Due to Labor Day holiday, a new episode of General Hospital did not air today. This pre-emption was planned for, and there will be no "lost" episodes as a result of the change.

Regular programming will resume on Tuesday, September 4, and pick up where the Friday, August 31 episode concluded.

At the hospital, Steve checked in with Dante to find out if there had been any news about Liz.

Nearby, Sonny noticed that Kate didn't look well, but she assured him that she was just tired. Sonny promised her that they would get through the crisis together. Kate announced that she had some good news; Joe had checked out of Metro Court. Sonny suspected that he might have had something to do with Joe's departure, so Kate wanted to know what Sonny had done. Sonny explained that he had merely warned Joe to stay away from Kate.

Kate was curious what had kept Sonny from hurting Joe. Sonny recalled Joe's warning that Kate would never see her son if anything happened to Joe. Sonny was spared having to answer when he received a text message from Todd. Sonny revealed that Todd had asked to meet at the Quartermaine mansion regarding the cure for the pathogen.

At the Haunted Star, Carly was concerned when she entered Johnny's office, because the nightclub had been a shambles. Johnny explained that looters had ransacked the bar and stolen the cash and alcohol. However, the safe had been spared because Luke was the only one who could open it. Johnny admitted that the only thing that mattered to him was that Carly was safe. Carly decided to check in with Mercedes to see how Josslyn was doing.

Afterwards, Carly began to cry at the thought that her daughter might end up orphaned within a matter of hours if Carly and Jax became ill from the pathogen. Johnny tried to comfort her by suggesting that their early symptoms were just psychosomatic. Moments later, Johnny and Carly each received a text message from Todd.

In the squad room, John and Sam tried to figure out where Jerry might have stashed the counteragent. John suspected that the cure was with the Dead Man's Hand, so he wondered if Sam knew where the cards were. Sam confessed that she had last seen the infamous cards when Jax had thrown them at her. She assured John that it had been justified. Sam revealed that she had spent a long time chasing after the cards, not realizing until it was too late that they had been bad luck for her, so she had walked away from them. According to Sam, the cards had ended up in Tracy Quartermaine's possession. John decided to start his search at the Quartermaine mansion, so Sam went with him.

At the Quartermaine mansion, Joe watched the news report about the crisis in Port Charles. The reporter informed the viewers that people were demanding a cure for the pathogen. Joe grumbled because he'd had the cure in his hands but had given it to Tracy in a moment of weakness. Tracy breezed in, holding a serving tray with a bowl soup that she had made for Joe. She became alarmed because Joe looked ill. She couldn't understand why everyone was getting sick from the pathogen, while she remained symptom-free.

Tracy invited Joe to taste the soup, but he was leery about Tracy's skills in the kitchen. The doorbell saved him. Tracy went to see who was at the door, so Joe followed her to the foyer. It was Todd. Todd informed Tracy that he needed seventeen million, six hundred and twenty two thousand dollars from her to help pay Jerry's ransom demand. Tracy sarcastically offered to write a check, and then clarified that she didn't have that kind of money at her disposal.

Todd explained that Jerry wanted eighty-eight million, one hundred and eleven thousand dollars in exchange for the counteragent, so Todd had decided that the five wealthiest people in Port Charles should pay it. Todd and Tracy would pay their share, while Sonny Corinthos, along with two others, would contribute the rest. Todd had invited everyone to the Quartermaine mansion to discuss the details. Joe quickly excused himself when the doorbell rang, because he suspected that it might be Sonny.

Joe raced up the steps as Tracy offered to go with him. Joe assured her that he simply needed to rest, so Tracy returned to the foyer. Joe muttered to himself that Tracy had better pay because Tracy owed him for saving her life. In the foyer, Todd welcomed Sonny, Carly, and Johnny. Everyone filed into the parlor to discuss Jerry's ransom demands. Todd outlined the situation to everyone and then explained his plan to raise the money.

Tracy was pulled away from the meeting when John and Sam arrived looking for the Dead Man's Hand. Tracy informed them that she was busy with a life-or-death matter. John warned Tracy that his business was equally important. John quickly filled Tracy in on why he needed to find the cards, so Tracy revealed that Luke had had the Dead Man's Hand last. John and Sam were curious if Tracy knew where Luke might have hidden the cards, so Tracy suggested that they check the Haunted Star.

In the parlor, Carly insisted that she didn't have access to the kind of money that Todd wanted, while Johnny reminded everyone that he was no longer in the mob and therefore couldn't touch the Zacchara fortune. Todd refused to hear excuses; he reminded Carly that she was married to Jasper Jacks, so she could get her hands on the nearly eighteen million dollars. Todd insisted that they couldn't let Jerry win, so Sonny made it clear that he wanted to reserve the right to get his money back from Jerry if an opportunity arose.

Todd assured Sonny that it was a given that they would all try to get their money back. Sonny called Bernie, while Johnny went to the hallway to instruct an associate to dig up a portion of the money that they had buried with a body. Meanwhile, Tracy and Carly also called some money people. A short time later, they all reported that the money would be available soon. Todd quietly wondered if Sonny knew where Jimmy Hoffa was buried.

"I'll tell ya later," Sonny replied. Todd smiled and then addressed the group. He warned them that the easy part had been to raise the money. "Now we go save Port Charles," Todd informed them.

