Alexis was passed out behind the wheel of her car as Tracy called for emergency services. She exclaimed that her friend was driving drunk, and she was worried. When she hung up the phone, she muttered to Alexis, "You brought it on yourself." A few minutes later, Alexis woke up as the police arrived, and she was surprised to see Chase.
Tracy informed Chase that Alexis had driven her car off the road, but Alexis insisted that Tracy had been driving. Tracy claimed that she had driven Alexis home. She continued that she'd gone to make Alexis some coffee, and when she'd returned from the kitchen, Alexis had been gone. As she thought about how she'd placed an unconscious Alexis behind the wheel, she concluded that she'd called for help when she'd seen Alexis pulling out of the driveway.
Chase appreciated the information from Tracy, but Alexis didn't remember any of that. "Did you black out again?" Tracy asked sympathetically, garnering a glare from Alexis. Alexis shot back that she'd blacked out before, but it had never been from only three drinks. Chase attempted to do some sobriety tests on Alexis, but she declined. Chase asked for Alexis' license, which she provided, and he told her that he would have to seize it. He put Alexis under arrest for the suspicion of driving while intoxicated, and he read her rights.
Alexis suggested that she had pulled over because of tiredness, but Chase didn't believe it due to Tracy's account of events and his own observations. He informed her that she would have to submit to a Breathalyzer at the station, and she could be charged with either driving while ability impaired, or driving while intoxicated, depending on her blood alcohol level. Tracy, clearly rethinking her actions, offered to wait for the tow truck, but Alexis cracked that Tracy should just "let the forest reclaim" her car. Tracy wondered if there was someone she could call for Alexis. Alexis answered that there was no one who cared about her, and she left with Chase.
In New York City, Julian hopped off the fire escape just to be met with a gun-wielding Sonny. Julian wanted the chance to explain himself, and he offered that everything he'd done had been for Lucas. Sonny wondered how planting the bomb had been for Lucas, and Julian insisted that Cyrus had forced him to do that. Julian explained that Cyrus knew about his part in the cover-up of Wiley's true parentage. "We both know how this ends. Let's go," Julian said. Suddenly, there was a shot from behind, and Sonny and Julian ran for cover.
Sonny shot back at the masked man until Jason arrived and shot the man. Jason kicked the man's gun away and took off the mask, but he didn't recognize the man. They assumed that Cyrus had sent him. They realized Julian was gone, but they took off as soon as they heard an approaching siren. A few minutes later, they sat down in the bar in which they'd been attacked by Cyrus' men. Jason thought that the gunman wanted Julian, as Cyrus was desperate to shut Julian up. He wondered if Julian would turn on Cyrus. Sonny replied that, if Julian didn't give Cyrus up, he would be the one to kill Julian.
Outside Dr. Kirk's office at the WSB facility in Geneva, Franco informed Elizabeth that he was hopeful for the first time in a while, thanks to Dr. Kirk. Inside the office, Scott was in disbelief that Dr. Kirk was dead, as the man was Franco's only chance at being fixed. Liesl warned Scott that he needed to be quiet so she could figure out what to do, or else they would both end up in jail. Just then, Franco knocked on the office door, but he walked away when only silence answered him. Liesl instructed Scott to take Franco back to the hotel and tell him nothing while she took care of the body. Scott obeyed and quietly left the room.
Outside the office, Scott stammered to Franco that they had a big day the next day, so they needed to go back to the hotel. Franco thought he'd heard commotion in the office, but Scott claimed that he'd just gotten carried away with concern for Franco. As they left, Liesl nudged Dr. Kirk with her foot and muttered, "Lecher. No one lays a hand on me and gets to keep it." She wondered what she should do with him.
Later, Scott and Franco were relaxing in their hotel room when there was a knock on the door. Before Franco answered, a nervous Scott wanted Franco to know that he cared about his son. A puzzled Franco told Scott to relax and let Dr. Kirk do his job. Franco opened the door to Liesl, who had "come to save you." She informed Franco that Dr. Kirk was "no longer available," as he'd suddenly been sent "far away" on an urgent WSB assignment. However, Liesl had looked through Franco's medical records, and she was sure that she could help him.
A skeptical Franco wondered when Liesl had specialized in neuropsychology, and Scott refused to let her mess with Franco's brain. She informed the two that she'd directed the Clinic to Heal the Mind before she'd arrived in Port Charles, so she knew her way around a brain. She quickly told Franco to say the first thing that came to his mind, and he answered, "Drew." Franco explained that Dr. Kirk believed that Franco's brain hadn't been "scrubbed" of all of Drew's memories, and he told a shocked Liesl about hearing Peter's voice.
Brando joined Sasha in the Metro Court elevator, and Sasha remarked that he was in her way. He proposed a deal that they stay out of each other's way, and she agreed. The two exited the elevator at the restaurant level, and Sasha joined Maxie at a table. Sasha couldn't wait to return to work. However, Maxie revealed that Deception's lawyers thought that Sasha was a liability. The company needed a guarantee that Sasha was clean, and Sasha swore that she was done with drugs. Unfortunately, they couldn't just take Sasha's word for it, and Maxie disclosed that there had been some "tweaks" to Sasha's contract.
