At the airport, Anna looked at a picture of her and Duke on her phone. There was an announcement about reporting to the gate, so Anna got up and picked up her bag. Just then, Kyle appeared in front of her. "Olivia said you were leaving the country," he stated. She informed him that she was "taking Duke home" to Scotland. He wondered when she would be back. She didn't know. "Months?" she suggested.
Anna continued that she needed time away from Port Charles. He hoped it wasn't because of their night together the night before, because their drunken mistake was "no reason to leave." She admitted that it was part of her reasoning, the other parts being that she'd committed murder, Kyle had helped her cover it up, and she'd "destroyed any possibility of justice for Duke. Julian wins again because of me." She wanted to forgive herself, but she knew it couldn't happen in Port Charles.
Kyle reminded Anna that he was the only one who knew the extent of her grief. He wanted her to confide in him and let him be a friend. He promised that nothing like the previous night would ever happen again. He recognized how ridiculous he'd been to confess his feelings for her. He wanted to be her friend. He thought that spending months alone "replaying the bad moments" wouldn't be good for her. "Forgiving yourself doesn't mean being alone," he told her, requesting, "Don't go."
There was a final announcement for boarding, and Anna picked up her things. She thought it would be easy to lean on Kyle and let him take care of her, but it wasn't good for her. The previous few days, she hadn't been able to function without him, and she wasn't used to relying on people. She needed to handle things on her own. He asked her to promise to return. "I promise. I will come back," she said, and she left tearfully.
Michael had carried a fussy Avery halfway up the stairs at the Quartermaine mansion when the doorbell rang. He went back down the stairs and opened the door to find "Denise." Ava introduced herself as Denise and revealed that she was there to see her "niece" Avery. Once inside the house, Ava explained to Michael about the DNA test and meeting a new family.
Ava wanted to hold Avery and "get to know" the baby, but Michael was hesitant. He told Ava that Avery had been through a lot since she'd been born, so she needed to go to bed. Ava built Michael up by talking about how he was the only family member to care about Avery's safety. He finally agreed and introduced Avery to her aunt. She remarked on how Avery had grown up, but she quickly covered that Kiki had shown her pictures of Avery. Just then, Michael got a phone call, so he left the room. "Remember me?" Ava wondered, explaining to the baby, "I'm your mama!"
Ava told Avery that they would have to get used to Ava's new appearance and accent, but she thought it was worth it so that they could be together. "It will be our secret," she whispered, just as Michael returned. She brushed off the secret as "girl talk." Michael took the fussy baby back, citing that it was past her bedtime. Ava desperately offered to help put Avery to bed, but Michael reminded her that he had a nanny to help with the baby.
Ava thanked Michael for allowing her to visit, and she hoped to return soon. Michael gave his card to her and told her to call him so they could set up another time. She told Avery that she loved her and tearfully left the house. Sabrina descended the stairs and told Michael that it was way past Avery's bedtime. He told her they'd had an "unexpected visitor" and promised to explain later.
Later, Sabrina was shocked at how hard it had been to get Avery to sleep. Michael blamed himself for not having the heart to turn Avery's Aunt Denise away. He thought that Avery seemed to like the woman, so he wanted to set up another time to get together. He'd thought he'd had to promise something in order to tear Avery away.
Kiki and Morgan arrived at Julian's, and Butch, the guard at the door, informed them that Denise had left a little while before. Kiki wondered what could have been so important, and Butch suggested that Denise had told Silas, who had visited Denise earlier. Kiki decided to wait in the penthouse, so Butch went back into the hallway and closed the door.
Kiki remembered Silas telling her that he had to go to work, and she'd known that he'd have to see Denise for himself. Morgan wondered what the conversation between the "esteemed oncologist" and the "colorful cosmetologist" could have been like, and Kiki agreed that she would have liked to have been "a fly on the wall." She decided to call Denise to ask where she was. When she did, Kiki discovered that Denise had left her phone on the table in the apartment.
Kiki volunteered to go to the Floating Rib to see if Denise had gone there. She instructed Morgan to stay and wait at Julian's and to call if Denise returned. Kiki left, and Morgan marveled at a picture of Denise.
Just then, Ava flew into the apartment, crying. After a few moments, she was startled to see Morgan, and she wondered why he was there. He explained that Kiki had invited him along for dinner. She had forgotten about dinner and apologized profusely. He wondered why she was crying. She confided that she'd seen her niece, Avery. "Was my brother a jerk?" Morgan joked.
Ava responded that Michael had been "real sweet," and that he'd let her hold Avery. "Lucky," Morgan muttered. She continued that she hadn't been prepared for the feelings that holding Avery would conjure. She'd thought she could have stayed forever, but she'd had to let go. She cried in Morgan's arms. He understood how she had to have all kinds of crazy feelings because of meeting so much family. He related that seeing and holding her was like seeing and holding Ava again. The two suddenly kissed.
At the Floating Rib, Nina sat at the bar with a drink when Silas walked up to her. He wondered if she was all right. She angrily told him about Franco and Nathan trying to frame her for kidnapping Avery. He wondered why they would do that. She admitted that they had been trying to coerce her into getting an annulment from Ric. "Do you know him?" Silas asked in disbelief.
Nina explained how she and Ric had gotten together, including her breakup with Franco. Silas apologized for the breakup, and she told him that it wasn't his fault that Franco had blamed Avery's kidnapping on her. He clarified that he'd been the reason she'd even been at the hospital at the same time as Avery. She was touched by his statement that he knew she was innocent. He continued that he could tell that she'd gone through a transformation. She thanked him for believing in her.
Kiki entered and disgustedly asked what Silas was doing with Nina, who promptly got up to get another drink. Kiki informed her father that she was looking for Denise, and she'd wanted to invite Silas to dinner with her, Denise, and Morgan. She also mentioned that she'd heard about his visit. He remarked that the resemblance between Ava and Denise was "uncanny." Neither knew where Kiki's new aunt was. Kiki confided that she was eager to get to know Denise, even though Denise would never take the place of Ava.
At the engagement party, Luke made a toast to "the woman I love." Just then, the front door of the Haunted Star slammed open, and Laura walked in, to everyone's shock. Lulu was happy to see her mother but wondered if Laura was sick again. Laura assured her daughter that she was "the picture of health." Lulu wanted to know why Laura was there. "I'm here for Luke," Laura divulged.
Tracy spat that Laura hadn't been invited to Tracy and Luke's engagement party. Laura implored Luke to speak with her in private because she had something important to tell him. Tracy informed Laura that, while Laura had been away, plenty of important things had happened with Luke, and everyone in the room had helped Luke through it all, without Laura.
Luke pulled Tracy aside. He apologized, but he knew that Laura would agree to talk to him in private if the positions were reversed. He promised to return and "finish paying tribute to the woman I love." He and Laura walked off to talk.
Once Luke and Laura were in a room by themselves, she thanked him for giving her a chance to speak to him alone. He replied that she'd put him in "an impossible situation," so she needed to "cut to the chase. What's going on?"
Sonny remarked to Carly that Tracy had sounded harsh, but Carly countered that it was too late for Laura to "show up and stake her claim."
