Shawn wanted Jordan to leave Mickey's hotel room before Mickey returned. He kissed her, but she pulled away. Jordan didn't know what Shawn was trying to do, so he explained that he wanted to prevent her from the "business" she had in the hotel room. He wondered why she would sleep with Mickey if she didn't want to.
Mickey stood outside his room on the phone. He told the person on the other end that he'd made "special arrangements" to send Julian a message. He hung up the phone and walked into his room where, he was surprised to see Jordan and Shawn. He demanded to know what was going on. Jordan told him that Olivia had let her into Mickey's room, and Shawn had followed her there. She claimed that Shawn was obsessed with her and urged him to leave.
After a subtle threat from Mickey, Shawn said that he would leave, but he wouldn't like it. "You made your bed. Now you have to lie in it," he said as he left. Jordan apologized on behalf of Shawn. Mickey expressed how happy he'd been to hear that Jordan wanted to "pick up where we left off." Jordan replied that she wanted to be in the organization and meet the "big boss." She would do whatever was necessary. Mickey appreciated her loyalty.
Mickey continued that "some people" in the organization had their own agendas, and he'd had to "take steps" to keep them in line. He handed Jordan a drink to "get the party started." He began to kiss her. She thought about Shawn's words and stopped Mickey. She claimed to want to freshen up. As Mickey went to make himself a drink, she took a recording device out of her purse and fixed it behind the bedframe. Then, she went to the bathroom.
A few minutes later, Jordan returned from the bathroom, and Mickey was disappointed to see that she was still dressed. She suggested that he undress her himself. He wished that she'd gotten involved with the business sooner, and he kissed her. They collapsed on the bed, and Mickey suddenly stopped. "I think we need to talk," he told her as he pulled the recording device from behind the bedframe.
A figure creeped around outside Alexis' house. The person produced a bomb, set it to go off in thirty minutes, and set it inside the mailbox, which was attached to the house. Suddenly, headlights appeared, and the man ran away into the trees. Alexis, Molly, and T.J., who carried Danny, went inside the house. Alexis was happy to have so much family at her house at once.
Julian told Ava that Mickey didn't just make idle threats. He informed her that his boss had almost had Lucas killed, which was something that could easily happen again. Ava was exhausted and turned to go change into something more comfortable. Before she left, Julian reminded Ava that she owed him some information.
Julian called Alexis. Seeing that it was Julian, Alexis rejected the call. Julian left a message saying that he understood why she'd rejected the call, and he'd just wanted to check in. He told her that he loved her, and that he couldn't wait to sneak around with her again. "How sweet," Ava commented dryly after Julian had hung up.
Julian changed the subject by asking Ava if she had any proof that Sonny had shot A.J. She informed him that A.J. had secretly recorded his entire encounter with Ava and Sonny, and the recording had been transferred to a flash drive, which was hidden in Sonny's possession. Julian wondered why Sonny hadn't "trashed" the incriminating evidence. She reluctantly admitted that the recording also incriminated her in a crime, separate from A.J.'s shooting.
At Julian's prodding, Ava lied that, in the recording, she'd confessed to shooting Olivia. Julian didn't buy it, but Ava insisted that it was enough to put her in jail. She updated her brother on Delia's unsuccessful attempt to recover the flash drive. Ava was sure that the drive wasn't the only copy and thought that the person who'd given it to Sonny in the first place would have a copy as well. She revealed that that person was Carly.
Molly went outside to check the mail and see if her magazine had arrived. Alexis assured Molly that her Soap Opera Digest was in her room. Molly told her mother that she needed to catch up on her show, since she'd missed a few episodes "while I was in General Hospital." Alexis was glad that Molly was home. "Only because you and Julian aren't together anymore," Molly added. Speaking of Julian, Alexis noticed her missed call and voicemail from Julian. Alexis asked Molly and T.J. to put Danny to bed and said she'd order a pizza while they did so. She listened to her voicemail from Julian.
A short while later, Julian's phone rang, and he was delighted to answer it to Alexis. She called to let him know that she loved him, too, and she was also excited to sneak around with him. She told him that she missed him and said goodnight. When Julian hung up the phone, he asked Ava about Carly. She replied that the women's hatred was mutual, and that Carly would probably keep a copy to use against Ava just in case. However, Ava thought Carly would see any kind of hit "coming from a mile away."
Ava thought of someone who could do their dirty work that Carly wouldn't expect. She told Julian that Franco had "a jealous streak and poor impulse control." She thought that Franco would be willing to get the recording from Carly "with the right motivation." A short while later, Ava hung up her phone. "It's all taken care of," she told Julian.
A minute later, Julian's phone went off. He stared quizzically at the message he received from Mickey: "Have a good night. Hope your family sleeps tight."
Molly and T.J. returned from Danny's room and told Alexis that Danny wouldn't sleep without his favorite truck, which was at Sam's. Just then, there was a knock on the door, and Alexis answered it to the pizza deliveryman. She took the pizza in. A few minutes later, the bomb beeped inside the mailbox. It exploded, and the house burst into flames.
Sam told Sonny that she was trying to catch a liar and expose the truth. Sonny wondered who the liar was. "Mrs. Nina Clay," Sam replied. She told him about how Patrick had been fired after a reporter had somehow heard about something Patrick had told her in confidence. She believed that Nina had been responsible and needed to see from the hospital's security footage if Nina had been eavesdropping on her conversation with Silas.
Sam confided in Sonny that she and Silas hadn't been able to get past Nina's reappearance and had broken up. However, she needed to know if Nina had been at fault. He pointed her in the direction of the DVDs, and she picked up a stack. She popped a DVD into Sonny's computer, and they watched. Suddenly, they could see the door to the roof opening up as if someone had been listening. They couldn't see a person, but Sam realized she had to tell Silas immediately.
Sonny wondered if Silas made Sam happy. "I thought so," she answered. He advised her not to let him get away. He continued that he'd failed to get Olivia back, but he would be happy to help Sam get Silas back. She thanked Sonny and left.
A few minutes later, Shawn entered Sonny's office. Sonny wondered if Shawn had found anything in Mickey's hotel room. "Jordan," Shawn responded. He couldn't figure out why Jordan was determined to sleep with Mickey, but he knew that there was nothing he could do about it.
Nina crushed up a pill and put it into the drink she'd made for Silas. Silas returned to the room, and she handed the drink to him. He thanked her for making his favorite and took a sip. Nina expressed her sympathy about Rafe's death and about the end of his relationship with Sam. She only wanted the best for him. He began to talk about Sam then realized that he shouldn't talk about his girlfriend with his wife. She instructed him to lie down on the couch and offered to rub his shoulders "like I used to."
As Silas was ready to pass out, he wondered how the reporter had found out about Patrick's secret. He fell asleep, and Nina leaned in closely. "You know how he knew? I told him. I'm the one who undid your relationship," Nina whispered in his ear. She thought that the drug had "worked too well." She didn't think she'd "get a baby out of" Silas if he was unconscious. She thought it was poetic justice that a drug had made her lose a baby, and a drug would help her get a baby.
Nina woke Silas up, and he apologized for being so exhausted. She asked to join him on the couch in order to get more comfortable. He struggled to get up from the couch. He picked her up and fell forward onto the couch, right on top of Nina. He tried to get off of her, but she insisted that she was comfortable.
Just then, there was a pounding on the front door, and Silas suddenly became alert. Nina told him that there was no one at the door and that the pounding sound was her heart. Nina kissed him just as Sam let herself into the apartment. She was horrified at what she saw.
Olivia cried to Ned in the elevator. He offered to accompany her for a drink. When they got off the elevator at the restaurant, Ned already knew all about Olivia's situation with Sonny. She spotted Carly, who was sitting with Franco, and demanded that Carly throw Sonny out of the building. Carly refused, citing that it was none of her business. "When has that stopped you before?" Olivia wondered.
Ned tried to pull Olivia away, but she didn't budge. Olivia knew that Carly would react the way she did. She accused Carly of not caring about how Sonny had treated Olivia, because Carly had "a thing for Sonny. You always have, and you always will." Carly urged Olivia not to take out her bad night on Carly. Olivia continued that Sonny and Carly would always be first in each other's lives, no matter who else was around.