At the Haunted Star, Sam stumbled a bit, as she and John made their way to Johnny's office. John worried about her, but Sam assured him that she was fine. John was frustrated when he spotted the safe, because he realized that he wouldn't be able to open it. Sam revealed that she had a talent for breaking into safes, so she went to work on it and quickly gained access it. Sam saw a familiar box, but the cards nestled inside weren't the original Dead Man's Hand. Moments later, Sam announced that she had spotted something else inside the safe.

In lockup, Jerry revealed that Ewen Keenan had been John Jacks's executioner. Jax had no idea what his brother was talking about, so Jerry clarified that Ewen had murdered the Jacks patriarch, because John had stolen the Dead Man's Hand from Ewen's father. Jax argued that their father had won the Dead Man's Hand in a card game. Jerry laughed, because Jax had been gullible enough to believe the obvious lie. Jerry pointed out that no one would willingly gamble away the lucky cards. Jerry admitted that he had been grateful for what Ewen had done, because their father had been suffering.

Horrified, Jax wondered if Jerry had always been a sociopath. Jerry reminded his brother that a sociopath lacked the ability to feel emotions, which was not the case with Jerry. Jerry claimed that he had grieved deeply for their father and had taken steps to protect Josslyn, because he cared about his niece. Jax pointed out that Jerry wanted money in exchange for the counteragent. Jerry was furious because Jax didn't understand that it wasn't about the money for Jerry.

Jax wanted to know what it was about, but Jerry doubted that Jax would ever be able to understand. Jax agreed, because Jerry was not the brother that Jax had grown up with and once loved. Jax coughed as Jerry dispassionately watched. Jerry accused Jax of playing hero, so it was Jax's fault that Jax had been exposed to the pathogen. Jerry reminded Jax that a cure was available for a price.

Jax decided to turn the tables on Jerry. Jax overpowered a guard, took the police officer's gun, and then ordered the startled man to release Jerry. After Jax secured the police officer in the jail cell, Jax led Jerry away at gunpoint.

Meanwhile, Joe arrived at the police station and slipped into lockup. Joe caught Jax by surprise as Jax rounded a corner. Joe and Jerry quickly neutralized Jax and then escaped. A short time later, Todd, Sonny, Carly, Johnny, and Tracy entered the squad room. Todd demanded to talk to Jerry, but Jax informed Todd that Jerry was gone.

At an undisclosed safe house, Jerry thanked Joe for Joe's timely arrival. Joe made it clear that he expected to be compensated.

At the farmhouse, Ewen used Liz as a human shield while he threatened to shoot if Jason didn't lower his gun. Jason refused, so Liz tried to calmly persuade Ewen to put the gun down before things escalated. A fevered Ewen was beyond rational thought as he vowed to be the one to give Liz a cure for the pathogen. Jason admitted that he knew about Ewen's connection to the Jacks family, so Ewen wondered if Jason knew everything. Jason realized that Ewen had killed John Jacks.

Ewen angrily accused Jason of trying to prove to Liz that Jason was better for her than Ewen was. Ewen threatened to kill Jason if Jason didn't cooperate. Jason urged Ewen to release Liz, but Ewen refused to let the woman he loved go. Ewen wanted her to see him as the hero, not Jason, so he shot Jason in the leg. Liz was frantic to get to Jason, so she struggled violently to get free as she screamed that she wanted nothing to do with Ewen.

Ewen's grip slackened as he realized that Liz loved Jason, not him. Jason waited until Liz was safely away from Ewen before he shot Ewen in the stomach. Ewen crumpled to the ground in agony as Liz got the gun away from Ewen and then raced to Jason's side.

Ewen cried out for help, while Jason cut the tape binding Liz's wrists. Jason regretted that he hadn't rescued her sooner, but Liz merely focused on tending Jason's gunshot wound. Afterwards, Jason aimed the gun at Ewen, while Liz checked Ewen's injury. Liz warned Jason that Ewen would die if they didn't get Ewen to the hospital.

At the hospital, Steve handed Kate a bottle of water as he assured her that Olivia hadn't had an acid flashback since the one of Ewen being the devil, which Steve acknowledged had been accurate. Kate wondered what Steve was talking about, so Steve told her that Ewen had attacked Patrick and taken Liz hostage because Ewen was in cahoots with Jerry. Kate realized that Ewen had been trying to tell her about Jerry the last time that she had talked to Ewen. Kate was confident that Ewen was still a good man, despite the things that Ewen had done, so he wouldn't hurt Liz.

Moments later, Liz helped a limping Jason to the nurses' station. Nearby, Ewen was on a gurney, groaning in pain. Liz feared that Jason had nicked an artery, so Steve instructed her to take Jason to an examination room. Kate begged Steve to help Ewen and reminded him of his oath to do no harm. Steve reluctantly followed Ewen's gurney.

In the examination room, Liz cleaned Jason's gunshot wound. She recalled Jason being in a similar situation years earlier when she had found him in a chapel and taken him to her studio. Jason wondered how many times she had saved his life. Liz insisted it didn't matter, because he had saved her life earlier. Jason admitted that Spinelli deserved the credit for locating her, so Liz promised to thank Spinelli the next time that she saw him.

"You know how I feel about you. I wasn't going to let that bastard hurt you," Jason solemnly confessed.

At the Haunted Star, Sam handed John a note that she had found in the safe. "You were right. Find the cards, find the cure. Unfortunately, you're just a little too late," John read. John decided to return to the police station to talk to Jerry.

Sam started to follow John, but she became dizzy and fainted. John rushed to her side. A few minutes later, Sam slowly opened her eyes. John explained that she had hit her head when she had passed out, so he wanted her to take it easy. Sam started to sit up, but she was hit by another wave of dizziness.

