefits. T.J. was overwhelmed with gratitude and hugged Duke, while Shawn thanked Duke for Duke's generosity.
At the auto shop, Jake confessed that he had something to tell Julian. Julian became concerned because Jake's tone sounded ominous, so Jake admitted that he had overheard Julian and Carlos discuss the hit against a member of Sonny's organization. Julian was curious how Jake had happened to overhear the private conversation, prompting Jake to blame it on the thin walls in the shop. Julian worried that Jake might be tempted to tell the police, but Jake promised that he didn't have a problem with Julian's illegal activities. Jake explained that Sam had wanted Julian to give Jake legitimate work, but Jake didn't have a fondness for the police and was perfectly willing to help Julian in any way possible.
Jake pointed out that he was handy with a gun, so he offered to help carry out the hit if Julian told him who the target was. Julian was reluctant to share the details of the hit, but Jake continued to assure Julian that Jake could be trusted and wanted to be a part of the Jerome organization. Julian agreed to consider Jake's offer, but not until after the hit had been carried out. Jake was forced to drop the matter when Julian left. Moments later, Sloane called, but Jake ignored the phone.
At Metro Court Restaurant, Carly was delighted when Spinelli arrived because she was eager for an update about Hayden. Spinelli revealed that he had tracked down the name of Hayden's accomplice thanks to Sam. Carly demanded to know who Hayden was in league with, but Spinelli explained that he could do better by showing her a picture of the man. Carly was stunned when Spinelli opened his laptop to reveal a picture of the man she recognized as the groom pictured with Hayden in the wedding photos.
Carly squealed with joy because she finally had her smoking gun to prove that Hayden had lied about Jake being Hayden's husband. Spinelli suggested that perhaps Pete Ross merely looked like Jake prior to the facial reconstruction surgery, but Carly decided Spinelli should see the wedding photo. She pulled out her master keycard and dragged him to Hayden's hotel room.
In Hayden's hotel room, Carlos assembled a sniper's rifle and approached the window to look down at Duke, who was seated at a table on the restaurant's terrace. Carlos watched as Duke and Shawn talked before setting up the rifle on the hotel room's breakfast table. Once he had Duke in the gun's sights, Carlos prepared to pull the trigger. However, his phone suddenly rang. It was Sabrina.
Carlos was surprised to hear from Sabrina because he had been certain that she had washed her hands of him. Sabrina explained that she had received a package addressed to him at her old apartment. She thought he might want it because it looked like it was from his attorney. Carlos thanked her and promised to pick it up after work, but Sabrina made her displeasure known because she knew he still worked for Julian. She wanted Carlos to stay out of trouble, so Carlos lied by assuring her that he would.
Carlos quickly changed the subject by asking how Sabrina had been holding up. He had seen the video of Michael in the hotel lobby, knocking over the stroller, but Sabrina defended Michael and suggested that the incident had been a misunderstanding. After the call, Carlos returned to the rifle to set up his shot but froze when he heard Carly and Spinelli in the hallway, talking about searching Hayden's hotel room. Carlos managed to quickly slip out of sight with the gun as Carly and Spinelli entered the room. Carly immediately approached the nightstand to hand Spinelli the wedding photo that Hayden had claimed had been of Hayden and Jake.
Spinelli agreed that Pete Ross had an uncanny resemblance to the man in the wedding picture, but Carly insisted it was the same man. She quickly snapped a picture of the wedding photo to use as evidence then started to leave. Spinelli followed her, but stumbled over the duffel bag that Carlos had hastily stuffed under the bed. Carlos tensed as Spinelli pointed out the duffel bag to Carly, but Carly assumed it belonged to Hayden. Carly admitted that she had instructed housekeeping not to clean Hayden's hotel room, which explained the mess.
Carlos relaxed when Carly and Spinelli left. He quickly set the sniper's rifle on the breakfast table and once again aimed the gun at Duke.
Meanwhile, Carly and Spinelli returned to the restaurant. Spinelli was curious if Carly intended to report Hayden to the police, but Carly decided to talk to Jake first.
At the hospital, Sabrina glanced at the Port Charles Press. She was disgusted by the headline, which suggested that Michael remained a suspect in Avery's disappearance. Sabrina thought Julian was being unfair by targeting Michael, so she tossed the newspaper aside as Felix sat down next to her. Felix wondered if there had been any word about the baby, but Sabrina shook her head. Felix imagined that Michael had been going crazy, especially since everyone assumed that Michael was guilty because Michael had knocked over the baby's stroller.
