Sonny greeted Michael and invited him into the penthouse, where Diane was waiting. After everyone exchanged pleasantries, Michael was curious why Sonny had reached out to him. Sonny revealed that he had filed for sole custody of Avery because Ava had been behind the audio recording of Natalia. Sonny explained that Ava had targeted Kristina to get to him. Michael pointed out that it hadn't excused what Natalia had said, but Sonny insisted that Natalia had been trying to make things right, while Ava only caused misery. Michael agreed, but he reminded Sonny that Avery loved her mother.
Sonny argued that Avery would be better off in the long run without Ava in her life. Michael conceded that Sonny was right, and he was glad that Sonny had finally tossed Ava out; however, Michael couldn't understand why Sonny had let Ava move in. Sonny became defensive as he reminded Michael that he'd been trying to help Ava because she was Avery's mother. Diane tactfully cut in because she thought it was important for them to consider that Ava had once sabotaged Morgan's bipolar medication. "So, if she can do that to Morgan, imagine what she can do to Avery," Diane said.
Michael worried that if Diane brought up that Ava had tampered with Morgan's medication, it would open the door to Scott introducing Sonny and Morgan's rocky relationship at that time. Diane was confident that she could handle things because of Ava's relationship with Morgan and Ava's role in the onset of Morgan's bipolar disease. Frustrated, Sonny asked if Michael could just testify about his upbringing and the kind of father that Sonny was, but Michael admitted that he might not make the best character witness because of their public confrontations in recent months. Diane assured Michael that it wouldn't be a problem, but Michael reminded Diane that Scott might reveal that Carly had sent Morgan to military school for Morgan's safety after Michael had been shot in the head by a bullet meant for Sonny.
Sonny resented the reminder, and he angrily accused Michael of trying get out of testifying. Michael denied it, but Sonny became increasingly agitated until Diane spoke up because Sonny's hostile behavior concerned her. Undaunted, Sonny insisted that Michael was only a good son when Michael needed something, but the rest of the time, Michael treated Sonny like something that needed to be scraped off the bottom of Michael's shoe. Michael warned Diane that it would be a mistake to call him as a witness because Sonny was not the same father that Michael had grown up with.
After Michael left, Sonny was unapologetic. He claimed that his family was his business. Diane agreed, but she reminded Sonny that abusing a witness who had wanted to help had not been the way to handle things. Sonny denounced Michael for turning against him, but Diane argued that Michael had been trying to help. Diane explained that Sonny's behavior had grown more erratic, aggressive, and self-defeating. She advised him to pull himself together, or she would not be able to convince a family court judge that Sonny was a responsible, loving, dependable parent for any child, including Avery.
In Ava's hotel room, Ava and Scott brainstormed about her defense in family court. Scott explained that she would need character witnesses, but Ava reminded Scott that Sonny was a mob boss. Scott asked if Ava had proof of that, so she acknowledged that she didn't. However, she insisted that she and Sonny both had a shady past, which meant that the playing field was even. Scott agreed, but he was certain that Diane would find a few people who would canonize Sonny and vilify Ava. Reluctantly, she admitted that Scott was right.
When Scott suggested he call Alexis as a witness, Ava nixed the idea because she was certain that Alexis wouldn't do anything to help her. Scott asked about Nina, but Ava admitted that Nina wouldn't cooperate, either. Scott asked if there was anyone Ava hadn't offended lately, so Ava revealed that Laura would testify on her behalf. Scott was pleased because Laura would make a good witness, but he needed more names.
Ava acknowledged that she didn't have many allies, but she was certain that Sonny had even fewer. Ava was confident that Trina would make a good character witness, but Scott pointed out that Trina was an employee. Ava insisted that Trina would be effective, so Scott agreed to add Trina to the list. Ava resented being asked for more names, but Scott assured her that he was in her corner. Ava reminded Scott that Sonny wasn't invincible.
Scott was surprised when Ava confessed that John Cates might help. She explained that John was sympathetic to her cause, and she and the agent had grown close. Scott asked if Ava and John had been intimate. When she assured him that she and John weren't lovers, Scott advised her to make certain it stayed that way until after the custody hearing. Ava agreed, but she suggested Dex Heller might testify because Sonny and Dex had been in an altercation, which Kristina had witnessed.
Scott seemed skeptical that Kristina would testify against her father, but Ava was confident that Kristina would be truthful under oath if Scott subpoenaed Kristina. Scott and Ava also discussed calling Josslyn as a witness because Josslyn despised Sonny, but Ava insisted that Josslyn was Carly's daughter and an entitled brat. However, Ava proposed adding Carly to the witness list. Stunned, Scott asked why Ava would think Carly would testify against Sonny, so Ava reminded him that Carly was Sonny's ex-wife and the mother of two of Sonny's children. "Donna and Morgan," Ava said.
"I wouldn't bring up Morgan if I was you," Scott told Ava. Ava brushed off his concerns because Carly had once sent Morgan to military school to keep Morgan safe from Sonny. Scott reminded Ava that it was ancient history, so Ava shared that Carly no longer allowed Donna to spend the night with Sonny because of his erratic behavior. She told Scott about Carly confronting Sonny and checking his bipolar medication. However, Ava was confident that Sonny would be their strongest witness.
"Why would you think that?" Scott asked. Ava asked if attorney/client privilege applied. Scott assured her that it would as long as she didn't tell him that she intended to commit a crime. "One of Sonny's medications has been replaced with a placebo," Ava shared. Alarmed, Scott asked if Ava had anything to do with it, but she denied it. Ava insisted that she had only discovered the switch, but she had no idea who had been responsible. She admitted that she'd seen the results of Sonny being unmedicated.
"And it ain't pretty," Ava said. Scott realized that Ava hoped he'd get Sonny on the stand and push Sonny's buttons. "The man will blow like Vesuvius," Ava promised. She was confident that it would prove that Sonny was far too volatile to have custody of Avery. "Ever," she added.
