Carly met Jax at the pier, and he apologized for running late. Carly asked him about the new plan. Jax informed her that Nikolas was missing, and there was no plan.
At the Corinthos house, Sonny asked an employee how his special assignment was going. The man replied that he'd planted a tracker on Carly's car, and she was at the pier. Jason walked in and said hello to the man, Gio. Jason wondered if there was a problem at the warehouse, and Sonny explained that Gio was handling something for him. Gio left, and Jason and Sonny made small talk about Christmas.
Jason asked about Carly, and Sonny informed him that she was running errands. Jason thought that Gio probably knew Carly's whereabouts, and Sonny grew defensive. Jason was certain that Gio's job involved Carly. Sonny gave in and admitted that he had been having Carly tailed. Jason wondered if it would make things better between Sonny and Carly and suggested that it would be stressful instead.
Sonny insisted that he wanted to protect Carly from herself, and she had admitted that she'd been keeping something from him. Jason attempted to persuade Sonny that he was going about things the wrong way, and talking it out could be better. Sonny shouted him down and sarcastically thanked Jason for supporting Carly.
Jason disagreed that he'd sided against Sonny. He just thought that Sonny's method would backfire and make things worse. Sonny maintained that he took action, and Jason suggested that it was because Sonny couldn't take action with Mike.
The men sat down on the sofa, and Sonny agreed that Christmas had been difficult without Mike. The doctors had preferred that Mike stay at Turning Woods rather than possibly be disoriented at Sonny's house. Sonny had paid Mike a visit but it had been late, which was not a good time. Jason offered to check on Mike because he planned on meeting Sam at Turning Woods in order to see Lucas.
Ava spotted Curtis as he walked into Metro Court. He thought that she was curiously "chipper" after losing money at the gallery but she told him that she was always looking ahead. "2020 is gonna be my year," she told him before walking out to the corridor to phone Nina.
At Wyndemere, Nina answered Ava's call and confessed that she was ready for her wedding but not excited. Ava vowed that Valentin would soon get what he deserved, and she warned Nina not to back out of their agreement. Nina was interrupted when Valentin and Charlotte walked into the room with flowers, and she quickly ended the call.
Ava couldn't believe that Nina had hung up. She bumped into Laura, who commented that the auction had taken an unexpected turn. Ava asked about Charlotte, and Laura told her that the little girl had fallen into the water but was okay. Laura wanted to know why Ava had burned the portrait, but Ava insisted she'd had nothing to do with it.
Laura replied that she didn't want to hear any of Ava's "pointless denials," and she asked why Ava had wanted to help Valentin. Ava declared that she would never help him, and she added that people like him always got what they deserved. Ava declared that she didn't know how it would happen, but she believed in the justice of karma. They were interrupted when Curtis approached them.
Laura informed Curtis that she and Ava had been talking about karma, and Ava chimed in that "she always delivers." She revealed that she would be attending Nina and Valentin's wedding, and she hoped to see Curtis and Laura there. Curtis wondered who had invited Ava because he pointed out that there was "no love lost" between Ava, Valentin, and Nina. Slyly, Ava stated that she'd never said she'd been invited, and Laura revealed that she would not attend.
Ava departed, and both Laura and Curtis were suspicious over Ava's happy attitude after having lost so much money. They thought that Ava was particularly eager for them to know she'd be attending the wedding.
Back at the pier, Carly was distraught to learn that Nikolas had gone, and she couldn't understand why he hadn't told his family he was still alive. Jax informed her that Nikolas had changed and was always angry and consumed with revenge. He added that Nikolas only wanted to destroy Valentin. Carly asked if the reversal of Valentin's fortune would still happen, and Jax believed that it would. Jax would be waiting to step in.
Carly wanted Jax to disclose the fact that Nikolas was alive, but Jax refused. He was hopeful that Nikolas would step up. Carly revealed that Sonny had been suspicious, and things were getting worse. During their conversation, Gio hid and eavesdropped. He watched Jax hug Carly to console her when her voice broke. Jax assured Carly that he would always be there for her, and Carly thought she might have to take him up on it.
Sam walked into Turning Woods and was surprised to see Willow. The women chatted, and Willow explained that she was there to help out Brad and Julian in case they needed something. Sam thanked her and was surprised to hear that Julian was by Lucas' bedside as often as Brad. Julian walked into the lobby and was pleased to see Sam.
