Dillon asked if Tracy was angry at him for lying to her. She replied that she was angrier at Luke. He tried to explain the situation to his mother again, and she questioned how Dillon had "made the cut." He told her that he'd happened to be there when Luke had blurted out what had been going on to Lulu. He wondered if she would have done anything different had he been the one who'd been kidnapped. Tracy responded that she would have turned to Luke "for help and support." "At the expense of my life?" Dillon reminded her.
Dillon tried to get Tracy to understand how much it had killed Luke not to be able to tell her what had been going on. Just then, Paul entered with pancakes. Dillon passed on them, since he didn't like pancakes. Paul served Tracy. As they ate, he wondered if Luke had ever made her breakfast. "Not once," she stated.
Dillon thought it was "beyond weird" that he, Paul, and Tracy were sitting there "like a family." He wondered why Paul was there. "To make amends with my son," he said. Since Paul didn't seem to be there to get Tracy back, Dillon announced that there was still a chance for Luke and Tracy. Paul thought that Tracy had done the right thing, and he hoped the decision was permanent. Dillon begged Tracy to see things from Luke's perspective. Butting in again, Paul reminded Dillon that Luke hadn't trusted Tracy. "I wasn't talking to you," Dillon snapped at Paul.
Dillon told Tracy that she was being childish, and that she needed to "get over it. Dante did." He briefly explained how Lulu had put Dante through the same thing that Luke had put Tracy through. Paul interrupted that it was Tracy's decision. "Enjoy your pancakes," Dillon spat, and he stormed out. "The reunion's not going so well," an amused Tracy observed. "Amends are harder than I thought," Paul said.
Later, Dillon tried to sneak past the room that Paul was in, but he was unsuccessful. Paul wondered if he made Dillon uncomfortable. Dillon replied that things were awkward because he didn't know Paul very well. Paul wanted to get to know Dillon and offered to take him out to lunch. Dillon had plans to work on rewriting his script for the day. Dillon wasn't sure how long Paul planned on staying, but he warned Paul to stay out of Tracy's business with Luke. Speaking of Tracy, he wondered where his mother was.
At the Haunted Star , Luke caught Lulu up on what had happened between him and Tracy. Lulu was shocked that Tracy had not been understanding. Lulu recognized that it was because of Luke's lies. "Just ask Dante," she related. She updated Luke on all that had happened when she'd returned home to Dante. "It was grand for everyone involved," Luke sarcastically observed.
Lulu told Luke about how her feelings about Valerie went from one extreme to the next every minute. She didn't want to hate Valerie, and she wanted to hear Valerie's side of the story. Luke hoped everything worked out for her and Dante, and Lulu wished Luke luck with Tracy. Lulu hugged her father and left. Luke pulled up his sleeve and looked at his tattoo. Just then, Tracy entered.
At the police station, Valerie went over some routine business with Dante. When she was through, Dante wondered if she had a minute to talk, and he led her to the interrogation room. He wanted to clear the air and make sure that they were on the same page. She understood that what had happened between them had been the result of a "big misunderstanding," and she wanted to move on. Dante wanted nothing more than to move on, but he wasn't sure if that was possible.
Dante explained to Valerie that there would be fallout, since Carly had told Lulu that Dante and Valerie had kissed. Valerie assured Dante that she would be fine. He apologized profusely for leading Valerie on, and for making her think they would have a future. "Things changed," she said as she shrugged. He wanted forgiveness, but she didn't think there was anything that needed forgiving. She told him that they needed to "let this go."
Dante was ready to go back to work, so Valerie handed him another report. He left Valerie alone in the room. "He wants to be with his wife. Get over it," Valerie told herself. She took a deep breath and left the room, only to find herself face-to-face with Lulu.
Carly was happy to answer the door to Jake. He entered the house and admitted that something had happened that she needed to hear about. He told her all about Elizabeth's son Jake being found alive. She was shocked but very happy for Elizabeth, and she wondered what Jake was like. Jake responded that the boy was "quiet, wary," and he didn't seem to be afraid of anything, even considering what he'd been through. Carly compared the boy to Jason and deemed it unfair that Jason wasn't there to see Jake alive. Just then, she had a stunning realization: "Whose kidney is in my daughter?"
Knowing that Helena was behind it, she wondered if the kidney was "doused in poison" so that Helena could "have fun" with Josslyn later. Jake assured Carly that Josslyn was fine, but Carly wondered what she would tell her daughter once she started to ask questions. Jake thought that Carly would know what to say, because "you're a good mom."
Carly wanted to pick Josslyn up from camp and go to the hospital to get some answers. It was then that Jake noticed Carly's ring. He congratulated her upon learning that she and Sonny were engaged. She promised that Sonny respected their friendship and that Sonny wouldn't give Jake any trouble. Carly placed a call to the camp to let them know she was picking Josslyn up. Carly knew Josslyn wouldn't be happy to leave. Jake offered to take the blame and promised to tag along for "moral support."
In the elevator at the hospital, Elizabeth told her son Jake that she worked there as a nurse. She wanted him to have a quick check-up and meet a "good friend" of hers. They exited the elevator, and Elizabeth greeted Patrick, whose back was facing her. When he finally turned around, he was stunned to see Jake. Elizabeth let the boy play on her phone while she caught Patrick up on what had been going on.
Patrick thought it was a shame that Jason wasn't there to see Jake. He kept replaying the night that Jake had "died" in his head, but Elizabeth assured him that he hadn't done anything wrong. She asked him if he would check Jake out. A short while later, Patrick finished up the checkup and announced that Jake was perfectly healthy. He gave Jake a toy car for being so good during the checkup, but Jake said, "No thanks. I've got a motorcycle!" Elizabeth handed him the toy motorcycle.
Patrick and Elizabeth went out into the hallway to talk. They'd both noticed that Jake didn't have any kind of scar from an operation, so they knew that Carly would have questions. Elizabeth wanted to tell Lucky the good news about Jake's checkup, so she was going to head to Wyndemere. She didn't think Lucky was still around, though, because he didn't feel like he could be the father his children deserved. She didn't agree, but she couldn't stop Lucky from leaving.
It suddenly occurred to Patrick that Jake and Danny were brothers, and Sam would want the boys to have a relationship. Elizabeth was clearly reluctant, so Patrick wondered if Elizabeth had a problem with that. She explained that Jake was overwhelmed, so she was trying to keep "new faces" to a minimum.
A short while later, Jake arrived at the hospital and bumped into Patrick. They discussed how amazing Jake's return was, and Patrick informed Jake that he'd just missed Elizabeth and her son. Jake divulged that he was there with Carly for Josslyn's checkup to find out who Josslyn's donor had been. He wondered if Elizabeth and Jake had gone home. Patrick told Jake that the two had gone to find Lucky.
Laura arrived at Wyndemere and gushed to Nikolas about how much fun she'd had with Spencer. She hoped Lucky would join them for breakfast, but Nikolas informed her that Lucky had left. She wished he would return to Port Charles permanently, especially to help Jake get settled in. Nikolas was sure that Lucky had been confident about his children being in good hands.
Laura commented on the recent business decisions Nikolas had made, and he insisted that taking over ELQ had been "just business." She promised not to tell him how to live his life, but she wished he'd had better timing, since Tracy probably already "wants my head on a platter." Nikolas admitted that he hadn't wanted a reunion between Luke and Laura, and he hoped Luke and Tracy could work things out. Laura agreed.
Nikolas wondered if Laura had anyone special in her life. She told him she'd been on a few dates but hadn't had anything serious. She wondered the same about him. He responded in the same fashion. Laura wondered if it would be "cramping your style" if she stayed with him for a while. He offered up a guest room for as long as she wanted to stay. He was happy to have her.
Just then, Elizabeth arrived with Jake in tow. Nikolas introduced himself to the boy as his uncle. He told Jake how excited Spencer would be to have a cousin his age to "cause lots of trouble" with. Elizabeth shared the good news about Jake's checkup. Laura offered Jake some cookies and took him into the kitchen to get some.
