At the hospital, Felix was trying to convince Elizabeth to go home and get some rest when Franco arrived. Elizabeth asked Franco how Jake was doing, and he assured her that Jake was being brave, as always. She needed to stay at the hospital until she heard any news about Jason, and Franco lightheartedly told her that she could make it up to him at Ava's portrait unveiling. Franco could see from the look on her face that she hadn't planned on going, and he insisted that he understood. Felix called out for Elizabeth, and the two walked away.
At the Quartermaine mansion, Willow and Michael descended the stairs after finally being able to put Wiley to sleep. Just then, the doorbell rang, and Willow was surprised to see Harmony. Harmony entered and congratulated the couple on their marriage. Willow stammered that the wedding had been "spur of the moment," but Harmony understood Willow not wanting to associate with Harmony, which could have jeopardized Wiley's custody case.
Michael admitted to Harmony that he was close with Jason, who'd warned him and Willow that Harmony had gotten involved with Cyrus. Just then, Michael's phone went off, and he left the room to answer it. Harmony commented that Michael was a good man, and Willow deserved all that Michael had to offer. She suddenly asked Willow to forget that she had been there, and she instructed Willow to do whatever Jason asked, as he would keep Willow safe. Michael returned and relayed the information about Jason's accident.
A short while later, Harmony was gone, and Willow urged Michael to go to the hospital. Michael replied that Carly had assured him that everything was being handled. He added that Wiley needed him, and he was trying not to think about the worst-case scenario. As if on cue, Michael got a text from Diane. He informed Willow that the judge had made a ruling, and court was to convene first thing the next morning.
Ava and Nikolas were in the elevator at the Metro Court when Nikolas divulged that he'd heard from Spencer. Ava wondered if the two had worked things out, but Nikolas stepped silently out of the elevator.
Nelle and Julian sat at the Metro Court restaurant, and Nelle pushed the bill toward a miserable Julian. She reminded him that they needed to make the impression of being a happy and thriving couple until the custody ruling. Ava and Nikolas entered, and Nelle invited her new family members to join them. Ava took Nelle up on the invitation, as she had a lot to catch up on with Julian. She asked Nikolas for a minute, so he walked away. Ava wondered how the two had found themselves married. Nelle launched into a story about spending time together at Charlie's, bonding over Wiley, but Ava saw right through it. "When and with what are you blackmailing my brother?" Ava questioned.
Nelle denied Ava's accusation, but Julian informed Nelle that Ava knew everything. Ava knew how Nelle worked, but Nelle insisted that she'd changed a lot. Ava instructed Nelle that someone who was able to be blackmailed into marriage probably wasn't the best character witness. She added that those who refused to be blackmailed "are not to be trifled with. Understand?" Nelle assumed that Ava wouldn't want Sonny finding out about what Julian had done, and Ava agreed. Nelle took her leave to the bar.
Ava inquired why Julian hadn't killed Nelle yet, and she offered to have her "resources" get the job done. He assured Ava that he only had to deal with Nelle until the ruling, but Ava called him a fool for thinking that Nelle would release him. He insisted that he had things under control, and she wished him luck. Ava commented that she'd thought she'd been saving herself trouble by not marrying for love. As someone who'd married for both love and something else, he commented that "you're damned if you do, damned if you don't."
A short while later, Ava was gone, and Nelle had returned to Julian's table. He clarified that they would go their separate ways as soon as the ruling was in. "That was the deal," Nelle answered. "If you can't trust your wife, who can you trust?" Nelle wondered.
At his apartment, Cyrus toasted his drink. "Jason, you would have been a worthy adversary," he said, and he drank.
Lulu bumped into Ned at the hospital and asked him for a comment about the rumors of Cyrus trying to bail the hospital out of financial trouble. He refused, since she'd leaked their last big news. She asked for his thoughts off the record, as a friend who cared about the hospital. She confided that she had helpful information, and he replied, "I'm listening." Lulu whispered that Cyrus had apparently put forth a "very attractive proposition" to be the hospital's primary financial backer, and the board was voting on it the next night. She continued that Laura wasn't confident that the board would make the right decision.
Ned disclosed that he'd called an emergency family shareholders' meeting the next day, but he was nervous because of whoever was trying to make a play for ELQ. Lulu hoped that everything would work out with the Quartermaines before Cyrus could "swoop in." Just then, Cyrus entered, having heard the tail end of the conversation. Ned suggested that Cyrus save his money, as no one with such a tarnished reputation could save the hospital. Cyrus maintained his innocence, but Lulu informed him that legal exoneration did not equal innocence. Cyrus had a feeling that his reputation would soon be "rejuvenated."
When Cyrus was gone, Ned wondered if Cyrus was actually a drug lord. Lulu told him that Jordan had deemed Cyrus the most dangerous man she'd ever met. Lulu decided that Cyrus needed to be stopped for the sake of the hospital and Port Charles.
At Metro Court, Valentin told someone on the phone that Sam hadn't given her kids' voting proxies to him yet, but he wasn't concerned about it. He added that everything needed to be kept quiet, and he hung up. Nikolas appeared and wondered what Valentin needed kept secret. Valentin just wanted to know what Nikolas wanted. Nikolas replied that he didn't want any scenes at Ava's portrait unveiling. Valentin assured Nikolas that they no longer needed to be concerned with one another, and he left.
At the hospital, Sam listened in as Brando told Sonny about fixing Jason's motorcycle. Sam yelled that Jason would never let anyone touch his bike, but Brando explained that he'd thought that he was doing Jason a favor. Sam accused Brando of causing the accident, but Sonny calmly told Sam that, despite what she thought, Jason wasn't perfect. Brando insisted that he never made mistakes when fixing things, so Sam suggested that Brando had done it on purpose. The two got in each other's faces until Elizabeth approached.
Elizabeth told Sam that Jason was stable but still unconscious. He was in the ICU, and she offered to take Sam to his room. When they were gone, Sonny asked Brando if the part for Jason's bike could have been faulty, but Brando insisted that he'd checked it out. "Do you have anything else to tell me?" Sonny inquired. Brando remembered Cyrus' visit to the shop, and he answered that there was nothing else to tell. Sonny wanted to check in on Carly. He informed Brando that they weren't done yet, and he left. Just then, Harmony approached and greeted Brando, and she walked away.
