Ellen arrives at the hotel where Lucy is staying with a box of chocolates for Lucy. Ellen thought that since Lucy was back at the hotel, then she and Scotty must have ended their relationship. Lucy quickly set Ellen straight. She and Scotty could not be happier.
Lucy wants Ellen to do her a favor. She has Ellen put on the dress that Lucy wore at the plantation. Lucy is trying to envision a way in which to make money. She has an idea of creating feminine clothing from past times for the modern women. She wants to bring out the sense of adventure and romance for the women who wears her clothing.
Lucy asks Ellen how does the dress make her feel. At first the very sensible Ellen does not really want to participate, however with Lucy's coaxing she finally agrees to let her imagination run wild. Ellen reminisces about a time that she went to the Mardi Gras alone dressed as Lady of the Moon. She was sitting in a small café when her eyes crossed the most dashing pair of eyes that she ever saw. The man, too, was dressed in period costume. His costume resembled the outfit of a duke. He even walked over to her table in a fashion that could be considered aristocratic. They both left the café together and walked under the stars. After a while the romantic climatic created the perfect back drop for the two to share star lit kisses. As they were heading back towards the festivities, the Duke asked Ellen to stay the entire week with him. Before she could respond, a group of raucous kids stumbled by. The Duke picked Ellen up into his arms and placed her on a moving float in the parade. In the confusion of all of the people the two were separated without ever even exchanging names. The next day Ellen went home never to have seen her Duke again.
Lucy asked Ellen if she ever searched for him. Ellen replied no because it would have ruined the fantasy that the two were carried away in. However, she will never forget his lips and the way they felt when they touched hers.
In Greece with Joe, Courtney and the Connellos Joe finally has the opportunity to call Karen. The two share their love for one another. As Joe is hanging up the phone, he looks up to find Mr. Kanelos. Mr. Kanelos makes a big show of not leaving without Neal. Joe tries to reason with the man. He tries to appeal to his fatherly instinct. Joe is very firm when he told him that he will not leave without his son. He explains that he is not and will never try to replace John Kanelos and he will not keep the Kanelos from seeing their grandson. Mr. Kanelos finally realizes that for Neal's benefit, he is going to have to let Neal go back to Port Charles. After the Kanelos leave, a very happy Courtney asks Joe to become Neal's legal father. A position that Joe gladly accepts.
Frank and Karen Frank tries to drown all of his problems in alcohol. He is arrested for trying to start a fight down at the waterfront. Garcia order him to a jail cell until he sobers up. Karen arrives to pick up a still very drunk Frank. She told him that she is taking him home. He responds, "What would my brother have to say to that?" At the Scanlon house, Karen tries to convince Frank that drinking is not the solution. Frank refuses to heed Karen's advice and continues to get plastered. Karen tries to persuade him to use some of this energy in helping her to decorate the house for Joe's homecoming, however, Frank wants to go dancing instead. He grabs Karen and kisses her. She pulls away and told him that he needs to go to bed. He invites her to join him in which of course she refuses him. Frank stumbles up the stairs to his room but not before reminding her that the offer still stands if she changes her mind.
Serena refused to eat her breakfast until Scott got Lucy to move back into the firehouse. Lucy visited the firehouse and Serena whispered to Scott to "get Lucy back." Lucy told Scott about her idea to market a line of romantic dresses. Scott and Lucy agreed to became business partners and Scott suggested marketing the line of dresses with an infomercial on television. Lucy then decided to use Ellen's tale from New Orleans as the inspiration for her first dress. A hung over Frank was mortified when Karen told him that he had kissed her the night before. Karen then warned Frank about excess drinking and said that blackouts could be a sign of a drinking problem. Joe, Courtney, Neil, Mary and Victor flew home from Greece. Neil wasn't sure what to call Joe now that he had been revealed as Neil's father. Mary was touched when Neil decided to call her grandma. Courtney told Joe that she hoped Mary's affection for Neil would help Mary accept Courtney. Lark was moved when Frank told her that he had been planning on throwing her a birthday party. After returning home, Joe explained to Karen how he and Courtney had to pretend that they were married to avoid going to jail. A jealous Courtney wasn't pleased by Joe and Karen's closeness.
While Joe sends Karen off to work with a romantic good-bye, Courtney looks on jealously and recalls her time on the island with Joe. Later, Courtney stops by the hospital to have a doctor see how she's healing from her sea urchin sting. Karen conducts the examination, and Courtney takes the opportunity to tell Karen how Joe saved her life. She shares some of her more pleasant memories about being stranded with Joe. After Courtney's stories finally get the better of her, Karen confronts Courtney with her anger about not having told Joe about Neil's paternity earlier. Courtney blows up, suggesting that Karen ought to be grateful she kept her secret as long as she did. She told Karen that Joe was crazy in love with her at the time and would have married her if he had known she was carrying his child.
Chris receives notification from the pharmaceutical company that his research contract has been terminated. He demands that they provide him with legal counsel for his hospital review and threatens to sell the DL-56 formula to other companies if they don't get him a lawyer quickly. Shortly afterward, an attorney arrives at Chris's apartment and assures him that he'll have a great defense. The lawyer explains that he plans to paint Chris as a hero and cast all the blame for the flu outbreak onto Frank. Chris likes the plan and suggests their case might be strengthened by revelations that Frank has had problems with other drugs. Without actually telling him take any action, the lawyer concurs that it might be in Chris's best interest if Frank were to be found with other illegal drugs.