Ned warned Olivia that she shouldn't have the argument with Carly in front of the staff and guests and pulled her away to the bar. Carly apologized to Franco for the scene. "No big deal. Just another person who sees the magical connection between you and Sonny," he stated. Carly told him that she was loyal to Sonny, but Olivia's broken heart was Olivia's business.
Carly continued that, if Franco wanted to be jealous of Sonny again, then Carly would be jealous of Franco's new friend Nina from the hospital. Franco insisted that he wasn't interested in Nina, and she was married anyway.
A short while later, Carly and Franco finished their meal. She had some hotel business to take care of but told Franco that she'd be back soon. She kissed him, and he headed into the elevator, which already contained two men. As soon as the doors closed, the two men, ready with guns, descended on Franco.
Olivia and Ned sat at the bar. She apologized for "dragging you in the middle of my messed up life." She also told him that Alice and the Quartermaines would be in her prayers. They each appreciated the other listening.
In Silas' apartment, Sam walked in on Silas and Nina during a heated kiss on the sofa, unaware that Nina had drugged Silas. "Oh, my God," Sam cried out as she stood frozen in the doorway. Silas and Nina looked up, but Silas was a little slower to comprehend what had happened than Nina, so Nina asked why Sam was there. Sam's eyes filled with tears as she turned to leave, but Silas asked her to wait. Sam confessed that it had been painful for her to tell him to go back to his wife, but she hadn't expected that it would be so easy for him to do it.
Silas tried to shrug off the grogginess, but Sam was too upset to notice as she assured him that Silas being back with his wife was for the best. Silas started to disagree, but Nina cut him off by asking why Sam had barged into the apartment since Silas and Sam had ended things. Sam explained that she had wanted to tell Silas something about Nina, but it no longer mattered. Sam started to leave, but Silas begged her to wait. Hurt, Sam asked why she should bother when he had made his feelings clear.
Silas watched with frustration as Sam walked out of the apartment. He tried to follow her, but he collapsed with exhaustion in the doorway. Silas questioned why he felt groggy, so Nina attributed it to too much alcohol. Silas' brow furrowed with confusion because he only recalled consuming a single drink, but Nina assured him that he'd had more. Eventually, Silas managed to stumble to the sofa, so Nina tried to pick up where they had left off by kissing him but Silas rebuffed her advances.
Nina reminded Silas that she was his wife and confessed that she wanted him, but Silas argued that it wasn't right. Nina disagreed because he had admitted to having feelings for her, but Silas pushed her away when she tried to initiate another kiss. He admitted that he didn't feel like himself, so offered to help her to bed before he turned in for the night. Nina hid her frustration as she assured him that it wasn't necessary. Silas didn't argue, so he bid her goodnight then staggered to his bedroom.
At the Jerome residence, Julian received an unsettling text message from Mickey Diamond that read, "Have a good night. Hope your family sleeps tight." Ava confessed that it sounded like a threat, prompting Julian to recall his phone call with Alexis when she had told him that Molly had returned home and that Danny would be spending the night. Alarmed, Julian called Mickey, but the call went unanswered. Julian's frustration mounted when he called Alexis and her voicemail picked up, so he left her a message instructing her to get everyone out of the house. Ava tried to assure her brother that everything would be fine, but Julian ran out of the apartment, fearing the worst.
Later, Ava left Julian a voicemail message urging him to be careful because he was the only thing that stood between her and a bullet from Sonny. After she ended the call, two thugs arrived dragging Franco between them. They shoved him into a chair and removed the hood covering his head. Pleased, Ava dismissed the goons, so they promised to wait in the hallway.
Annoyed, Franco demanded to know what was going on. Ava explained that she had wanted to have a chat with him, so Franco asked why she wasn't with Sonny. Ava revealed that she had finally gotten out from under Sonny's thumb then added that she would like to keep things that way. Franco was surprised when Ava confessed that she needed his help to get her hands on the incriminating recording that A.J. had made the night Sonny had killed A.J. Franco reminded Ava that the recording also contained Ava's confession about murdering Connie.
Ava insisted that she needed the recording to use as leverage against Sonny to keep him from killing her. She was certain that Carly had been wise enough to retain a copy of the recording for herself, but Franco was curious why he should help Ava get her hands on it. She pointed out that they each wanted Sonny out of their lives, but Franco argued that he didn't have a quarrel with Sonny. Ava didn't believe Franco because she knew that he had a jealous streak.
Franco claimed that he was a new man, but Ava didn't believe him. She decided to switch tactics by reminding him that Carly would always put Sonny first. Ava warned Franco that Sonny would remain an obstacle to Franco and Carly's happiness unless Franco gave Ava what she needed to eliminate Sonny once and for all. Franco argued that he had too much to lose, so Ava called out to her two thugs. Franco assumed that Ava intended to use her goons to intimidate him, but Ava surprised Franco by revealing that her men would simply escort him out. She explained that she was confident that he would have a change of heart.
At the lake house, the bomb planted in the Davis mailbox detonated. As the fire engulfed the porch and house, the propane tanks by the outdoor grill exploded. Moments later, Julian arrived. He called out to Alexis and Danny as he ran to the front door, but another blast knocked him backwards as it ripped through the house. Julian was knocked out then remained unconscious until fire and rescue personnel arrived on the scene.
Julian struggled to his feet, desperate to rescue his family, but a firefighter held him back because it was too dangerous to enter the burning house. The firefighter warned Julian that no one could have survived the explosion. Julian was distraught until he suddenly heard Alexis cry out with surprise. Relieved, Julian ran to Alexis to wrap her in a tight hug. Alexis stared in disbelief at her home as she asked what had happened, but Julian was anxious to know where their grandson and Molly were. Alexis explained that she had packed up the children to go to Sam's penthouse to pick up Danny's toy truck, so Molly and Danny were safe at Sam's place.
Moments later, Sam ran up crying out for Danny, so Julian and Alexis rushed to assure Sam that Danny was safe at home with Molly and T.J. Sam immediately sagged with relief then asked what had happened to Alexis' home. Alexis confessed that she had no idea, but it was lucky that no one had been home when the fire had erupted. Julian quietly asked Sam to take care of her mother then he left.
Later, Alexis became upset when she saw remnants of special mementos that had been destroyed in the explosion. Sam decided to get some answers for her mother, so she stopped a passing firefighter to ask what had caused the fire. The firefighter was reluctant to discuss it while the investigation was ongoing, but Sam persuaded to him to tell her off the record. Alexis and Sam were shocked when the firefighter revealed that the fire appeared to be a result of an explosion caused by suspicious circumstances. Alexis couldn't believe that someone had destroyed her home intentionally, but Sam pointed out that it would explain why Julian had abruptly left.
In Metro Court Restaurant, Olivia drunkenly accepted a drink from the bartender as she instructed him to put it on Carly's tab. Olivia took a drink then grumbled about Carly and how Carly hadn't fooled anyone by dropping the Corinthos name. Ned carefully suggested that perhaps it was time for Olivia to have an intermission because he didn't want her to wake up the following morning with a raging headache. Olivia insisted that she was just having fun, but Ned appeared skeptical. Olivia assured him she had a reputation for being a lot of fun despite always seeming like a "little dark cloud" when she was around Ned. "Just ask Lois," Olivia added, referring to Ned's ex-wife.
Olivia's attention was diverted when her eyes landed on Carly at a nearby table. Olivia managed to slide off the bar stool before Ned realized that she was headed to Carly's table. Ned tried to get Olivia to return to the bar with him, but Olivia ignored him. Moments later, Olivia informed Carly that Sonny would eventually be evicted from the hotel, but Carly refused to allow Olivia to toss the father of Carly's sons out of the hotel simply because Sonny had broken Olivia's heart. Olivia resented Carly trying to make it about the children when it was really about Sonny having Carly twisted around his finger.
Ned wisely intervened by dragging Olivia away before the argument escalated. Back at the bar, Olivia wondered why women always fawned over Sonny. She rambled about keeping her pregnancy a secret from Sonny because Sonny had been in the mob and then confessed that all it had taken for her to end up back in Sonny's arms was for Steven Lars to walk out on their wedding. Olivia realized that she had turned into a "Brenda-bot," which Olivia described as a legion of "little brunettes with big boobies" who were blindly devoted to Sonny. Ned revealed that he had been close to the original Brenda.
