Preempted nationally
Due to the New Year's Day holiday, did not air. This was a planned preemption and no episodes were "lost" as a result of this preemption.
Regular programming resumed on Tuesday, January 2, and picked up where the Friday, December 29, episode concluded.
It was New Year's Eve, and Ava was sorry that she and Griffin couldn't spend it together. They talked on the phone, and Griffin told her that he thought good things would happen for them in the new year. After the call, Ava grabbed her coat and some New Year's party supplies and headed to Griffin at the hospital to ring in the new year.
On the deck of the Haunted Star, Sam and Jason shared a kiss in the midst of the fireworks. They pulled apart and looked at each other awkwardly. Jason offered to attempt to fix the engine, and Sam teased him about his skills. "So what's going on here?" Drew asked as he appeared on the deck. He glared at the couple. Sam explained what had happened after she'd cut off the engine while the ship had been on autopilot. "Why are you here?" Drew asked Jason.
Jason stated that he had thought he was meeting someone at the ship. Sam jumped in to say that she'd tried to call Drew but had not had any service. Drew added that he'd had car trouble, which he'd found peculiar. Suddenly, he realized that Carly had been behind it. Jason declared that he would speak to Carly. "Tell her to back off, or she's gonna create a real problem for you and I," Drew snapped.
Sam blamed herself. Jason announced that he would grab the boat that Drew had just arrived on. Drew accused Jason of knowing what Carly had planned and not being able to do anything for himself. Sam stated that Carly had no right to interfere, but she assured Drew that nothing had happened. Drew continued to glare.
Sam and Drew went inside. Sam insisted that Carly didn't run her life and that she took care of herself. Drew retorted that Carly didn't believe that. He was upset because he'd wanted to spend New Year's Eve with Sam. Suddenly, he spotted the dominoes and tequila on the bar and grew angry again. Sam reminded him that she and Jason had been stranded. Sam declared that they were living in a complicated situation, and she loved him. She likened herself to any widow who had lost her husband and fallen in love again, but Drew reminded her that she wasn't a widow. Jason was still there.
Sam clarified that her feelings for Drew remained the same, and she wanted to be with him. Drew only wanted her to be honest with herself, and he'd step aside if that was what Sam wanted. Sam told him that while Jason had made her who she was, she loved Drew and wanted to marry him. She added that Carly could do what she wanted, but nothing would change. Jason was no longer able to offer her the things that she wanted. Sam maintained that none of them was responsible for the situation, only for how they would all deal with it. She didn't want Drew to fight. They kissed and decided to try to fix the engine.
At General Hospital, Kiki and Griffin agreed that it had been difficult to keep a secret from Ava. As they gave each other a hug, Ava arrived and spotted them. She had been ready to celebrate but could see that Griffin had been busy, she said coldly. Kiki asked if her mother was okay. Angrily, Ava announced that she was not okay. Kiki informed her mother that she and Griffin had been discussing a patient, but Ava wondered why it had ended in a hug. Kiki was annoyed at Ava and told Ava she had a problem. She accused Ava of again trying to control her life, and she suggested that Ava seek help before she ruined more lives.
Kiki took off. Ava turned to Griffin and noted that she'd seen him "cozied up" to her daughter. Ava was not able to compete because she was imperfect. Griffin tried to assure her that there was no competition, but Ava ran out.
As everyone celebrated the arrival of the new year at the Metro Court, Sonny again asked Carly what she had done with Jason, Sam, and Drew. Nearby, Nina tried unsuccessfully to reach Valentin on the phone. Unsuccessful, she wandered over to Sonny and Carly and asked them to give Valentin a message if they saw him. She had something to do. They agreed.
In the meantime, Carly was annoyed that Sonny refused to "let it go." Reluctantly, she told him that she'd lied to Jason about meeting Sonny on the Haunted Star and had arranged to have Drew's car tampered with. It had been a "special case," she claimed. Sonny assured her that things wouldn't end well. While he agreed that Sam should be with Jason, it was all up to Jason to settle.
Carly only wanted Jason to be happy, especially after he'd lost his family and five years of his life. Sonny understood but was adamant that it wasn't up to Carly, who insisted that Jason wouldn't do anything for himself. Sonny advised her that she'd have to live with it.
Michael arrived and advised his parents that Nelle and the baby were doing well. Nelle had been diagnosed with low blood pressure. Carly admitted that that would have caused dizziness, but she advised Michael to keep his eyes open. She would never trust Nelle. Jason arrived, and Carly was clearly disappointed.
Sonny grabbed Michael and walked away in order for Jason and Carly to talk. Carly asked Jason how mad he was at her. Jason shook his head. He said he wasn't mad and that he would always love Sam, but he wanted Sam to be happy. She was happy with Drew. He added that it hurt Sam when he was with her, and he couldn't be the one to cause her pain. He ordered Carly to stop.