Sabrina hoped to clear Michael's name, so she was curious if Michael's allergy pills had been analyzed. Felix confessed that the laboratory had been backed up due to the preparation for the Nurses Ball, but he offered to put a fire under Brad to get the tests done. Before going to talk to Brad, Felix handed Sabrina a package that had been delivered to the apartment for Carlos.
After Sabrina called to arrange for Carlos to pick up the package, Felix returned with the test results on Michael's allergy pills. Felix announced that Sabrina's instincts had been right; Michael had been drugged.
In Silas' apartment, Kiki greeted Morgan when he returned from searching for Avery. She was disappointed when Morgan confessed that they hadn't found Avery, despite looking everywhere that Michael could have possibly hidden the baby. Kiki confessed that Nathan had done the same with Nina, to no avail. Morgan feared that whoever had taken Avery meant to keep her because there hadn't been a ransom note demanding money from either Michael or Sonny. Kiki worried that the longer Avery remained missing, the less likely she would be found, but Morgan assured Kiki that Avery would be returned home safely.
Kiki wished that things could be as simple as Morgan suggested, but she knew better. Morgan was shocked when Kiki confessed that she had told Julian the truth about drugging Michael. Morgan was upset because they had committed a felony and could go to jail for a long time, but Kiki was unapologetic. She explained that her uncle had known that Kiki and Morgan had hatched a plan to get Avery back, so Julian had asked for the details. Morgan wasn't appeased because he feared what Julian would do with the information. Kiki reminded Morgan that her uncle wouldn't go to the police because Julian was a mobster.
Morgan feared that things had gotten out of control, but Kiki revealed that it was worse than he imagined because Michael had caused another scene at Metro Court Restaurant. She admitted that it had been difficult to watch Michael, knowing he had been under the influence of the drugs that Morgan had replaced Michael's allergy medication with. Morgan defended what they had done by claiming it had been necessary to discredit Michael to force Child Protective Services to take Avery away from Michael, but Kiki insisted that it was time to end it because she was worried about Michael.
Morgan assured Kiki that Michael was a big boy, but Kiki pointed out that Michael might decide to give his driver the night off then get behind the wheel of a car. Kiki wondered how Morgan would feel if Michael killed someone or himself because of the switched medication. Kiki admitted that she couldn't have something like that on her conscience, so she wanted Morgan to steal the pills back. Incredulous, Morgan pointed out that Michael would know something was wrong if Michael's allergy pills suddenly disappeared, but Kiki wondered if Morgan still had Michael's allergy pills.
Morgan confirmed the allergy pills were still in his possession, so Kiki suggested that she distract Michael while Morgan switched the pills. Morgan pointed out that Michael had left strict orders not to let Morgan into the Quartermaine mansion, but Kiki revealed that she had made a quick call to Rosalie, who had revealed that Michael was at ELQ.
At ELQ, Michael stared at the newspaper until he heard a knock at the door. He quickly set the newspaper down then pretended to be working as he rattled off some instructions for Rosalie. Michael was startled when he saw Sonny enter the office instead of Rosalie. Sonny explained that Rosalie had stepped away from the desk, so Sonny had let himself in. Michael glared at Sonny, but Sonny ignored Michael's hostility as he confessed that he was out of his mind with worry about his daughter. Sonny wanted Michael to look Sonny in the eyes and tell him that Michael hadn't taken Avery.
"A.J.," Michael corrected. Sonny accused Michael of seeking custody of Avery for all the wrong reasons, but Michael disagreed because Michael had wanted to keep his sister safe. Sonny switched tactics by assuring Michael that he would always love Michael because Michael was his son, but he needed to know if Michael had kidnapped the baby. Sonny knew that Michael had sought custody of Avery to punish Sonny, but Michael reiterated that he had wanted to keep his sister safe. Michael pointed out that Sonny had taken Michael's "real father" away from Michael, but at least Sonny could rest easy that Avery was safe.
Sonny was curious how Michael could know that, but Michael denied abducting Avery because it was not the way Michael operated. Michael became emotional as he confessed that he needed to believe that his sister was okay, or he would lose it. Michael explained that he saw Avery whenever he closed his eyes and felt her in his arms, so he was terrified that she hadn't been found. Sonny saw the truth in Michael's expression, so he admitted that he believed Michael. Michael assured Sonny that it was true, despite what Morgan might think.