Valerie whispered to Dante that she didn't know Luke and Laura's history, but she got the sense that Laura was "staking her claim." Dante only answered that Laura was "a fighter."
Brad wondered if Lucas finally understood why Brad didn't want a big wedding. He didn't want to risk one of their exes running in to stop the wedding. Lucas demanded to know which one of them had the exes that would show up. Brad just thought that "city hall is the way to go." Lucas thought Brad had been acting "weird" because of Brad's "mystery family" that he refused to talk about.
Bobbie said loudly that it was "classic Laura." She wondered why Luke didn't "send her packing" once and for all. Scott answered that Laura could never stay away from Luke.
Lulu apologized to Tracy and swore that she'd had no idea that Laura would be there. Tracy replied that Laura was "putting on a show," because "no does a better damsel in distress." Lulu promised that Luke wouldn't leave Tracy again. Tracy wanted to know what was going on. Just as she got up, Luke and Laura returned.
Luke made an announcement: "Thanks for coming. It means a lot. Now please go home." He apologized to Tracy and told her that he couldn't go through with their engagement.
At the Haunted Star, Laura's expression was etched with concern as Dillon angrily demanded to know why Luke had broken Tracy's heart by calling off the engagement. Nearby, Lulu, Dante, and Valerie stood silent as Tracy stared intently at Luke, waiting for an answer. Luke promised that he had meant it when he had said he loved Tracy, but Dillon didn't believe Luke. Luke insisted his reasons for ending the engagement were between Luke and Tracy, but Dillon disagreed because Luke had thrown a party and invited them.
Lulu confessed that she was eager an answer, too, because Luke had told Lulu that he had intended to marry the woman he loved. Luke explained that things had changed, but Lulu wasn't satisfied with the answer because things weren't quite that simple. Lulu begged her father to make some kind of sense, but Luke explained that it was complicated. Finally, Laura stepped forward because she agreed that Tracy was entitled to truth. Tracy offered a saccharine smile as she invited Laura to enlighten them.
Laura's eyes filled with compassion as she gently explained that she had left Port Charles years earlier, believing that she'd had closure with Luke and had put their life together in the past. However, everything had changed when Lulu had called to tell Laura about the recent events and Luke's repressed memories. Laura admitted that she had stayed up through the night, thinking about her life with Luke and how his past had impacted their marriage. Laura claimed the closure she had felt had vanished because she had realized that she had wanted an opportunity to get to know the real Luke.
Stunned, Dillon angrily asked if it was what Luke wanted. "Yes," Luke quietly answered. Tracy wasn't surprised, but Luke assured her that he had never planned for it to happen because he had also thought that chapter of his life had been over. Dillon wanted Luke to spell it out in clear terms for Tracy to understand, so Luke explained that he was leaving Tracy for love. Laura's expression remained concerned, but she nodded with approval.
Luke finally looked Tracy in the eyes as he admitted that his love for Laura was "resilient" and "enduring," so he would never forgive himself if he turned Laura away. He added that it wouldn't have been fair to Tracy, but Dillon resented Luke putting it on Tracy in any way. Tracy assured her son that she could fight her own battles then turned her fury on Luke by accusing him of being a spineless coward who was destined to lose Laura because Luke would grow tired of Laura, or Laura would grow tired of Luke and stray back to Scott. Tracy assured Luke that her eyes were finally open to the "fractured, pathetic loser" Luke truly was, so she invited him to seek her out when things fell apart with Laura.
Tracy looked forward to the opportunity of seeing Luke on bended knee, wailing about what he and Tracy had once meant to each other, because she intended to walk away and never look back, which was what he deserved. Tracy warned Luke that he would have no one to blame but himself when he was left utterly and completely alone because Tracy had been the best thing to ever happen to him. Luke's eyes filled with remorse as he watched Tracy storm out, but Dillon quickly stepped in to blast Luke for hurting Tracy.
After Dillon left, Lulu quietly asked to speak privately to her parents, so Dante and Valerie followed Dillon out. Lulu assured both Luke and Laura that she loved them, but she was deeply disappointed by Luke's behavior because he had humiliated Tracy at a party he had hosted. After Lulu left, Laura acknowledged that their daughter was furious, but Luke reminded Laura that Lulu had good reason to be angry. Laura conceded they could have handled things better, but Luke insisted they had done what had been necessary. After Luke downed a drink, Laura reached for his hand to squeeze it in a gesture of comfort.
In Nathan's apartment, Maxie sat on the bed as she finished painting her nails and wrapped up a phone call with Spinelli to check on Georgie. Nathan walked up as she set the phone down and asked if she was ready to leave. Maxie explained that her nails were wet, so Nathan dropped down on the bed next to her then asked if she'd ever had to clean up any messes after her sister Georgie. Maxie grinned as she confessed that it had been the other way around because Maxie had been the "eternal screw-up," while Georgie had been the golden child. Maxie realized Nathan was upset about his sister, so she asked what Nina had done.
Maxie feared that Nina might have gotten pregnant by Ric. Nathan was horrified by the idea but assured her it wasn't like that. He quickly explained how Franco had enlisted his help to try to manipulate Nina into signing annulment papers by threatening to arrest her for kidnapping Avery. Maxie wasn't surprised the ruse had failed because Nathan had been foolish to go along with one of Franco's plans. Nathan admitted he had been desperate to save Nina from a doomed marriage, but Maxie believed Nathan would have been better off turning to Silas for help. Nathan doubted Silas would have done anything for Nina, but Maxie reminded him that Silas had a guilty conscience and was far more trustworthy than Franco.
Later, Nathan slid under the covers with Maxie as he confided that he might have pushed Nina and Ric closer together. He assured Maxie that he had never intended to arrest Nina, but Maxie smiled because she was relieved to know that Nathan could get down and dirty with the rest of them. Nathan grimaced, but Maxie assured him that he didn't have to worry about Nina because his sister would forgive him. After making love, Nathan thanked Maxie for her support and help because she had gotten him back on track.. Maxie had faith in Nathan, but she warned him to stay away from Franco.
At the Floating Rib, Silas and Kiki sat at a table, talking about "Denise." Kiki admitted that she was eager to get to know her mother's twin sister, but Denise would never replace Ava. However, Kiki was concerned because Denise had vanished even though Denise had agreed to join Kiki for dinner. Silas was confident that Denise could handle herself, so Kiki conceded he was right then shifted gears by asking about his plans for the evening. Silas realized Kiki was concerned because Nina was seated at the bar, so he assured his daughter that it was fine.
Kiki reminded her father that Nina had a crazy streak and might have been responsible for Avery's recent abduction, but Silas tactfully changed the subject by expressing concern about Kiki's budding relationship with Denise. Silas wanted his daughter to be careful because he didn't want Kiki to be hurt. Kiki appreciated Silas' concerns because her aunt seemed a bit "out there," but she was certain Denise was harmless.
At the bar, Nina doodled on a bar napkin and made a picture of Franco sporting horns as she muttered how much she disliked him. A short time later, Silas slid onto a barstool next to Nina. Nina was curious where Kiki had gone, so Silas told her that Kiki had been looking for her aunt, Denise. Nina grumbled that she hoped Denise was Ava's twin in appearance only because Nina wasn't in the mood to deal with another adversary. Nina vowed to bite off the head of the next person to rub her the wrong way, so Silas smiled with delight when he spotted Franco.
