On the phone with Nathan, Dante instructed Nathan to keep him updated if anything happened with Sonny's case. Nathan entered Maxie's apartment and found her sitting on the couch, her sadness evident. He gave her a big, comforting hug as she summarized what she had witnessed that day. She told Nathan that she'd spent some time with Avery, which had made her realize how much she missed Georgie. She thought that no one would want to hear about her problems, but she was sad.
Maxie continued that she'd known Sonny and Carly for a long time, and she thought they deserved a chance at happiness. She wondered how bad the crime scene had been. Nathan replied that it had been "rough." He was just happy that Nina was free from prison and from Shadybrook. Maxie asked what Nina's plans were. Nathan had offered his place at Kelly's to her, but she was "determined" to go back to her suite at the Metro Court with Franco.
Maxie expressed her distaste at the mention of Franco. Nathan wasn't happy about it, either, but he acknowledged that Franco had "stepped up" for Nina. He cracked that Franco wasn't as bad as Ric. "All's well that ends well," Nathan said with a sigh. "Unless it doesn't," Maxie remarked. She remembered how beautiful Carly had looked, waiting to marry Sonny, until she'd gotten "the worst news of her life."
Crying, Elizabeth looked at the picture of her and Jason as Jake descended the stairs. "I have to tell you something," she told him. She assured a confused Jake that she loved him, and that everything she'd done had been done for him. "I've done something so terrible and dishonest," she began, expressing concern that it would destroy their relationship.
Elizabeth talked about Jason and how he'd had children with both Sam and Elizabeth. As she admitted that she'd never wanted Jason to be with Sam, there was a cry of "Mom!" from upstairs. Little Jake ran downstairs, citing a bad dream. He explained that, in his dream, Jake had gone away, and they were no longer a family. Jake promised that he'd always be there for Jake, his brothers, and Elizabeth. He admitted that he'd also had bad dreams, but he thought of all the good things in his life, and he felt better.
Elizabeth wanted to put her son back to bed, and he wondered if Jake could take him. Jake agreed and took the boy upstairs. A short while later, Jake sat next to Elizabeth on the front step. He promised that he wouldn't abandon her and that they were family. "You're all I got," he told her. "I've done something terrible to Sam," she said tearfully.
As Sam and Patrick talked about what had happened to Sonny, Dante entered. He asked Patrick for an update. Patrick informed him that they would have to wait until the morning to see how much Sonny had improved, but surgery was required as soon as possible. "He might not make it," Patrick warned Dante. Dante thanked Sam for riding in the ambulance with Sonny. Sam wondered if there were any updates on the case. He informed her that Julian had been on the pier around the time of the shooting and that Sam's father was "in lock-up." He left to check on Sonny.
Sam hoped that Julian had had nothing to do with the attack, but she didn't know what to believe. Patrick reminded Sam that she'd never told him how Jake had saved Sonny. "He killed three men," she stated. If it hadn't been for Jake, both Sonny and T.J. would have died, she told him. She continued that she and Jake had been on the pier to "bust Nikolas."
Patrick needed to check on Sonny. Sam asked Patrick to tell Carly that Sam was praying for Sonny. Sam was almost glad that Julian was locked up, because the police station was probably the safest place for him. Patrick sarcastically remarked that it was the "bright side" of things. Sam wanted to check on Emma and Danny and wished the best for Sonny.
Michael sat with Carly in the waiting area and picked up Sonny's jacket. A paper fell from the jacket, and Michael realized it was Sonny's vows. Carly wistfully talked about the future she and Sonny were supposed to share. Michael assured her that she and Sonny would still be getting married. He wondered if she wanted to read the vows.
Carly answered that, if she did read the vows, she wanted to be alone. She decided to go to the chapel and instructed Michael to get her if anything changed with Sonny. She told Michael that she couldn't have gotten through the tragedy without him. He promised that he wasn't going anywhere. "Neither is dad," he added. As Carly left, Dante arrived. He apologized for taking so long to get there, but he'd been "dealing with Julian."
Morgan sat next to Sonny. He promised to make things right and "make Julian pay. I'm gonna kill him." He knew that Julian would "finish you off" if he walked, so he wanted to get to Julian first in order keep Sonny safe. He vowed to be a better son and prayed that Sonny would be around to see it. Dante entered, and Morgan immediately asked about Julian. Dante informed Morgan that Julian was in jail, and Dante was doing his best to build a case against Julian. Morgan screamed the Julian would go free anyway and stormed out of the room.
Dante sat next to Sonny. He thought that Sonny knew better than to go into an ambush alone and unarmed. He wished that Sonny would call Dante "not as a son. As a cop," and trust Dante to have Sonny's back. He didn't want to lose Sonny and told his father that he loved him. However, he admitted to being "so angry I can't see straight."
Dante wondered if it was worth it for Sonny to put his life on the line for money, power, and control. He thought it was selfish of Sonny. He knew that Sonny would do anything for his kids, so he suggested that Sonny "try living and being a dad." Morgan blamed Julian for the shooting, but Dante blamed Sonny for choosing not to give up his chosen profession. Just then, the machines around Sonny began to beep out of control.
Morgan emerged from Sonny's hospital room and ranted about Julian paying for what he'd done. Michael assured Morgan that Julian would be punished, but they needed to focus on Sonny first. Michael ordered Morgan to calm down -- or see a psychiatrist. Just then, the brothers noticed the loud beeping sounding from Sonny's room. Dante ran out yelling for help as some nurses ran in. Morgan tried to go in, but Patrick stopped him and ran in himself.
As Ric arrived in front of his room at the Metro Court, he ranted on the phone to someone about how he, not Carly, was Sonny's "consiglieri." He was shocked to enter his room and see the crib right in the middle. Just then, he could hear a baby crying. "Something wrong?" Nina asked as she emerged from the bedroom. "Welcome to the madness, Lansing," Franco added, entering the room.
Nina informed Ric that she and Franco had been cleared of all charges, while they were about to put Ric in jail for plotting against Nina. She continued that they'd talked to a hotel employee who was willing to testify against Ric. Nina produced some paperwork and advised him to sign if he wanted to stay out of jail. Franco explained that it was an annulment, which included giving up any rights to Nina and her money. She thanked him for his persistence in getting her access to her money.
After finally being convinced, Ric grabbed the pen out of Franco's hand and signed the papers. "I have one question. Did you ever love me?" Nina wondered. Ric stammered, trying to think of an answer, but Nina laughed and said that she had been "totally kidding. It was worth it to see what you came up with."
Ric tried to kick Franco and Nina out, but Nina reminded him that the suite was hers. Franco informed him that all of his things were downstairs. Ric finally left, and Franco and Nina happily slammed the door behind him. Franco and Nina relaxed on the couch, happy to finally be free of Ric and Madeline. "Now what?" she wondered. "Now this," he replied, and the two shared a kiss.
Carly sat in the chapel and prayed for Sonny. She lit a candle and asked aloud if she should read the vows he'd written. On one hand, reading the vows could help her picture Sonny saying the words, which would convince her that he would one day say them to her for real. On the other hand, she wondered if reading the vows would be the "first step in letting go." She decided that she wanted to know what Sonny would have said, and she unfolded the paper.
