Tom's Murder Weapon Surfaces
Julian admitted to Alexis that he'd been holding on to hope that they could find happiness together again. He thought that he was alive because of her and called her his "heartbeat, breath, and life." "There you are. I see you," she said, and she kissed him. Julian confessed that he'd been hoping and praying for her to kiss him, but she assured him that she hadn't meant it. "Part of you did," he insisted. "Show me which part so I can have it removed," she cracked.
Julian admitted that he hadn't wanted Alexis to kiss him while she was drunk. She reminded him that he was on "serious pain medication," so she didn't trust his perception. Her drinking terrified him, and he thought he owed her the truth about it. Wanting to be truthful with him, Alexis said she knew that he'd waited to be nostalgic until she was drunk with "clouded judgment." She informed him that the kiss had been premeditated in order to remind him of everything they'd had so that she could assure him that "it will never ever happen again."
Alexis retrieved Julian's medication and threw it on the couch. She instructed him to "sleep well and secure in the knowledge that I make an excellent nurse," because "the sooner you get up and about, the sooner I can kick you out of my house and life." She dropped a blanket and pillow on the couch but stumbled while walking away. He grabbed her and made sure that she was all right. "Your help is neither welcome nor wanted. I'll be fine on my own," Alexis stated, and she retired upstairs.
Jordan was on the phone as she walked through the park. She informed the person she was talking to that there were no witnesses to Tom Baker's murder, but there were some "helpful statements." She wanted the murder weapon analyzed as soon as it arrived, and she hung up. Just then, she bumped into Andre, who greeted her, "Hello, stranger."
Andre had just left some "Kwanzaa festivities," and Jordan admitted that she didn't know much about the holiday. He tried to briefly explain the facts to her, but she was more interested in what the holiday meant to him. He answered that the seven core principles of Kwanzaa had given him "peace of mind and a sense of pride." He wondered if she wanted to know what they were. She admitted that she would like talking to him about anything.
Andre and Jordan sat down on a bench, and each confessed that they missed the other after not talking since Thanksgiving. After having time to think, he was ready to talk about what had happened between them. He apologized for answering Curtis' call on Jordan's phone and not telling her about it. He admitted that he'd been insecure, and she was right about it. He only regretted that it had taken him so long to figure it out. He wanted to pick up where they'd left off, but she reminded him that they hadn't left off in a very good place. He promised that they could pick up in a better place if she was willing to.
Jordan accepted his apology and his invitation to pick up in a better place. He'd never planned on not seeing her over the holidays, so he'd bought her a gift, and she admitted to the same. He proposed that there was enough of the holiday left to share, and they shared a kiss. He thought it had turned out to be a "wonderful Kwanzaa."
As Nelle put her coat on, she thanked Carly for inviting her to the family Christmas celebration. Michael offered to give her a ride home, so the two left. Carly admitted that she wanted to be alone with Sonny, because she had something to talk to him about. She knew that he and Nelle had been lying and that the gloves were actually from Nelle. Sonny admitted that he didn't have a gift for Carly, and he hadn't wanted to give her something just in case she wanted to "throw it back in my face."
Carly insisted that she was happy being with Sonny that night. Her anger had trapped her into only feeling pain, but she thought that Morgan's memory deserved better. Sonny wondered if she had plans the next day. She replied that she and Michael were going to Skype with Josslyn. He offered for Carly to watch Avery open her gifts the next morning and then Skype with Josslyn from his house. She accepted the invitation and got ready to go. He asked if she thought there was a chance that they could find their way back to each other. She warned him that she didn't know how she would feel the next day, but at that moment, she was "exactly where I want to be." She left.
Nelle thanked Michael for the ride and invited him in for some tea or hot chocolate. He entered her apartment, and she thanked Michael for his family including her in their celebration. He wondered why she'd seemed sad at some points during the night. She told Michael that she hadn't had a great childhood, and her parents had barely been able to make ends meet. She admitted that growing up poor and being suddenly surrounded by so much made her jealous.
Michael advised Nelle not to get stuck in the jealousy and miss out on what she did have. He informed her that, in order to avoid ever feeling sorry for himself, he thought of three things every day that he was grateful for, no matter how big or small. She remarked that he always knew how to make her feel better. Just then, the teakettle began whistling, so she got up to take care of it, knocking over her jewelry box in the process and spilling the contents out onto the floor. He offered to help her pick everything back up, but she snapped at him that she could do it.
Michael went to the kitchen to take the kettle off the stove. Nelle stuffed everything back into the box and put the box on a desk. He returned, and she apologized for overreacting. He hadn't wanted to rummage through her cabinets for mugs, so she went to the kitchen. When she returned with their drinks, she told him that the jewelry box had been a Christmas gift from her childhood that she'd wished for and actually gotten.
Nelle continued that it was valuable to her, and it contained all she had left from her unhappy childhood. She didn't know why she didn't want to get rid of the mementos, and Michael suggested that she kept them out of respect. She agreed, realizing that she didn't want to "ignore where I came from." Nelle mentioned that she was exhausted, and Michael had to get up early the next morning anyway. They wished each other a merry Christmas, and Michael left. Nelle took an old baby's rattle out of the box. On the side, the rattle said "Caroline."
Dante asked Franco how Tom had turned up dead, but Scott appeared and instructed Franco to stay quiet. Elizabeth followed Scott in and informed Franco that she'd called the lawyer so that the police couldn't "railroad" Franco again. Franco responded to Dante that he'd be happy to answer any questions, because he had nothing to hide. The four entered the interrogation room, and Dante took out a recorder.
Dante asked Franco about the incident at the hospital and if he'd threatened Tom's life. Franco couldn't remember exactly, but he assumed that he'd warned Tom to stay away from Elizabeth or else Franco would kill him. Dante wondered if Tom had threatened Elizabeth. "Not in a way the police would take seriously," she answered. Franco thought that Tom had been exhibiting "predatory behavior." He wasn't sorry that he'd threatened Tom, but he thought that threats were different from actions. He swore that he hadn't known about Tom's death until Dante had told him.