John feared that Sam might have a concussion, but she assured him that she was fine. John examined the cut above her eye, as he gently cradled her in his arms. Awareness flared between them as they stared in each other's eyes. Sam broke the spell by urging John to go to the police station without her. John refused to leave Sam behind, so he picked her up and carried her out.

In an examination room, Ewen writhed in pain as Steve examined Ewen's gunshot wound. Steve sent the nurse to fetch a bag of blood for a transfusion as he conceded that Jason had known where to shoot Ewen. However, Steve refused to play God with another patient's life, so he promised to do his best to save Ewen. Ewen realized that his injury was fatal, so he implored Steve to focus on the patients who truly needed a doctor. Steve ignored Ewen, but Ewen was adamant, so Steve reluctantly ceased his life-saving efforts and offered to call a priest. Ewen insisted on talking to Patrick instead.

Patrick stood at the entrance to the newly rebuilt lab as memories of his final moments with Robin, before the explosion, ran though his mind. Maxie called out to Patrick as she approached. Patrick feared that Emma might be sick, so Maxie quickly assured him that Emma was fine and playing in the daycare center. Patrick relaxed and thanked Maxie for all that she had done for him and Emma. Maxie's eyes filled with tears as she looked at the lab. Patrick warned Maxie that it wasn't the time, because people were counting on him to find a cure for the pathogen. Maxie straightened her shoulders as she followed him into the lab.

Patrick revealed that he and Robin had once developed an antidote for a chemical toxin that Jerry had given to Nikolas, which had had similar symptoms to the pathogen that Jerry had put into the town's water supply. Patrick hoped to replicate the antidote in the hopes of using it to combat the pathogen that Jerry had poisoned the town with. However, Patrick couldn't decipher Robin's handwriting. Maxie confessed that there had been a time that she had copied several of Robin's English papers for school, so Maxie could easily decipher Robin's handwriting.

Later, Patrick thanked Maxie for not giving up on him when he had struggled with amphetamines. He appreciated that Maxie had taken care of Emma when he couldn't. Maxie insisted that it would never be enough, so Patrick urged Maxie to let her guilt go because Robin's tragic death was not Maxie's fault.

Later, Steve entered the lab to let Patrick know that Ewen had been shot. Patrick was curious how Liz was doing. Steve assured Patrick that Liz was fine, but Ewen had asked for Patrick. Patrick didn't care, so Steve explained that Ewen was dying.

Ewen's breathing was labored as Patrick entered the examination room. Ewen explained that he wanted to apologize, so Patrick made it clear that he despised Ewen for hurting Liz. Ewen clarified that it was about Robin, but his heart gave out before he could elaborate.

At the police station, Jax revealed to Todd, Sonny, Carly, Johnny, and Tracy that Jerry had escaped. Carly noticed Jax's bruised face, so she asked him about it. Todd insisted that it didn't matter because they were in the middle of a crisis. Tracy wondered if they could get word to Jerry that the money was ready to be transferred. Meanwhile, Johnny was curious how Jerry had managed to escape, so Jax reluctantly took responsibility.

Sonny wasn't surprised. Jax explained that he had intended to force Jerry to take him to the serum, but Jerry had had an accomplice in the building, who had aided in Jerry's escape. Sonny accused Jax of always screwing things up, which led to some heated words between Sonny and Jax until Johnny reminded both men that it wasn't the time. Tracy feared that everyone would die before they could contact Jerry and get the counteragent. "Except you. You're the picture of health. Why is that?" Todd wondered as he studied Tracy.

Tracy admitted that she had had early symptoms of exposure to the pathogen, but then her body had fought it off. Carly urged Tracy to go to the hospital. Everyone else agreed, because Tracy's blood might lead to a cure. Tracy started to leave, but Todd decided to give her his card in case something "interesting" happened.

Meanwhile, Sonny and Jax began to quarrel again. Carly couldn't understand why Jax had risked his life by letting Jerry out of jail. Jax confessed that Jerry had revealed that Ewen Keenan had murdered John Jacks. Sonny and Carly were stunned as Jax quickly filled them in on the details surrounding John Jacks's death and Jerry's decision to use the information to manipulate Ewen. Sonny was tired of waiting around, so he decided to look for Jerry, but Todd insisted that they had to work together.

At the safe house, Jerry was confident that John McBain would figure out where the antiserum was when Jax revealed the significance of the ransom amount. Jerry explained to Joe that the ransom amount was a numeric acronym for the Dead Man's Hand. Joe had never heard of the Dead Man's Hand, so Jerry assured Joe that it didn't matter because the serum was safe. Joe wanted to know where the serum was, but Jerry wasn't ready to tell him.

Jerry explained that they were in Ewen Keenan's house and that Ewen had abducted Josslyn so that Jerry could give his niece the antiserum. Jerry also revealed that Ewen had facilitated the trade for the serum by staging a woman's death. Jerry chuckled as he confided that Ewen had later returned to work alongside the woman's husband. Joe was stunned when Jerry revealed a secret compartment in the fireplace's hearth where the briefcase with the counteragent had been hidden.

Joe immediately demanded a vial of the life-saving serum, but Jerry insisted that he only gave one per customer. Joe confessed that he had put the counteragent in a bottle of water that Tracy had drunk. Jerry realized that it had been a romantic gesture on Joe's part. Joe reminded Jerry that Joe had helped Jerry at the police station, so Jerry decided to prove Jax wrong by giving Joe another vial out of the goodness of Jerry's heart.