Sonny had written that there had been so many times when he'd sworn that he was "done with you forever." However, he'd always felt like something was missing when they weren't together. "Shaking you is like tearing a piece of my own heart out," he'd written. He knew that they'd had "terrible times, but when it's good, it's like heaven on earth." He thought she was "worth dealing with the storms." He had concluded that, "I don't know what's gonna happen. If I die tomorrow, I'll be a happy man, because I spent the last day of my life with you."
Carly thought back to some of her and Sonny's ups and downs throughout the years. She agreed that there was something missing when they weren't together, and that shaking him was like tearing a piece of her own heart out. She begged him not to back out and to fulfill his promise to spend their lives together. Just then, Michael burst into the chapel and yelled, "Mom! Dad needs you!"
In Nathan's bedroom, an exhausted Maxie flopped down on the bed as she confessed that she would love to be able to shut out the world. Nathan pointed out that it wasn't practical, but Maxie wished that she and Nathan could have a week without bad things happening, pretty things getting ruined, or people being shot. Maxie opened up about how Jake had callously broken the news to Carly about Sonny's shooting without even advising Carly to sit down. Nathan explained that not everyone had the "gift" for managing people the way that Maxie did, but Maxie just wanted things to work out for Sonny and Carly the same as they had for Nathan and Maxie.
Nathan kissed Maxie then complimented her dress. Maxie confessed that she needed a shower because both Rocco and Avery had turned her designer dress into a "baby bib." Nathan admitted that he could use a shower, too, because he had spent the day crawling around a filthy warehouse that had had three dead men in it. Stunned, Maxie asked what Nathan was talking about, so he told her about Jake's heroic rescue. Maxie wondered if she was the only person who considered Jake too dangerous to walk around.
Maxie was surprised that Sam would be around someone who appeared to be as dangerous as Jason had been, but Nathan defended Jake because Jake's actions had saved both T.J. and Sonny from certain death. Maxie conceded that Jake had done the right thing, but she would never forget that he had also nearly killed Nathan. Nathan admitted that he doubted Jake had tried to kill him because Jake was too good of a shot to have not succeeded. Maxie was unmoved by the argument, but she feared that Nathan's luck might run out one day as it had for Jason and likely Sonny. Nathan argued that Jason and Sonny's situations were a reminder for them to cherish each moment they had because things could change in an instant.
At the penthouse, Sam was alarmed when she saw Ric seated on the sofa with Danny, watching television. She immediately demanded to know what Ric was doing there. He joined her in the foyer to explain that Danny had woken up. Ric added that he had decided to invite Danny to watch cartoons because Molly had had her hands full helping T.J. though the ordeal of the day's events. Sam was not pleased that Danny had been spending time with Ric. Ric was curious if she was knocking Phineas and Ferb or angry that her own adventures had been overshadowed by those of an "animated platypus." Sam wasn't amused, but she asked one last time why Ric was there.
Ric admitted that Nina had thrown him out. Sam didn't feel sorry for him, since people were dealing with far worse. Ric knew she was referring to his brother, and he acknowledged that he'd had a complicated history with his brother. However, Ric cared about Sonny and was worried about his brother, but Carly had completely shut Ric out. Ric conceded that Carly had reason to despise him, but he was frustrated that he couldn't get any information about Sonny's condition. Sam took pity on Ric and updated him on what she knew.
Ric was grateful for the information, but Sam explained that she had done it to keep Ric from returning to the hospital. Sam saw the true concern in Ric's expression, so she added that Sonny was in good hands with Patrick. She also reminded Ric that Sonny was both a fighter and resilient. Ric agreed, but he was concerned about why Sonny had gone to the warehouse unarmed without any backup. Ric insisted that it hadn't been like Sonny, who had always been ten steps ahead of everyone.
Ric pointed out that Sonny wouldn't have done something that dangerous five years earlier. Sam agreed because Sonny would have had Jason take care of the problem. Ric argued that Jason hadn't been irreplaceable then quickly pointed to Jake as an example. Sam conceded that Jake had fearlessly entered the warehouse, unarmed, then had quickly killed the gunmen in under a minute, just as Jason would have done, but Jake had done it for different reasons than Jason would have.
Sam explained that Jason would have done anything for Sonny, while Jake had acted on instinct. Sam confided that she had talked to Jake about Jason on the very spot where Jason had vanished. Ric asked if she was okay. Sam assured him that she was fine, but it had been a long day. She tensed when Ric remarked that it seemed like old times. He quickly clarified that he hadn't been making light of what had happened to Sonny, but Sam had been witness to an act of violence, which had occurred often when Sam had been with Jason.
Sam resented Ric's comment, and she ordered him to leave. Ric agreed, but first he asked to say goodbye to Molly and T.J. Sam reluctantly granted him permission. After Ric went upstairs, Sam pulled out a photo album filled with pictures of her and Jason.
At the Webber residence, Jake joined Elizabeth as she sat on the front steps of her porch. She quietly asked if little Jake was asleep. Jake assured her that her middle son had fallen asleep right away. Elizabeth was relieved as she admitted that Jake was exactly what little Jake had needed. Jake promised that he had no intentions of ever abandoning her or the boys, regardless what she had to tell him, so she could confide to him without worry because he was there to stay.
Elizabeth's eyes filled with tears as she confessed that she had done something to Sam, which had also affected Danny. Jake admitted that he knew Elizabeth and Sam weren't close friends, but he had seen how both women had made an effort to get along for the sake of their children. Elizabeth appeared to hesitate, so Jake reiterated that he loved her, and nothing she told him could change that. Elizabeth's eyes filled with tears as she opened up to him about how Danny had been switched at birth with a stillborn child. Jake was shocked that Sam had thought that Danny had died, but Elizabeth clarified that Jason had suspected the truth and had turned to Elizabeth for help with a DNA test.
Elizabeth admitted that she had changed the results of the test because she had feared that Jason would go back to Sam if Jason had known that Danny was Sam's son. She confessed that she had lied because she had wanted Jason for herself. However, Elizabeth had been racked with guilt, so she had told Jason and Sam the truth within a few days. Jake assured Elizabeth that he didn't think less of her because it had been a temporary lapse in judgment, which she had quickly rectified.
Jake was curious why Elizabeth had told him. She explained that she couldn't help but wonder if things might have turned out differently if Jason and Sam had had a chance to be a family with Danny a little longer. Jake refused to allow Elizabeth to blame herself for Jason's choices because Jason had made the decision to go to the pier that fateful night. Elizabeth cried as she continued to express her remorse for deceiving Jason. Jake asked if Jason had loved Elizabeth. She tearfully confessed that she hoped he had. Jake assured her that Jason would not want her to beat herself up.
Elizabeth insisted that it was important for Jake to know what kind of woman he intended to marry. She reminded him that she had done terrible things, but Jake argued that he wasn't in a position to judge because of the things he had done since waking up in Port Charles, including killing three men earlier that evening. According to Jake, all that mattered was that she had told the truth in the end and had set things straight. He admitted that part of the reason he loved Elizabeth was that it wasn't in her nature to maintain a lie.