Michael informed Sonny that he only wanted to make sure that Nelle's child was okay, and he hoped to be half the father that Sonny had been to him. Sonny had no doubt that Michael would be even better.
Nina arrived at General Hospital and, spotting Kiki, asked whether any unconscious accident victims had shown up at the hospital. Kiki did some checking and advised her that there were none. Kiki spoke to Dillon on the phone. He convinced her to meet up with him and provided a ticket to meet him halfway between Port Charles and California. Kiki looked forward to her trip to Omaha.
Alone with Cassandra at Anna's house, Finn demanded to know where Anna had gone. Cassandra replied that Anna was "indisposed," but they had unfinished business to take care of. She had sent Anna on an errand. Finn refused to speak to Cassandra until he knew about Anna, and he asked repeatedly. Each time, he grew louder and angrier. Finally, Cassandra lost her temper and told Finn that he had one choice. "Either do what I say, or you die," she told him. She smashed her filled glass against the fireplace.
Cassandra had a plan, and the lovebirds would disappear. She would send a note to the hospital, allegedly from Anna, that would say that Anna and Finn had run away. Cassandra planned on disposing of Anna, and Cassandra and Finn would take care of Cassandra's business in China. Finn pleaded for Cassandra to leave Anna out of it. He pointed out that Anna had a daughter and grandchildren. Cassandra's interest was piqued. She asked where they were because she would love to meet them.
Finn really thought that Cassandra had to get over losing, and he promised that the WSB would be after her. Cassandra looked at her reflection in her compact mirror as Finn spoke. She announced that she had something to make Finn relax. She walked toward him and blew a powder from the compact into his face. She told him it was only the beginning.
As Finn staggered and lost control of his faculties, Cassandra explained that she had given him a concentrate of opiates that she had been manufacturing. "Just enough to whet your appetite," Cassandra purred. She would pay him in opiates to work on her new drug. In fact, she had some left over, as she hadn't given Finn a lethal dose. She thought she might be able to give it to Anna. Finn mustered as much strength as he could and leaped at Cassandra, screaming loudly.
Anna and Valentin sat back to back and bound. Eric advised them that they would both be dead in an hour. "Happy New Year," Valentin said. Anna tried to plead her case and explained that she needed medical supervision for a condition. Eric was not moved, and both Anna and Valentin did their best to attack him verbally from all sides. They called him a lackey and told him that the WSB would be after him. Eric noted that Cassandra had an "appetite for revenge." He left.
Valentin blamed Anna for using an "elementary bug" in Cassandra's phone and divulged that it had been found after Cassandra had broken her phone after she'd thrown it. As they went back and forth, Anna realized that Finn would be in trouble. The two bickered, and Anna insisted that Valentin owed her gratitude, not disdain. Valentin realized that Anna might be able to use her bracelet to cut through their ropes and suggested she get to it quickly. He was beside himself with worry over Nina and Charlotte.
Anna teased that while Valentin was contemptible, he still had a heart. After several minutes, Anna broke through her ropes. They heard footsteps, and Anna rushed to hide behind the door. Eric walked in, and Anna knocked him out. She freed Valentin, and they wished each other luck. She urged Valentin to tend to his family.
Griffin angrily followed Ava home. She admitted that she'd followed him previously to the hospital because she had been unable to trust people. Griffin advised her that he and Kiki worked together. He wondered if she had actually accused him of having an affair with her daughter. He was speechless. Ava couldn't imagine why anyone would choose her over Kiki.
Griffin wondered when Ava would realize that he really cared for her. "More than I ever thought possible," he admitted. He saw imperfection in her but it had nothing to do with her scars. He called her a powerful and beautiful woman, one who had made amends for wrongs. Ava tried to explain that she saw someone else when she looked in the mirror. "Scars will always be a barrier between us," she said.
Griffin decided it was time for Ava's Christmas gift. He admitted that he and Kiki did have a secret. He had studied Dr. Klein's procedure and had tried to perfect it through legal means. Kiki had been his assistant. There was a possibility that he would be able to do the surgery on Ava's face. They had worked on it out of love for her. Ava was overwhelmed.
Later, Ava and Griffin were in bed. As Griffin slept, Ava leaned over him. She hoped he would fall in love with her as she had already fallen in love with him.
Carly wanted to have a toast. Sonny grumbled that they'd already had one. Jason asked to speak. He thanked Sonny and Carly for believing him when he'd returned to town. He was sorry he'd been gone but happy to be home. Valentin arrived and went over to Nina. All he wanted to do was hug her.