Silas happily invited Franco to join them, so Franco asked if Nina had mentioned how Franco and Nathan had tried to save Nina from a marriage destined to end in death for Nina. Nina snidely compared Franco and Nathan to "Batman and Robin" then added that perhaps the next time, they could accuse her of murder instead of kidnapping. Franco warned her that he would keep his options open but wisely changed the subject by asking her for the shares of ELQ. Nina informed Franco that he was too late because she had sold them to Rosalie, who had paid Nina handsomely with a briefcase full of cash from Michael.
Franco was outraged, but Nina reminded Franco that he had assured her that the shares had belonged to both of them. Frustrated, Franco asked for his share of the money, but Nina explained that she had given Olivia the money to pay for his portion of the hotel bill. Franco's anger mounted when Nina bragged that she had put her half of the money in the bank under her name. Franco warned Nina that he wouldn't let her get away with bilking him out of money then marched away in a huff. Silas asked if Nina felt better, but she confessed that she didn't.
Nina was annoyed because Franco only seemed to care about money and what Nina could do for him. Silas led Nina to a table, where they continued to talk over drinks. Eventually, Nina announced it was time for her to get home to her husband. Silas sensed a lack enthusiasm in her tone, but Nina assured him that Ric was thoughtful, charming, and everything Franco wasn't, so she and Ric were happily married. Nina was touched when Silas told her that she deserved it. Nina was grateful that Silas had believed her denials about kidnapping Avery because no one else had.
At the Jerome apartment, Morgan confessed that holding "Denise" had been like having Ava back in his arms. He kissed Ava, which quickly flared to passion as he shoved her against the door then trailed kisses down her neck. Caught up in the moment, Ava breathlessly admitted that she had missed Morgan. Morgan abruptly pulled away when her words sank in. Confused, he asked what she had meant by that, so Ava quickly covered her mistake by explaining that it had been a long time since she had been intimate with someone because she'd had a bitter breakup with her previous boyfriend.
Morgan easily believed the lie but realized that it had been wrong for him to kiss Kiki's "aunt." He admitted that he had gotten distracted by how much "Denise" looked like Ava, but he begged her not to say anything about the kiss to Kiki. Morgan didn't have a chance to elaborate because Kiki suddenly entered the apartment. Kiki was relieved when she saw "Denise" because she had been concerned about her aunt. Ava suddenly realized that she'd made plans to meet Kiki for dinner, so she apologized for forgetting but explained that she had paid Avery a visit.
Kiki was surprised when Ava admitted that Michael had been sweet enough to let "Denise" hold the baby. Morgan suspected that his brother had softened because of Morgan and Michael's recent truce. Kiki agreed that Michael had seemed in a better place because Michael hadn't become upset about Kiki and Morgan's rekindled romance. Ava was stunned by the news, so she turned to Morgan for an explanation. Morgan smiled awkwardly, but Kiki appeared oblivious to the underlying tension as she filled her "aunt" in about Morgan and Kiki's romantic history.
Ava's smile was brittle as she assured Kiki that she was happy for Kiki. Kiki decided to order takeout for dinner, so she went to the kitchen to fetch a menu. Ava immediately confronted Morgan about the kiss and his relationship with Kiki. Morgan explained that he had kissed "Denise" because she looked like the only woman he had ever loved, but Morgan added that it had been a mistake, so he implored "Denise" not to tell Kiki.
Later, Morgan tied a Floating Rib bib on Ava, while Kiki set out the food. Kiki confessed that she appreciated having the chance to get to know "Denise" better. Morgan agreed, but both Morgan and Ava's polite smiles were strained.
At the Quartermaine residence, Michael invited Sabrina to spend the weekend with him and A.J. on the beach. Sabrina smiled because she was certain A.J. would love the ocean. Michael apologized to Sabrina for being distracted over the previous few weeks, but he was frustrated that shares of ELQ continued to be picked off.
Sabrina fetched A.J.'s laundry, so Michael helped her fold clothes and blankets as he confided about his efforts to buy back Ned's shares of the family company. Sabrina was surprised that Michael had entrusted Rosalie with the task, but Michael assured Sabrina that Rosalie was trustworthy, especially since she had returned the briefcase filled with cash when Nina had declined Michael's offer. Sabrina admitted that she'd always had a bad feeling about Rosalie because she had sensed that Rosalie had been hiding something.
Michael was impressed with Sabrina's insight because Nina had blackmailed Rosalie into helping Nina. Sabrina was intrigued that Rosalie had a secret, but Michael confessed he had never learned what Rosalie had been hiding. After the laundry was folded, Sabrina thanked Michael for helping her. Michael started to kiss Sabrina until Franco suddenly burst into the living room, demanding payment for his portion of the shares of ELQ that Rosalie had bought from Nina.
Michael assured Franco that Rosalie hadn't bought the shares, but Franco disagreed. Franco vowed to get what was rightfully his then stomped off. Michael was confused about the entire encounter, but Sabrina suggested that perhaps Rosalie had lied to Michael.
Meanwhile, Tracy arrived home but stopped at the bottom of the staircase because she didn't know if she had the strength to walk up the stairs. Moments later, Dillon walked in. Dillon asked if his mother was okay, so she assured him that she would be. However, she invited Dillon to tell her, "I told you so," because she deserved it. She knew that both her father and brother would have gloated, but Dillon refused. Tracy felt like a fool because she had been certain that she would finally prove all the naysayers wrong.
Tracy realized that neither Luke nor anyone else had ever loved her, but Dillon disagreed because he loved his mother. He also believed that she was the strongest woman he knew.
A short time later, Lulu showed up to check on Tracy. Dillon admitted that his mother was heartbroken by Luke's betrayal. Lulu assured Dillon that Tracy was a strong woman, but Dillon reminded Lulu that Tracy could still be hurt. Lulu started to apologize, but Dillon insisted Luke, not Lulu, was to blame.
At Wyndemere, Nikolas looked over Ned's shares of ELQ's as Rosalie smiled with satisfaction. She was confident that Nikolas was pleased, so Nikolas conceded that she had done well. Rosalie teasingly suggested his mother would be proud of what a successful "conniver" he had become, but his smile instantly vanished as he warned Rosalie to leave his mother out of it. Rosalie heard the threat in Nikolas' tone, so she agreed to stick to business.
Rosalie was curious which shares Nikolas intended to go after next, so he admitted that Brook Lynn and her cousin, Maya, each had shares that would get him closer to his goal. However, he would still need Lucy to sign over her shares to seize control of ELQ. Nikolas couldn't depend on Lucy because Lucy was fickle, so he decided his best option would be to persuade Dillon to sell Dillon's shares of the family company. Rosalie was curious if Dillon could be swayed, so Nikolas revealed that his sister and Dillon had history, which Nikolas might be able to use to his advantage.