Elizabeth wondered if Lucky was still at Wyndemere and wasn't surprised when Nikolas confirmed that Lucky had left. Nikolas told her that Lucky knew things would be taken care of in his absence. Clearly nervous, Elizabeth asked what that meant. Laura returned to the hall outside the living room to retrieve a toy when she heard Nikolas admit that he had "told Lucky that Jake is Jason."
At Greystone Manor, Sonny was on the phone with Ric. He told his brother to find out who had hijacked Sonny's shipment but ended the call when T.J. entered the living room. Sonny greeted T.J. then assured the young man that T.J. was safe under Sonny's roof despite what had transpired at Sonny's warehouse. T.J. wasn't concerned, but he was curious if Sonny knew who had been responsible for the theft. A guard suddenly appeared in the doorway to announce that Julian was there to talk to Sonny.
Moments later, Julian entered the living room. Julian asked to speak privately to Sonny, but Sonny explained that T.J. had been there first. T.J. picked up on the tension between the men, so he excused himself to give Sonny and Julian privacy. After T.J. left, Sonny warned Julian to never give anyone orders in Sonny's home again. Julian refused to apologize because he and Sonny needed to settle things. Julian made it clear that he'd had nothing to do with what had transpired at Sonny's warehouse, but Sonny was skeptical.
Sonny insisted that he had heard it all before, except robbery was part of Julian's pattern. Julian claimed that he'd had nothing to do with the hit on Sonny's shipment, but Sonny merely smiled then recounted a story about being introduced to Shakespeare during Sonny's early school years. Sonny confessed that he had loved Shakespeare because it had taught him all about kings and queens, but Julian was curious what Shakespeare had to do with their current situation. "The mobster doth protest too much," Sonny replied in a quiet, menacing tone.
Julian explained that he had promised Alexis that he would leave the mob, but Sonny didn't believe Julian's claims of being out of organized crime. Julian admitted that the death of Julian's infant son had profoundly affected Julian because Julian feared that his son's death had been karma for all the wrongs Julian had done. Sonny argued that the baby had died because Olivia had given birth to the infant prematurely. According to Sonny, whatever karma was headed Julian's way would land on Julian's head, not on an innocent child.
Julian reiterated that he had left the mob because he refused to risk his family being caught in the crossfire. Sonny wondered who, if not Julian, had made a move against Sonny's shipment, but Julian didn't have an answer, since there had been a long line of people waiting to take Julian's place. Sonny wasn't satisfied with the answer, so Julian assured Sonny that Sonny's new rival would soon surface. However, Julian claimed that his own hands were clean.
Sonny resorted to insulting Julian by accusing Julian of being all talk because Julian tended to fold like a deck of cards then run when things got tough. Julian refused to rise to the bait, so he advised Sonny not to waste time looking at him. Sonny warned Julian that Julian had better not be lying. After Julian left, Sonny instructed a henchman to make certain that security was tight because the hijacked shipment had just been the beginning.
At Metro Court Restaurant, Alexis was busy typing on her laptop when Sam walked up. Sam asked if Alexis was posting "selfies" of Alexis and Julian again or tweeting about the latest episode of Alexis' favorite crime show. Alexis smiled, but confessed that she had been working on filing a motion for Tracy to have Michael reinstated at ELQ. Sam admitted that she was disappointed that Nikolas had acted like a true Cassadine, so Alexis confessed that she was equally saddened by Nikolas' deception. Alexis had no idea what had been going on with her nephew, but she wished that she could make amends to the Quartermaines for what Nikolas had done.
Eventually, the conversation drifted to Sonny's hijacked shipment and Julian's possible involvement. Alexis defended Julian, but Sam had doubts because Lucas had been shot the last time Julian had claimed to be out of the mob. Alexis reminded Sam that Julian had been under Luke's thumb, but Alexis was confident that Luke was on the road to recovery and no longer forcing Julian to cooperate. Sam urged her mother to be careful because she didn't want Alexis hurt again, but she ultimately agreed to have faith in her mother's instincts regarding Julian.
Nearby, Julian exited the elevator but stopped to take a call. He barked at the caller to stop questioning his judgment and get the job done. After Julian abruptly ended the call, he approached Alexis and Sam to greet them. Alexis explained that she had been working on a motion to deal with Nikolas, and Julian confessed that he hadn't thought Nikolas had it in him to go after ELQ. Alexis admitted that they had all believed in Nikolas, but it had turned out that Nikolas had been lying to everyone.
On the Haunted Star, Luke was happy when he saw Tracy because he had intended to pay her a visit at the Quartermaine mansion to ask that she hear him out one more time. Luke brightened when Tracy admitted that she was there to discuss their future, so he once again apologized for keeping her out of the loop by breaking off their engagement. Tracy assured him that it wasn't necessary because she knew why he had done it. Luke deeply regretted not confiding to Tracy about Lucky's kidnapping, but Tracy argued that Luke would have hated himself if anything had happened to either Lucky or Ethan because Luke had told her about the abductions.
Luke conceded that Tracy was right, but he had hated lying to her. Tracy promised that she had accepted his apology and forgiven him, so Luke pulled the engagement ring she had returned to him from his pants pocket. He admitted that he had been holding on to it since the night of the party. Tracy tensed when Luke asked her to be his fiancée again because he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. He promised that he had learned from his mistakes, but Tracy explained that she couldn't accept his proposal of marriage.
Tracy revealed that she had talked to Paul before paying Luke a visit. Luke assumed the worst, so he begged Tracy not to fall for Paul's lies, but she asked Luke to hear her out. She explained that she had learned something about herself by spending time with Paul. Tracy reminded Luke that the past year had been "hell" for her because she had made ELQ vulnerable while dealing with all of Luke's troubles. She admitted that she had spent month after month, torn between trying to save ELQ and trying to help Luke.
According to Tracy, she had hit rock bottom when Luke had ended their engagement to run off with Laura. She quickly assured him that she didn't blame him for the choice he had made because his children's lives had been at stake, but Paul's visit had given her a much-needed respite from her problems. Tracy explained that she had spent an afternoon with Paul, having fun, laughing, and enjoying herself, which she hadn't done in over a year. Luke promised that they could recapture the joy and happiness they had once had, but Tracy disagreed because Luke had changed.
Tracy realized that Luke wanted to marry her in the hopes of recapturing the man he had once been rather than face that he was someone new. Luke insisted that he needed Tracy by his side, but Tracy argued that getting married wouldn't be right for either of them. She suspected that, deep down inside, Luke knew it too. Luke asked Tracy to give him time, but Tracy refused because she needed to shed the "twin weights" of ELQ and Luke for her own well-being. She also believed that Luke still needed to recover from everything he had been through and figure out who he truly was, but Luke assured her the doctors had determined that he was fine.
Tracy argued that two months hadn't been sufficient time for Luke to reconcile with his horrendous past. She pulled up his sleeve to show him the new tattoo he'd put on his arm then asked how many hours of pain he had endured under the needle to remind himself never to allow Tim's darkness to inhabit him. "You have to come to terms with the abuse," Tracy insisted. She also reminded him that he needed to make peace with the loss of both his mother and sister Patricia. Luke assured her that he was ready to move forward, but he wanted her by his side.
Tracy was adamant that Luke find a way to accept his history and absorb it into his heart and soul instead of trying to be the man he had once been. Luke argued that his past hadn't negated what he and Tracy had shared, but Tracy feared that he might not love her once he processed everything and discovered a new path in life. Tracy admitted there was also a possibility that she would not be in love with the man he became once he finished his journey. Hurt, Luke asked if she expected them to say goodbye to each other and go their separate ways, but Tracy laughed at the idea because they would never truly be done with each other, even though they both needed time away from each other.
Tracy confessed that she had noticed a change in Luke months earlier, but she had foolishly attributed it to his time at Miscavige. She had hoped that with time she could "fix" Luke, so he assured her that she, Bobbie, Lulu, and Patricia had because they had each given him hope for a future. Tracy's welled up with tears as she explained that Luke was on a tightrope, which he needed to walk alone in order to fix himself. After several moments of silence, Luke reluctantly agreed that she was right.