Elizabeth flinched with guilt as she confessed that she didn't deserve Jake. Jake disagreed, but he advised her to accept that they were together for life. Elizabeth offered Jake a watery smile as she confessed that she liked the sound of that. Jake returned the smile when she invited him to join her in bed.
At the hospital, Patrick and his medical team worked furiously to save Sonny's life. Eventually, they resorted to using a defibrillator in an attempt to start Sonny's heart.
In the waiting area, Morgan was agitated and paced as Michael and Carly approached. Dante quickly explained that Sonny had gone into crisis during Dante's visit with Sonny. Morgan added that Patrick had been working on Sonny. Morgan was desperate for news, but Dante urged Morgan to calm down. Moments later, Patrick joined the family to give them an update.
Patrick revealed that Sonny's heart had stopped, and Patrick suspected the reason was that the bullet had shifted. Patrick explained that he had ordered more scans to assess the situation, but he warned the family that he might have to operate right away. Morgan argued that Patrick had advised against surgery because Sonny hadn't been strong enough, but Patrick calmly pointed out that the situation might have changed.
Carly sat down as Morgan continued to pace the waiting area. Michael seized the opportunity to pull Dante aside to let Dante know that Michael had increased the guards around their father's home. Michael asked Dante to have a patrol car keep an eye on things even though Michael doubted that anyone would try to make another move against Sonny, especially at Greystone Manor. Dante assured Michael that it wouldn't be a problem because Jordan had already ordered a patrol car to check the house every half hour out of concern for T.J.
However, Dante was curious if Michael suspected Julian of orchestrating the kidnapping and shooting. Michael admitted that he wasn't certain, since Sonny had a lot of enemies. Dante agreed, but he was impressed by how calm Michael sounded. Dante also noticed that Michael had referred to Sonny as "Dad." Michael filled Dante in about Ric's visit and the heated exchange between Michael and Ric, which had made things simple and clear to Michael, especially after Michael had seen Sonny in the trauma room.
Michael explained that he had realized that Sonny had always been -- and would be -- his father. Michael couldn't judge or punish their father; he could only love Sonny the same way that Sonny loved Michael. Dante wished it could be that easy for him to get past the anger of Sonny's choices and accept their father the way that Michael had. Dante realized that his father could be dying, yet Dante had never taken the time to tell Sonny half the things that Dante had wanted to. Dante promised that he respected their father and regretted criticizing the way Sonny was, but Michael assured Dante that Sonny knew and loved Dante.
Moments later, Sabrina arrived. Michael warmly greeted her with a kiss and a hug before he gave her an update on Sonny's condition. Morgan continued to complain about the wait, but Carly assured Morgan that Patrick was doing the best that he could. Morgan wasn't satisfied because Sonny might be dying. Carly tried to calm Morgan down, but he remained tense until Patrick returned with an update. Patrick confirmed that the bullet had moved close to the heart, which meant that time was of the essence.
Patrick explained that the bullet had a jagged edge, which might knick the aorta at any time. Patrick conceded that Sonny was weak, so it was up to the family to make the decision. Patrick left Carly and Sonny's sons to talk it over. Carly decided that Dante, Michael, and Morgan should make the call. Morgan argued for Sonny to have the surgery, but both Dante and Michael seemed reluctant because they felt that Sonny would want Carly to make the decision. Morgan conceded that his brothers were right. Carly went to check on Sonny.
Patrick and the medical team gave Carly some privacy when she entered the trauma room. After they left, Carly sat next to Sonny. She tearfully told him that his sons were trying to figure out a way to save Sonny's life then she smiled because each son reminded her of Sonny. Carly explained that Dante had Sonny's strength and fairness, Morgan was filled with Sonny's fire and volatility, while Michael refused to give in to his fear because he was focused on taking care of the family. Carly realized that Dante, Michael, and Morgan had been right about Sonny wanting her to make the decision because she would want Sonny to do the same to spare their children any guilt in case things went wrong.
Carly admitted that she knew what had to be done because it was what she would want if she were in Sonny's place. She kissed him gently on the forehead then stepped into the waiting area to tell Patrick to proceed with the surgery. Carly, Dante, Michael, and Morgan returned to Sonny's side to spend time with him before the surgery.
Patrick took a moment to call Sam to update her on Sonny's condition and let her know that he would be in the operating room for the rest of the night. Sam assured him that Emma was spending the night at Mac and Felicia's and that she would be heading home with Danny soon. She offered Patrick words of encouragement and added that she loved him.
At the penthouse, Sam ended the call with Patrick then glanced down at the photo album in her lap, which had been turned to a page of her and Jason smiling for the camera.
At the hospital, Carly, Dante, Michael, and Morgan watched as Sonny was taken to surgery. Michael hugged his mother then gently told her that they could only hope for the best.
In lockup, Ava demanded to talk to her attorney, but her request went unanswered until Scott strolled up to Ava's jail cell. Ava glared at Scott as she ordered him to leave and to take his "smirk" with him, but he informed her that he was her new attorney. Ava argued that her brother had already retained Diane Miller's services, but Scott clarified that Julian had his own legal troubles to worry about. Ava wondered what Scott was talking about, so he told her about Julian's arrest for shooting Sonny.
Ava immediately asked about Avery, so Scott assured her that the baby was unharmed. However, he warned Ava that Sonny's condition was bad enough that the people at the courthouse had their fingers crossed that their workload would soon be cut in half, while the police department faced numerous layoffs if Sonny died. Ava ignored the wisecracks as she worried about Morgan. Scott revealed that the family was at the hospital, keeping vigil, rather than celebrating Sonny and Carly's nuptials. Ava perked up when she realized that Sonny hadn't married Carly.
Ava recalled Julian's recent visit when she had implored him to find a way to stop the wedding before Carly became Ava's stepmother. "Well, I'll be damned. He really did it," Ava muttered. Scott demanded to know if she knew anything about Sonny's shooting, but Ava didn't trust Scott. She reminded him that Diane was her attorney, but he explained that Diane had ripped up Julian's check and had asked Scott to represent Ava because Diane wanted nothing to do with the Jeromes.
Ava was surprised, but Scott pointed out that Diane had been dating Max Giambetti. who worked for Sonny. Ava questioned why Scott would want to help her after what she had done to Franco. He conceded that he wasn't pleased that she had lied to his son for twenty years about Kiki's paternity and had blackmailed Franco with incriminating pictures of Nina, but everything had worked out in the end, and Scott didn't have any qualms about getting into bed with Sonny's enemies. Ava thought it was pointless to defend her, since the prosecution had the recording of her confession, but Scott confided that he had taken the damaging evidence with him when he had been fired.
Scott explained that he had kept the recording to motivate him to keep going after Sonny, so Sonny would one day pay for what Sonny had done to Scott's daughter Karen. Ava was curious what Scott wanted in exchange for the recording. He offered to sell it to Ava for $5,000,000. Ava laughed, but Scott warned her that the longer he held on to the damaging evidence, the more likely the police would track it to him and force him to return it. Ava agreed to pay for the recording, but she demanded that Scott represent her when she fought Sonny and Carly for custody of Avery.