Valerie greeted Jordan as Jordan entered the squad room. Jordan's good mood evaporated when Valerie urged Jordan to check the interrogation room because Dante had made an arrest. Jordan was shocked when she opened the door and saw her son handcuffed to the table, so she immediately asked what had happened. T.J. glared defiantly at his mother as he informed her that he had nothing to say to her. Jordan turned to Valerie for answers, but Valerie hadn't been privy to the details before Dante had been called away. Annoyed, Jordan ordered Valerie to get Dante on the phone then closed the door to speak privately with T.J.
T.J. sarcastically congratulated Jordan on her new job as police commissioner then snidely asked if had been her reward for "screwing over" Shawn. Jordan ignored the anger in T.J.'s tone as she assured him that she loved him and wanted to help, but he suspected she was more concerned about how his arrest would impact her image. Jordan was hurt when T.J. coldly rejected her offer to help by exercising his right to a phone call. Jordan gave T.J. a phone then tracked down Valerie to ask if she had reached Dante.
Valerie shook her head but assured Jordan that she had left Dante a message. Eventually, Jordan decided to take matters into her own hands by leaving Dante a voicemail message ordering the detective to check in because she wanted answers about T.J.'s arrest.
At Metro Court Restaurant, Nina drummed her fingers on the table as she waited for her husband to join her. Moments later, Ric rushed up apologizing for being late, which he blamed on a court delay with a client. Nina wasn't satisfied, so Ric wisely changed the subject by asking if his wife had any news to share. Nina's frown vanished as she happily announced that she had sold eleven-and-a-half percent of ELQ's shares for quite a lot of money. Ric choked on a sip of coffee but quickly recovered then carefully asked what she had done with the money.
Nina explained that she had paid off her hotel tab and had put the rest of the money in the bank. Ric was relieved, but Nina frowned because she was curious why Ric seemed interested in her money. Ric calmed his wife's fears by assuring her that he had simply wanted to make certain that no one had taken advantage of her. Moments later, Molly walked up, so Ric happily greeted his daughter before he introduced her to Nina.
"Call me mommy," Nina invited Molly with a big smile, but Molly reminded Nina that Molly already had a mother. Molly admitted that she also had reservations about Nina because Nina had driven Silas and Sam apart. Nina refused to apologize, but she assured Molly that she was ready to be more than just a friend to Molly because they were family. Ric's expression appeared uneasy, but no one noticed as Molly's phone rang. Molly excused herself to take the call from T.J. as Ric sat down with Nina and smiled awkwardly.
T.J. explained that he needed help because he was in legal trouble, so Molly assured him that she would take care of everything. After she ended the call, she asked for Ric's help. Ric and Molly quickly left, ignoring Nina as she offered to go with them.
In Liesl's office, Liesl smiled with anticipation as she pulled the cover off the "Egg Salad" painting Franco had hand-delivered to her. Her joy turned to horror when she saw the painting had been damaged beyond repair. Shocked, she asked Franco what had happened to her beloved painting. "Hurricane Nina," Franco answered. Franco told Liesl about his failed attempt to get through to Nina and his desperate attempt to enlist Nathan's help to force Nina to sign annulment papers. Franco was frustrated because in the end, Nathan hadn't been able to follow through with the plan by throwing Nina into lockup overnight.
Liesl admitted that her son was too compassionate for his own good, but she had no idea who Nathan had inherited the trait from. Franco didn't care because he was desperate for Nina to see that Ric was only after Nina's fortune. Liesl suggested Franco ask Madeline for help because Madeline would do everything within her power to keep anyone, except Madeline, from getting their hands on Nina's money. Franco smiled because he realized that the enemy of his enemy would be his ally, but he doubted Madeline would cooperate, since he had left her to die in a hotel room.
Liesl offered to go to Pentonville with Franco to talk to her sister, but Franco argued that Madeline couldn't do much from behind bars. Liesl smiled as she reminded him that if there was a will, there was a way. "Magda has will in spades," Liesl assured him. Liesl quickly made a phone call to arrange the visit but was stunned when she was told that Madeline was gone.
At the Quartermaine mansion, Sabrina was picking up some scattered toys when Danny suddenly burst into the living room. Sam was close on her son's heels, so Sabrina remarked how big Danny had gotten. Sam grinned as she confessed that running after Danny was a great workout but changed the subject by asking if Monica was home because Danny was eager to visit with his grandmother. Sabrina assured Sam that Monica was around, as well as other family members, each of whom would be delighted to see Danny. However, Sabrina was disappointed that Michael would miss the visit because he was busy at ELQ.
Sam perked up when Sabrina let it slip that she had concerns about Michael's assistant, Rosalie. Sabrina explained that Franco had shown up the previous evening, accusing Michael of using Rosalie to buy Ned's shares of ELQ, but Michael had had no idea what Franco had been talking about because Rosalie had returned the money, claiming that Nina had declined Michael's offer. Sam wondered if there had been any reason to doubt Rosalie's version of events, so Sabrina told Sam about a conversation Sabrina had overheard between Rosalie and someone Rosalie had referred to as "boss." Sam decided that she owed it to Jason and Michael to look into the matter but had no idea where to begin.
Sabrina suggested that Sam start by finding out what Rosalie's secret was. Sabrina explained that Nina had used the secret to blackmail Rosalie into posing as Nina's nurse. Sabrina revealed that Rosalie had mentioned it to Michael, but Michael had never asked for the details.
A short time later, Sam approached Nina's table as Nina grumbled about Ric leaving Nina with the tab. Sam flashed a friendly smile as she sat down in the chair Ric had vacated earlier and suggested that she and Nina take some time to catch up.
At the police station, Jordan was relieved when Ric and Molly walked in. Jordan explained that she had no idea why her son had been arrested, but she was grateful for Ric's help. Jordan invited Ric to enter the interrogation room, so Molly started to follow her father until Ric stopped her. Ric reminded Molly that he needed to talk to his client alone, so Molly asked her father to let T.J. know that she was there for T.J. and that T.J. had her full support.
Moments later, Ric entered the interrogation room, closed the door, and asked why T.J. had been arrested.
At ELQ, Rosalie read a confidential file until she heard the elevator doors swish open. She quickly closed the file as Michael passed her desk on his way to his office. Rosalie picked up a handful of messages and followed Michael into his office, but she tensed when he solemnly asked her to close the door as he sat down behind his desk. Rosalie attempted to sound lighthearted as she nervously asked if she was in trouble, but her anxiety mounted when Michael told her about Franco's visit the previous evening and Nina's claim that she had sold Rosalie the shares of ELQ. Rosalie suggested that perhaps Nina had lied to Franco, but it was clear that Michael remained concerned.
Rosalie went on the offensive by asking if Michael was questioning her loyalty. He assured Rosalie that he trusted her, so her frown suddenly cleared because she realized that Sabrina had been behind Michael's doubts. Rosalie feigned being hurt by Michael's lack of faith in her, especially since she had no idea why Sabrina disliked her. Rosalie questioned if perhaps Sabrina was jealous because of Rosalie and Michael's brief fling, but Michael doubted it. Rosalie slyly tested the waters by claiming that Sabrina didn't have any reason to worry about her, since Michael had made it clear that he wasn't interested in Rosalie.