Joe grew concerned when Jerry began to cough, so he urged Jerry to take a vial of the counteragent. Jerry assured Joe that it wasn't necessary. Moments later, Joe left.

On the porch, Joe's cell phone rang. It was Tracy. Tracy assumed that Joe was at the Quartermaine mansion, so he didn't correct her. Joe became worried when Tracy explained that she was at the hospital, but she assured him that she was fine.

In the house, Jerry called Todd to inform Todd that it was time to finalize their negotiations. Todd signaled to Sonny, Jax, Carly, and Johnny that Jerry was on the phone. Sonny whispered to Todd to try to get Jerry's location. Todd nodded, as he assured Jerry that they had the money. Jerry realized that more than one person had contributed to the ransom. Jerry wanted to know if the contributors were in the room, so Todd offered to put Jerry on speakerphone.

Jerry agreed and then greeted the listeners. Jerry was amused when no one replied. Eventually, Carly and Sonny identified themselves, so Jerry quickly surmised that Jax and Johnny were also present. Jerry assured everyone that he had the counteragent and was ready to meet. However, Jerry made it clear that it would be on his terms, because he didn't want to end up in custody again. Jerry gave them instructions and then ended the call.

Jax warned everyone not to trust Jerry because it might be a trap. Meanwhile, Jerry called his associate in Lucerne to remind the man that he had kept up his end of the bargain by delivering Robin to the man. Jerry warned his associate not to default on their arrangement, or the man would pay with his life.

In the lab, Steve feared that they might not find a cure in time. "Maybe I can help," Tracy announced from the doorway. Tracy explained why she was there, and then offered to give them blood samples to help the doctors find a cure to the pathogen. Steve quickly left to fetch Liz, so Maxie decided to check on Emma. A few minutes later, Joe walked in. Tracy was surprised to see him, but relieved that his health had seemed to improve.

Tracy was eager for an update on her family, but Joe explained that he hadn't had the opportunity to check on them because he had been in a rush to get to the hospital to see her. Tracy confided that she had terrible news; Jerry had escaped with the help of an accomplice.

In an examination room, Liz finished cleaning and wrapping Jason's gunshot wound. Jason was more concerned about how she was holding up after the ordeal with Ewen. Liz assured him that she was fine, but her eyes filled with tears. Jason held her as she cried. Liz regretted that she had trusted Ewen instead of seeing him for who he was, but Jason insisted that it wasn't her fault. Liz thought that it was ironic that everyone had praised Ewen for being wonderful, while reminding her that Jason was a killer.

"Turned out, it was the other way around," Liz said before she left to fetch some antibiotics for Jason. She returned a short time later with a syringe. She gave Jason an injection of antibiotics as she explained that the hospital was swamped, so it would be awhile before a doctor could remove the bullet from Jason's leg. Liz felt terrible that Jason had been shot while rescuing her. Jason assured her that he didn't blame her for anything; he was just happy that he had been able to get to her in time.

"Me too," Liz admitted. Jason reminded Liz that she hadn't fully trusted Ewen in the beginning, but she argued that she had convinced herself that Ewen was the right man for her. Jason felt bad for Liz because she had been hoping for a good relationship. Liz started to tell Jason something, but John entered the room, looking for someone to help Sam.

John, Sam, Jason, and Liz all stared awkwardly at each other until Sam broke the silence by assuring everyone that she was fine. John disagreed and filled Liz in on Sam's fainting spell and injury. Liz checked the wound and assured Sam that stitches weren't necessary. However, Liz insisted on cleaning the gash. Sam asked about Jason's leg, so Liz revealed that Ewen had shot Jason after Ewen had kidnapped Liz.

John was surprised that Ewen had gained the upper hand with Jason, so Jason admitted that he had shot Ewen in the stomach. Sam wondered if Liz was okay. Liz nodded as she credited Jason for saving her life. Moments later, someone called to report to John that Jerry had escaped from police custody. John ended the call and announced that he had to get to the police station because Jerry was on the loose. Jason started to go with John, but Liz made it clear that Jason couldn't go anywhere while the bullet was lodged in his leg. Meanwhile, John gently told Sam to take care of herself.

"See you around," John said from the doorway. "I hope so," Sam quietly replied, as Jason and Liz watched. Moments later, Steve arrived to fetch Liz. Liz followed Steve to the lab to draw Tracy's blood. Joe squirmed as Steve explained that Tracy's blood might hold the answers that they were looking for.

John was in a foul mood when he arrived at the police station. Todd, Sonny, Jax, Carly, and Johnny were gone, but John spotted Todd's business card on the front desk.

"This can't be the end," Jason said as he and Sam sat in the examination room. Sam reminded Jason that they might only have forty-eight hours to live, but Jason was confident that it was enough time to turn things around. Sam confessed that she couldn't stop thinking about how things might have turned out if she and Jason had made different choices and her baby had lived.

At Ferncliff, Heather became upset when she read the Sun's headline, which proclaimed, "We're toast!" Heather insisted that she couldn't remain at Ferncliff because she needed to get to Port Charles before everyone died. The sanitarium's aides tried to calm Heather down, but she became increasingly agitated until a nurse intervened. The nurse dismissed the aides and gently explained that the courts had ordered Heather to undergo treatment at Ferncliff until Heather was well enough to stand trial.