Anna returned to her house. The first thing she saw was Cassandra lying on the floor. It appeared that there was a syringe in her heart. Finn staggered over and fell.
In Tulum, Mexico, Laura was reading a visitors' guide for the ancient Mayan ruins when Kevin emerged from their villa and kissed her. He begged her to skip the tour so they could "explore each other," but Laura replied that they would have the rest of their lives for that. Kevin answered that he wanted all the time he could get with her before she became mayor of Port Charles. She was flattered and insisted that she would continue to fight for the neighborhood, but she asked to table the conversation. She wanted to pack as much excitement and adventure into their honeymoon as they could.
Later, Kevin and Laura returned to their villa, and Laura marveled over the Mayan civilization. The lasting ruins made Kevin wonder why their own "corner of the world" couldn't be preserved. He suggested that having "a leader sympathetic to the cause" would help. She admitted that she didn't want the job. "But the job wants you!" he exclaimed.
Kevin took a porcelain pot out of his bag that he claimed to have gotten from one of the sites they'd toured. He pointed out the symbols for marital bliss, and "the world at large." He explained that the Mayans believed that, without someone good and wise to lead them, the civilization would fall apart and disappear. Laura took the pot from Kevin and read "Made in Taiwan" on the bottom. He countered that the point was that she could do a great job, and he would fully support her. She promised to keep fighting, but she didn't want to be mayor. He respected her decision. In the meantime, she thought that they should hang their "do not disturb" sign before they had to catch their flight back to Port Charles.
Franco descended the stairs as Elizabeth unwrapped his painting of the two boys. "It's all yours! Again," she told him, as Ava had returned it. Franco didn't want it because he saw it as a "monument to my mother's secrets." She was glad that the truth was their "family way" and kissed him. She had to get to work, so she left. Franco picked up his mother's card.
A few minutes later, Franco opened the front door, and Kiki stormed into the house with a large bag. She felt like breaking something, so Franco gave her Betsy's Christmas card, which Kiki proceeded to tear into pieces. She explained that, because of storms in the Midwest, she and Dillon couldn't meet up in Nebraska. "Fate hates me," she brooded. "You and me both, kid," he replied. He explained that he'd gotten the "karmic boomerang" of a painting back.
Kiki thought that the painting was still trying to tell Franco something, and he needed to figure it out. She told him that the bag was full of Christmas gifts for Franco and his family, and she smiled at the fact that he had a family. She advised him to deal with whatever was haunting him before he lost the best things that had ever happened to him. Kiki left, and he looked at the painting.
A short while later, Franco was asleep and dreaming on the couch. In his dream, a young Drew handed him a small box as a Christmas gift. Franco opened the gift, and there was a rabbit's foot keychain inside, which he insisted that he loved. The boy said that Franco was his best friend, and at that, Franco shot awake. He went over to the desk, opened a drawer, and pulled out a rabbit's foot keychain. "If I'm your best friend, then why did I try to kill you?" he wondered.
At Metro Court, Olivia showed Ned and Michael to a table. Sensing the tension between the two, she walked away. She asked their waitress to take "extra special care" of them. Ned thanked Michael for the meeting, and Michael reminded Ned that he didn't want to sacrifice the character of the Charles Street district for the sake of redevelopment. He continued that he didn't want to force people from their homes. Ned insisted that he shared Michael's concerns. "Do you?" Michael wondered.
As Ned urged Michael to keep an open mind, Jim, the developer working with ELQ, arrived for the meeting. Jim explained that his company found properties with potential and turned them into something special. Michael remembered what Tracy had said about diamonds, that even expert jewelers needed to be careful cutting diamonds, because one slip could shatter the gem.
Jim produced an artist's rendering of his vision for the Charles Street district. He explained that they would preserve the existing façades while renovating and updating everything on the inside. He showed them a rendering of "ELQ Arena," an arena that could house a professional hockey team and basketball team and be the go-to venue for concerts and conventions. Michael wondered whether the existing residents of the district would be incorporated or forced out.
Julian entered Metro Court to talk to Olivia about Leo, with whom he wanted more time. He explained that, since he'd been exonerated, he'd been rebuilding his life, including buying Charlie's. She cracked that there was supposed to be a law against ex-felons having liquor licenses. He reminded her that his charges had been dropped. He was trying to build a stable lifestyle and home life for his children. He wanted Leo to be proud to call him dad, not her "Quartermaine trophy husband." On his way to the elevators, he stopped by Ned's table and grabbed some bacon. "Thanks, Ted," he said.