At the Quartermaine boathouse, Brook Lynn thanked Blaze and Kristina for meeting her there. Brook Lynn explained that it was the only place where they wouldn't be interrupted by all the kids. When Kristina mentioned getting tips from Nina about how to handle the press, Brook Lynn revealed that Perez Hilton had agreed to interview Blaze and Kristina. Blaze and Kristina were delighted until they learned that Perez had rejected the idea of sticking to only the questions that Blaze and Kristina had submitted. Brook Lynn explained that once a guest dictated the questions, it moved from being an interview to a press release.
Kristina was uneasy about not having guardrails, so Blaze decided it would be best to cancel the interview. Brook Lynn advised both ladies to reconsider because she was certain that Perez did not have an agenda. Brook Lynn reminded Blaze and Kristina that there was a way to answer difficult questions without relinquishing control. When Brook Lynn offered to help prepare them for the interview, Blaze and Kristina agreed to give it a try. However, Kristina made it clear that she would not discuss the surrogacy because it was Molly's story to tell.
Brook Lynn was supportive and told both Blaze and Kristina to keep their heads up and to take their time with the questions. They went through a mock interview, and Kristina eloquently explained why she had started the Corinthos-Davis Center for LGBTQ+ youths, and she noted all the help it would provide. When the questions turned to Natalia's homophobic remarks, Kristina admitted that it had been hard to hear the recording because Kristina and Blaze's privacy had been violated by someone they knew and trusted.
At Bobbie's, Carly's manager Hunter tried to discuss hiring more staff, but Carly was distracted watching Jason and Danny.
At a nearby table, Danny was excited that Sam had agreed to let him hang out with Jason. He asked how Jason had managed to convince Sam. "I just asked," Jason said. Jason assured his son that Sam wanted what was best for Danny, but Danny grumbled that lately "what's best" had been keeping Danny away from his father and taking Danny's phone. Danny shifted gears because he looked forward to their trip on a speedboat to Toronto Island. Danny asked if they could camp out overnight, but Jason explained that he had promised to get Danny home by 10:00 p.m.
Carly walked over and shared that she had heard about Jason and Danny's plans, so she would have sandwiches made for their short excursion. Moments later, John entered. "Mr. Morgan, a word," John curtly said. Jason explained that it would have to wait because Jason had plans with his son. "Not anymore," John said. John told Jason to send Danny home.
Carly started to object, but Jason asked her to drive Danny home. Jason promised to call Danny and reschedule their outing. After Jason and John went upstairs to Jason's apartment, Danny asked if Carly had any idea what that had been about. Carly reminded Danny that Jason could take care of himself.
In Jason's apartment, John complained that he had nothing to show for his assignment because Valentin had managed to slip away. John was certain that someone had tipped Valentin off, but Jason reminded John that Jason had no incentive to help Valentin because Jason wanted to be free of his obligation to the FBI. John announced that Jason would continue to work for him, and he informed Jason that Jason would soon be headed to Quantico on a bus, where Jason would be given a new identification and shipped off to a federal prison to infiltrate a drug and arms dealing organization.
Jason argued that his agreement with the FBI had been to work his way into Pikeman, identify the leadership, and provide John with all the proof. Jason pointed out that he had done that and more when he'd given Valentin's satellite phone to John. Jason suggested that it was John's problem if he couldn't make a case against Valentin stick with the evidence that Jason had provided. "Maybe we can, maybe we can't," John said.
John revealed that there was one case that was ironclad. "The People vs. Carly Spencer," John said. John promised that Carly would be put on a bus bound for Pentonville if Jason refused to get on the bus to Quantico. John dropped a bus ticket and a file with Jason's new assignment on the table, but Jason ignored it. John explained that Jason could only stay in Port Charles if Jason turned over proof of Sonny's crimes. "What if I don't have it?" Jason asked.
John grew irritated because he couldn't understand why Jason continued to protect Sonny. "Sonny has left a trail of broken lives behind, starting with my wife and my brother. Sonny has to pay!" John angrily shouted. Jason frowned because he realized that Pikeman had just been an excuse. John's true purpose had been to take down Sonny. John didn't deny it. He pointed out that Jason literally knew where all the bodies were buried, and Jason had enough information to put Sonny away until the end of time.
"So, you either give it to me or you get on that bus," John said in a menacing tone.
In Anna's office, Laura stopped by to ask if Anna had talked to Valentin. Anna was surprised to learn that John had gone to Laura's place, looking for Valentin. Laura shared that she had tried to call both Valentin and Charlotte, but their cell phones were no longer in service. Laura admitted that she'd grown concerned when her emails had bounced back, and she'd found that all of Charlotte's social media had been erased. Anna claimed that she hadn't spoken to Valentin, so Laura asked if Anna knew why the FBI had been looking for Valentin.
Anna kept her secrets, but she suggested that she and Laura might not have known Valentin as well as they'd thought. Laura took comfort in knowing that Charlotte would be safe with her father, so Anna reminded Laura that Charlotte was resourceful. Laura became emotional as she opened up that all of her children were out of her reach, and Charlotte had vanished. Anna promised to let Laura know if she heard anything. After Laura left, Anna's eyes filled with tears.
A short time later, Carly barged into Anna's office and demanded to know if Anna had been helping John go after Sonny. Anna suggested that Carly ask John, since Carly was friends with John, but Carly vehemently denied it. Carly repeated her question, so Anna reminded Carly that Anna couldn't divulge information about an ongoing investigation or even confirm that there was one. When Anna asked what was going on, Carly filled Anna in about the encounter between John and Jason earlier at Bobbie's.
