Connie paced in Sonny's living room as she told him about her boss, Derek Wells, who was threatening to shut down both Crimson and the local newspaper if Connie did not find a juicy story that would increase the publications' falling circulation. Sonny told Connie that she had people to do that for her, but Connie said that the numbers had fallen on her watch, and she felt responsible for all the folks who would lose their jobs if she failed.
Connie said that she had heard a rumor about trouble at ELQ, and she was going over to headquarters. Sonny told Connie to be careful around A.J. She told Sonny that he would be proud of her. Sonny replied that he already was. They kissed just before Connie left.
At General Hospital, Patrick told Morgan and Carly that Franco had survived surgery and was in recovery. Morgan left to inform Kiki. Patrick departed to see patients. Sam saw Carly and hurried over. Carly gave her the good news about Franco. They hugged. Sam said that it felt strange to be thankful that Franco was alive. Sam left to tell the good news to Danny and her family.
In the ELQ boardroom, A.J., Michael, Elizabeth, and Kiki, along with Tracy, Ava, and Alice, waited for Diane to read the voting results. Tracy was ready to take over until Diane announced that A.J. had won by five percent. Tracy was outraged and demanded a recount. When Tracy figured out that it had been Alice who had switched to A.J.'s camp, she was livid.
Tracy reminded Alice of Alice's promise to Luke, but Alice said that Luke was not there, and A.J. was family. Alice called Tracy a bully and chided her for demanding a board meeting while a member of the family was near death in the hospital. When Tracy seemed puzzled, Alice said that it was Franco. Tracy sputtered, but Alice was sure that Edward would have stood by Franco because Franco was family.
Tracy tried to choke Alice, but Alice fended Tracy off as Tracy continued to attack Alice. Kiki commented to Ava that it appeared that Ava's scheme with Tracy had not worked out. Ava agreed. A.J. thanked Kiki for her support, and Michael gave her a friendly hug at the same time as Morgan walked in.
Morgan asked what was going on, and Kiki quickly pointed out that A.J. had just won the board election. Morgan just as quickly told Michael that Morgan and Kiki were getting married. Michael offered his congratulations. Morgan then told Kiki that Franco was out of surgery. Morgan got a call from Sonny and left to go see his dad.
Diane printed out the resolution that named A.J. as CEO of ELQ. Tracy said that it would be printed over her dead body, and A.J. was ready to accommodate. A.J. told Tracy to get out of the boardroom and to take her newfound friend, Ava with her. Tracy told A.J. that she would get ELQ back. Tracy fired Alice before leaving. Diane said that she was really glad that A.J. had won.
Elizabeth and A.J. stayed behind in his office, as Kiki and Michael waited for the elevator. Connie got off and questioned Michael about the board meeting, but Michael said that nothing of note had happened. Connie asked questions, but all the answers were disappointing. Michael promised to call her if there was a scoop.
After Connie left, Kiki realized that she needed a ride to the hospital. Michael offered, but Kiki was reluctant. Michael said that Kiki could trust him, but Kiki replied that she could not trust herself. Michael told Kiki that it was just a ride.
A.J. was ecstatic and wanted to celebrate with Elizabeth. He offered to fly anywhere she wanted to go for dinner. Elizabeth told him to slow down because she had kids and could not fly off on a moment's notice. A.J. said that he would find a nice place in town because all he really wanted was to be with Elizabeth.
Sam found Patrick and asked how soon Franco could donate bone marrow for Danny. Patrick told Sam that he was very sorry, but it might not be possible for Franco to donate. Sam was in tears as Patrick explained that the brain tumor had to be biopsied to determine whether or not it was cancerous. If the tumor was found to be cancerous, then Franco's bone marrow could also carry cancerous cells and would be unsafe for Danny. Patrick advised Sam to keep looking for a donor while they waited for the results of the biopsy.
Carly found Franco's room. When Carly walked over, stood beside Franco, and held his hand, he opened his eyes. Carly said that she did not know if Franco could hear her or if he had any idea about what was going on. She briefly told him that a brain tumor had been removed and that the doctors said that he would be fine. Carly added that best of all, Franco had a chance to save a life.
Carly told Franco how he could save Danny. Carly said that if Franco had been telling the truth when he had told Carly that he wanted to change, then saving Danny would be Franco's redemption. Carly said that she was trying to say that she was glad that Franco was alive, even if she did not know whether or not Franco understood anything that Carly was saying. Franco squeezed Carly's hand.
A nurse stopped Kiki and Michael from entering Franco's room because he already had a visitor, Carly. When the nurse asked if they were family, Michael answered, "Yes."
Outside Kelly's Dr. Obrecht warned Britt that she had competition. Sabrina walked up and asked Britt about the baby. Britt said that Patrick's baby was fine. Sabrina said that she accepted that Britt was carrying Patrick's baby, so Britt did not need to remind her. Sabrina asked for an introduction to Britt's friend, but Britt said she had just been asking the time from a stranger. Sabrina accepted her answer and entered Kelly's.
Dr. Obrecht said that the mouse was beginning to roar but at least had had the decency to acknowledge her, unlike Britt. Britt wanted to get away from Kelly's before Sabrina emerged again, so Britt and her mother went to the park.
Felix found Sabrina at Kelly's and told her that he had huge news. Felix said that his source had confirmed that Patrick was not the father of Britt's baby. Sabrina wanted proof, but Felix replied that his source had only told him that Britt's secret involved Britt's baby and Britt's mother, whom Felix had heard about from Britt herself.
Felix admitted that Brad was his source. Felix believed that Brad had been telling the truth about Britt's mother. When Felix suggested that they find out about Britt's mother, Sabrina said that she might have just met her outside Kelly's with Britt. Sabrina asked what Britt had told Felix about her mother. Felix said that Britt had described her mother as a mad scientist who kidnapped people and experimented on them. Felix assumed that Britt had been exaggerating, but Sabrina said, "Maybe not."
Dr. Obrecht admired the change in Sabrina as well as Sabrina's simple beauty. Britt wanted to know which side Dr. Obrecht was on. The doctor assured her daughter that Sabrina could not hold a candle to Britt and then chided Britt for being fat. Britt pointed out that she was in her third trimester, but Dr. Obrecht merely observed that fat was fat.
Dr. Obrecht said that she was there to warn Britt that the concubine and her sassy gay friend were plotting against Britt. Britt said that it was old news and that her mother need not have ridden her flying monkey across the Atlantic to tell Britt something she already knew. Britt said that Felix and Sabrina were not very good at plotting, and Britt was always one step ahead.
Dr. Obrecht said that Britt was wrong and that if she did not change her ways, Britt would never get Patrick back. Britt told her mother that she had tried everything that Dr. Obrecht had suggested, but nothing was working. Dr. Obrecht said that it was Britt's fault that the plan was not working. Britt thought that she should cut her losses and tell the truth.
Dr. Obrecht asked if Britt was mad and advised her to stop casting her eyes in Nikolas' direction. Britt said she and Nikolas were just friends because Nikolas was still pining over Elizabeth. Britt stood up to Dr. Obrecht and wanted to know why Britt should follow her mother's advice when her mother had failed so spectacularly in gaining Britt's father's love.
Britt said that she was a fool for listening to her mother tell Britt to make the same mistakes that her mom had made. Britt said that Dr. Obrecht was an old woman living through her daughter. Dr. Obrecht slapped Britt. Britt told her mother that she had just hit a pregnant woman in the face. Dr. Obrecht said that Britt deserved it but that Britt was right. Dr. Obrecht had not won Britt's father's love.
Dr. Obrecht said that Britt could succeed where Dr. Obrecht had failed because of all that they had done to make sure of it. Dr. Obrecht told Britt that all she had to do was follow through because Patrick would fall in love with the baby when it was born. Britt replied that they both knew that it was not Patrick's baby.
Ava and Tracy went to Kelly's to discuss strategy. Tracy was upset but refused to give up. Ava asked Tracy what Edward would say. Tracy said that Edward would say that if someone stole five percent from him, then he would steal five percent from them. Tracy's first thought was that Ava could get Kiki to change sides, but Ava said that Kiki was mad at Ava because the meeting had been called during Franco's surgery.
Tracy said that she had initially sought out Kiki to get her help, but Kiki had ruined all of Tracy's plans. Tracy told Ava that it would be better for Tracy if Kiki were not a Quartermaine. Tracy asked if there was any chance that Kiki was not Franco's child. Ava told Tracy that Kiki was definitely Franco's daughter.