Ignoring Julian, Michael wondered if there would still be affordable housing in the Charles Street district. Jim promised to work with ELQ to find the best solutions for everyone, and he commented that it wasn't the first time he'd faced "pushback" from the community. Jim divulged that he had meetings set up with other companies, but ELQ was his first choice. When he was gone, Ned demanded to know if Michael was trying to kill their deal. Michael explained that ELQ had been thriving since he'd taken over, and he was trying to make sure that the company was a good "corporate citizen." He believed that Ned didn't find that as important as Michael did.
Ned thought that being a good corporate citizen also meant taking care of their own employees, and making the deal with Jim would make them a lot of money. He continued that, if they didn't take the deal, someone else would, and they would tear down the apartment buildings anyway. Olivia approached as Ned told Michael that, as the head of New Business and Acquisitions, he'd "hand-delivered a great deal." Michael wanted time to think, and he reminded Ned that, as CEO, Michael's decision was final. With that, Ned quit.
A shocked Olivia suggested that Ned and Michael sit and talk, but Ned refused. Michael was sorry that things hadn't worked out, but he welcomed Ned back whenever he wanted, since it was a family company. When Michael was gone, Olivia commented that Ned leaving ELQ could be seen as a "blessing in disguise." She suggested that Ned run for mayor.
Alexis was delighted to meet with Molly for breakfast at Charlie's, and T.J. and Curtis arrived soon after. When they were all sitting at a table, T.J. and Molly explained that their landlord had turned their heat off again, and they needed "the best lawyer in town" to help take him down. They also mentioned the lack of "basic maintenance and repairs," but Alexis told them "negligence isn't harassment" unless they could prove it was deliberate. Even then, the landlord would probably only have to pay a fine. She advised them to get together with others so they could file a class action lawsuit, which could send the landlord to jail. T.J. and Molly wondered how they could get proof. "You don't. I do," Curtis told them.
T.J. regretted that he and Molly barely had the money to hire Alexis, let alone Curtis. "You think I'd charge you?" Alexis asked. She and Curtis both offered to work pro bono. Curtis reminded Alexis that, as a private investigator, he sometimes worked in a "gray area" regarding the law. They agreed to a "don't ask, don't tell" policy. In the meantime, Alexis advised T.J. and Molly to stay out of trouble so they didn't tip off their landlord.
Later, as Alexis, Curtis, T.J., and Molly were getting ready to leave, Julian entered and wished everyone a happy New Year. Alexis told the three that she would catch up with them after she paid the check. Julian offered to listen if she wanted to talk, which she claimed she didn't. She then proceeded to unload everything about T.J. and Molly's landlord. Julian offered to keep an eye on their building, as it was right across the street from Charlie's. "It's probably best if you don't," she replied. "So that's a yes," he said.
At the hospital, Anna was standing outside Finn's room when Jordan arrived. Anna ranted about how Cassandra had forced opiates on Finn, so Cassandra needed to be charged with assault and attempted murder. Jordan admitted that they first needed to find Cassandra. A dumbfounded Anna remembered that she'd found Cassandra unconscious at her house with a syringe in her chest. Jordan revealed that nothing had been found at Anna's to suggest that Cassandra had been there. Anna thought that professionals had to have taken care of the scene. "What kind of operation were you running in my town?" Jordan asked.
Anna told Jordan about her operation and how Finn had been involved, and Jordan was incensed that Anna hadn't even given her a heads-up. Anna admitted that she'd made the mistake that had clued Cassandra in to the plan. A few minutes later, Elizabeth hugged Anna and promised to keep her updated on Finn. Jordan returned and told Anna that there was no sign of Cassandra and that she would need Valentin for questioning. Elizabeth returned and beckoned Anna into the room, as Finn was awake and had asked for her.
Anna entered Finn's room and babbled out apologies for everything, but Finn stopped her and told her that he wouldn't change a thing. He wondered how much time he'd lost, and she assured him that he'd only been in the hospital for a night. He remembered finding Cassandra at Anna's. They held hands as he replayed the events from the previous night. He revealed that he'd fought back when Cassandra had threatened Anna.
A short while later, Jordan asked Anna about Valentin's involvement, and Anna explained how Valentin had become entangled with Cassandra. Anna was still worried about Finn, and Jordan wondered if it was as more than just as a friend. Anna confided that, since Finn wasn't experienced, she'd used a simple phone bug, which Finn had put into Cassandra's phone. Cassandra had found the bug, which had put a target on Finn's back. Just then, Jordan's phone rang, and she walked away to take the call. Elizabeth approached Anna and assured her that, if Anna and Finn had a chance at happiness together, they should go for it.
Jordan listened on the phone and told the caller that she would be in touch. She returned to Anna and informed her that Dante had gotten word on Cassandra's location. Anna went into Finn's room, and before leaving the room, Elizabeth told her that Finn was asleep. When Elizabeth was outside the room, Jordan asked Elizabeth to try to convince Anna to go home.