Willow gave Julian and Sam some space and went off to check on Brad. Julian revealed that there was no change in Lucas, and he might never wake up. Sam was sure that her brother would fight. Julian muttered that Lucas should have never been in the car, and Sam was curious. Julian quickly covered and tuned into Willow and Brad's conversation as they walked into the lobby area.
Brad talked about Christmas, and Willow admitted she felt terrible after almost allowing Nelle to hold Wiley. She apologized for having an interaction with Nelle, and Julian demanded more information. Brad declared that he'd been with Lucas and hadn't known about Nelle's presence. Julian suggested that Brad take a break and get some air at the pier. An administrator asked Julian to fill out paperwork. Sam advised Willow not to blame herself.
Willow admitted that she'd pictured Nelle differently, but Sam assured her that Nelle had fooled lots of people. Both of their cell phones went off, and they quickly learned they'd been invited to a memorial service to celebrate Shiloh's life. Just then, Harmony walked over to them. She knew nothing of the invitation and revealed that she'd been at the facility for a job interview.
Harmony's phone went off, and she looked at her similar invitation. She declared that the only good Shiloh had ever done was Wiley. She assumed that Daisy and some of the other followers had arranged the service, and Sam wondered why they'd been invited. Harmony suggested that it was either for confrontation or forgiveness, but Shiloh's followers all had agendas.
Willow was glad to hear that Harmony wasn't involved in the ceremony invitation, and Harmony made it clear that she'd lost too much because of Shiloh. She had gotten the job at Turning Woods, though. Willow told her she had a friend in long-term care, and Sam mentioned that it was her brother. Jason arrived, and Harmony was happy to see him. She thanked him for making her do the right thing because she would make the most of her new opportunity. She hugged Willow and left, and Sam showed Jason the invitation. She thought that someone didn't want Shiloh forgotten.
Sam and Willow offered the theory that the ceremony had been arranged by Shiloh's followers, and Sam was curious about the invitations being extended to Shiloh's enemies. She noted that they had all testified against Shiloh. Jason thought it could be for revenge purposes.
At Wyndemere, Nina was thrilled to see the flowers. Charlotte wanted to go riding, but both Nina and Valentin wanted her to rest for the big night. Charlotte wanted help in looking for her stuffed horse, Electra, and Nina realized she'd seen it in the stable. Charlotte rushed off to get it, and Valentin declared that they would be an official family shortly.
Nina stated that she was worried about Charlotte and all that was going on. Valentin maintained that he would petition the court for full custody, but Nina voiced that she was against it for a variety of reasons. Valentin insisted that he'd tried. However, there was a lot of tension, and he wanted to revisit custody. He added that Nina would be Charlotte's stepmother, and Charlotte would have Nina there for her.
Nina hoped that it wouldn't work against Valentin if he took Lulu back to court. She wanted him to forget about it, and she reminded him of his past. She asked if Valentin thought it was all behind him, especially after Charlotte's kidnapping. Valentin declared that he couldn't change his past but could change going forward. He just wanted love from Nina and Charlotte.
Charlotte ran in with her stuffed horse. She announced that she'd been worried that her horse had disappeared just like her bodyguard. Nina wanted to sit and talk about it. The family sat on the couch, and Valentin informed his daughter that the bodyguard wasn't real because he hadn't hired one. Charlotte insisted he was, and she thought that Lulu had hired him. She'd seen his photo on her mother's phone.
Charlotte added that Laura had seemed surprised to see the photo on Lulu's phone. Charlotte abruptly maintained that she wanted to go play, and she departed. Nina suggested that both Lulu and Laura were hiding something, and Valentin announced his intention to speak to Laura right away. "Don't be late," Nina warned him before he left.
Nina received a phone call from the hospital after she was alone. She learned that the new DNA test results were in. The caller informed her that they had to be picked up, and Nina insisted they be ready. She would stop and pick them up but had big plans for the evening and would be in a hurry.
Brad showed up at the pier as Carly and Jax were talking. Carly told Jax to keep her informed, and he departed. Carly and Brad chatted, and she offered to watch Wiley any time. Brad snapped that no one would be taking Wiley away. He quickly added that he was angry that Nelle had almost held his son, and it was Nelle's fault that he was in the mess he was in. Carly wondered how, as Gio remained hidden and listening.
