Selina Wu showed up at the Savoy, and N'Nkea promptly told her the bar was closed. Ms. Wu was emphatic that the place was not closed to her, and she ordered the bartender to make her an iced tea while she waited for someone. Before too long, Cory showed up and announced that he had a proposition for Ms. Wu.
Finn and Curtis arrived at the Metro Court pool as Gregory and Chase were busy entertaining Violet. Chase congratulated Curtis on his engagement, and talk centered on the upcoming wedding until Curtis received a phone call from N'Nkea. She told him what had happened, and he assured her that he was on the way. Chase took Violet back to the pool while Finn and Gregory had a talk. Finn revealed that Elizabeth had admitted to having a problem and needing help.
Gregory offered Finn his support while Finn acknowledged that while Elizabeth had some support of her own, not everyone had her best interests at heart. He explained that Elizabeth was friends with her ex Nikolas, who was only out for himself. Finn added that Nikolas had been responsible for Hayden's departure. Finn was down about the fact that he couldn't just help Elizabeth with a known infection because the psychological problem was beyond him. Gregory thought that Elizabeth would have to face her repressed memories.
Back at the Savoy, Cody maintained that he was good at poker, and he wanted to play again. He wanted Ms. Wu to stake him to ten thousand dollars for one game, and he would repay her with fifteen thousand dollars. He promised to just "lighten their wallets" a little and not go full out to beat the other players. Cody confessed that he needed to move on and get his own place somewhere, but he had debts to pay.
Ms. Wu agreed that if Cody would work for her, she would go for his proposition. She said she would offer him more money, and she wanted him to think about it quickly, as she was not known for her patience. She said she would guide him into which players would win or lose. After Cody had gone, Curtis walked in just as N'Nkea handed Ms. Wu her drink. Ms. Wu announced that she had a gift for Curtis. She made it clear that her meeting with someone was her business, but she wanted to upgrade his audio system. Curtis declined the offer and replied that the club was his business.
Ms. Wu explained that she wanted to "lend a helping hand" to Curtis in response to her players enjoying playing poker at the club. She suggested that Curtis hire local talent, and she recommended that he hire Chase. She recalled speaking to Sonny about Chase and told Curtis that she liked the singer. Curtis confessed that he had booked Chase previously, but his contact had canceled the engagement. Ms. Wu asked him to rebook because it could mean a big win for the club. After she left, Curtis made a phone call and asked a Jermaine if he had found something.
Stella started to knock on Jordan's office door at the police station but pulled away as she remembered taking the envelope with the divorce papers off of Jordan's desk. Suddenly, Jordan opened her door, and Stella confessed that she was there to talk about Curtis' engagement. She wondered if Jordan was in pain about it. Jordan insisted that it hadn't come as a shock, and Curtis had moved on. She felt that she had to do the same because their marriage was over. "About that," Stella replied.
Stella admitted that once she'd been won over, she'd always been "Team Jordan," but she was sorry about what she'd done. She said she had remembered things that had happened after her stroke, and she apologized profusely as she admitted to having meddled into Jordan and Curtis' personal business. She stated that she had taken the envelope with the signed divorce papers off of Jordan's desk. She concluded that the papers had never been filed, and Jordan and Curtis were still married.
Jordan was shaken and furious. Stella admitted to not knowing what had happened to the papers, and she said Curtis didn't know. She hoped that Jordan would forgive her someday. Just then, there was a knock at the door, and Curtis walked in. He asked why Stella was there. She replied that she was just visiting. Curtis declared that he had spoken to his lawyer, and there was no record of the divorce.
At the Quartermaine mansion, Ned and Brook Lynn had lunch together, although Brook Lynn admitted she had an ulterior motive. She announced that she was officially dating Chase and was surprised that Ned seemed pleased. He replied that he only wanted her to be happy, and he asked if she was still Chase's manager. "Uh-oh," he said after Brook Lynn said that she was. He recalled the days when Lois had been his manager and said it had been tough on their relationship.
Brook Lynn reminded Ned that Lois had left him because of his devotion to ELQ, but Ned insisted that it was difficult to have both a working and romantic relationship at the same time. Brook Lynn disagreed, although she recalled Chase being angry with her.
A little later, Chase walked in and announced that he was looking for Brook Lynn. Ned revealed that he'd heard about them being a couple, and he didn't think it was always possible to have a working relationship at the same time. Ned said he only wanted Brook Lynn to be happy, and he promised to hurt Chase if Chase hurt Brook Lynn. Chase declared that he knew that Brook Lynn was ruthless, and he knew what she could do, too. Brook Lynn listened and finally made her way into the kitchen where the men stood.
Brook Lynn succeeded in getting rid of Ned before he continued to give his advice on her relationship with Chase. She said she hoped that her father hadn't gotten into Chase's head. Chase assured her that hadn't happened but admitted to thinking about it on his own. He wondered if they still had to go after Linc. He said he knew that he and Brook Lynn wouldn't always see eye to eye, and he didn't want to jeopardize their relationship. Brook Lynn said they could have it all because they had a bond.
Dante ran into Elizabeth at General Hospital and asked her to check intake files for the night that Ava had been stabbed. He wondered if there was another victim or if Ava had been singled out. Elizabeth checked and found no other victims. Nikolas stepped off the elevator as Dante asked if there was anything else that Elizabeth could remember from the party. Elizabeth looked at Nikolas.