Sam tearfully entered Jason's room and took his hand. Elizabeth informed Sam that the surgery had gone well, and they would know more about Jason's condition when he woke up. Sam asked for a minute with Jason, so Elizabeth left. Sam urged Jason not to quit, and she speculated on who had caused the accident. Felix stuck his head in the room and told Sam that her parole officer was there "flashing her badge and acting like a crime is in progress." An anxious Sam asked him to buy her some time, and he left. Sam took out her phone and called Valentin, who wondered if she'd considered his offer. She told him where she was, and she asked him to get there immediately.
A few minutes later, Valentin entered Jason's room, and he expressed his sympathy to Sam. Sam told him about her parole officer, who wouldn't let Sam stay there with Jason. She asked him to repeat his proposed deal. He recapped that Sam would give Scout and Danny's ELQ voting proxies to him until they were 18, and he would pull some strings and get her a more sympathetic parole officer. "Deal," she stated.
Nikolas arrived at the hospital and found Elizabeth. He was concerned about her after he'd heard about Jason, and he wanted to make sure that she was all right. She was annoyed, as she wanted to be mad at him. He asked for a "time-out" where they would be old friends again so that she could talk to him, and then she could go back to being mad at him. Franco caught sight of the two just in time to see Nikolas take Elizabeth's hand. Ava blew through and was glad to have finally found Nikolas. Franco approached Elizabeth, and the two walked away. Ava thought that Nikolas was a good friend to Elizabeth. Nikolas sent a text to Spencer that said, "Looking forward to discussing our family's future together. Love, Dad."
In Jordan's office, Jordan insisted to Curtis that she hadn't answered her phone because she'd been doing her job. Curtis knew she was holding something back, and he demanded the truth. She confessed that she'd met up with Cyrus at his new apartment. Curtis insisted that they needed to go to Mac and make her dealings with Cyrus "an official sting," but she worried about leaks within the department. He instructed her to keep him in the loop, but she knew that he wouldn't have let her meet Cyrus if he'd known about it. He asked if there was anything else she had to tell him. She thought back to making a call on her burner phone, and she said that she was keeping secrets for her family's own good.
Jordan knew that Curtis had recently met up with Sonny and Jason, and she refused to sit back and watch a mob war. Curtis wondered what Cyrus had asked her to do. She confided that Cyrus wanted her to publicly clear his name, and Curtis wasn't happy with it. Jordan figured that Cyrus had probably had something to do with Jason's accident, so she would treat it as a warning. She refused to let any of her loved ones meet the same fate. He begged her not to do it. "I won't ask you to stay," she told him, and she left her office.
At the hospital, Lulu got an alert on her phone about a press conference about to start. She and Ned watched on her phone as Jordan talked about how Cyrus had been framed, and he was an innocent man. Jordan continued that she was trying to protect the reputation of a respected member of the community. As Cyrus watched the press conference at his apartment, he toasted his television. "That's my girl. There's that potential," a smiling Cyrus said, and he took a drink.
Outside of Jason's room, Valentin thanked Skye on the phone for telling him about the ELQ shareholders' meeting. Inside the room, Sam looked at her phone. She told an unconscious Jason that Michael had been calling her for updates. She continued that Epiphany had saved Sam from Dolores again, but the parole officer would no longer be a problem for them. Valentin entered and made sure that Sam hadn't had any trouble with her parole officer. He informed her that it would be permanent as soon as she signed Danny and Scout's ELQ voting proxies over to him. Valentin handed Sam the paperwork, and she looked over it. "Are you gonna sign or not?" he asked. Sam took the pen from him and signed.
When Valentin was gone, Sam said to Jason that she knew he didn't care about ELQ, but she wished she could have talked to him about what she'd just done. Just then, Dolores burst into the room and demanded that Sam leave, or she would send Sam back to Pentonville. Sam pleaded with Dolores about the extenuation circumstances, but Dolores insisted that she was just following the law. Sam accused Dolores of stalking her, but the conversation was cut off when a man entered the room. He asked to speak to Dolores, and the two left the room.
When Dolores and the man returned, Dolores informed Sam that she was getting a new parole officer. She added that she had gotten orders from "the big boss," and she wondered if Sam knew anything about it. She introduced Sam to her new parole officer, Owen. Dolores insisted that she hadn't meant any ill will toward Sam, and she left. Owen assured Sam that she could stay with Jason for as long as she wanted, as family was always the first priority. When he left, Sam happily told Jason the news, only to have him squeeze her hand. She urged him to wake up, and he opened his eyes.
Martin arrived at the Metro Court restaurant, and Nelle scolded him for being late. She needed an excuse to not show up in court, but Martin informed her that it was too late to ask for a delay. He dismissed all of her ideas about "buying time," and she demanded to know what he thought would work. He told her that one phone call would help her to not lose custody of Wiley. He suggested calling Michael and offering for Nelle to share custody, and to drop the lawsuit against the hospital to "sweeten the deal." "You're fired," she told him.
Nelle blamed Martin for losing a "slam dunk" case for her, but he informed her that she was her own wrecking ball. In time, he could get the case reexamined, but Nelle only rattled off everything he'd done wrong. He asked about her lawsuit against the hospital, and she stated that she would be finding another lawyer. Martin was glad to be done with her, and he promised to send a bill. She refused to pay him anything, but he threatened that lawyers were good at figuring out ways to ruin lives.
Nelle claimed she had no extra cash, since she needed to get away from Port Charles as soon as possible. Martin suggested that Nelle find a doctor from Ferncliff, as she was "losing it." Nelle yelled that Wiley was hers, and she was going to take her baby as far away as possible. She stormed out.
At the hospital, T.J. stumbled upon Jordan, who was on the phone with Laura. Laura was giving Jordan an earful about the commissioner's press conference the night before. When Jordan hung up, T.J. wondered if she'd lost her job over the press conference. Jordan assured him that she hadn't, but he was curious as to why the press conference had been necessary. He was hoping that she hadn't swayed the hospital board in any way.