Morgan arrived to see Sonny. They got straight to business. Sonny asked why Morgan would tie himself down at such a young age. Morgan said that he was in love, but Sonny did not accept Morgan's answer. Sonny's first thought was that Morgan was gambling again, and marrying Kiki was a way out. Morgan said that was not the answer and insisted that he was in love.
Sonny said that he knew Morgan and he knew people, and Sonny could always tell when someone was lying. Sonny insisted that Morgan was lying about his reasons for marrying Kiki so suddenly. Under Sonny's insistent probing, Morgan told the truth, that he was afraid of losing Kiki to Michael. Sonny said that Morgan did not have a problem because Michael and Kiki were cousins. Morgan blurted out that Kiki was not a Quartermaine. Connie walked through the front door just in time to hear Morgan's outburst.
At Crimson, Maxie was looking at a sonogram picture of her baby as Lulu walked in. Lulu surprised Maxie with an assortment of snacks, including ice cream and pickle-relish, to satisfy all of Maxie's food cravings. Grateful, Maxie thanked Lulu and helped herself to the food. Lulu sat down to dig in to the ice cream as she casually asked Maxie about the birthing class and how it had felt to have Spinelli step in as the father.
Maxie squirmed as she downplayed the birthing class and Spinelli's role in it. Lulu was disappointed because she had hoped that Maxie would have some entertaining stories about Spinelli. Lulu unwittingly made Maxie even more uncomfortable by telling Maxie how happy Spinelli had been when he had learned that Dante and Lulu were expecting a daughter.
Lulu finally noticed how quiet Maxie had become, so she asked if Maxie was okay. Maxie claimed that she was upset that Dante and Lulu hadn't been able to attend the birthing class, so Lulu promised that she and Dante would be there for the birth of the baby.
Maxie became distracted when she spotted a man exit the elevator and then enter Connie's office. Maxie immediately marched into Connie's office to demand to know who the man was. The man introduced himself as Derek Wells, Maxie's boss. Maxie insisted that Connie was her boss, so Derek clarified that he was Connie's boss, which made him Maxie's boss too. Derek explained that he had some work to do, so he instructed Maxie to hold his calls and not interrupt him.
Maxie left the office, closing the door behind her. "What the hell is going on?" Maxie asked Lulu as Maxie returned to the desk.
At Greystone Manor, Connie entered the foyer in time to overhear Morgan loudly proclaim to Sonny that Kiki was not a Quartermaine. Connie quietly made her way to the door to eavesdrop as Morgan explained that Kiki didn't know that Franco wasn't Kiki's father. Sonny wanted details, but Morgan was reluctant to reveal how he had found out the truth about Kiki's paternity. Sonny pressed for answers until Morgan admitted that Ava had told him.
Meanwhile, Connie received a call from Maxie warning Connie that Derek Wells was in Connie's office. Connie quickly ended the call and left.
In the parlor, Sonny wondered why Ava would lie to Kiki about Franco being Kiki's father. Morgan insisted that it wasn't important, but they had to keep the secret. Sonny demanded to know why, prompting Morgan to confess that he was afraid that Kiki would pick Michael if Kiki were to learn that she wasn't related to Michael. Sonny was stunned as Morgan revealed that Michael and Kiki were attracted to each other but couldn't be together because they believed that they were cousins.
Morgan begged Sonny not to tell anyone, but Sonny wondered why Morgan wanted to be with someone who clearly had feelings for Michael. Morgan insisted that he loved Kiki and didn't want to lose her, especially to Michael. Morgan implored his father to promise to keep the secret, but Sonny refused. Morgan was hurt that Sonny would betray him after he had trusted Sonny with the truth. Sonny explained that Morgan was marrying Kiki for all the wrong reasons.
"It smells like desperation to me," Sonny confessed. Morgan was insulted because his love for Kiki was real. Sonny pointed out that Kiki had a right to know the truth about Franco, so Morgan turned the tables on Sonny by asking if Michael had deserved to know the truth about A.J. growing up. Sonny conceded that if he'd had it his way, Michael would never speak to A.J. because Sonny believed that he was a better father than A.J. could ever be. Morgan agreed that Sonny was a better father, prompting Sonny to suggest that Kiki deserved better than Franco for a father.
Morgan's temper flared when Sonny insisted that Michael had a right to know the truth. Morgan felt betrayed because Morgan thought that it was a sign that Sonny favored Michael over Morgan. Morgan reminded Sonny that Kiki had been Morgan's girlfriend and fiancée first, so Michael had been out of line to kiss Kiki, but Sonny argued that it was wrong to keep Michael in the dark.
Morgan resented how Sonny always put Michael first. Morgan suspected that Sonny and Carly had sent Morgan away so that they could focus on Michael. Morgan confessed that he had stayed away because he had never felt like he was a part of the family. He also hated that Michael always got what he wanted and felt hurt that Sonny would pick Michael over Sonny's own "flesh and blood." Sonny was furious as he made it clear that Michael was his son in every way that mattered and then added that he loved all of his children equally.
Morgan asked Sonny to prove it by keeping Morgan's secret. Sonny agreed to keep quiet about Kiki's paternity even though Morgan had put Sonny in a tough spot. Morgan assured Sonny that it meant a lot to him that Sonny had let Morgan have Kiki. Morgan promised that he wouldn't disappoint his father because Morgan was determined to be a great husband. Sonny reiterated that he loved Morgan and Michael equally, so Sonny assured Morgan that Morgan's secret was safe.
Morgan hugged his father and told Sonny that he loved him. "I love you too," Sonny replied.
At Crimson, Connie arrived to confront Derek Wells. She demanded to know what he was doing in her office, so he informed her that he had been working on a list of people that he expected her to lay off before she fired herself. Derek explained that Crimson and the Port Charles Press were finished, but Connie objected. She reminded him of their recent conversation when she had promised to find a scandalous news story that would revive the newspaper. Derek's interest was piqued when Connie confided that the story at ELQ was far from over.
Derek peppered Connie with questions, but she refused to share any details about what she was working on, prompting him to suspect that she didn't really have a story. Connie assured him that he would get his story and then left the office.
At Maxie's desk, Maxie was anxious to know what Connie was working on because Maxie didn't want to lose her job. Connie cryptically explained that it was complicated because it would affect some people that Connie loved. "You love someone at ELQ?" a confused Maxie asked. Connie reminded Maxie that it wasn't that simple, so Connie needed time to think things over. Maxie advised Connie not to take too long because their jobs were on the line.
After Connie left, Lulu admitted that there had been something unsettling and scary about Derek. Maxie agreed, prompting Lulu to invite Maxie to go to Kelly's. Maxie agreed because it was the end of her workday, and she desperately wanted to avoid Derek.
In Connie's office, Derek studied a picture Sonny and Connie, put it down, and then called someone to report that he was in Port Charles.
At Greystone Manor, Sonny welcomed Connie home. She asked about Morgan, so he confessed that he had given Morgan his blessing to marry Kiki. Connie was shocked and warned Sonny that Carly would not be pleased. Sonny explained that he loved his son, so he supported Morgan's decision because Morgan was in love with Kiki. Sonny admitted that he couldn't take that away from Morgan.
At the hospital, Michael offered to stay with Kiki until Franco woke up. Kiki reminded Michael that they had agreed to stay away from each other, but he confessed that he couldn't do that. Frustrated, Kiki insisted that they couldn't risk crossing a line that they couldn't uncross, especially since she intended to marry Morgan. Michael clarified that Kiki had taken what he had said the wrong way; he had meant that they wouldn't be able to avoid each other because she would be an immediate family member, so they would be thrown together for birthdays and holidays.
Michael insisted that he and Kiki needed to find a way to make things work. Kiki suggested that marrying Morgan was a step in the right direction. She then confessed that she missed her friendship with Michael because he had been easy to talk to. "When I marry Michael," Kiki started to say until Michael interrupted her. "Ah, Morgan," he corrected her.
Kiki was mortified when she realized that she had misspoken, so she rushed to explain that she wanted her and Michael to be friends. Michael admitted that he would like that, but he was curious if she loved Morgan. Kiki floundered for an answer before she quietly confided that she would learn to love Morgan.
Concerned, Michael insisted that Kiki shouldn't have to work at loving someone. Kiki explained that she had felt a connection with Morgan from the moment that she had met him online and that she and Morgan hadn't been able to get enough of each other in the beginning. She was confident that she could recapture those feelings, which would grow into more with time. Michael wondered if that would be enough for Kiki, so she reminded him that it would have to be.