Dante's phone went off, so he left the room to answer it. Franco asked Scott how he thought things were going. "Shut-up, you dummy," Scott advised. Scott left the room to see what information he could dig up about the investigation. Elizabeth thought there was something that Franco wasn't telling Dante, which she figured was the same thing he'd been trying to tell her.
Franco started that he'd meant it "at the time" when he'd promised Elizabeth that he would stay away from Tom. However, he'd thought that, if he could make Tom miss his parole meeting, Tom would be sent back to jail. Elizabeth demanded to know what Franco had done. "I locked him in my studio, then I drugged him and put him in a metal dog crate," he blurted out to a shocked Elizabeth.
Franco swore that he'd let Tom go with plenty of time to spare for his meeting, but Tom had turned the tables and put Franco in the crate. Elizabeth thought Franco had deserved it, and he agreed. She lectured that he couldn't just break the law when he felt like it, and she didn't like that he'd hurt someone in her name. He explained that he refused to let Tom go after "the woman I love." He regretted what he'd done, but he didn't regret the impulses behind what he'd done. He would never regret wanting to keep her safe.
Dante and Scott returned, and Dante announced that he had pressing business to attend to. He advised Franco not to leave town and opened the door for them. Scott warned Franco and Elizabeth not to say anything to anyone without him there. Franco pointed out to Scott that Scott hadn't asked Franco if he was guilty. Scott assured his son that he wanted to hear Franco's side, but he needed to know what the cops had before he heard the details.
Franco and Elizabeth exited the interrogation room and overheard Dante on the phone. He had a bloody knife in an evidence bag, and he was talking about sending the "folding knife" to be dusted for fingerprints. Elizabeth ran out of the station, and Franco ran after her. Upset, she recognized the knife as one that artists used -- "artists like you."
At Wyndemere, Valentin noticed that the picture of Anna from her early days at the World Security Bureau had vanished from his keepsake box. "Damn it," Valentin shouted in frustration.
In the hallway, Nina stopped short when she heard Valentin yell out. Concerned, she ran into the living room to find out what had upset him. Valentin slammed the lid on the box shut as he tried to rein in his temper to explain that he'd lost something. Nina offered to help him find it, but he declined and added that he'd overreacted. Nina was determined to help him find the missing item and asked him about it. Valentin revealed that it had been an old photo.
Intrigued, Nina wanted to know more about the picture, but Valentin would only say that it had been a relic from the past that had served as a reminder of, "how far I've come, how far I've yet to go." He explained that he'd set certain goals for himself when he'd been younger and that some had been realized, while others hadn't yet been achieved. Nina was curious what the photo had to do with that, but Valentin would only say that the photograph had had sentimental value. Nina accused Valentin of being mysterious again because he would drop a hint about himself then pull back. She warned him that it no longer worked for her.
Valentin apologized and admitted that he didn't trust easily. Nina understood his hesitation, but she warned him that he'd eventually have to take a leap of faith if he hoped to pursue a relationship with her. Nina refused to be the only one to take risks when everyone had advised her not to get involved with him. Valentin acknowledged that he'd spent his life keeping people at a distance, but he realized it might be time to make an exception for her. Nina smiled because she was flattered that he'd trust her, so she once again asked him about the photograph.
Valentin reluctantly revealed that he'd once let a woman see the real him, but she had made him pay a steep price for the folly. Valentin admitted that he hadn't trusted anyone since -- until his daughter. Nina assured Valentin there was hope because if he'd let Charlotte in, then he might be ready to let someone else in. Nina shifted gears and told him that she had to get to work on her brother's wedding, but she'd stay long enough to help him find the picture. Valentin assured her that it wasn't necessary because someone had removed it from the box. Nina suggested that Charlotte had taken it, but Valentin suspected another culprit.
At Metro Court Restaurant, Anna sat a table and looked at the picture of herself that Emma had taken from Wyndemere. Laura walked up and smiled when she saw the old photograph. "Oh, God bless the eighties," Laura said and greeted Anna. Laura sat down as Anna chuckled and reminded Laura of the shoulder pad fad. Laura cringed and laughed when Anna blamed the awful fashion trends on the effects of lots of hair spay. Laura agreed and admitted that she'd hoped to run into Anna to discuss Valentin.
Anna admitted that Valentin had been cordial over the holiday, but Laura warned Anna that Valentin had been playing mind games with both Anna and Laura's families. Laura insisted that it was time to neutralize Valentin. Anna was curious if Laura meant by any means necessary and implored Laura to wait because Anna had been working with the WSB to build a case against Valentin. Laura wondered if Anna had found anything, but Anna shook her head and admitted that it would take time. Laura explained that she didn't have the luxury of time because Valentin had murdered her son and was raising her granddaughter. Laura warned Anna that Lulu would fight with everything she had to get Charlotte away from Valentin, and Laura worried what Lulu would do if the court ruled against her.
Alarmed, Anna reminded Laura that Lulu could risk losing all access to Charlotte if she tried to flee with Charlotte. Laura assured Anna that it would not happen because Laura would kill Valentin first. Anna knew Laura meant it and conceded that Laura had the right to sacrifice herself for the sake of Lulu and Charlotte, but Anna hoped that it wouldn't be necessary because the legal means would prevail. Laura promised not to act in haste, but she made it clear that she would do whatever was necessary to protect her family. Laura was certain that Anna would do the same if Valentin had targeted Robin and Emma. Laura saw Lulu enter the restaurant and excused herself.
Moments later, Andre walked up and apologized for being late. He immediately noticed that Anna seemed rattled, but she pulled herself together and explained that she'd asked to see him to discuss Valentin. Anna showed Andre the picture that Valentin had kept in a box and revealed that it had been taken during her training days at the WSB. However, she added that there hadn't been any record of Valentin -- or his aliases -- at the WSB when the picture had been taken. Anna insisted that the picture proved that Valentin had been at the WSB, but Andre disagreed because it was possible that one of Anna's classmates or a professor had provided Valentin with the picture.