Heather insisted that she needed to see someone in Port Charles, so the nurse explained that no one could enter or leave Port Charles until the crisis was over. The nurse warned Heather that it was too dangerous for Heather to be in Port Charles, but Heather didn't care because Heather needed to make things right while she still had time. The nurse invited Heather to talk about it, but Heather insisted that there was too much to tell, so Heather didn't know where to begin.

The nurse suggested that Heather start from the beginning. Heather claimed that the residents of Port Charles had always misunderstood her; she acknowledged that she had hurt people, but she wanted to make amends. Heather begged for an opportunity to use the phone, so the nurse agreed. Heather promptly called Steve.

Steve refused to say anything when Heather greeted him. "It's your mother," Heather told him. "No, this is Heather," Steve corrected her. Heather argued that she would always be his mother and then revealed that she needed to tell him something before it was too late. Steve wasn't interested in anything that Heather had to say because he was done being used by her and enabling her.

Steve regretted that he had paved the way for Heather to hurt and kill innocent people. Heather assured Steve that she would always love him, but Steve didn't care. He explained that he didn't have the time to make her feel better because he had patients to take care of. Heather insisted that she would change things if she could, but Steve wasn't interested.

Heather was distraught when Steve abruptly disconnected the call. The nurse offered to fetch Heather's doctor, but Heather didn't want to have pills shoved down her throat. Heather wished that she could do things over because she wouldn't give up her son the second time around. The nurse explained that it was too late, but Heather was confident that she could get things right if she had the chance.

Heather realized that she had been looking at things the wrong way; instead of trying to make up for her wrongs, she needed a "do-over." The nurse pointed out that life didn't work that way, but Heather disagreed. The nurse suggested that Heather focus on dealing with her issues, which had led Heather to hurt a lot of people. Heather conceded that she had been vindictive and petty, so she decided that it would stop immediately.

"Meet the new and improved Heather Webber," Heather announced with a proud smile. Heather vowed to be the person, woman, and mother that she was meant to be. The nurse suggested that it was time to return to Heather's room, but Heather had other ideas. Heather overpowered the nurse and then stole her uniform. "Oh, my sweet baby boy, Mommy made a boo-boo," Heather said without a hint of remorse, as she buttoned up the uniform. Heather promised to learn from her mistakes and do better the next time, which she hoped would be right around the corner.

Later, Heather arrived at 1970 Lindbrook Road. Heather hoped that she was at the right address because it would have been a shame to have killed the nurse and traveled a considerable distance only to end up in the wrong place. Heather gave herself a quick pep talk and then reminded herself that the reward would be worth it. Moments later, Heather knocked on the door. Téa Delgado, holding the baby, opened the door.

In the examination room, Sam admitted that she couldn't stop thinking about how things might have been different if her baby had lived. Jason assured Sam that he would always be sorry for Sam's loss and the role that he had played in it. Sam explained that it wasn't about casting blame, because they had both made mistakes. Sam believed her mistakes had started with Heather Webber.

Sam reminded Jason that they had just made it through the nightmare of what Franco had done to them. Sam appreciated that things hadn't been perfect, but she and Jason had moved forward and had been focused on their future. Sam confessed that her mistake had been to follow up on the DVD that Franco had left on the balcony. She admitted that she often imagined what it would have been like if she hadn't talked to Heather.

Sam's fantasy began at Ferncliff when Heather offered to share the details of Susan's delivery for a price. Sam immediately lost interest, so she stood up to walk away. Heather warned Sam that the information was life-changing, but Sam insisted that she knew what she needed to know, so everything was perfect the way it was.

Sam's story picked up at the penthouse, as Sam returned from Ferncliff. Sam smiled with happiness when Jason joined her in the living room. She confessed that she had left Ferncliff without hearing what Heather had wanted to say. According to Sam, she knew what she needed to know about the baby on the DVD; he had grown up to be the man that she loved and the father of her child, so nothing else mattered. Jason smiled with joy as he kissed Sam.

Sam's fantasy faded as she glanced at Jason. Jason winced in pain, so she realized that his leg was hurting. Jason assured her that he was fine, which didn't surprise Sam, because he rarely complained. Sam promised Jason that she would always care about him, so Heather hadn't taken that.

Sam softly confided that she believed that she and Jason would have made love on that fateful day, after she had returned from Ferncliff. Moments later, Alexis called to check on Sam. Sam assured her mother that the doctors were working on a cure and then ended the call.

Sam realized that Alexis might outlive her children. "Just like you and me," Sam added. Jason was quiet as Sam continued her story about what their lives could have been like. Sam saw them attending Lamaze classes, led by Epiphany, and enjoying a baby shower surrounded by family and friends.

Sam snapped back to the present when Jason started to slide off of the examination table. She demanded to know what he was doing, so Jason explained that he intended to find the counteragent, because it wasn't their time to die. Sam pointed out that Jason had a bullet in his leg, so he couldn't go anywhere. She asked him to stay, because sharing her story with Jason was the only thing that kept her calm. Jason nodded, so Sam picked up her story at the baby shower as everyone scrambled to get Sam and Jason to the hospital.

Sam imagined that the baby's birth would have paved the way for Maxie and Spinelli to work things out. Jason chuckled, so Sam grinned as she reminded him that it was her story. Sam continued her tale with everyone arriving at the hospital. Their loved ones were happy and excited for Sam and Jason. Monica made a point of assuring Jason that his father, Alan, would be watching over Jason, Sam, and the baby.

Later, Jason held Sam's hand as she panted through labor and struggled with doubt about her ability to be a good mother. Jason assured Sam that she was ready to be a mother and remained by her side until their son was born.