After Dante had gone, Elizabeth asked to speak to Nikolas privately. They went to a room, and Elizabeth declared that she had a chunk of missing time from the night of the benefit. Nikolas didn't believe that Elizabeth would have stabbed Ava, but Elizabeth questioned whether he'd been protecting her or himself when he hadn't told the police the full truth. Nikolas suggested that they could have really been together during the time that Ava had been stabbed, but Elizabeth thought he'd been acting suspiciously.
Nikolas retorted that he'd been frustrated and worried about Ava, and he accused Elizabeth of having frail nerves. Elizabeth asked if Nikolas was accusing her of imagining his own suspicious behavior because she knew that he had been hiding something. Nikolas hugged Elizabeth and reassured her.
Finn opened the door and saw the hug. Nikolas quickly departed, and Elizabeth admitted to losing her cool with Nikolas, who had been trying to help her. She said that she knew that Nikolas had been hiding something. She also admitted that something had happened with her, and she had to tell the police that she wasn't sure that she and Nikolas had been together the entire time of the stabbing at the Quartermaines'.
In Ava's room, Sonny asked if she knew who had attacked her. He thought that she'd been protecting someone, and he asked if Nikolas would have tried to kill her. He was aware that Ava and Nikolas had been having problems. Ava was certain that Nikolas would never stab her because they were in love. Sonny didn't buy it, and he asked what had happened with Esme.
Ava indicated that the cops had told her that Esme had gone to Europe, but Sonny was sure that Ava knew more than the cops. Ava was adamant that Nikolas was devoted to her. "We both know better than that," Sonny replied. Ava went on to say that Nikolas had been with Elizabeth at the time of the stabbing, but Sonny reminded Ava that the two had been friends since they had been teenagers. He added that Elizabeth was loyal to her friends. Sonny continued to push Ava for answers.
Ava went off about Esme. She said that she didn't enjoy suspecting Nikolas. Sonny made it clear that if he learned that Nikolas had been the one to stab Ava, he wouldn't allow it to stand. Ava promised that she wouldn't let Nikolas get away with it, either.
Dante and Cody met up at the park. "Why is your boss out to get me?" Cody asked. He clarified that he was referring to Mac, who had been asking questions about him. He was sure that Mac wanted to pin him for Ava's stabbing and said Mac had questioned Britt. Dante related that Mac hadn't said anything to him about it and wouldn't try to pin that on Cody.
Cody was convinced that the new guy was always the one to get blamed, and he didn't want any further problems with the police. Dante admitted to being guilty "back then," but Cody replied that he hadn't been the only one. Dante assured Cody that he'd "done me a solid" in the past. Cody whined that other cops didn't like him, and it was time to leave town, even though he wasn't ready. Dante said he wanted Cody to stay, and he promised that Cody wouldn't take the fall.
Once he was alone, Cody phoned Ms. Wu and told her he needed cash. He knew that she wanted him to be around for more than one game, and he agreed to be her ringer.
In Jordan's office at the Port Charles Police Station, Jordan lied to Curtis to protect Stella, who had purposefully not filed Curtis and Jordan's divorce papers a year earlier. Jordan said she figured the divorce papers had gotten lost with other mail during the time she had been hospitalized in Albany. Curtis was angry at Jordan, who promised to sign new copies of the divorce papers once Curtis' lawyer presented them to her.
After Curtis left, Stella admitted her surprise that Jordan had taken the blame for Stella. Jordan said that Curtis had moved on, and she didn't see a reason to cause problems between Stella and Curtis. Stella said that Jordan would always be a part of her family. Jordan thanked Stella, and she said she considered Stella family, too.
Jordan recalled that Stella had found a long-lost cousin in England. Stella encouraged Jordan to try the DNA testing company that Stella had used to locate her cousin. After Stella left, Jordan called a number to a company Stella had given her. Jordan asked someone at the company how it was possible for a person to have had a match and the match disappear. The person on the other end of the phone said that the only reason for a match to disappear would be if someone had withdrawn their name from the ancestry company's database.
Later, at the hospital, Curtis told Portia that Jordan had forgotten to sign the divorce papers. Curtis said that something had been amiss with Jordan's story, and he said that Jordan would never have forgotten something as big as divorce papers. Curtis added that he also doubted the paperwork had been thrown away. "Maybe Jordan made sure those papers weren't filed," Curtis said.
At Charlie's Pub, Carly prepared for her trip to Aruba. Josslyn assured Carly that everything would be fine and taken care of in Carly's absence. The two hugged, and Carly left. On her way out of the pub, Carly saw Sonny. Carly told Sonny of her plans, and Sonny wished her good luck.
At the Metro Court pool, Drew apologized to Marshall for having set Marshall up on a phony job interview months earlier. Marshall said that he had already forgiven Drew, and he added that he knew Drew had only tried to be a good friend to Curtis. Marshall and Drew shook hands, and Marshall assured Drew that there were no hard feelings.
Drew and Marshall sat down for food at a table near the pool. As the sun set over Port Charles, Marshall remarked that it had gotten late and that he needed to meet Epiphany. Drew and Marshall shook hands.
Drew looked at his phone, and he played a voicemail from Carly, who had already boarded her flight to Aruba. "Drew, it's me. I've been doing some thinking. Call me when you get this," Carly had said.
Drew tried to call Carly back, but the call went straight to voicemail. In a voicemail message, Drew told Carly that he was there for her whenever she could talk.