Kiki decided to check on Franco, so Michael told her to be happy. Kiki smiled sadly and then descended the stairs and made her way to the elevator as Michael watched her. Kiki was startled when the elevator door opened and Morgan exited the elevator. Morgan greeted her with a hug and then offered to accompany her to Franco's room. Kiki glanced up and waved goodbye to Michael as she followed Morgan into the elevator.
At the Drake residence, Sabrina greeted Patrick with a cold beer when he arrived home. She explained that Anna and Duke had decided to keep Emma for the night, so she had stopped by to spend the evening with Patrick. Patrick accepted the beer with a smile and kissed her.
Afterwards, Patrick handed Sabrina's mother's stethoscope to Sabrina as he confessed that the lucky charm had worked. Sabrina insisted that Patrick deserved all of the credit and then shifted gears because she sensed that something was troubling him. Patrick revealed that Franco was a match for Danny, but Franco might not be able to donate bone marrow because Patrick had found potential cancerous tissue while removing Franco's brain tumor.
Patrick felt terrible for Sam because he knew what it was like to be in her shoes. He confided that Emma had been conceived because of a broken condom, so he and Robin had been afraid that their child would be born HIV positive. Patrick admitted that it had been a difficult nine months, waiting to find out if Emma was healthy.
Patrick confessed that all his fears had disappeared when he had held Emma for the first time, but reality had crashed in when he had spotted a nick on her ear. Sabrina was curious how long it had taken for Patrick and Robin to find out that Emma was okay. Patrick assured her that it had hadn't been long, but it had felt like an eternity because he had loved his daughter. However, his point was that he wanted Sabrina to know that he would love his child with Britt every bit as much as he loved Emma.
Sabrina assured Patrick that she fully expected him to love both of his children equally but thought he should know that Felix had uncovered something. Sabrina told Patrick about Felix's talk with Brad and Brad's revelation that Britt was hiding something about the baby -- and Britt's mother was involved. Sabrina was curious if Britt had ever mentioned her parents to Patrick, so Patrick confessed that Britt had only said that her parents lived in Europe. However, it didn't matter to Patrick because he had accepted that Britt's baby was his.
At Kelly's, Spinelli called Ellie to ask her if she wanted him to pick up a BLT for her. Ellie declined, so Spinelli ended the call. Felix struck up a conversation with Spinelli by offering to buy Spinelli's lunch in exchange for a favor. Spinelli was surprised when Felix confessed that he wanted Spinelli to dig into Britt's past. Spinelli revealed that he had been working on it since Ellie had been passed up for a promotion.
Felix perked up when Spinelli mentioned that Spinelli and Ellie had found a medical file in Brad's desk that Spinelli suspected contained incriminating information. Felix was certain that the missing file held proof that Britt had lied about the paternity of her baby. Spinelli reminded Felix that Ellie had handled the paternity test, so Felix rushed to explain that he suspected that Britt and Brad had found a way to tamper with the test without Ellie's knowledge.
Spinelli questioned if Brad could be trusted, so Felix conceded that he wasn't certain, but the "honest Brad" had seemed almost human. Felix conceded that Brad had been involved in some shady things, but Britt's mother was the keeper of Britt's secret, so Felix needed to find out who the woman was. Felix explained that they needed to do it for Patrick, who didn't deserve to grow attached to a child that wasn't Patrick's.
Spinelli agreed to help, so Felix admitted that he didn't have a lot of money to pay for the investigation. Spinelli assured Felix that it would be on the house because Spinelli wanted answers for Ellie.
A short time later, Maxie and Lulu entered the diner. Felix happily announced that Spinelli had agreed to ferret out the truth regarding a pregnancy. Maxie nervously asked what Felix was talking about, so Felix clarified that he had been referring to Maxie's former obstetrician, Britt Westbourne. Maxie immediately relaxed.
Lulu offered to pay for Spinelli's lunch because she appreciated Spinelli sitting in for Dante during the birthing class. Spinelli assured Lulu that he had enjoyed it and that it had been good practice for when he became a father.
In the park, Britt tearfully admitted that Patrick would never love her because he was not the father of her baby. Dr. Obrecht was furious that Britt would say that, but Britt reminded her mother that it was the truth. Britt pointed out that she had only told Patrick that he was the father of the baby because Britt had hoped to get Patrick back. Britt confessed that the only time that Patrick had registered any interest in her was when he had felt the baby kick.
Britt was certain that Patrick hated her, but Dr. Obrecht strongly disagreed. Dr. Obrecht conceded that Patrick had been shocked and outraged by Britt's announcement during the Nurses Ball, but Dr. Obrecht had seen a "tendril of joy," as well. According to Dr. Obrecht, she had known then that Patrick would fall in love with the baby. Britt argued that Patrick wasn't the father of the baby, but Dr. Obrecht countered that Patrick never had to know that.
Britt warned her mother that Felix and Sabrina continued to work against her, but Dr. Obrecht pointed out that Dr. Obrecht had managed to outsmart the two nurses when they had tried to run a secret paternity test. Dr. Obrecht bragged that no one, including Ellie, had been the wiser when Dr. Obrecht had switched samples for Ellie to test. Dr. Obrecht advised Britt to remain vigilant, but Britt complained that she felt overwhelmed.
Dr. Obrecht was disgusted by her daughter's weakness and refused to offer Britt any sympathy. Britt insisted that she felt guilty about her lie, but Dr. Obrecht argued that it was a wasted emotion. Dr. Obrecht assured Britt that Patrick loved being a father, even to a "brat" like Emma. Britt assured her mother that she didn't mind lying to Patrick about the baby. However, Britt felt bad for the baby's biological father because he didn't know about the child. Dr. Obrecht warned Britt to keep quiet, so no one else learned the truth, especially Patrick.
Morgan and Kiki were asleep when Michael suddenly stormed into the boathouse. Kiki shrieked with fright as Michael angrily ordered Morgan to wake up. Michael revealed that Sonny had told Michael everything, despite Morgan's request to keep quiet. Kiki was shocked when Michael accused Morgan of knowing that Michael and Kiki weren't cousins. Kiki demanded to know if Michael was right, so Morgan stammered that he'd kept quiet because he didn't want to lose Kiki. Kiki slapped Morgan and informed him that he had.
Morgan's eyes snapped open as he struggled to catch his breath. Kiki immediately woke up and asked Morgan what was wrong. Morgan claimed that he'd had a nightmare, but he couldn't remember the details. Kiki didn't believe him and urged him to tell her about it. Morgan carefully admitted that he had dreamed that she had called off the wedding. "You wouldn't do that, would you?" Morgan nervously asked.
Kiki thought about her recent conversation with Michael about her decision to marry Morgan. She pushed the memory away as she assured Morgan that it had just been a bad dream, so he didn't have anything to worry about. Kiki assumed that Morgan had had the nightmare because of his talk with Sonny. She was certain that Sonny had tried to convince Morgan not to marry her, but Morgan confessed that his father had given them his blessing.
Stunned, Kiki wondered how Morgan had managed to get Sonny's approval. Morgan claimed that he had reasoned with his father and had made it clear that he loved Kiki. Kiki appeared skeptical, but Morgan promised her that it had been as simple as that.
At Kelly's, Carly left Patrick a voicemail message asking for an update on Franco. Michael walked in as she ended the call, so she greeted her son and explained that she had been trying to find out how Franco was doing. Michael was curious why she cared, so Carly revealed that Franco was a bone marrow match for Danny. Michael was happy for Danny, but he confessed that he wished someone other than Franco had been a match. Carly pointed out that beggars couldn't be choosers.
Michael agreed and changed the subject by asking why his mother had wanted to see him. Carly told Michael about Morgan's engagement to Kiki. She was surprised when Michael revealed that he already knew about it. Carly assumed that Morgan had told Michael, but Michael clarified that A.J. had mentioned it. Carly revealed that she wanted Michael to talk Morgan out of marrying Kiki.
Carly admitted that her talk with Morgan hadn't gone well because Morgan had caught her off-guard with the wedding news. Michael wasn't surprised, so Carly revealed that Sonny had agreed to stop Morgan from making the worst mistake of Morgan's life. However, Carly feared that Morgan would dig in his heels, so she hoped that Michael would get through to Morgan because Morgan looked up to Michael.