In the squad room, Nathan barked instructions into the phone for the lab to call as soon as the results were available then ended the call. Valerie approached Nathan's desk to hand him the cell phone company's records of Charlie's calls and warn him that Ava had been demanding to see her attorney, but Nathan didn't care, since Ava had had her phone call and would be convicted of Connie's murder, escaping from Pentonville, and being an accessory after the fact to Avery's abduction. Nathan changed the subject by asking Valerie to keep an eye out for the results of the gunpowder residue test on Julian's clothing because Nathan hoped it would tie Julian to Sonny's shooting and give Sonny's family some peace.
Later, Nathan determined that Charlie's phone records wouldn't be any help because Charlie's associates had used burner phones. Valerie reminded Nathan that Charlie had claimed to have answered to Julian, but Nathan argued that they'd only had Charlie's word for it. Valerie hoped that the lab would be able to link Julian to the shooting, but she decided to go to the hospital to update Dante. Valerie grabbed her purse and a sweater, but Nathan advised Valerie to leave Dante alone and let Dante focus on his family. "I am family -- extended family, anyway," Valerie replied with a defensive tone.
Nathan argued that telling Dante that Julian might not remain locked up in jail wouldn't help anyone. Valerie sensed Nathan had an issue with her personally, so he admitted that Dante had confided to him about sleeping with her. Hurt, Valerie explained that she and Dante had agreed never to discuss it, but Nathan was concerned about the way Valerie acted around Dante. Valerie wondered what he meant, so he pointed out that her first instinct had been to run to Dante with an update about the investigation, and she had recently "flipped out" when she had seen Dante's shirt covered in blood.
Valerie insisted that it had been a normal reaction, but Nathan easily saw through the lie. Defeated, Valerie confessed that she had feelings for Dante. She explained that it had been difficult for her not to get attached to someone who had been there for her when her world had fallen apart. Nathan conceded that he and Maxie had gotten together under similar circumstances. He empathized with Valerie's situation. Valerie assured Nathan that she knew her feelings weren't reciprocated because Lulu and Rocco were Dante's world.
Valerie promised that she didn't want Dante to lose what was important to him. Nathan admitted that he wanted Valerie to be happy. However, he believed it would be best for the affair to remain in the past and for Valerie to move forward. He suggested that things might work out between Valerie and Dillon. "Maybe," Valerie answered without conviction as Nathan answered the phone.
Meanwhile, Julian languished in jail until Lucas approached the cell. Lucas demanded to know if Julian was the reason that Sonny was fighting for his life in the hospital. Julian denied any involvement in the shooting, but Lucas was skeptical because the police had arrested Julian. Julian argued that Dante had detained Julian because Olivia had seen Julian on the piers before Sonny's shooting. Lucas conceded that it was weak evidence, but Lucas wanted proof of his father's innocence.
Julian insisted that Dante had a vendetta against Julian, but Julian was confident that the charges would never hold up in court if they weren't dropped before the arraignment. "Whether you did it or not," Lucas said with disgust. Frustrated, Julian wondered how he could convince his son of the truth, but Lucas reminded Julian that Julian had a history of lying about leaving the mob. Julian argued that he had been forced to return to the mob because Luke had pulled Julian's strings. Lucas wasn't satisfied because Carly's happy day had turned into a nightmare.
Lucas told Julian about what Carly and Sonny's sons were going through as Sonny battled to stay alive. Julian admitted that he hoped Sonny would pull through for the family's sake, but Lucas remained upset because Lucas had seen a parade of victims from violent crimes in the emergency room each day. Lucas feared that it might be Julian who would one day arrive in the ER with a life-threatening injury as a result of the mob war. Lucas warned his father that Sonny's people already believed that Julian had pulled the trigger. Julian tried to brush off Lucas' concerns, but Lucas resented his father's cavalier attitude.
Julian promised that he would be careful. However, Julian pointed out that it wouldn't have made sense for him to hire someone to kill Sonny and then loiter near the warehouse right before the attempt on Sonny's life. Lucas wondered if they would find any evidence linking Julian to the crime, but Julian assured Lucas that the police wouldn't find anything because Julian hadn't been involved. Lucas admitted that Sam was also concerned about Julian. Julian agreed that both of his children were right; Sonny's men would likely want to retaliate against Julian for Sonny's shooting.
Julian promised that he could take care of himself. Moments later, Nathan arrived to release Julian from jail.
At the hospital, Lulu was on the phone with Maxie, requesting that Maxie watch Rocco a little longer. After Maxie agreed, Lulu revealed that there hadn't been an update on Sonny's condition. Olivia approached as Lulu ended the call and handed Lulu a cup of coffee. Olivia explained that she had already delivered coffee to Carly and the boys in the Intensive Care Unit's waiting room. Lulu asked how everyone had been holding up. According to Olivia, Morgan had worn a hole in the carpet, Carly was attempting to remain sane, and Michael was determined to be strong for the family.
Olivia asked about Dante. Lulu revealed that Dante was in the chapel. Olivia worried about her son because he had always hidden his pain behind a stoic veneer. Lulu agreed and decided it was time for her to be strong for Dante. Relieved, Olivia hugged Lulu as she expressed gratitude that Lulu was her daughter-in-law. Afterwards, Olivia decided to return to the ICU to check on Sonny.
In the chapel, Dante prayed for Sonny's life to be spared then begged God for forgiveness. Dante realized that he hadn't been in any position to judge his father when Dante had cheated on his wife. Dante promised that he loved Lulu and wanted to do right by both his wife and son. He claimed that he had never intended to dishonor his wedding vows, but he had allowed his anger and jealousy to get the best of him. Dante admitted that he had lashed out when he had felt his family slipping away because he had suspected Lulu of cheating.
Dante asked for guidance because he wanted to be the husband that Lulu deserved, but he wondered if he could be forgiven for what he had done. Dante was startled when he suddenly heard Lulu call out his name from the doorway. Dante immediately asked if Sonny was out of surgery, but Lulu shook her head. She handed him a cup of coffee, compliments of his mother, then expressed concern because she had heard what Dante had said about needing forgiveness.
Dante claimed that he had been referring to how he had talked to Sonny before Sonny's heart had stopped. He confided that he had blasted his father instead of offering Sonny words of encouragement, which he suspected had stopped Sonny's heart. Lulu refused to allow Dante to blame himself, since Sonny's heart had stopped because the bullet in Sonny had shifted. Lulu promised that Dante had no reason to beat himself up, but Dante disagreed. However, Olivia returned to announce that Sonny was out of surgery.
In the ICU's waiting room, Morgan was tired of waiting for an update on Sonny's surgery, so he decided to go to the operating room to check for himself. Carly tried to calm Morgan down, but Morgan became increasingly agitated because he couldn't understand why Patrick hadn't finished removing the bullet. Michael warned Morgan that it would be reckless to enter the operating room because Morgan would contaminate a sterile environment and endanger Sonny's life. Morgan wasn't satisfied and continued to complain until Michael's temper exploded.