Before Brad could reply, Julian arrived, and it was Carly's turn to leave. She again offered her help to Brad. Gio overheard Julian say that they couldn't let Sonny know anything, and they couldn't allow Nelle to attach herself to Wiley. Brad pointed out that he had spoken to Nelle briefly, and they were in no danger because she'd been returned to Pentonville. Julian jumped on Brad for speaking to her in public, although Brad assured him that no one had seen them. Julian warned Brad to stay away from Nelle, or he'd see Julian as his biggest threat.
Jax walked into Metro Court and sat down with Laura and Curtis. Both he and Laura were surprised to see each other, but Curtis wanted Laura to know that he was working on a new project for Jax that could affect Lulu if she ended up in court with Valentin. Jax was annoyed that Curtis mentioned it but he reluctantly told Laura that he believed that Claudette was alive, although he couldn't reveal his source.
Curtis suggested that Claudette might have faked her death to get away from Valentin, and Laura thought that maybe Valentin had forced Claudette to hide. Jax believed that Claudette had information that Valentin wanted hidden. Jax hoped it would be something he could use as leverage against Valentin, and he planned on bribing Claudette when she was found.
Curtis, Ava, and Jax watched as Ava greeted Julian cheerfully. They were suspicious of Ava's happy demeanor. Laura revealed that Ava would be crashing Nina's wedding, but Curtis announced that he planned on heading to Canada. Laura declared that she would go with him but hoped he wouldn't leave that night. She'd decided to attend the wedding, after all.
Ava and Julian sat at a table by the bar. Julian disclosed that things were awful, and Lucas had appeared almost lifeless. He maintained that it should have been Brad instead. Ava was appalled and asked about Wiley being without his fathers. She pointed out that it should have been neither man in the coma. She asked if there had been a guardian appointed for Wiley, but Julian didn't know.
Valentin had arrived and chosen a seat at the bar in order for him to be close enough to hear the conversation between Ava and Julian. He listened as Ava declared that Julian wouldn't want a codicil to suddenly show up and ruin everything. She suggested that Julian get his own will in order. Ava said that Julian's will should include explicit final wishes in order to avoid any trouble.
Gio returned to Sonny's house and related that Carly had met Jax at the pier. She had been upset for keeping something from Sonny but had stated that things could be over soon. Gio shared that Brad and Julian had also shown up, and Julian had mentioned Sonny and Michael and something about a run-in with Nelle. Sonny wondered why Julian would care about Nelle, but Carly arrived before the conversation went further.
Carly wondered why Gio was there. Gio stated that he was leaving, and Sonny said it was business. Carly accused Sonny of being vague, and Sonny noted that he'd learned from the best. He asked where Carly had been, and the couple began to argue. Finally, Carly stated that it was time to tell Sonny everything.
Nina waited for the technician to get her the DNA test results at the hospital. While she waited, she received a call from Jax. He told her that Ava planned on crashing the wedding. Nina called it the least of her worries, and she hung up. The technician arrived; Nina signed for the test results and received an envelope.
Due to the New Year's Eve holiday, General Hospital did not air. This was a planned preemption and there were no "lost" episode as a result. Regular programming resumed on Thursday, January 2, 2020, and picked up where the Monday, December 30, 2019, episode concluded.
Due to the New Year's Day holiday, General Hospital did not air. This was a planned preemption and there were no "lost" episode as a result. Regular programming resumed on Thursday, January 2, 2020, and picked up where the Monday, December 30, 2019, episode concluded.
Sam and Jason sat at the bar at Metro Court on New Year's Eve. Sam was anxious to get home in order to meet with her parole officer. She thought it was a strange request for a visit, just like the invitation she'd received to Shiloh's memorial service was weird. Michael arrived, and Sam gave him a hug. Michael revealed that he was there in order to celebrate the evening with Sasha.
Sam showed Michael her invitation to the memorial, and he pulled out his phone to show that he'd received one, also. Sam noted that Willow, Harmony, and Kristina had all been invited, and Jason disclosed that he'd asked Spinelli to try to find out who had been behind the invitations. Michael couldn't figure out why he'd been invited, but Jason suggested that it had something to do with Wiley.
Michael vowed that he would never allow a "Dawnie" to get close to Wiley again. Sam confirmed that she would see Jason later, and she kissed him goodbye before departing for home. Jason asked Michael how Sasha was doing, and Michael declared that she would make a new start in the new year, just like Jason. They discussed Sam's early release, and Jason left.