"No, actually, he doesn't. He thinks I'm an uptight jerk," Michael admitted. Carly ignored him as she continued to plead her case. Michael insisted that Morgan wouldn't listen to him because Morgan thought that Michael was attracted to Kiki. Carly laughed and insisted that it was ridiculous because Michael and Kiki were cousins. "Right," Michael murmured.
"You are cousins, Michael," Carly reminded her son. "That's absurd, right?" she asked. Michael confessed that he and Kiki had kissed before they had learned that they were cousins, but he rushed to assure his mother that it was over. Carly felt bad for Michael, but Michael insisted that he had been through worse.
Carly appreciated that Morgan would question Michael's motives if Michael were to object to the wedding, so she let Michael off the hook. However, Michael admitted that he thought the marriage was a good idea because it would stop whatever attraction Michael and Kiki had felt for each other. Carly disagreed and was even more determined to stop the wedding.
Carly explained that it wasn't fair for Kiki to marry Morgan if Kiki had feelings for Michael. She insisted that Morgan deserved to be with a woman who loved only Morgan, but Michael assured Carly that Kiki would grow to love Morgan. Carly countered that it didn't work that way and reminded Michael about her marriage to A.J. when she had been in love with Jason. Carly admitted that she had thought that she could learn to love A.J., but the marriage had been disastrous.
Carly was determined to spare Morgan unnecessary heartbreak, but Michael argued that their situations were different. "Really? A woman's in love with the brother she can't have and married to the brother she doesn't want," Carly pointed out. Michael was at a loss for words, so Carly admitted that she hoped that Sonny would get through to Morgan and stop the wedding.
"Guess again, Mom," Morgan said as he and Kiki approached the table. Morgan assured his mother that Sonny had given Morgan and Kiki his blessing. Carly stormed out of the diner, so Morgan and Kiki sat down at Michael's table. Michael grumbled because Carly had left without paying the bill. Morgan snidely suggested that Michael could afford to pick up the tab and then demanded to know if Michael intended to talk Morgan out of marrying Kiki.
Michael took the wind out of Morgan's sails by confessing that he didn't object to the wedding because he wanted Morgan and Kiki to be happy. However, Michael warned Morgan that Carly would do her best to change Sonny's mind. Morgan bragged that Sonny fully supported Morgan's plans to marry Kiki and then pointedly reached for Kiki's hand. Kiki smiled uncomfortably.
At Greystone Manor, Sonny joined Connie on the patio and noticed that she hadn't touched the omelet that he had made for her. Connie confessed that she was worried about Crimson because her boss had threatened to shut down Crimson and the Port Charles Press by the end of the week if Connie didn't produce a sensational news story that would boost circulation. She explained that she had been working on a story about ELQ, but everything had fallen apart when Tracy had failed to secure the votes necessary to unseat A.J.
Connie was frustrated because she had worked hard to save Crimson. Sonny appreciated how important the fashion magazine was to Connie, but he confided that he had been looking forward to her blow-by-blow account of A.J.'s downfall. Connie chuckled as she admitted that the scandal would have been the perfect solution all the way around. Sonny was confident that Connie would find another scandal to cover, so Connie revealed that she already had.
Sonny was stunned when Connie explained that someone had voted at the ELQ shareholders meeting who hadn't had the right to. Sonny was certain that the corporate fraud scandal would be A.J.'s undoing. However, he was curious why she had told him that she hadn't found a story at ELQ.
Connie explained that she had discovered the information when she had overheard Morgan confess to Sonny that Kiki wasn't a Quartermaine. Sonny was shocked and immediately warned Connie that she couldn't use the information to save Crimson and the Port Charles Press because he had promised to keep Morgan's secret. Connie was stunned that Sonny and Morgan were willing to keep the truth from Kiki, but Sonny justified the decision by insisting that it was what Morgan needed.
Confused, Connie wondered if Morgan intended to marry Kiki for a slice of the Quartermaine fortune. Sonny was forced to explain that Michael and Kiki had feelings for each other, so Morgan would lose Kiki if Kiki learned the truth about her paternity. "So, you're willing to sacrifice the one son's happiness for the other," Connie concluded.
Sonny insisted that Morgan was going through a lot because Morgan believed that Sonny and Carly had sent Morgan away because they had loved Michael more. Connie argued that Sonny and Carly had tried to protect Morgan, but Sonny explained that Morgan didn't see it that way. Sonny felt as if he had failed Morgan by not showing Morgan the same love that Sonny had shown Michael, so Sonny believed that keeping the secret about Kiki's paternity would show Morgan how important Morgan was to Sonny.
Connie warned Sonny that it was a mistake because Morgan would never be truly happy with Kiki if Kiki had feelings for Michael. Sonny argued that Morgan needed to know that Sonny would move heaven and earth for Morgan, but Connie insisted that it was wrong to start a marriage with a lie. Connie urged Sonny to persuade Morgan to tell Kiki the truth. She conceded that there was a possibility that Kiki might leave Morgan, but Sonny and Carly could help Morgan through the heartbreak, which would show Morgan how much they loved him.
Sonny refused to cause Morgan more pain, but Connie argued that Morgan was already in pain because he knew that Kiki loved Michael. Connie added that Michael was also hurting because he couldn't have Kiki. Connie also confessed that the lie hurt her as well because the story was her one shot to save Crimson. Sonny implored Connie not to say anything because it was his only shot to prove his love to Morgan.
Connie promised to keep quiet about Kiki's paternity, but she announced that she had to get to the office. Sonny followed Connie to the parlor as she fetched her purse. He thanked her for her understanding and kissed her.
Later, Carly knocked on the front door. She waited until Sonny answered the door before entering his home. Carly explained that she hadn't barged into his home because she didn't want to waste time arguing with him about her lack of respect for his privacy; she had more important matters to discuss. She admitted that she was furious that he had given Morgan and Kiki his blessing. Carly demanded to know why he had done it.
At Crimson, Maxie was about to enter Connie's office when she heard Derek on the phone, assuring someone that there was nothing to worry about because no one knew what they were really up to. He promised that everything was going according to plan and vowed that "no one will see us coming." Derek turned to the door when he heard a noise, so he quickly ended the call and then marched to Maxie's desk to confront her about eavesdropping.
Maxie claimed that she had simply been following her morning routine of serving coffee in Connie's office when she had heard Derek on the phone. She insisted that she hadn't heard what he had said, but she had decided to wait to serve the coffee so she wouldn't disturb him while he was on the phone. Derek didn't believe her, so he grabbed her arm in a threatening manner.
"Hey, get your damn hands off of her," Olivia barked as she exited the elevator. Derek released Maxie's arm as Olivia rushed over to check on Maxie. Maxie assured Olivia that everything was fine, but Olivia blasted Derek for manhandling Maxie. Derek introduced himself as Maxie's boss, but Olivia argued that Maxie worked for Connie. Derek explained that he owned the company, so he was Connie and Maxie's boss, which gave him the right to fire Maxie if she caused trouble.
Olivia wasn't impressed, so Derek asked who she was. Olivia revealed that she was the grandmother of the baby that Maxie was carrying. Olivia warned Derek not to touch Maxie again, or he would regret it. Derek wondered if that was a threat.
"No, I'm flirting," Olivia answered with a heavy dose of sarcasm. "Yes, it's a threat," she quickly clarified. Derek advised Olivia to tell Maxie not to eavesdrop on his conversations again to avoid future problems. After Derek returned to his office, Olivia asked Maxie what was going on.
Maxie quickly filled Olivia in on Derek's threat to fire everyone and shut down Crimson and the Port Charles Press if Connie didn't find a way to turn things around by the end of the week. Olivia scoffed at Derek's unreasonable expectations, so Maxie assured Olivia that Connie was working on an explosive story. Olivia suspected that Connie had been bluffing, but Maxie revealed that Connie had mentioned that the story might hurt someone that Connie loved.
Olivia pointed out that Connie loved Sonny above all others, prompting Maxie to seize the opportunity to apologize to Olivia for persuading Connie to pursue Sonny. Olivia insisted that she didn't blame Maxie. "These things happen," Olivia added. Maxie wondered how deeply Olivia had been hurt, but Olivia changed the subject as she hustled Maxie to the elevator for a doctor's appointment.
Meanwhile, Derek called the mystery person to assure the person that "the girl" hadn't overhead anything. Derek was forced to end the call when he spotted Connie in the doorway. Derek wondered if Connie had the story that she had promised to deliver, so Connie confessed that she had been wrong about a scandal at ELQ. Derek informed Connie that it was her fault that people would lose their jobs.