Just seconds after Drew had left Carly the voicemail, Carly and the other passengers aboard their flight grew uneasy when the plane began to shake. A flight attendant announced that the pilot had requested that the passengers secure their safety belts.
In Finn's office at the hospital, Elizabeth wondered if Nikolas' offer to give Elizabeth an alibi for the time of Ava's stabbing had been to provide a cover for Nikolas. Elizabeth said that if she went to the police, both she and Nikolas would become suspects in the stabbing.
In Ava's room at the hospital, Portia shared the news of her engagement to Curtis with Ava, who admitted to Portia that she had wondered if Nikolas had been the one who'd stabbed her. Portia found Ava's notions hard to believe, but Ava recalled that Nikolas and Elizabeth had been friends since they'd been teenagers. Ava said that if anyone would cover for Nikolas, it would be Elizabeth.
Later, Finn followed Elizabeth into Ava's room. Elizabeth admitted that while she and Nikolas had been together on the night of Ava's stabbing, it hadn't been for the entire time. Elizabeth said that she only wanted Ava to be safe, and she asked Ava for some time while Elizabeth gathered facts. Ava said she hoped Elizabeth got the answers she had searched for. As Elizabeth and Finn left, Ava asked to see Frank.
Later, Frank arrived with Nikolas, whom Frank had handcuffed behind the back. Ava thanked Frank, and she asked him to step outside and to close the door. "I need to have a chat with my husband," Ava said.
Nearby, Elizabeth said she needed to get to the bottom of what had caused her blackouts. Elizabeth shared that she thought she knew what her next step was.
Back at Charlie's Pub, Sonny greeted Brando, Sasha, and Gladys, who had all come from the hospital after Sasha had officially agreed in writing to the legal guardianship. Brando explained the guardianship agreement to Sonny. Sonny said that he knew Brando would do right by Sasha. Brando thanked Sonny, and the two hugged.
Gladys sat down at a table with Brando, who assured his mother that he would do everything in his power to make sure that Sasha was safe. Gladys admired Brando's commitment, and she recalled the mistakes each of them had both made in their relationship. Gladys choked up as she told Brando that she was sorry she hadn't supported Brando when he'd needed the same support that Brando had promised Sasha.
Gladys thanked Brando for having let her back into his life as part of the family Brando had been building. Brando assured Gladys that the bumps in their relationship were in the past, and he thanked Gladys for having stepped up for Sasha. "You helped get us through our darkest times. I'm so glad you're in our lives. I love you, Mom," Brando said in a heartfelt way. Gladys squeezed Brando's hand, and she started to cry.
Nearby, Sonny asked how Sasha felt about the guardianship. Sasha shared that she felt like an intruder in her own life. Sonny encouraged Sasha to be strong and to believe in herself. "You know, Brando came into my life late. But he's family, and if he's family, that means that you're family. I want to let you know that if you need anything in your life, I'm here for you," Sonny said.
Sasha thanked Sonny, and they left to join Brando and Gladys at a table. The four family members gathered and ate dessert.
Nearby, Josslyn asked Dex to not tell Cameron about the time she and Dex had spent together in search of Avery's bracelet. Dex said he had no intention of telling Cameron or anyone else about their Dumpster-diving adventures. Dex said that he and Josslyn were good, and he left the pub.
As thunder began to rumble outside, Josslyn noticed that Dex had left his sunglasses on the table. Josslyn picked up the glasses, and she went outside to track Dex down. Brando, who had been glaring at Dex and Josslyn nearby, said that he needed to check on something. Brando left the pub seconds after Josslyn did.
Outside the pub, a heavy rain began to fall over Port Charles. As Josslyn walked away from the pub, someone stepped out of the shadows with a hook -- the same type of hook that had been used to attack Ava. As the figure walked toward Josslyn, Brando exited the building. Brando was startled to see the figure before him. The attacker raised the hook into the air and lowered it toward Brando.
At the Port Charles Grill, Drew left Carly a voicemail message as Sam and Scout approached him. He put his phone away and warmly greeted Scout with a hug. Sam explained that Scout had wanted to celebrate scoring high marks at Lila's Kids with a special dessert, and Scout proudly revealed that she had been the best swimmer in her age group. Drew congratulated his daughter, so Sam reminded Drew that Scout started school the following day. Scout was delighted when Drew assured his daughter that he would accompany her to school in the morning.
After Scout scampered to a nearby table to play a video game while her parents talked, Sam admitted that she had overheard Drew's voicemail message to Carly. Drew tried to downplay things by suggesting he'd simply been checking in with Carly because Carly had taken a trip to Aruba to attend a seminar, but Sam easily saw through the ploy. Sam reminded him that Aruba was a romantic destination, and there was no reason that Carly couldn't mix business with pleasure. Frustrated, Drew pointed out that Sam should have enough on her plate with Dante and Rocco moving in. Sam acknowledged that she and Dante had worked through a recent issue over a misunderstanding, but she assured Drew that the resolution had been worth it.
Drew assured Sam that he wanted her to be happy. Drew and Sam shared a hug, prompting Scout to walk over and ask why her parents were hugging. Sam reminded her daughter that Drew would always be family -- and Sam's friend -- because he was Scout's father. Drew backed up Sam, but he asked Scout for a few more minutes to finish his conversation with Sam. After Scout returned to the table, Drew admitted his relationship with Scout was easy compared to adult relationships.