Jordan explained that she'd felt obligated to make amends after Cyrus had been framed and wrongly imprisoned. T.J. understood, and he respected her for doing what she thought was right. T.J. knew that she did her best to uphold the law, but he said that she had no control over the outcome. She called him wise. He insisted that he'd learned it from her, and he gave his mother a hug.
Lucy approached Cyrus at the Metro Court bar and congratulated him on his exoneration. She introduced herself, and he replied that he loved her book about Port Charles. As someone who'd also been wrongly accused, she was glad to see him doing well. Curtis entered as she told Cyrus that she was the chairperson for the Nurses Ball, and she asked if he would like to contribute. As Curtis listened in, Cyrus offered to underwrite the event, but Lucy told him that Sonny usually did that. He thanked her for being the first person in town to treat him like a friend. They each said they hoped to get to know the other better, and she left.
Curtis sat down next to Cyrus and demanded that he stop having private meetings with Jordan. Cyrus stated that Curtis had no say in that. Curtis rattled off the address of a loved one of Cyrus and suggested that Cyrus reconsider if he wanted to keep the person safe. Curtis warned that "justice is coming" for Cyrus, and that his luck would soon run out. "From here on out, you play by my rules," Curtis growled, and he left.
A short while later, Jordan met with Cyrus at the Metro Court bar and demanded to know what he wanted. He asked her to call Curtis off, and Jordan gleefully wondered what Curtis was threatening Cyrus with. Cyrus warned that, if the thorn in his side got any bigger, he would have "no choice but to prune it."
Curtis found T.J. at the hospital, and T.J. advised Curtis that he'd just missed Jordan. He told Curtis about his conversation with Jordan about Cyrus. Curtis explained that Jordan was warring between her loyalty to the friend who'd framed Cyrus, and her loyalty to the law. T.J. asked to be kept in the loop if there was something bigger going on that he needed to know about. Curtis promised to always do right by T.J., and he left.
Michael updated Willow and Brook Lynn on Jason's good condition, and they were happy to take some good news to court with them. Ned and Olivia entered and announced that he'd called an emergency ELQ shareholders meeting to vote on whether or not to bail the hospital out of its financial troubles. Ned said that he had to put in calls to Skye, Maya, and Lila, and he disclosed that Monica had recused herself.
A short while later, Ned rejoined his family in the living room and informed them that Skye, Maya, and Lila had all sold their shares. Olivia commented on the mystery person orchestrating the hostile takeover, and Michael demanded to know what was going on. Ned calmly explained everything he knew to Michael, who was incensed to have not heard about the situation earlier. Just then, the doorbell rang, and Willow walked out of the room to answer it. Willow returned moments later with Valentin, who announced that he was the one who'd bought everyone's shares.
Olivia demanded to know when the Quartermaines had ever gotten in Valentin's way, but he answered that he had taken an interest in the powerful company. He continued that he also had Nelle's shares, and he'd been given Danny and Scout's proxies, as well. Brook Lynn awkwardly excused herself, but Ned commanded her to stay and vote. Ned called for the vote, starting with Valentin. Valentin voted no, as he didn't see the sense in wasting assets on a "poorly run institution."
Next, Ned voted yes for himself and Dillon, and Michael voted yes for himself, Jake, Monica, and Jason. Ned called on Brook Lynn next, and she stated that she would have voted yes if Valentin wasn't the owner of her shares. She explained to her furious father about using the shares to get out of her contract with Linc. Ned realized that Valentin owned half of the company, so they would need Lucy's tiebreaker vote.
Michael and Willow had to get to court, so they excused themselves. As they opened the front door, Lucy burst in. "You better get in there," Michael told a shocked Lucy as he and Willow walked out the door. Her phone went off, and she looked at it as she entered the living room. Ned and Olivia explained the situation to Lucy, who was appalled that Valentin didn't want to support the hospital that had helped his daughter. He replied that he didn't feel obligated to rescue the hospital from its own bad actions. Ned asked if Lucy would vote with Valentin or with the Quartermaines, to save the hospital that she loved so much.
Nelle paced around the courtroom, holding her half-heart necklace. She looked at the passports for her and Wiley, and she glanced at Wiley's GPS tracking on her phone.
Michael and Willow arrived at the courthouse, and Michael hoped that the "full taste" she'd gotten of the Quartermaines hadn't scared her off. "Far from it," she assured him. Willow was scared to hear the judge's decision, but Michael believed that they were in good shape. They entered the courtroom and shared a glare with Nelle.
At General Hospital, Mike informed Sonny that he was ready to go. Sadly, Sonny urged his father to let go, and he said he loved Mike. Felix walked into the room as Mike announced that he was ready to go home. He mentioned baseball, music, and friends. Felix related that he felt able to speak for Mike, since he'd been around him so often. He understood Mike to mean that he was ready to go back to where he felt at home.
Sonny thought that perhaps Mike was referring to Turning Woods because he had had so many good memories there. Sonny couldn't hide his joy, and Felix offered to make arrangements for Mike to return to his most recent home. Sonny turned to his father and informed him that he would be returning to Turning Woods very soon. He added that there was no daytime baseball game on television. "Wait 'til next season," Mike said as he smiled.
In another room, Jason opened his eyes. Sam sobbed and begged him to talk to her. Jason said her name and asked how long he'd been in the hospital. Sam explained that he had only been there for a day after having had an accident on his motorcycle. Sam wanted to fetch a doctor, but she assured Jason they had "all the time in the world." Jason seemed confused.
At the Quartermaine mansion, Ned asked Lucy how she intended to vote her single tie-breaker share. She quickly cast a glance in Valentin's direction and asked to have a private moment alone with him. Ned declined to allow it, and he and Olivia closed the room's doors. Lucy was hesitant, but Valentin urged her to speak up and be transparent like him. Brook Lynn looked uncomfortable as events unfolded.
Lucy declared that she would side with Valentin, and Brook Lynn was shocked. Valentin smiled smugly and announced that the hospital would not receive a bailout from ELQ. He suggested that everyone could vote to help out other causes instead. Lucy noted that Cyrus had shown an interest in helping out the hospital, but Ned exclaimed that he was a drug trafficker who would only get the town hooked in order to drum up more patients.