According to Ned, Brenda had been a different and much happier person before she had met Sonny. Ned explained that Sonny had broken Brenda more than once, so Olivia admitted that Sonny hadn't been worth it. Olivia insisted that she was through with Sonny and that she intended to reclaim herself. Her eyes suddenly filled with tears, which she claimed were her allergies acting up, so Ned assured Olivia that it was okay because he had been where she was. Olivia suddenly announced that it was time for her to go home, but Ned was concerned about her taking a cab, so he invited her to stay with him.
A short time later, Ned and Olivia entered his hotel room. He offered to fetch her some water to drink before they watched television, but Olivia warned him that the hotel's pay-per-view "sucked." Ned chuckled, but Olivia assured him that it was true because the guests always complained about it. Ned picked up the remote then surfed the channels until he settled on a comedy. Olivia began to cry because he had picked It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia.
Later, Olivia smiled as she and Ned watched television. Ned was pleased that he had been right about watching a comedy because it had lifted Olivia's spirits. He excused himself to fetch a pillow and blanket for Olivia just as a commercial for an animal shelter appeared on television. Olivia immediately became teary-eyed. Ned returned to the living room to discover Olivia on the phone, tearfully explaining to someone that she wanted to adopt the animals in the shelter. Olivia was put on hold, so Ned warned Olivia that it was a mistake to drunk-dial. "Especially an animal shelter," Ned added.
Olivia cried that she needed to save the neglected animals because it hadn't been right for someone to dump them after promising to love them. Ned gently suggested that perhaps Olivia was projecting, but Olivia continued to cry as she watched the heartbreaking commercial. Ned shifted gears to ask where Olivia intended to put her newly adopted animals, so Olivia reminded him that she owned a "whole half of a hotel." She explained that she would simply replace the beds in several of the guest rooms with doggy beds. "So, your new life plan is based on a kid's movie?" Ned asked.
Olivia's tears briefly stopped as she asked if there had really been a movie about a dog hotel. Ned quickly snatched the phone out of Olivia's hand when she suddenly returned to her phone call to provide the shelter with her personal information. He disconnected the call as he explained that she would be free to adopt all the dogs she wanted when she was sober. However, until then, he intended to revoke all of her phone privileges. Later, Olivia curled up on the sofa with a pillow and blanket as she thanked Ned for stopping her from turning the hotel into a dog hotel. As Olivia drifted off to sleep, she confessed that Lois had been crazy to let Ned get away.
At Corinthos Coffee, Shawn told Sonny that Jordan was in Mickey's hotel room, determined to sleep with the man. Shawn had reservations about Jordan's choices, but he realized that there was nothing he could do to stop her. Sonny appreciated that Jordan was important to Shawn, so he invited Shawn to have a drink with him to get Shawn's mind off Jordan. Shawn declined because he wanted to return to Mickey's room to drag Jordan away from Mickey. Sonny agreed to back whatever Shawn decided, but Sonny warned his friend that they might need Mickey to get to Julian and Ava if the Jeromes intended to pick up where Ric had left off.
Shortly after Shawn left, Carly entered Sonny's office. She swiped a drink out of Sonny's hand then downed it before she explained that they had a problem. Carly quickly filled Sonny in about Olivia's outburst in the restaurant and Carly's refusal to let Olivia evict Sonny. Sonny appreciated Carly's support, but Carly confessed that she couldn't blame Olivia for wanting Sonny gone. However, Carly also realized that Olivia didn't know that Ava had used Sonny's guilt and fear over losing Michael to manipulate Sonny. Sonny bristled at the suggestion that Ava had taken advantage of him, but Carly assured him that she knew that he felt bad for hurting both Morgan and Olivia.
Sonny appreciated Carly's support and efforts to keep Olivia from following through on the eviction. Carly admitted that it had cost her because Franco hadn't been happy when Olivia had accused Carly of being loyal to Sonny above all others. Sonny insisted that Franco didn't have a right to complain because Sonny was the father of her children. Carly's temper flared because Sonny refused to at least pretend to feel bad for her situation after she had gone to bat for him. She reminded Sonny how Franco had reacted the last time that Franco had felt threatened by Sonny but it quickly backfired on Carly when Sonny demanded to know if she was trying to tell him that Franco intended to tell Michael the truth about how A.J. had died.
Carly assured Sonny that he didn't have to worry about Franco because Franco was in a good place. She was confident that Michael would never find out about A.J.'s death because Sonny had Ava locked up tight. "Not anymore," Sonny quietly admitted. Sonny quickly filled Carly in on Ava's escape from the hospital, so Carly feared that Ava might reach out to Morgan for help. Sonny assured Carly that their son's bond with Ava had been broken, but Carly remained concerned about Ava's next move against Sonny. Sonny promised Carly that Ava was powerless because Ava was essentially a prisoner in the apartment.
In Mickey Diamond's hotel suite, Mickey passionately kissed Jordan as they fell to the bed. Moments later, Mickey pulled away from Jordan to suggest that they talk. Jordan tensed when Mickey pulled out the recorder that she had tucked into the bed's headboard and then played it. Mickey listened to the recording of Jordan giving her name, badge number, and mission in Mickey's hotel room, so Jordan tried to bluff her way through the damaging statements by explaining that she had intended to use the recording as a cover in case the police picked her up, but Mickey easily saw through the lie. Jordan became alarmed when Mickey picked up a gun then aimed it at her.
In the hallway, Shawn stopped outside of Mickey's room. He debated entering the room, but ultimately decided against it because Shawn realized that Jordan was perfectly capable of taking care of herself.
Inside the hotel room, Mickey admitted that he had never trusted Jordan because of her constant questions about the boss. He revealed that he had talked to T.J. and had learned that T.J. hadn't been around while Jordan had been in jail. In hindsight, Mickey realized that her stint in jail had been the time that she had needed to hone her skills and build a cover. However, he was determined that it would end.
Jordan managed to catch Mickey by surprise by kicking the gun out of his hand as he closed in on her. The two began to scuffle until Jordan gained the upper hand by grabbing the gun that she had kicked out of Mickey's hand. Mickey mocked Jordan by reminding her that she couldn't kill him in cold blood, but Jordan pointed out that she could put him in jail. He immediately threatened to use his one phone call to contact his boss to let him know that Jordan was an undercover Drug Enforcement Agent, but Jordan suggested that Mickey might be able to help himself by cooperating.
Meanwhile, Shawn returned to Sonny's office to let Sonny know that he had decided to leave Mickey alone.
In Mickey's hotel room, Mickey informed Jordan that he was not a rat. He gloated that her cover had been blown just as his phone rang. Mickey saw that it was his boss, so he threatened to pick up the phone to warn the boss. Jordan advised Mickey not to try it just as Julian burst through the door and shot Mickey at point-blank range.
In Silas' apartment, Nina was frustrated when she reached Rosalie's voicemail because Nina was eager to talk to her nurse. Nina left a message for Rosalie, explaining that things had gone according to plan until Sam had stopped by and ruined everything. Nina implored Rosalie to return to Silas' apartment as soon as possible because Nina wanted to talk to Rosalie in person. Moments later, someone knocked at the door. Nina assumed that it was Rosalie, so she invited her nurse inside with a reminder that Rosalie didn't have to knock.
Nina's relief turned to shock when Nathan opened the door. Nathan stared at Nina in disbelief when he saw her standing next to her wheelchair, but Nina managed to cover her mistake by feigning weakness in her legs. Nathan immediately rushed to her side to help her back into her wheelchair as he asked if she was alone. Nina assured him that Silas was asleep in the bedroom then explained that she had made great strides in physical therapy, so she had decided to try to stand on her own. Nathan warned Nina not to try it again because she could have hurt herself by falling.
Nina promised to be more careful but begged Nathan not to say anything to Silas because she wanted to surprise Silas by walking through the front door on her own steam, preferably in four-inch heels. Nathan promised that Nina's secret would be safe with him as long as she promised not to try it again without her nurse present. Nina agreed then changed the subject by inviting him to sit. Nathan apologized for not visiting Nina sooner. He felt bad because he couldn't imagine that it had been easy for Nina to see Silas dating someone.
Nina revealed that Sam had ended things with Silas after a quarrel, which Nina thought couldn't have happened at a worse time, since Silas had just lost his nephew, Rafe. Nathan gently suggested that Silas might need some time to recover after losing Rafe and the breakup, so he advised Nina not to expect too much from Silas. Nina explained that it was only natural that Silas would turn to her for comfort because they shared a special connection as husband and wife. Nina was confident that Nathan would understand once he found the "luckiest girl on the plant" to marry.