Maxie informed Sasha that Sasha would need to undergo regular and random drug tests, and she could only have food and drinks provided by the company at photo shoots and events. Sasha agreed to everything. Maxie added that Deception's public relations people wanted Sasha to get ahead of the story and go public about her drug use, and Sasha wondered if it was a deal-breaker. Maxie answered that it was up to Sasha, but she implored Sasha to consider it. Brando watched as Sasha signed the contract and left the table to collect her thoughts.
Britt sat down with Cyrus at the Metro Court restaurant, and he wanted to tell her about what he had going on. He informed her that his researchers had formulated a promising new pain medication that was being expedited for government approval. He thought that becoming a pharmaceutical base would add to the hospital's prestige, and he handed her some paperwork to look through about the drug. She observed that it seemed to be effective, but there were no side effects listed; he promised that the list was "forthcoming." She told him that she was all for less pain for patients and more money for the hospital, but her priority was good medical care, not selling drugs.
Cyrus coldly told Britt that, of all people, she should appreciate the value of an opportunity dropped in her lap. She insisted that she appreciated him making her chief of staff, and he assured her that she was the right person for a difficult job. "I'm not sure what business you think we're in, but I'm in the business of saving lives," she said, and she walked away.
Britt sat down with Maxie, and Maxie remarked on how happy Peter was that Britt was in Port Charles. Since they were "almost family," Britt wondered if there was any way Maxie would be comfortable with Britt spending some time with James, and Maxie promised to think about it. Britt explained that James was her only remaining connection to Nathan since Liesl was gone. Maxie imagined how Liesl's head would explode to find out that she was marrying Peter and having his child. She added that she'd had a good bond with Liesl, but she'd had to choose between Liesl and Peter, so Liesl had lost.
Sasha sat down with Cyrus and apologized for running off on him the night before. She wanted to make it up to him, and he was intrigued by the offer. Suddenly, Brando rushed over and grabbed her out of the chair. He informed Cyrus that he'd thrown Sasha out of Cyrus' apartment when he'd found her searching for drugs to take to the police as revenge for her heart attack. Cyrus coldly suggested that she do something else with her time that was less likely to get her hurt. She left, and Cyrus thanked Brando for the loyalty -- and the timing. Just then, Cyrus answered a phone call about a problem.
A short while later, Sasha was sitting at the café when she got a call from Brando to make sure she was all right. "After you told a drug kingpin I was looking for evidence to put him away?" she asked incredulously. She informed him that she was out of his way like he'd wanted, so he needed to stay out of her way. She hung up on him. As Brando put his phone down, Cyrus urgently flew by, and Brando inquired if something had happened. Cyrus replied that it was just a loose end and nothing he couldn't handle.
Finn slipped on some bride magazines scattered on the floor at home, and Anna revealed that Maxie had sent them over. Violet had been thrilled with them. Finn wanted Anna to talk to Maxie before they were "stuck" with the double wedding. Violet was most excited about the prospect and asked if she'd get to carry two bouquets. Just then, Anna received a phone call from Valentin.
While sitting at Metro Court, Valentin phoned Anna to ask her if she'd received any information on Dante that could affect Charlotte. Anna informed him that they'd have to talk another time. Martin Grey overheard and wandered over. He noted that he'd heard Valentin talk about the importance of family, and he agreed. He sat down.
Martin explained that he viewed his clients as family. They bonded, bickered and made up. "Don't we?" he asked. Valentin reminded Martin that he had been fired, but Martin considered that to have happened in the "heat of the moment." Valentin snapped that Martin had offended him, because Valentin would have never wished for something to happen that would harm his daughter. He wouldn't have wanted anything to happen to Lulu.
Martin asked for forgiveness and a second chance, but Valentin seemed disagreeable. Martin stood up and began to walk off, but Valentin told him to shut up and sit down. He admitted that he liked the way that Martin operated and would consider rehiring him. Martin was grateful, and he whipped out some paperwork from his briefcase.
Valentin threatened Martin in the event that he made similar comments in the future. Martin confessed that his private life wouldn't remain private much longer, and Valentin made some off-the-wall guesses as to why. It was Martin's turn to take offense, and he noted that he'd worked hard to build his reputation. He revealed that he had a family member who had decided to settle in town.
Valentin wondered if he knew the party, and Martin divulged that Cyrus was his brother. Valentin dryly noted that he wasn't the only one with disreputable relatives. Martin emphasized that he and Cyrus shared DNA only, but Valentin replied that Martin wasn't his attorney yet. He wanted to know if Martin represented Cyrus.
"Absolutely not," Martin replied. He had little to do with Cyrus. Martin stated that his brother walked a "dangerous tightrope," and he didn't want to be near him if he stepped off because it wasn't in the best interests of his clients. Valentin approved, and he and Martin signed the papers. Martin promised that Valentin wouldn't regret it. "I better not," Valentin said.
"Where is he?" Jordan demanded. Carly replied that Sonny was out of town and unreachable, but Jordan demanded a meeting with Taggert. Carly insisted that Taggert was dead, but Jordan was angry and disputed it. Jordan knew that Taggert had been hiding somewhere secure like Fort Knox, and she figured that Sonny had to be behind it.
Jordan added that Trina was convinced that Taggert was alive, and Cameron and Josslyn had been working to help Trina. Carly pointed out that the teens were best friends. Jordan revealed that Epiphany had tipped her off that the teens had hacked into Taggert's hospital records, and that could upset the wrong people. Carly suggested that someone should have been more secretive. Jordan again demanded a meeting before someone was killed, and Carly felt obligated to call Sonny.