At Kelly's, T.J. and Shawn were cleaning up the kitchen as T.J. confessed that he was trying not to think about Molly. Shawn was surprised when T.J. revealed that Molly had agreed to consider giving T.J. another chance. T.J. didn't want to push Molly for an answer because she was dealing with a lot. However, T.J. had considered going to the hospital to give Molly his support.
Shawn realized that T.J. had stayed away from the hospital because T.J. didn't want Molly to think that T.J. was using Danny's illness to get closer to Molly. Shawn was curious how Danny was doing, so T.J. explained that they hadn't found a match, but Franco's sample hadn't been tested yet. T.J. suggested that Shawn check in with Alexis, but Shawn rejected the idea because he doubted that Alexis would appreciate it. T.J. pointed out that reaching out to Alexis might pave the way for reconciliation, but Shawn insisted that he and Alexis were over.
At the hospital, Sam paced in the waiting area, so Molly urged Sam to relax. Sam was too keyed up because she couldn't believe that "that freak" might be Danny's only hope. Sam immediately apologized for snapping at her sister and explained that she was on edge because she was tired of always having to wait for test results. Molly promised that it wouldn't be much longer and then suggested that no news was good news because it meant that Silas hadn't found any cancer cells in Franco's tissue samples.
Rafe decided to check on Silas' progress, so he went to the lab. Sam thanked Molly for trying to ease her fears and then went to spend time with Danny. After Sam left, Molly broke down in tears. Alexis held her daughter as Molly wept. Alexis admitted that she was proud of how strong Molly had been for Sam, but Alexis was worried about Molly.
Molly insisted that she wasn't important compared to everything that was going on, but Alexis disagreed. Alexis wanted to know what was going on with Molly, but Molly was reluctant to talk about it. Alexis insisted that it would keep their minds off of their worries, so Molly revealed that T.J. had asked Molly for another chance. Alexis was curious why T.J. and Molly had broken up, but Molly would only tell her mother that it had been about "stuff."
Molly shifted gears to ask where Shawn was. Alexis tensed, prompting Molly to ask if Alexis and Shawn had ended things. Alexis didn't want to discuss it beyond explaining that she and Shawn had wanted different things, so there had been nothing left to salvage. Alexis turned the conversation back to T.J. by asking what Molly planned to do. Molly admitted that she had decided to give T.J. another chance.
Meanwhile, Rafe knocked on the lab's door. Silas looked up from the microscope and scowled but then went to the door and opened it. Rafe wondered if Silas had made any progress, so Silas grumbled that he was busy working. Rafe explained that Danny's family was anxious for answers, but Silas argued that he doesn't have any news yet. Dejected, Rafe apologized for bothering Silas, so Silas invited Rafe to stay.
Rafe followed Silas into the lab and assisted Silas by handing Silas what Silas requested. Silas continued to test the tissue sample as he asked Rafe about Molly. Silas wondered if Molly was Rafe's girlfriend. "I wish," Rafe confessed.
Rafe told Silas about Molly's troubled relationship with T.J. and T.J.'s betrayal when T.J. had jumped to the wrong conclusion after witnessing Molly kiss Rafe goodbye. Silas wondered if Rafe was suggesting that it had been Silas' fault for making plans to move with Rafe. Rafe promised his uncle that he had never thought that, so Silas assured Rafe that he had been joking.
Rafe relaxed and confessed that Molly only thought of Rafe as a friend. Silas admitted that he had been in a similar situation in the past. Rafe was curious what had happened between Silas and the woman, but Silas didn't have an opportunity to reply because Sam knocked on the door and waited for Silas to let her in.
Sam explained that she was tired of waiting, so she wanted answers. Silas calmly explained that he hadn't completed the testing, but he was close. Sam decided that she would wait in the lab, so Rafe went to check on Alexis and Molly. Silas called out to his nephew to offer Rafe some advice about Molly. Silas pointed out that Rafe couldn't win if Rafe didn't fight for what he wanted.
After Rafe left, Silas resumed examining the specimen under the microscope. Sam hovered over Silas, anxious for the results. Silas warned Sam that she was distracting him, which might lead to a mistake. Sam cried that Danny was the light of her life, so she desperately needed to know if Franco could save Danny's life. Silas looked up when he finished testing the last marker.
In the waiting area, Rafe overheard Molly admit that she intended to give T.J. another chance. Rafe quickly made his presence known and revealed that Silas was almost done with the test. Alexis decided to find Sam, so Rafe revealed that Sam was in the lab. Alexis headed to the lab because she wanted to be with Sam when Sam received the results of the test.
After Alexis left, Rafe admitted that he had overheard Molly talking to Alexis about T.J. Molly was surprised when Rafe warned Molly that it would be a huge mistake to take T.J. back. Molly wanted to know why Rafe would say such a thing, so Rafe explained that T.J. wasn't the right person for Molly. "I am," Rafe insisted.
In the lab, Sam anxiously waited for Silas to tell her if Franco could donate bone marrow to save Danny's life. However, Alexis appeared at the doorway before Silas could answer Sam. Alexis entered the room and grabbed her daughter's hand as Sam revealed that Silas was about to share the results of the test. "So, is Franco going to be able to save Danny's life?" Alexis asked.
Dante entered Kelly's and smiled when he saw his brothers seated at a table with Kiki. He grabbed a chair as he greeted Michael, Morgan, and Kiki. "The Corinthos brothers in the same place, at the same time; it doesn't happen very often," Dante said as he sat down. Dante wondered what was new with Michael and Morgan, so Morgan announced his engagement to Kiki.
Dante thought that Morgan was kidding, but Morgan assured Dante that it was true. Dante smiled awkwardly as he congratulated Morgan but then asked how Sonny had reacted to the news. Dante was surprised when Morgan claimed that Sonny had given Morgan and Kiki his blessing because Sonny liked Kiki and had seen how much Morgan loved her. Dante welcomed Kiki to the family and then excused himself when saw Anna arrive.
After Dante left, Morgan pointedly looked at Michael and snidely remarked that it was a shame that others hadn't bothered to congratulate him and Kiki on their engagement. Michael smiled uncomfortably, so Morgan demanded to know what Michael's problem was. Kiki immediately suggested that she and Morgan leave, but Morgan ignored her because he wanted Michael to say something.
Michael conceded that he'd had some concerns, but he promised that he wanted Morgan and Kiki to be happy. Morgan didn't believe Michael, but Michael was offended that Morgan would think that Michael would want anything less for his brother. Morgan challenged Michael to put his money where his mouth was, but Kiki objected because she didn't think it was necessary to make Michael jump through hoops when Michael had made it clear that he wanted the best for them.
Morgan argued that it was between him and his brother, but Kiki countered that the conversation felt hostile. She made it clear that she didn't like it, so Morgan explained that he was offering Michael the opportunity to be the best man. Morgan conceded that things had been strained between him and Michael lately partly because of Morgan and because Michael had kissed Kiki. However, Morgan wanted to put everything behind them. Michael assured Morgan that it was all in the past.
Morgan claimed that he was glad to hear it because they were brothers, and even though Morgan hadn't shown it recently, he loved Michael. Michael smiled, so Morgan walked up to hug him. Afterwards, Michael agreed to be Morgan's best man. Morgan was delighted and confessed that it was good to have his brother back. After some good-natured banter with Michael, Morgan suggested that he and Kiki head to the hospital to check on Franco.
At Greystone Manor, Carly demanded to know why Sonny had given Morgan his blessing to marry Kiki. Sonny assured her that he'd had every intention of pointing out the challenges that Morgan would face as a married man, but he had realized that it would have likely pushed Morgan to rush to the altar. Sonny insisted that Morgan loved Kiki, but Carly argued that Kiki didn't love Morgan.
Carly explained that Kiki had feelings for Michael, but Sonny argued that Carly had a history of jumping to conclusions. Carly assured him that it was the truth because Morgan had mentioned it once, and Michael had confirmed it when Carly had asked Michael to persuade Morgan not to marry Kiki. Sonny decided to pour himself a drink, prompting Carly to wonder why Sonny hadn't shown more of a reaction to the revelation that Michael was attracted to his own cousin and on the brink of incest.