Tracy tearfully confessed that knowing it was the right thing to do didn't make it any easier to say goodbye. Luke insisted that he loved Tracy because she was a part of him, so he promised that he would always be grateful for what they had shared. Tracy thought she had been the lucky one because it had been a privilege to know and love him. Tracy became choked up as she told him that he would always be the best time she had ever had, so Luke vowed to love Tracy forever. Tracy admitted that she felt the same.
Tears filled Luke's eyes as Tracy hugged him one last time and wept in his arms.
At Maxie's apartment, Maxie arrived home in a foul mood because her flight had been atrocious. She suddenly noticed the white flower arrangements scattered throughout the apartment and a "welcome home" banner with her name on it over the doorway. Moments later, Nathan slipped out of the kitchen to surprise Maxie. Overjoyed, she ran into his arms and kissed him. Afterwards, she asked why he wasn't at work, so he confessed that he had worked double shifts to keep himself busy while she was gone and to ensure that he could welcome her home from her visit with Georgie.
Maxie gushed about her daughter as she revealed that Georgie had welcomed her at the airport by calling her "Mommy." Maxie showed Nathan pictures of Georgie then admitted that Ellie, Spinelli, and Georgie made a great family, so Maxie didn't have any regrets or doubts about her decision. Nathan was pleased, but he'd known that she would be sad when she returned home. Maxie glanced around the apartment as she jokingly remarked that he had turned her apartment into a greenhouse. She was curious if he had made the banner, so he grinned as he admitted that she had inspired him.
Nathan listed all the reasons he had missed Maxie, including holding her. Nathan insisted there was no one like her, so he couldn't stand to be away from her. "I love you so much," Maxie admitted. Nathan kissed her, but she quickly put a stop to it because she wanted to take a shower before they went any further. Nathan decided to pick her up and carry her to the bathroom, where he joined her in the shower and made love to her.
Later, Nathan and Maxie returned to the living room. Maxie decided to pay Lulu a visit to check up on her friend, but she was curious if Nathan had talked at to Dante. Nathan confessed that he had been too busy working, but he assured her that Dante and Lulu were fine. Maxie was uncertain until Nathan distracted her with affectionate kisses. She decided she would have heard from Lulu if there had been trouble.
After Nathan and Maxie made love, Maxie confided to Nathan that she didn't trust Valerie because she suspected that Valerie wanted more than friendship from Dante. Nathan decided Maxie needed something else to focus on, so he carried her off to bed.
In Jordan's office, Jordan was curious if Dante had heard about the gunfire reported at Sonny's warehouse. Dante held up a file as he explained that he had intended to review Nathan's report on the incident. Jordan revealed that a witness had spotted Max Giambetti helping a wounded man into Sonny's compound, so Jordan was concerned because T.J. lived with Sonny. Dante assured Jordan that T.J. was safe under Sonny's roof, but Jordan wanted Dante to pick Sonny up for questioning.
Dante advised Jordan against it. Jordan questioned if Dante was trying to protect Sonny, but Dante explained that Sonny wouldn't be intimidated -- even if Jordan decided to hold Sonny for 48 hours. Jordan recalled a rumor that Sonny was claustrophobic, so Dante confirmed it was true. However, Sonny would only be uncomfortable for a short time because Ric would get Sonny released then slap the police department with a lawsuit. Dante admitted that it had happened before, so Jordan was curious if Dante had any other ideas.
Dante pointed out that Sonny had lost two key players in a relatively short time, and Jordan had managed to infiltrate Sonny's organization, which meant that Sonny needed time to reorganize. Dante was confident that they would be able to build a case against Sonny with a little time and patience. He intended to start by going over Nathan's report, but Jordan asked Dante to wait because she wanted to discuss another matter with him.
Dante was stunned when Jordan confronted him about his brief affair with Valerie. She admitted that Valerie had been reluctant to talk about it, but Jordan had been concerned and had pried the truth out of the young woman. Dante explained that Valerie understood and had been "cool" with everything when he'd told Valerie that he and his wife were determined to work things out. "You sure about that?" Jordan asked. Jordan warned Dante that Valerie wasn't the type of person to shake off a night of intimacy easily.
Dante assured Jordan that he hadn't taken the night lightly, so Jordan warned Dante not to hurt Valerie any more than he already had by allowing it to happen again. She reminded him there would be consequences because she had department policies in place prohibiting that type of behavior. Dante promised that he understood then apologized for his conduct, but Jordan explained that she wasn't the one he should be apologizing to.
In the squad room, Valerie stopped short when she saw her cousin Lulu. Valerie asked if Lulu was looking for Dante, but Lulu explained that she wanted to talk to Valerie, so the cousins entered the interrogation room. Lulu shut the door then acknowledged that she had lied to Dante, but it had been necessary because both Lucky and Ethan's lives had been at stake. Lulu realized that her lies had been a terrible mistake, but she doubted that Dante would have questioned Lulu's fidelity if it hadn't been for Valerie. Shocked, Valerie reminded Lulu that Lulu had been the one to lie repeatedly to Dante.
Lulu argued that Valerie had planted seeds of doubt by telling Dante about what Valerie had witnessed and overheard between Lulu and Dillon in the hallway. Valerie insisted that she had been careful to remind Dante that she could have been mistaken about the incident, but Lulu wasn't satisfied because instead of running to Dante, Valerie should have talked to Lulu. Valerie doubted that Lulu would have confided the truth to her, but Lulu pointed out that Valerie hadn't even given Lulu a chance. Lulu insisted that Valerie should have stayed out of it.
Valerie defended herself by insisting that it had been Lulu's own actions that had made Dante doubt his wife when he had caught Lulu sneaking out to meet Dillon and then running off to Canada with him. Valerie claimed that Lulu's lies kept snowballing, so Lulu shifted gears to ask Valerie for Valerie's side of how the kiss had happened. Valerie became evasive as she assured Lulu that Dante had likely told Lulu everything, but Lulu wanted to know if Valerie had kissed Dante back.
Valerie recalled the passionate kiss with Dante, but returned to the present to assure Lulu that it had ended as quickly as it had started. Lulu conceded that Dante had said the same thing, but Lulu wondered if there was anything else Valerie wanted to tell her. Valerie flashed back to making love with Dante then admitted there was something. Valerie apologized and assured Lulu that she had never intended for the kiss to happen, but added that it wouldn't have if Lulu hadn't lied. Stunned, Lulu wondered if Valerie were suggesting it was Lulu's fault.
Valerie cryptically explained that a lot of mistakes had been made, but it was over. She promised that she wasn't into Lulu's husband or a threat to Lulu's marriage. Valerie appreciated that family was important to Lulu, so she wondered if they could move forward as cousins.
A short time later, Dante saw Valerie and Lulu exit the interrogation room. Alarmed, he greeted his wife then asked if everything was okay. Lulu explained that she and Valerie had needed to clear the air, so Dante was curious if they had. Lulu admitted that they had because Valerie had promised the kiss had been a mistake and had denied having any feelings for Dante.
At Wyndemere, Nikolas was stunned that little Jake was alive. Elizabeth glanced at Laura reading a book to Jake at a nearby table as she quietly confessed to Nikolas that everything felt too good to be true, and she didn't want to take her eyes off her young son. Nikolas assured her that little Jake was alive and well, but Elizabeth refused to take anything for granted. She revealed that she intended to return to the hospital with Jake to get the results of Jake's blood work, even though Patrick had already given little Jake a clean bill of health and had confirmed that her son had both kidneys.
Surprised, Nikolas was curious who had donated a kidney to save Josslyn's life. Elizabeth had no idea what had happened except that Helena had taken little Jake. Nikolas conceded that his grandmother was capable of anything. "Yeah, just look what she did to Jake Doe -- or whoever he is," Laura said as she walked up. Nikolas and Elizabeth exchanged guilty looks, but Nikolas quickly explained that Helena had put Jake through mental conditioning, so they might never learn the truth about Jake Doe's past.