Cameron, Trina, and Josslyn sat around a table at the Bistro and looked over Taggert's medical records that they'd managed to obtain. They agreed that nothing jumped out at them to indicate that Taggert was still alive, and they wondered who might have helped him to pretend he'd died. Trina suspected that Epiphany knew something.
Cameron reminded Trina that there was no proof that Taggert was alive, and Josslyn stressed that they only had the word of Cyrus, "the word of a liar." Cameron had to agree with Josslyn, and the two of them tried to convince Trina that Cyrus had a motive to lie to Trina. They suggested that he wanted to get back at Trina because of her father.
Trina insisted that she was following her instincts. She felt in her heart that her father was still alive, and that Cyrus had only confirmed what she'd already suspected. Josslyn wondered if it was an instinct or a wish; she still wished that Morgan was alive, although, if he was, he would have returned home.
Trina thought her father could be in hiding, but Cameron pointed out that he'd be hiding from Cyrus, who was the one who'd told Trina that Taggert was alive in the first place. Just then, Josslyn received a text message from Carly that read, "Metro Court. Now."
Once Josslyn had gone, Trina announced that she wanted to focus on finding Taggert. Cameron wondered why Taggert wouldn't have sent Trina a message, but Trina assumed her father had a good reason. She was annoyed and thought that Cameron and Josslyn just wanted her to forget about finding her father.
Cameron knew that Trina was hurting, and he understood. He hoped that Taggert was alive. Trina knew that Cameron was also hurting about Franco's medical issue. She announced that she had somewhere to go and needed to be alone.
Laura and Curtis sat in a car outside the Mountain Landing long-term care facility in Vermont. They marveled at the amount of security that was apparent, and Curtis thought that they would have to be creative in order to get inside. When they overheard some carolers, Curtis announced that he had a plan. He left the warmth of the car.
Shortly after, a freezing Curtis returned to the car and told Laura that he'd been able to blend in with the carolers. He had seen lots of security cameras on the building and assumed that no one could get inside unless they were staff, family, or a patient. Laura asked about Plan B.
Back at Anna's place, she and Finn tried to tone down Violet's excitement over the double wedding, without success. The little girl was most excited about being a flower girl and worried that that wouldn't happen. Before they could discuss it much further, the doorbell sounded. It was Chase and Gregory.
"Daddy and Anna are going to marry Maxie and Peter," Violet announced. "Daddy's gonna get a real big headache," she added. The adults laughed. Violet accepted Gregory's gift and placed it under the Christmas tree. Chase teased Finn and revealed that he might have a "plus one" for the wedding. Violet asked Gregory about his wife, and Finn tried to explain that Jackie was working and wouldn't be there.
Violet wanted to see photos of Gregory's wedding, and Finn replied that he didn't have any. Gregory explained that Finn had been a doctor on call, but he had a photo of the time when things had been new and hopeful. Chase noted that Jackie's smile in the photo did not look like her normal smile. Finn was distracted but then mentioned Gregory trading a story for cookies. Gregory, Chase, and Violet headed off to the kitchen.
Finn thought things had been awkward, and Anna guessed she knew why. Finn decided to go for his own cookie, and Anna called him out on shutting down whenever his father's wedding was mentioned. She thought there was something unsaid, and she thought that Violet would suspect the uneasiness. She suggested a therapist for Finn -- or someone else to talk to.
Finn admitted he had resented his father for moving on too quickly and betraying his mother. He shouldn't have blamed Gregory, and he called Chase a "godsend" as a brother. He didn't know how to settle things with Gregory, though. Anna suggested that Gregory might also need someone to talk to because of his separation from Jackie. She thought that Finn could be objective, and she urged him to put away his "baggage."
Chase, Violet, and Gregory emerged from the kitchen. Violet announced that Gregory had told her a story, and she asked him to tell it again. Gregory thought it was time to leave, and he hugged the little girl. Finn indicated that he wanted his father to attend the wedding, and Gregory revealed that Violet had invited him. Finn admitted he wanted his father there. Violet blew a kiss, and she wished that Jackie would attend.
Curtis spoke to a nurse sitting behind the desk in the care facility. He announced himself as Dr. Curtis Ashford, and he indicated that his patient, seated in a wheelchair, needed attention. Laura sat with a dazed expression on her face and seemed oblivious to anything around her. Curtis stooped down to tell her that he'd stay by her side.
The nurse couldn't find anything on file to indicate that Laura was a patient, and soon, a doctor joined them. Curtis was agitated that no records could be located. Laura began to groan, and Curtis stressed that his patient had been traumatized by a tragedy and had suffered from a previous condition. The doctor stressed that he would need a referral and threatened to call security.
Curtis was offended and in turn made his own threat to call the governor of New York in order to get help for his patient, the mayor of Port Charles. He suggested the doctor check under Kevin Collins' name, because he had made the referral for his wife. The nurse looked again and located the referral. Curtis stressed that Laura needed treatment immediately, and the doctor stated that he would admit her.
Carly sat and waited for Josslyn to get to Metro Court. When her daughter arrived, she demanded that Josslyn tell her the truth. She wanted to know why Josslyn, Cameron, and Trina had snooped and asked questions about Taggert at the hospital. Epiphany had seen them. Josslyn rolled her eyes and sighed. She confessed that they'd been looking for proof that Taggert was still alive.