Lucy held up the check that Cyrus had given her for the Nurses Ball as Ned continued that Alan would not be happy to see what Lucy had done. Lucy blamed Monica for the situation at the hospital, and Ned concurred that there was plenty of blame to go around. He singled out Brook Lynn. Valentin smiled and disclosed that he wanted another vote to be held in order to choose a new CEO for ELQ.
Nina sat in her office at Crimson and looked at a note that Nelle had written and stuck onto the latest magazine issue. She had commended Nina for having an awesome issue and had complimented Nina, as well. Jax arrived, and Nina told him how busy she was with a looming deadline, but Jax reminded her that she'd used the same excuse the previous evening.
Nina showed him Nelle's note and confessed that she'd thought that Nelle would be "redeemable." Jax declared that Nina was rid of Nelle, and he ripped up the note. Nina confessed that she couldn't get rid of her thoughts as easily. She recapped Nelle's history and maintained that Nelle was really the cause of her own problems while blaming Nina for having double-crossed her. Nina guessed she should have stayed out of it. Jax urged Nina not to allow Nelle to cause Nina to doubt herself.
Jax pointed out that Nelle had only wanted to hurt Carly, and everyone else had only been "collateral damage." Nina didn't know why she allowed Nelle to get to her. They talked about the child that Nina might have as she admitted she didn't recall being pregnant. Jax pointed out that Madeline had left Nina a clue with the broken-heart necklace, but Nina suggested that Madeline's sole purpose might have only been to torture her.
Jax suggested that Nina pursue the necklace, but she explained that she'd already gone to a jeweler and not had any luck. Jax made a phone call and told his jeweler friend Evelyn that he wanted her expertise for a special friend.
At the courthouse, Willow expressed concern over the custody suit, but Michael reassured her. Inside the courtroom, Nelle looked at her two phony passports and quickly put them back into her purse. She looked at her phone tracker as Willow and Michael walked in. Nelle snapped that the couple's marriage had been a "sham," and Willow retorted that Nelle's own marriage had been the phony one.
Nelle confirmed that Julian would show up. Carly arrived and noted that it was good that Nelle wouldn't be alone when the judge announced his decision. Nelle accused Carly of paying off Martin to sabotage her case, and Nelle revealed that she had fired her attorney. She had also petitioned the court for a closed hearing, which meant that Carly had to leave.
Diane confirmed that Nelle was correct, and while Carly argued briefly, she finally consented to leave. First, Carly made it clear that Wiley would be going to people he knew, loved, and would feel safe with. He would only know Nelle by what they would tell him. Willow offered to sit outside of the courtroom with Carly, and she left just as Julian arrived.
Nelle exuded phony sweetness to Julian who told her to "give it up." He took a seat in the gallery. Out In the lobby, Willow confessed to Carly that she would lose it if she heard that Michael and Nelle had been given joint custody. She couldn't allow the judge to see her. Carly assured Willow that court proceedings usually moved slowly.
The judge entered, and Nelle announced that she would be representing herself because she'd fired her attorney. The judge told her that a continuance would be denied. Nelle recalled Nina's blunt assessment that Nelle herself was always the problem. The judge stated that the health, welfare, and security of Wiley were important. He pointed out that neither parent was an angel, and they had both served time. They had both married at the last minute in order to provide a family for Wiley.
The judge continued that Michael and Willow had shared their love for Wiley long before the marriage, and the witness who'd testified against Nelle and Julian had not provided any evidence. He thought that Nelle's arrival in a wedding dress had been a stunt, and he thought her to be selfish and manipulative. The judge promptly awarded sole custody to Willow and Michael. Diane and Michael shared a hug.
A doctor checked Jason out and announced that his prognosis was excellent. She left, and Jason asked Sam about his exploratory surgery. She told him about the fear of a brain injury, and that Carly had given her consent. He was sorry he'd scared Sam. He recalled picking up his bike at Brando's shop, and he remembered that Jordan had met with Cyrus. He couldn't recall the accident. He worried that Sam wasn't supposed to be with him, but she smiled and told him it was okay.
Jason couldn't believe that Dolores was no longer Sam's parole officer. She told him about her new and kind parole officer, Owen Anderson. Sam admitted that she'd reached out to Valentin after Dolores had pushed her too far. Jason wondered what Valentin would want in return, and Sam admitted she'd turned over their kids' ELQ voting proxies to him. Sam assured him that she had everything in writing, but Jason was worried about Michael and ELQ.
Sam was positive that Valentin wouldn't harm the company. Jason reminded her that his grandfather had built the company, and the family wanted to keep it. He thought that Valentin shouldn't be there.
Back at the Quartermaine mansion, Olivia demanded to know what Lucy had been thinking. Ned wanted to call his lawyers, but Valentin made it clear that they all worked for him. He would need all the company passwords. He and Lucy left, but Ned stopped Brook Lynn from departing. Brook Lynn tried to explain that she had had to get out of her contract with Linc, and then it had been too late when she'd learned about Valentin.
Ned shouted that Brook Lynn could have warned him. He knew that the family would survive, but he wasn't so sure about the hospital. He accused his daughter of always taking what she wanted, but Brook Lynn urged him to look in the mirror. She maintained that he could have helped her, but he'd refused.
Ned accused Brook Lynn of choosing Valentin over family, but Brook Lynn snapped that Valentin believed in her. Ned taunted his daughter and asked if Valentin had planned a stadium concert for her. Brook Lynn reminded him that Valentin had succeeded with Linc while Ned had only told her to grow up. She had rescued herself. Ned insisted that Brook Lynn was no longer welcome in the house, and he wanted her to get out. She walked upstairs slowly as Olivia looked on, horrified.
Shortly after, Brook Lynn descended the stairs with a packed bag. Ned proclaimed that he would send the rest of her things to wherever she moved. Olivia shook her head tearfully, and Ned watched his daughter through a window as she walked away from the house.
At Metro Court, Nina and Jax sat with Evelyn as she looked over the broken-heart necklace. She disclosed that she might know the craftsman and would pursue it further. She left, and Jax declared that they might have a break.