Nathan became uncomfortable with the direction of the conversation, so he tried to change the subject, but Nina picked up on his unease and questioned him about it. Nathan denied that anything was bothering him, but Nina knew he was lying because he had a tendency to rub his eyebrow when he was upset. Nathan insisted that he didn't want to burden Nina with his problems because she had enough to deal with, but Nina kept pushing. Eventually, Nathan opened up about Maxie's decision to marry Levi and his suspicion that Levi had contacted Immigration to manipulate Maxie into getting married.
Nina explained that sometimes people did things that they wouldn't normally do, so perhaps Levi loved Maxie. Nathan dismissed the possibility because people in love wanted to make the person they loved happy. Nina suggested that it might not be that simple, but Nathan disagreed. He revealed that Maxie's greatest desire was to be a part of her daughter's life, but Levi had sabotaged the custody hearing. Nina was certain that there was more to the story, so Nathan agreed.
Nathan explained that Levi had not only taken advantage of Maxie's pain but had added to it by making certain that Maxie wouldn't get to see Georgie anytime soon. Nathan insisted that Levi was sick and didn't love Maxie, so Nina conceded that Nathan might be right. However, she was certain that Nathan loved Maxie because Nina recognized love when she saw it. Nathan seemed shocked at the suggestion, but Nina was confident that she was right. Nathan admitted that he had feelings for Maxie, but it didn't matter because Maxie intended to marry Levi.
Nina urged Nathan to fight for Maxie. She pointed out that she and Silas had a real chance at salvaging their marriage because she hadn't given up on Silas. Nina was confident that if Nathan's heart was in the right place, then he would win the love he wanted just as Nina had.
Meanwhile, Maxie stopped by to visit Lulu at the loft. Lulu was startled when Maxie blurted out that she wanted Lulu to be her matron of honor. Lulu thought that it was rather sudden, so Maxie explained that she had proposed to Levi to keep him from being deported. Lulu reluctantly turned down Maxie's offer. Maxie was hurt because she thought that she and Lulu had been in a better place, so Lulu assured Maxie that they were. However, Lulu had concerns about Maxie's feelings for Nathan.
Maxie immediately bristled because she blamed Nathan for Levi's immigration troubles. Lulu defended Nathan because she was certain that he had told the truth about not reporting Levi to Immigration. Maxie was disappointed, but Lulu suggested that Maxie had been lying to herself about Maxie's feelings for Nathan. Maxie insisted that she only felt contempt for him, but Lulu didn't believe Maxie because Maxie's story about being handcuffed to Nathan had sounded very romantic to Lulu.
Lulu feared that it would be a mistake for Maxie to marry Levi, but Maxie promised Lulu that it wasn't. Maxie explained that Levi had saved her when she'd hit rock bottom after losing custody of Georgie and leaving town. She credited him for helping her to move forward and repair her broken relationships. Maxie insisted that she loved Levi and was eager to marry him, so Lulu agreed to be Maxie's matron of honor if it wasn't too late to accept.
Maxie smiled with joy as she hugged her friend. Afterwards, Maxie promised that Lulu would see that Maxie had done the right thing by marrying Levi. Lulu explained that she was happy as long Maxie was, but she hoped that Maxie would have a change of heart about Nathan. Lulu insisted that Nathan only wanted the best for Maxie and tried to look out for her because he cared.
In Alice's hospital room, Michael and Kiki were on hand when Alice slowly woke up. Michael immediately asked how Alice felt, so she confessed that she was tired despite constantly sleeping. Alice wondered if she had missed Morgan's visit but her question was answered when Morgan entered the room with a guest. Alice was stunned when American wrestling champion David Otunga followed Morgan in, so she asked if she had died and gone to heaven. David assured Alice that she was very much alive then revealed that he had hopped on the first plane when he had heard about the Dominator's condition.
Alice was shocked that David knew her wrestling name, so David admitted that Alice had been the reason he'd become a wrestler. Alice was touched when David talked about how she had inspired him and many other professional wrestlers, all of whom were praying for her to recover.
After everyone except Morgan filed out of the room, Alice seized the opportunity to thank Morgan for reaching out to David Otunga. Morgan explained that he had wanted to see her smile, so Alice tearfully confessed that her heart might be damaged, but it didn't feel that way because it was full of love.
Meanwhile, in the hallway, Michael and Kiki thanked David for visiting Alice. David credited Morgan for making everything happen.
Later, Alice assured David that Tracy would find a new heart for her, so David invited Alice to attend a wrestling match when she was recovered. Alice smiled brightly as she promised that she would. After David autographed a fitness magazine featuring him on the cover, he admitted that it had been an honor to meet Alice. Moments later, Michael and Kiki walked David out. Alice confided to Morgan that it had been the happiest day of her life, so if she died, she would die happy. Morgan refused to let Alice talk about dying because he was certain that a heart would be found in time.
Elsewhere in the hospital, Tracy became annoyed when she reached Luke's voicemail. She decided to leave a message because she thought he should know that Alice's heart had been failing faster than they had anticipated. She assured Luke that Monica had been doing everything possible to find a donor heart, but there was a strong possibility that Alice would die before one could be found. Tracy had no idea how to break the news to Alice, especially since she had promised to find Alice a heart in exchange for Alice's silence about Tracy's plans to reclaim ELQ.
Tracy was certain that Alice would use her dying breath to expose Tracy and Luke's plans, so Tracy insisted that it was imperative that the family not find out that Alice was dying. "Mother?" Ned asked as he walked up. Tracy quickly ended the call as she turned to face her son. She confessed that she was surprised to see him because she had expected him to be busy moving into the Quartermaine mansion, so Ned explained that he had taken a break.
Tracy's hopes that Ned hadn't overheard her on the phone plummeted when Ned asked if it was true that Alice was dying. Tracy confirmed that it was, but she made it clear that she did not intend to share the news with anyone else -- including Alice. Ned was stunned because he believed that Alice and the family had a right to know to give everyone the opportunity to say their goodbyes. Tracy argued that it would just make Alice and everyone else miserable, but Ned insisted that it was the right thing to do because Alice might want to get a few things off her chest before she died.
Tracy suggested that hearing the truth might make things worse for Alice, but Ned argued that it wasn't Tracy's call to make. He was certain that Tracy would want to know the truth if she were in Alice's shoes, so he warned Tracy that he would tell Alice if she didn't. Tracy insisted that she didn't want to risk Alice giving up in case they found a heart, but Ned was unmoved. Tracy realized that he would not back down, so she agreed to break the news to Alice.
In Mickey's hotel room, Jordan was shocked when Julian burst through the door and shot Mickey as Mickey reached for the phone to answer a call from the mystery boss. Julian walked up to the bed where Mickey had fallen. "That's what you get for trying to kill my family," Julian coldly said as he looked at Mickey's still body. Stunned, Jordan demanded to know what Julian was talking about, so Julian revealed that Mickey had planted a bomb at Alexis' house.
Jordan was immediately concerned about T.J., but Julian assured her that everyone, including T.J., was safe and unharmed. Jordan was relieved, but she wondered why Mickey had targeted Julian's family, so Julian admitted that he had crossed Mickey. Jordan started to question Julian further, but he cut her off by demanding to know why she was in Mickey's hotel room.
Jordan claimed that Mickey had invited her to discuss business, but it had been a ruse to make a pass at her. She admitted that things had gotten ugly when she had rebuffed Mickey's advances, so Julian asked if she was okay. Mickey suddenly groaned and accused Jordan of lying, but Julian was too blinded by rage to understand Mickey's warning. Julian immediately advanced on Mickey, intending to finish the job, but Jordan urged Julian to leave before the police arrived. Julian was curious what she intended to do, so she reminded him that she had a plausible excuse for self-defense.
Mickey continued to try to warn Julian that Jordan was an undercover agent, but Jordan kept Julian distracted by urging Julian to hand over his gun. She explained that she needed to be able to provide the police with a gun that would match ballistics and confirm her story. Julian saw the logic in what she said, so he took her gun in exchange for his. Jordan waited until Julian left then approached Mickey on the bed. She wondered if he had truly expected her to let him tip off Julian that she worked for the Drug Enforcement Agency.