Josslyn explained that Trina would have done it alone if Cameron and Josslyn hadn't joined in to help. They had used Elizabeth's work laptop. Carly made it clear that what they'd done had been illegal. She wanted to know why they thought that Taggert was alive. Josslyn was evasive and replied that she'd given her word not to say anything.
Carly continued to press. She stated that Taggert had been shot to death and that Cyrus had possibly been the one responsible. He was dangerous. She needed to know why Trina thought her father was alive. Josslyn wanted Carly to trust her, but Carly declared that the teens were all at risk. Josslyn finally confessed that Cyrus had been the one to say something. Carly was shocked.
Jordan met with Taggert in the dark park. Taggert was aware that he had promised to stay away, but he believed that Cyrus had been a threat. Jordan insisted that many people had been working on it. She berated him for allowing someone to see him, although Taggert insisted that wasn't true. After thinking about it briefly, he admitted that someone had -- the guy on the pier. It had been Julian.
Jordan was appalled and worried that Sonny wouldn't be able to keep Julian quiet. She wondered how the information had gone from Julian to Trina because Trina believed that Taggert was alive. Jordan shouted at Taggert and ordered him to leave town. She would get answers and keep Trina safe.
Trina sat on a bench nearby and touched the engraved plaque dedicated to lives lost in the line of duty. She flashed back to happier times when she'd been with her father in the park. He'd flown a paper airplane, and they had talked about places to go. She began to cry. Soon after, she got up to leave, and the wind rustled the leaves on the trees. "Dad?" she called out.
Laura was safely tucked in bed at the care facility. Curtis told her she'd been "scarily convincing," and Laura told him he'd been very believable as a doctor. She admitted that she'd recalled a time in her past when she'd been confined to a wheelchair. Things had suddenly seemed real, and she'd gotten scared. She was sorry to have gotten Kevin involved.
Curtis was sure that Kevin understood. He handed Laura a phone that included his phone number. Laura vowed to find Florence Grey. Someone knocked on the door. It was the doctor they'd seen earlier. Curtis told him to take care of Laura, and after Curtis had gone, the doctor revealed a huge hypodermic needle.
At the facility in Vermont, a nurse assured Curtis that he had nothing to worry about with Laura's transition to the facility. She explained that all patients were sedated on their first night to help them relax and sleep through the night. In Laura's room, the doctor walked toward her with a syringe and assured her that it wouldn't hurt a bit. As he was about to give her the shot, Curtis and the nurse burst into the room, and Curtis shouted at the doctor to stop.
Curtis claimed that Laura had an allergy to the sedative, and it had been an oversight in Laura's medical records. He asked for a moment with Laura, so the doctor and nurse left. Laura took the opportunity to hug him and thank him profusely. He revealed that he'd found out that Florence Grey was in room two, but he thought that they needed to figure out another plan to get to her. Laura refused to leave until they got the information they needed. She assured him that she would slip out of her room after lights out and try to talk to Florence. He didn't like it, but he promised to pick her up the next day.
Later, the doctor turned out the lights in Laura's room and left. As soon as the door closed, she got out of bed and quickly got dressed. A few minutes later, she crept down the hall and found room two. She entered the room and saw an old woman asleep in bed. As she touched the woman's hand, she heard footsteps outside the room, and the doorknob began to turn.
At a bus station in Secaucus, New Jersey, a woozy Julian sat down in a waiting area with a ticket to Montreal. He heard an announcement that his bus was delayed by an hour, and he regretted not flying. Just then, a man with his face covered by the newspaper he was reading sat down close to Julian. Julian advised the man to go sit at one of the many empty benches. "No, I'm exactly where I need to be," the man said as he lowered his newspaper, revealing Duke.
Duke continued to a confounded Julian that he was there for a "front-row seat" to watch Julian's bad deeds catch up with him. Julian reminded Duke that Duke had been "a gangster like me" and that he hadn't been the one to kill Duke. A woman chimed in that Julian always had others do his dirty work, and Julian turned to see Connie, clad in the bloody white dress she'd died in. Julian answered that Ava had shot Connie, but Connie shot back that he'd manipulated his sister into it. Duke and Connie berated him about never taking the blame. Just then, a knife-wielding Alexis appeared and wondered if he'd owned up to holding a knife to his wife's throat.
Julian insisted that he'd never meant to hurt anyone, and he informed Alexis that he still loved her. He wished he could take back all the harm he'd done, but he couldn't change the past, so he wondered what he was supposed to do. "Balance the scale of justice and die!" Alexis exclaimed, holding the knife to his throat. Connie talked about all of the damaged people he'd left in his wake, and Duke advised Julian to accept his fate and stop running. "This is the end," Duke said. "Just let go," Alexis added. Julian passed out and slumped on the bench, dropping his bus ticket.
At the Metro Court restaurant, Carly was shocked that Cyrus had been the one to tell Trina that Taggert was still alive, and Josslyn figured that he'd been messing with Trina's head. They saw Cyrus arrive, and Carly stormed over to him. She demanded that he stay away from Josslyn and her friends, or he wouldn't like what happened next. He didn't get why she was so worked up if what he'd said was just lies. Carly continued that he and Sonny had a truce, but Cyrus didn't want to start a war with her. She stormed off, and Cyrus took his phone out to make a call. He told someone that Julian had to have told the truth, and he advised the person to find Trina, who would lead them to Taggert.