Nearby, Lucy berated Valentin for being heartless, but he insisted he was a businessman. He thought the hospital was a hopeless cause, and Cyrus would help them. Lucy insisted she cared about the Quartermaines, and they would resent her even more than they already did. Valentin thought they would "come around." Lucy suggested he celebrate by himself, but he dragged her over to Jax and Nina's table.
Ecstatically, Valentin announced that he was ELQ's new CEO. Jax and Nina were confused, and Valentin explained that he had made some new friends. Jax wondered about Lucy's share to break a tie, and he asked what Valentin had on her. Jax assured Lucy that he would still support the Nurses Ball but suggested sarcastically that she also ask the Quartermaines, who were probably thrilled with her loyalty. Lucy stormed off.
Valentin elucidated that Lucy ran Deception and sold real estate. Jax snapped that she had sold out to Valentin. Nina hoped that Valentin had found what he'd wanted.
Carly and Willow were overjoyed after they heard about the judge's decision. Diane added that Nelle had no visitation rights, either. Inside the courtroom, Nelle pleaded with the judge, but he maintained that she'd failed her son with her lies. He hoped she would learn from her mistakes and put Wiley ahead of everything else. He suggested she file a petition and appeal. "It's not fair!" Nelle shouted as she rushed from the courtroom. She stated that it wasn't over.
Nelle extended her congratulations to Michael and admitted she had no choice but to accept it. Diane tried to dismiss her, but Nelle replied that she wasn't finished. She was still Wiley's mother, and she would be a part of his life. Willow stated that Nelle could have had her son, but she had chosen to hurt Michael instead by considering revenge to be more important. Michael and Willow left, and Julian was happy to be heading to his home that was also a bar.
Carly wanted to speak to Nelle alone, and Diane left. Carly stated that the decision had been the right one for Wiley. She realized that Nelle's inability to parent wasn't all her fault because her own father had merely used her. She thought that Nelle should be happy that her son would have a good life. Nelle replied that she only wanted a spot in her son's life, and she would have one.
Nelle felt that appeals court might think differently, but Carly only expected Nelle to get into trouble again. She thought that Wiley should have a life without Nelle. Nelle accused Carly of taking everything from her, but Carly pointed out that it had all been Nelle's own fault.
Julian approached Nelle again as she stood alone, and he made it clear that he had played enough of the "doting husband." He wanted an annulment. Nelle declared that she would be in touch. She checked the Wiley tracker on her phone. "Hang onto that kangaroo, boy. Mom's coming," she said.
At the hospital, Felix announced that Mike had some visitors. Willow and Michael walked in and told both Sonny and Mike about their victory. Sonny was happy that Wiley would be with people who loved him. Michael asked Mike if he remembered Wiley, and he gently explained all. "Home," Mike said. Carly arrived and joined the celebration as Michael showed Mike some photos on his phone. Michael thought it had been a lucky day.
Franco arrived at the hospital and found Elizabeth for an update on Jason. She informed him that Jason was awake and would make a full recovery, and Franco promised to tell Jake. Since Jason was "out of the woods," Franco wondered if Elizabeth would be attending Ava's portrait unveiling with him. Elizabeth did not want to support Ava exploiting Franco's past, and she wondered why he was allowing it. Franco admitted his worry that his best work was behind him and that, for that reason, he wouldn't be able to contribute financially to the family. She thought that Ava was just feeding his ego. "Or she believes in me," he replied. Elizabeth said that she also believed in him, and she hoped that he justified her faith in him.
As Nikolas made himself a drink, Ava reminded him that the guests for her portrait unveiling would be arriving soon. They traded barbs until the doorbell rang, and Ava let in Lulu, who was looking for Nikolas. She had a "large favor" to ask of him, and she told him everything concerning the hospital's financial issues. She concluded that ELQ was unable to help, and Cyrus was the only offer on the table. She added that Laura wasn't comfortable asking Nikolas for money, so Lulu was doing it for Laura. Nikolas pledged to give whatever was needed to help the hospital.
Lulu sincerely thanked her brother. She congratulated Ava on her portrait and promised to try her best to make it to the unveiling, and she left. Ava observed that Lulu seemed to be warming up to Nikolas and Ava's marriage, and she wished Nikolas would, as well. Nikolas informed Ava that he'd heard from Spencer, and Spencer had decided that he didn't want contact with Nikolas without his legacy intact. Ava expressed her sincerest sympathies, but Nikolas accused Ava of costing him his son.
Nikolas and Ava argued over who was to blame for their unhappy marriage. "Go to hell," Ava spat. "I'm already there," Nikolas growled over his shoulder as he stormed out. When Nikolas was alone, he put in a call to Spencer and assured him that Ava had believed every word. He continued that Ava had no idea that Nikolas and Spencer were working together, and he would keep playing on Ava's guilt until she initiated the end of the marriage.
Franco arrived at Wyndemere and clarified that Ava needed help with placing the portrait. She disclosed that she hadn't looked at it yet, and she wanted to see it for the first time with everyone else. He hoped that she wasn't disappointed by it, and she wondered why he seemed so glum. He told her that Elizabeth wouldn't be there. "Her loss. This is our night," Ava said, and she thought they should enjoy it.
At the hospital, Lulu bumped into a hospital board member, and the man refused to comment. She insisted that she wasn't there as a reporter, and she mentioned that Nikolas had agreed to be the hospital's benefactor. The board member assured her that the problem had been solved, as the board had voted to accept Cyrus' offer.
Sonny found Sam at the hospital, and she asked about Mike. He answered that Mike was settled in and "at ease" at Turning Woods. Sam wanted to talk to Sonny about Brando and how his story didn't add up to Sam. Sonny replied that Brando had been great since he'd gotten to town, so Sonny didn't want to jump to any conclusions. He resolved to talk to Jason and then handle things from there.
Lulu approached Sam and Sonny, and she asked for a minute with Sonny. She told him about the hospital's troubles, Cyrus' offer to help the hospital in exchange for a board position, and the trouble at ELQ. Brando arrived and asked Sam about Jason. "He's awake, and he's going to be fine despite your best efforts," she spat at him. She hurled more accusations at him until he firmly stated that the accident hadn't been his fault. He advised Sam to tell Jason that he was glad that Jason would be fine, and he left.