Sonny defended Morgan by reminding Michael that Morgan was also concerned about Avery, but Michael insisted that Avery wouldn't have been kidnapped if it hadn't been for Morgan and Kiki. Sonny argued that CPS had been forced to take Avery because Michael had been so drunk that he could barely stand. "Except, that's not what happened," Sabrina said from the doorway as she held up the test results she had obtained from Felix. Sabrina explained that Michael's allergy pills had been switched with "alprazolam," so it was as if Michael had been given a "rufie."
Sonny was outraged that someone had drugged Michael, but he denied doing it. Sabrina suggested it might have been a mix-up at the pharmacy, but Michael was certain that the people responsible for switching out the medication had been in the restaurant before Michael had stumbled to the lobby. Michael stormed out of the office, determined to confront the people responsible for drugging him. Sonny and Sabrina followed Michael, but all three stopped short when Morgan and Kiki suddenly exited the elevator.
At ELQ, Sonny and Sabrina followed Michael to the reception area as Sonny promised that he hadn't ordered anyone to drug Michael. Michael believed Sonny because Michael knew the people responsible for switching Michael's allergy pills had been at the restaurant prior to Michael knocking over his sister's stroller. Just then, the elevator doors opened. As Morgan and Kiki stepped off the elevator, Michael growled that he knew what they had done, but Kiki nervously explained they were there to find out if there had been any word on Avery. Michael accused Morgan and Kiki of lying, so Sonny suggested that they return to Michael's office to discuss things in private.
Everyone filed into Michael's office, but tensions remained high as Michael held up his prescription bottle and accused Morgan and Kiki of drugging Michael with a rufie-like drug that had had an adverse reaction when mixed with alcohol. Morgan arrogantly advised Michael to talk to the pharmacist, but Michael was outraged that Morgan would drug his own brother to make Michael appear unfit to care for Avery. Morgan continued to deny tampering with Michael's allergy medication, but Michael wondered if Morgan and Kiki had considered the consequences if Michael had taken the pills and then had climbed behind the wheel of a car or how it might have endangered their sister if Michael had been holding her while under the influence of the drugs and alcohol.
Michael urged Morgan to be an adult and admit the truth, so Morgan turned to Sonny to ask if Sonny believed Michael's preposterous accusations. Morgan was furious when Sonny pointed out that someone had drugged Michael. Morgan tried to lie his way out of the situation by asking why he would deliberately put Avery at risk, but Michael wasn't fooled as he accused Morgan of always lying and creating messes that Morgan expected others to clean up. Sonny briefly wavered by suggesting that perhaps it had been a mix-up at the pharmacy, but Michael remained certain that Morgan had done the deed.
Michael recalled encountering Morgan at the Quartermaine mansion the very day the allergy medication had stopped working. Morgan scoffed that it wasn't proof of anything, but Michael reminded Morgan and Kiki how they each had worked hard to provoke Michael by acting like a happy couple in the restaurant. Morgan argued that they couldn't have known that Michael would begin drinking, but Michael disagreed because Michael and Morgan were brothers and knew each other well enough to know which buttons to push. Morgan decided he'd had enough, so he started to push past Michael, but Michael shoved Morgan hard enough to knock Morgan to the ground.
Everyone froze when a baggie filled with pills spilled out of Morgan's jacket. Michael demanded to know if Morgan and Kiki had intended to drug him again, so Morgan claimed the pills belonged to Morgan because Morgan had allergies too. "Since when, Morgan?" Sonny quietly asked. Michael realized that Morgan and Kiki had intended to cover their tracks by switching the pills again, so Sonny ordered Morgan to tell the truth. Morgan insisted it wasn't his fault, but Kiki warned Morgan that it was over.
Sonny was horrified when he realized what Morgan had done, so Sonny apologized to Michael for assuming Michael had a drinking problem. Morgan was incensed that he was once again the "eternal screw-up" in his father's eyes when all Morgan had tried to do was return Avery to Sonny. Michael warned Morgan that it would be on Morgan and Kiki if their sister was not found because Morgan and Kiki had removed the baby from the safety of Michael's care and had left her vulnerable at the hospital. Michael accused Morgan of being a "selfish, entitled idiot" who was capable of anything.