Anna watched Finn sleep fitfully and moved some hair off his forehead. Finn suddenly awoke and grabbed her arm. "There's something I need to tell you," he said urgently. She told him to rest and that whatever he had to tell her could wait. He replied, "Cassandra. I killed her."
Spinelli entered Sonny's office to find Sonny and Jason, and he remarked that it was like the "old days." Getting down to business, he revealed that the one lead he'd had had led to two more. Spinelli had called the publisher about the P.K. Sinclair manuscript, and the publisher had divulged that he already had a copy of the manuscript. Spinelli had hacked into the publisher's email, and he gave Sonny and Jason a copy of the exchange between the publisher and the anonymous author. He thought that there was a clue in the timing: the author had gone silent on September twenty-eighth, the day before Jason had broken out of the clinic in Russia.
Spinelli continued that he was investigating the location of the IP address from which the author's emails had been sent. Next, he took out a large manuscript. He explained that he'd scanned the existing parts of Faison's manuscript and used an algorithm to fill in some of the blanks. He told Sonny and Jason that the story was about a character, clearly based on Faison, versus a "newcomer" trying to take his place. The story ended with the newcomer addressing the Faison character as "father." "Did Faison have a son?" Spinelli asked.
At the hospital, Amy saw Nathan and Maxie and wished them a happy New Year. Maxie had to go, so she kissed Nathan and left. Amy remarked on how happy the couple seemed, but Nathan thought they'd be happier when the DNA test results were in. Amy played dumb, but Nathan assured her that Maxie had told her. Relieved, Amy promised to call him as soon as she had the results. She thought that she would still "owe you forever," but he called it even, and they shook on it. He, however, revealed that he was there on official business about Cassandra.
At the police station, Lulu told Dante that she'd seen an unhappy Valentin arrive, but not in handcuffs. Dante pulled her aside and warned her to watch her step, especially concerning her interest in Faison. He urged her to consider another story, but she promised to be careful. Jordan emerged from the interrogation room and invited Dante into the room. Dante and Lulu shared a kiss then went their separate ways.
At Charlie's, Nina called Liesl out on her lies, and Liesl insisted that she wasn't lying about the identity of Nathan's father. Nina clarified that she wondered why Liesl had lied about being Nathan's mother in the first place. Liesl answered that it was a sore subject, so Nina needed to drop it. Just then, Felicia entered, and Liesl greeted her. In Liesl's absence, Nina wondered what her aunt was hiding.
Liesl was excited for Felicia to help her plan the "perfect baby shower" for Maxie. Just then, Maxie and Lulu arrived, as the baby shower wasn't a surprise. Felicia hugged her daughter and muttered, "Run, save yourselves," into her ear.
Lulu found herself standing with Nina and wanted to talk to her privately. Nina was incensed that Lulu was already "coming after" her, but Lulu informed Nina that she'd seen Valentin at the police station. She added that it had looked like he'd been in trouble, and Nina ran out.
Liesl suggested that they have the shower at Charlie's, and she led Maxie into the kitchen to meet the chef. Felicia took the opportunity to congratulate Lulu on her article. Lulu said that it was already "old news," and she was working on her next article, which would be "something big." Felicia asked about it, and Lulu confided that it was about Faison, which could make her career. Felicia warned Lulu that no good could emerge from crossing paths with Faison. She told Lulu to think about what she could stand to lose if she continued down that path.
Maxie appreciated Liesl's effort, but she advised her to stop trying so hard. Liesl explained that she'd never thought she'd see the day of getting to plan a baby shower, as she never even allowed herself to think of Nathan as her own. She confided that acknowledging Nathan as her own would have put him in "mortal danger" from his father. Maxie reassured Liesl that Victor was dead and gone and couldn't hurt anyone anymore.
Later, Liesl asked Felicia, Lulu, and Maxie about the menu, but Lulu elected to defer to Maxie. Liesl was surprised, as Lulu was "never short of an opinion or shy about sharing one." Lulu replied that she was sometimes misinterpreted, so she was trying to do better. Liesl could relate, even though she acknowledged that "do-gooding" was not usually in her wheelhouse. Lulu assured Liesl that her son was a very good man, so Liesl could build on Nathan.
Lulu continued that she wanted to show that she was trying to be better by tracking down Faison. She wondered if Liesl knew how to find him. Liesl asked, even if she knew where he was or how to contact him, why she would turn him over to Lulu. Lulu claimed that she wanted to give him a chance to tell his side of the story, because he might not get another chance to do so.