At the pub in Brooklyn, Sonny and Jason updated Brick on their situation with Julian and asked for his help in tracking Julian down. Brick informed them that, thanks to facial recognition software, he could cross-reference public photos with active security footage. Sonny instructed Brick to do whatever he had to do in order to find Julian.
A few minutes later, Sonny got off the phone and informed Jason that Cyrus' shooter still hadn't been identified. Jason figured that Cyrus would make sure that the shooter wasn't traced back to him. Just then, Sonny's phone went off, and he answered it to Carly. She told him about what was going on with Trina. When he was off the phone, he and Jason discussed what they would do once they found Julian. Brick got off the phone and informed Sonny and Jason that his security team had located Julian at a Secaucus bus station. "He's not getting away this time," Sonny said with a smile.
Carly returned to Josslyn, who wished that Trina hadn't taken Cyrus seriously. Carly related that Trina was vulnerable and wanted to believe something positive. Josslyn wondered what kind of parents would fake their death and leave their child behind. Carly informed Josslyn that a parent would do anything to protect their children. Josslyn got a text that her ride was there, so she hugged her mother goodbye. Carly demanded that Josslyn call as soon as she got home, but Josslyn assured Carly that Cyrus was already gone. Josslyn wondered where he could have gone.
Ava arrived at the hospital and found Portia leaving Trina a concerned message to call back. Ava asked what was wrong. Portia informed Ava that Trina had skipped the last two days of school, and she wasn't returning any of Portia's calls. Ava assured Portia that Trina was smart and responsible, and she suggested that Trina just wanted some time to herself. She figured that Trina was just avoiding the lecture that she knew Portia would give, so she wouldn't be picking up for Portia.
Jordan approached Trina at the park, and she admitted that she'd been thinking about Taggert. She thought it would be nice to talk about him with someone else who remembered him. As Taggert looked on from out of sight, Jordan could tell that Trina was still angry with Jordan. Jordan explained that Taggert falsifying evidence didn't make him a bad man, and she talked to Trina about the difficulties that the undercover agents had in getting evidence of Cyrus' crimes. Trina recognized that Taggert had thought that the end had justified the means, and Jordan believed that Taggert would do it all over again, as it had saved many lives.
Just then, Trina's phone went off, and she answered it to Ava. Ava informed Trina that Portia was very concerned, and she needed to drop what she was doing and get to the hospital. Trina promised to be right there and hung up. Trina sincerely thanked Jordan for the talk, and she left. Taggert emerged from hiding, and he thanked Jordan for all she'd said to Trina. Since she'd helped Taggert see Trina one last time, she advised him to get out of town before Cyrus found and killed him. "We're partners again," Taggert said with a smile, and the two embraced. She instructed him to take care of himself.
"Get down," Jordan said suddenly, and she drew her gun as a man emerged from the trees with his gun. A few minutes later, the shooter was on the ground, and Taggert grabbed the man's weapon. She informed the man that he'd just shot at the police commissioner, and he admitted that he hadn't been after her. He explained that his boss had had him follow Trina in order to draw Taggert out of hiding. Moments later, Jordan recognized that the man was dead. Taggert was distressed about Trina's safety, since Cyrus somehow knew that he was alive. Jordan offered to take him to the one place she knew that Cyrus would never reach him.
Trina arrived at the hospital and apologized for worrying Portia. Portia wondered why her daughter had lied to her, and Trina answered that it was complicated. She added that she couldn't tell Portia what was going on, but Portia could tell that Trina wanted to talk about it. Trina finally told a livid Portia about her meeting with Cyrus, and what Cyrus had said.
Nikolas was in Ryan's room when Britt found him and ushered him out. She wondered what he'd planned to do, but Nikolas claimed to only be "keeping tabs." He admitted that he wouldn't cry if Ryan died, but helping Ryan toward death wasn't something he planned to do. Britt related that she couldn't judge any patient with her "do no harm" oath, and Nikolas commended her on taking the high road for once. She remarked on the low road he'd taken to getting his fortune by way of a loveless marriage with Ava, but he disclosed that the relationship had changed.
Just as Ava stepped off the elevator, the machines in Ryan's room began to beep urgently. Britt rushed into the room. Nikolas urged an anxious Ava to think positively, but she cracked that it wasn't in her DNA to do that. A few minutes later, Mac arrived as Britt emerged from Ryan's room. She announced that Ryan had regained consciousness, but his brain had been deprived of oxygen for so long that he was in a vegetative state. Mac's phone went off, and he walked away to answer it. Ava wanted to see Ryan's condition for herself, so she went into his room. Britt protested, but Nikolas urged her to let Ava see Ryan after all the torture he'd put Ava through.
"Hello? Anyone home?" Ava asked when she walked up to Ryan's bedside. She growled that she'd wanted him dead for what he'd done to her and Kiki. "Sometimes you don't know the perfect gift until you receive it," she countered. She called his state "worse than death," and she hoped he suffered for a long time. She advised him to take one last look at her, as it was the last time he would ever see her. "Ready, my love?" Nikolas poked his head in and asked. "Yeah, I'm ready. I really am," she replied, and they held hands and left. When they were gone, Ryan's mouth twitched.
Mac arrived at the park and was in disbelief that Jordan was already "taking down perps" so soon after getting out of the hospital. She admitted that she'd killed the shooter to protect someone else. Taggert emerged from hiding and greeted a shocked Mac.