Rosalie secretly smiled with satisfaction when Michael reminded her that she had been the one to put the brakes on their relationship. Rosalie claimed it wouldn't have been appropriate then quickly pretended to regret the comment, since Sabrina also worked for Michael. Michael immediately defended Sabrina but apologized for questioning Rosalie. Rosalie smiled sweetly as she assured him that she appreciated that he had only acted out of concern for ELQ.
At the Webber residence, Jake and Elizabeth sat in bed, playing with Danny, who was fascinated by a toy motorcycle. Elizabeth smiled at Jake as she suggested Danny had inherited his love of motorcycles from Jake.
Jake's eyes suddenly snapped open as he abruptly awoke from the vivid dream. His gaze immediately landed on a toy motorcycle left forgotten on the nightstand, so he picked it up as Elizabeth entered the bedroom with a cup of coffee. Elizabeth was surprised that Jake was awake because she knew he had gotten to bed late. She handed him the cup of coffee as she joined him in the bed. The two talked about the various chores Jake had done around the house and about Elizabeth's sons until she noticed the toy Jake was holding.
Elizabeth's smile turned brittle as Jake told her about his dream. She brushed it off as unimportant then quickly changed the subject by confessing that she loved having him under her roof. Jake grinned then kissed Elizabeth.
After Jake and Elizabeth made love, she snuggled close to him under the covers as he admitted that it was time for him to look for a place of his own and a new job. Elizabeth assured Jake that it wasn't necessary for him to move out because she and the boys enjoyed having him around. Jake confessed that he loved spending time with Elizabeth and her children, but he was determined to get a job. Elizabeth grabbed her tablet and opened a tab to local job opportunities. Jake was surprised when he saw an ad for a security position at ELQ.
Elizabeth tried to dissuade Jake from applying for the job by pointing out that he didn't have any identification or a Social Security number, but Jake revealed that he and Michael had bonded over what it was like to have suffered a traumatic brain injury. Jake was certain that Michael would look past Jake's lack of identification and give him a chance. Desperate, Elizabeth reminded Jake that it might jeopardize Jake and Sonny's recent truce because Sonny and Michael were estranged, but Jake doubted that Sonny would have an issue with Jake being a part of Michael's security team.
A short time later, Jake entered Michael's office to apply for the job.
At Wyndemere, Nikolas was surprised when Kyle strolled into the living room. Kyle explained that Alfred had let him in because Nikolas' butler remained under the impression that Kyle was still the police commissioner. Nikolas wondered why Kyle was there, so Kyle told him about Mayor Lomax's decision to fire Kyle. Kyle was certain the mayor had run it past Nikolas first, since Nikolas had secured the election for the mayor, but Nikolas denied any knowledge of Lomax's decision. Kyle didn't believe Nikolas, so he reminded Nikolas that Kyle had put the mayor in Nikolas' pocket, which meant Nikolas might face criminal charges if the authorities learned of the election tampering.
Nikolas wasn't intimidated by the threat, since Kyle couldn't expose Nikolas without incriminating himself. Nikolas decided to cut to the chase by offering Kyle a new job opportunity. Kyle was instantly intrigued, so Nikolas told him about the plans to seize control of ELQ. Nikolas revealed that he currently had 43.5% of ELQ's shares, so he needed Dillon's shares to seize control of the company. However, Nikolas recognized that Dillon was a wildcard, which meant Nikolas needed a backup plan.
Nikolas wanted Kyle to track down Brook Lynn and her cousin, Maya, to persuade the cousins to sign over each of their six-and-a-half percent shares of ELQ. Kyle agreed, so Nikolas handed him a file on each woman. Elizabeth passed Kyle in the hallway as he left, so she asked why the ex-police commissioner had been at Wyndemere. Nikolas explained that he had given Kyle a job then shifted gears by asking why she had stopped by. "We've got a problem," Elizabeth answered.
In the interrogation room, Ric acknowledged the friction between T.J. and Jordan over Shawn's imprisonment, but Ric needed to know about T.J.'s arrest. T.J. explained that he'd had a day off, so T.J. had decided to pay Shawn a visit. However, T.J. had stopped off at Wyndham's Department Store on the way to Pentonville to pick up a gift for Molly's graduation.
In the squad room, Molly's expression was filled with concern as she watched T.J. and Ric through the interrogation room's window. Eventually, she approached Jordan to ask if Jordan knew anything about T.J.'s arrest, but Jordan admitted that T.J. had refused to discuss the charges with his mother. Jordan explained that she had left several voicemail messages for Dante, but he hadn't returned her calls. Moments later, Dante walked in and immediately apologized for not getting back to Jordan sooner.
Dante revealed that he had received an important lead in another investigation, so he had left to track it down. Jordan appreciated Dante's diligence, but she wanted an explanation about why her son had been handcuffed to a table in the interrogation room. Ric suddenly appeared to clarify that T.J. had been wrongly arrested, so Jordan looked to Dante for answers. Molly slipped into the interrogation room as Dante explained that he had been called to Wyndham's to pick up someone who had been detained for possible fraudulent credit card use.
Dante had been shocked when he'd seen T.J. in the store's security office, but he had been certain there had been a mistake. However, the security guard had decided to put a call in to the credit card company to verify that the credit card in question had been issued to T.J. Dante admitted that things had gotten increasingly tense when the security guard had overheard T.J. mention going to Pentonville because it had confirmed the guard's suspicion that T.J. had been up to no good. Jordan and Ric were disgusted by the security guard's erroneous assumption, but Jordan couldn't understand how the incident had led to an arrest.
Dante explained that T.J. had decided to leave, which had prompted the security guard to chase after T.J. Dante revealed that the guard had been injured during the scuffle, so he had pressed assault charges against T.J. Ric accused Wyndham's of racially profiling T.J. and vowed to file a lawsuit.
Meanwhile, T.J. told Molly about the trouble at Wyndham's and how he had gotten frustrated with the guard's certainty that the credit card had been stolen. Molly was touched that T.J. had wanted to buy her expensive earrings, but she couldn't understand why the matter hadn't been cleared up when T.J. had shown the guard proper identification. T.J. had no idea, but T.J. had been in a rush to get to Pentonville, so he had decided to leave, which had led to a brief tussle. Molly was disgusted by the guard's conduct, but she was confident that her father would straighten everything out.
T.J. was disappointed because he hadn't had the chance to visit with Shawn. Moments later, Ric walked in, certain that T.J. would soon be free to leave. Ric's confidence evaporated when Jordan and Dante appeared in the doorway. Jordan explained that Mayor Lomax had called to instruct Jordan to process T.J.'s charges because the mayor didn't want anyone to accuse the police department of showing Jordan's son favoritism. Jordan quietly instructed Dante to book T.J. then put him in lockup.
At Wyndemere, Elizabeth told Nikolas that "Jason" might be on the verge of learning the truth. Nikolas reminded Elizabeth that it was impossible unless Hayden had emerged from the coma. Elizabeth shook her head because Hayden remained in a coma, so Nikolas relaxed then assured Elizabeth that she had nothing to worry about, especially since Jake had been completely focused on her and her sons. She conceded that things between her and Jake had been idyllic and everything she had imagined, but Jake had decided to apply for a job as head of security at ELQ.