Michael explained that the bullet had ripped through Sonny's body before it had lodged next to the spine, so Patrick had to repair all the damage to Sonny's internal organs. Morgan belligerently continued to argue until Carly told Morgan that she'd had enough. She told both her sons that all they could do was wait, but Morgan recalled his vow to Sonny about killing Julian. "You're wrong about that," Morgan replied. Carly feared that Morgan still intended to storm the operating room, but Olivia walked up to ask if there had been an update.
Carly revealed that Sonny was still in surgery, which surprised Olivia because it had been a long time. Morgan felt vindicated and announced that it was time to take action. Olivia quickly clarified that she hadn't meant it like that, but the argument became moot when Patrick joined the family to announce that the surgery had been a success. Relieved, Morgan hugged Patrick in gratitude. Patrick cautioned the family that Sonny was not out of the woods because there was significant swelling around Sonny's spine, so they had to wait a few days before they could assess the damage.
Later, Sonny's loved ones watched through a window as Sonny was settled in a hospital room. Patrick explained that the family could have brief visits with Sonny, but only one person at a time. Dante, Michael, and Morgan agreed that Carly should be the first. Carly braced herself and entered the hospital room.
Morgan pulled Dante aside to make it clear that he expected Dante to remind Jordan that Sonny had warned her about the threat that Julian posed. Morgan angrily blamed the police for Sonny's brush with death because the police hadn't acted fast enough to lock Julian up. Dante assured Morgan that Julian wasn't going anywhere. Moments later, Valerie walked up and apologized for intruding but explained that she had bad news. Morgan was livid when Valerie revealed that Julian had been cut loose because there hadn't been sufficient evidence to charge Julian with shooting Sonny.
In Sonny's hospital room, Carly closed the door and sat next to Sonny's bed. She told Sonny that everyone was there for him. She realized that she should have trusted him to survive the surgery instead of worrying that he wouldn't. However, she begged Sonny for a sign that he would be okay. She implored him to open his eyes. Moments later, Sonny's eyes slowly opened.
At the penthouse, Sam called her father to congratulate him on getting out of jail. She admitted that she had heard the news from Lucas. Julian promised that he had intended to call Sam after he cleaned up and settled in. The conversation shifted to Sonny. Julian assured Sam that he hadn't been involved in Sonny's shooting, but she warned him that everyone close to Sonny believed otherwise. Julian insisted that he could take care of himself as he quietly slid a magazine clip into a gun.
Julian told Sam that he loved her then promised to call her back before quickly ended the call. Meanwhile, Molly had entered the dining room. Molly realized that Sam had been talking to Julian, so she asked if it was true that Julian had been released from jail. Sam explained that the police hadn't had sufficient evidence to charge Julian with shooting Sonny. Molly scoffed because it hadn't absolved Julian of responsibility. Sam conceded that Julian had done some terrible things, but Sam was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.
Molly refused to extend Julian the same courtesy, but the discussion abruptly ended when Alexis arrived home with Kristina in tow. Molly squealed with delight as she ran to hug Kristina, while Alexis and Sam watched the reunion with matching smiles. Molly thought Kristina looked beautiful. Kristina quipped that perhaps being dumped had agreed with her. Next, Kristina hugged her eldest sister as Alexis thanked Sam for the phone call about Sonny.
Kristina revealed that Michael had been updating her through the night via text messages, so Kristina knew that Patrick had successfully removed the bullet and saved Sonny's life. Kristina was grateful for Patrick's help, but she was curious if there had been any leads in the investigation. Molly revealed that many believed that Julian had shot Sonny. Sam acknowledged that Julian had been on the piers minutes before the shooting but added that there hadn't been any evidence tying Julian to the crime.
Molly felt vindicated when Kristina pointed out that it wasn't proof that Julian hadn't pulled the trigger. Alexis insisted that Julian had left the mob, but Kristina wondered if Sam and Alexis believed Julian, since he had lied in the past. Sam and Alexis defended Julian, but Molly argued that Julian could not be trusted. Alexis suggested that she and her daughters each agree to love and support each other -- despite their differences -- and focus on the joy of being reunited. Alexis opened her arms as she invited her daughters to join her for a group hug.
The sisters happily complied, but Kristina was the first to pull away because she was anxious to get to the hospital to check on her father and brothers. After Kristina left, Molly announced that she had plans to meet a study partner. Alexis was disappointed because she had wanted to hear about Molly's first day of college. Molly promised to tell her mother all about it when Molly returned. After Molly left, Alexis questioned why Molly would have a study partner so early in the school year.
Sam believed Molly's excuse, but she also suspected that her sister had wanted to avoid another argument about Julian. Alexis was curious what Sam thought about Julian's denials of involvement. Sam admitted that it didn't matter, since everyone connected to Sonny thought Julian was guilty.
At the Jerome apartment, Julian ended the call with Sam then disappeared into the bathroom. A short time later, he returned to the living room, freshly showered and changed. He turned on the television to a news report about Ava's pretrial hearing. The reporter quoted Ava as having said that she was confident that justice would be served. Julian turned off the television as his phone rang. It was Ava. She explained that she had heard about his release from jail, but Julian was curious what Ava was doing in court.
Ava quickly filled her brother in about Scott's surprising offer to represent her in court to spite Sonny and the shocking revelation that Scott had kept the flash drive with her incriminating confession. Ava grinned as she advised her brother to get her bedroom ready because she would be home within hours. She confided that her first order of business would be to get her daughter back from Sonny while Sonny was down. Ava was curious if Julian would be home when she arrived, but he had no idea because he had a sticky situation to deal with.
After Ava was forced to end the call, Julian grabbed his loaded gun as someone knocked on the door. It was Alexis. Julian tucked the gun away then quickly opened the door and pulled Alexis into the apartment. The couple hugged until Alexis pulled away to tell him that Kristina had returned to Port Charles with her to be with Sonny. Julian revealed that he was a marked man, even though he hadn't been responsible in any way for Sonny's shooting.
Julian announced that he had to go into hiding until the police found the shooter, but Alexis objected because Julian's trial was fast approaching. She warned him that he would be considered a fugitive if he failed to show for his trail. Julian was confident that the police would find the shooter before the trial started, but Alexis remained uneasy. Julian surprised Alexis by inviting her to go into hiding with him because he feared that Alexis might be used as bait to get to him -- the same way T.J. had been used to get to Sonny.
Alexis was confident that Sonny would never harm her, but Julian remained concerned for Alexis' safety. Alexis reminded him that she had Molly and Kristina to consider, but Julian explained that her daughters could stay with Sam. Julian implored Alexis to agree because he didn't think he could live without her.
In the squad room, Ric grabbed his briefcase and started to leave, but he bumped into Dante as Dante arrived. Ric explained that he was on his way to a pretrial hearing for Ava. Dante was curious why it was necessary. Ric had no idea, but he was confident that he wouldn't have a problem convicting Ava, since he had Ava's confession, and she had retained Scott to represent her. Ric considered Scott an incompetent attorney. He intended to push for the earliest trial date possible and to send Ava to jail as a get well gift to Sonny. Ric asked Dante to assure Sonny that Ava would never have an opportunity to go after Avery.