Mickey weakly asked if Jordan intended to let him die, so she admitted that as much as she would like to, she couldn't. A short time later, Anna arrived as paramedics prepared to transport an unconscious Mickey to the hospital. She carefully made a show of treating Jordan like a suspect until Jordan and Anna found a quiet corner to talk. Jordan quickly filled Anna in on what had transpired in the hotel room with Mickey and admitted that she was stunned that Mickey had found the recorder, which had revealed everything -- including Jordan's name and badge number.
Anna assured Jordan that the shooting had been self-defense, but Jordan explained that Julian had shot Mickey because Mickey had been responsible for the bomb at Alexis' house. Anna was curious if Mickey would survive, so Jordan admitted that it wasn't likely. Anna realized that Julian would be their only link to the mystery boss if Mickey died, but Jordan realized that there might be another way to identify the mystery boss when she heard Mickey's phone ring. Jordan explained that Mickey's boss had tried to reach him earlier, so she suspected that the boss was calling back.
Anna handed the evidence bag with Mickey's phone to Jordan. Jordan quickly answered the call and identified herself when the caller asked who she was. Jordan claimed that Mickey had stepped out but assured the person that she could be trusted. Anna listened to the brief exchange until the caller abruptly ended the call. Jordan handed the phone back to Anna as she confided that she had recognized the caller's voice. Anna was stunned when Jordan revealed that it had sounded like Luke Spencer, so Anna questioned how well Jordan knew Luke.
Jordan explained that she had met Luke at the gallery when he had purchased some art and that she had also been at his wedding when Luke had married Tracy at the Nurses Ball. Jordan was certain that the caller had been Luke, but Anna refused to believe that Luke might be the head of the Jerome organization. Moments later, Anna received a call from the hospital to update her on Mickey's condition.
Elsewhere, Alexis and Sam stood in the hallway outside Sam's penthouse as they discussed what to tell Molly about the lake house. Alexis feared that it might be too much for Molly to handle if they told her that the fire had been intentional on top of everything else. Sam agreed, so Alexis and Sam braced themselves then entered the penthouse.
Molly and T.J. happily greeted Alexis and Sam and told them that Danny had fallen right to sleep once he'd had his toy truck in hand. Molly invited Alexis and Sam to join them for dinner, but Alexis declined. Molly immediately realized that something was wrong, so Alexis told Molly about the fire. Molly was devastated when she realized that everything had been lost, including their special keepsakes and family photo albums. Alexis reminded her daughter that the most important thing was that no one had been home at the time of the fire, but Molly wanted to know what had caused the fire.
Alexis carefully explained that the fire remained under investigation, but Molly feared that she might have not blown out a candle before they had left. T.J. assured Molly that she had, but Molly became increasingly upset at the possibility that she had caused the fire. Alexis promised Molly that she was not to blame, but Molly argued that Alexis couldn't be certain without knowing the cause of the fire.
Moments later, the doorbell rang. Sam feared that it might be Silas, so she asked her mother to send him away then dashed up the stairs to check on Danny. Alexis was surprised when she opened the door and saw Julian on the doorstep. Julian noticed that they had an audience, so he explained that he had stopped by to check on everyone when he had heard about the fire. Alexis invited Julian inside as she assured him that everyone was safe and that Sam was with Danny.
Julian told Molly how sorry he was about the fire, but she responded with hostility by asking what he had to be sorry about, unless the whole nightmare had to do with him and his mobster friends. Alexis reminded Molly that the fire was still under investigation, but that only fueled Molly's anger. "Of course, Julian isn't responsible," Molly snapped and then sarcastically added that her father, not Julian, had been the gangster. "Right?" Molly asked. "You're legit now," she spat before marching out of the room with T.J. quietly trailing behind her.
Sam entered the room as Molly left. Alexis waited until Molly and T.J. were gone before asking why Julian had stormed off from the lake house earlier that evening. She insisted that she had a right to know, so Julian admitted that he had made certain that the person responsible for the explosion was out of the picture.
At the hospital, Mickey was taken to the Traumatic Brain Injury Unit. Tracy's interest was piqued when she overheard a nurse mention that the patient was brain-dead.
At Carly's residence, Josslyn passed through the living room on her way to the bedroom. Franco noticed that she had two bowls of cereal, so he asked if one was for him. "Get your own, greedy," Josslyn snapped as she marched up the stairs, passing Carly along the way. Carly waited until her daughter was out of hearing range before demanding to know where Franco had been the previous evening because he had left the restaurant before she had but hadn't returned home until after Carly.
Franco recalled his visit with Ava when Ava had asked him to procure Carly's copy of the recording that A.J. had made. He tried to evade the question, but Carly wanted an answer because she feared that he had decided to tell Michael that Sonny had shot A.J. Franco pointed out that she would have heard from Michael and Sonny if he had told Michael the truth, but Carly remained skeptical because Franco didn't have a good track record with keeping promises. Franco assured her that he hadn't seen Michael since the day she had walked in on Franco and Michael in Michael's office.
Carly began to relax and apologized for jumping to the wrong conclusion. She explained that her family meant everything to her, so Franco assured Carly that he knew that. Carly wondered why they kept repeating the same conversation, but Franco promised her that she had nothing to worry about. He reminded her that Michael despised him and would never believe him without proof. He then broached the subject of Carly's copy of A.J.'s incriminating recording that Spinelli had emailed to her by suggesting that it wouldn't be wise to keep it because it might inadvertently land in Michael's hands.
Carly assured Franco that it was safely locked up in her email but she intended to keep it because it was a valuable insurance policy. Franco tensed when she abruptly returned to her original question by demanding to know where he had gone when he had left the restaurant. Carly was stunned when Franco told her that he had paid Nina Clay a visit but had been reluctant to tell Carly because she had been jealous of Nina in the past. Carly denied that she felt threatened by Nina, so Franco assured her that he believed her and then suggested that they grab some breakfast in the kitchen.
In Josslyn's bedroom, Spencer sat on the floor, munching on a bowl of cereal as Josslyn did the same on her bed. Spencer wasn't impressed with the cereal, but he was grateful that Josslyn had taken him in. Josslyn clarified that she had given him a place to hide, but she warned him that his luck would soon run out. Josslyn conceded that Carly was too distracted by Carly's "loser boyfriend," but there were a lot of people under Carly's roof, so someone would eventually discover Spencer. Spencer explained that he needed his father to continue to worry about him awhile longer because it would draw Nikolas closer to Britt.
Spencer began to rave about Britt, whom he insisted was far more athletic than Cam's mother. Josslyn seemed surprised by the hostility in Spencer's tone as he talked about Elizabeth, so Spencer explained that he couldn't risk Nikolas and Elizabeth getting married because Spencer would be saddled with Aiden and Cam, "the townie," for a brother. However, he acknowledged that Aiden wasn't that bad.
Spencer decided that if he couldn't have Ben for a brother, then he didn't want a one at all. Josslyn admitted that she didn't know if she would want a younger brother, but she had two older brothers. Spencer explained that he was looking for a mother, not a sibling, prompting Josslyn to ask why he wanted a mother. She was shocked when he explained that his mother had died shortly after his birth. Spencer pulled a picture of his mother out of his wallet and showed it to Josslyn.
Josslyn admitted that Courtney had been very beautiful, so Spencer confided that he had stopped asking about his mother because it had always made his father sad. Spencer explained that he believed that Britt could make Nikolas happy if his father gave Britt a chance.
Later, Josslyn tied her shoes as she and Spencer talked about camp. She was disappointed that he would miss the water balloon war at day camp, but Spencer insisted that he needed to keep his eye on the prize. Josslyn hoped that Spencer got the mother he wanted then shifted gears by jumping on the bed to entertain Spencer with a story about a lion and bear. A short time later, Carly called out to Josslyn, reminding Josslyn that it was time to leave. Spencer giggled when he heard Carly refer to Josslyn as "Josslyn John Jacks" because he hadn't realized that Josslyn's middle name was John.
Josslyn was curious what Spencer's middle name was, so he admitted that it was "Stefan Nikolaevich." Josslyn snickered because she didn't think he had any room to tease her about her middle name.
In the living room, Carly asked if Franco could take Josslyn to day camp because Carly had a meeting. Franco balked because he couldn't imagine what he and Josslyn would talk about on the way to the park, since he didn't know anything about corn. Carly assured Franco that Josslyn had grown out of her obsession with Children of the Corn, but Franco remained leery. Moments later, Josslyn stomped down the stairs.