Anna disagreed because Valentin enjoyed provoking her and watched her closely for a reaction, which indicated that it was personal. Anna told Andre about the brief flashback she'd had of walking down a hall and hearing someone whistle the same melody that Valentin had taught Charlotte. Andre reminded Anna that the WSB training had been intense, and it was possible that her memory had been skewered, but Anna shook her head. She was determined to follow the memory because she was certain that all the answers would tumble out when she opened the door at the end of the corridor. Andre was surprised when Anna asked him to help her unlock the past with hypnosis therapy.
Nearby, Laura asked about Olivia's visit with Rocco and Rocco's new puppy, Yankee. Laura was thrilled that she'd seen Rocco's face when he'd been given his special Christmas present, and she was amused that her grandson had named the puppy after his favorite sports team. Lulu assured Laura that Dante had helped name the puppy. Lulu's smile faltered as she admitted that the only thing missing on Christmas had been her daughter, Charlotte. The conversation quickly turned to Lulu's determination to gain full custody of her daughter.
Laura admitted that Scott had referred her to a top custody attorney. Lulu was pleased because she was confident that she had a solid case against Valentin, but Laura admitted that it might not be as easy as Lulu believed because Charlotte was old enough to have a say in the matter. Laura reminded Lulu that Charlotte had no idea that Lulu was her mother and advised Lulu to proceed with caution by agreeing to joint custody to give Charlotte time to get to know Lulu and to lull Valentin into a false sense of security.
Lulu objected, but Laura assured Lulu that it would buy Anna time to build a case against Valentin because it would provide Lulu with a perfect opportunity to strike. Lulu explained that it wasn't just about getting custody of Charlotte -- she genuinely believed that Valentin was a danger to Charlotte. Laura agreed that it was time for Lulu to talk to the attorney. Lulu was surprised that her mother had given in so easily, but Laura explained that she had Lulu's back regardless.
At Kelly's, Curtis joined Jason and Sam for coffee. Jason told Curtis that he'd filled Sam in about Winston Rudge. Curtis was curious about Sam's take on things, so she suggested that if Julian was truly the prime suspect, then Jason and Curtis should take a close look at Ava, since Sam's aunt had worked closely with Julian. Jason and Curtis exchanged a look before Jason admitted that Julian might have been set up. Jason and Curtis admitted that it didn't make sense for Julian to use his own van on the night the bomb had been planted. Curtis also questioned why Julian would leave the van in a public parking lot when it could easily be traced back to him.
Jason suspected that whoever had planted the bomb had intentionally used the van because they had wanted it to be found. Curtis was certain that the person had wanted Julian to look guilty. Sam wondered who would frame Julian. Curtis didn't have an answer, but he hadn't ruled anyone out. Curtis noticed the time and announced that he had to leave to take care of something that he and Jason had discussed earlier.
After Curtis left, Sam questioned Jason about who had planted the bomb in her father's car. Jason reminded Sam that Sonny had been in control of Port Charles for over twenty years, but Julian had managed to get a toehold in the territory. Sam realized that the only way for someone to seize power in Port Charles was to eliminate both Julian and Sonny. Jason agreed, which meant that the person who had planted the bomb likely had hoped that Sonny would kill Julian and then be arrested for Julian's murder. "Two birds, one stone," Jason added.
Sam offered to look into Winston Rudge's background. Jason thanked her just as Lucas entered the diner and Jason's phone rang. As Sam greeted her brother, Jason answered his phone. It was Curtis reporting that Winston had closed up shop and had taken the day off. Jason realized that it was a perfect time to snoop around at the shop and quickly ended the call. Jason told Sam that he had some work to do, and he left.
Sam and Lucas sat down and talked about their father's accident. Sam admitted that she'd visited Julian, but it hadn't gone well. Lucas let her steer the conversation away from Julian by chatting about their New Year's Eve plans. However, the conversation returned to Julian when Sam asked when Lucas and Brad planned to have children. Lucas admitted that he didn't want to start a family because he knew their father would want to be involved in his grandchild's life, and Lucas wanted no part of it. Sam decided to show Lucas why he wanted a child by showing him pictures of Danny, but the photograph she pulled up was of the bag that Jason had recovered as evidence in the bombing.
Sam apologized and claimed that it was evidence on a case she'd been investigating, but Lucas advised her to tell her client to hire a new translator because the "Good Taste" logo wasn't close to what the Chinese symbols said. Surprised, Sam asked Lucas to translate the Chinese symbols on the bag. Lucas reminded her that he wasn't proficient in Chinese, but he was able to discern that the symbols read, "reincarnation."
In an office, Winston Rudge reported to his boss that Julian no longer resided at the apartment. Winston explained that Julian had decided to convalesce at Alexis' house and it was possible that Julian and his ex-wife were lovers again. Winston acknowledged that Julian's close proximity to Alexis was a problem, and Julian needed to be put in line before Julian got any notions about subverting their plan. Winston added that Julian needed to understand that there were consequences to any disobedience, but he assured his boss that they would not resort to violence because they had other means to put Julian back in line.
In Alexis' bed, Alexis groaned with pleasure as Julian gently caressed her arm. She rolled toward him and softly told him that it felt good. She opened her eyes, which rounded with horror as she saw him looming over her. "Much better than a hangover, right?" Julian asked with a smirk.
Alexis suddenly bolted up in bed and breathed heavily as she looked around to make certain that it had been a dream and that she was alone. Moments later, her eyes landed on a bottle of alcohol as she heard Julian call up from the living room to tell her that it was time to wake up. Alexis grabbed the bottle and took a generous drink.
A short time later, Alexis entered the living room and fetched her phone to check her messages. Julian was relieved to see her, but she resented having to clock in with him after he'd ruined her life and blackmailed her. Julian admitted that he was worried about her, but she scoffed and told him that she'd wished he'd been worried about her when he'd held a knife to her throat and had threatened to kill her. Julian conceded that she had reason to doubt him, but Alexis laughed and sarcastically thanked him for validating her outrage. Julian warned Alexis that her loved ones would be concerned if they knew the extent of her drinking, but Alexis' temper flared as she blamed him for driving her to drink.