Anna suggested that John might have wanted to debrief Jason, but Carly was certain there had been more to it. "Something's going on," Carly said. Anna agreed because John had been gunning for Sonny ever since John had arrived in town. Carly suspected that John might feel it was John's turn to take Sonny down. "He's wasting his time. There's no way in hell Jason will ever flip on Sonny," Carly assured Anna. "I don't care what Cates threatens him with," Carly said.
When Carly turned to leave, Anna implored Carly not to do anything rash. Carly played innocent, but Anna wasn't fooled. Anna was certain Carly would either try to confront John or do something reckless to help Jason without having any information about what was actually happening or what Jason intended to do about it. "What's your point?" Carly asked. Anna admitted that she understood Carly's impulse, but she asked Carly to hold off until Anna could get to the bottom of things first.
Carly decided that she shouldn't have involved Anna because it was for Carly and Jason to fix themselves. Before Anna could stop her, Carly left. Anna pulled out her phone and made a call.
In the stables, Tracy heard approaching footsteps and warned the person approaching that she was sleep deprived, hadn’t had a second cup of coffee, and had been bitten by Hades, one of the horses. A smiling Ned emerged from the shadows and made a remark about “good odds.” Tracy warned Ned that she didn’t want Ned to discuss anything that had to do with drama.
After asking if Tracy had bit Hades back, Ned grabbed a first aid kit to tend to Tracy’s wound. Ned noted that Tracy had been “extra spicy” all day. He asked if it had anything to do with it being Luke’s birthday. Ned smiled wryly and confessed that he’d had “serious reservations” about Luke and Tracy’s quasilegal marriage. Tracy fought tears, and she told Ned that her marriages to Luke had marked a “significant turning point” in her life.
Ned asked if Luke was the love of Tracy’s life. “I miss the buoyancy he created. He always managed to stay afloat… to improvise, to adapt,” Tracy said as she admitted that she felt as though she was barely keeping her own head above water. Tracy stopped midsentence and said that things were getting “so maudlin.” Ned joked that he didn’t want to miss the chance to share in his mother’s feelings. Tracy joked that it would be another 75 years before he had the chance to share in her feelings.
Ned told Tracy that she should feel free to talk about Luke or her feelings anytime she wanted. The shared an embrace.
Sonny opened the door to his penthouse and was unsurprised to see Carly on the other side. Carly was puzzled when Sonny presumed that Michael had already spoken to her. Carly asked what Michael had to do with things, but Sonny curtly replied that she needed to “stay out of it.” Carly said that she wished she could stay out of Sonny’s problem, but she noted that somehow, all of Sonny’s problems somehow found their way to her.
Carly told Sonny that she believed that John was actually after him. Sonny snarled that “Jagger never knew how to keep his nose out of other people’s business.” Sonny suggested that it was time that someone “beats that lesson” into John. Carly warned Sonny not to target John. She also worried that Sonny’s beating of Dex could somehow get back to John.
Sonny told Carly that Ava knew about the Dex situation. Carly and Sonny were both sure that Ava had already revealed to John what she knew. Sonny told Carly about his fight with Michael earlier in the day and asked if she could help smooth things over with Michael. Carly told Sonny that it was his responsibility to patch things up with Michael. She lashed out at Sonny for pushing everyone out of his life. She asked Sonny if there was “one single person” that would be willing to defend him who was not his child or his employee. “You,” Sonny replied softly.
Carly reminded Sonny that he had called her a traitor. Tears rolled down her cheek as she told Sonny that he’d gotten what he’d wanted and was on his own. Carly wiped the tears from her face and walked away.
At the Port Charles Police Station, Jason entered Anna’s office and closed the door behind him. Anna told Jason that she knew John had paid him a visit. Anna believed that the FBI would continue its mission to find Valentin, even if it took years to complete. Jason told Anna that he had been given a new out-of-town assignment: infiltrate a gang in the federal prison in Lompoc.
Anna called the assignment a mistake and insisted that Jason had more than satisfied his obligation to John. Jason shared that John felt he had sat on the evidence to allow Valentin the chance to escape. Anna urged Jason to go public with his story of how the FBI had coerced him to cooperate and then broken their promise to him. Jason asked what would happen to Carly in that scenario.
Anna vowed to help Jason out of his predicament. While appreciative, Jason told Anna that she needed to clean up the mess that she had made. Anna owned her mistake. She then asked Jason what responsibility he and Carly had as a result of their decision to “live outside the lines.” Jason told Anna that he could not change the past. He asked Anna to give him the “same consideration” that she had given to Valentin. Anna swore that she would not rest until Jason was out from under the FBI’s thumb. Jason turned and exited the office, closing the door loudly behind him.
Anna phoned someone named Jim and told him that the FBI needed to reel in John Cates because he was out of control.
Kristina met up with Michael at Bobbie’s. He immediately told her that pregnancy looked good on her. Kristina was receptive to the praise, but she admitted that it was hard to believe, since she had a “little person swimming inside” her, giving her “the occasional karate kick.” As they continued pleasantries, Kristina told Michael that she'd known him long enough to know that there was something that he wanted to ask her.
Michael mentioned that things were tense between Sonny and Ava. Kristina nodded. “Ava baited Allie’s admittedly problematic mother into expressing her homophobia,” Kristina snapped, adding that Ava had then “maliciously leaked” the recording to the Invader. Kristina said that Sonny was out for blood. Michael, however, replied that if his recently blow-up with Sonny was any indication of how things would go, Sonny would be lucky to emerge from court without a restraining order demanding that he stay away from Avery.
Michael recounted his argument with Sonny. He worried that he could say the wrong thing on the stand and trigger Sonny to erupt in front of the judge. Michael wondered if there was someone else who could testify on Sonny’s behalf. The two ran through some names, but quickly ruled everyone out. Michael eventually told Kristina that she needed to be the one to help their dad.
Kristina pushed back on the idea, but Michael persisted. Kristina asked what she would do if someone asked if she’d seen Sonny beat up Dex at the wedding. She called herself as much of a liability on the stand as Michael. Michael said that Sonny might be on his own.