"The truth finds a way," Laura cryptically replied. Nikolas was curious why Laura was interested in Jake Doe, since Nikolas hadn't realized that his mother knew the man. Laura explained that Helena's "stunts" always had a way of finding Laura, and Laura had heard about Jake's situation. Elizabeth squirmed as Laura admitted that she felt terrible for Jake Doe because he had no memories of his past, family, or friends. Laura suggested that perhaps the key to finding the truth to Jake's identity might be wrapped up in why Helena had chosen him.
Laura thought a good start might be trying to figure out why Jake Doe had caught Helena's eye and what it was about the man that had made him valuable to Helena. Elizabeth explained that Jake had decided to move forward with his life rather than spend his days wondering who he had been before Helena had gotten her hands on him. Uncomfortable with the direction of the conversation, Elizabeth announced it was time for her and little Jake to get back to the hospital to check on the results of little Jake's tests.
After Elizabeth left, Laura commented that Elizabeth had seemed troubled. Nikolas tried to brush it off, but Laura admitted that she knew that Nikolas and Elizabeth had a secret. Nikolas denied it, but Laura resented her son lying to her, since she knew that Jake Doe was Jason Morgan. Nikolas tried to dismiss the suggestion as preposterous, but Laura revealed that she had overheard Nikolas and Elizabeth discussing it earlier. Laura assured her son that she didn't need to know Elizabeth's motives for keeping the secret, since Elizabeth was in love with Jason, and Jason was little Jake's father, but she wanted to know why Nikolas had lied.
Nikolas explained that he hadn't known the truth about Jason at first, but by the time he had learned that Jake was Jason, certain events had already been in motion, and it hadn't been possible to stop them. Laura disagreed, but Nikolas argued that the truth would have destroyed Elizabeth because Elizabeth and Jason had fallen in love with each other without knowing the truth, and Nikolas couldn't watch Elizabeth lose Jason all over again. Laura insisted it was wrong of Nikolas to play God like Helena had, but Nikolas was offended.
Nikolas claimed that he had tried to keep two families together because Elizabeth and Jason had found happiness with each other, and Sam had moved on with Patrick. Laura argued that Elizabeth wasn't Jason's wife and little Jake wasn't Jason's only child, but Nikolas implored his mother not to tell anyone about Jason because Jason had been a killer who had caused the Quartermaines misery. Nikolas was certain that Jason would return to work for Sonny and resume killing people if he learned the truth.
Nikolas also explained that the truth would hurt Nikolas and Spencer because Jason wouldn't hesitate to reclaim Jason's shares of ELQ, which meant that Nikolas would lose control of the company. Laura was horrified that Nikolas was more concerned about money than doing the right thing because the secret not only kept Monica from reuniting with Jason but also deprived Danny of a father. Nikolas argued that Laura had kept Nikolas' existence a secret for nearly two decades to protect her family with Luke. Laura conceded that Nikolas had made a good point, but she wished she had never overheard Nikolas and Elizabeth's secret.
At the hospital, Felix was taking a shower in the locker room when he dropped a bar of soap. He leaned down to pick it up but was startled to realize that Brad had entered the shower. Felix became uncomfortable when he noticed Brad staring at him, so Felix made a snide remark then quickly finished up.
Later, Felix confronted Brad about "creeping" on Felix as the two men finished getting dressed. Brad apologized for making Felix uncomfortable but explained that he had been distracted, not staring at Felix, because Brad had been thinking about the secret he had been keeping from Lucas. Felix recalled Brad mentioning the secret before, so he invited Brad to talk about it. Brad received a text message from Bobbie asking Brad and Lucas to go "cake testing," but Brad groaned at the thought of wedding plans. Felix kept pushing Brad to open up about his secret because it was clear that Brad was deeply troubled, so Brad reluctantly explained why he couldn't marry Lucas.
Afterwards, Felix urged Brad to be truthful with Lucas, but Brad regretted being swept up in the romance at the Nurses Ball and proposing marriage to Lucas. Brad admitted that he had never considered the ramifications of asking Lucas to marry him, so Felix advised Brad to talk to Lucas. Brad insisted that he couldn't, so he decided it would be best to call off the wedding, since Brad couldn't lie his way through the wedding vows. Felix warned Brad that Brad would break Lucas' heart, but Brad was hopeful that he could salvage his relationship with Lucas.
Felix continued to urge Brad to tell Lucas the truth, but Brad was afraid that he might lose Lucas if Lucas knew Brad's secret. Felix warned Brad that Brad would definitely lose Lucas if Brad continued to lie, but there was a chance that Brad's honesty would make Brad and Lucas' relationship stronger.
Meanwhile, Carly paced in her brother's office as she spoke to Sonny on the phone. She explained that she was waiting for Lucas to return with some answers about Josslyn's transplant then quickly ended the call when Lucas entered the office. Carly asked if Lucas had any answers about who had donated a kidney to save Josslyn's life, but Lucas shook his head. However, he assured Carly that the kidney had been healthy because Josslyn was in remission.
Frustrated, Carly insisted that she needed to know who the donor had been, so Lucas suggested they enlist Brad's help because Brad could run some tests that might narrow down the parameters to help them get the answers Carly needed. Carly was leery about involving Brad because he had obtained his job in the lab through questionable means, but Lucas reminded his sister that Brad was his fiancé. Carly agreed to give it a try. Lucas hugged his sister then noticed her engagement ring. Carly smiled as she told him about Sonny's unexpected proposal of marriage and her decision to marry Sonny for a fifth time.
However, Carly was afraid that their mother's head would explode when Bobbie heard the news. Lucas was certain that Bobbie would be fine, but he hoped Carly's engagement would give Bobbie something other than Lucas and Brad's wedding to focus on. Carly suggested that she and Lucas consider having a double wedding, but Lucas explained that his wedding to Brad was still very much abstract because they hadn't set a date yet. Lucas admitted that he suspected Brad had been holding something back, but Carly thought the real reason Lucas didn't want a double wedding was because Lucas had cold feet.
Shortly after Carly left, Brad entered Lucas' office. Lucas started to tell Brad about Carly's suggestion for a double wedding, but Brad confessed that it wouldn't be possible because he couldn't marry Lucas.
Elsewhere at the hospital, Sam greeted Jake when she exited the elevator. She assumed he was at the hospital because he had heard the news about Hayden, but Jake had no idea what Sam was talking about. Sam was surprised that Elizabeth hadn't said anything, but Jake was curious what had happened to Hayden. Sam told him about the brief spike in Hayden's vital signs, indicating that Hayden might have been on the verge of emerging from the coma. However, Sam conceded that since the incident, Hayden's condition hadn't changed.
Disappointed, Jake suspected that Elizabeth had wanted to spare him from getting his hopes up needlessly. Sam wondered why he was at the hospital if it hadn't been to check on Hayden. Jake took her to a quiet area to explain that he was there to give Carly moral support. She immediately worried that something had happened to Josslyn, but Jake felt it wasn't his place to tell Sam what had happened. Sam demanded that Jake tell her, so he reluctantly revealed that little Jake was alive. Sam argued that it was impossible, but Jake assured her it was true because he had seen Elizabeth's son with his own eyes.
Stunned, Sam had a hard time wrapping her mind around the idea until Elizabeth and little Jake exited the elevator. Sam stared at little Jake for a long moment then approached Elizabeth, excited to greet Jason's eldest son. Jake followed Sam then little Jake smiled at Sam then dragged Jake away to show him a new book. Elizabeth's expression was strained as she and Sam watched Jake and little Jake. Sam's tone was filled with wonder as she admitted that little Jake looked exactly as he had the last time she had seen him, only older. Sam also acknowledged there was also no denying that he was Jason's son because they had the same eyes.
Sam was eager for Danny to meet his older brother, but Elizabeth gently explained that she wanted to take things slowly to avoid overwhelming little Jake. Sam conceded it was wise, but she wanted Danny and little Jake to get to know each other as soon as possible because the brothers had lost so much time. Jake left little Jake to read the book and approached the ladies in time to hear what Sam had said, and he assured Elizabeth that little Jake would enjoy meeting Danny. Elizabeth tensed when Carly rounded a corner and froze as her gaze landed on little Jake.