Julian reminded Alexis that he was the only person who knew how terrified she was that she wouldn't get back to where she had once been. He acknowledged that he'd put her in that position, but he warned her that drinking wouldn't get her out of it. He invited her to talk to him. Alexis was furious and confronted him about his criminal activity, but Julian denied that he'd been doing anything illegal. Alexis' anger mounted when Julian insisted that he loved her. Julian reminded Alexis that she had kissed him the previous night, but she downplayed the kiss by claiming that it had simply been a taste of his own medicine.
Julian wished that he could make Alexis understand, but she was tired of him acting like he was on the verge of telling her something profound and then saying nothing. She told him to spit it out if he had something to say. Julian started to speak, but the doorbell rang. Infuriated, Alexis told him that the bombshell would have to wait and ordered him to hide. "The bombshell is that I'm protecting you and the kids," Julian muttered to himself as Alexis went to the door. It was Winston.
Winston asked to talk to Julian, but Alexis asked if Winston worked for Julian. Winston clarified that he and Julian worked together as Julian stepped out of hiding. Annoyed, Alexis invited Winston in, so he turned on the charm as he tried to ascertain if Julian and Alexis had rekindled things. Alexis made it clear that she was Julian's ex-wife and gladly left when Winston asked to have a private word with Julian. Winston warned Julian that their boss was not happy that Julian had neglected to report that he'd moved in with Alexis. Julian claimed that there hadn't been time, but Winston didn't believe him and showed Julian security footage from the night Alexis had run Julian down with her car and fled the scene.
Winston warned Julian that the evidence against Alexis would be turned over to the authorities if Julian failed to hold up his end the bargain. Alexis appeared at the top of the stairs but stopped and hid in a dark corner when she heard Julian respond to Winston's threat. Julian insisted that he was still very much in love with his wife and warned Winston not to hurt her. Winston assured Julian that it wouldn't be necessary because Julian would make certain of it. After Winston let himself out, Alexis stormed into the living room and demanded to know what was going on.
Julian claimed that Alexis had misunderstood the conversation and suggested that the alcohol she'd consumed was to blame. Alexis wanted to know if he'd been conducting business under her roof, but he denied it. Alexis didn't believe him because she noticed that he seemed tense. Julian tried to deflect by suggesting her concern indicated that she still cared about him. The ploy worked. She told him not to flatter himself and marched into the kitchen.
Outside, Curtis watched from his car as Winston knocked on Alexis' door and Alexis invited him inside. Curtis questioned the association, but he became distracted when he heard a report on a police scanner of a break-in at the pawnshop's address. Curtis realized that Jason was in trouble and quickly called to warn him.
At the pawnshop, someone watched on a monitor as Jason broke into the shop and looked around. Moments later, Curtis called to let Jason know that the police were on their way to the shop.
A short time later, Jason and Curtis returned to Kelly's. Jason revealed that he'd almost been caught by the police, but Curtis had given him the heads-up that the police had been tipped off. Jason questioned how anyone had known because he hadn't tripped the alarm. Curtis didn't know, but he'd been able to send the police on another call by reporting a sighting of a clown up to questionable activity a few blocks over. Jason showed Sam the model ship he'd taken from the pawnshop. Sam immediately recognized the lettering on the ship and revealed that it translated to "reincarnation."
Sam and Jason were surprised when Curtis revealed that he'd followed Winston to Alexis' house.
At the pawnshop, a police officer asked if the burglar had stolen anything. Winston looked at where he'd kept the model ship, but he told the police officer that nothing had been taken. After the police officer left, Winston went to the office to inform his boss that the model ship had been taken. Winston added that they had more important matters to attend to because Jason Morgan needed to be dealt with.
At Metro Court, Maxie practiced her wedding vows while she paced the hotel suite's floor. Moments later, Felicia arrived to check on her daughter. Maxie admitted that she hadn't slept well because her stuffy head had gotten worse, and her throat felt like Velcro. Maxie sneezed and crawled back into bed as Lulu knocked on the door. Lulu had a bag filled with daytime and nighttime cold medicines, cough drops, and tissues. Grateful, Maxie took a tissue as Lulu warned Maxie that the green pill was nighttime medication. Maxie grumbled that her cold had ruined her wedding night, but Lulu urged Maxie to think of Nathan standing at the altar.
Maxie sneezed, so Lulu suggested that Maxie consider postponing the wedding. Maxie refused because she wanted to marry Nathan on the three-year anniversary of the night they had met. Felicia went to check if a special guest had arrived and smiled when she glanced down the hallway. "Thank goodness there's a doctor in the house," Robin said as she appeared in the doorway. Delighted, Maxie ran to her cousin and hugged Robin. Robin quickly examined Maxie and determined that Maxie didn't have a fever, but she regretfully warned Maxie that the worst might not be over.
Maxie refused to let anything stop her from marrying Nathan and sneezed into a tissue. As Maxie mustered up the strength to get ready, Lulu and Robin talked about Charlotte. Lulu revealed that she intended to petition for full custody of her daughter. Robin applauded the decision and was confident that Lulu would prevail in court, since Valentin had no one on his side. Moments later, Nina knocked on the door. Lulu wasn't pleased to see her, but Nina reminded Lulu that Nina was the groom's sister. Maxie happily greeted her future sister-in-law then returned to her wedding preparations. Nina asked for a private word with Lulu, so the two women stepped into the hallway.
Nina explained that she wanted to be forthcoming and revealed that Valentin would be attending the wedding as Nina's date. Lulu was livid. Meanwhile, Felicia asked if Maxie had second thoughts about marrying Nathan, but Maxie shook her head and promised her mother that she loved Nathan with all her heart.
Later, Maxie panicked when she realized that she didn't have shoes to wear. Lulu went in search of Nina, but she ran into Nina in the hallway as Nina returned with a pair of designer shoes. Lulu took the shoes and muttered that the day would have been perfect if Nina hadn't invited Valentin. Nina reminded Lulu that they had already discussed it, but Lulu argued that Valentin was a murderer, and she refused to let him raise her daughter. Nina assured Lulu that Valentin was a wonderful father, and Charlotte loved "us." "Us?" Lulu asked.