Elizabeth feared that constant exposure to Michael and the Quartermaines would trigger Jake to remember who he really was, but Nikolas doubted Jake would get the job. Elizabeth disagreed because Jake and Michael had bonded over the aftermath of suffering a traumatic brain injury. She regretted lying to Jake because it was inevitable that he would learn the truth, but Nikolas defended Elizabeth's decision by reminding her that she had everything she had wanted. Elizabeth admitted that she couldn't stop thinking that her deception was keeping Jake from his wife and son, whom Jake would have reunited with if a crazy twist of fate hadn't silenced Hayden.
Nikolas recalled his anger when he'd learned that his assassin had failed to kill Hayden. He returned to the present and quietly revealed that he had a confession to make. Elizabeth tensed until Nikolas confided that he had been working to acquire the controlling shares of ELQ, which meant that Jake might end up working for Nikolas on the off chance Michael hired Jake. Elizabeth relaxed because she felt better knowing that Jake would be working for Nikolas.
In Liesl's office, Liesl informed Franco that Madeline was gone. Confused, Franco wondered where Nina's mother had gone. "I'm right here," Madeline answered from the doorway as she smiled at her sister. Madeline's smile vanished when her gaze landed on Franco because Franco and his "merry band" of escapees had caused trouble for her with the prison authorities. Liesl was curious how Madeline had managed to get out of jail, so Madeline smiled brightly as she credited her new "genius" attorney.
Madeline explained that the case against her had fallen apart because the most important witness against her -- Ava -- was dead, and both Franco and Nina were considered unreliable because they had each spent time in a mental institution for the criminally insane. Franco argued that he and Nina were cured and had been deemed fit to rejoin society, but Madeline ignored him as she pointed out that her first stop had been to visit her sister. Liesl wasn't impressed, but Franco was happy Madeline was there because he desperately needed her help. Madeline scoffed at the idea of helping the man who had left her for dead in a motel room, but Franco insisted it was necessary because Nina was in trouble. Madeline appeared unmoved until Franco mentioned that it might affect Madeline.
Franco explained that Nina had married a man who was only interested in Nina's fortune. Madeline recalled her recent meeting with Ric at Pentonville but feigned surprise at the news. Madeline asked who her new son-in-law was, so Liesl told her about Ric Lansing, describing him as a slimy attorney. Madeline surprised Liesl by claiming there was nothing to be done, but Liesl didn't agree. Madeline argued that she would be more of a hindrance than a help, but Franco refused to give up.
Franco tried to tempt Madeline by offering to have the money transferred to Madeline's control, but Madeline wasn't interested in the money. Liesl burst out laughing, but Madeline insisted that prison had taught her that freedom was far more valuable than money. Liesl remained skeptical, but Franco was livid because Madeline refused to help Nina.
At Metro Court Restaurant, Sam congratulated Nina on Nina's marriage to Ric but confessed that she had expected Nina to marry Franco, since Nina and Franco seemed perfect for each other. Nina curtly explained that her relationship with Franco was over, so Nina had moved on with Ric. Nina quickly changed the subject by asking why Sam was there. Sam smiled sweetly as she remembered her conversation with Sabrina about the problems facing ELQ. However, she told Nina that she had simply hoped to find a way for them to coexist, since Sam's sister was Nina's stepdaughter.
Nina smiled as she remarked how intelligent Molly was, and she suggested that Molly had inherited the trait from Ric. Sam ignored the insult to her mother to try to gain Nina's trust, but Nina easily saw through the ploy. Nina wanted to know the real reason that Sam had sought her out, so Sam revealed that she had questions about Rosalie. Nina was surprised when Sam told her that Rosalie had told everyone that Nina had refused to sell the eleven-and-a-half percent shares of ELQ. Nina accused Rosalie of lying, so Sam asked about the transaction.
Nina admitted Rosalie had given her cash for the shares, so Nina had paid the hotel tab and had put the rest of the money in a bank. Sam was curious if anyone had seen Rosalie give Nina the money, but Nina shook her head. Sam decided to gauge Nina's reaction to Rosalie confiding to Michael about Nina blackmailing Rosalie when Nina had first arrived in town. Nina didn't deny it, but she refused to elaborate about what she had been holding over Rosalie's head, so Sam decided to fan the flames of Nina's anger, hoping to force Nina to make a slip.
Sam claimed that Rosalie had accused Nina of being crazy and lying about the shares in a desperate attempt to hold on to Franco. Nina was furious that Rosalie would question Nina's recovery, so Sam suggested Rosalie be put in her place by exposing Rosalie's secret. Nina's eyes narrowed when Sam offered to do the dirty work for Nina, but Nina decided to hold on to the information because Nina might need the leverage.
At ELQ, Michael greeted Jake as Jake entered Michael's office. Michael was glad to see that Jake was well because Michael had heard about the shooting at the garage. Jake seized the opportunity to explain that he had quit working for Julian Jerome and was looking for a new job. Michael admitted that it wasn't easy to walk away from the mob, but Jake refused to be responsible for another innocent bystander being hurt. Michael confessed that he did have an urgent need for a new head of security because ELQ was in trouble.
Jake listened with interest as Michael filled Jake in about the attempt to buy controlling shares of ELQ. Jake wondered if there might be a mole in the company, so Michael admitted that it was possible because a friend had questioned Rosalie's account of what had transpired with Nina. However, Michael suspected the Cassadines were responsible for the missing shares, but he quickly added that Nikolas wasn't involved. Michael was curious if Jake would have a problem investigating Helena, but Jake assured Michael that it wouldn't be a problem. Jake confessed that he was grateful to Michael for saving everyone on the Haunted Star by removing the bomb before it had detonated, but Michael didn't blame Jake for what had happened because Jake had been under Helena's control.
Jake vowed to never hurt an innocent person, so Michael decided to put Jake's résumé at the top of the pile. Their conversation then drifted to whether or not Helena might reveal who Jake really was. Jake admitted that he didn't want to know because some of his skills indicated that he had been a dangerous person. Jake's attention drifted to a cluster of pictures on the credenza behind Michael's desk. Nestled among the family photographs was a picture of Monica holding a baby.
Jake recognized Monica as the doctor he had met in the hospital, days after waking up from the accident. Michael smiled as he revealed that the woman in the picture was Michael's grandmother, who was holding Jason and Sam's son. As Michael talked about the Quartermaines, he shared a special poignant memory of a time Danny had tightly clasped a dying Edward's finger and had refused to let go. Jake confided that Sam had told him that Danny had done something similar when Danny had first seen Jake.
Michael continued to talk about Danny then shared a funny story about how Jason had rebelled against his parents by driving a motorcycle through the living room. Jake laughed, but Michael assured Jake that despite everything, there had been genuine respect and love between Jason and the Quartermaines. Michael was certain that Jason would want Michael to do everything possible to save Edward's legacy, so Jake promised to help Michael. Satisfied, Michael hired Jake.
In the reception area, Rosalie quickly plugged her headphones into the telephone as Michael closed his door. She listened to Michael talk to Jake about ELQ's troubles then cringed when she heard Michael tell Jake that the Cassadines were likely behind the attempt to seize control of ELQ. Rosalie jumped when she suddenly heard Sabrina ask what Rosalie was listening to. Rosalie ignored the question as she pulled the headphones out of the office phone then informed Sabrina that Michael was in a meeting. Sabrina decided to wait, since Michael and Sabrina had plans for lunch.