As Chase got undressed at a locker at Volonino's Gym, Michael arrived and did the same. They began to have words as Michael accused Chase of having played God. Chase wondered if they could have a civil conversation, but Michael thought that Chase just wanted to be "taken off the hook" for his actions. They continued to argue.
Michael stressed that Chase had had more than one opportunity to tell the truth. Michael was upset that he'd been manipulated. Chase insisted that he'd done what he had for Michael, Willow, and Wiley, and things would have been worse if Nelle had received custody of Wiley. Michael snapped at Chase for "stage-managing" his life, but Chase admitted that he wanted his friend back.
Michael assured Chase that he wanted his friend back, too, if they had even ever been friends. Michael admitted that he hadn't had lots of friends in the past, but he had always thought that honesty was the key. Chase was sorry for everything except for the fact that Michael had received custody of Wiley.
Michael sneered that Chase had been able to play the martyr, although it hadn't really been a sacrifice if Chase had believed that he would still get Willow back. Chase asked if that was the real reason for Michael's anger. Michael made it clear that there had been considerable cost to Chase's actions; Sasha had turned to drugs, and he and Willow had grown closer to a real marriage. He believed that Chase merely wanted to go back to the way things had been.
Chase admitted he'd "screwed up" and apologized again. He offered to stay away if that was what Michael wanted. Michael maintained that Chase was aware that Willow still loved Chase, and he loved her. Michael would never take Willow's choices away from her. Chase offered to join another gym if there was nothing he could do.
Michael ordered Chase to take a deep breath, and after he did, Michael kneed him in the gut. Chase groaned in pain and fell to the floor. He assured Michael he would live, and Michael told him that they still weren't even. There were too many mixed feelings and unanswered questions. He tossed Chase an ice bag and admitted he felt a little better.
At General Hospital, Trina confessed to Portia that Cyrus had informed her that Taggert was still alive. Trina admitted that she had tried to ignore it, but she wondered if it was true. Portia was angry that Trina hadn't told her sooner, but she urged her daughter to think it through. She reminded Trina that she had been at the hospital when her father had died.
Trina replied that she had been at the candy machine, and she was aware that drugs existed to simulate death. Portia didn't want to hear it. She was certain that no one on the staff would have been involved in helping Taggert to fake his death.
Laura entered Florence Grey's room at the long-term care facility in Vermont and gently closed the door. She walked over to Florence's bed to look at the sleeping woman. Before she could proceed further, the knob on the door began to turn, and Laura fled into the bathroom to hide. Martin Grey walked in and caressed the woman's forehead and said hello.
Mac accompanied Taggert into the interrogation room at the police station and urged him to sit down. He wanted to know who had helped to fake Taggert's death. Taggert informed Mac that he didn't really want answers, and he claimed that he had done it alone. He wanted a lawyer.
Nearby, Jordan quickly phoned Curtis and asked when he'd be home. She couldn't talk to him on the phone. Curtis explained what was happening at the long-term care facility in Vermont, and he admitted there could be trouble. Jordan offered to call the local police, but Curtis wanted to wait. He explained that Laura had a burner phone with his number on it. Just then, he received a text message from Laura to let him know that she was trapped in the bathroom.
Next, Jordan placed a call to Carly to let her know that Taggert had turned himself in. She wanted to let Sonny know because whoever had been involved in helping Taggert to fake his death might need legal representation. As Mac emerged and announced that Taggert wanted his lawyer, Portia and Trina walked in. Portia wanted something done about Cyrus because he had accosted Trina.
Jordan suggested that it wasn't a good time, and Portia demanded to know when they could talk about it. "After the reunion?" Taggert asked. Portia and Trina turned as one and opened their mouths in shock. "Dad?" Trina asked as she ran into his arms and cried. Portia glared at Jordan. Trina exclaimed that she had known it all along and should have trusted her heart. She and Taggert had missed each other.
At the Vermont facility, Martin sat down on the bed and apologized for not visiting sooner, because the woman had deserved better. He had a birthday gift for her in the form of a hummingbird cake that he had had great difficulty in obtaining. Laura listened from the bathroom, but when Martin proposed getting a glass of water for the woman, Laura ran out of the bathroom. She hoped that Martin had cake for three.
Martin was shocked and asked why Laura was there. She asked about the cake, and Martin described it in detail. They both had questions for each other, but just then, Curtis burst through the door. He asked Martin to forget he'd seen Laura because only a few people knew she was there.
Martin wanted to call security, but Laura pleaded with him to hear her out because she meant no harm. Curtis apologized for not being there for Laura earlier. He announced that he'd been on the phone with Jordan, and there was trouble in Port Charles. Laura urged him to go because she'd be okay on her own. She could tell by the way that Martin had spoken to his mother.
Martin demanded answers. Laura explained that it was important for her to speak to Florence, but maybe Martin would be able to help her instead. Martin wanted answers, too. Martin noted that his mother had been in a "state of decline," and the staff always gave her something to help her to sleep. He had hoped to arrive earlier. Laura admitted that she was there to see Florence
Martin explained that Florence was tough, weary, and lonely, and she missed Martin's father, Gordon Grey. Laura revealed that Gordon had been her father, too, and she was Martin's half-sister. Martin was taken aback, although he admitted that his father had never obeyed his wedding vows. He hadn't been aware that Laura was his sister.
Laura stressed that Gordon had never "dwelled" on her, and she acknowledged that she'd been a product of Gordon's "wandering eye." Laura admitted that it hadn't been her plan to get caught lurking, and again, Martin asked why she was there.