At General Hospital, Nina looked over the results of the DNA test. She was not surprised to see that she was 99 percent compatible to Sasha. She stepped off the elevator and bumped into Sasha. "Wow," Nina exclaimed. She thought it was too perfect that they'd run into each other at that moment. Sasha asked Nina about her wedding, and Nina stated that she was on her way. She asked Sasha how she was, and Sasha was pleased.
Nina dropped the paper, and Sasha looked at it after picking it up. Nina insisted it wasn't about Sasha, and the women headed into a vacant room. Sasha wondered how long Nina had known that Sasha hadn't acted alone in her scheme, and Nina admitted she'd known since her previous wedding night. She had known that only Valentin could have helped Sasha.
Sasha asked why Nina would marry Valentin, but Nina asked if Sasha had hidden his involvement in order for Nina to have her family. Nina declared that she'd had the test run again in order to prove that Valentin had planned the scheme. She was aware that he'd taken a swab from her mother's casket. Sasha agreed that Valentin had gone to "extremes."
Nina knew it had been because Valentin loved her, and she loved him, too. She thought that maybe she loved the guy she wanted him to be, and Sasha thought he could be that guy in the future. Nina wasn't sure it was possible. She held out her hand in order for Sasha to return the paper. Sasha handed it to her and made it clear that Nina was good and honest. She wondered if Nina could really go through with whatever she had planned. Nina wished Sasha a happy New Year and left.
Carly and Sonny stood in the kitchen at the Corinthos house. Carly told her husband to remain calm as she followed with the earth-shattering news that Nikolas Cassadine was alive and in Port Charles. Sonny was shocked. Carly admitted that she'd seen Nikolas and spoken to him at Jax's place because Nikolas had been hiding out there.
Carly went on to explain that Nikolas had recruited Jax in order to get his help in taking back the Cassadine estate. Sonny reminded Carly that Nikolas was a fugitive, and if Jax had helped him, he'd committed a crime. Carly updated Sonny on the plan to take down Valentin that had "gone up in smoke" due to the portrait that had been destroyed in the fire at the gallery.
Sonny smiled and noted that he'd have loved to see Jax's face. Carly urged her husband to focus, and he suggested that Jax could be in legal trouble because of his actions. Carly immediately declared that that wouldn't happen because no one else could ever know. She demanded that Sonny not take any action, and she reminded him that Jax knew about Dev's illegal residence. She added that it would all destroy their family.
Sonny wanted to know why Carly hadn't trusted him sooner, but she didn't want to argue. She admitted that she'd believed the plan would either work out or be over, and Nikolas would be gone. She had wanted to stay out of it. They confirmed that the only people who were aware of it all were the two of them and Jax. They assumed that Ava knew, too.
Jax arrived at Wyndemere for Nina and Valentin's New Year's Eve wedding. Liesl, dressed in an ivory sparkling off-the-shoulder dress, greeted him warmly. They shared a drink, and Liesl revealed that the bride had yet to make an appearance.
Jordan, in a red shimmering dress, and Curtis, in black tie, arrived, and Liesl took their coats. She ushered them to the sitting room. Laura arrived shortly after, and she was followed by Ava, who wore a blue sparkling dress. Ava made a toast: "Happy is the bride the sun shines on. Happy is the corpse the rain falls on." She shrugged and admitted she might have gotten the words backwards. Laura and Jax exchanged bemused looks.
Ava was cheerful, and she explained that her argument with Nina was "water under the bridge." She thought the night promised to be "memorable." Liesl approached Ava and asked her to leave after Ava was not able to produce an invitation. Jax spoke up and announced that Ava was his "plus one." Liesl and Ava proceeded to exchange insults, and Liesl finally walked away.
Jax asked to speak to Ava privately, and he informed her that she'd better behave. He was feeling protective of Nina. Jax was sure that Ava and Nina were up to something together, and Ava confirmed that they had a "temporary truce." Jax emphasized that he didn't want Nina to be hurt.
Valentin met with Martin outside on the parapet. It was cold and covered with snow. Valentin stressed that he wanted to have his family with Nina and was not willing to lose anything. Valentin believed that Ava could pose a problem, as he thought the codicil still existed. He had to defend his position.