Sam revealed that she couldn't count the number of times that she had dreamed of hearing the words, "You have a healthy baby boy." Sam confessed that she would give anything to have heard that. "Me, too," Jason quietly admitted.

Sam picked up her fantasy after the birth of their son. Jason called Carly to tell her about the baby, but he had made it clear that they would not be naming the child Jason. After Jason ended the call, Monica approached him. She cautioned Jason not to take the baby for granted. Jason apologized for the way that he had treated Monica and Alan over the years, but she refused to let Jason take the blame. Monica insisted that she and Alan had made countless mistakes with Jason and A.J., but she promised him that she and Alan had loved them.

Meanwhile, Alexis cooed to the baby as she admitted that she felt blessed to have a grandson and Sam for a daughter. Alexis breathed in the baby's scent, and confided that he smelled like Sam had as a newborn. Sam was surprised that Alexis remembered, so Alexis explained that she remembered everything, because she'd only had a few precious memories of Sam before Mikkos had taken Sam away.

Sam's story continued in the penthouse, as Sam and Jason arrived home with their newborn son. The living room had been transformed into a nursery. Jason admitted that he'd had nothing to do with it. They found a card from Edward, congratulating them on the birth of their son, and an envelope with paperwork setting up a college trust fund for the baby. Jason was deeply moved by his grandfather's gesture. Sam pointed out that they needed to choose a name for their son, so that they could complete the paperwork that Edward had given them.

Sam wanted to name their son after someone they had both cared about. "Daniel," Sam softly suggested. Jason liked the idea of naming their baby after Sam's brother who had passed away. Sam smiled and decided to let Jason choose Daniel's middle name. "Edward," Jason decided.

In the examination room, Jason confessed that he liked the name Daniel Edward Morgan. Sam revealed that her son had looked a lot like Jason, especially when the baby had frowned. Sam's eyes filled with tears as she confessed that she had spent a lot of time lost in her fantasy, but it was never enough, because she was always greedy for more.

Sam imagined what their lives would have been like a few years into the future. Sam pictured herself holding their daughter, Emily, on the baby's first birthday. Jason and their son, Danny, entered the room with a special present for Emily and a family picture, which had been taken earlier that day, for Sam.

Jason smiled, because Sam had envisioned them having two children. Sam chuckled as she reminded him that she was greedy. She admitted that she had always hoped to have two children with Jason, a boy and a girl. However, her story had just been a fantasy, because the reality was that her son had died, while she and Jason had lost each other along the way.

Sam didn't want to spend the last hours of her life, lost in a dream that would never be. She was determined to spend what time she had left in the present, because no matter how many stories she told, she and Jason knew what had really happened.

Todd and Sonny arrived at a deserted warehouse to meet Jerry. Todd's cell phone rang, but he didn't answer it because it was John McBain. Sonny reminded Todd that Jerry had made it clear not to involve the cops. Todd followed Sonny into the warehouse. Moments later, Jax, Carly, and Johnny filed in and reported that there hadn't been any sign of Jerry.

Sonny barked at Jax about Jerry, but Carly warned Sonny that it wasn't the time. Carly's weakened state concerned everyone, so Jax decided to stay with Carly while the others looked around for Jerry. Johnny and Sonny objected to Jax's plan, so Todd volunteered to stay with Carly, since the others had each done horrible things to Carly in the past. Carly chuckled. "Oh, you find that amusing? You must be getting delirious," Sonny observed.

Later, the men wandered around the warehouse, waiting for Jerry to arrive. Todd and Johnny ended up alone together. Johnny had doubts about Jerry, but Todd was confident that the lure of the money would draw Jerry out. Johnny suggested that Todd tell Sam the truth about her son, so that she could die in peace. Todd refused to consider it, but he offered to lend Johnny his cell phone so that Johnny could call Starr to confess the truth about how Hope and Cole had died.

Johnny argued that it wouldn't change anything, but Todd telling Sam about her son would. Todd resented Johnny preaching to him when Johnny had been lying to Carly for months. Jax suddenly appeared and asked what was going on. Todd and Johnny were tightlipped, so Jax decided to check on Carly. Todd nervously wondered how much Jax had overheard. "Enough," Johnny replied and then vowed to take Todd down with him if anyone learned the truth about Hope and Cole's deaths.

In the warehouse, Sonny quietly conceded that Carly had made the right decision to send Morgan away to school. Carly assured Sonny that she wanted the best for him. Sonny wanted the same for Carly, but he didn't think that Johnny was the man for her. Carly didn't want to argue, so Sonny let it drop. Later, Jax confided to Carly that he had overheard Todd and Johnny arguing.

Carly was stunned when Jax revealed that Johnny had been keeping a secret from her. After Jax left, Carly tearfully reminded Johnny that they might die, so she needed him to be honest with her and tell her what he was hiding.

Meanwhile, Todd and Sonny kept calling Jerry, to no avail. Sonny wondered what they should do if Jerry didn't show up. Todd admitted that he didn't have a backup plan. Sonny didn't either.

At the police station, John was frustrated when Todd didn't answer John's call. Dante entered the squad room after chasing down a lead on Jerry that hadn't panned out. Dante was surprised when John revealed that Todd had decided to get involved. "Don't you know it's the Todd and Jerry show? You find one knucklehead, you're gonna find the other," John said.

John explained that Todd had persuaded several rich citizens in Port Charles to pay Jerry's ransom demand. John was certain that they were meeting Jerry at that very moment. "Who else is in this merry band of thieves?" Dante asked. "The usual suspects, including your father," John answered.