Dante was certain that his father would appreciate it. Ric asked how Sonny was. Dante gave Ric an update but questioned if Ric truly cared about Sonny or if Ric was pretending to care in an effort to get close to Sonny. Ric resented the question because Sonny was his brother. He was certain that Dante would one day get knocked off his high pedestal, and he warned his nephew that Dante was in for a very long fall. Ric abruptly changed the subject by ordering Dante to gather sufficient evidence so Ric could prosecute the shooter, and he left.
A short time later, Ric entered the courtroom. Scott snickered to Ava that Ric looked as if his cat had died. After Judge Chua called the proceedings to order, Ric asked for a continuance. Scott objected because Ava had been waiting two years for an opportunity to clear her name. Ric argued that Ava had prolonged things by escaping from jail, but Scott countered that it had been the act of a desperate woman falsely accused of murder. Ric laughed because he had Ava's confession on tape, but the judge warned both men to rein themselves in because she refused to allow her courtroom to be turned into a circus.
Scott demanded to know why Ric wanted a continuance, so Ric was forced to admit that the flash drive with Ava's confession had been temporarily lost. Ric explained that his office had been recently searched because of his connection to Madeline Reeves, but he quickly added that Scott had checked the flash drive out of the Evidence Room and had kept it in the district attorney's office. Scott resented the implication that he'd had anything to do with the flash drive's disappearance, but the judge appeared to have the same doubts that Ric had. However, she reluctantly agreed to grant Scott's request to dismiss the charges against Ava.
Ava whooped with joy, but Judge Chua warned Ava that the charges had been dismissed with prejudice, which meant that the charges could be reinstated if the flash drive resurfaced. Ava wasn't concerned as she hugged Scott in gratitude. After everyone left the courtroom, Ric called Mayor Lomax to report what had transpired in court. Lomax was not pleased, but Ric insisted that he had no idea where the flash drive had vanished to.
A short time later, Scott and Ava approached his hotel room. Scott warned her that he wanted the money that she had promised him. Ava pulled out her phone and readily agreed to have the money wired from her off-shore account to an account of Scott's choosing. Scott entered the hotel room with Ava close behind him, but they both froze when they realized it had been ransacked.
At the hospital, Lulu and Valerie stood away from the others as Lulu confided that she was concerned about Dante. Lulu explained that Dante blamed himself for Sonny's heart stopping, but Valerie refused to believe that Dante had been responsible. Lulu agreed, since the bullet shifting had caused Sonny's heart to stop. However, Lulu had found her husband in the chapel, begging God for forgiveness.
Lulu admitted that it was out of character for Dante because he usually had a better hold on himself. Valerie looked away with a guilty expression, but Lulu didn't notice. Lulu admitted that she wished Dante had had an opportunity to visit with Sonny before returning to work, but Dante had been determined to build a case against Sonny's shooter. Valerie confessed that she had been upset when Julian had been released from jail when the lab had failed to find gunshot residue on Julian's clothes. Valerie couldn't imagine how Dante and his brothers felt about the turn of events.
Valerie glanced at Morgan as she admitted that it appeared Sonny's youngest son had taken the shooting the hardest. Lulu nodded absently because she remained concerned about Dante. Valerie decided to return to work. Lulu offered to go with her because Lulu wanted to check on Dante.
In the squad room, Nathan greeted Dante and asked about Sonny. Dante gave his partner an update, but Nathan noticed that Dante hadn't slept. Dante explained that he needed to focus on work. Nathan revealed that he had intended to call Dante with the news about Julian, but Valerie had insisted on delivering it in person. Dante appreciated that Valerie had been trying to be supportive, but she was a constant reminder of how Dante had betrayed his wife. Nathan reminded Dante that there had been extenuating circumstances that had led to Dante sleeping with Valerie, but Dante regretted that he hadn't trusted Lulu.
Dante confessed that the guilt had been weighing heavily on him, and he had nearly told Lulu the truth. Nathan was curious what had stopped Dante. Dante explained that they had received news that Sonny had gotten out of surgery. Dante confided that he felt terrible for having judged his father for cheating on Olivia when Dante had done far worse by being unfaithful to his wife. Nathan argued that Dante wasn't a criminal, but Dante insisted that he had never thought he would be capable of betraying the woman he loved.
Dante hated himself for cheating on Lulu, but he was afraid to tell Lulu the truth because he might lose her and rip Rocco's family apart. Nathan questioned if Dante could live with the guilt of keeping the secret, but Dante suggested that perhaps it was the price he had to pay for what he had done. Dante decided to focus on being the husband and father that his family deserved, especially since Valerie had moved on with Dillon.
Nathan recalled his conversation with Valerie when she had confided that she still had feelings for Dante. However, Lulu and Valerie entered the squad room before Nathan could tell Dante. Dante quickly greeted his wife with a hug as Valerie watched. Lulu offered Dante words of encouragement until he admitted that he didn't know what he would do without her. Valerie looked away when Dante and Lulu kissed.
Nathan noticed Valerie's reaction, and he quietly asked if she was okay. Valerie worried that Nathan might have mentioned to Dante that she had feelings for Dante, but Nathan assured her that he hadn't. Valerie begged Nathan not to breathe a word of her unrequited feelings because Dante had enough on his plate.
At the hospital, T.J. told Michael about Sonny's heroic actions in the warehouse. Michael assured T.J. that Sonny would recover, so T.J. relaxed. Morgan remained hostile as he questioned T.J. about Julian's involvement in the shooting. T.J. explained that Charlie had been careful not to name his boss and that T.J. hadn't seen the shooter. Morgan wasn't satisfied because he believed that T.J. owed Sonny.
Michael quickly intervened by ordering Morgan to back off. T.J. reiterated that he couldn't say for certain if Julian had shot Sonny. Morgan made a snide remark, and T.J. excused himself and left. Michael reminded Morgan that T.J. couldn't tell them what Morgan wanted to hear because T.J. hadn't heard or seen anything that would link Julian to the crime. Morgan remained convinced that Julian had shot their father. Michael suggested that Morgan focus on their father's recovery.
Moments later, Kristina approached her brothers. Michael gave Kristina a warm hug, but Morgan remained agitated as he greeted his sister. Kristina admitted that she had been thinking about all the times that she had argued with Sonny and had put off calling him. Michael assured Kristina that they had all made mistakes. "Even Michael," Morgan added with a surly tone. Kristina tried to lighten the mood by admitting that she was happy that she had Michael to call on when she messed up.
Kristina apologized for staying away, but she admitted that she had wanted to avoid being caught in the middle of Sonny and Michael's custody battle because she had understood both sides. She was glad that Michael and Sonny had worked things out because Sonny needed Michael. Morgan filled Kristina in about how difficult the previous night had been when they had realized that Sonny needed surgery, so Kristina decided to check in on Sonny.