Martin clarified that Valentin accepted as truth that Ava had staged the fire, and Valentin agreed. He was certain that Ava was out to get him. Just then, Valentin received a message that Ava was present, and he informed Martin that he had a job for Martin to do.
Charlotte looked around for her bodyguard, and Laura told her granddaughter that she was aware the bodyguard was important to her because he was someone that she and Lulu had cared for and still did. She suggested that Charlotte had created the idea of a bodyguard after seeing his photo on Lulu's phone. Charlotte made it known that the man had been wearing a ring that looked like her father's tattoo. That was why Valentin had hired him.
Laura wanted a description, and Charlotte described the family crest that was seen all over the house. She stated that there were two dragons with a shield and the letter C in the center. Laura was shaken, but Charlotte decided she wanted Liesl to fix her a Shirley Temple, so she went off. Curtis realized that Jordan wasn't thrilled about being there, and he asked her if she wanted to leave. She admitted she was "not feeling this." She thanked him for understanding, and he reminded her that he was always there for her.
Martin entered and went straight to Ava, who poured herself another drink of several. He introduced himself and claimed to be a fan of her gallery and the artist who'd done the portrait of Helena. He commented on the work around the house and requested that Ava give him an opinion on a particular piece. Liesl watched and listened as the couple left the room, arm in arm.
Ava ended up on the parapet, and she didn't realize that Martin was no longer behind her. Valentin stepped out from the shadows and announced that Martin was scared of heights. Valentin asked what Ava thought of the view, and he stated that loose ends needed to be tied up. He cited Ava's trick at the gallery, and he asked where the codicil might be.
Ava laughed and made fun of the word codicil that no one used. Valentin snapped that he'd heard Julian use it at Metro Court when he'd been talking to Ava. He offered to give Ava whatever she wanted in exchange for the codicil, but she told him she wanted and needed nothing from him. She finished her drink and declared that she needed another one. Valentin stopped her from leaving and implored her to make a deal, or he would have to find an "alternative method."
Ava declared that Valentin could not intimidate her or anyone else, and again he demanded that she turn the codicil over. Ava taunted that he shouldn't be surprised when he returned from his honeymoon and found someone else living in the estate. Valentin pointed out that Nina had been drinking heavily, and it was cold and icy where they stood. He thought it would be a shame if she slipped. Suddenly, he pushed her over the parapet, and she tumbled to the water below.
Downstairs, Laura was on the phone with Lulu. She asked her daughter to send her the photo of Nikolas from her phone and lied that she was feeling sentimental. Martin returned and spoke to Liesl. Laura received the photo, and Charlotte saw her. Laura pointed out that Nikolas' hand with a ring couldn't be seen in the photo. Charlotte stated that he'd been wearing the ring when she'd seen him.
Finally, Nina rushed in and apologized for being late. Charlotte replied that she'd been worried, and Nina hugged her. She wanted Charlotte to never forget that she loved her. Nina rushed off to get ready. Jax wanted to follow to make sure that Nina was okay, but Liesl stopped him. She assured him that her niece was fine, and she wanted to discuss medical research ideas with him. She grabbed his arm and escorted him into the next room.
Jordan went up to Martin. The attorney admitted that weddings made him uneasy because he'd handled so many divorces. He exclaimed that he would feel better when the evening was over. Curtis asked Laura what was wrong, and she told him that Charlotte had sworn she'd seen Nikolas and his ring. "How can it be?" she wondered.
Sam straightened up her penthouse ahead of her parole officer arriving. There was a knock on the door, and she opened it. Delores Maloney introduced herself and showed her badge. Sam invited her inside, and Sam admitted that she was home alone. The officer inquired about drugs, firearms, and alcohol, and Sam answered her questions. Sam offered to take the officer around for inspection. The officer asked if Jason lived there.
At the Corinthos house, Laura found Sonny on the phone. He wanted someone to watch Spencer and to keep a lookout for Nikolas. Carly was exasperated, but Sonny hung up and stressed that he didn't trust Valentin. Carly declared that she'd told Sonny everything, and she wondered where they stood. Sonny replied that it boiled down to trust, and she hadn't trusted him. Carly admitted that she hadn't wanted another blow-up argument, but Sonny pointed out that she'd chosen to trust Jax. He walked out of the room.