Michael wondered how long he could have a “superficial” relationship with Sonny. He mentioned the price that Carly and A.J. had paid because of Sonny. Michael said that he wanted his kids to grow up believing that it was okay to hold people accountable but that “holding onto that bitterness only stunts you.” Michael shared that he could not forget the years that Sonny had loved and protected him any more than he could forget the way that Sonny was currently behaving.
As Michael and Kristina continued to talk, Carly entered the restaurant and apologized for interrupting them. Before she could say anything, Jason arrived and asked if he could speak to Carly. Before she and Michael also left, Kristina told Michael that one day, Avery would be going through the same things with Sonny that they’d gone through with Sonny.
Jason took Carly to his apartment above Bobbie’s and told her that he had been given a new assignment and needed to leave for Quantico that evening. Carly had a strong reaction. Jason assured Carly that he had a way out, but it required her to be patient and calm. Carly walked toward the door, but Jason grabbed her by the arm and asked her where she was going. Carly said that she was going to turn herself in, and there was nothing that Jason could say to stop her.
Elsewhere in town, Tracy slowly walked up to Sonny. She noted that Luke’s club had once been located directly across the street and asked if Sonny was engaging in a little walk down memory lane. “You were never on your own with a friend like Luke,” Sonny commented. Tracy raised her hand to high-five Sonny and replied, “Finally, something we can agree upon.” They also agreed that Luke had loved to celebrate. Tracy wondered if that was because so much of Luke’s life had been “unenjoyable.”
Sonny recalled watching Luke walk off into the sunset. Tracy admitted that she’d gone to Amsterdam to find Luke and happened upon him in a café. The time that they’d had together, Tracy said, had been “an absolute blast.”
John paid Ava a surprise visit at her suite at the Metro Court. Ava claimed that she was glad that John had stopped by because she was unaccustomed to being alone. She told John that she and Scott had been strategizing to come up with the best plan to fight Sonny’s petition for sole custody. John admitted that squaring off against Sonny was a formidable challenge, and he assured Ava that she was not alone.
When Ava remarked that her legal battle against Sonny would cost a fortunate, John asked if she had “blown through [her] Cassadine divorce settlement.” Ava was taken aback that John knew about that and wondered why he had been looking into her finances. “Just looking into you the way I would any potential witness… or suspect,” he commented. Asked which she was, John replied, “Jury’s still out.”
Ava told John that her relationship with Sonny had always been a bit rocky. “Avery is a miracle born out of a moment of very, very poor judgment,” she shared. John remarked that he’d thought Ava and Sonny had somehow found a way to make it work. Ava said that they had until recently, when Sonny had suddenly become “erratic” and “volatile.”
John told Ava that it was his mission to have Sonny locked away in Pentonville. He asked Ava if she had any “prosecutable intel” to share with him. Ava was certain that Sonny would retaliate if he suspected that she had shared any information about him. John told Ava that he was a father and understood her dilemma. He told her that she didn’t have to work with him because there were plenty of other people with evidence that could put Sonny away.
Ava told John that it had been a “very long time” since someone had shown her a kind gesture. John said that he, like Sonny, had a code. John stated that, unlike Sonny, he stuck to his. John promised that he would not let a “poor excuse for a man” push Ava around. Ava told John that she almost believed him. He asked what it would take for her to fully believe him. Before she could respond, John leaned in and kissed Ava.
John and Ava's kiss lingered until it was interrupted by the ringing of John’s phone. When the call ended, John told Ava that he had to go because there were “some provincial egos that need massaging.” Before leaving, John asked if they could pick things up where they had left off. Ava said that they could and hoped that it would be soon.
After John left, Ava called Scott to ask how much it would help her case if Sonny were to be “busted by the FBI.”
John burst into Anna’s office and asked in disbelief about Anna speaking his boss. Anna demanded that John set Jason free or risk being buried by her.
In Anna’s office, John informed Anna that she was “out of your league,” threatening his superiors, but she reminded him that he was in her jurisdiction. She talked about how honorable Jason was, and she ripped into John for using the law to his own ends to get revenge on people. He accused her of helping Valentin escape, and she promised to dig into all of John’s missteps and destroy his career. John spat that she was just as dirty as Sonny, and he stormed out. Anna made a call and told someone that she would be out of the station for the rest of the day, and she left.
Willow met Nina in the Metro Court lobby, and Nina asked about Willow's “PSA emergency.” Willow explained that the script she’d been given for her latest announcement was clunky, so she’d rewritten it, and she hoped that Nina would take a look at it. The two sat down, and Nina gave some suggestions to Willow. As they talked, Ava arrived, and Natalia arrived behind her. Natalia scoffed at Ava and got into an elevator. Ava decided to approach Nina and Willow.
Nina coldly advised Ava that she and Willow were in the middle of something. Ava talked about how the mother-daughter bond was so important, and she was glad to see Nina and Willow together. She continued that Sonny was trying to keep Avery away from her, and she wondered if Nina or Willow would talk to Scott about Sonny’s recent behavior. “Are you insane?” Nina questioned, and Willow wanted no part of it. Ava thanked them for hearing her out, and Willow left for her recording.
Nina thought that Ava had the shortest memory if she thought that Nina would do anything to help her. Ava replied that she was about to lose her only remaining child, so she thought that she and Nina would find some common ground. Ava hoped for compassion—and maybe even forgiveness in their future—but Nina refused. Ava talked about how Sonny and “bigoted mother” Natalia were joined at the hip, but Nina laughed at Ava’s attempt to make Nina jealous. Ava tearfully wondered if Nina doubted Ava’s capability as a mother or her devotion to Avery. Nina answered that Ava’s love for Avery was her one redeeming quality, but Nina was still “rooting for Sonny.” “How things have changed,” Ava said sadly. Nina commented that her life had changed for the better, and she walked away.