Frank and Joe sit down for a long brotherly talk, and Joe told Frank that absolutely nothing happened between him and Courtney on the island. When Joe admits that he was really afraid he and Courtney might end up in jail, Julie's name comes up. Frank told Joe that his relationship with Julie is over. Frank finally comes clean to Joe, telling him the whole story about his addiction to DL-56 and his cooperation with Chris. Joe becomes angry, ready to blame Chris for Frank's addiction, but Frank admits that he feels at least a little responsible for the flu outbreak.
Just as Joe is about to leave for Karen's place, she calls and asks him to pick up a few things at the market. He writes the list on his prescription pad, and throws the pad back on to the desk. Shortly after Joe leaves, Courtney and Neil return home and tell Frank they've rented a movie to watch with Joe. Gloating a little, Frank told them Joe has already left for Karen's. After Neil leaves the room, Frank puts the moves on Courtney. When Courtney suggests he also hit on Karen while Joe was out of town, Frank denies it and accuses Courtney of going after Joe--to no avail.
Just as Frank is beginning to realize that Courtney has fallen for Joe again, Chris arrives with flowers for Courtney and trick cards for Neil. While Neil is looking at the cards, Chris notices Joe's prescription pad on the desk. Chris asks Courtney to come out with him for a drink. Courtney went upstairs to put Neil to bed and Frank takes a phone call, Chris tries to get one of the triplets form the pad, but Frank stops him. Frank asks Chris what's up with the pharmaceutical company, and Chris plays it cool. When Frank gets a page letting him know he has to go to work, Chris manages to grab the prescription triplet. Courtney comes back downstairs and begs off, claiming she's tired. After Chris leaves, Frank accuses Courtney of going out with Chris just to make Joe jealous.
Joe arrives at Karen's place and they fall into each other's arms. They make love, and afterward, Joe thanks Karen for taking care of Frank while he was away. Karen told Joe about Frank's arrest for public drunkenness and warns Joe that Frank still has a long way to go before he is fully recovered.
When Neil wakes up from a nightmare and told Courtney that he is afraid Joe will die, she asks if he would feel better if Joe were with them. While Karen and Joe are still enjoying their romantic evening, Courtney calls and told Karen that Neil needs to talk to Joe. Joe tries to reassure Neil over the phone, but the boy insists that he'll wait up for Joe to come home. Joe agrees to come home, hangs up, and apologizes to Karen. When Joe arrives at home and comforts Neil, Courtney looks on lovingly. Meanwhile, a sorely disappointed Karen blows out all the candles and sits alone in her apartment.
Chris returns to his apartment and finds Eve getting ready for a date with Kevin. When Chris told Eve that he feels optimistic about his defense, she told him he's out of his mind to think the hospital board will reinstate him. Chris defends his own actions and suggests that Frank is the real villain. Eve realizes what Chris is up to and leaves in disgust. After she is gone, Chris calls the hospital pharmacy, poses as Joe, and orders a prescription for amphetamines in Frank's name.
Chris calls his attorney and informs he that he has it on good authority that Frank is still using drugs. After he hangs up, Chris eyes the prescription bottle full of amphetamines he has gotten from the hospital pharmacy.
Lucy comes to the firehouse and finds Scott finishing up some paperwork. A messenger arrives with the prototype of Lucy's dress, and Serena begs to get a look at it. Lucy takes the dress from the box and discovers the dressmaker has manufactured it in a child's size 8 instead of an adult size. She calls the company and told them about the mistake, and they agree to remake the dress. When Serena went upstairs to get ready for Neil's visit, Lucy told Scott she still hasn't gotten permission to use Ellen's Mardi Gras romance story for their infomercial. Lucy calls Ellen and asks her to come to the firehouse.
When Ellen arrives at the firehouse, she suspects that Lucy wants something from her, but Lucy just can't bring herself to ask Ellen for the rights to use her story. Finally, Scott told Ellen that they want to use the story. Ellen flatly refuses and suggests that they use the story of their own romantic adventure in Florida. Lucy admits that she loves the story but is worried that Serena would realize it was about Lucy and Scott. Scott works on Ellen, promising to alter the story and not use Ellen's name. Ellen agrees to think about it.
At the Scanlon house, Chris comes by to pick up Courtney for Lark's birthday party at the karaoke bar. Chris antagonizes Joe by calling Neil a "bookie in the making." When Joe told Ramsey to back off, Chris doesn't take him seriously. After Neil and Chris go to the car, Joe tells Courtney that she has to tell Chris about Neil's paternity. Karen arrives a few moments later and greets Lark with a big hug for her 18th birthday. Frank asks Joe and Karen to take Lark to the party so he can stop on the way and pick up her "unforgettable" surprise.
At the party, Courtney told Chris that Joe is Neil's real father. After he recovers from the shock, Chris asks Courtney to sing Karaoke with him. She agrees, hoping to make Joe jealous. Just after Mary arrives, Frank takes the stage and announces that although Lark is now of legal age, he has signed her adoption papers and is officially her father. Lark makes and emotional speech, thanking the Scanlons for saving her life. When she announces that she wants to change her last name to Scanlon, Mary embraces her. While everyone is paying attention to Lark, Chris slips drugs into Frank's beer. While Mary and Karen sing Karaoke, Chris gives Joe a hard time about being Neil's real father. When Joe tells Chris to stop being a bad influence on Neil, Chris becomes verbally abusive. Frank overhears Chris's attack on Joe and throws a punch. Chris ducks, and Frank's blow lands on Joe's jaw. Frank went after Chris, but Joe manages to restrain him. When Courtney surmises that Frank must be "drunk or something," Chris plays innocent, secretly delighted that his plan to discredit Frank is working beautifully.