On her way out of the hospital, Lulu bumped into Cyrus, who wondered if she wanted a comment from him. She only promised that Laura would "do everything in her power to ensure the briefest tenure in the board's history." Cyrus clarified that he wasn't just a member -- he was the chairman of the board.
Jason was fidgeting in his hospital bed when Carly entered the room. She handed him a gift bag, and he pulled out a helmet. She made him promise to wear it every time he rode his motorcycle, with no excuses or arguments, and he agreed. She confirmed that she would continue to be his power of attorney if he stopped taking stupid risks, and he assured her that he would. She went on to tell him about the outcome of Wiley's custody case and her conversation with Nelle afterwards. She feared that Nelle would try to retaliate.
Carly believed that Michael would do better with Wiley than she had done with Michael. She added that she liked Willow, and she thought that Willow and Michael would fall in love. She did feel bad for Sasha and everything she'd given up. A puzzled Jason asked what she meant. Realizing that she'd said too much, Carly instructed Jason to rest, and she left the room.
A short while later, Sonny sat down with Jason, and he asked about the crash. Jason revealed that his motorcycle had been fine until the steering had suddenly gone out. Sonny told Jason that Brando had insisted that he'd checked the part and hadn't made any mistakes installing it, but he figured it was a good idea to keep an eye on Brando, anyway. Sonny moved on to tell Jason about Cyrus' involvement with the hospital and the Quartermaines' problem that involved Sam.
A few minutes later, Sam entered the room and gently told Sonny that Jason needed rest. Sonny instructed Jason to do what Sam told him to do, and he left. Sam sat next to Jason and took his hands, wondering what the two had been talking about. Jason explained about Cyrus' offer to the hospital and ELQ's recent troubles. Sam was shocked to learn that Valentin's acquisition of ELQ was partially her fault.
Ned updated someone on the phone about ELQ's situation as Olivia looked on. When he was off the phone, Olivia scolded Ned for how he was treating Brook Lynn. He was angry at his daughter for not warning him about Valentin, but Olivia didn't think Ned would have been able to do anything. She thought that he was being too harsh, but he believed that Brook Lynn had betrayed the family. Olivia thought he was a hypocrite, as she always heard him preaching about how nothing was more important than family. While she would give anything to have her son back, she observed that Ned had thrown Brook Lynn out like garbage. Ned countered that ELQ stocks were supposed to stay in the family.
At the Floating Rib, Sasha asked Chase if there was someone he could call to find out about the results of Wiley's custody hearing. He promised to see what he could do. Brook Lynn entered and proclaimed the bar as the place for losers. She wondered who was worse -- Chase and Sasha, who'd cheated on their significant others, or her, who'd betrayed her family. Sasha excused herself, and Chase chastised Brook Lynn for judging Sasha when she'd done nothing to Brook Lynn.
Brook Lynn spat that it was "a little late for chivalry." Chase demanded that Brook Lynn stop mentioning Sasha and Chase cheating, as Sasha already hated herself. He wondered what Brook Lynn had meant by betraying her family, so she launched into the story.
"You're the face of Deception!" a girl exclaimed to Sasha on her way to the bathroom. The girl introduced herself as Sienna, and she said she worked for the photographer who'd done the Deception shoot. She'd seen the proofs, and Suzanne, another assistant, had said that Sasha had been amazing to work with. Sasha thought back to Suzanne giving her drugs, and she demanded to know what Suzanne had told Sienna.
Sienna disclosed that she knew Sasha had needed a "pick-me-up," but she didn't think it was a big deal. Sasha insisted that it had been a "one-time thing." Sienna handed a baggie of the same drugs to Sasha, "just in case." Sasha took the baggie and returned to Chase and Brook Lynn. She heard some of Brook Lynn's sob story about Ned blaming Brook Lynn for the loss of ELQ, and she took out her phone.
Olivia's phone went off, and she saw a text message from Sasha. Olivia read that Sasha was at the Floating Rib with Brook Lynn, who was clearly hurting. Olivia stormed toward the door, and Ned insisted that she couldn't walk out in the middle of a crisis. "What are you gonna do? Throw me out of the house for violating the Quartermaine by-laws?" Olivia demanded, and she left, slamming the door behind her.
At the Floating Rib, Brook Lynn decided that she didn't need Ned or ELQ, just like Sasha didn't need Michael with her blossoming modeling career. Olivia arrived and asked to talk to Brook Lynn, so they walked off to a table. Sasha excused herself to the bathroom, and Chase said to himself, "I still love you, Willow." Sasha made sure that the bathroom was empty and took the baggie out of her purse.
Olivia slid a room key for the Metro Court across the table to Brook Lynn. She wondered if Ned knew, but Olivia replied that no one told her what to do. Brook Lynn thought that Olivia hated her. Olivia replied that she had for a short time, but they were family. She assured Brook Lynn that Ned loved her, but he didn't know how to show it. She concluded that Quartmaines stuck together.
Sasha returned to Chase in a much peppier mood. She informed him that they were heroes, even if no one knew about it, so they could continue to wallow -- or do something that would make them feel better. Carly arrived, happy to have tracked Chase and Sasha down. She informed the two that Michael and Willow had won sole custody of Wiley, and she thanked them profusely for giving up their own happiness. Carly believed that Michael, Willow, and Wiley would be a real family one day, which was the best thing for everyone. She thanked them again and left.
Michael and Willow put Wiley to bed and were happy that he was "officially home." They decided to focus only on happy things, but Michael insisted that it was all right if she still missed Chase. He admitted that he missed Sasha. They agreed to only speak the truth to each other. Willow missed Chase, but she was happy to have married Michael, and he agreed.
On the way downstairs, Michael suggested a boat ride to a waterfront restaurant for dinner with Willow. Ned appeared and congratulated the two on the custody results. Michael asked about the end of the shareholders meeting, and Ned sadly told Michael about the fate of the hospital and that Valentin was the new CEO. Ned apologized, as Valentin's seizure of shares had happened on his watch. Michael vowed to solve the problem, but he related that losing his job was nothing compared to getting full custody of his son. He vowed to celebrate the day, anyway, and Willow agreed to dinner.