"Oh, my God, he looks just like Jason," Carly whispered as her eyes filled with tears. Carly started to approach the young boy, but Elizabeth quickly stepped forward to quietly explain that little Jake had been told that Lucky was his father. Carly nodded in understanding then greeted little Jake. Little Jake was curious why everyone cried when they met him, and everyone chuckled. Carly explained that adults tended to cry when they were happy.
Jake tried to give Carly time to compose herself by engaging little Jake in conversation. Elizabeth looked uncomfortable as Sam and Carly watched him interact with her son, and she announced that she and little Jake had to pick up some test results then head home to relieve the babysitter. Carly was happy for Elizabeth and wanted Elizabeth to know that nothing could take away from what Elizabeth and Jason had done for Josslyn. Elizabeth thanked Carly, and Carly asked Jake to assure little Jake that she wasn't always weepy.
After Carly ran off, Sam decided to check on Carly. Carly cried as she tried to recover from the shock of seeing Jason's eldest son. Sam agreed that little Jake looked exactly like Jason. Sam couldn't imagine how Elizabeth managed to keep it together without Lucky or Jason by her side then admitted that it was different for Sam because she had grown used to Jason not being a part of Danny's life.
At Metro Court Restaurant, Tracy asked a server for a glass of scotch as Tracy sat down at Sabrina's table. Concerned, Sabrina asked what was troubling Tracy, and Tracy explained that Tracy and Luke were over. Tracy quickly filled Sabrina in about Luke's reasons for breaking off their engagement, but admitted that too much had happened for Tracy and Luke to pick up where they had left off.
According to Tracy, Luke had changed radically over the past year -- even more so because of recent events. Confused, Sabrina wondered what Tracy was talking about, so Tracy told Sabrina about little Jake. Sabrina was stunned but happy for Elizabeth's good fortune. Sabrina confessed that if she had been in Elizabeth's shoes, she wouldn't let her son out of her sight and would hold her family close, so no one could get between them again. However, Sabrina returned to Tracy's relationship issues with Luke because she knew Tracy was in love with Luke.
Tracy agreed, but Tracy had turned down Luke's proposal of marriage because Luke had to find a way to rid himself of the demons of his past. Sabrina was surprised that Tracy had been able to let Luke go so easily, but Tracy assured her it had been difficult because Tracy knew that Luke loved her and understood her like no other. Tracy had no idea what to do with herself, and Sabrina advised her friend to take the time to find herself.
At the Haunted Star, Michael approached the bar to talk to Luke, but Luke warned Michael that Luke wasn't good company. Michael explained that he was there to discuss business with Luke, and Luke assumed that it had to do with Tracy. Michael poured himself a drink as Luke assured Michael that Luke and Tracy had decided to go their separate ways. Michael was surprised when Luke revealed why he had broken off his engagement to Michael's great-aunt.
Luke confessed there had been more to Lucky and Ethan's kidnapping than Frank Smith's desire for revenge, and he told Michael about little Jake. Shocked, Michael wondered if Carly knew, but Luke had no idea because he had been too busy dealing with the "scorched earth" that had been his relationship with Tracy. Michael suddenly realized how the news impacted Josslyn, and he wondered whose kidney his sister had received. Luke admitted that it was a mystery, but the important thing was that both Josslyn and little Jake were okay.
Michael was grateful for everything that Luke had done to rescue Jason's son, but Luke argued that it hadn't balanced out all the wrongs that Luke had done. Michael was still happy, and Luke wondered why Michael was so gracious. Michael admitted that he had wanted to talk to Luke about proceeding with the plans to build the A.J. Quartermaine Memorial Clinic on the site of Luke's childhood home. Michael explained that the hospital's board had agreed to fund the project, but Michael wanted to make certain that Luke was okay with the Spencer home being demolished.
Luke assured Michael that all the memories from the home were stored away in Luke's head, so Michael was free to proceed with the project. Michael promised that the clinic would do a lot of a good for the neighborhood. Luke agreed, especially since nothing good had emerged from the Spencer home. Michael disagreed because Luke, Bobbie, Patricia, their children, and grandchildren had all been products of Luke's childhood home. Michael realized that they each had their faults and eccentricities, but they all had done more good than bad.
Michael patted Luke on the back then started to walk away but stopped. He told his "Uncle Luke" to take care of himself then left. Luke finished his drink then went to the safe to retrieve something.
A short time later, Michael joined Sabrina at the Metro Court Restaurant. Michael had noticed Tracy's departure, and he asked if his great-aunt had told Sabrina about everything that had transpired with Luke. Sabrina nodded, and Michael shifted gears by revealing that Luke had given Michael the green light to move ahead with the clinic. Sabrina was delighted and hoped that Luke would find peace once the house was gone, but Michael wasn't certain it would help.
On Elm Street, Luke entered his childhood home. He looked around then pulled out a gun. "When this house goes, so do I," Luke said.
Outside the Quartermaine boathouse, Sabrina noticed that Michael seemed troubled, so he explained that he was concerned about Luke because Luke had seemed uneasy about the decision to tear down the Spencer childhood home despite giving his blessing to Michael. Michael quickly changed the subject because he wanted to focus on having fun with Sabrina, so he suggested they go for a swim. Sabrina invited Michael to jump into the water first, but Michael hesitated because he sensed that she was reluctant to swim. He asked if she was afraid of the water, but she quickly reminded him that she had gone swimming the previous day. Michael argued that dipping her toes into the water from the edge of the dock was not swimming.
Sabrina was relieved when Michael suggested they return to the house, but she squealed with fright seconds later when he playfully grabbed her from behind and threatened to toss her into the water. Sabrina begged him not to, so he immediately assured her that he had been teasing. Sabrina relaxed, but her eyes sparkled with mischief as she shoved Michael into the water. After Michael jumped out the water, he decided it was time to teach Sabrina a lesson, but she tried to slip away.
Michael easily caught Sabrina, but she implored him not to throw her into the water. Sabrina promised that she would do anything, so Michael kissed her then led her into the boathouse to make love. Afterwards, Michael admitted that he was falling hard for Sabrina. Sabrina returned his smile because she felt the same about Michael.
In Lucas' office, Brad explained that he couldn't marry Lucas. Lucas assumed that Brad was joking, but Brad quietly confessed that he was serious. Stunned, Lucas stared at Brad while Brad assured Lucas that he loved Lucas. However, Brad had never considered the "logistics" of marrying Lucas. Lucas couldn't hide his hurt as he demanded to know why Brad didn't want to marry him, so Brad clarified that he had said that he couldn't marry Lucas, not that he didn't want to. Confused, Lucas wondered if the problem had something to do with Brad's parents, so Brad reluctantly confessed that he was already married.
Brad rushed to apologize, but Lucas wanted to know how long Brad had been married. Brad admitted he had been married long before he had met Lucas, so Lucas demanded to know why Brad hadn't told him. Brad assured Lucas that he had wanted to, but he had been afraid. Lucas admitted that he had always thought their problem would be Brad's wandering eye and that Lucas would eventually catch Brad cheating. Lucas realized that he had been the one Brad had been cheating with because Brad was a married man.
Brad insisted things were not as they seemed, but he didn't know where to begin to explain. Lucas suggested that Brad start with the name of his spouse. Brad was about to reveal the identity of his spouse when a nurse opened the door to let Lucas know that Lucas was needed in the Emergency Room. Lucas growled that he was busy, but the nurse explained that multiple victims from an "impact" accident were en route to the hospital.
At Metro Court Restaurant, Bobbie thanked Valerie for meeting her because Bobbie had wanted to talk to Valerie about Valerie's cousin. Valerie assumed it had to do with Lulu, but Bobbie quickly clarified she had been referring to Lucas because Lucas and Brad needed help planning the wedding. Valerie relaxed but advised her aunt to be careful and not overstep, since Lucas and Brad might have their own ideas. Bobbie feared there might not even be a wedding at the rate the men had been going, so it was up to Bobbie and Valerie to help.