Lulu made it clear that she would not let her daughter be a consolation prize because Nina was unable to have children of her own. Lulu warned Nina to stay out of the custody dispute, but Nina insisted that Lulu didn't deserve Charlotte. Outraged, Lulu blasted Nina and made it clear that she would successfully fight for sole custody of her daughter, and there was nothing that Valentin or Nina could do to stop it. "We'll see about that," Nina goaded. Lulu demanded to know what Nina meant, but Felicia and Robin rounded the corner and quickly reminded both women that it was Maxie's day.
Lulu suggested that Nina tell everyone who Nina had invited as a guest. Felicia decided to separate Lulu and Nina by sending Lulu into the suite to help Maxie, while Felicia dragged Nina with her to check on the wedding preparations. Moments later, Lulu entered the suite and found Maxie passed out after taking the nighttime cold medicine.
Meanwhile, Nathan woke up in his hotel suite as Dante -- sporting a tuxedo and carrying two boutonnières -- entered. Dante was surprised that Nathan had slept in on his wedding day, but Nathan suspected that his recent sleepless nights had caught up with him. Concerned, Dante asked if Nathan was okay. Nathan wondered if Dante had ever woken up from a dream with a sense that something important might happen. Dante chuckled and reminded his friend that it was Nathan's wedding day, but Nathan explained that it was different -- he sensed something would keep him from marrying Maxie.
A short time later, Mac arrived and promptly turned Maxie's wedding ring over to Dante. After Dante tucked it away, Mac pulled out a flask and poured three drinks to make a toast. The men took a drink then helped Nathan get dressed. Nathan assured Mac that he loved Maxie more than anything and thanked both Mac and Felicia for welcoming him into their family. Mac admitted that he'd had a good feeling about Nathan from the very beginning. Later, a wedding photographer snapped pictures of the men as they hammed it up for the camera. Mac sensed that Nathan was troubled, but Dante assured both Mac and Nathan that everything would be fine.
Later, Nathan's phone rang. After a brief exchange with the caller, Nathan ended the call and announced that his wedding to Maxie was off.
At Metro Court Restaurant, Dillon offered to pay the tab for the drinks, but Tracy became suspicious and asked if she should brace herself for bad news. Dillon admitted that he would not be around for New Year's Eve because he intended to go to Los Angeles to look for a job. Stunned, Tracy reminded him that he had a wonderful career at Crimson. Dillon agreed, but he reminded his mother that he'd never intended to become a fashion photographer. He pointed out that he'd gone to school to become a film director because it was his passion, and he had a story to tell.
Tracy was certain that Dillon was running from Kiki. Dillon insisted that it was about his career, but Tracy laughed because she doubted that Dillon would actually leave. Frustrated, Dillon watched helplessly as Tracy stood up and left.
In Hayden's hospital room, Hayden opened her eyes and saw the cactus decorated with a colorful garland of paperclips. Her gaze drifted to the chair where Finn slept. She called out to him until he opened his eyes and sat up. Finn rushed to her side and asked if she'd experienced any side effects. Hayden admitted that she was groggy and had a slight headache. Finn jotted down some notes, but Hayden was curious if he'd taken the serum. Finn carefully told her that Brad had been able to synthesize the serum, and Finn was on the road to recovery. Relieved, Hayden playfully scolded him for sleeping in a chair.
Finn was unapologetic because he'd been concerned about Hayden. Hayden was thrilled that Finn had managed to find a cure for an incurable illness because he deserved the accolades. She was also certain that his wife, Reiko, would be proud. A short time later, Tracy arrived to check on Hayden. Tracy was pleased that Hayden was on the mend, but Tracy questioned why Finn seemed sweaty in the middle of winter.
Hayden explained that Finn had slept in the chair and hadn't changed clothes in three days. Tracy agreed that it was time for Finn to freshen up with a shower, a change of clothes, and something to eat. Finn reluctantly agreed and left, but he stopped in the hallway to catch his breath as a wave of weakness washed over him.
A short time later, Finn returned to Hayden's hospital room. Hayden and Tracy were impressed with how well he'd cleaned up. Finn appreciated the compliments and smiled at Hayden. Tracy decided to give the couple some privacy, but first she told Finn that Monica had agreed that he was an asset to the hospital and deserved to have his job back. Tracy smiled and added that Finn had finally found his place in life -- at General Hospital.
Finn and Hayden celebrated Finn's good fortune with a passionate kiss. Hayden admitted that she had a feeling that 2017 would be a good year. "It could be," Finn replied.
At Kelly's, Kiki glanced at a text message confirming her appointment for January 2. She put her phone down when her mother entered the diner and greeted Ava. Ava admitted that she'd missed Kiki during the trip to New York City because Christmas hadn't been the same without Kiki. However, Ava let her daughter know that Delia had sent her love. Ava added that she'd picked something up for Kiki and handed her a bag filled with Kiki's favorite New York-style bagels. Ava smiled and admitted that she was glad that she and Kiki had started to repair their mother/daughter relationship.
Ava acknowledged that it had meant a lot to her that Kiki had spent Christmas Eve with her. Kiki admitted that she had felt the same. Pleased, Ava wondered if Kiki would be interested in spending New Year's Eve together, but Kiki turned her mother down because Kiki had plans to work on building her career. Ava was impressed and asked who was responsible for Kiki's new drive. Kiki smiled and told her mother that she had to go. Ava was delighted that Kiki was getting out and told her daughter to have fun on New Year's Eve.
Kiki hugged her mother and told Ava that she loved her. After Ava left, Kiki made a call to confirm that she was ready to go.
Later, Kiki boarded a bus, but she stopped short when she saw Dillon seated at the back. They exchanged stilted greetings before Kiki sat in a seat a few rows away from Dillon. After several minutes, Dillon picked up his things and sat next to Kiki. Kiki realized that it was pointless to ignore him and asked where he was headed. Dillon told her about his plans to spend New Year's Eve with a friend and revealed that he'd intended to fly to Los Angeles, but all the flights had been canceled. Kiki told Dillon that she had a job interview in Los Angeles. Dillon realized that he made her uncomfortable and offered to get off at the next stop, but the bus driver announced that the next stop was five hours away in Detroit.