Sonny and Jason rode in the car on their way to the bus station in Secaucus, NJ. Jason assured Sonny that Spinelli had been checking the cameras and ticketing at the bus station. Sonny prepared his gun, but Jason suggested that he go in alone, due to cameras. Sonny assured him that he had Diane on retainer. He planned to stop Julian if Julian tried to get away.
Inside the bus station, a man startled Julian awake. Julian asked the time because he had a bus to catch to Montreal. The man stated that Julian had missed the bus, but there would be another the next day. Julian claimed to have only closed his eyes for a minute, but he had to leave town that night.
Julian offered to buy the man's ticket to wherever he had been going; he didn't care where it was. He offered the man several hundred dollars. The man declared that Julian didn't look well. Julian insisted he wasn't sick, but he needed to leave in order to be able to see his three kids.
A thug was nearby and conversed with Cyrus via text message. He confirmed that he would be able to shoot Julian. He pointed his gun and tried to get off a shot, but the man was blocking his view. The man finally agreed to take Julian's money for the bus ticket, and he hoped that Julian got help. Julian limped away and ran right into Jason. He turned around, only to find Sonny standing on the other side of him.
Julian didn't believe that Sonny would shoot him, but Sonny sarcastically mentioned the bomb that Julian had left at the Floating Rib. The thug texted Cyrus that Sonny and Jason had shown up. Cyrus replied that the thug was to kill all three of them. "Copy that," the thug replied. Jason and Sonny began to escort Julian from the premises until the thug began to shoot at them. Shots rang out from three guns.
Julian managed to get away, and Sonny followed. Jason and the thug continued shooting at each other until Jason killed the thug. Julian was outside on a bridge in the snow and cold. "It ends right now," Sonny said as he pointed his gun at Julian.
Mac informed Jordan that he had escorted Taggert and his family to the interrogation room in order for them to sort things out. He believed that he and Jordan also needed a discussion. Jordan claimed that she'd been in the park when she'd seen Trina, and she admitted that Taggert had been keeping an eye out for his daughter. Mac noted that Jordan hadn't seemed fazed when she'd seen Taggert.
Mac believed that the justice department would be after Taggert, and he and Jordan agreed that things needed to be kept quiet. They also agreed that a cell in the Port Charles police station would be the safest place for Taggert to be. Jordan wanted Mac to charge Taggert, and Mac asked if the charge would be pretending to be dead to save his own life.
In the interrogation room, Trina was excited at first, but the more she questioned Taggert, the angrier she grew. She couldn't wait to tell her friends that Taggert was alive. Taggert explained that he had wanted Portia and Trina to be safe, and faking his death had been the best way. Portia didn't want Cyrus' name mentioned, and Trina wondered why her father hadn't trusted her to tell her the truth.
Trina asked Taggert if he had sent her for candy at the hospital in order to convince others to help him to fake his death. Taggert stressed that his faked death had needed to be a secret because he wouldn't have wanted Trina and Portia to have to pretend to be grieving. Cyrus had kept his eye on Trina. Trina was upset and shouted that her father hadn't trusted her. She began to cry about having watched his casket be lowered into the ground and how she'd felt guilty.
Trina ran from the room, and Portia stopped Taggert from going after her. She threatened to make him wish he had stayed dead. Taggert told Portia to look after Trina, but she snapped that she didn't need him to tell her what to do. She found Trina in the lobby and suggested they leave. Portia made it clear that she had more to say to Jordan at a later time. Taggert called out that he loved Trina.
Mac informed Taggert that the safest place would be a cell at the station. Curtis arrived and couldn't believe his eyes. Mac noted that he would allow Jordan to fill Curtis in.
In Vermont, Laura was curious about Florence's connection to Cyrus. She was aware that Cyrus had paid for Florence's care in both Oregon and at the care facility, and she asked Martin if Florence had been Cyrus' prisoner. Martin chuckled. "Because, Laura, she's my mother, too," Cyrus said as he stood in the doorway. He held a bouquet of flowers.
Jordan and Curtis went into Jordan's office, and she advised Curtis that Taggert was safe from Cyrus in lockup. Curtis demanded to know if she'd known that Taggert was alive, and she nodded. He wondered how long, and she admitted that she'd known since the day Taggert had "supposedly died." She explained that she'd called in every favor she had to put him into witness protection. Curtis didn't understand why Jordan hadn't told him, and she replied that she hadn't wanted him anywhere near the situation if it had gone wrong.
Curtis asked Jordan who knew about Taggert being alive. She answered that it was just the two people who had been in Taggert's hospital room, and she admitted that Sonny and Jason had found Taggert on their own by accident. Curtis laid into her about how guilty he'd felt for his part in Taggert's murder, and she insisted that she'd hated seeing it. He continued that it wasn't the first time she'd done that, but it was by far the worst. She claimed that she'd been trying to protect him, but he called it lying. He refused to pretend that it was all right. He stormed out of the office as tears ran down Jordan's face.
In Florence's room at the long-term care facility, Cyrus said he'd known that Laura would find her way to Florence through the trail he'd left. He mentioned that it was his mother's birthday, and he added, "Welcome to the family, sis." Laura was in disbelief, but Martin regretfully confirmed the familial connection. The brothers bickered about family disagreements until Laura interrupted with a question. She wondered if Cyrus had known that they were siblings all along, and he answered that he'd found out shortly after they'd first met.