Valerie reminded Bobbie that not everyone, women included, had dreams of a big wedding. Surprised, Bobbie asked if Valerie had ever dreamed of her own wedding, but Valerie explained that she hadn't had the luxury because Valerie had been too busy taking care of her mother. Bobbie sobered at the reminder of her sister's struggles, so Bobbie apologized to her niece, but Valerie insisted it wasn't necessary. However, Valerie was uncomfortable with the idea of getting in the middle of another relationship.
Valerie immediately regretted the slip when Bobbie asked what Valerie had meant by the remark. Valerie tried to brush it off, but Bobbie suspected it had something to do with Lulu, since Valerie had looked like she had seen a ghost when she had thought Bobbie wanted to talk about Lulu. Bobbie was curious if something had happened, so Valerie reluctantly explained that she had found herself in the middle of Dante and Lulu's relationship without even realizing it. Valerie pointed out that she lived in Lulu's brother's home and worked at the police station, but Bobbie sensed there was more going on.
Valerie reluctantly opened up about Lulu's trip out of town and Dante's mistaken assumption that Lulu had betrayed him with Dillon. Bobbie was startled when Valerie confessed that Dante had kissed her, but Valerie assured Bobbie that the kiss had ended as soon as it had started. According to Valerie, Dante had acted out of hurt and betrayal, but he had been horrified by his actions and had made it clear that it would not happen again. Bobbie was curious if Lulu knew, so Valerie admitted that Valerie and Lulu had talked things out and cleared the air.
Later, Bobbie pulled a photograph out of her purse then handed it to Valerie. Valerie's eyes filled with tears as she realized it was a picture of her mother. Valerie revealed that she had never seen pictures of Patricia as a teenager, so Bobbie sang Patricia's praises then promised to always be there for Valerie if Valerie needed her. Valerie was touched because she hadn't realized how much she had missed her mother until Valerie saw the picture. Bobbie assured Valerie that things would be fine with Lulu because Dante and Valerie hadn't done anything that had been insurmountable.
At Volonino's gym, Dante was working out in the boxing ring, but his thoughts were on his night of passion with Valerie and his confrontation with Lulu when Lulu returned home the following morning. He returned to reality when Nathan called out to him. Nathan quickly picked up on the tension, so he asked what was on Dante's mind. Dante confessed that he had "screwed up" big time, but he didn't want to burden Nathan with his problems. Nathan reminded Dante that they were partners and friends, so Dante could trust Nathan if Dante needed talk.
Dante admitted that he and Lulu had some issues because of what Dante had done with Valerie while Lulu had been out of town with Dillon. Nathan admitted that he and Maxie had run into Lulu and Dillon at the airport when the two had returned from rescuing Lucky, so Nathan knew that Lulu had been eager to get home to Dante to tell him the truth. Dante carefully explained that he had jumped to the wrong conclusion about Lulu's trip, but Nathan didn't think Dante should beat himself up over it because many men, including Nathan, would have thought the same thing that Dante had.
Dante revealed that it was more complicated than that because Dante had cheated on his wife with Valerie. Shocked, Nathan was at a loss for words as Dante admitted that he felt awful because Dante had rationalized things the same way his father had whenever Sonny had been unfaithful. Dante explained he had told Lulu about the kiss, but he hadn't been able to confess everything because he feared his marriage might not survive the betrayal. Dante insisted both Lulu and Rocco meant the world to him, so he refused to tear his son's family apart over a mistake.
Nathan realized the infidelity would cause problems for Dante and Lulu, but he was certain Dante and Lulu could work through it. Dante disagreed, so he asked Nathan not to say anything to Maxie. Dante acknowledged that he had put Nathan in a difficult position, but Nathan assured his friend that he wouldn't tell anyone. Relieved, Dante confided that he had straightened things out with Valerie, but not before Valerie had told Jordan. Dante disclosed that Jordan had let Dante have it, but Nathan thought it hadn't been Jordan's place to act as a relationship counselor.
Dante assured Nathan it was fine because Jordan had told Dante a few things that Dante had needed to hear. Nathan offered Dante support by reminding Dante that the infidelity had occurred under extraordinary circumstances, but Dante argued that even believing the worst of Lulu hadn't been an excuse for what he had done. Nathan countered that nothing would have happened if Lulu had simply told Dante the truth.
At the Haunted Star, Maxie approached the bar to greet her friend. Lulu asked about Maxie's trip, so Maxie gushed about Georgie and how wonderful Spinelli and Ellie were together. Maxie went on to tell Lulu about Nathan's romantic welcome when Maxie had arrived home. She was curious what Dante had done for Lulu, but Lulu admitted that things had been a little different for her because she had lied to Dante. Maxie was furious when Lulu told her about Dante's suspicions and Dante and Valerie's kiss because it confirmed everything Maxie had suspected about Valerie.
Lulu explained that Dante had been the one to initiate the kiss and that Valerie had stopped it as soon as it had started. Maxie was skeptical, but Lulu assured her friend that both Dante and Valerie's stories had matched up. Maxie regretted that she hadn't put a stop to things when Maxie and Nathan had stopped by the loft on the Fourth of July. Maxie admitted that she hadn't been happy when she had seen Valerie there, but Lulu suddenly realized that Valerie hadn't mentioned Maxie and Nathan's visit when Valerie had walked Lulu through the night of the kiss.
Lulu poured two glasses of wine then handed one to Maxie. Maxie accepted the drink as Lulu confessed that Dante had become husband of the year. "To upsides," Maxie said as she held her glass up. After the two friends shared a toast, Lulu asked Maxie not to blame Dante for the kiss.
Lulu explained that she desperately needed everything to return to the way it had been before Lucky's abduction. Maxie promised to respect her friend's wishes, so Lulu thanked her. Lulu confided that she had never realized Dante had held the kind of rage inside him that she had witnessed when he had confronted her about her lies. Lulu couldn't blame Dante for being angry, but his words had hurt her. Maxie hugged her friend in sympathy.
A short time later, Dante arrived with a bouquet of flowers for Lulu. Lulu was touched by the gesture but assured him it hadn't been necessary. Dante disagreed because he wanted to shower his wife with gifts. Lulu warned him that she wouldn't object, but Dante was committed to getting their relationship back on track. He refused to let anything or anyone get between them. Lulu melted into his arms when he kissed her.
Meanwhile, Maxie arrived at Volonino's as Nathan finished a set of push-ups. After they exchanged an affectionate greeting, Maxie told him about her visit with Lulu and about Dante's kiss with Valerie. She noticed Nathan wasn't surprised, so he revealed that Dante had told him about everything earlier. Maxie was grateful that Dante and Valerie hadn't done more than kiss because Maxie doubted Dante and Lulu's marriage could have survived the betrayal.
At the Spencer childhood home, Luke stood in the living room. "When this house goes, so do I," Luke announced has he pointed a gun at his heart. He was startled when he heard his father's voice asking what Luke was waiting for. Luke looked at the chair where Tim Spencer poured himself a drink then invited Luke to pull the trigger if Luke intended to "off" himself. Luke coldly ordered his father to get out because Tim had nothing to do with Luke's plans.
Tim laughed then informed Luke that Luke, not Tim, had been the curse in the house. Tim suggested it was the reason that Luke had put a replica of Tim's tattoo on his arm. Tim was certain Luke wanted a reminder of what Luke was and what was inside Luke. Luke admitted that he'd had plenty of regrets, but killing Tim hadn't been among them. Tim laughed then asked how things had worked out for Luke when Luke had learned the truth about the past, including Lena's death.
Tim knew Luke was filled with guilt, regret, and fear because Luke was terrified of what Luke was capable of. Tim chuckled because Luke even had Tracy "running scared." Tim was certain it wouldn't be long before the rest of Luke's family followed suit, leaving Luke old, miserable, and alone. Tim urged Luke to kill himself "and join Daddy in hell." Luke was curious why Tim hated him, but Tim denied that he hated Luke; Luke hated himself.
Tim claimed that Luke and Tim were the same, so Luke should pull the trigger. A teenage Patricia ran down the stairs imploring Luke not to listen to their father. Patricia pleaded with Luke not to let things end in suicide, so Tim glared at his eldest daughter then proceeded to berate her. Patricia boldly argued that Tim didn't have any power over his children because they didn't want him. Tim spewed a few more insults then vowed that Luke would never be rid of him. Luke watched as Tim walked out of the house, but Tim stopped on the front porch to glare at Luke through the window one last time.