Later, Sonny called Dante to check on his son. Sonny hoped that Dante was at the loft with Lulu, because nothing else was more important. Dante was curious if Sonny was with Kate or if Sonny was meeting with Jerry. Sonny refused to confirm or deny, so Dante warned Sonny that Jerry couldn't be trusted to turn over the antiserum. Dante implored Sonny to reveal his location, but Sonny would only promise to call Dante when it was over.

After Sonny disconnected the call, a police officer informed John that they had been able to trace the call to a general vicinity, so John and Dante fetched a map of the city in the hopes of figuring out where Jerry had arranged to meet Sonny and Todd.

At the lake house, Alexis gave an ailing Shawn some fever medicine and a bottle of water. Shawn wanted to talk about their kiss at the hospital, but Alexis became uncomfortable. Shawn was afraid that he had frightened Alexis off, so Alexis admitted that the kiss had been unexpected but good. She joked that she wouldn't have to wonder if he intended to make a move on their date. Shawn smiled as he realized that Alexis still planned to go out with him, even though he was sick.

Alexis assured Shawn that she was not in denial. She realized that everyone was sick, but she also knew that there was a counteragent out there, so she was confident that if the police didn't get the cure, then the doctors would develop an antiserum in time to save everyone. Shawn suggested that Jerry had deep feelings for Alexis because Jerry had ensured her survival. Alexis made it clear that she wasn't interested in Jerry, but she intended to take Shawn's advice by opening herself up to new possibilities. Shawn smiled.

Meanwhile, Jerry was on the porch, watching Alexis and Shawn. Jerry was not pleased with what he saw transpiring in the living room.

Inside, Alexis decided to check on T.J. and Molly, so Shawn offered to go with her. Alexis ordered Shawn to rest because he was too weak. Shawn confessed that he hadn't been able to stop thinking about her and the night that they had played strip pool. "I had some thoughts of my own," Alexis confided but didn't elaborate. After Alexis walked away, Jerry knocked on the door.

Shawn stopped short when he opened the door and saw Jerry. "Hello, Shawn. Long time no see," Jerry said. Jerry pointed a gun at Shawn and ordered Shawn to step out of the house. Jerry was curious if Shawn had been responsible for Jerry's shooting on the pier. Shawn pointed out that Jerry wouldn't be standing there if Shawn had been the sniper. Jerry imagined that Shawn would soon regret staying in Port Charles, but Shawn insisted that it had been the best decision that he had ever made.

Shawn demanded to know what Jerry wanted. Jerry revealed that he had saved Alexis' life because he intended to take her with him when he left. Shawn refused to let that happen, but Jerry didn't think that Shawn was in a position to object because Shawn would likely be dead within twenty-four hours. Jerry momentarily lowered his guard, so Shawn seized the opportunity to knock Jerry down.

In Molly's bedroom, Molly modeled a long blonde wig. T.J. was not impressed because he preferred her natural hair. Molly beamed because being blonde had been on her bucket list, as well as meeting a guy who liked her for who she was. Molly and T.J. talked about the things that they would never get to do. Molly regretted that she wouldn't get to see the Taj Mahal. T.J. confessed that he had started a lot of projects but only finished one.

Molly was stunned when T.J. handed her a notebook with a sketch of the Taj Mahal. T.J. realized that it wasn't like seeing the real thing, but Molly argued that it was better. Molly became emotional at the thought of dying, so T.J. tried to distract her by talking about their bucket lists. T.J. quietly asked her if she wanted to die without experiencing love-making. "No," Molly admitted.

Moments later, Alexis knocked and then entered Molly's room. Molly resented her mother not waiting for Molly to invite Alexis to enter. Alexis apologized as her eyes landed on the paper in Molly's hand. Alexis asked about it, so T.J. admitted that it was a bucket list. Alexis insisted that she didn't want Molly to think about dying because there was still hope. Molly argued that it was difficult to ignore the possibility of death when she had a fever.

After Alexis left, Molly and T.J. resumed their discussion about sex. Neither of them had a condom, but T.J. didn't think that it mattered. Molly disagreed. She pointed out that her mother might be right about the cure. Molly didn't want to survive the pathogen only to worry about the possibility that she might be pregnant. T.J. quickly assured Molly that it was okay because all that mattered to him was how he felt about Molly.

T.J. didn't want their love to ever end. Molly smiled as he wrapped his arms around her because she felt the same way. Later, Molly and T.J. were resting on her bed. Molly asked T.J. not to let her fall asleep because she was afraid that she might not wake up.

Alexis became alarmed when she returned to the living room but didn't see Shawn. She noticed that the front door was open and then spotted Shawn's unconscious body on the porch. She raced to check on him. Shawn groggily apologized to her, but Alexis didn't know why. Moments later, Jerry loomed over Alexis as he greeted her. Jerry was disappointed when Alexis frostily demanded to know what he wanted.

Alexis reminded Jerry that her daughters had been exposed to the pathogen, but Jerry was unmoved. According to Jerry, Alexis' life was the only one that he cared about, so he was willing to kill anyone to make her cooperate. Jerry offered to demonstrate by shooting Shawn. Meanwhile, Shawn slowly wrapped his fingers around a small piece of paper on the ground near his body.

At the warehouse, Sonny expressed doubt that Jerry would show up. As if on cue, Jerry, leading Alexis at gunpoint, entered the warehouse. Alexis explained that Jerry had kidnapped her. Sonny was curious what Jerry intended to do with Alexis. Jerry explained that he loved Alexis, so Jerry planned to take her with him.