Later, as Liesl overheard, Maxie commented to Felicia that Liesl was probably going overboard with the baby shower to compensate for dragging her feet with Nathan's father's medical records. She confided that Nathan was afraid to pass his father's "evil genes" on to the baby. When Felicia and Lulu were gone, Liesl admitted that she'd overheard Maxie. Maxie assured Liesl that Nathan was only as worried as any dad-to-be was. She commented that the DNA test would confirm everything anyway. "What DNA test?" Liesl demanded. Maxie nonchalantly explained that they were having a DNA test done to prove whether or not Nathan was a Cassadine.
Outside the bar, Felicia asked Lulu if she would turn Faison over to the police after the interview, if there was one. Lulu replied that , while she was a reporter, she was also still a Spencer. She planned to turn Faison in "and sleep better for it." Felicia advised Lulu to start at Spoon Island because Faison had a "long history" there.
In the interrogation room, Valentin voiced his concern over Dante questioning him. Dante reminded him that it wasn't the first time, and it probably wouldn't be the last. Jordan asked Valentin to tell them about Cassandra. He revealed that it had been Anna's project, but he had previously been Cassandra's partner, which he assumed was why he was useful to Anna. He didn't know what had happened to Cassandra. Jordan informed him that Cassandra was in the ICU "hanging by a thread" after being found unconscious in an alley after an apparent drug overdose.
Valentin wondered if Jordan and Dante thought he'd hurt Cassandra. He reminded them that killing Cassandra would have defeated the purpose of helping Anna build a case against the drug pusher. Dante thought that Valentin would want to protect his family from Cassandra.
Outside the interrogation room, Nina burst in yelling to Nathan about either letting her in to see Valentin or letting him go. Nathan tried to calm her down then told her about what had happened to the woman he'd seen her practically pulling hair out of.
From inside the interrogation room, Valentin heard Nina yelling, and he implored Jordan to let him talk to Nina. Dante thought that Nathan had things under control. Valentin quickly recapped that, after he and a distracted Anna had gotten free, he'd put in a call to make sure that Charlotte was all right then he'd gone to the Metro Court to be with Nina. He got up from the table and instructed them to call his lawyer if they had any other questions. When he was gone, Jordan commented that the case was more complicated than she'd thought.
Nathan was surprised that Nina already knew about Cassandra, and she added that Valentin had been working with Cassandra. "I don't keep secrets from my wife," Valentin said as he left the interrogation room. He embraced his wife but pulled away and told her that there was something he needed to take care of. With that, he was gone. Nathan asked if everything was all right between the two, and Nina advised her brother to let her worry about her husband. He related that he was only worried about the DNA test. He explained about the test to a confused Nina, who wondered who Nathan's father was if not Victor Cassadine.
Anna urged Finn to tell her what he remembered about the previous night. He remembered Cassandra drugging him and telling him of her plan to take him with her and make him work. He recalled that she'd had the needle, but he'd only lunged at her when she'd threatened to use it on Anna. He sadly told her that he'd taken an oath to "do no harm" and called himself a murderer. Anna informed him that, aside from the fact that he'd been defending himself, Cassandra wasn't dead.
Anna explained to Finn that Cassandra was unconscious but in stable condition. She'd been found in an alley, so it was unlikely that Finn had caused the coma. She figured that whoever had moved Cassandra had been the one to stick her with the needle. She added that Cassandra likely had serious brain damage. Amy entered the room and asked for a few minutes with Finn. Anna had something to take care of, anyway, so she promised to see him later.
When Anna was gone, Amy asked if Finn wanted anything. He asked for his sobriety chip from his wallet. She retrieved it for him and asked if he wanted to hold onto it in order to focus. He called the chip useless and told her to throw it away, as he had to "start all over." She felt like he would "get a pass," as he'd been poisoned trying to "save the woman you love."
Anna hovered over Cassandra, who was hooked up to a variety of machines. She closed the blinds, locked the door, and assured an unconscious Cassandra that "no one is watching." She wondered how many drug-related deaths could be traced back to Cassandra and figured that the woman would ruin more lives if given the chance. As Anna put on a pair of latex gloves, she muttered that it would be better if Cassandra never woke up. Her finger hovered over the "cancel" button on Cassandra's ventilator.
A short while later, Anna returned to Finn's room. She informed him that she'd gone to see Cassandra so she could make sure that the woman would never hurt anyone again. In response to Finn's shock, she assured him that she hadn't killed Cassandra, even though she'd seriously considered it. She confided that she'd called Robert and had Cassandra moved to a secure WSB medical facility. She believe that it was unlikely Cassandra would regain consciousness, but just in case, the WSB would make sure that Cassandra remained harmless. Finn confessed that he only regretted that they'd never gotten their New Year's Eve. "We've always got next year," she said, smiling, and they held hands.