Sasha arrived at Metro Court in a shimmering black dress. She sat at a table shakily, and Michael joined her. He asked what was wrong, and Sasha admitted she'd run into Nina, who had known that Valentin had been behind the scheme. Michael was pleased. Sasha added that Nina had the new DNA test results and was headed to her wedding. She continued that Nina would have a "world of hurt" and would need support.
Michael hoped that Sasha wasn't thinking of going to the wedding. Sasha really wanted to go but agreed that she should stay far away. Michael trusted that Sasha would "wash her hands" of Valentin and Nina, but Sasha hoped to make amends to Nina. She was worried about the heartache that Nina would suffer.
At Wyndemere, Nina looked at herself in the mirror in her new gleaming wedding dress. There was a knock at the door, and she opened it to find Jax standing there. He looked her up and down.
Jason arrived home and found Sam sitting on the sofa in tears. She told him it was the last time they could see each other.
At Metro Court, Diane read through Brook Lynn's manager's contract as Ned assured his daughter that, if there was a way out, Diane would find it. Diane chimed in that the "tightly written" contract left very little "wiggle room." Brook Lynn assumed that Diane had gotten Sonny out of worse. Diane shot back that her clients were well-advised enough to know not to sign anything without consulting her or another competent attorney. Ned wondered what their options were, and Diane replied that the only simple option was for Ned to buy the manager out.
Diane's phone went off, so she got up amidst Brook Lynn's protests. She informed Brook Lynn that the consult was complimentary, while one of the clients who had her on paid retainer needed her. When she was gone, Olivia sat with Ned, and Brook Lynn went for a walk. Ned told Olivia about the situation, and he thought that Brook Lynn needed to live with her choices. When Brook Lynn returned, she begged Ned to pay the manager off, but he reminded her that she'd left a perfectly good manager in her mother.
Brook Lynn admitted that the manager had hit on her after she'd signed, implying that there were terms not specified in the contract that needed to be met before she got into a studio. A few minutes later, Ned toasted to spending New Year's Eve with the two most important women in his life. Brook Lynn mentioned Ned buying out her contract, but he gave her a speech about "standing firm." He reminded her that the contract would eventually expire, but she stormed off. Olivia observed how much Brook Lynn was like Tracy, and he joked about the family drama scaring Olivia away. They talked about how grateful they were for their life together and shared a kiss.
A crying Sam informed Jason that it was the last time she was going to see him, and she explained that her parole officer wouldn't allow her to see Jason because he was an ex-felon. She blamed herself for putting things into motion, but Jason figured that the parole officer was gunning for him. A few minutes later, Diane arrived, and they explained the situation to her. Diane revealed that there was no way to fight, as it was a valid condition of parole.
Sam figured that it was nothing she and Jason hadn't dealt with before. However, Diane confided that it had never sat well with her that Sonny's kids had paid "in many ways" over the years for Sonny's choices. She didn't want the couple to get caught sneaking around, as Sam could go back to jail for more than her two years and miss more time with her children. She thought that the best option was to get Spinelli involved in order to dig something up on the parole officer, like a conflict of interest. She thought that the only hope for Sam and Jason was for Sam to be assigned to a different parole officer.
Diane continued that it would take time, and Jason agreed that the best way to beat the officer was to let her think that she was winning. Jason decided that he and Diane would leave together, and Diane added that he and Sam couldn't be face to face again without attorneys present, and it had to be about their kids. Sam and Jason shared a long kiss, and Jason walked out the door with Diane. As Sam cried on the couch, Diane asked if Jason was all right. "No," he stated simply, and he quickly left.
In a bed at Metro Court, Willow couldn't believe Chase had gotten them a room, but she loved it. They expressed their love for one another and shared a kiss. Willow thought it had been an amazing year, since she'd met, fallen in love with, and moved in with Chase. She thought that the next year would be even better. Chase agreed if that night was any indication, and he kissed her again.
At the Metro Court bar, Sasha was excited to "start over lie-free." She was sad to leave Nina and Charlotte behind, but she was grateful for Michael. A few minutes later, Sasha was rambling on about Lucy when she realized that Michael wasn't listening. He apologized and admitted that he'd been watching Ned from across the room, and he worried that there was a lot of "infighting" on the way in his family. He asked Sasha to help him keep things in perspective.