"I'm waiting," Josslyn rudely informed her mother. Carly warned her daughter to lose the attitude or there wouldn't be any rides on the speedboat, so Josslyn immediately assured her mother that they could leave when Carly was ready. Satisfied, Carly kissed Franco goodbye then led her daughter to the car. Franco waited until Carly had left before retrieving her laptop. He was unaware that Spencer was lurking nearby on the staircase.
At Wyndemere, Nikolas was on the phone with Elizabeth. She was eager to know if there had been any news about Spencer, so Nikolas revealed that he had spent the night searching the grounds of Spoon Island and the catacombs but he hadn't found any indication that Spencer had returned. Elizabeth decided to ask someone to cover her shift because she didn't think that Nikolas should be alone, but Nikolas assured her that Britt was with him.
In the parlor, Britt checked in with Spencer. Spencer assured her that he was great, but he was curious if she and Nikolas were back together. Britt explained that it would take more time, so Spencer admitted that he missed being at home, Alfred ignoring his orders, and most of all Nikolas. Spencer pointed out that he had made a lot of sacrifices, so he urged Britt to take advantage of the time that he had given her with Nikolas.
Britt resented Spencer trying to boss her around when she was doing the best she could. She was startled when Nikolas suddenly appeared in the doorway and asked who she was talking to. Britt quickly disconnected the call as she explained that she had been on the phone with her brother to get an update. Nikolas confessed that it hadn't sounded like a pleasant conversation, so Britt claimed that she had taken her frustration out on Nathan because she was worried about Spencer. Nikolas thanked Britt for fighting for his son then admitted that he didn't know what he would have done without her.
Britt took Nikolas' hand as she assured him that she loved Spencer even though Spencer had acted like an "outrageous brat" by taking off. Nikolas blamed himself for not paying closer attention to his son's distress, but Britt insisted that Nikolas was a wonderful father and was not to blame for Spencer running away. Britt promised Nikolas that Spencer would be home soon, but Nikolas wondered how she could know that for certain. Britt insisted that she simply knew and then hugged Nikolas.
Nikolas pulled away from the embrace because he felt uncomfortable leaning on Britt. Britt assured Nikolas that it was fine, but Nikolas disagreed. He decided to pay Anna a visit, so Britt offered to go with him. Nikolas declined because he wanted Britt to stay in case Spencer returned.
In Mickey Diamond's hotel room, Anna instructed the crime scene investigators to send all the reports on the evidence they had collected directly to her. Moments later, Dante arrived, so Anna asked him for an update on the search for Spencer. Dante assured Anna that they had people at the airport, train station, and bus depot as well as other places a typical child Spencer's age might go. Anna explained that she needed to oversee the investigation into Mickey's shooting, but she was desperate to make certain that Nathan and the task force did everything possible to find Spencer.
Dante assured Anna that Spencer would be found because, despite being "larger than life," Spencer was still a child. Satisfied, Anna quickly filled Dante in about Mickey's shooting. She confessed that she couldn't arrest Julian for shooting Mickey because it was imperative that Jordan remain undercover. Dante was stunned when Anna told him about Jordan's suspicion that Luke was in cahoots with the Jeromes.
Dante refused to believe that Luke had become involved with the mob or the Jeromes. According to Dante, if Luke had wanted back in then Luke would have turned to Sonny because Sonny would have welcomed Luke back with open arms. Anna reminded Dante that neither of them could be impartial about Luke because Luke was part of Dante's family, and Anna had once been involved with Luke. However, Anna was eager to put Jordan's theory to rest, so she asked Dante to clear Luke's name.
Shortly after Dante left, Nikolas approached Anna. He demanded to know why she wasn't out looking for his son, so Anna calmly explained that she had assigned a task force to look for Spencer. Anna promised that she was doing everything possible to find Nikolas' son, but Nikolas was not satisfied because Anna was focused on investigating the shooting of a criminal rather than the search for a missing boy. Anna reminded Nikolas that she had a duty to all the citizens of Port Charles, not just Nikolas.
Nikolas explained that Spencer might have been hurt or kidnapped. He reminded Anna that kidnapping for ransom was a lucrative trade in many parts of the world, so Anna asked if Nikolas had any reason to believe that Spencer had been kidnapped. She relaxed when he shook his head. Anna admitted that the best thing that Nikolas could do was to return home and wait, but Nikolas insisted that Spencer was all he had. Anna offered Nikolas words of encouragement then promised to return Spencer to Nikolas just as Nikolas had returned Robin to her.
At the nurses' station, Tracy asked for Elizabeth's help. Tracy explained that she needed information about a brain-dead criminal who had been admitted to the hospital the previous evening. Elizabeth realized that Tracy was referring to Mickey Diamond, so Elizabeth explained that she was not at liberty to give Tracy any information about the patient because Tracy was not family. Tracy became annoyed because she was desperate to save Alice's life. Elizabeth quietly explained that even if she wanted to help Tracy, she couldn't because the lab work had not been completed.
Moments later, Brad walked up to ask Elizabeth what she wanted him to do with the lab work on Mickey Diamond. Tracy smiled with satisfaction as she tried to take the file from Brad, but Brad held it out of reach as he reminded Tracy that medical records were private. Tracy growled that she was on the hospital's board and could easily have both Elizabeth and Brad fired if they refused to cooperate. Brad suggested that Tracy talk to Liesl, but Tracy explained that Liesl was tied up with the hospital's legal department, trying to deal with the fallout from "that teenage druggie's death."
Both Elizabeth and Brad were offended by Tracy's callous description of Rafe, but Tracy refused to apologize because she was trying to save the life of a good friend. Elizabeth tactfully offered to talk to Liesl on Tracy's behalf, but Tracy refused to wait. Tracy quickly snatched the file out of Brad's hand and reviewed it. Tracy was thrilled when she saw that Mickey had the same blood type as Alice. Elizabeth warned Tracy not to jump the gun because Mickey might not have been an organ donor.
Tracy was curious what would happen if Mickey hadn't been an organ donor, so Elizabeth explained that they would have to talk to Mickey's next of kin. Tracy suggested that they check Mickey's driver's license, but Elizabeth admitted that she didn't know if the police had collected Mickey's wallet with the evidence collected at the hotel. Tracy was thrilled when Dante walked up to talk to her, but he quickly explained that he was not working on Mickey's case. Elizabeth decided to check if Mickey's wallet had been among Mickey's personal effects at the hospital.
However, first Elizabeth asked Dante if there had been news about Spencer. Dante shook his head, so Elizabeth left. Dante inquired about Luke by asking if Luke was aware of Alice's situation. Tracy quietly admitted that she had been avoiding having a conversation with Lulu about what had happened between Tracy and Luke. Dante was surprised when Tracy confessed that things hadn't worked out with Luke, so she had annulled the marriage. Tracy claimed that it was too painful to discuss because things had ended badly, but Dante insisted that he needed to talk to Luke.
Tracy was confident that Luke would eventually reach out to her for money, so she offered to pass along a message to Luke. She tried to find out why Dante wanted to talk to Luke, but Dante would only tell her that he needed to talk to Luke as soon as possible. After Dante left, Tracy called Luke but reached his voicemail. She explained that Dante was eager to talk to him but warned Luke that it had sounded like official police business. Moments later, Elizabeth returned to break the news that Mickey had not been an organ donor.
Meanwhile, Dante returned to Mickey's hotel room to let Anna know that Tracy and Luke had split up. "Already?" Anna asked.
At Wyndemere, Brad stopped by to check on Britt. Britt confessed everything to Brad, including Spencer's scheme to run away to push Nikolas and Britt together. Brad was impressed that she had enlisted Spencer's help to get back into Nikolas' life, but Britt was filled with regret because she hated what she and Spencer had put Nikolas through. Brad was surprised when Britt blamed him for her situation because Brad had encouraged her to revert to the "Britch."
Brad argued that he hadn't twisted Britt's arm or urged Spencer to run away. However, Brad took pity on Britt, so he suggested that she go with her first instinct to tell Nikolas the truth if she felt bad. Britt was tempted, but she feared that she might destroy any chance of her and Nikolas getting back together.
A short time later, Nikolas arrived home. He was not pleased when he saw Brad in the parlor, so Britt quickly explained that she had asked Brad to stop by. Nikolas was surprised when she added that it was time for her and Nikolas to talk about getting Spencer home.