Valentin arrived in Cassandra's room and found Amy putting new linens on the bed. She informed him that Cassandra had been put into custody of the WSB. She added that it was unlikely that Cassandra would ever wake up.
Jason, Spinelli, and Sonny sat at Pozzulo's and pieced together the clues they had on the P.K. Sinclair manuscript. The men realized that Sinclair, the client who had been paying Dr. Klein, and Faison's traitor were all one and the same person. "Faison's son," Sonny declared. Spinelli was extremely excited. They discussed the Russian clinic tie-in and the fact that Faison's client hadn't had Jason killed as had been planned. Spinelli announced that he'd been able to trace a phone purchase and a phone call that Liesl had made to Faison. Sonny suggested that a chat and an espresso with Liesl were warranted.
Carly walked into the office at Aurora and found Sam sitting behind the desk. Sam stood and ordered Carly to stop forcing her and Jason together. Sam was annoyed and would not allow Carly to speak. Sam continued that it hurt her to hurt Jason, and Drew was her present and future. Jason belonged in the past. Finally, Carly managed to say that she had done some manipulating but had not been forcing the couple together. She just didn't want Sam to make the same mistakes that Carly had when she had been married to Jax. While she'd loved Jax, her first loyalty had been to Sonny, and she had broken Jax's heart. "Don't do that to Drew," Carly said.
"Don't do what to me?" Drew asked as he entered the office. He sarcastically asked if Carly had shown up to apologize. Carly insisted that she was sorry she'd hurt Drew and still wanted to be his friend and get to know him. She merely wanted to save him from being in a marriage to someone who loved someone else. She walked out, and Drew turned to Sam. "Well, is she right?" he asked.
Sam was adamant that Carly's life had nothing to do with her own, especially because Drew was a different person from Sonny. Drew asked what Sam wanted, and she assured him that she wanted what she already had. She wanted Jason to be happy, but he had to choose his own life. She pointed out that Drew had a past, and he also had to decide what he wanted. She wondered if he wanted to find out about Andrew Cain.
Drew thought that while he could go to the Navy and speak to various people about his past, he would do a disservice to anyone involved in his past by not reacting a certain way to various situations he might have been involved in. Sam tried to convince him that he knew himself regardless, and he knew what was in his heart. Drew wanted to be with Sam, and she suggested that they get married right away.
At the art gallery, Ava ran down the list of job duties for Nelle, including some very technical and specific directions regarding the gallery's featured art. Nelle wrote it down as they went along but suddenly announced that she quit. She wanted to spare Ava the trouble of firing her. Ava was angry that Nelle would quit on her first day after Ava had gone to so much trouble to tell her everything, but Nelle explained that she didn't know anything about the art world and didn't believe that she was qualified to work in the gallery.
Ava called Nelle a "work in progress" and suggested that she start off by just doing all the tasks that she was familiar with. She would be able to learn the rest as she went along. Nelle agreed and hoped that she would justify Ava's faith in her. Ava divulged that she herself was really insecure, but she had an appointment to discuss further plastic surgery and expected to have more confidence once her facial scars were gone.
Later, Carly walked into the gallery and was shocked to see that Nelle was working there. "You did tell me to get a job," Nelle stated forcefully. Carly gave her instructions regarding a piece of art involved with Morgan's foundation, and Nelle related that she would pass it on to Ava. As Carly turned to leave, Nelle sarcastically noted how great it had been for a very supportive Ava to give her a job. Carly wasn't surprised and figured it had probably been to spite Carly, but she assumed that Nelle would probably sleep with Ava's boyfriend and rob her, so the two women deserved each other.
Nelle thought that Carly should be nicer to her. Carly made further sarcastic comments, but Nelle retorted that at least she had gotten pregnant with someone she loved as opposed to sleeping with her mother's husband. Carly responded that at least she'd had a wonderful friend, while Nelle had none. Carly offered to ask Michael to give Nelle an allowance so she wouldn't have to work with Ava, but Nelle replied that she enjoyed the gallery.
Carly suggested that Nelle look up Connie Falconeri, who Ava had shot and killed, and she reminded her of Ava switching Morgan's prescriptions. She warned Nelle to beware of Ava. The woman could kill her and convince herself that she'd had a reason for it. Carly only cared about Nelle's baby.
At General Hospital, Kiki dropped a pile of notebooks and bent down to pick them up. Griffin saw her and offered to help. Kiki admitted it was her own fault, as she was in a bad mood. A blizzard had caused her trip to Nebraska to meet up with Dillon to be canceled. She'd thought she'd study instead, but she hadn't. She also blamed her mother. Kiki proclaimed that Ava had had a problem with Kiki, and Kiki and her mother had a volatile relationship. Ava had treated her like a competitor instead of a daughter on New Year's Eve.