"Anyone I know?" Sam asked. Drew's thoughts drifted to Carly until Sam was forced to call out his name several times. Sam smiled because she knew who he'd been thinking about. Drew carefully explained that there was a lot at stake, and a lot depended on timing. Sam wanted Drew to admit that he had feelings for Carly. She promised that his secret would be safe with her, but she had seen the spark and connection between Drew and Carly.
Drew asked if Sam had a problem with that, but Sam promised it wasn't an issue. Sam explained that she had always considered Carly to be Jason's friend, but since Jason's "absence," Sam and Carly had gravitated toward each other. Moments later, Scout returned to ask for her mother's help with Scout's video device. After Sam walked over to the table with Scout, Drew called Carly, but the call went to voicemail again. Drew was disappointed, but he left another message asking Carly to call him.
Afterwards, Drew walked over to say goodbye to Sam and Scout. Drew made a point of congratulating Scout on her expanding family with Dante and Rocco moving in, but Scout worried about who her father had. Sam reminded Scout that Drew had Sam and Scout because they were family. Drew promised to see Scout in the morning, but before he left, he stopped at the door to look back at Scout. She blew her father a kiss, and he caught it.
At an airport in Jacksonville, Florida, Carly followed a line of passengers to a waiting area. Outside, a fierce storm raged as Carly approached an information desk to ask an airline employee if there were any other flights to Aruba, but the airline employee explained that all flights had been delayed until the storm passed. Annoyed, Carly wandered over to the waiting area, but all the seats were taken. An elderly white-haired lady who had been working on a needlepoint piece noticed Carly's frustration, so she welcomed Carly to hurricane season in Florida.
The lady teased that Carly seemed like someone who was running away from someone, but Carly said nothing until a person vacated the seat near the lady. Carly asked if it was okay to sit, and the lady assured Carly that Carly was welcome to take the seat. Carly glanced at the pet carrier on the seat between them and asked if the lady's pet was a dog or a cat. The lady introduced her rescue dog and constant companion Gretel to Carly. Carly beamed with delight when the lady decided Gretel liked Carly.
Carly explained she was restless because she'd grown up in Jacksonville. The elderly lady sang the city's praises, but Carly clarified that her own memories of Jacksonville weren't good. The lady was curious why Carly had left, so Carly admitted that she'd been looking for something else. "Did you find it?" the lady asked. Carly's expression softened as she revealed that she had three beautiful daughters and an amazing son as well as friends and family. "And yet, here you are, right back where you started," the white-haired lady said.
Carly decided to check the weather app on her phone to see when the storm might pass, but she quickly realized that she had left her phone on the plane. Carly went to the information desk to ask the airline employee if she could get back on the plane to retrieve her phone, but the airline employee informed Carly that the plane had been moved, so Carly would need to check with the airline's lost-and-found. Carly grumbled as she returned to the waiting area, but the white-haired lady challenged Carly to close her eyes and think of something that made Carly smile.
Carly's thoughts immediately went to Drew, and their passionate encounter in the Quartermaine boathouse. The elderly lady was pleased when she saw Carly's smile because it meant that the suggestion had worked. Carly decided the lady was wise, and Carly suspected it was from personal experience. The lady admitted that she had never been lucky in love because she'd never met a man as loyal as a dog. Carly and the lady enjoyed a chuckle. Carly thanked the kind lady for making her realize there had been something good in Jacksonville.
Carly decided to look on the bright side of things, but her mood quickly soured when the airline announced that the flight to Aruba had been canceled. The white-haired lady seemed to take pleasure in pointing out that Carly was an overnight guest of the airline. "Welcome home, hun," the lady said.
In Ava's hospital room, Ava demanded that Nikolas tell her the truth. "Are you the one who tried to kill me the night of the Quartermaine picnic?" Ava asked. Nikolas approached his wife's bed. He was stunned that she would suspect him, but Ava reminded him of Hayden Barnes. Nikolas assured Ava that his relationship with Hayden had nothing to do with what had happened to Ava, but Ava was skeptical because he had lied about his alibi. Nikolas claimed that he'd been protecting Elizabeth because Elizabeth had been dealing with mental health issues.
Nikolas filled Ava in about Elizabeth's blackout on the night of the picnic during the time of Ava's attack, but Ava was adamant that Elizabeth hadn't been responsible for the violent attack. Nikolas agreed, but he admitted the admission about the blackout might have made Elizabeth a suspect. Nikolas insisted he had been protecting one of his oldest friends, but Ava accused him of protecting himself. Ava reminded Nikolas that Elizabeth's blackout meant that Elizabeth was unable to incriminate or exonerate Nikolas. Nikolas argued that he and Ava were both hot-blooded and had each left a few "love bites," but Ava asked if he considered her brutal attack a love bite.
Nikolas promised he would never try to kill the woman he loved, no matter how much they had hurt each other. Ava reminded Nikolas that he could hire someone to carry out the deed, as he had done with Hayden. Nikolas denied he had ever loved Hayden. Nikolas acknowledged that he and Ava were both flawed -- Ava could throw Hayden in his face, and Nikolas could throw what Ava had done to Morgan Corinthos in fer face -- but Nikolas confessed that he would kill Ava with his own hands if he had truly wanted her dead.
Ava heard the ring of truth in Nikolas' admission. Ava's eyes welled up with tears because she wanted Nikolas, but she couldn't get past his betrayal with Esme. Nikolas conceded he was a "cad, a rat, and a liar," but he implored Ava to give him another chance because he was certain they could salvage some good from the nightmare. "We can only do it together," Nikolas said.