At the Jerome apartment, Ava was stunned when she saw the newspaper's headline about the fire at Alexis' house. She immediately asked Julian if everyone was okay, so he assured her that everyone was safe. However, Julian admitted that Mickey had planted the bomb as a message to Julian. Ava feared that Mickey might make another move against Julian, but Julian assured his sister that Mickey had been dealt with and wouldn't be a problem.
Julian shifted gears by suggesting that Ava focus on getting her hands on the evidence to put Sonny away for good. She assured her brother that she was exploring a means to obtain the flash drive but she refused to elaborate. Julian suggested that she work faster because he wanted her out of the apartment. Ava was hurt and reminded her brother that they were on the same side, but Julian made it clear that he didn't trust his sister because she had betrayed him by cozying up with Sonny and Morgan. Julian insisted that Ava was simply a means to an end for him, so Ava walked away in a huff.
Later, Julian made a video call to the man he believed was Luke. The imposter was not pleased when Julian asked if the imposter had enjoyed having a taste of his own medicine. The imposter suggested that Julian spare him the moral outrage because Julian had known there would be consequences for refusing to be a team player. Julian resented not being told about the heroin-laced cocaine, so the imposter claimed that he had wanted to spare Julian's "delicate sensibilities."
Julian made it clear that he was furious that Alexis and Danny might have been killed in the explosion, but the imposter was unmoved because no one had been hurt. The imposter was livid that Julian had retaliated by whacking "poor old Mickey," but Julian denied that he had killed Mickey. The imposter didn't believe the story about Julian's "bitch" shooting Mickey because Mickey had been killed with Julian's gun. Julian argued that it hadn't been the first time his gun had been stolen, but the imposter wasn't satisfied because the imposter's gut told him that Julian had been the shooter.
The imposter warned Julian that killing Mickey hadn't solved anything because the imposter had an army of men like Mickey at his disposal. Julian made it clear that if the imposter or any of his lackeys harmed anyone in Julian's family, then Julian would retaliate. The imposter suggested that Julian relax because they both had a common enemy to deal with. The imposter confessed that Mickey had mentioned that Julian had information that might prove valuable in accomplishing their mutual goal of eliminating Sonny as a threat, but Julian refused to share what he knew about Sonny because the imposter might decide that Julian was more trouble than Julian was worth.
The imposter was furious, but Julian refused to back down. Julian insisted that the heroin-laced cocaine stop immediately, but the imposter made it clear that Julian wasn't in charge. Julian informed the imposter that it was a new day with new rules. Julian refused to give the imposter the means to annihilate Sonny until Julian was satisfied that the imposter treated Julian like an equal partner. The imposter warned Julian that it was a mistake to cross him, but Julian was unmoved. "Peace out, bitch," Julian said as he snapped the laptop closed.
Shortly after Julian left, Ava opened his laptop. She dialed the last number he had called and waited out of the web camera's range for the person to answer the video call. The imposter Luke appeared on the monitor, demanding to know where Julian was. "I'm not Julian," Ava said as she stepped in front of the camera.
At Sam's penthouse, Sam picked up Danny's scattered toys until she saw a picture of her and Silas on the fireplace mantel. Her thoughts immediately drifted to the previous evening when she had walked in on Silas kissing Nina. She pushed the unsettling memory away when she heard a knock at the door. It was Patrick.
Patrick explained that he had heard about the fire at Alexis' house, so Sam assured him that no one had been hurt because Danny had thrown a timely tantrum over a truck that had been left at the penthouse. Patrick was relieved that no one had been home at the time of the fire, but he couldn't believe that the authorities suspected it had been set intentionally. Sam pointed out that it was to be expected when one's father was in the mob. Patrick was surprised because he had been under the impression that Julian had left the mob. Sam admitted that she had too.
Patrick tactfully changed the subject by asking if Sam had had a chance to view the security footage from the hospital's rooftop. Sam revealed that she had been able to confirm that someone had eavesdropped on her conversation with Silas on the rooftop, but she hadn't been able to identify the person. However, she suspected that it had been Nina. Patrick pointed out that Nina was in a wheelchair, but Sam argued that it was possible that Nina was not as wheelchair-bound as Nina pretended to be. He was curious why Nina would fake not being able to walk, so Sam explained that appearing helpless and fragile had its advantages.
Patrick chuckled because he was curious how a "badass chick" like Sam could know that. Sam appeared flattered that he considered her a "badass" but she focused on Nina by explaining that Nina had wanted Silas since emerging from the coma. She was certain that Nina had told the reporter about Patrick's confession to drive a wedge between Sam and Silas, so Patrick wondered if Sam had confronted Nina. Sam admitted that she had, but it had been difficult for Nina to talk because Silas' tongue had been down Nina's throat. Patrick felt bad for Sam, but she reminded him that she had ended things with Silas.
Patrick was curious about Silas' reaction to everything, so Sam explained that it had been difficult to tell because Silas had seemed a bit intoxicated. Sam suggested that perhaps the alcohol had lowered his inhibitions enough for him to act on his true feelings for Nina. Regardless, Sam remained determined not to let Nina get away with what she had done to Patrick. Patrick reminded Sam that Silas might also be Nina's victim.
Sam explained that Nina had to be held accountable for Patrick losing his job, but Patrick argued that Nina wasn't really to blame because he had debated letting Rafe die during surgery when he should have been focused on saving Rafe. Patrick reminded Sam that busting Nina wouldn't change anything, but Sam insisted that it had been a dirty move on Nina's part, which was not okay with Sam. Patrick was curious if Sam was okay with Nina deceiving Silas. Sam appeared startled by the question but assured Patrick that she was not. However, it wasn't about revenge for Sam but rather closure.
Patrick admitted that he wanted closure, too, but he was certain that a part of Sam was concerned about Silas, so Sam admitted that Silas had a right to know the truth about Nina. Sam was surprised when Patrick admitted that he wanted to help Sam search for answers because Patrick needed the excitement of going on a mission to solve a crime to get out of his own head for a while. Sam conceded that she had learned from experience after Jason died that an adrenaline rush was the best cure for grief. Sam and Patrick quickly decided that their next step should be to find out exactly what Nina's medical condition was.
Sam suggested that she and Patrick go to the Crichton-Clark facility in Westchester, New York, because that was where Nina had woken up from the coma. Sam was certain that the facility held the answers they needed.
At Silas' apartment, Nina smiled as Silas slowly stumbled into the living room. She suggested that he have a cup of coffee as he dropped into a chair, but Silas wanted to know what had happened to him the previous evening. He had a vague recollection of Sam showing up to talk to him about something, but the details remained hazy, which baffled him because he'd only had one scotch. Nina easily covered her tracks by claiming that he'd chugged several glasses of scotch, but Silas sensed that there was more to his nausea and grogginess. Determined to keep Silas from realizing that she had drugged him, Nina suggested that he might be getting sick.
Silas tried to take a bite of the toast but quickly put it down when it didn't settle well on his sour stomach. Nina reminded him that he had been in a similar state following her cousin's high society wedding. Silas and Nina fondly reminisced about the special night until Silas noticed the time. He reminded Nina that she had a physical therapy appointment, but Nina insisted that she wanted to skip it to take care of Silas. She assured him that her therapist had been impressed with her progress, but Silas was adamant that she not miss a session because of him.
Nina compromised by agreeing to reschedule the appointment for later that afternoon. She reached for the phone but stopped when she noticed an odd expression on Silas' face. Silas admitted that he couldn't understand why Sam had stopped by after ending things with him and why she hadn't stayed to explain the reason for her visit. Nina confessed that she couldn't blame Sam for leaving because Sam had walked in on them while they had been "making out." Silas worried that Sam had something important to tell him, but Nina assured him that she hadn't gotten that impression.
Silas seemed surprised when Nina confided that Sam had appeared to have finally accepted that Silas and Nina belonged together, but things took an unexpected turn when Nina suggested a game of strip poker. Silas agreed but lost the first hand. He stripped off his shirt as Nina cheered him on, but it was clear he was uncomfortable. Nina suggested that they play straight poker, so Silas relaxed then picked up the cards.