Suddenly, Michael wondered if Morgan had kidnapped their sister, but both Morgan and Kiki denied it. Sonny defended Morgan, while Kiki reminded Michael that she hadn't had any reason to resort to kidnapping Avery, since Kiki had been awarded temporary custody of the baby. Michael decided to let the police sort things out. Morgan seethed with rage as Kiki apologized for everything she had put Michael through.
After Morgan and Kiki left, Sonny confessed that regardless what happened, he knew that Avery would be safe with Michael. Michael agreed to let Sonny know if he heard anything about the baby, so Sonny left. Sabrina rubbed Michael's back to offer him comfort then fetched him some water. Michael thanked Sabrina for her unwavering support and for believing in him enough to clear his name. She conceded that what Morgan had done to Michael had been unfair, so Michael admitted that he no longer recognized his brother.
Sabrina suspected Morgan was jealous of Michael, but Michael assured her that Sonny and Carly loved Morgan as much as they did him. Sabrina argued that Morgan didn't appear to see things the same way, but Michael didn't care. He knew that Sonny had been deeply hurt by what Morgan had done because, despite everything, Sonny lived by a code. Michael switched gears by reiterating that he was certain Morgan and Kiki had the baby stashed somewhere.
At the hospital, Silas spotted Nathan at the nurses' station, so he approached the detective to ask if Nathan was there on official business. Nathan admitted that he was, but he assured Silas that he was not there for Silas. Nathan regretted bothering Silas in New York City, but Nathan was curious how Silas' patient fared and why it had been necessary to protect the person's identity. Silas carefully revealed that the patient had been a friend. Nathan noticed that Silas had referred to the woman in the past tense, so Silas explained that his friend had passed away.
Nathan offered his condolences to Silas and admitted that he could never do the kind of work that Silas did because cancer scared Nathan. Silas explained that he could only do his best with the resources available. Silas thought about the last time he'd talked to Ava when she had begged Silas to put her out of her agony, but Silas shook the unsettling memory away to thank Nathan for respecting Silas' friend's privacy. Nathan explained that it had been necessary, since the chances of finding Avery diminished the longer she remained missing.
Silas wondered if he was still a suspect in Avery's abduction, but Nathan admitted that Silas had never really been a suspect, except in Liesl's eyes, because she had hoped to deflect suspicion from Franco. Nathan excused himself because he had a meeting with his mother. According to Nathan, Liesl might have a lead on Avery, but he asked Silas not to say anything to Kiki, since many leads didn't pan out. Silas wished Nathan luck and added that he hoped Avery was found soon.
On pier 54, Bruce took aim at Jordan as Jordan suggested to Anna that the Jeromes might be gunning for Jordan, since she was a high-ranking member of Duke's organization. Anna noticed the gunman just as Bruce pulled the trigger, so Anna shoved Jordan out of the way and drew her weapon as she ducked for cover. Jordan twisted her ankle as she fell to the ground but managed to pull out her own gun and join Anna as Anna exchanged shots with the gunman. Anna gave chase, but Bruce managed to escape.
Moments later, Anna returned to check on Jordan. Jordan realized they had their answer about who Julian intended to kill. Anna assured Jordan that Sloane had been notified, but Jordan remained concerned for her life. Anna pointed out that Julian would want to lay low after the botched hit, so Jordan should be safe for a while.
At Metro Court, Carlos had Duke in the sights of a sniper rifle when Hayden suddenly entered the room. Hayden was startled when she saw the intruder, so she immediately grabbed her cell phone to call the police. Carlos held up his hands and quickly explained that he worked with Jake. Hayden relaxed slightly, apologized to the 9-1-1 operator, and ended the call. However, she demanded to know what Carlos was doing in her hotel room. Carlos claimed that he had gotten a housekeeper to let him in because he had wanted to discuss something with Jake.
Hayden sensed that Jake and Carlos weren't friends, since Carlos had been forced to go to such great lengths to talk to Jake. Carlos admitted that things had been strained between him and Jake, so Carlos had wanted to extend an olive branch to Jake, but Hayden was curious why Carlos had a gun.
At the auto shop, Jake answered a call from Sloane and quickly explained that he had nothing new to report because Julian had remained tightlipped about the hit. Jake's frustration mounted as he explained that he couldn't earn Julian's trust overnight, so it would take time. Eventually, Jake ended the call with Sloane, but his temper flared, prompting him to pick up a mug then violently throw it across the room just as Carly walked in.