Elsewhere at the hospital, Portia reminded Curtis that his lawyer had a copy of the divorce papers, so they could return to planning their own wedding once Curtis and Jordan signed the new divorce papers. Curtis remained troubled because he was certain Jordan had deliberately misplaced the divorce papers, and he wanted to know why. Portia was curious why Curtis believed Jordan had acted intentionally. Portia pointed out that mistakes happened, but she conceded she'd had similar suspicions about Jordan during the investigation when Trina had been accused of posting the revenge porn. However, Portia was quick to admit that she had been wrong about Jordan because Jordan had been instrumental in clearing Trina's name.
Portia suggested that perhaps Jordan might not realize it herself. "Trust me, Curtis Ashford is a hard man to forget," Portia said. Before Curtis could reply, T.J. walked up to let Portia know that a patient had been asking for her. After Portia left to check on the patient, Curtis took an opportunity to ask T.J. about Jordan. T.J. admitted that his mother had been working a lot, especially since Ava's attack. Curtis suggested that perhaps Jordan had thrown herself into her work to avoid moving forward.
T.J. was uncomfortable with the direction of the conversation because it was his mother's personal business. T.J. reminded his uncle that the divorce had been barely final when Jordan had been injured, and his mother had spent months recuperating. "And since then?" Curtis asked. T.J. wanted to know what was going on, but Portia returned before Curtis could answer.
In Jordan's office, Jordan was on the phone with the ancestry website that Stella had used. Jordan wanted to know if it was possible to get in touch with a match, even if the match had removed their information from the database. Jordan glanced up when someone knocked on the door, and Dante poked his head inside. He offered to return when she was off the phone, but Jordan quickly wrapped up the call. Jordan cut to the chase by asking Dante to walk her through the inventory list at the Quartermaine boathouse after Ava's attack.
Dante revealed that a gaff -- a "slaughter hook" used to lift heavy fish out of the water -- had been missing from a rack of fishing gear in the boathouse. According to Dante, the largest of the six hooks had been taken. Jordan was intrigued because the surgeon and CSI had reported to her that Ava's injuries had been consistent with a curved instrument with a barbed head. Jordan revealed that Ava had been speared with a hook. Dante wondered if it had been a crime of opportunity or if Ava had been the intended target, and the hook had been the best available option.
Jordan decided it would be best to work with Dante's second theory. Dante conceded it made sense, since Ava had a lot of enemies. He warned Jordan that it would be virtually impossible to figure out where all the guests had been during the time of Ava's attack, so Jordan suggested they start by reviewing all the statements to see which would not hold up. Dante promised to get started right away, but Jordan refused to let Dante work late into the night when he had just moved in with Sam. Jordan insisted Dante go home because Jordan's own failed marriage had been a cautionary tale about putting work first.
Dante admitted that he had heard about Curtis and Portia's engagement, but Jordan confessed that it hadn't surprised her because Curtis and Portia had bought a house together. Jordan assured Dante she was fine and eager to start the next chapter of her life. Dante started to leave, but Jordan asked him to wait because there was another matter she wished to discuss with him when he was off the clock. Moments later, Jordan's phone rang. After a brief exchange, Jordan ended the call and announced there had been another attack -- and the weapon used had been a hook.
At Charlie's Pub, Sasha waited by the door for Brando to return. Gladys smiled when she glanced over at Sasha because it was clear that Sasha already missed Brando. Sonny returned Gladys' smile. Moments later, he approached Sasha. Sonny said he appreciated that Sasha had concerns about the guardianship, but he reminded her that it could have been a lot worse because Sasha might have been stuck with a court-appointed officer instead of Brando. Sonny assured Sasha that she could trust Brando.
In the alley behind Charlie's Pub, rain poured down as Brando confronted a figure cloaked in dark attire from head to foot and wielding a deadly hook with a barbed head. The dark figure quickly overpowered Brando and drove the hook into him. Brando fell to his knees and tried to defend himself as the attacker prepared to strike again. However, Kristina suddenly appeared in the alley, and she screamed in terror when she saw the horrific scene. The dark figure fled into the stormy night as Kristina ran over to Brando and cried out for help.
Inside the pub, everyone heard Kristina's blood-curdling screams. Sonny ran into the alley. He stopped short when he saw Brando on the ground, bleeding from a gaping wound. Sonny pulled off his jacket, dropped to his knees, and pressed the balled-up jacket to Brando's wound to stanch the bleeding. A distraught Kristina called 9-1-1 as Gladys and Sasha entered the alley and saw the grisly scene. Sasha screamed and ran to her husband's side, but Gladys held Sasha back to give Sonny room to help Brando. Sasha tearfully begged Brando to hold on, while Gladys began to weep.
A short time later, paramedics arrived. Sasha told Brando that she loved him while the paramedics worked on him. Sasha became frantic when she overheard one of the paramedics report that Brando's pulse had been lost. However, the paramedics began CPR and were able to revive Brando. Sasha and Gladys followed the paramedics to the ambulance as they prepared to transport Brando to the hospital.