As Silas dealt the cards, Nina mentioned Nathan's visit as a means to announce that she had a surprise for Silas. Silas was stunned when Nina slowly stood up from her wheelchair, careful to make a show of wobbling precariously as if her legs were weak. Silas rushed to her side to lend assistance in case she fell. Nina quickly resumed her seat in the wheelchair as she explained that she had only been able to stand for a short while and for just a few seconds at a time. Silas gushed that he was proud of Nina, so she warned him that she still had a very long way to go before she could walk and make it up and down stairs.
At Wyndemere, Nikolas was annoyed when he saw Brad standing in his home. Britt explained that she had invited Brad over because she had needed to talk to Brad about something. She appeared to brace herself before she confessed that she had something to tell Nikolas. Concerned, Nikolas asked what was going on. Britt recalled Brad's warning that she might lose Nikolas if she confessed the truth about Spencer's disappearance, so she told Nikolas that she had asked Brad to pass out flyers at the hospital to spread the word that Spencer was missing.
Nikolas appreciated Brad's help but became upset at the thought of his son being alone and possibly in danger. Britt assured Nikolas that Spencer would be found, so he confessed that he didn't know what he would have done without her because she was the only person he believed when they said that to him. A shadow of guilt crossed Britt's expression as she asked if she could do anything for Nikolas, but he admitted that it was enough that she was there.
After Nikolas left to check in with Alfred for an update, Brad confessed that he had expected Britt to tell Nikolas the truth. She admitted that she had intended to until she had recalled Brad's warning that she would lose Nikolas if Nikolas knew that she had been in touch with Spencer. Britt explained that she was worried about Nikolas, but she couldn't figure a way out of the situation. Brad suggested that it was time to find Spencer because she could put an end to Nikolas' suffering and in the process secure Nikolas' eternal gratitude for returning Spencer home. Britt agreed that it was a perfect solution except that she had no idea where Spencer was.
Brad was confused because he'd had the impression that Britt had been in contact with Spencer. Britt assured him that she had been, but she hadn't had an opportunity to get Spencer's location. Brad collected the flyers as he urged Britt to get Spencer home quickly. After Brad left, Britt called Spencer but reached his voicemail. She explained that it was time for Spencer to return home, so she asked him to call her back as soon as possible.
Britt tensed when she saw Nikolas standing in the doorway. He assumed that she had been on the phone with Nathan, so Britt didn't correct him. She asked if Alfred had had any news about Spencer, but Nikolas shook his head. Nikolas appeared defeated as he confessed that he was running out of ways to keep going. Britt insisted that Nikolas get some rest because he was exhausted. Britt refused to take no for an answer, so Nikolas relented when she promised to let him know if there was any news about Spencer.
At Carly's house, Spencer spied on Franco as Franco hacked into Carly's email. Franco muttered to himself that it was the only way for him to get the goods on Sonny, but his efforts were stymied when he failed to figure out Carly's password. Franco recalled Ava promising to remove Sonny as an obstacle if Franco provided her with the incriminating recording that A.J. had made.
Spencer perked up when Franco quietly admitted that Ava's offer had been too good to pass up because no one would be able to link Sonny's downfall to Franco. "Nobody but me," Spencer said as he made his presence known. Startled, Franco jumped up to ask what Spencer was doing there. Spencer revealed that he had spent several nights in Josslyn's bedroom then shifted gears by demanding to know why Franco wanted to go after Spencer's uncle, Sonny.
Franco claimed that he had no idea what Spencer was talking about, but Spencer didn't believe him. Franco began to squirm when Spencer questioned him about hacking into Carly's email but Franco quickly turned the tables on Spencer by admitting that he recognized Spencer. Spencer explained that they had met in the park, but Franco was certain that he had seen Spencer more recently. Franco returned to his task of trying to access Carly's email but stopped when he noticed a pop-up news alert about Spencer's disappearance. Franco smiled then threatened to call the police to let them know where Spencer was, but Spencer warned Franco not to.
Spencer threatened to tell Carly that Franco had been trying to hack into her email unless Franco agreed to keep quiet about where Spencer was. Spencer also insisted that Franco stop whatever Franco was trying to do to hurt Sonny. Franco hated making a deal with Spencer, but he realized that he didn't have a choice. Pleased, Spencer let Franco know that he would be watching Franco then returned to Josslyn's bedroom.
At the Jerome Gallery, Julian left a voicemail message for Alexis to let her know that he had been thinking of her. Julian quickly disconnected the call when he entered the main part of the gallery and saw Sonny seated at Julian's desk. Julian immediately reached for his gun, but one of Sonny's bodyguards deftly disarmed Julian then handed the gun to Sonny. Sonny dismissed his bodyguards with instructions for the two men to remain close.
After the two bodyguards disappeared into the next room, Sonny apologized for intruding at the gallery. Sonny explained that he hadn't had a choice because Ava's apartment had been locked up tighter than "Fort Knox." Sonny revealed that he had sought Julian out because Julian had taken something without permission that had belonged to Sonny. Julian pretended to have no idea what Sonny was talking about, so Sonny clarified that he had been referring to Julian's sister, Ava. Sonny conceded that he had been impressed with Julian's "Die Hard" method of spiriting Ava away via helicopter, but Sonny was curious why Julian had bothered to help Ava.
Julian admitted that Ava had confided that Sonny had killed A.J. Sonny was curious if Ava had provided Julian with proof of her claims, so Julian confessed that she hadn't. However, Julian knew that proof existed, which meant that it was only a matter of time until Julian had what he needed. Sonny warned Julian not to repeat the story that Ava had told Julian, but Julian was not intimidated. Annoyed, Sonny accused Julian of hiding behind Danny and then reminded Julian that there were other ways to hurt Julian without killing him. Sonny aimed the gun at Julian's kneecaps as he pointed out that people could donate bone marrow from a wheelchair.
At the Jerome apartment, Ava opened Julian's laptop then clicked on the last video call that her brother had made. Moments later, the man posing as Luke Spencer appeared on the screen. The imposter asked if Julian had changed his mind and then barked for Julian to enable the video. Ava leaned into the web camera's range as she clicked the icon. "It's not Julian," Ava said with satisfaction as the imposter tensed.
Ava assumed that she was talking to Luke as she gloated that he appeared as surprised to see her as she was to see him. The imposter pretended that he and Julian had been working on another art deal, but Ava didn't believe him. She pointed out that Julian had been on the warpath since Alexis' house had been burned down, so Ava knew that her brother had been determined to talk to his boss. Ava confessed that she had never expected Luke Spencer to be a mob kingpin. The imposter assured Ava that she had no idea who he was.
Ava conceded that "Luke" might be right. She had heard that despite his questionable activities in the past, he had been known to have a heart and follow a code. The imposter explained that things had changed. Ava suddenly realized that Luke had been the one who had ordered Julian to kill her, but the imposter was unapologetic because it had been business. He reminded her that she had been feeding information to Sonny.
Ava revealed that things had changed, so she suggested that she and "Luke" work together because they had a mutual enemy. Ava pointed out that her brother could be "squeamish" about certain aspects of their business, but she didn't have any such qualms. The imposter seemed unimpressed, so Ava reminded him that he needed someone to replace Mickey and to keep things running smoothly, since Julian had killed Luke's right-hand man. She assured the imposter that she was the right person for the job because she knew the business, she was focused, and she wouldn't have any trouble keeping Julian in line.
The imposter revealed that he knew that Ava had dirt on Sonny, so he wanted to know what it was. Ava refused to tell him, but she assured him that it would take Sonny out permanently. The imposter reminded Ava that she had been less than trustworthy in the past, but she argued that her circumstances had changed. Ava pointed out that she had a baby on the way, so she was eager to secure a future for herself and her unborn child. The imposter admitted that he didn't care about Ava's maternal struggles because he had his own goals and objectives.
The imposter insisted that Ava had wasted both of their time if she refused to tell him what she had on Sonny. Ava disagreed; she thought that their conversation had been very beneficial. She reminded "Luke" that she had valuable information about their common enemy so "Luke" should consider her offer.
Later, Julian returned home. He was pleased when he saw Ava drinking milk because it meant that she was making an effort to be healthy for the baby. Ava was surprised that her brother cared, so he reminded her that they were family despite everything that had happened between them. Ava was glad to hear it because she wanted to work with Julian again. Julian made it clear that the idea didn't appeal to him, but Ava informed him that he didn't have a choice because she had spoken to his boss who, had agreed that it was an excellent idea.