Terry ran into Elizabeth at General Hospital and asked what was going on. Elizabeth pulled her aside, and they discussed Cyrus' new position at the hospital along with the fact that he was probably still a drug trafficker. Elizabeth was upset with Lucy for voting with Valentin and against the Quartermaines. She noted that Nikolas had offered to help out, and she wished he would get rid of Ava. Terry was surprised that Elizabeth had decided against going to Ava's portrait reveal, but Elizabeth felt that Ava was all about Franco before his brain tumor. Elizabeth would not support the man who did not resemble her husband.
Anna and Finn sat at a table at the Floating Rib and discussed their wedding guest list. Anna wondered if Finn would be inviting his father, but Finn didn't think it was a good idea. He hadn't spoken to his father much, and most communication had been through Chase. Anna thought that Violet deserved to have a relationship with her grandfather. She was aware that Chase had told Gregory about Violet.
Finn pointed out that his father hadn't made any attempts of his own to get in touch, but Anna thought that Gregory had only been respecting Finn's boundaries and had been waiting for an invitation. Finn admitted that he would be uncomfortable with his father and stepmother being present, and Violet would be able to sense it. Finn thought his daughter would be confused if Finn and Gregory couldn't settle their differences.
Anna guessed that it was more than Gregory's quick remarriage, as he'd already been married for decades. She suggested that Finn's estrangement would affect Violet. Finn reminded Anna that his father lived in California. Anna stressed that her family did, as well, and she managed to see them often through visits and online.
Anna clarified that she'd told Violet that a wedding meant family time, and Finn's father was part of the family. Finn revealed that he couldn't imagine his stepmother being at the wedding, as she would take away from the special occasion. He added that it was complicated. Anna replied that families were complicated, and she thought Finn should put aside his differences for one day.
At Wyndemere, Ava was in search of Nikolas and went into his bedroom. He walked out of his bathroom, draped in only a towel. He complimented Ava on her appearance in a black, shimmery dress, and she complimented his appearance in return. "Excuse me?" Nikolas asked. An awkward Ava began to stumble over her words and said chests instead of guests. She ordered him to be civil at the party, or he would regret it.
While Franco waited for guests to arrive, he recalled a previous conversation with Elizabeth. She had accused him of playing into Ava's hands. Just then, Scott arrived, grumbling about the ferry ride. He was hopeful that Franco would make some money, and he asked about Elizabeth. Franco explained that his wife would not be there because she didn't appreciate the fact that Ava was "dredging up" the past. Scott declared that there was no bad publicity, and Franco stated that Elizabeth wanted to pretend the past hadn't happened.
At the front door, Lucy stopped Maxie and Peter from going inside. She really didn't want to be there. Maxie reminded Lucy that they had to ramp up Deception's debut. Maxie forced Lucy to stay, and Lucy marched inside. Maxie confided to Peter that she thought Lucy was hiding something.
Dustin and Lulu arrived next. Lulu confessed that she didn't want to celebrate Franco's old days. Nina and Jax followed. She insisted that the house was only a drafty old house and was in her past. Ava and Nikolas joined their guests, and Ava urged Nikolas to smile. She was sure it would be a night to remember.
Lucy thought it was tasteless to have an event the night before the Nurses Ball, which was the biggest charity event in town. Ava was surprised to see Lucy out the night before the only night when Lucy was "socially relevant." Nina told Franco how happy she was to see him painting again, and she planned to feature him in her magazine.
Peter and Dustin went for drinks, and Lulu berated Maxie hiding the fact that she was pregnant from Peter. Maxie claimed that she had not had the time or found the proper time to tell him. She wasn't sure how he'd feel. Lulu wondered if Maxie was "on the fence" about the baby, and Maxie stated that the timing was wrong. She noted that Peter thought he was tainted by being Faison's son. Lulu urged her to figure it out.
Ava expressed her sorrow to Franco over Elizabeth's absence because he deserved better support from his spouse. Nikolas overheard and noted that Ava would know about the support. He revealed that Spencer wouldn't have anything to do with him without all of his money. Ava was sorry, and Nikolas snapped that they'd both lost children who weren't there to celebrate with them. Ava looked like she'd been slapped, and she rushed outside for some air.
"What the hell was that?" Franco asked. He made it clear that there was no comparison because Kiki was dead. He added that Ava was upset, and anyone who cared about her would know that.
Nina asked Jax how well he knew Lucy, and he admitted that he didn't know her well, but he had known her for a long time. Nina was curious about Lucy siding with Valentin in the voting, and Jax explained that Valentin had bought into Deception for leverage. Jax thought it had been a good business move.
Elizabeth showed up wearing a shiny leopard print dress and looking for Franco. Nikolas was happy to see her, and he thought that Franco might be up on the parapet. He offered to help Elizabeth find her husband. She admitted she'd changed her mind about attending.
Franco found Ava in the stable, and he assured her that Nikolas had been out of line. Ava claimed that she hadn't been bothered but had only wanted some air. She sat down. She wondered if she would ever be able to hear Kiki's name without having a broken heart. Franco maintained that Nikolas had purposely tried to hurt her, but Ava suspected that she had been the cause of it because she might have gone too far.
Ava explained that she'd turned Spencer against Nikolas, and Spencer saw her as a traitor. Franco refused to accept the reasoning, but Ava told him about the post-nuptial agreement. If Nikolas walked away, she would get 90 percent of everything, and Spencer wanted it all. He was avoiding his father while Nikolas was married to Ava. She thought she might be able to end the marriage and not take any of the money. She would love to see Kiki's face if she was able to give Nikolas and Spencer healing and closure.
Elizabeth and Nikolas ended up on the parapet. Lulu and Maxie had gone up there to chat and left when the others arrived. Franco wasn't there, but Nikolas suggested that Elizabeth stay and enjoy the view. Elizabeth thought that Spencer would "come around," and she also commended Nikolas on "stepping up" at the hospital. Nikolas couldn't believe the hospital would be accepting money from Cyrus, and Elizabeth revealed that Cyrus was the new chairman.