A short while later, Chase and Willow joined Michael and Sasha, and the women went to the bathroom together. They talked about their respective relationships, and Sasha commented that, when the time arrived, she believed that Willow and Chase would make the best parents. Back at the bar, Chase admitted that he was relieved that he hadn't had to testify in Sasha's fraud case. Michael was glad it was over, and he only wanted the best for Sasha. The women returned, and the four toasted to a happy New Year. The four talked about the drama they were leaving behind, and Michael added that none of them would last in either one of his families. He added that, despite the lie and conflict, there was always love.
On the parapet at Wyndemere, Valentin informed Ava that she'd given him a great opportunity. He reasoned that she'd been drinking, she'd been in a "fragile emotional state," and it was icy out. He suddenly pushed her off the parapet, and he heard a splash below. Moments later, Charlotte emerged onto the parapet, followed by Lulu. Charlotte explained that they'd wanted to look at the moon, but he suggested the conservatory, as it was much warmer. Valentin suggested that he and Charlotte go see if Nina was ready, so Lulu left.
Inside, Valentin noticed that Charlotte was quiet. She explained that she'd been waiting for the day for so long that she was worried something would go wrong. "Not this time," Valentin assured her, and he added that he and Nina loved each other and Charlotte very much. She hugged him, and he told her that he was the luckiest father in the world.
Jax entered the room where Nina was getting ready for the wedding. She insisted that she didn't have time to talk, but he advised her to just listen. He implored her not to go through with whatever she was planning, and he believed that her best option was to walk away from Valentin. He advised her to think of Charlotte, and she insisted that she did constantly. Just then, Charlotte entered and demanded to know why Jax was there. He answered that he was just talking to his friend, and he left. Charlotte expressed how excited she was for Nina to be her "forever stepmother," and she talked about how much she and Valentin needed Nina. A distressed Nina hugged Charlotte.
Maxie and Peter arrived at Wyndemere and encountered a tense Liesl. Liesl cryptically commented that Nina deserved happiness, so she hoped that Nina chose happiness. When she walked away, Maxie observed that Liesl was "stranger than usual." While Maxie wasn't a fan of Valentin, he and Nina loved each other, so she wanted them to be happy. Valentin arrived and thanked the couple for being there. Maxie advised him not to screw things up with Nina, and she walked away.
Laura informed Kevin that she'd been unable to convince Charlotte that her bodyguard wasn't real, and she told him about the ring with the Cassadine crest that Charlotte had seen on the man. She couldn't make any sense of Charlotte's claims. Lulu approached her mother, and they agreed that they hated being at Wyndemere. Lulu also didn't like that Valentin was raising Charlotte so extravagantly, but Laura believed that Lulu had to accept it. She explained that Charlotte knew her parents hated each other, and the girl would end up resenting Lulu. She urged Lulu to try to let go of her rage, and she stated that everyone could do better for Charlotte's sake.
Jordan observed that Martin seemed jumpy, and he claimed that he was nervous because he was officiating the wedding. He wondered why Curtis was there, and Curtis replied that he was Nina's friend. Martin shot back that Curtis didn't support the union, so that didn't make him an "ideal wedding guest." When Martin was gone, Curtis looked around and observed that almost no one there supported the marriage.
Martin informed Valentin that it was almost midnight, so the wedding would start soon. Valentin looked around and chuckled at the room full of his enemies. He admitted that he would worry if someone other than Nina had made the guest list. A few minutes later, everyone was seated. Charlotte entered, gave a thumbs-up to Valentin, and ran off to sit with Lulu. Jax entered the room and sat right up front. Nina stood out in the hall and took a deep breath. She appeared in the doorway and began to walk down the aisle as the music played.
When Nina reached the end of the aisle, Martin began the ceremony. Valentin asked to say a few words first, so Martin gave him the floor. Valentin said that the two things that had changed his life forever were Charlotte and Nina. He continued that Nina had introduced him to "a new level of happiness," and he couldn't imagine sharing a daughter or a life with anyone else. Nina said that love was full of ups and downs, and a person had to figure out whether or not happiness was worth the pain. She made sure that there were no more secrets between them, and he promised that there weren't.
Martin returned to the front, and he asked if Valentin would take Nina as his wife. "I do," he answered, smiling. Martin asked if Nina would take Valentin as her husband. As she was about to answer, there was a crash as the living room doors burst open. The room was full of gasps as a soaked Nikolas entered -- carrying a soaked and unconscious Ava.