Meanwhile, Sonny comforted Kristina and praised her for her heroic actions. Kristina remained shaken as she told her father that she had cut through the alley on her way to work when the downpour had started. Kristina had been startled when she had seen the dark figure with the hook because it had been like a shadow that had suddenly turned to life. Sonny decided to stay with Kristina while she gave her statement to the police. Kristina worried about Brando, but Sonny reminded her that his cousin had survived addiction, combat, and everything that Cyrus Renault had thrown at Brando.
Later, a police officer asked Kristina for a description of the assailant, but Kristina grew frustrated because she hadn't gotten a clear look at Brando's attacker. Sonny decided Kristina had given the police enough of her time, so the police officer thanked Kristina for her help. After the police officer walked away, Kristina expressed her desire to go to the hospital to check on Brando. Moments later, Dante and Jordan arrived.
Sonny explained that Kristina had given a statement, but Kristina offered to go to the police station in the morning if Jordan had more questions. Satisfied, Jordan walked over to a police officer. Dante asked Sonny to let Gladys and Sasha know that Dante was thinking of them. After Sonny and Kristina left, Dante looked at the pool of blood on the ground. Later, Dante and Jordan agreed the person who had attacked Ava had also attacked Brando. Jordan worried the attacker might strike again.
In Ava's hospital room, Ava accused Nikolas of not playing fair because his admission that he was a "lousy rat" had almost made her trust him. Nikolas leaned forward to kiss Ava, but she backed away. Just then, Sonny stormed into the room and demanded to know why Nikolas was there. Ava was unapologetic as she explained that she and Nikolas had needed to settle things between them. Nikolas denied trying to kill his wife. "I know," Sonny said.
Elsewhere in the hospital, Gladys and Sasha watched through a window as Portia and T.J. worked to save Brando's life. Curtis assured both Gladys and Sasha that Brando was in good hands. Gladys pulled out her rosary and began to pray while Sasha watched with tears in her eyes as Portia and T.J. stabilized Brando for surgery. A few minutes later, T.J. announced that the operating room was ready. Sasha followed Brando's gurney as Portia and T.J. raced to the elevator. Gladys held Sasha as Sasha called out to Brando that she loved him.
Carly was reading at a hotel restaurant when a woman commented on how rare it was to see someone not on a phone. Carly admitted that she was only reading because she'd lost her phone. The woman introduced herself as Peyton Honeycutt. She joined Carly at the table, and Carly mentioned that she hadn't been in Jacksonville in a long time. Peyton replied that the Jacksonville Beautification Guild, of which she was a board member, had done a lot of good things in the city.
Just then, Peyton noticed a friend's husband across the room with a young woman that wasn't his daughter. She resolved to talk to the manager about a call girl soliciting in the best hotel in town. She added that the "trash" was taking advantage of the man, but Carly could see that he wasn't being forced into anything. Peyton continued that one of the Guild's most successful projects had been getting Ruby Anderson's "house of ill repute" torn down. Carly shot back that Ruby had been her great-aunt, and she wondered what gave Peyton the right to judge anyone. Peyton went on about standards and acceptable codes of behavior in society.
Carly suddenly realized that Peyton, who was on her second marriage, was the mother of one her best childhood friends, Charlotte. Recognizing Carly as Caroline Benson, Peyton declared the day Charlotte had met Carly as the worst day of Peyton's life. She went on about Carly's less-than-decent family and clothes, which Charlotte hadn't cared about. She continued that Carly had "betrayed my generosity" by seducing her husband.
Aside from the fact that Carly hadn't known how to say no to a man she'd known since she'd been twelve, she insisted that, as a 16-year-old, the man in his 40s was "by definition" in the wrong. As a grown woman, she believed that she didn't owe anything to anyone, "least of all" Peyton. Peyton advised Carly to get on a plane out of Jacksonville as soon as she could because she had never belonged there, and Peyton stormed off.
Dex met with Michael at the docks, and Michael asked for a progress report. Dex replied that he'd been taking things slowly like Michael had advised him to. He promised that he could get something incriminating on Sonny, but he needed more time. Michael thanked Dex for helping to save Ava, since she was the mother of his sister. However, outside of those "extreme circumstances," he ordered Dex not to see Josslyn anymore. Dex agreed, and he admitted that he didn't hate Sonny, but he would help to tear down the organization from the inside to make up for his mistakes.
Drew was checking his phone for a message from Carly in the Quartermaine kitchen when Willow entered. He offered to make her some tea and marveled over how much her body was going through. "Who told you?" she demanded to know. He said he'd heard about how hard pregnancy was and hoped he hadn't overstepped. Realizing he didn't know about her illness, she claimed that "pregnancy brain" had caused the outburst. She suddenly got dizzy, and he helped her to a chair.
Willow talked about how lucky Wiley and the new baby were to have such a great family. She was also glad that Drew was back, as he was a good influence on the family. Just then, Michael entered and urgently asked why Willow hadn't answered his calls. He updated them on what had happened to Brando, and he and Willow decided to go to the hospital to support Sasha while Drew tried to call Carly again.
In Ava's hospital room, Nikolas insisted that he hadn't tried to kill Ava, and Sonny replied that he knew. He told Nikolas and Ava about Brando being attacked with the same weapon used on Ava. Nikolas said that he and Ava would be praying for Brando, and Sonny left. Outside the room, he advised Frank not to move from outside the door and to not let anyone in unless Ava said so.