A short while later, Ava was in her room when there was a knock on the door. She opened it to John, who entered as he apologized for the interruption earlier. He informed her that he would soon have everything he needed to “bring Sonny to justice.”
Brook Lynn, Blaze, and Kristina arrived on the set of Perez Hilton’s show, and they nervously watched as he recorded the episode introduction. Brook Lynn advised the couple to keep things positive and to not apologize. She continued that Perez was “super knowledgeable, professional, kind, and no nonsense,” so everyone would get to meet the true, authentic Blaze. Brook Lynn walked away to talk to a producer, and Perez approached Blaze and Kristina. They thanked him for having them on, and he called what they were doing “brave and important.”
In her room at the Metro Court hotel, Natalia turned on the television to the channel showing Perez Hilton’s show. She told herself to be a big girl, as she deserved what they were going to say about her. ?
The interview began with Perez explaining the story, with help from Blaze and Kristina. Blaze talked about her relationship with her mother as complicated but steady, and she said Natalia was an excellent business manager who’d sacrificed a lot for Blaze’s career. She continued that things were raw, but she hoped to repair the relationship. Kristina added that they weren’t the real victims. Kristina noted that Natalia was entitled to her opinions, but Natalia was the one whose privacy had been violated. Perez commented that they were being very generous, but Kristina clarified that they were being humans. She said that everyone made mistakes, but they needed to own them, apologize for them, and learn from them.
Perez moved on to future plans and asked about Kristina’s baby bump. She didn’t have any comment and stated that they were keeping that private. Perez thanked them for joining him and wished them the best. When the cameras stopped rolling, he assured the women that the interview had gone well. He hugged them and walked away. Brook Lynn approached and assured them that they had been incredible. Blaze wanted to celebrate, so the three ladies left to get milkshakes at Bobbie’s.
In Jason’s room over Bobbie’s, Carly reminded Jason that he’d said he was free. He explained that he’d done everything John had wanted, but it hadn’t been enough. “Nothing ever will be,” she replied, and she decided to turn herself in to take away John’s power. She and Jason argued about it until he urged her to think about Donna. Carly refused to keep being the weapon used against him, as she got a choice, too. He knew that she knew he had to leave. “I just got you back,” she muttered tearfully as she hugged him. She finally agreed not to turn herself in, and he encouraged her to live her life.
Later, Jason arrived at the bus station and called Danny. Danny wanted to hang out with his father, but Jason broke the news that he was being sent on another assignment out of town. Danny demanded that his father stay. Jason told Danny how proud he was of Danny, and Jason said how much he loved Danny. “Be good,” Jason said, and he hung up. A frustrated Danny threw his phone across the room.
Carly arrived at Metro Court and approached the front desk. She instructed the employee to send two bellhops to John’s suite, as he would be checking out. She continued that the bellhops should pack up John’s things and put the luggage in the lobby, and the front desk employee should reprogram the door for the next guest. “That’s what we call taking out the trash,” she said to herself.
Outside the Quartermaine boathouse, Willow put the finishing touches on the table settings as Wiley told her that Amelia had fallen asleep. Willow began to unpack the food, so Wiley asked when his father would arrive. Willow assured her son that it would be soon because Michael would see the note that Wiley had left in the gatehouse. Moments later, Drew walked up. Willow’s eyes quickly dropped to his bare chest, which was still wet from a recent swim. Wiley ran over to greet his great-uncle, unaware of the sudden tension between the adults.
After draping a towel around his neck and picking up Wiley, Drew apologized for interrupting. He explained that he had decided to take a dip in the lake before heading to a town hall meeting in a nearby town to discuss increased funding for public libraries. Willow was impressed and praised Drew’s efforts. Just then, Michael arrived. Wiley scampered over to greet his father, while Willow and Drew stole a glance.
Michael asked if Drew was staying for dinner, but Drew collected his things and explained that he had a meeting. After a short exchange about the town hall, Drew left. Willow worried that few people would attend the meeting, but Wiley pulled her aside to show her some minnows he had spotted in the water. Michael took the opportunity to pull out his phone and call in a favor.
After dinner, Michael and Willow decided to teach Wiley a game called “rose and thorn.” They explained that the objective was to name one good thing that had happened during the day and one bad thing. Willow started things off by admitting her rose had been arranging the picnic with Wiley, while her thorn had been stepping in goose poop during the hunt for minnows. Wiley decided that his thorn was the bug bite he’d gotten on his finger, and his rose was his dad getting the note and joining them. Michael chose waking up to his alarm that morning as his thorn and spending time with his family as his rose because his family was the most important thing to him.
Willow was touched by the loving words. As she and Michael shared a tender kiss, Drew returned and stopped when he saw them. Drew cleared his throat and apologized for the interruption. He explained that he’s misplaced his watch, so Michael and Willow jumped up to help Drew look for it. Willow found it and handed it to Drew. He looked into her eyes and caressed her hand as he took the watch from her. “Thank you,” Drew quietly said.
Willow pulled her hand back and smiled softly. Michael didn’t notice as he confessed that he’d arranged for one of ELQ’s nearby manufacturing plants to spread the word for the employees to attend the town hall with friends. Drew was grateful for Michael’s support. After Drew left, Willow admitted that it had been kind of Michael to help Drew. Michael explained that he’d done it for Willow because she believed in Drew’s candidacy. He added that she always lit up when she talked about Drew, so Willow was quick to assure Michael that she lit up for Michael, too, because she loved her husband.
Wiley ran out of the boathouse to let his parents know that Amelia was awake and eating a cookie. Michael and Willow agreed that it was time to go home, but Willow stopped Michael to tell him that she wanted to change her “rose.” Willow confessed that going home with Michael and their children and having everyone she cherished under one roof was her favorite moment of the day. Michael smiled and reached for her hand.