Michael excused himself when he saw Milo and Aldo arrive. Michael gave Milo and Aldo orders to keep a constant watch on Sonny then returned to Morgan's side. Morgan asked if Milo was back for good. Michael explained that it was temporary because Max had gone to the New York City to talk to the five families.
In Sonny's hospital room, Carly urged Sonny to rest, but he apologized for missing their wedding. Carly promised he was forgiven because he'd been saving T.J.'s life. Sonny wanted to tell her something, but Carly assured him that it wasn't necessary because Jake had passed along Sonny's message to her. Carly promised that she loved Sonny then admitted that she had found the wedding vows that he had written, which she had read.
Sonny regretted what he had put Carly through, but she insisted that he wasn't to blame for what a coward crouching in the shadows had done. Sonny weakly smiled then asked about the children. She assured him that everyone was fine. Sonny credited Carly and the children with giving him the strength to fight. "Dad?" Kristina asked from the doorway. Carly smiled as Sonny's eyes filled with tears of happiness. Carly quietly excused herself to give Kristina and Sonny privacy.
Kristina took her father's hand then tearfully told him how much she loved him. She realized that she hadn't told him nearly often enough, but he was a part of her and the strongest, smartest, most powerful man that she knew. Kristina promised that she was proud to be his daughter. Tears slid down Sonny's face as Kristina vowed to remind him every day that she loved him. Kristina knew she couldn't change her father, so she begged him to be careful because she couldn't imagine life without him. Kristina shifted gears by confiding that she was afraid that Alexis was in over her head with Julian, but Sonny promised that he would handle things.
In the waiting area, Carly was grateful that Kristina had visited Sonny because it had made Sonny happy. Carly wondered why Milo was there, so Michael explained that it was for Sonny's protection. Meanwhile, Morgan approached Milo to ask Milo for a favor.
After Michael entered Sonny's hospital room, Carly hugged Kristina. She assured Sonny's daughter that Sonny loved Kristina. Kristina revealed that she had been terrified that she would not make it in time, but Carly promised that Sonny wasn't going anywhere. Kristina glanced around and noticed that Morgan had disappeared. She admitted that she was worried about her brother.
In Sonny's hospital room, Michael told Sonny that he loved him and that they would always be father and son. Sonny smiled because he had missed Michael. Michael conceded that they had both made mistakes, but it was time to move forward. He then shifted gears to ask if Sonny had recalled their visits the previous night. Sonny suddenly remembered Morgan's vow to kill Julian, and he confessed that he did.
Outside Julian's apartment, Morgan checked to make certain his gun was loaded.
At the Quartermaine mansion, Tracy called out to Paul as he stood in the doorway to the patio with his back to Tracy. She asked if he wanted grilled salmon for dinner, but he left it up to her to decide. Tracy sensed something was troubling Paul, so she asked him to look at her. He assured her that everything was fine, but she didn't believe him. Eventually he turned to face her, confirming her fears that he was upset. Paul explained that he had dropped his divorce papers in the mail, so the life he had shared with Jenny was over.
Tracy hugged Paul as she assured him that ending a chapter in his life was nothing to feel ashamed about. A spark of passion flared between them as they pulled away and gazed into each other's eyes, but it quickly vanished when Dillon and Maxie entered the living room. Dillon and Maxie were upset because the production of Dillon's movie had been halted due to a cease and desist order from the mayor. Paul took a document from Dillon as Dillon explained that he had filed for all the necessary permits and paid his fees, but a new ordinance had recently gone into effect, which had required a new permit.
Paul asked Tracy to read the signature on the order to make certain that he had read it correctly. Tracy confirmed that it had been signed by Janice Lomax, so Paul chuckled. He revealed that he had known Janice in law school. Paul explained that the mayor had been both ambitious and "ethically challenged" in school, but she'd also had an Achilles' heel. "What is it?" Tracy wondered.
"Me," Paul answered with smug satisfaction. Tracy wasn't surprised that Janice had fallen victim to the "Hornsby charm," but she doubted that Paul could use it to his advantage decades later. Paul decided to test Tracy's theory by calling the mayor. He was told that Janice was busy, but he asked the mayor's assistant to let Janice know he was on the phone.
A short time later, Paul wrapped up a call with the mayor then announced that the cease and desist order had been retracted. Dillon and Maxie were overjoyed that they could move forward with the movie project. Tracy was curious what Janice had asked for in return for the favor, so Paul admitted that Janice wanted to see him. Tracy warned Paul that he had lit a fire. "Janice is coming for you," Tracy added, but Paul insisted that he was no interested in Janice.
After Paul left, Dillon and Maxie poured glasses of Champagne to celebrate. Tracy snatched a flute out of Dillon's hand as she remarked that Paul had been going through a difficult time. Concerned, Dillon asked his mother to elaborate, so she told him about Paul's divorce from Jenny. Dillon was touched that his father had put aside his own troubles to help Dillon because it showed Dillon that Paul had meant it when Paul had talked about building a real relationship with Dillon. Tracy agreed that Paul appeared to have changed.
At Metro Court, Scott and Ava froze when they entered Scott's hotel room and saw that it had been ransacked. Ava immediately feared that the flash drive had been stolen, so Scott checked where he had hidden it. Ava's fears were realized when Scott confirmed that the flash drive was gone. Furious, Ava demanded to know who had taken it. Scott suspected Ric had been responsible for the theft, but Ava doubted that Ric could have torn apart Scott's hotel room and made it to court in time.
Scott pointed out that Ric could have had one of Sonny's goons search the room, since Ric and Sonny were brothers. Horrified, Ava realized that Ric might reinstate the murder charges against her if he had the flash drive. Scott agreed that Ava was "screwed," but he still wanted the money that she had promised. Ava was astounded by the request, but Scott argued that he had secured her freedom. Ava was not satisfied because she remained vulnerable as long as the incriminating recording of her confession was missing. Ava warned Scott that he would not see a dime of the $5,000,000 until he had secured the flash drive for her.
Across town, Patrick arrived home to a surprise birthday party. Sam, Anna, Emma, and Danny happily greeted him with balloons and birthday wishes as he entered the house. Patrick was touched because he had forgotten about his birthday. Emma assured her father that she would always remind him of the special day. Sam wondered if Patrick was okay with the party, but he promised her that it was perfect because he would get to celebrate with the people he loved.
Sam admitted that they could all use some joy and celebration after the harrowing week. Patrick kissed her. Emma giggled then asked Patrick and Sam to stop kissing because Emma was eager to open presents. Patrick sat on the sofa as Emma handed him the first gift. It was a framed picture that Danny had drawn. Patrick promised to keep it on his desk at work. Next, Patrick opened a present from Emma.
Patrick was touched that his daughter had given him "trouble dolls." According to Emma, sharing one's troubles with the dolls made the problems go away. Emma thought that Patrick could use them at work. Meanwhile, Anna and Sam stepped away to pour some lemonade for themselves. Anna suspected that Felicia had bought the dolls, and Sam said that was right.
Anna admitted that she could use a set of trouble dolls for herself because of what had transpired with Kyle. Sam refused to allow Anna to blame herself for Kyle's choices, but Anna remained upset. Sam wondered if there had been anything else going on between Anna and Kyle, but Anna would only say that Kyle had let Anna down on many levels. Sam assured Anna that Sam and Jake would find another way to get to Nikolas then led Anna back to the sofa as Patrick opened a present from "Aunt Elizabeth."