Sonny recalled Morgan's confession that Michael and Kiki weren't cousins, but rather than share the news with Carly, Sonny suggested that Michael's attraction to Kiki was all the more reason for Morgan to go through with the wedding. "Who are you?" Carly asked in disbelief. Sonny explained that Kiki would be off the "table" for Michael if she was married to Morgan, but Carly rejected the argument. Carly pointed out that if being cousins hadn't made a dent in the attraction then a marriage license certainly wouldn't. Sonny doubted that Michael would ever seduce his brother's wife, so Carly was curious if Sonny truly thought that their nineteen-year-old son should get married to keep the other son from committing incest.
Carly insisted that Sonny's reasoning didn't make sense. "It would if you knew the whole story," Sonny blurted out. Carly demanded to know what Sonny was talking about, so Sonny revealed that Morgan had accused Sonny and Carly of putting Michael first and loving Michael more than Morgan. Stunned, Carly reminded Sonny that she had sent Morgan away for his own safety. Sonny assured Carly that he had reminded Morgan of that, but Morgan had remained convinced that they had favored Michael over Morgan.
Sonny explained that they needed to support Morgan's marriage to show Morgan that they loved their son. Carly refused to absolve their guilt by letting their son mess up his life, so Sonny reminded Carly that it was Morgan's life, not theirs. Carly decided that it had been a waste of time to talk to Sonny. Sonny insisted that he loved Morgan, so he would not stand in his son's way. "I guess we show our love differently," Carly replied as she marched out.
Sonny called Connie and left her a voicemail message. He told Connie that he'd had a heated argument with Carly about Morgan's decision to marry Kiki, so he appreciated that Connie had backed him up and had agreed to keep the secret that Michael and Kiki were not cousins.
In the lab, Silas revealed that Franco was no longer an option for Danny. Confused, Sam reminded Silas that Franco had been a perfect match, so Silas explained that the tests had indicated that there had been "incipient cells" in Franco's tissue samples. According to Silas, the cells might or might not be cancerous, so it was too great of a risk to proceed with the bone marrow transplant.
Alexis comforted her daughter as Silas gently explained that they would have to find another way. Alexis wondered what the next step was, so Silas promised to keep Danny stable while they expanded the parameters of the search. Silas also intended to retest the DNA samples to make certain that there hadn't been a mistake. Sam wondered what the chances were that a mistake had been made, so Silas admitted that they were slim. Alexis decided to whisk Sam away to brainstorm, so Silas could get to work.
In the waiting area, Sam vented her frustration and anger that they were back to searching for another bone marrow donor. Alexis insisted that Sam had done everything that she could for Danny; it was Alexis who had failed everyone. Alexis regretted that she hadn't fought harder for Sam when Mikkos had forced Alexis to give Sam up for adoption. Sam refused to let Alexis blame herself, but Alexis insisted that her point was that Sam was a wonderful mother who had never stopping fighting for Danny, even when everyone had thought that Danny had died.
Alexis invited Sam to indulge in a moment of hopelessness, but that was all that Sam would be allowed because they needed to get back to the business of saving Danny. Sam nodded and hugged her mother in gratitude. Alexis suggested that just because they hadn't found a donor yet, it didn't mean that there wasn't a donor out there. Sam pointed out that it was like looking for a needle in a haystack, but Alexis reminded Sam that it was their only option.
"Not if you tell me who my father is," Sam replied. Sam wondered if they should try consulting the Ouija board because she was desperate enough to do it. Alexis opted for a more practical approach by promising to hire a private investigator to begin the search.
In the lab, Silas fetched the samples of DNA that Danny's family members had provided for testing. He noticed that one of the vials had Kiki's name on it, so he thought about Ava's denials that Kiki was his daughter. "Let's see if the DNA agrees with you," Silas murmured.
Moments later, Silas heard Morgan and Kiki standing outside of the lab, talking about their wedding. Morgan suggested that he and Kiki get married at Sonny's estate because he wanted their wedding to be perfect. Kiki confessed that it would be perfect if her father could attend.
After Morgan and Kiki walked away, Silas swabbed the inside of his mouth to collect a DNA sample for a paternity test. "If you lied to me, Ava, I'll know soon enough," Silas said to himself.
At the Quartermaine mansion, Ava looked at the front page of the Port Charles Press, which featured an article about Kiki foiling the attempted coup at ELQ. "Thanks a lot, Kiki," Ava muttered as she tossed the newspaper aside and made her way to a chair. She sat down and pulled Kiki's birth certificate out of her robe's pocket. "Nice way to repay your mother," Ava said as she unfolded the worn birth certificate.
Moments later, Duke strolled into the parlor and picked up the newspaper. Ava quickly slid the birth certificate back into the robe's pocket as Duke took great delight in reading the front-page article out loud. He confessed that he was disappointed that he had missed the meeting and admitted that it was a shame that Ava and Tracy's plot to unseat A.J. had failed, because it had been a good plan. Ava doubted that Duke was there to offer her his condolences.
Duke suggested that Ava had no one to blame but herself for the plan falling apart because she had failed to secure Kiki's shares like she had Franco's. Ava bristled, but Duke merely smiled and pointed out that Ava's attempt to engage Kiki in corporate warfare, while Kiki's father had been fighting for his life on the operating table, had likely driven Kiki to vote for A.J. Ava denied that she had tried to influence her daughter's vote, but Duke didn't believe her.
Duke warned Ava that her attempt to unseat A.J. had exposed Ava's true intentions, so everyone knew that Ava wanted to get a foot in the door at ELQ. Ava tried to deflect by mentioning Duke's criminal past, but Duke deftly turned the tables on Ava by revealing that he knew who her real partners were.
Ava quickly hid her surprise behind an expression of indifference as she accused Duke of being delusional. She tried to brush past him, but Duke grabbed her arm. He warned Ava that he knew far more about her than she realized. Ava feigned disappointment as she confessed that she had mistaken him for an English gentleman. Duke clarified that he was a "Scot" and no gentleman.
Ava ordered Duke to remove his hand, or he would discover that she was no lady. Duke assured her that he already knew that, but he released her arm. Duke confessed that he had made some inquiries about her gallery in New York City and had discovered that it had sprung up out of nowhere and that there hadn't been a paper trail or a mortgage to explain how it had been financed. Ava explained that she had a silent partner, which wasn't a crime. Duke agreed, unless the investor was trying to hide a criminal background.
Duke challenged Ava to tell him who the investor was to prove that the person wasn't a criminal, but Ava flatly refused and pointed out that her business didn't concern him. Duke theorized that Ava was tightlipped because she didn't want anyone to link her to the Jerome crime family. Ava denied that she was related to the infamous Jerome family, but Duke didn't believe her.
Ava suggested that Duke should be focusing on spending time with his family after being separated from them for so many years instead of chasing after a boogeyman from his past. Ava walked away, but Duke followed her into the foyer as he explained that the Jerome crime family had wreaked havoc on Port Charles, his friends, him, and his wife. Ava appeared visibly shaken when Duke revealed that the Jeromes had murdered his and Anna's unborn child, so he would do everything in his power to stop them from visiting their unique form of pain on anyone else.
Ava told Duke that she was sincerely sorry for his loss, but she assured him that she was not the enemy that he wanted her to be. She urged Duke to exorcize his demons another way and to leave her alone.
At Kelly's, Anna filled Dante in about her meeting with Mayor Lomax. Anna revealed that the mayor wanted the case closed on Olivia's shooting and had made it clear that she wanted Sonny charged with the crime. Dante pointed out that they didn't have any evidence against Sonny and confided that he suspected that Carly had been behind the botched hit on Franco. Anna reminded Dante that he had theorized that Sonny and Carly had been working together.
Dante explained that Sonny had sworn on the lives of his own children that he hadn't arranged the hit on Franco, so Dante was certain that Sonny had called it off, but Carly had had found a way to circumvent the order. Anna agreed that it made sense, but she reminded Dante that there had been a second shooter who had ultimately shot Olivia. She conceded that Franco had a long list of "haters" who wanted him dead, and there weren't any leads. Dante and Anna agreed that the second hit had had all the trademarks of a professional hit and that it had likely been carried out by someone new to town because there hadn't been any indication that the second hit had been arranged locally.
Anna and Dante wrapped up their meeting and left the diner. Dante promised to keep digging as Duke walked up. After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Dante left, so Duke asked Anna about her meeting with the mayor. Anna admitted that her job was on the line if she didn't find the person who had shot Olivia. Duke confessed that his morning hadn't been much better. Anna assumed that it had to do with ELQ, so Duke didn't correct her.