In the Quartermaine kitchen, Sasha served Violet “ants on a log.” It was a snack of celery sticks filled with peanut butter and sprinkled with raisins. Violet was dubious, but Sasha encouraged her to try it. “Trust me,” Sasha said. Violet took a bite and smiled. “Delicious,” Violet admitted. Pleased, Sasha revealed that it had been her favorite afterschool snack as a child.
The conversation took a serious turn when Violet asked about Sasha’s mother. Sasha shared that she’d been raised by her grandmother, who had been an amazing cook. Violet opened up about missing her father and grandfather. Violet acknowledged that she was surrounded by people, but she couldn’t wait to see her father again. Sasha empathized. Violet revealed that she’d been keeping a diary of all the things she’d been doing that she hoped to share with her father, but she’d also been writing about her private thoughts.
Sasha encouraged Violet to keep writing. When Violet admitted that it sometimes made her sad, Sasha assured her that it was normal. Sasha reminded Violet that Violet had Brook Lynn, Chase, and Sasha to talk to, and a house full of people who loved her. Violet perked up when Sasha shifted gears and invited Violet to be her apprentice in the kitchen. Sasha suggested they could make a recipe book of all the snacks that Sasha would teach Violet. Violet happily accepted.
“And you’ll be my cool grandma that will teach me everything I need to know about cooking,” Violet said with excitement. Sasha smiled, but she suggested that Violet call her a “cool aunt” instead.
At the courthouse, T.J. entered a courtroom where Molly had been working. Her surprise at seeing T.J. turned to concern when he asked if she had talked to Kristina. T.J. pulled out his phone and played the interview that Kristina and Blaze had done with Perez Hilton earlier that morning. Molly was upset after she watched Kristina’s response to Perez asking Kristina about the baby bump. “So, I’m not crazy. Kristina just claimed our child on live television,” T.J. said.
Molly confirmed that Kristina had essentially let Perez to believe that the baby was Kristina and Blaze’s child. Molly acknowledged that her sister hadn’t used those words, but Kristina hadn’t been clear about who the baby’s parents were. T.J. was certain that it had been intentional, prompting Molly to apologize because T.J. had been justified to be concerned about Kristina. T.J. assured Molly that she was not to blame. “This is all on Kristina,” he insisted.
“She wants our baby to be her baby,” Molly said with certainty. “And now -- thanks to this interview -- the whole world thinks that it is,” Molly said. Molly ranted about Kristina and Kristina’s need for attention, but she made it clear that Kristina had gone too far. T.J. assumed that Molly intended to confront Kristina, but Molly explained that it would only put Kristina on the defensive. “There’s only one way to handle this now…through the law,” Molly told T.J.
At Pentonville, Warden Hayes approached Anna and informed her that they did not have a record of a prisoner named John or Jack Brennan. Anna wanted to know where Brennan had been sent, but the warden clarified that Brennan had never been incarcerated at Pentonville. Stunned, Anna pulled out her phone and listed the dates that Brennan had been arrested and sent to Pentonville. She also provided dates for her visits and the dates of Brennan’s attack and his transfer back to Pentonville following Brennan’s hospital stay, but the warden was unfazed.
“My apologies, but our records don’t match yours,” Warden Hayes told Anna. Anna threatened to subpoena the guards and the man who had attacked Brennan, but the warden doubted anyone would remember Brennan. The warden claimed that, according to their records, there was no supporting documentation that Brennan had ever been there.
In Ava’s suite at Metro Court, Ava assured John that she wanted to see Sonny brought to justice. “But many others have tried and failed,” she said. “What makes you think you have what you need to take him down?” she asked. John shared that he had a lynchpin witness who knew everything, but they needed to be persuaded to testify. John was confident the witness would eventually capitulate because John had taken steps to turn the pressure up by sending the witness far from Port Charles.
Confused, Ava wondered why sending the witness away would help John’s cause, so John explained that it was against the witness’ wishes. He conceded that it didn’t really matter because the witness’ departure would throw Sonny off-kilter and make Sonny more unstable and volatile. “I like the sound of that,” Ava said with a smile. John promised that it would show Sonny to be unfit as a parent and spare Ava from having to lift a finger. Ava sat down next to John on the sofa and thanked him.
John and Ava talked about their first meeting and how different things were between them. As they gazed into each other’s eyes, sparks flew, and they shared a passionate kiss. Eventually, Ava pulled away from the kiss and offered John a cocktail. When John discovered that she only had vodka on hand, he decided to fetch a bottle of scotch from his room. After a quick kiss, he left. “Really, Ava?” An FBI agent?” she asked as she poured herself a drink. “At least you keep things interesting,” she decided.
John approached his door, but his keycard was rejected. After several tries, John decided to go to the front desk.
Outside Metro Court, Diane thanked Sonny for meeting her there. Sonny’s mood quickly soured when she revealed that Ava had been granted court-ordered visitation. “Shut it down,” Sonny demanded. Diane explained that it would be impossible, and she urged Sonny not to ask for supervised visitation because it might give the appearance that he was trying to punish Ava by keeping Avery from her. Sonny argued that Ava would be the one weaponizing their daughter because Ava would fill Avery’s head with lies about him.
Diane reminded Sonny that Ava was quick to play the victim, so it was important for him to take the high road. Sonny told Diane that Ava had been playing the damsel in distress for Agent John Cates. Alarmed, Diane feared that John’s testimony might tip the scales in Ava’s favor. Just then, Sonny spotted John through the hotel’s window as John headed to the front desk.
In the lobby, Carly saw a suitcase in the corner. She walked over to a clerk at the front desk and instructed the young man to let John Cates know that John had an hour to collect his suitcase, or it would be put on the street.