At Nelle's apartment, Nelle looked at a silver baby rattle that had the name "Caroline" engraved on it. Nelle thought about how she had drugged Sonny and climbed into bed with him, but she pushed the memory away to study the rattle. "Are you ever sorry, Caroline?" Nelle asked. Nelle shook off the dark thoughts and quickly returned the rattle to her music box when Carly knocked on the door and called out to Nelle. After Nelle slid the box under the sofa, she answered the door.
Carly explained that she had stopped by because Sonny had told Carly the truth. Nelle tensed until Carly added that she knew that Nelle, not Sonny, had bought the gloves for Carly. Carly was touched by the gift and thanked Nelle. Carly admitted that she'd known the gift hadn't been from Sonny because he always bought her jewelry or a car. Nelle claimed that she'd done it because she had hoped it would help Sonny and Carly get back together. Carly was pleased that Nelle cared as much about Carly's family as they cared about Nelle.
Nelle's phone chimed to remind her that it was time to take a blood pressure pill. Nelle explained that it was one of the complications from the kidney surgery. Carly felt bad because she hated knowing that Nelle had ongoing health issues. Carly assured Nelle that she was grateful for all Nelle had done and offered to let Nelle get back to her New Year's Eve plans, but Nelle admitted that she had none. However, Nelle conceded that she had made a New Year's resolution that she intended to keep. Carly was curious what it was, but Nelle didn't want to "jinx it." Carly perked up when Nelle added that Carly would soon find out.
At Greystone Manor, Bobbie and Michael arrived to pick up Avery. After Bobbie greeted Sonny, she went to the nursery to check on Avery and to give the little girl a present. Sonny thanked Michael for fetching his sister daily to take her to the park, since Sonny was confined to the house with an ankle monitor. Michael assured Sonny that it wasn't a problem, but he became distracted when he received a text message. Sonny assumed that it had something to do with ELQ, but Michael admitted that he'd been trying to make last-minute New Year's Eve plans with Nelle. Sonny was surprised because he thought Michael and Nelle were just friends.
Bobbie appeared at the top of the stairs as Sonny warned Michael that it would be a mistake to get involved with Nelle. Bobbie entered the living room and asked if there was a problem. Sonny insisted that Michael was still grieving, which might cloud his judgment about women, but Michael assured both Bobbie and Sonny that he and Nelle were just friends. Michael promised to keep what Sonny had said in mind, and he left. Bobbie wondered if Sonny had misgivings about Nelle, but Sonny shook his head and told Bobbie that he was just protective.
A short time later, Carly arrived and was happy to run into her mother. Carly explained that she had stopped by to spend time with Avery and had arranged for the restaurant to send over dinner. Bobbie explained that Avery was asleep, but Bobbie expected the toddler to wake up soon. Carly turned to Sonny and admitted that she'd had a wonderful time celebrating Christmas with him. However, Carly's eyes quickly filled with tears as she thought about Morgan and realized that Avery might not remember her brother. Bobbie offered to leave, but Carly assured her mother that it wasn't necessary.
Bobbie offered to fetch tissues, so Carly sent her mother to Sonny's bedroom. After Bobbie disappeared upstairs, Carly and Sonny sat on the sofa as they acknowledged that they were in the place where they'd last seen their son alive. Sonny realized that he couldn't bring Morgan back, but he promised that Avery would always know how much Morgan had loved her.
In the hallway, Bobbie stopped and opened her fist to look at the pill she'd found. She closed her fist and returned to the living room to give Carly a tissue. After Bobbie collected her coat and left, she stopped on Sonny's front porch to look at the pill again.
Inside, Sonny and Carly talked about their New Year's Eve plans. Sonny pointed out that he had to stay home to watch the ball drop in Times Square. He admitted that it didn't bother him because crowds were no longer his thing. Carly's smile was bittersweet because she knew that Morgan would have loved being in Times Square.
After Carly checked on Avery and put her back to sleep, she returned to the living room to let Sonny know that she had to go. Sonny seized the opportunity to apologize to her about the mix-up with Nelle's present. Carly assured him that it was fine, but Sonny revealed that he had picked up a present for Carly. He retrieved it from under the tree and gave it to her. Carly was touched when she tore open the present and saw that it was a floral bloom that had been preserved in a framed picture. Sonny reminded Carly that the flowers had been in bloom outside the church the first time they'd been married.
Carly and Sonny reminisced about their first wedding and the vows they'd made. Carly was moved by the gift, but she pulled herself together and explained that she had to go help supervise a party at the hotel. Sonny asked Carly to let Olivia handle things, but Carly admitted that she didn't want to be alone on New Year's Eve. Sonny told her that she didn't have to be because she could spend the evening with him.
At Nelle's apartment, Nelle looked at the baby rattle as she noted that it had been Carly's first Christmas gift. Nelle doubted that Carly would remember because she'd tossed it aside like everything else in life. A short time later, Michael called to ask Nelle out, but she declined.
After Nelle ended the call, someone knocked on the door. It was Bobbie. Bobbie greeted Nelle then held out her hand to show Nelle the pill. Bobbie was curious what Nelle's medication had been doing in Sonny's bedroom.
On a bus bound for Los Angeles, Kiki was stunned when the bus driver announced that the next stop would be in five hours. Dillon advised her to ignore him if it would help, but Kiki grumbled that she wouldn't have been on the bus if she'd been able to ignore Dillon. Surprised, Dillon asked if she'd left Port Charles because of him. "You. Valerie," Kiki reluctantly admitted. Dillon was curious why Kiki had a problem with Valerie, so Kiki explained that Valerie seemed cool and was a police officer. However, Kiki couldn't stand the thought of seeing him and Valerie together, especially when she'd heard Dillon talking about his night with Valerie.