Rosalie hid her annoyance by walking over to the file cabinet, but Sabrina continued to question Rosalie about what Rosalie had been listening to when Sabrina had arrived. Rosalie claimed that it had been energizing music to help her focus on the work she did for Michael. Sabrina remarked that Michael entrusted Rosalie with a lot of responsibility, so Rosalie decided to confront Sabrina about planting seeds of doubts about Rosalie's loyalty to ELQ. Sabrina revealed that she had good reason to be concerned because Nina had told Franco that Rosalie had bought Ned's old shares of ELQ.
Rosalie laughed then pointed out that she didn't have the money to buy the shares, but Sabrina suggested that Rosalie had gotten the cash from the person Sabrina had overheard Rosalie refer to as "boss." Rosalie quickly recovered from her shock then went on the attack by accusing Sabrina of being a whore, since Sabrina was dating a man who paid Sabrina. Sabrina refused to take the bait because she knew she had struck a nerve. Sabrina warned Rosalie that soon, everyone would know the truth about Rosalie and the shares.
In the interrogation room, T.J. asked to be taken back to his jail cell when he saw Jordan waiting. His irritation mounted when Jordan excused the police officer, leaving T.J. alone with her. Jordan ignored T.J.'s attitude because she had been eager to see how he had fared overnight, so he snidely reminded her that he had spent the night in jail. He wondered if she had slept better knowing that all the criminals were locked up, but Jordan admitted that she hadn't slept a wink because she had been desperate to figure out a way to help her son. T.J. thought the answer was obvious, since she was the police commissioner.
T.J. couldn't understand why Jordan couldn't make the charges go away, especially since he hadn't done anything wrong. Jordan reminded T.J. that it wasn't that simple because he had shoved a security guard to the ground, so the mayor didn't want any hint of impropriety tainting the arrest of the police commissioner's son. T.J. scoffed at the excuses because he had been wrongfully detained. Jordan promised to make things right, but she warned him that it wouldn't be easy because the security footage of the incident had been leaked to the press. T.J. knew the mayor was concerned about her public image, so he suggested Jordan threaten to quit.
Jordan admitted that she had tried, but Mayor Lomax had called Jordan's bluff by agreeing to accept the resignation but refusing to back down from charging T.J. with assault. Disgusted, T.J. pointed out that it seemed only "certain people" like T.J. and Shawn ended up behind bars, while guilty men like Luke Spencer and Julian Jerome walked free. "Are you implying this is a racial thing?" Jordan asked with disbelief. "That's exactly what it is, isn't it?" T.J. shot back.
Jordan was offended by the suggestion, so she warned T.J. not to go down that road, especially with her and the mayor. T.J. refused to back down because he suspected the mayor had acted out of fear by trying to make an example of him to avoid being accused of going easy on a black man. T.J. was tired of being singled out because of the color of his skin, which had been an ongoing problem for him. He pointed out that no one would have questioned a "white kid" using a credit card, but the salesclerk had alerted security because T.J. was black. Jordan appreciated the struggles her son faced, but she reminded him that resorting to violence hadn't been the answer.
Jordan knew there were plenty of people in the world T.J. could call racist, but Dante wasn't one of them. Jordan wished that T.J. had trusted Dante to handle the situation instead of giving the security guard the ammunition to arrest T.J. T.J. explained that he could never trust a man who had spent months helping Jordan deceive everyone including her family. He also made it clear that he would never trust his mother again because she had betrayed both him and Shawn. Jordan warned T.J. not to say something he might regret later, but T.J. was unapologetic.
T.J. realized both Shawn and Duke had been criminals, but they hadn't been bad men, so Jordan decided it was time for her son to learn the truth about the people T.J. had put on a pedestal. She told T.J. about Shawn's suspicion that she was an undercover agent and Shawn's decision to confide the information to Duke. T.J. appeared unconcerned until Jordan revealed that Duke had assured Shawn that everything would be fine then had put a hit on Jordan. T.J. was stunned when Jordan told him about the two attempts on her life, but she reiterated that Shawn hadn't known about Duke's order. T.J. assured his mother that he didn't want her to die, but he feared her priority would always be the greater good, not T.J. and Shawn.
In the squad room, Valerie approached Dante to hand him a small paper bag and a large cup of coffee for breakfast. She noticed that he seemed preoccupied, so he admitted he was troubled about T.J.'s arrest. Dante wondered if there had been anything he could have done to keep things from escalating, but Valerie assured Dante that he was not to blame for what had happened. Valerie put all the responsibility on the bigoted security guard. Disgusted, Dante agreed that the security guard had profiled T.J. Valerie admitted that she wasn't surprised because she had been the victim of profiling in the past.
Dante was stunned as Valerie talked about being pulled over for driving a car that a police officer had deemed too nice for her, which she found ironic because she was as much white as she was black. However, some people never saw that because their prejudices had been beaten into them until they weren't even aware that they were acting on them. Dante worried that he might be someone like that, but Valerie quickly assured Dante that he wasn't. She reached for his hands as she made it clear that she would not let him go down that road, but she hoped that once all the facts were revealed, Wyndham's Department Store would change their policies.
Dante stared deep into Valerie's eyes as they stood close, but the moment was quickly shattered when Dante's phone rang. He pulled out of her grasp then answered the call. It was the credit card company confirming that T.J.'s credit card had been valid.
At the Quartermaine mansion, Sabrina ushered Sam into the foyer. Sam explained that she had waited to make certain Michael had left before knocking, but Sabrina was eager to hear what Sam had learned about Rosalie. Sam explained that she had met with Nina, who had assured Sam that Rosalie had bought the ELQ shares. Sabrina wondered if Sam had believed Nina, so Sam admitted that she had because she had gotten to know Nina well when Nina had first arrived in town. Sam added that she had also confirmed Nina's story about paying the hotel tab and banking the rest of the money.
Sabrina realized that she had been right to be suspicious of Rosalie, but she wondered what the next step should be. Sam suggested they go to the source for answers, but Sabrina doubted Rosalie would confess to them. Sam agreed, so she filled Sabrina in about the plan to get to the truth from Rosalie.
At ELQ, Rosalie congratulated Jake on his new job as head of ELQ's security. Michael revealed that Jake's top priority was to find out who was behind the attempt to seize control of ELQ. Rosalie smiled nervously as she tried to steer any possible suspicion away from Nikolas by reminding Michael and Jake of Helena's efforts to obtain shares of ELQ. Jake appeared to study Rosalie as Michael explained that Helena had been under close watch, so it would be impossible for Helena to buy up shares of ELQ without Nikolas finding out -- unless Helena had been using a proxy. Rosalie squirmed under Jake's intent gaze as she conceded that Jake had his work cut out for him.
Jake promised Michael to get to work on the investigation right away, so Michael escorted Jake to the elevator. After Michael disappeared into his office, Rosalie quickly followed to tell him that she had concerns about Jake. She reminded Michael that Jake had once worked for Helena, so Jake might be a Cassadine mole, but Michael assured Rosalie that Jake could be trusted. Michael explained that Jake had undergone brain surgery to break Helena's hold over him and that Michael's security team had vetted Jake. Rosalie tensed as she wondered if everyone who worked for Michael had been vetted.