Griffin remarked that Ava had still been worried about her scars, and he had had to tell her about his project on the final surgery. Kiki acknowledged that he had given Ava an amazing gift, but Ava would be unscarred after surgery, and Morgan would still be dead. Griffin was surprised to hear that, as he thought that Kiki had forgiven Ava. Kiki admitted that the more she learned through her medical studies, the worse her mother's deed had seemed. Griffin suggested that Ava had just been misguided, but Kiki advised him that Ava had wanted Morgan for herself and had been jealous of Kiki. Griffin thought that Kiki was being harsh.
Kiki knew that Ava's surgery would not change who she was on the inside. Griffin only hoped that love would heal them both. Kiki thought that Ava was lucky to have him. He grabbed her hand as Ava arrived for her appointment and saw them together, and she walked over. Griffin left and gave the two women a chance to talk. Ava wanted to apologize to Kiki for treating her so badly. She had thought that Kiki had been spending too much time with Griffin. Kiki reminded her that she had been helping him with his project, and Ava was grateful. She was still full of self-doubt.
Ava revealed that Griffin was the first man who had ever wanted her just for herself. Their relationship had been pure, but she was afraid that it wouldn't last. Kiki suggested that Ava work it out with Griffin because the surgery wouldn't help her doubts about him.
After Ava left for her appointment, Griffin and Kiki agreed that they would continue to have the same relationship with each other, though Kiki believed that she leaned on Griffin too much. He thought that it was necessary with her medical studies. Ava returned and announced that her surgery would be the next day. She and Kiki hugged.
Maxie and Liesl sat at a table in Charlie's Pub. Maxie advised her that Nathan didn't believe that Victor Cassadine was his father, though Liesl continued to insist it was true. Nathan walked in and over to the women. He clarified that he believed that the medical reports had belonged to his father but that they hadn't really belonged to Victor. "My father is someone else, isn't he?" Nathan asked. He sat down. Liesl continue to stick to her original story, but Nathan thought that Liesl was covering up. Liesl pointed out all the positives in Nathan's life, and she suggested that he stop looking for trouble. Maxie agreed that Liesl had a point.
Just then, Nathan received an email regarding his DNA test results. Liesl tried to divert interest in the test and suggested many different reasons for its inaccuracy, including the possibility that someone might have tampered with it. Maxie suggested that Liesl would have been the only person to do that, and she hadn't known about the test. Liesl was offended. After going back and forth, Nathan read the results. There had been no DNA match. Valentin Cassadine was not his cousin, so therefore, Victor Cassadine was not his father. "You lied," he said pointedly to Liesl.
Liesl admitted that the medical records did indeed belong to his biological father, but Nathan didn't need to know who that was. In the midst of the discussion, Spinelli, Sonny, and Jason walked in. While Maxie was thrilled to see Jason, she ordered the men to leave. She and her family members were in the middle of a crisis. Sonny asked if it had anything to do with Faison's son. Liesl jumped up. She was panic-stricken. "My God, how did you know?" she asked. Everyone looked at each other in confusion.
Sonny declared that Faison had been looking for his son, and Liesl had known. She denied it, and Sonny grew angry. Spinelli had traced the call, he said. Liesl ordered Nathan to arrest them, but Nathan was astounded. "Faison has a son?" he asked incredulously. He wondered why his mother appeared frightened. He appeared to be putting the pieces together. "My father is Cesar Faison," he said. The others stood awkwardly and quietly. Maxie thought that was impossible. Liesl finally admitted it. Sonny, Spinelli, and Jason whispered to each other and departed.
Nathan demanded the truth from Liesl, and she reluctantly divulged her story. Britt had been saved because Faison had rejected her, but Liesl had known that if she'd had a son, Faison would have taken him. She'd concealed her pregnancy and then given her son to her sister to raise. She'd had to protect Nathan, and she knew she had done the right thing. Liesl was crying. She didn't regret it.
Nathan asked Liesl to leave. Crying, she told him that he'd understand as a parent. Sometimes one had to do things, and she hoped he'd forgive her. Nathan was in shock and told Maxie how sorry he was. She was okay, but he thought the news was horrifying. Maxie tried to assure him that it wouldn't change anything about Nathan and the person he was. They would each give their baby the best of themselves.
Back at Pozzulo's, Spinelli was distraught. His daughter would have a sibling related to Cesar Faison. Jason tried to give him advice. He advised that Spinelli not do what Jason had done after thinking that Danny had been Franco's son. Maxie would need Spinelli to be okay. Spinelli announced that they needed to locate Faison, and they all agreed that there was another son who was the traitor. They needed to find him in order to get to Faison.