Dillon smiled with understanding and admitted that he and Valerie had spent the night talking about how much relationships sucked. He assured Kiki that he and Valerie were just friends. Embarrassed, Kiki quietly admitted that she'd left town because of him. Dillon smiled and confessed that he'd been headed to California because of her. Kiki and Dillon decided the only thing for them to do was toast. Kiki pulled a bottle of wine out and opened it. "To fate," Kiki proposed. After they wished each other a happy New Year and sipped their drinks, Dillon kissed Kiki.
At Nelle's apartment, Bobbie questioned Nelle about the pill that Bobbie had found in Sonny's bedroom. Bobbie explained that nurses were familiar with pills used to regulate a person's blood pressure, which was especially helpful when someone had only one kidney. Nelle conceded that the pill was hers, but she claimed that she'd dropped a bottle of her blood pressure pills in Sonny's bedroom on the day Nelle had picked up Carly's clothes for Morgan's funeral. Nelle added that she had thought that she had picked up all the tablets, but Bobbie was skeptical because she couldn't imagine a pill laying around for over a month when Sonny had a full-time maid.
Nelle became defensive and accused Bobbie of constantly questioning Nelle's motives and expecting the worst from her. Nelle knew Bobbie had a problem with her, and there was nothing that Nelle could do to fix it. Bobbie agreed, but she offered to keep an open mind then switched gears to ask about Nelle's relationship with Michael. Nelle admitted that she liked Michael because he was a great guy, but she insisted they were just friends and added that she'd turned down Michael's offer to spend the evening together. Bobbie was pleased and told her it had been a step in the right direction.
Bobbie acknowledged that she could be a hard person, but she explained that she had to be tough because people tried to take advantage of Carly and her children when they saw what they had. Bobbie realized that Nelle had no idea what it meant to be a Spencer, but Bobbie explained that she would not let anyone or anything hurt her daughter or Carly's family. Bobbie wished Nelle a happy New Year and left. A short time later, Nelle called Michael to let him know that she'd changed her mind about spending the evening at home alone.
At Greystone Manor, Sonny invited Carly to spend the evening with him, celebrating the New Year. Carly conceded that she had loved spending Christmas with him, but she declined to stay for New Year's Eve. Sonny sensed her indecision and confessed that he needed the company because it would be difficult ringing in the new year without Morgan. He implored Carly to at least try, but she didn't know how because she was still waiting for the pain of losing a child to ebb.
Carly recalled the previous year when they'd been filled with hope because Sonny had felt the first stirrings of movement in his paralyzed legs. Sonny assured his wife that hope hadn't died with their son because Christmas had given him a brief glimmer of it. Carly desperately wanted to feel that hope, but losing Morgan had taught her that she had to be realistic about the life that Sonny led and the danger it presented -- not just to him, but also their entire family. Carly pointed out that as far as she could see, nothing had changed. "Has it?" Carly asked.
Sonny reminded Carly that he'd called off the hit, but Carly argued that it had practically taken "an act of God" to get Sonny to do it. Sonny asked Carly to give them a chance to stand together because he loved her. Carly hated the idea of a life without Sonny, but she couldn't risk losing another person she cared about. Sonny watched as Carly walked out.
At Metro Court, Lulu desperately tried to wake Maxie up, but Maxie remained sound asleep. Robin entered the room and immediately became concerned when she saw her cousin. Lulu explained that Maxie had taken the nighttime cold medicine and fallen asleep. Robin instructed Lulu to get Maxie into the shower and only turn on the cold water. Meanwhile, Robin fetched some hot coffee.
A short time later, a screeching and wet Maxie ran out of the bathroom. Lulu followed and explained that it had been necessary to drench Maxie in cold water to wake the bride up. Maxie pulled her robe tighter and flopped on the bed as Robin returned with coffee. Robin handed Maxie a cup of hot coffee while Lulu fetched Maxie's wedding dress and dropped it on Maxie's lap. Maxie smiled at the beautiful gown until she suddenly sneezed and splashed coffee on the dress's bodice. Lulu jumped up to get some club soda to blot the stain, but Robin was concerned about Maxie's fever and asked if Maxie had had a flu shot.
Maxie admitted that she hadn't had time, so Robin tucked Maxie under the covers and informed her cousin that Maxie was too sick to get married. Lulu agreed with Robin.
In Nathan's hotel room, Nathan announced that his wedding was off. Alarmed, Dante asked what was going on. Nathan revealed that Claudette's mother had called to tell him that she'd been looking through Claudette's things in the hopes of finding something that might help her find Claudette, but Claudette's mother had discovered Nathan's divorce papers, which had been unsigned and not filed. Nathan explained that he was still legally married to Claudette and showed Dante the photograph on his phone of the document Claudette's mother had sent. Dante was curious why Nathan had never questioned why he hadn't received the finalized documents in the mail, but Nathan pointed out that he'd never been divorced before.
A short time later, Nathan knocked on Maxie's hotel room door. Robin and Lulu hustled Dante out to give Maxie privacy to let Nathan know that she was too sick to get married. Nathan assured Maxie that it was fine, but he revealed that he had bad news too. Maxie was stunned when he told her that he was still legally married to Claudette. Maxie's disbelief quickly turned to anger because she was certain that Claudette had intentionally withheld the information to use it to her own advantage. Nathan assured Maxie that he fully intended to spend the rest of his life with Maxie and vowed that no one would stop him because he loved her.
Nathan noticed that it was almost midnight. Maxie smiled as she assured him that nothing would stop her from ringing in the year with a New Year's Eve kiss. Nathan slipped into the other room to fetch them something to drink, but Maxie was sound asleep when he returned. Nathan crawled between the covers with Maxie, kissed her gently on the cheek, and then held her in his arms.
In Nathan's hotel room, Dante sensed that something other than Maxie's postponed wedding was on Lulu's mind. Lulu told him about her conversation with Laura about Charlotte. Dante wasn't surprised when Lulu confessed that she'd decided to go for full custody. Lulu admitted that she didn't want Valentin to be a part of Charlotte's life. Dante assured Lulu that she had his full support. Lulu was pleasantly surprised because she had expected him to raise some objections, but he insisted that they had to do what was best for Charlotte.