Inside the room, Nikolas wondered if Ava felt better knowing that he hadn't tried to kill her. "I guess so," she replied unconvincingly. She said that it was unbearable thinking that the man she loved was capable of attacking her. "All I wanted was a life with you," he told her. "And you blew it up," she reminded him. He insisted that he'd loved her since he'd met her, and he wanted her to believe in him like he believed in her. He added that when something was broken, one was supposed to fix it, but she replied quietly, "Not all things." In shock, he asked if the trust was gone forever, but she didn't know. Citing her need for rest, he left the room, and Ava cried.
Josslyn, Cameron, Trina, and Rory arrived at the Metro Court pool, talking about classes. Trina and Rory broke away. He asked what classes she was going to take that semester, but she changed the subject. He intuited that she didn't want to make him feel bad about not going to college, but he insisted that he wanted to talk about whatever she wanted to talk about. She suggested that they talk about Spencer.
Trina explained to Rory what she'd found out about Spencer, including that he still had feelings for her. He admitted that he'd figured that out when Spencer had risked prison to help her. He wondered if knowing about Spencer's feelings changed things for them, but Trina assured him that it didn't. She talked about how Spencer had still lied and hurt her, and he hadn't trusted her enough to tell her the truth. She thought that she would rather be with someone "real" like Rory.
Sitting with their legs in the pool, Josslyn asked Cameron about Elizabeth and if there was anything she could do to help. Cameron assured her that her just being there for him was a help, and they shared a kiss. Trina approached and asked if the two wanted to grab drinks, since Rory had left for work, but Josslyn didn't want to leave the pool yet. Cameron offered to get drinks and left the girls.
Josslyn said she had observed things getting intense between Trina and Rory, and Trina explained that she'd told Rory about Spencer. Trina insisted that she had no feelings for Spencer, and she was going on with her life without him. Just then, Josslyn got a goodnight text from Avery, who called her the "best sister ever." Trina wished Josslyn hadn't gone Dumpster diving for Avery's bracelet alone, and Josslyn admitted that Dex had helped her. Trina scolded Josslyn for lying about it, and they argued until Cameron returned with drinks, wondering what he'd missed.
At the hospital, Sasha, Gladys, and Kristina stood around waiting while Brando was in surgery. Just then, Nina rushed in and hugged a crying Sasha. T.J. entered, and Sasha was alarmed as to why he wasn't with Brando. T.J. assured them that Brando was still in surgery, but he'd wanted to update them. He explained that the hook had shattered one of Brando's ribs, which had punctured his left lung. T.J. didn't know how long it would take, but every shard of bone had to be retrieved.
A short while later, Sonny arrived and hugged Kristina. He told Kristina that he had Ava under 24-hour protection. He assured Sasha that he was there if she needed anything, and Gladys shared the update with Sonny. Jordan entered and told everyone that evidence was still being gathered at the crime scene, but she was there to talk to Kristina again. When they were gone, Sasha wished there was something she could do.
Sonny stood with Kristina as she told Jordan exactly what had happened that night. As Kristina got more agitated, Sonny advised her to take a break, so she got up. Sonny took the opportunity to ask Jordan if Kristina was in danger. Jordan admitted that anything was possible, but the attacks appeared to be crimes of opportunity. Rory arrived and asked for an assignment from Jordan. Sasha wanted to help, too, and she went through what had been going on just before Brando had gone outside. Gladys added that Josslyn and Dex had been at Charlie's, too, but they'd left before the attack.
Just then, T.J. returned with news of a complication. He revealed that the surgery had been suspended until Brando's blood pressure could be stabilized. As Dex arrived, Sasha insisted on seeing Brando, but T.J. replied that she couldn't yet. He promised that they were doing all they could, and he left.
Sonny thanked Dex for being there. He admitted that he'd seen that Dex and Josslyn were friendly, and Dex insisted that things were innocent. Sonny said he knew that, as if it were otherwise, he would have to kill Dex. Sonny laughed. He continued that Josslyn liked Dex, so he wondered if he could trust Dex to discreetly keep an eye on her. "You can count on me, boss," Dex replied.
Rory arrived at the pool with another officer and asked to talk to Josslyn. He told her what had happened to Brando, and he wanted to know if she'd seen anything before she'd left Charlie's. She explained that Dex had left his sunglasses, so she'd followed him out the back to return them, but he'd already disappeared. She wished she could be more helpful, and she suggested that Dex might have seen something.
Britt and Brad lounged at the Metro Court pool, and Britt sighed that the pool owed her an uneventful day. She reminded Brad that he'd promised her mimosas, so he got up to get them. Selena arrived and greeted Britt, who remembered that Selena didn't want Britt hanging around Brad. On the contrary, Selena said she thought that their association had advantages. Brad returned with the drinks and offered to get Selena something, but she replied that she was just passing through.
"Oh, the high roller from Houston," Brad remembered. Selena warned him in Chinese not to talk about business in front of others and that she would let him know when she needed him. When she was gone, Brad observed that Selena was warming up to Britt. Britt wondered what the two had been saying, and Brad brushed it off as just business. Britt wanted to make sure that Selena wasn't making him do things he was uncomfortable with, and he insisted that he was fine.
Brad asked Britt if she was having a second date with Cody. She informed him that they were in a "holding pattern," since Cody was considering leaving town. She added that the PCPD was asking too many questions, and she explained about Mac. Brad thought that if Britt liked Cody, she should give him a shot.