Patrick was delighted when he saw that Elizabeth had picked up the DVD that he had wanted. Anna asked the children to help her in the kitchen, and Sam waited until Anna and the children had left before presenting Patrick with a gift from her. As she handed Patrick a guitar case, she explained that she had been inspired by his performance with Emma at the Nurses Ball. Patrick was moved by the insightful gift. Moments later, Anna, Emma, and Danny returned with a birthday cake. Emma invited Patrick to blow out the candles, but Patrick confessed that he had everything he could have wished for.
Later, Anna hustled Emma and Danny out the door to spend the night with her so Patrick and Sam could enjoy a romantic evening together. Once Patrick and Sam were alone, Patrick wrapped his arms around Sam and confessed that he didn't want the day to end. Sam assured him that she wasn't going anywhere because she loved him. Patrick told her that he loved her, too, then stunned her by revealing that he wanted to marry her.
In Sonny's hospital room, Sonny told Michael about Morgan's vow to kill Julian. Sonny begged Michael to stop Morgan before it was too late. Michael promised to take care of everything.
In the waiting area, Kristina noticed Morgan's absence, and she asked Carly where he was. Carly became concerned when she realized that Morgan had disappeared. Kristina was certain that Morgan had simply gone to the cafeteria, but she had sensed that something had seemed off with her brother. Carly carefully explained that Morgan had been dealing with some personal issues and had had a difficult time controlling his emotions. Kristina decided to look for Morgan.
After Kristina left, Michael exited Sonny's hospital room, looking for Morgan. Carly realized that something was wrong. Michael told her about Morgan's plan to kill Julian. Michael didn't appear overly concerned that Morgan would follow through on the threat, but Carly insisted that they couldn't take any chances with Morgan. Michael and Carly approached Milo when Carly suddenly recalled seeing Morgan talking to Milo earlier. Milo reluctantly admitted that he had given Morgan a gun.
Michael decided to take Milo with him to track down Morgan. Carly wanted to go with them, but Michael was certain that he would have a better chance of getting through to Morgan, since Morgan might become defensive because Carly suspected that Morgan had bipolar disorder. Carly conceded that Michael had a point and agreed to stay at the hospital to keep Sonny calm.
A short time later, Carly entered Sonny's hospital room. Sonny was worried about Morgan, but Carly assured Sonny that Michael would find Morgan before Morgan killed Julian. Kristina was stunned by what she had overheard as she stood in the doorway. Carly noticed Kristina's presence, and she told Sonny's daughter that Sonny needed rest then led Kristina to the waiting area.
Kristina admitted that she had overheard what Carly had told Sonny about Morgan's murderous plans. Carly was confident that Michael would find Morgan in time, but Kristina was not appeased because she was afraid that her mother might get caught in the crossfire, since Alexis was involved with Julian. Kristina immediately tried to reach her mother, but the call went straight to voicemail. Next, Kristina spoke to Molly, but Molly hadn't seen Alexis.
Outside the Jerome apartment, Morgan made certain that his gun was loaded then used the key that Ava had given him. Morgan entered the apartment, prepared to shoot, but no one was home. He quickly searched the apartment to make sure that Julian wasn't in another room then he left. A short time later, Michael and Milo arrived. Michael noticed the front door was ajar, and he and Milo entered the apartment. Milo looked around but didn't find any sign of either Morgan or Julian.
Meanwhile, Alexis and Julian arrived at the penthouse. Alexis handed Julian a set of keys as she explained that she had rented a house at Skytop Lake because she had missed her lake house. She assured him that it would be the perfect place to hide because no one knew that she had rented it. Julian tried to persuade Alexis to go into hiding with him, but she explained that it was impossible because both Molly and Kristina needed her. However, Alexis agreed to take him to the lake house.
After Alexis and Julian left, T.J. rounded the corner at the top of the stairs. He had overheard their conversation, and he checked the papers on the desk and found a flyer with a picture of the lake house that Alexis had rented and an address. T.J. was about to leave when he ran into Morgan in the hallway. Morgan entered the penthouse and began to look around as he asked where Molly was. T.J. admitted that Molly was in her room because she and T.J. had argued.
Morgan looked around the penthouse as he switched gears to ask if T.J. had seen Alexis and Julian. T.J. denied that he had, but he was curious why Morgan wanted to know. Morgan claimed that Kristina had tried to reach Alexis, but Alexis hadn't answered the call. Morgan added that he had offered to stop by to pass along a message. T.J. saw through the lie, since Alexis always answered phone calls from her daughters. Unfazed, Morgan continued to search the penthouse until he was sure that Julian was not there.
T.J. demanded to know what was really going on. Morgan admitted that he intended to stop Julian before Julian went after Sonny again. T.J. advised Morgan to stay out of it because it was between Sonny and Julian. Morgan dropped all pretense of civility to remind T.J. that Sonny had taken a bullet for T.J.
At the hospital, Michael and Milo returned to check in with Carly and to let her know that they had failed to locate Morgan. Kristina was upset, but Michael promised his sister that Morgan wouldn't do anything. Kristina disagreed because Morgan had a gun, and she worried that Alexis might get hurt when Morgan caught up with Julian. Michael argued that there wasn't any reason to think that Alexis was with Julian, but Kristina explained that she hadn't been able to reach her mother, and no one knew where Alexis was.
After Michael and Milo left to resume their search, Carly returned to Sonny's hospital room to give him an update. She promised that Michael would not stop looking until he had found Morgan. Meanwhile, Kristina left her mother a frantic voicemail message, warning Alexis about Morgan.
At the penthouse, T.J. thought about his promise to repay Sonny for saving T.J.'s life. T.J. also recalled Morgan's demands to know where Julian was. Moments later, T.J. answered a knock at the door. It was Michael and Milo.
At the Jerome apartment, Ava was frustrated when Julian wasn't home to welcome her. She complained about her awful day then picked up a small paper bag that she had tossed on the floor. She marched into the bathroom, determined to say goodbye to Denise DeMuccio. Ava picked up a pair of scissors, remarked that Denise had served her purpose, and began to cut her hair.
A short time later, Ava emerged from the bedroom, sporting shorn blonde locks and a simple black dress. She prepared a martini in a shaker as she spoke to Scott on the phone, demanding to know if he had good news for her. Scott confirmed that the flash drive was gone, but he vowed to find out who had taken it and retrieve it. Ava made it clear that she wanted her life, freedom, and daughters back.
After Ava ended the call, she answered a knock at the door. Paul stood on the doorstep. "Can I help you?" Ava asked. "No, but I think I can help you," Paul replied.
At the lake house, Alexis assured Julian that the refrigerator was stocked, so he was set for a while. Julian was disappointed that she couldn't stay with him, but Alexis insisted that she needed to get going. Julian kissed her then walked her to the door to kiss her again. As they pulled apart, Morgan walked up with a gun aimed directly at Julian.