In the interrogation room, John and Dante were studying a map of the city when Shawn appeared in the doorway and revealed that he might be of help.

In Llanview, Téa was pleasantly surprised by Heather's visit. She invited Heather inside and then explained to the baby that the woman before them had saved his life. Téa confessed that she had thought of Heather often. Heather smiled as she admitted that she was in Llanview because of Victor. Téa apologized because she couldn't remember Heather's name, so Heather introduced herself as Susan Moore.

Heather claimed that Todd had given her Téa's address. Téa revealed that she had heard about the health scare in Port Charles, so Heather assured her that it was nothing more than media hype. Téa was curious what had prompted the visit. Heather explained that it was about the baby. "I'm sorry Téa, he isn't yours," Heather revealed.

Téa put Victor in the playpen and then asked Heather to explain herself. Heather smiled innocently as she explained that the Chinese believed that a person who saved another would always be responsible for the life that they had saved. Téa relaxed as Heather promised to always watch over Victor. Téa admitted that Victor didn't have a lot of family, so Téa welcomed Heather's support. Heather claimed that she had always asked about Victor, but Todd had never said much, so Heather had decided to visit.

Heather asked to hold Victor, so Téa fetched the baby and handed him to Heather. Heather became emotional as she talked about how it had felt to save Victor's life. Heather was curious if Victor had any medical problems, so Téa admitted that Dr. Webber at General Hospital had diagnosed Victor with a genetic blood disorder. Heather beamed as she confessed that she had heard of Dr. Webber. Téa explained that the disorder could be managed, provided that Victor was closely monitored and received immediate treatment when it became necessary.

However, Téa had no idea how Victor had inherited the disorder, because no one in Téa's family or her husband's family had ever heard of it. Moments later, Téa's cell phone rang. Téa noted that it was her office calling, so Heather assured Téa that she wouldn't mind if Téa took the call. After Téa stepped out of the room, Heather whispered to the baby that they both knew that Téa wasn't his real mother.

At the nurses' station, Liz asked Patrick how Ewen was doing. Liz was saddened when Patrick revealed that Ewen had died. Patrick was curious if Liz recalled Ewen ever talking about Robin. Liz wondered why Patrick had asked. Patrick told her that Ewen had died saying Robin's name. Liz was surprised because she only remembered Ewen talking about Robin in the context of Patrick's grief.

Liz assured Patrick that Ewen had seemed to genuinely want to help Patrick. However, she conceded that she was probably the wrong person to ask, since Ewen had been keeping secrets from her. Patrick appreciated that he should be focused on the sick patients, but he wanted to know what Ewen had been trying to tell him.

In the examination room, Sam regretted going to see Heather about Franco's DVD. Sam admitted that she had been angry at Jason, because as long as it had been his fault, she didn't have to think about what had happened after her son's birth. Sam explained that she barely recalled sitting in the motel room with the baby. She believed that it had stopped raining, but she couldn't understand why she had decided to wrap her son in a scarf instead of a warm blanket. Sam didn't know why she had left the room with the baby or walked down a dark street either. Jason reminded Sam that she had been concerned about the baby's breathing, so she had been looking for help.

Sam insisted that it had been stupid to wander into the woods with the baby and leave her newborn alone. "My baby died because of me," Sam cried. Jason held Sam in his arms as she wept. Jason gently reminded Sam that the baby had died of respiratory failure, not because of something that she had done. He insisted that she had done the best that she could. Jason pointed out that Sam had been so weak that she hadn't even recognized her son when Jason had handed the infant to her.

Sam argued that she had been in denial and then confessed that a part of her believed that her son would still be with her if she had held on to him. Jason reached for her hand and held it. Moments later, Patrick and Liz entered the examination room. Patrick checked Sam for signs of a head injury, while Liz told Jason that he would have to wait a few more hours for a doctor to remove the bullet from his leg. Sam watched as Liz asked if Jason was in pain. Jason assured Liz that he was fine, but Liz offered to get him pain medication, if he needed it.

Patrick gained Sam's attention by shinning a penlight in her eyes. Meanwhile, Liz told Jason that Ewen had died. "Well, at least you're safe," Jason replied. Patrick was furious that Ewen had deceived everyone. Liz revealed that Ewen had denied any knowledge of Jerry's plan to put the pathogen in the water. Patrick quietly admitted they were all getting progressively sicker, so Jerry's warning about the pathogen had been true.

Jason changed the subject by asking Patrick to pull Sam's son's medical records. Patrick revealed that it wasn't necessary because they were part of Sam's patient file. Sam was surprised when Jason asked Patrick to explain why Sam's son had died. Patrick checked the records and explained that the baby's lungs had not been fully developed, so the baby had died of respiratory failure. Jason was curious if the baby could have been saved if the newborn had been put on a ventilator. Patrick explained that nothing could have been done to save the infant because the baby's lungs had been too weak.

Patrick handed the file to Liz before he took Sam to radiology. Liz reiterated that the baby's death had not been Sam or Jason's fault. Jason asked to see the file, so Liz handed it to him. Jason immediately spotted a discrepancy. He explained that Sam and Franco had O-positive blood types, but the baby's blood type had been AB-negative. Liz agreed that it was impossible for two O-positive parents to have an AB-negative child, but she was certain that it was a clerical error. "What if the baby who died wasn't Sam's?" Jason asked.