Cody was fixing something in the stables when Dante entered. He told Cody about Brando's attack, and he wondered where Cody had been the night before. Cody answered that he'd been in the stables alone all night, and Dante believed him. Brook Lynn and Leo entered the stables to feed the horses, so Cody went to help Leo. Brook Lynn congratulated Dante on moving in with Sam. Dante had to go, so he asked Brook Lynn to tell Cody not to "sweat it."
When Dante was gone, Cody and Leo returned, and Brook Lynn delivered the message. Her phone went off, so she went outside to answer it. Cody took the opportunity to show Leo how to ride on a saddle, and he talked about the Stirrup Society, an organization that taught kids about horses and riding. Leo excitedly ran off to tell Comet about it.
Brook Lynn returned and marveled over how good Cody was with Leo. Cody countered that Leo was the only one he didn't have to pretend with, as most people didn't give multiple chances, so it was just easier to start over. "I've been there," Brook Lynn admitted. She assured Cody that everyone in the house was glad to have him, and she hoped that he stuck around. Leo returned and asked Cody to train him, as he couldn't do it without Cody. "You won't have to," Cody replied, and Leo hugged him.
At the hospital, Gladys, Sonny, and Sasha were anxious for updates on Brando. Sonny urged the women to stay positive. Gladys reminded him that he was a "big-shot donor" and asked him to see if he could find anything out. Sonny was waiting for a nurse when Dex arrived. He assured Sonny that he'd kept watch over Josslyn all night, and she'd never seen him. Nina arrived, worried about Sasha.
"I can't believe we're here again," Sasha muttered. Kristina entered with coffee for everyone just as Portia approached. She explained that Brando had made it through surgery with the damage repaired. She assured everyone that a close eye was being kept on Brando. She added that family could see Brando, one person at a time, and she walked away. Sonny followed and wondered what Brando's chances were. She informed Sonny that while the wound was complicated, she had every reason for "cautious optimism." He offered to buy her breakfast, and the two got into the elevator.
At the hospital, Jordan bumped into Curtis, who had breakfast for Portia. Jordan had noticed tension between Sonny and Curtis at the club, and she asked if everything was all right. "Are you asking as the commissioner or my wife?" he shot back, and he said that they were fine. Jordan shared her thought that both attack victims were close to Sonny, and she couldn't be sure yet if it was coincidence or a pattern.
Jordan wondered if things were all right between her and Curtis, but he was still angry about the divorce papers. He asked how Jordan felt about him getting married, and she replied that she wanted him to be happy. She knew that honesty was important to him, and she asked if Portia knew that. Curtis challenged her on wanting his and Portia's marriage to fail, but they were interrupted by Sonny and Portia stepping out of the elevator. Curtis handed the take-out container of breakfast to Portia, and the two got into the elevator.
Sonny thought that Jordan looked rattled. Just then, Dante arrived, and she told him that they needed to question Gladys and Sasha. Sonny informed her that the women were visiting with Brando in the ICU, so she would have to make due with him. Dante decided to go see Kristina, so he left. Jordan asked if Sonny's business was having problems, as he seemed to be the only connection between Ava and Brando. He demanded to know if she had evidence of an attack. She didn't, but she suggested that the attacks on Ava and Brando could just be the beginning.
In Portia's office, Portia wondered what she'd walked in on between Curtis and Jordan. "Housekeeping," Curtis replied, and Portia was disappointed that he'd accused Jordan of losing the divorce papers on purpose. Portia didn't know why it even mattered, as the matter was being taken care of. She wondered if Jordan's potential lingering feelings for him changed things. He insisted that, while he would always care for Jordan, Portia was his future, and he could never have a future with someone who wasn't truthful with him. Portia asked whether or not Curtis and Jordan would still be together if Jordan had been truthful.
Kristina admitted to Dex that she was more "freaked out" than she was willing to admit. He figured that she'd been in shock, and she wondered if that had ever happened to him. "The first couple times I saw action," he confided, and he added that it took a while to learn how to focus in stressful situations. He also advised that "half of keeping cool is faking it." He hoped that she never had to see anything like that again.
A short while later, Dante approached as Dex was telling Kristina a story about a bad coffee shop. Dante observed that Dex seemed to be everywhere. "That's what I'm paid for," he replied. Kristina chimed in that Sonny trusted Dex, so that was good enough for her. Dante continued that Dex had been there every time something had happened, and Dex questioned if Dante was accusing him of something. Kristina suggested that she and Dex go out for coffee. "Are we good here?" Dex asked Dante. "For now," Dante answered, so Dex and Kristina left.
Sasha, Gladys, and Nina arrived outside of Brando's ICU room, and Sasha let Gladys go in first. Nina wondered what she could do for Sasha. "Tell me I won't lose Brando," Sasha pleaded, and Nina assured her of how much Brando had to live for. Inside the room, Gladys begged Brando to open his eyes and tell her who'd hurt him so she could hunt them down. A few minutes later, Gladys emerged from the room, and Sasha went in. Gladys wondered how Sasha was doing, and Nina replied that Sasha was desperate not to lose Brando. "That makes two of us," Gladys commented tearfully.
Inside the room, a crying Sasha took Brando's hand. She said she knew that he was probably tired, hurting, and exhausted from "going to bat for everyone around you," but she begged him to rally and fight to return. She insisted that she believed in him more than she'd ever believed in anyone, and she kissed his hand. She apologized for pushing him away and wasting time that they could have spent together. "I can't lose you. I can't do this without you," she sobbed. Just then, she felt him squeeze her hand, and he opened his eyes.