Michael realized Rosalie was concerned about the secret Nina had held over Rosalie's head, so he assured her that he hadn't had anyone try to dig up dirt on Rosalie because he respected her privacy. Michael added that he trusted her implicitly because she had stuck by him the previous year when no one else had. Rosalie smiled, but it was clouded by guilt.
In the reception area, Sam noticed no one was around, so she crept to Michael's door to listen. After she heard Michael and Rosalie talking, she went to Rosalie's desk then quickly planted a listening device in the mouthpiece of Rosalie's phone. Sam was startled when she suddenly heard Jake call out to her, but she managed to return the phone's receiver to its cradle before facing Jake. She was surprised Jake was at ELQ, so he told her about his new job as head of security. Sam was happy for Jake, but Jake was curious why Sam was there.
Sam claimed that she had wanted to invite Michael to dinner, since he had missed a visit with Danny the previous day. Jake was curious how things were going with Sam and Patrick's new living arrangements, so she admitted everything was great. The conversation drifted to Jake and Elizabeth, prompting Sam to invite Jake and Elizabeth to dinner. After Jake agreed, Sam decided to call Michael later because it was clear he was busy.
Moments later, Rosalie was startled when she walked up on Jake rooting around her desk. Jake was curious if Rosalie shared her desk with anyone, so she shook her head. She started to ask why, but Jake entered Michael's office then closed the door. Jake announced that he had a lead on why ELQ had been vulnerable to a hostile takeover; someone had been spying on Michael in Michael's office.
Meanwhile, Rosalie called Nikolas to warn him that Michael had hired Jake to smoke them out.
At the Quartermaine mansion, Tracy ranted about Laura to Dillon. Dillon admitted that he would be mad, too, but at Luke, not Laura. Dillon reminded his mother that Luke had betrayed Tracy by breaking off the engagement, so Tracy assured her son that she had plenty of anger to go around. Dillon smiled because it had been a thing of beauty to watch Tracy blast Luke after Luke ended the engagement. Tracy grinned, but it quickly faded because she was most angry with herself for stubbornly refusing to listen to the warnings.
Tracy admitted that Ned had spent months telling Tracy that Luke was not who he seemed and that Luke had even threatened Ned, but Tracy had refused to believe Ned. Tracy acknowledged that even Dillon had tried to stop her from making a mistake by urging her to take her time before agreeing to marry Luke. However, Tracy had foolishly believed that she and Luke had been on solid ground. Tracy realized that she should have known better because nothing was guaranteed with Luke as long as Laura was in the wings. Tracy blamed herself for her predicament because she had been born a "patsy."
Tracy insisted that every man she had ever loved had deceived her, but Dillon accused Tracy of having a selective memory because she had always bounced back from her failed relationships and had never lost her ability to love. Dillon was certain that his mother would emerge from her heartbreak a stronger person, but Tracy didn't know if she had any fight left in her.
A short time later, Tracy looked at a photo of Luke and Laura's first wedding, but she quickly set her tablet down when Sabrina entered the living room. Tracy started to explain that she had been checking the stock reports, but she realized it hadn't been a convincing lie. Tracy assumed Sabrina had heard about Tracy's broken engagement to Luke, so Sabrina gently explained that she knew what Tracy was going through. Tracy doubted it, but Sabrina reminded Tracy that Robin had walked into the church just as Sabrina and Patrick had been about to exchange wedding vows.
Sabrina understood the pain of seeing the woman she knew deep down inside that she could never compete with and the desire to crawl into a dark hole to disappear. Tracy's voice filled with emotion as she asked how Sabrina had gotten through it. Sabrina assured Tracy that it would get easier because Tracy's friends would help her. Tracy confessed that she didn't have any friends because she had never seen the need for them, so Sabrina offered to be Tracy's friend.
At Wyndemere, Nikolas spoke to Kyle on the phone, demanding results because he had hired Kyle for a specific reason. Laura walked in as Nikolas abruptly ended the call, so she remarked that it had sounded like her son had been working hard. Nikolas was shocked by his mother's visit because he hadn't even known she was in the country. After they exchanged hugs, Laura admitted the trip had been last minute then asked if her grandson was home.
Nikolas explained that Spencer was at school. Laura was impressed by her grandson's inner strength after everything he had endured, so she credited Nikolas for being a great father. Laura switched gears to ask about the phone call, but Nikolas carefully explained that it had been business. Nikolas claimed the Cassadine fortune wasn't what it once had been because Victor had siphoned off large chunks of money to fund Victor's secret clinic. Laura offered to help because she was familiar with corporate intrigue from her days working at ELQ for Edward when Stavros had tried to take the company over.
Nikolas smiled awkwardly but changed the subject by inviting Laura to stay for breakfast. He suggested they spend the day together until Spencer returned from school, but Laura explained that she had to leave. Nikolas sensed Laura was hiding something, so she decided to tell him about her new romance with Luke. Nikolas didn't feel bad for Tracy, but he was concerned about Laura because things had never worked out well for Luke and Laura. However, Nikolas wanted his mother to be happy, so he assured her that she had his support. Laura was grateful, but she was concerned about Nikolas because he seemed as if he had the weight of the world on his shoulders.
At the Haunted Star, Luke poured vodka into a glass of orange juice as he wondered where Laura was. He was eager to get the show on the road, but Lulu walked in as he set the bottle down. She was surprised her father was drinking, but Luke wasn't in the mood for a lecture. Lulu admitted that she had intended to join him because they needed to discuss the fiasco at the engagement party. Luke insisted that he didn't have any answers for Lulu, but she wasn't satisfied because Luke had broken Tracy's heart.
Luke had expected Lulu to be happy that Luke and Laura had decided to work things out, but Lulu reminded her father that things had always ended badly for her parents in the past. However, Tracy had always stood by Luke's side, so it had been wrong of him to repay Tracy by crushing her heart. Lulu suddenly noticed her mother's absence, so Luke suggested Laura had paid Nikolas a visit. Lulu decided to cut to the chase by demanding to know the real reason Luke had broken off his engagement to Tracy. She quickly surmised Luke was hiding something when he failed to give her a satisfactory answer.
Reluctantly, Luke confessed there was more to the story than he had told Tracy. Luke was about to elaborate, but Dillon stormed in demanding that Luke answer for what Luke had done to Tracy. Dillon informed Luke that Tracy was at home, devastated and blaming herself for everything. Dillon had given Luke an opportunity to show his face to talk to Tracy, but Dillon had grown tired of waiting, so Dillon expected Luke to "man up" and explain himself. Luke insisted there was nothing he could say that would make things right.
Disgusted, Dillon started to leave, but Luke asked Dillon to take care of Tracy. Dillon's temper flared, so he grabbed Luke by the shirtfront and prepared to punch Luke. Laura entered in time to order Dillon to stop, but Dillon advised Laura to leave if she didn't like what she saw. Dillon made it clear that he wasn't interested in hearing anything Laura had to say, which infuriated Luke. Luke shoved Dillon away then admitted that everything Luke and Laura had told Tracy had been a lie.