Carly realized that Jake was upset, so she asked what was going on. Jake explained that Sloane had pressured Jake for information that Jake couldn't supply. Carly wanted to know the details, but Jake refused to involve Carly any more than he already had. Carly agreed to drop it because she wanted to talk to Jake about his "so-called wife." Jake's mood darkened because he was tired of Carly's constant accusations against Hayden, but Carly begged Jake to hear her out before dismissing her concerns. Jake reluctantly agreed, but Anna entered the shop before Carly could explain the reason for her visit.
Anna flashed her badge at Jake as she revealed that she had a few questions for him, starting with where Julian was. Jake told Anna that Julian had left earlier, and he ushered Carly out the door. Carly warned Jake that she would not let the matter drop, but she agreed to catch up with him later. After Carly left, Anna asked what Jake knew about the shooting on pier 54. Jake denied knowing about the shooting, but Anna wanted to know where he had been earlier.
Jake insisted that he had been at the shop, working, for hours, but Anna wondered if anyone could corroborate Jake's claim. Jake assured her that he hadn't left, so Anna admitted that she believed him because she had seen him in action and knew that he wouldn't have botched the hit. However, Anna was certain that Julian had hired Jake for Jake's skills with a gun rather than as a mechanic, but Jake explained that Julian had hired him to run the auto shop as a favor to Sam. Anna remained skeptical, so Jake advised her to take it up with Julian.
After Anna left, Carlos entered the garage and asked what Anna had been doing there. Jake revealed that Anna had asked about a shooting on the docks, so he was curious if Carlos knew anything about it. "Nope," Carlos answered, but he wondered what Jake had told Anna. Jake pointed out that he knew nothing, so Carlos advised Jake to keep it that way. Carlos changed the subject to tell Jake something, but Jake received a text message from Hayden asking to see him right away. Jake told Carlos that it would have to wait, and he left.
Later, Jake arrived at the hotel. He was surprised that Hayden had had the deadbolt in place, so she quickly ushered him inside then locked the door. Hayden filled him in about her encounter with Carlos but admitted that the man hadn't given her his name.
On pier 54, Anna spoke to Sloane on the phone as she collected bullet casings and looked for other evidence that might lead to the identity of the shooter. She was frustrated that his informant hadn't been of any help. Moments later, Anna spotted a large black button on the ground where the shooter had been standing.
On Metro Court Restaurant's terrace, Shawn was grateful that Duke had offered to pay T.J.'s tuition. T.J. stepped away to call his mother to share the good news, but the call went to voicemail. Duke's expression clouded with guilt as he listened, while T.J. repeatedly tried to reach Jordan on the phone, to no avail. Meanwhile, Shawn offered to stop by Julian's auto shop to rattle some cages in the hopes of finding out what Julian had planned.
Duke was shocked when T.J. suddenly spotted Jordan as she entered the restaurant. Duke watched quietly as T.J. called Jordan over and shared the good news about the tuition with her. Jordan thanked Duke for Duke's generosity, but Duke brushed it off. After T.J. left, Shawn demanded to know why Jordan had been limping. Jordan explained that she had twisted her ankle when one of Julian's men had tried to kill her. Duke feigned concern for Jordan, while Bruce carefully lurked in the background. Meanwhile, Shawn wondered why the Jeromes would target Jordan months after she had switched sides.
Duke suspected that Julian had hoped to use the element of surprise, and he invited Jordan to sit down. Jordan declined because she was too keyed up, so Shawn took her to the bar for a drink. Once Shawn and Jordan walked away, Duke signaled for Bruce to join him on the terrace. Duke demanded to know what had gone wrong, so Bruce explained that Jordan hadn't been alone. Duke was furious when Bruce admitted that Anna had been with Jordan.
At the elevator, Shawn confessed that it had scared him to realize how close he had been to losing Jordan. Jordan assured him that she was fine as they entered the elevator.
Later, Sonny approached the bar to talk to Carly. Carly immediately realized that something was wrong, so Sonny revealed that Morgan had been responsible for everything that had recently been going on with Michael.
Meanwhile, Morgan and Kiki returned to Silas' apartment. Morgan assured Kiki that he would take full responsibility if Michael carried through with the threat to report them to the police. Kiki was shocked when she suddenly saw her sister, Avery, happily sitting in the living room playpen.