Anna's eyes narrowed as she realized that Duke was hiding something. Duke denied it, but Anna demanded that he tell her what was troubling him. Duke explained that he didn't have any evidence, so he was reluctant to discuss it because it was a touchy subject. "What subject," Anna asked. "The Jeromes," Duke reluctantly answered.
Duke told Anna about his search into Ava's business dealings and the lack of a paper trail that led to Ava's silent partner. He explained that he had asked Ava about it, but Ava had refused to tell him anything. Duke rushed to remind Anna that it could be nothing, but Anna refused to take any chances, because she wanted to know if Ava was connected to the Jerome crime family. Anna vowed that she would deal with Ava herself if Ava was indeed a member of the infamous Jeromes.
At Crimson, Connie insisted that Derek couldn't shut Crimson and the Port Charles Press down, but Derek disagreed because he owned the company. Derek made his way to the door as he ordered Connie to pack her things and vacate the office.
Later, Derek returned to the office and saw Connie seated behind her desk. He demanded to know why she was there, so she calmly explained that it was her office. She assured him that they could find him another office to work in, but Derek objected. He threatened to call security to remove her, so Connie informed him that she was co-owner of the building, so the building's security worked for her.
Derek appreciated her commitment to the job, but Connie quickly clarified that she was committed to the hundreds of people who worked for the fashion magazine and newspaper. She was determined to save everyone's job, but Derek argued that it was impossible. Connie reminded Derek of their agreement for her to turn things around by the end of the week, so she demanded that he honor it. She threatened to introduce him to someone who knew something about collecting debts if he decided to renege on their deal.
Derek was curious if Connie had been referring to her erstwhile mobster boyfriend, Sonny Corinthos. Connie assured Derek that Sonny was very much a part of her life, but clarified that she was capable of looking within herself to call upon the "aspect" of herself that didn't suffer fools. Derek snidely wondered if that aspect was named Kate. Connie tensed, but refused to be distracted from her goal.
Connie insisted that she wanted the time that Derek had promised her, so Derek warned her that it wouldn't make a difference. Connie disagreed because she had a story that would blow the roof off of ELQ. Derek was certain that Connie was bluffing, so he asked her if she had proof. Connie thought about Morgan's revelation that Kiki wasn't a Quartermaine and told Derek that she knew where to get it. Derek agreed to run the story when Connie gave it to him, but Connie admitted that it wasn't that easy because she had made a promise.
Derek pointed out that Connie either had to break the promise or fire everyone on staff. Connie refused to fire anyone, so Derek would have to do it. She then grumbled that his demands were unreasonable, but Derek argued that it wasn't unreasonable for him to expect his business to make a profit. Derek didn't care if Connie ran the story or not, but he warned her that the newspaper would go to press the following day.
After Connie left, Derek called a mystery person to tell the person that it was time for them to talk in person. He instructed the person to stop by the office because everyone had left, so they wouldn't be interrupted.
Connie stopped by Kelly's and spotted Michael at the counter. She greeted him, but noticed that he seemed distracted. Michael admitted that he had a lot on his mind, so Connie offered to be a sounding board if he needed it. Michael thanked her but explained that it was a situation that couldn't be fixed, so he needed to accept it and move on.
Connie watched as Michael left. "I can help you, Michael, but I have to break my promise to Sonny to do it," Connie quietly said.
At Crimson, Derek looked up when Ava appeared in the doorway. "Hello, Ava," he said as he approached her. "Hello, Julian," she replied.
At Kelly's, Duke revealed that Ava had refused to divulge the identity of her silent partner. He conceded that it could be nothing, but Anna refused to take any chances because the Jerome crime family had terrorized Duke and Anna and had murdered their unborn child. Duke admitted that his gut told him that Ava's silent partner was a Jerome, despite the fact that Victor and all of his children were supposedly dead.
Duke was curious if Anna could find out who Ava's silent partner was, but Anna reminded him that the mayor was breathing down her neck, so Anna had to be careful and do everything by the book. Duke suggested that perhaps they could find out through criminal channels. Anna conceded that it was tempting, but she was determined to find the truth without breaking the law. Duke quickly clarified that he hadn't been proposing that they do anything illegal, but rather that they talk to someone who did.
At Greystone Manor, Shawn entered the parlor as Sonny wrapped up a phone call by saying "It's good to know someone's on my side." Shawn assured Sonny that plenty of people were on Sonny's side, but he conceded that there were some who were not. Shawn explained that the men who had worked for the online gambling site that had bilked Morgan out of money were still in operation, so they remained a threat. Sonny ordered Shawn to find out who the thugs were working for because Sonny intended to "wipe them off the face of the earth."
Duke and Anna arrived as Sonny walked Shawn to the door. After Shawn left, Sonny wondered to what he owed the pleasure of a visit from the police commissioner "and him." "Duke Lavery," Duke said as he extended his hand to Sonny. Sonny ignored Duke's hand as he assured Duke that he knew exactly who Duke was.
Duke remained pleasant as he explained that he and Anna wanted to talk to Sonny about the Jerome crime family. Sonny's interest was piqued, so he invited Duke and Anna into his home. Anna revealed that the Jeromes had once wreaked havoc on Port Charles, so Duke added that the Jeromes had also killed their unborn child. Sonny offered Duke and Anna his condolences. Anna thanked Sonny and admitted that she and Duke hoped that Sonny could find out if the Jerome crime family was still active.
Duke realized that it was unlikely, but Sonny disagreed. Sonny told them about the online gambling ring that had sent goons to collect money from Morgan and had threatened Connie and Olivia. Sonny conceded that the Jeromes had been a bit before his time, but he knew the infamous mobsters by reputation. According to Sonny, they had been sloppy and violent, and they had invited unwanted scrutiny on themselves and their associates. Sonny had also heard that the Jeromes had been unreliable and "a little bit crazy."
Duke confessed that the latter was an understatement. Anna questioned Sonny's insight into the crime family. She suggested that Sonny's assessment had been uncannily accurate for someone who hadn't been acquainted with the Jeromes. Sonny explained that he was concerned about the Jeromes because Morgan was about to marry a Jerome.
Anna warned Sonny to let the police handle the Jeromes, but Sonny insisted that he would do whatever was necessary to protect his own.
At the Quartermaine mansion, Tracy left Luke a voicemail message reminding him that she had left numerous messages. Tracy was desperate to hear from Luke because she needed assurance that his time hadn't run out, so she implored him to call her. After Tracy ended the call, Connie entered the study. Connie immediately noticed the tension in Tracy, so she asked what was troubling Tracy. "I think I lost my only friend," Tracy quietly replied.
Connie reminded Tracy that Connie still considered Tracy a friend. Tracy appeared skeptical, but Connie pointed out that she had backed Tracy when A.J. had made a move to take control of ELQ. Tracy began to rant about how she had once again lost to A.J. because of "that back-stabbing behemoth maid, Alice." Connie warned Tracy that Alice hadn't been the only one to betray Tracy, so Tracy demanded to know who else had been working against her. "Your partner, Ava Jerome," Connie answered.
Tracy pointed out that it hadn't been Ava's fault that Kiki had decided to vote for A.J., so Connie revealed that Kiki hadn't had a right to vote because Kiki wasn't a Quartermaine, and Ava knew it. Tracy smiled with delight because without Kiki's votes then Tracy would only need one vote to secure control of ELQ. Tracy asked if Connie had proof, so Connie was forced to explain that she had overheard Morgan confess the truth to Sonny, but Sonny had sworn Connie to secrecy. However, Connie was conflicted because the scandal could save her beloved Crimson if Connie broke the story in the Port Charles Press.
Tracy suggested that Sonny would forgive Connie for printing the story if he truly loved her. Connie thought about it and then quietly assured Tracy that ELQ would soon be Tracy's. Thrilled, Tracy suggested that Connie begin the search for proof in Franco and Ava's bedroom because everyone was gone. Connie agreed, so Tracy rose to leave. Connie was curious where Tracy was headed, so Tracy explained that she was off to secure the single vote that she needed.
Somewhere in Europe, two bank security guards searched Luke, who was disguised as Dr. Von Shemerman. Moments later, a woman entered the office, so the guards assured her that Luke was unarmed. The woman dismissed the guards and then introduced herself as Flavia Amstutz, the director of private banking. Luke swayed a bit on his feet, so Flavia invited him to sit down and then took a seat behind her desk.