Cyrus explained that he'd had nothing much to do when Laura had put him into solitary confinement, so he'd researched her. He'd been delighted to find out that they were related, but she angrily told him that she would always hold him responsible for critically injuring Lulu. He insisted that he'd never intentionally hurt family, but Martin chimed in that Cyrus had killed their father. Cyrus vehemently denied it and called it an accident. Cyrus tearfully explained that the family had just moved to Louisiana, and Cyrus had had a hard time fitting in. Martin interjected that Cyrus had gotten in with a bad crowd, so Gordon had tried to take Cyrus' car keys away as punishment. Cyrus claimed that he'd gotten in the car to leave, and Gordon had walked around the car, unseen by Cyrus. Cyrus had run Gordon over with the car.
Cyrus continued that Florence had kicked him out, and she'd refused to believe that it had been an accident, even after he'd been cleared of all charges. He talked about living in his car and working odd jobs while he studied for his GED. He'd moved west, and Martin remarked that that had been where Cyrus' career had taken off. "Is that code for being a drug lord?" Laura inquired. Cyrus insisted that he'd been trying to make up for his past mistakes, but Martin didn't think that Cyrus trying to pass himself off as legitimate would work on anyone.
Just then, Laura noticed that Florence was awake, and Martin sat down next to her. He wished her a happy birthday and told her that he'd gotten her favorite cake. "I'm here too," Cyrus chimed in, and he tearfully wished his mother a happy birthday.
Carly was decorating the tree at home when Josslyn interrupted for a tea break. Josslyn thanked her mother for being understanding about the Taggert rumor, as she knew it sounded crazy. Carly admitted that it wasn't crazy, because she'd lied, and Taggert really was alive. She assumed that Trina and Portia were in the process of figuring things out with Taggert. Josslyn peppered Carly with questions. Carly answered that she didn't know many details except that Taggert had needed to fake his death to keep Trina safe.
Josslyn wondered if Carly had ever questioned how strange their lives were, citing having guards and having to ignore certain things. She loved Sonny and Jason, but she felt like their life was a compromise. Carly understood if the life wasn't working for Josslyn, but Josslyn assured her mother that she had no plans to go anywhere else. Carly thought that her daughter was strong and smart, and Josslyn replied, "Duh, look who my mom is." Josslyn thanked Carly for always being there for her and for being a great role model. She also understood that Carly had chosen that life because the people she loved were in it, and Josslyn would choose it for the same reason.
At the bus station in Secaucus, New Jersey, Jason and Cyrus' assassin shot at each other. Jason sneaked around to the man's other side and was able to shoot him right in the chest. Jason checked the shooter's pulse and immediately called Diane. He quickly told her what had happened and wondered how soon she could get there. Just then, a cop entered with his gun drawn, and he instructed Jason to put his phone and gun down. He put handcuffs on Jason and asked what had happened. Jason refused to say anything without his attorney. The cop suspected that Jason would be in "serious trouble."
Diane arrived at the bus station and asked the cop for a moment alone with Jason. The officer replied that she could speak with him at the station, but she offered a "swift resolution." The officer walked away to talk to the coroner, advising a nearby officer to keep an eye on the two. "Tell me it was self-defense," Diane pleaded, and Jason confirmed it. He didn't care what Diane had to do, but he needed to go back Sonny up with Julian. She asked if there was a "long-term plan" for Julian. Jason answered that they wanted to hand him over to the cops so they could "nail Cyrus."
The officer returned, wanting to get Jason back to the police station. Diane refused, and she advised the officer to review security camera footage, as he would see that it had been self-defense. He replied that he wasn't required to look into it that night, but Diane cited a case that set the precedent that not doing so would be a civil rights violation that would cause him to lose his badge. A few minutes later, the cop returned and informed Jason and Diane that it was clearly self-defense. He added that he would be willing to let Jason go if he went to the station the next morning to give a statement, and Diane agreed.
As the officer removed the handcuffs, he told Jason that he would get his gun back when he gave his statement. He handed Jason's phone back and wondered what had happened to the other two guys in the footage. Diane answered that Jason wouldn't know, and she took him aside to talk to him. Jason took the opportunity to leave the bus station.
Julian opened a fence to a bridge that was under construction and went in to hide. As he stumbled up the steps to the bridge over a river, Sonny appeared with his gun drawn. Julian invited Sonny to shoot him, but Sonny replied that Cyrus was a bigger problem than Julian was. Sonny needed Julian's help to take down Cyrus, but Julian knew he would be dead before he could make a statement and cut a deal. Sonny thought that he was offering Julian a shot at redemption in order to make Port Charles safer "for the kids you claim to love." Julian promised to help only on the condition that Sonny wouldn't kill him when everything was over. Julian collapsed and told Sonny that Sonny was going to have to save Julian's life in order for Julian to make a statement against Cyrus.
Julian passed out, and an annoyed Sonny put his gun away to check on Julian. Just as Sonny was on Julian's level, Julian jumped up and lunged at Sonny. Sonny managed to get his gun out, and the two struggled over it until there was a gunshot. Julian looked down at his new gunshot wound, and he stumbled away down the bridge, only to collapse. Sonny walked over the creaking bridge to check Julian's pulse. He commented that it was just like Julian to die while running away. Jason arrived and called out to Sonny. Just then, the bridge broke apart, and Sonny and Julian were dumped into the river as a horrified Jason could only watch.