Nearby, Gio and Josslyn exited the elevator. Gio saw Sonny through the window and asked Josslyn who Sonny was talking to. Josslyn explained that Diane was Sonny’s lawyer. Both Gio and Josslyn agreed that the conversation looked intense. Josslyn excused herself for a minute and walked over to Carly to let Carly know that Gio and Josslyn had finished up for the day. However, Josslyn quickly realized that something was troubling her mother.
Carly explained that she had gotten some bad news, but she would talk to Josslyn about it at home. Josslyn refused to be put off, so Carly and Josslyn walked over to the seating area for privacy. Carly revealed that Jason had been forced to leave town. Seconds later, Carly saw John approach the front desk and ask for a replacement keycard. Carly excused herself and walked over to John.
After Carly sent the desk clerk on break, she informed John that she had evicted him from the hotel. Outraged, John demanded to know why, so Carly explained that it was her right as a co-owner of the hotel to refuse service to anyone she liked -- or hated. John suggested that Carly call Jason because he was certain that Jason would tell Carly to accommodate John. Furious, Carly told John to keep Jason’s name out of his mouth because John didn’t speak for Jason. “You would be surprised,” John told Carly.
Things quickly escalated as Carly’s temper flared. She dared John to arrest her if he thought he could get her on RICO charges and prove that she’d been a “big, bad mob boss.” John advised Carly to tread with caution, but she refused to back down. Carly denied being in the mob and committing RICO violations. Carly insisted that she wanted her day in court and accused John of being a “vindictive bastard.” John called Carly’s bluff and began to read her rights to her. Defiantly, Carly held out her wrists to be handcuffed.
Meanwhile Diane and Sonny had entered the lobby, and they watched the exchange between John and Carly from a short distance. Diane debated intervening until she saw John arrest Carly. After Diane darted over to the front desk, Anna entered the lobby and walked up to Sonny. Sonny immediately accused Anna of being in cahoots with John, but she denied it and made it clear that she did not condone Carly’s arrest. Sonny demanded that Anna stop it.
At the front desk, Josslyn ran over as John arrested Carly. Carly instructed Josslyn to go to the bus station and tell Jason about the arrest. After Gio and Josslyn left, Diane warned John that the arrest would blow up in his face, but John didn’t appear worried. Anna walked up and tried to speak up on Carly’s behalf, but John started to march Carly away. Diane promised that the charges wouldn’t stick. John stopped. “You want to bet?” he asked. Carly and Sonny exchanged a long look until John escorted Carly out of the hotel.
At the bus station, Jason was seated on a bench as an announcement was made that the bus to Alexandria would be leaving in 30 minutes. As Jason picked up his bus ticket, he heard Danny call out to him. Surprised, Jason walked over to his son and asked how Danny had found him. Danny revealed that he had heard an announcement in the background during their phone call, so Yuri had driven Danny to the bus station and was waiting for him. Jason was impressed with Danny’s ingenuity.
Danny wanted to know where Jason was going and when he’d be back, but Jason explained that he couldn’t share that information. Jason reminded Danny about the things that had transpired at the boathouse and made it clear that he didn’t want Danny involved in that part of Jason’s life. Danny asked if Jason was still in trouble. Jason was honest as he explained that he’d made choices long before that continued to affect him. Danny wondered if his father had any regrets.
“In some way, yeah, in some way, no,” Jason said. Jason regretted that he couldn’t stay and be the father that Danny deserved. “But that’s on me,” Jason said. Danny asked Jason to call him occasionally, but Jason explained that it wouldn’t be possible. However, Jason had left the key to his motorcycle in his room above Kelly’s for Carly to give to Danny. Jason asked Danny to take care of the motorcycle, because one day, it would be Danny’s. Jason also suggested that Danny ask Sam to take him on rides, but Jason insisted that Danny wear a helmet.
Danny doubted his mother would let him ride without a helmet, and Jason agreed. Danny admitted that he would wait until Jason returned because Danny preferred riding with his father. When the announcement was made that the bus to Alexandria was boarding, Jason and Danny shared a tearful goodbye. Jason hugged his son tightly and said that he was proud of Danny. Danny assured his father that they would see each other again. Jason nodded, but Danny wanted to hear Jason say it.
“There will be a next time,” Jason said. Jason started to walk away, but Josslyn and Gio rounded the corner and called out to Jason. Jason stopped in his tracks. Josslyn ran over to him and told Jason that Carly had been arrested.
Diane stopped by Jason's room above Bobbie's to discuss Carly's case, as Carly was set to be arraigned a few hours later. Carly planned to plead "not guilty," and Jason thought he had a way to help her. He wanted to give himself up in her place. Jason was ready to take full responsibility for the meeting and tell the Feds that he'd fed Carly all the information she'd needed. Diane assured him it would be a complete waste of time.
Diane explained that the evidence the FBI had was damning. Even if Jason said he had coached her, she could be charged with conspiracy, which would make things worse. Then, both Carly and Sonny would go to jail. Diane had her own defense in mind. She wanted to tell the jury that Carly had lied about any information she'd had as a bluff to save herself and her children from the other mob families.
Jason was desperate to know how he could help. All Diane wanted was for him to show up in the courtroom, so Carly knew he was there for her. He needed to be calm and steady, so Carly didn't have a meltdown and say something stupid on the stand. Jason had another idea. He wanted to tarnish John's reputation.
After Diane left, John showed up to warn Jason that they had a deal, and it would come out during the trial because Jason would be a witness for the prosecution. However, John had a proposition for Jason. He'd even let Carly off the hook. "All you gotta do is deliver Sonny to me," John said.
Anna was staring at her Jack Brennan file when Dante stopped by to tell her that Sonny was downstairs, but she didn't care. Anna asked him to stay to talk about Brennan. Dante remembered who he was, so Anna knew she couldn't have imagined his existence, considering he'd vanished from Pentonville.