Elizabeth was happy to see the "old" Nikolas, and he admitted he was trying to get back to his former self. She urged him to hurry up. Nikolas drew closer and said that he hated the distance between them. Awkwardly, Elizabeth took a deep breath and declared that she had to find Franco.
Dustin ignored a phone call from Brook Lynn, and he showed Peter a toy car that Rocco had given him to play with in case he was bored at the party. Peter shared that James, Georgie, and Violet had been keeping him on his toes, and he'd never thought he might want kids of his own someday. Maxie and Lulu returned.
Scott and Lucy spoke about the hospital. She thought the most important thing was that someone was giving them money, no matter who it was. Scott disagreed, pointing out that that might change a lot of things around the institution. Lucy agreed that while she had restarted her company on her own, compromise was necessary sometimes. "Oh, Lucy, what have you done?" Scott asked.
As Maxie and Peter walked, they heard Lucy tell Scott that she had voted alongside Valentin because he had told her that ELQ wouldn't bail out the hospital. Scott was filled with horror, but Lucy insisted that someone else would help. She stated that Cyrus had been framed and exonerated. Scott was aware that she had owed Valentin, and Valentin had known that he would need her vote. Lucy claimed none of it was her fault.
Lucy blamed the Quartermaines who had decided to sell their shares. Scott insisted that a guy with a ponytail couldn't be trusted. Maxie asked to speak to Lucy alone, and Lucy blurted out that she had known she would be the "town pariah" again. She hadn't had a choice, and she proclaimed that Maxie should realize that Valentin would have pulled out his money from Deception if Lucy hadn't gone along.
It was Jax's turn to speak to Lucy. He told her that, as a businessman, he understood what she'd done, but Cyrus was another story. He divulged that Josslyn and Carly had been in the crossfire of a gunfight and could have been killed. There was no proof, but he trusted Sonny's opinion that Cyrus had been behind it. Even though Jordan had expressed Cyrus' innocence, Jax thought the man was still dangerous, and he encouraged Lucy to be careful.
Elizabeth waited for a break in the conversation and finally walked in on Ava and Franco. They were happy to see her. Franco stated that she'd made his night, and Ava wanted to get back to her guests. Elizabeth believed that Ava had done all she could to take Franco back to who he'd been before instead of respecting him for what he was in the present. Franco assured her that he only cared about their marriage, but Elizabeth thought that current events were not anything about the man she loved.
Elizabeth decided that she felt uncomfortable and didn't want to stay. Franco thought she was there to support him but he promised not to get home too late. Elizabeth gave him a look, and Franco couldn't believe she wanted him to leave with her.
Peter found Maxie awkwardly leaning over, and she claimed to have slipped. Maxie felt responsible for Lucy's attendance but admitted she hadn't known that Lucy had "sold out" the Quartermaines. Lucy maintained that she'd done it to save Deception, and it was Maxie's "bread and butter." Maxie suggested that Lucy leave and get ready for the Nurses Ball. She was reserving judgment but didn't think that Lucy made a good Deception ambassador. Lucy thought that Maxie was "looking peaked" and suggested she go home, too. Scott offered to accompany Lucy. Peter agreed that Maxie looked pale.
Nina found Ava on the parapet and admitted that she missed parts of Wyndemere, especially being with Charlotte. She had realized that a relationship based on lies and secrets couldn't last. Ava added extortion to the list, and the women laughed. Ava admitted that she'd trapped Nikolas, and she was only hurting him and Spencer.
Ava said that she had seen Spencer mourn for Nikolas and then grow upset when he had learned that Nikolas was really alive. Nina wondered if Ava could give up her revenge, but Ava recalled how Nikolas had told her he'd see Kiki in hell and what he'd done to Ava in the mental hospital. She regretted the post-nuptial. Nina revealed that she had been satisfied to expose Valentin at the altar but had found peace and happiness afterward. Ava knew what she had to do.
Lulu chatted with Nikolas in his bedroom and asked about Spencer. He hoped their situation would be improving, and Lulu guessed that her brother had a secret. She wondered if the secret was more important than gaining her trust. Nikolas confessed that he had been working with Spencer to take Ava down, and Lulu was shocked. She accused Nikolas of recruiting his son. She added that Laura had wanted Nikolas to have faith in Spencer to make the right choice, and instead, they were partners in crime.
Lulu accused Nikolas of dragging Spencer into his "twisted game." Spencer only wanted to please his father and reconnect because he missed Nikolas. She wanted Nikolas to stop manipulating and choose his son. He should allow Ava to decide on the money. Lulu thought that Nikolas was still intent on revenge and refused to see what it was costing him.
Maxie accosted Franco and asked how much money he had received for doing Ava's portrait. She wondered if Ava had received a discount in exchange for getting Franco noticed. Franco called Maxie hostile, but she reminded him that she remembered his previous career when he'd hurt a lot of people. She thought he'd proven he'd changed, especially to a judge, and he was a new person, which made her nauseous.
Peter was concerned about Maxie's outburst, but she thought that Franco had looked smug. She noted that dishonesty bothered her. She didn't think Franco was anything like Peter, who had turned his life around. He hoped he never disappointed Maxie, and Maxie assured him he wouldn't, as long as he was honest. He thought that something was going on because Maxie had been dizzy and lightheaded lately.
Nina informed Jax that she'd given Ava some advice, and it was all because of Jax. She had made a smart life decision being with him. Ava interrupted. She was looking for Nikolas.
Dustin thought that Lulu looked "pissed," and she informed him that Nikolas had gone below her worst expectations. Ava found Nikolas and told him it was showtime. Franco told Elizabeth that the cover would be off the painting at any moment. She asked him if he would be leaving with her.
Ava called everyone to attention and spoke about celebrating revival and redemption. She asked Franco to join her by the painting. Nikolas joined Elizabeth. Ava was happy about the portrait and the ability to share it. Franco removed the cover. Ava looked at it, and her mouth opened wide. The guests were all in shock and looked at the painting in disbelief.