After Tim left, Patricia explained that Luke's suicide wasn't the way out, but Luke disagreed because it would be best for everyone. Patricia argued that everything she had done for Luke would have been for nothing if he ended his life, but Luke was adamant that he could not be saved. Patricia disagreed because she recalled returning from the hospital after their mother's passing to find Luke huddled and shaking in a corner while their father's body had been on the living room. She admitted that it had been one of the scariest moments of her life.
Patricia had known then that she'd had to protect Luke, so Luke apologized for all the sacrifices she had made for him. She tearfully assured him that they had been worth it -- or so she had thought. She realized that perhaps it had been a mistake not to force Luke to face the truth from the start. Luke admitted they would never know, but thanks to her, he'd had a life. "Have a life," Patricia corrected.
Patricia reminded Luke that he had children, grandchildren, nieces, and nephews, but Luke couldn't live with the knowledge that he had killed his mother. Patricia insisted it had been an accident, but Luke wished their mother knew how deeply sorry he was. Patricia assured him that she did. Luke looked up as Lena entered from the kitchen. Luke's expression softened as his mother walked up then lovingly put her hands on his face. Her eyes filled with tears as she assured Luke that she didn't blame him for her death because he had been trying to protect their family the best way he'd known how.
Lena asked for a moment alone with Luke, so Patricia urged Luke to listen to Lena because their mother knew him better than anyone else. After Patricia left, Lena and Luke sat at the dining room table. Lena assured Luke that she loved him and could never blame him for trying to stop the endless abuse they had all suffered at Tim's hands because Luke had been stronger than Lena. Luke reminded her that he had run from the truth and had never owned what he had done, but Lena countered that he had carried the weight of what had happened inside him for decades, which was why he had lashed out and hurt those closest to him.
However, Lena promised that Luke was lost, not evil like Tim. Lena explained that accepting her death shouldn't be the reason his life ended; it should be the reason it began. Lena admitted that Luke was a part of her heart and soul, so Patricia had been right when she had told Luke that Lena knew him best. Lena revealed that she had been watching over him since her death, so she begged him to stop allowing that fateful night to define him because the possibilities for him were limitless.
Lena wanted Luke to move forward because there was good in him -- more than there was bad. Lena explained it was the reason Luke had always left to protect his family from his demons, but he was finally free of the past. Luke smiled with affection because his mother had always had a heart of gold, but he wanted to make things up to her. Lena urged Luke to find the man he was meant to be, be happy, and chose to live. Luke pulled the magazine clip out of the gun then set the unloaded gun on the table.
Luke and Lena shared a hug. Afterwards, she assured him that she loved him and was proud of him, so Luke told his mother that he loved her too. Lena vanished when Bobbie entered the house. Her smile faltered when she saw the gun on the table, but Luke assured her that everything was fine because he had made a decision about what he would do with the rest of his life.
At Metro Court Restaurant, Valerie's eyes welled up with tears as she stared at the picture of her mother when Patricia had been a teenager. The tears fell when she felt her mother's loving embrace as Patricia's spirit wrapped her arms around her daughter.
At Metro Court Restaurant, Nathan and Maxie arrived for dinner. Maxie praised Nathan for being a gentleman when he held a chair out for her, and Madeline took credit for raising "James" properly as she approached Nathan and Maxie's table. Nathan quietly greeted Madeline, but she was disappointed when he referred to her by name rather than address her as "Mother." Madeline insisted that she had been more of a mother to "James" than Liesl had ever been, so Nathan tactfully assured Madeline that he was lucky to have both Madeline and Liesl in his life.
Pleased, Madeline changed the subject by asking Nathan about his dinner companion. Nathan introduced Maxie then clarified that she was his girlfriend. Maxie smiled politely as she apologized for not meeting Madeline sooner, but Madeline explained that it would have been difficult, since Madeline had been in jail. Madeline asked to join them, and Nathan reluctantly agreed. Madeline immediately seized the opportunity to mention that she had watched the Nurses Ball on television during her stint in jail, and she was curious what had happened to the "gorgeous" redhead Nathan had escorted on the red carpet.
Madeline sang Ellie's praises then admitted that she had seen Maxie's unfortunate fall in front of the cameras prior to the ball. Madeline innocently asked if Maxie had had too much Champagne to drink in the limousine, but Maxie assured Madeline that it had been an accident. Madeline continued to take potshots at Maxie until Nathan decided he'd had enough of Madeline insulting his girlfriend. Nathan stood to leave, but Madeline quickly apologized then explained that she had wanted to discuss a private matter with him.
Maxie offered to go to the bar for a few minutes, but Nathan asked Maxie to stay. Madeline hid her irritation behind an expression of feigned concern as she confided that she feared Nina was on the verge of another mental breakdown. Madeline told Nathan that Nina had been suffering hallucinations of a crying baby, which Madeline suspected was the result of a guilty conscience because Nina had snatched Avery briefly from the hospital months earlier. Nathan defended Nina, but Madeline insisted that something was wrong with Nina.
Moments later, Madeline's cell phone beeped a text message alert. Madeline glanced at her phone, and Nathan asked if everything was okay. Madeline read the text message from Ric notifying her that it was time to put the next phase of their plan into motion. Madeline explained the text message was from her attorney, but it could wait because she had more important matters to discuss with Nathan. Madeline implored Nathan to check on Nina because Nina trusted him, and Nathan agreed. After he left, Madeline decided to have a chat with Maxie about Nathan and Maxie's relationship.
Meanwhile, Nina entered the suite, loaded down with bags from a shopping spree, but her good mood instantly vanished when she saw a crib in the center of the sitting area. Nina stared at the crib in disbelief until she heard a baby cry. She tentatively approached the crib then pulled back the replica of Avery's pink baby blanket to reveal what appeared to be a baby lying face down in the crib. Nina picked up the baby, which was revealed to be a doll with an "X" for each eye. Horrified, Nina threw the doll down then ran into the bedroom.
Moments later, Ric slipped into the sitting area from the balcony then turned off the crying baby recording on his phone. A short time later, music blared from the bedroom as Ric pushed the crib into the hallway for a hotel employee to take away. The man asked Ric to turn down the music, so Ric assured the man it wouldn't be a problem. After Ric closed the door, he called out to Nina. Nina turned off the music then joined Ric in the sitting room, but she was startled when she noticed the crib was missing.
Ric turned on the recording of the baby crying as he pretended that he hadn't seen a crib in the sitting area, but Nina became agitated. She recalled tossing the doll before she ran out of the room, so she desperately searched the sitting area for the doll. Nina became hysterical when her efforts proved to be in vain. "What's happening to me?" Nina wailed. Ric turned off the recording as he played the concerned husband by speaking to Nina in soothing tones and assuring his wife that everything would be okay.
Nina cried as she described in detail everything she had seen when she had entered the suite, including Avery's pink blanket in the crib. Ric promised the blanket was safely tucked away, and he retrieved it for Nina. Nina was curious why he had kept it. Ric explained that he didn't want to be accused of destroying evidence, but Nina became distraught because she realized the baby's cries was her subconscious mind telling her that she had indeed abducted Avery. Ric promised to protect Nina because he loved her then suggested that she freshen up by splashing cold water on her face.
After Nina disappeared into the bathroom, Ric sent Madeline a text message. A short time later, Nathan arrived to check on his sister. Nathan became alarmed when he noticed the baby blanket on the table just as Nina entered the sitting area.
At Volonino's gym, Morgan worked out with a heavy bag, but his thoughts were on his passionate encounter with Denise. Moments later, Kiki called out to him as she entered the gym, but Morgan didn't hear her. Kiki tapped him on the shoulder then jumped back when he quickly spun around to face her. Kiki apologized for startling him, but she noticed that he seemed to have been in another world. She was curious what had him worked up, but Morgan brushed off the question by trying to distract her with a kiss.