Anna explained that Pentonville had no records of Brennan ever being there, and guards denied his existence. Not only that, but the PCPD had also purged all records of Brennan, both on paper and electronically. She proved it by showing Dante her empty file. Anna thought the situation had the "WSB's fingerprints all over it."
Dante wondered if the WSB had even wiped Brennan's hospital records from when he'd been stabbed in May, but Dante also wondered why the PCPD would even care what happened to Brennan. Anna finally told Dante all about John having evidence against Carly and how Brennan was connected to it. Dante was still confused, but Anna felt that Brennan had leverage over John.
Sonny met with Carly in the PCPD interrogation room. Sonny promised he'd do everything in his power to help her because John had gone too far. Carly just wanted Sonny to let Diane handle things. When Sonny asked Carly what the heck was going on, she was blunt. "You died. And I took your place," she said.
Carly claimed that Nina was the problem because "she was keeping you all to herself in Nixon Falls." Thanks to Sonny's alleged death, Carly had attended a Five Families meeting when Jason had been indisposed. Sonny knew that but wanted to know how she was being charged with RICO violations. Carly admitted that someone in the meeting had worn a wire and gathered evidence.
Carly explained that the FBI had a recording of her and was using it as leverage to get Jason to become an informant. Sonny was furious to learn that Jason had done what John had wanted, but John still wanted him for another job. Carly said she had felt she'd had no choice but to turn herself in. She hadn't meant to do it, but she hadn't been able to control herself when she'd seen John in the lobby.
Sonny noted that John had always resented him for taking care of Stone during Stone's final days. "He's been trying to take me down for 30 years, Carly. And you know why he can't? 'Cause he doesn't know how." Sonny knocked coffee cups off the shelf in a fit of anger. He insisted he wasn't going to let John send Donna's mother to prison.
After Sonny left, Carly begged the guard to find Dante for her because she had to talk to him. When Dante arrived, a frantic Carly told him Sonny was out of control. "Sonny went after Cates, and God knows what will happen if Sonny finds him," Carly said.
Meanwhile, at Pozullo's, Sonny asked Brick to find "Jagger" while Sonny retrieved his gun for a showdown.
Nina chewed out her assistant for canceling a meeting with Erica Kane, but she let her ire go when she saw Michael sitting in her office chair. Michael tried being nice, but Nina was worried because she knew their meetings could go off the rails. Michael finally got to the point and admitted that he needed Nina's help.
Like Drew before him, Michael wanted a formal introduction to Congressman McConkey, but he refused to tell her why. Nina wasn't ready to help Michael until she knew more. He finally admitted that he needed to ask the congressman for a favor. He needed McConkey to help Carly out of her jam.
Nina was stunned to hear that Carly had been arrested right in the Metro Court lobby. Michael blamed it all on John being a "rogue FBI agent" and thought McConkey could help rein him in. He just wanted an introduction so he could offer a contribution in exchange for help. Nina warned him that was a crime, and she didn't want to be charged as a co-conspirator.
Michael made sure that Nina knew why Carly was really in trouble. He said Carly had gone to that meeting when Nina had been keeping the secret that Sonny was alive. Michael said Nina could make the last three years right with one phone call to the congressman. Nina just wanted to make sure that she and Michael would finally be even if she did it. Michael assured her that they would be, and he'd make sure Willow knew that Nina was the hero.
Nina was tempted, but she still wasn't sold. She warned Michael that if the media learned the truth, it would also hurt Drew's campaign. Nina finally agreed to do what Michael wanted.
Kristina was surprised to see Molly at her door and cheerfully wanted to talk about the Perez Hilton interview. However, Molly was not quite as cheerful, which confused Kristina. Molly informed Kristina that T.J. had some concerns, so she wanted her sister to sign papers right then and there, giving up her parental rights to the baby.
Molly described it as "relinquishing" her parental rights, but Kristina pointed out that the papers said "terminate," meaning there'd be no going back. Molly pointed out that they had already agreed that Kristina would do it after the baby was born, so Molly wondered why Kristina would not want to sign them early. Kristina finally realized it was about her answer to Perez Hilton's question about her baby bump.
Molly felt Kristina had made it seem like the baby belonged to her and Blaze, but Kristina denied it. She said she hadn't thought it had been necessary to tell her sister's whole story on TV, so she'd given a simple, vague answer. Kristina apologized for her words, but Molly didn't care. She demanded that Kristina sign the papers, but Kristina refused until they talked rationally.
Kristina explained that she didn't feel it was the right time to sign her rights away when Molly and T.J. were having problems. She wanted to know what would happen to the baby if Molly and T.J. broke up. Molly was floored because she and T.J. had been getting along fine for weeks and had barely argued for years. She had no intention of ending their domestic partnership. Instead, she went on a rant to Kristina about Kristina's tumultuous life.
"You have never, not one single time, been able to keep someone around long enough to form a real relationship. All you have is a string of embarrassing, misguided attempts with men; a crush that drove your teacher out of town; and a messed-up infatuation with a woman who was so ashamed of being gay that she was still in the closet until her mother caused a national uproar by publicly outing her," Molly said.
Kristina just stared at Molly in disbelief, but Molly refused to give up. She handed Kristina the papers again and insisted that Kristina sign them. Kristina once again refused, still citing the potential for a breakup. Molly wanted to know what it would take for Kristina to terminate parental rights, and she accused Kristina of not wanting to give the baby up. Kristina finally admitted the truth. "I do wonder sometimes if Allie and I would make better parents for this baby right now. Maybe we would be able to provide a more stable home than you and T.J.," Kristina said.
Just then, there was a knock on the door. Kristina opened it and saw Natalia standing there. Molly left but made sure not to take the papers with her. Natalia asked to see Blaze, but Blaze wasn't there. Natalia explained that she was there to thank Kristina for what Kristina had said about her on Perez Hilton's show. Kristina made it clear that although Natalia was entitled to her opinions, Kristina didn't have to like them.