Luke explained that he had been hired by a group of wealthy American citizens to find their missing eighty-eight million dollars. Luke explained that a criminal named Jerry Jacks, whom Luke was certain Flavia knew, had extorted the money. Flavia denied that she knew Jerry Jacks, so Luke revealed that the eighty-eight million had been wired to her bank.
Flavia checked her computer and confirmed that Jerry Jacks had had an account with the bank, but it had been closed because their records indicated that Jerry Jacks was deceased. Luke pointed out that someone had withdrawn the money from the account, so he wanted to know the name of the person. Flavia explained that those records were confidential, but Luke insisted that he needed the information because it could save his life.
Luke claimed that the people who had hired him would kill him if he didn't locate the money. Flavia wondered who Luke worked for, so he told her that one of the people was a ruthless mobster and then went on to paint everyone else as blood-thirsty and crazy. According to Luke, the worst of the lot was a woman who went by the alias of "Spanky." Luke insisted that she was the reason that he had to return in one piece.
Flavia revealed that Luke was not the first person to ask about the money. Luke perked up until Flavia revealed that the World Security Bureau and the Port Charles police commissioner had contacted her to question her about the money. However, Flavia refused to tell him anything else, citing that it was confidential. Luke pleaded with her to reconsider, but Flavia asked Luke to leave.
Seconds later, masked gunmen stormed the office. Flavia yelped with fright as one of the gunmen ripped off his mask and held a gun to her. Luke tried to escape, but the gunman threatened to kill Luke. Flavia pleaded with Luke to cooperate, but Luke boldly suggested that the gunmen wouldn't shoot. A moment later, a short rang out.
Flavia was horrified when Luke crumbled to the ground, dead. The gunman promptly ordered Flavia to type in the security codes needed to access all of the accounts. After Flavia gave him access to the accounts, she was hustled out of the office leaving Luke alone with one of the gunmen. The gunman was typing away on the computer when Luke's eyes snapped open.
Luke grabbed a gun and then aimed it at the gunman. He conceded that the plan had worked well, even though the rubber bullet had hurt his chest. "Thanks for the assist, English," Luke said with a grin. Holly pulled her mask off and smiled at Luke.
At the hospital, Sam realized that her biological father might be Danny's only hope. Alexis pointed out that she had no idea how to find him because she hadn't seen him since the night of Sam's conception. Moments later, they heard Lucy call out to Kevin as he left an examination room.
Lucy rambled to Kevin about her plans for Deception's spa until Sam and Alexis approached Kevin to ask for his help. Lucy assumed that Sam and Alexis wanted family counseling to help deal with everything that was going on with Danny, so she assured the ladies that Kevin would be glad to help if they made an appointment. Sam insisted that it was important, so Kevin felt compelled to help. Lucy was disappointed that her plans to spend the evening with Kevin had been cancelled, but she assured him that she understood.
After Lucy left, Alexis explained that they needed help to figure out who Sam's father was. Kevin ushered Sam and Alexis into an examination room as Sam and Alexis filled Kevin in on their dilemma. Alexis hoped that she had the name of Sam's father locked up in her subconscious, so she needed Kevin's help to retrieve it. Kevin agreed to put Alexis under hypnosis, so Sam left.
Alexis admitted that there was a possibility that Sam's father's name started with a "J" but she conceded that the clue had been gleaned from a Ouija board. Kevin asked Alexis to lean back in the chair and then instructed her to relax. After Alexis drifted into a hypnotic state, Kevin walked her through the events of the evening of Sam's conception starting with when Alexis had slipped out of the boarding school.
Alexis revealed that she had gone to a bar called McCoy's and that Sam's father had arrived with a group of young men. He had worn a leather jacket, so she had realized that he hadn't been from the nearby boarding school. According to Alexis, the handsome young man had bought her a drink and struck up a conversation with her. She admitted that they'd had a lot to drink, so they had gone outside for fresh air. However, Alexis revealed that it had been cold, so the young man had invited Alexis to his car.
Alexis recalled having a good time, listening to the radio and talking to Sam's father. Eventually, they had kissed, which had quickly led to more. Alexis remembered someone had pounded on the fogged-up window of the car, so Kevin asked Alexis to focus on what the person had been shouting. Alexis suddenly sat up. "It was a 'J.' His name is Julian," Alexis said.
At Kelly's, Lucy arrived for her meeting with Laura. She was pleasantly surprised when she saw Scott waiting for her, so she warmly greeted him as she sat down. Lucy confessed that she was eager to brainstorm and talk about her ideas for Deception, but she wanted to wait for Laura to join them. Scott scowled as he revealed that Laura had left town. Shocked, Lucy demanded to know what Scott had done to drive Laura away, so Scott assured Lucy had hadn't done anything. Scott explained that Laura was tending to more important business, prompting Lucy to question what could be more important than Deception. "Or our marriage," Scott chimed in.
Scott filled Lucy in about Helena's latest attempt to kill Luke and Luke's desperate search for the cure. Lucy was surprised when Scott told her about Jerry's possible exposure to the same radiation poisoning and extorting eighty-eight million dollars to buy the cure. Lucy pointed out that Jerry was dead, but Scott argued that neither the body nor the money had been recovered, so Luke simply needed to follow the money trail. Lucy was relieved that there was hope for Luke, but Scott worried that Laura would end up killed in the crossfire because Jerry was a dangerous man.
Lucy pointed out that they there wasn't much that they could do, so she suggested that they focus on Deception. Lucy complained that they needed more investors, so Scott suggested that Lucy reach out to Nikolas again. Lucy refused because Laura hadn't been happy about Lucy asking Nikolas for money the first time. Scott warned Lucy that his funds were tied up in his reelection campaign, so Lucy assured him that she was confident that she would find another investor.
Moments later, Tracy entered the diner and approached Lucy and Scott. Lucy was startled when Tracy handed her a generous check and announced her intention to invest in Lucy's new business venture. Lucy's eyes narrowed as she asked what portion of her soul she had to give to Tracy in exchange for the money. Tracy smiled as she explained that she simply wanted Lucy's one percent share of ELQ.
At Crimson, Derek greeted Ava with a smile. "Hello, Julian. You look good for a dead man. Come, give your baby sister a hug," Ava replied as she opened her arms. Julian hugged his sister and then joked that the reports of his death had been greatly exaggerated. He then complained that death was not all that it was cracked up to be.
Ava wasn't interested in Julian's bellyaching. She reminded him that their father, Victor, had always talked about Julian's whining. Julian pointed out that their father was dead, thanks to Victor's beloved Lucy Coe. Ava steered the conversation to a safer topic by admitting that her brother looked happy. Julian assured her that he was because everyone believed that the Jeromes were dead and gone.
Ava suggested that Julian tell Duke Lavery that because the stubborn Scot had been giving her trouble. Julian reminded Ava that he had advised her to change her name as he had. He was above suspicion because people saw him as a law-abiding businessman. "With a secret agenda," Ava said with a smirk.
Julian shifted gears by asking Ava about her relationship with Franco. Ava admitted that it had gone south, so she had thrown in with Tracy, but that hadn't worked out well either. Julian thought that Ava should have been tougher with his niece, Kiki, but Ava snapped that Julian wasn't in a position to judge her because he was not a parent. Julian conceded that Ava had a point, but the siblings continued to bicker until Ava reminded her brother that she was essential to his plan to take Sonny Corinthos down.
"Now, play nice. You need me brother," Ava purred. Julian insisted that they needed ELQ to reclaim their territory and rise to power once again, so Ava had screwed up. Ava filled Julian in on how she had lured Morgan to their online gambling site and then had positioned Kiki to be a part of the Corinthos family. Julian was impressed, so Ava added that she had Morgan wrapped around her finger and indebted to her for a lot of money. She suggested that Julian think twice before accusing her of screwing up.
Ava smiled sweetly as she reminded Julian that Victor had always said that Julian had worried too much. Julian countered by recalling that Victor had also said that Ava had never worried enough. Julian then admitted that he looked forward to knocking Sonny off of the top spot. Ava confessed that it had been a long time since she had seen her brother smile.
Julian suggested that they not be seen together for a while, so Ava collected her things. Julian walked her to the door, but they both stopped short when Sam suddenly appeared in the doorway.
At the Quartermaine mansion, Connie desperately searched Franco and Ava's bedroom for proof that Franco was not Kiki's father. Eventually, she discovered a slim metal box hidden inside a feather pillow. She tried to pry the box open, but was startled when the bedroom door suddenly slammed shut.