Kiki pulled away because Morgan was sweaty. She suggested he shower so they could grab a bite to each, but he admitted that he was too tired to go out. He offered to make plans for the following evening, but Kiki reminded Morgan that she was headed to the Hamptons for a few days to attend a college friend's bachelorette party. Morgan claimed he had gotten the weekends mixed up, but Kiki wasn't offended as she shifted gears to announce that she wanted to stop by Denise's apartment. Kiki explained that she had left it to Franco to break the news about Sonny's decision to Denise, and Kiki wanted to make certain her aunt was okay.
Kiki invited Morgan to join her, but Morgan offered to meet Kiki at the Floating Rib. Morgan explained that he had changed his mind about going out because he wanted to spend as much time as possible with Kiki, since she would be gone for a few days. Touched, Kiki kissed him -- even though he was sweaty.
At the Jerome apartment, Ava scrolled through Crimson magazine online until she saw an article about ten reasons to sleep with a younger man. Her thoughts immediately drifted to the previous day when she and Morgan had made love. She pushed the memory away when someone knocked on the door. She was hopeful that it was Morgan, but Franco called out to her to open the door. Ava pulled the door open then demanded to know if Franco had gotten his hands on the recording of her confession.
Franco brushed past Ava as he admitted that he didn't have the recording of her going into "excruciating detail" about how she had murdered an unarmed woman. Ava closed the door, but she was not pleased that he had failed to get her the recording because it was the only chance she had of getting Avery back. Franco wasn't interested in Ava's sob story, since she had only had the baby to save her own skin from Sonny's wrath. Ava denied it, but dropped the subject by demanding to know why Franco was there.
Franco explained that he wanted to talk to Ava about Morgan because he knew Ava had lied about Julian and Alexis being in the bedroom the previous day when Franco had stopped by. Franco was certain Ava had lied to keep Franco from finding out that Morgan had been in Ava's bed. Ava stuck to her lie, but Franco warned her not to bother because he had seen Julian and Alexis leaving a hotel room shortly after Franco had left the apartment. Franco pointed out that the couple couldn't have been at the hotel when Franco had seen them unless Julian and Alexis could teleport.
Ava reluctantly confirmed that Morgan had been in her bed. Franco wondered how Ava justified "screwing" her own daughter's boyfriend. "What kind of a mother hurts her daughter like that?" Franco asked in a disgusted tone. Ava's eyes swam with unshed tears as she explained that it hadn't been something she had wanted or planned, but whenever she was around Morgan, all the old feelings and attraction they had felt for each other resurfaced. Ava cried that she hated lying to Kiki, so he gently took Ava's hands in his because he didn't want her to feel bad anymore.
Franco offered to break the news to Kiki about Morgan, but Ava panicked. Before she could protest, Kiki knocked on the door then called out to her aunt, asking to speak to Denise.
At Metro Court Restaurant, Scott was surprised when Laura joined him at the bar. Scott assumed that Luke had done something, so Laura asked why Scott thought that. Scott explained that he had heard about Luke and Tracy's engagement party fiasco, but Laura admitted the whole thing had been a ruse because Luke and Laura were not a couple. Scott was relieved. Laura filled him in about Lucky and Ethan's kidnapping as well as Frank Smith's death. Scott was surprised when Laura mentioned Jennifer Smith's role in Frank's plot.
Scott hadn't heard Jennifer's name in years, since Jennifer's attempt to marry Luke. Scott confided that he had always wondered what would have happened if he had let Luke and Jennifer get married and run away together. Scott was curious if he still would have lost Laura. Laura admitted that the "interrupted wedding" had been life-changing for her because it had sent her down a completely different path. Scott argued that it had sent Laura on the run with Luke, fleeing one pointless, dangerous adventure after another.
Laura smiled because not all the adventures had been pointless. Laura told Scott the news about little Jake, and Scott assumed Lucky intended to stick around town for a while. Laura's expression clouded with sadness as she quietly admitted that her son had already left for his own personal reasons. As she and Scott continued to talk, Laura mentioned that she had overheard a secret. She had no idea what to do about it, and Scott suggested she buy him a drink in exchange for ten minutes of attorney/client privilege. Laura smiled, but Scott assured her that she could trust him because he would never betray her confidence.
At the Spencer childhood home on Elm Street, Bobbie became concerned when she noticed the gun and magazine clip on the dining room table. Luke assured her it was nothing to worry about, but he had made a decision about his future. "I'm leaving Port Charles," Luke announced. Shocked, she asked why her brother would leave when he had family in town. She also pointed out that he still needed to make things right with Tracy, but Luke explained that he and Tracy had decided to go their separate ways.
Bobbie offered to talk to Tracy on Luke's behalf, but Luke assured Bobbie that it wasn't necessary because he and Tracy would always love each other. However, Tracy had wisely pointed out that Luke needed to sort things out and figure out who he was. Luke explained that he had stopped by to take a last look at their childhood home, but his past had greeted him as soon as he had crossed the threshold. Bobbie wasn't surprised because of everything that had recently transpired in the house.
Luke confessed that it had been as if he had been in "communion" with the ghosts of the house, and Bobbie asked what the ghosts had told him. Luke admitted that their father had been his usual abusive self, their sister Patricia had been a firecracker and protective, but their mother had spoken the loudest. Bobbie was curious what Lena had told Luke, so Luke revealed that Lena had urged Luke to find his future, since he had confronted the past.
Luke admitted that Lena had wanted Luke to be the man Lena had always known he could be because he was no longer trapped by the past. Bobbie agreed that her brother had been to "hell" and back, but she wondered why he couldn't do his soul-searching in Port Charles, where he was surrounded by family who loved him. Luke promised that he loved his family but not the way he should. Luke needed to get to the bottom of who he was, but Bobbie wasn't happy about his decision.
Luke was touched, but he felt the time was ideal for him to leave because everyone he cared about was okay and settled. Bobbie cried, but Luke asked her to stay strong because he wanted to have a proper goodbye with his sister. Bobbie pulled herself together as they talked about the past when Luke had returned to Port Charles to help Bobbie break up Scott and Laura. Luke realized that he wouldn't have had his children if it hadn't been for Bobbie's request, so he had his sister to thank for the best part of his life.
Bobbie told Luke that she and Luke weren't that different from the people they had been all those years before. Luke agreed because they would always have each other's backs. After Luke and Bobbie shared a hug, Bobbie invited Luke to join her and Scott for dinner. Luke declined because he intended to leave later that evening and hated long goodbyes. Luke walked Bobbie to the door as he assured his sister that they would see each other again.
"Arrivederci," Luke said instead of goodbye. Bobbie warned him that she would hold him to it because she would always need her big brother. Luke smiled as he and Bobbie reminisced about a conversation they'd had in the campus disco decades before when Luke had reminded her of the promise they had made as children to get adjoining nooses if either of them ended up hanged. Bobbie's eyes filled with tears as she told her brother that she loved him. He promised that he loved her, too, then watched her leave.
At Metro Court Restaurant, Laura confessed that it would be nice to be able to talk to someone. She was about to open up to Scott about her secret when Bobbie walked up. After Bobbie and Laura greeted each other, Bobbie told Laura about Luke's plans to leave town.
At the Spencer childhood home, Luke returned to the living room where he saw himself as a teenager holding a baseball bat. "Now, it's just the two of us," young Luke said. Luke confessed that there was a lot he wanted to say, but he started with an apology. "For what?" young Luke asked. Luke regretted that he had squandered their potential and had let the young man down.
Young Luke conceded that a lot of things had happened, but that was life. According to the young man, things people never planned on could turn them in a direction they might not have imagined and push them to do things they never thought possible. "And once they're done, you can't undo them," Luke added. Young Luke assured Luke that it wasn't necessary for Luke to apologize because their life wasn't over, so they could still do good and have a positive impact on the world.
Young Luke also suggested that redemption was possible. Luke smiled as he teasingly suggested the young man was smarter than he looked. Luke asked if young Luke was ready to hit the road, so the young man set the baseball bat down then joined Luke at the door. Together, they walked out of the house. From the porch, Luke looked through the window into the house one last time then left.