Dante asked Lulu to trust that they were a team and promised that a judge would readily rule in their favor because Valentin couldn't prove that he could provide Charlotte with a good home. Lulu smiled and kissed Dante. Later, they entered the hotel's restaurant to celebrate New Year's Eve and toast to their daughter.
Elsewhere in the restaurant, Valentin showered Nina with compliments. She beamed with happiness, but her smile quickly faded when she mentioned that she'd had a run-in with Lulu. Valentin was curious what had happened, so Nina told him that Lulu intended to get Charlotte all to herself as Nina had warned. Valentin revealed that he'd already been aware of Lulu's plans, but Nina wondered what grounds Lulu had to take Charlotte away from a devoted father like Valentin. Valentin explained that he'd traveled extensively throughout his life, he was single, and he didn't have a support system. However, he assured Nina that he didn't intend to go down without a fight.
Across town, Jason and Sam entered the church as Lucy practiced the wedding ceremony she would perform for Nathan and Maxie. Lucy concluded the ceremony by inviting the wedding couple to kiss and seal their union. Jason and Sam smiled then kissed. Lucy heard them and turned to warmly greet them. As they chatted, Robin entered the church to let everyone know that the wedding had been postponed because the bride was sick with the flu. Sam was disappointed for Maxie, while Lucy asked if there was anything she could do to help. Robin put Lucy to work spreading the word and posting a sign at the door about the canceled wedding.
After Lucy left, Robin congratulated Jason and Sam on the addition to their family. Jason asked if Patrick was in town, but Robin shook her head and explained that he'd been stuck at work. Jason and Sam invited Robin to join them at Metro Court Restaurant, so she agreed to meet them after she made a quick stop along the way.
A short time later, Robin stopped by to check on Sonny. Sonny happily greeted his friend and invited her inside. Robin was proud of how Sonny had been handling Morgan's death, so he revealed that Jason had found proof that had exonerated Sonny from any wrongdoing in his son's death. Robin was relieved for Sonny's sake and asked about his family. Sonny conceded that he'd been working things out with his family, but Carly still couldn't trust him. Sonny didn't blame Carly, but Robin gave Sonny a pep talk and assured him that he and Carly would work things out.
At Metro Court Restaurant, Curtis saw Jordan, but he was uncertain if he should greet her or ignore her. Jordan smiled and wished him a happy New Year. She admitted that she was determined to let go of the things that had pulled her back in 2016, which included her contentious relationship with Curtis. Pleased, Curtis smiled and wished her a happy New Year. Their conversation quickly turned to Curtis' investigation as Jordan revealed that she had been pressured to get the evidence needed to send Sonny to jail for the rest of his life.
Jordan added that she'd been given the funds to hire Curtis as an outside investigator for the police department, but Curtis asked if there was a catch. Jordan sensed that he was upset about something and questioned why he'd have an issue with helping the police with a case he'd already been investigating. Curtis clarified that he'd been investigating who had planted the bomb and added that it wasn't a slam-dunk that Sonny had been behind it. Jordan asked if Curtis would rather work for Jason or the police. To her surprise, Curtis admitted that he didn't mind working with Jason.
Curtis decided that he and Jordan were done talking, but Andre walked up and asked for a moment of Curtis' time. Andre admitted that he regretted that he'd answered Jordan's phone and had acted like a jerk by not telling her about Curtis' call. Andre promised Curtis that it would not happen again. Curtis graciously accepted the apology and wished Andre a happy New Year.
After Curtis left, Jordan smiled at Andre. He looked at the necklace he'd given her and admitted that he loved it on her almost as much as he loved her. Jordan softly told Andre that she loved him too.
Nearby, Carly greeted Michael and Nelle, but Nelle was curious why Carly wasn't at home with Sonny. Carly explained that she had to work and quickly excused herself before Michael could question her further.
Meanwhile, Jason and Sam arrived and greeted Carly. Jason stepped away to make a phone call, while Sam asked where Sonny was. Carly explained that she had to keep her distance from Sonny because Carly couldn't risk anyone else she cared about getting hurt because of Sonny's business -- regardless of how much she loved him. Sam empathized because Sam knew what it was like to live with the fear that the man she loved might be snatched away at any moment. Sam explained that she had to live in the present because it was all they really had.
Sam wondered if Carly could do that with Sonny. Carly remained silent, so Sam advised Carly to focus on the night and cling to Sonny until the morning and whatever it might bring them.
At the church, Nina and Valentin were surprised that they were the first guests to arrive. Moments later, Lucy rounded the corner and quickly filled them in that the wedding had been canceled because Maxie was sick with the flu. Lucy advised Nina and Valentin to leave because the priest would be locking up within a few minutes.
After Lucy left, Nina asked if Valentin had meant what he'd said about doing anything to keep Charlotte. Valentin assured her that he had, so Nina smiled and asked Valentin to marry her because it would allow them to work together to fight for Charlotte. Moments later, the priest walked up to let Nina and Valentin know that it was time to leave. Nina asked if the priest would be willing to marry them right away, but the priest explained that they would need a marriage license. Valentin promised to take care of it and made a phone call to arrange for a marriage license to be dropped off within the hour.
The priest gave Nina and Valentin time to talk things over and stepped away. Nina admitted that her only regret was that she didn't have flowers. She smiled with joy when he plucked some flowers from a nearby pew and handed them to her. A few minutes later, Valentin and Nina stood before the priest and exchanged wedding vows. They each tied a white ribbon around the other's finger in lieu of a wedding ring.
At Greystone Manor, Carly ran into the living room just before the stroke of midnight. Carly wished Sonny a happy New Year then kissed him passionately.
Due to the extended New Year's holiday, ABC aired an encore presentation of a recent episode of General Hospital. This was a planned scheduling change and were will be no "lost" episodes as a result.
Regular programming resumed on Tuesday, January 3, 2017, and picked up where the Thursday, December 29, 2016 episode concluded.
Thank you for visiting soapcentral.com over the past 12 months and for sharing your love of all things soap. Here's wishing you a very happy year ahead.
