Due to the extended Christmas holiday, ABC aired an encore presentation of a recent episode of General Hospital. No original episode was broadcast.

This programming change was planned for, and there will be no "lost" episodes as a result of today's pre-emption.

Regular programming will resume on Tuesday, December 27, and pick up where the Friday, December 23 episode concluded.

At Crimson, Kate was on the cell phone as she exited the elevator. She told the person on the other end of the call that her side-trip to Chicago had been exactly what she had needed. Kate hated holiday travel, but she had been delighted to see the person. Kate entered her office, and then stopped short when she saw Sonny sitting in a chair. She quickly ended the call, and then asked what Sonny was doing there. Sonny explained that he wanted to apologize, but Kate assured him that everything was fine.

Sonny wondered if Kate were just returning to Port Charles, because he had called the hotel on Christmas to invite her out to dinner, but she had already checked out. "Something came up," Kate cryptically explained. She then insisted that she was busy getting ready for a photo shoot, so she needed to focus on work. Sonny invited Kate over to his place to open some gifts when she was finished, but Kate didn't seem eager to accept the invitation. Sonny sensed that Kate was trying to put some distance between them, so he confessed that he wanted things to be like they had been during their trip.

Sonny promised to try to be more open with her, but Kate questioned his timing. Sonny insisted that he'd had fun with her in New York City, and that it had felt like there had been hope for them. He suspected that she had reentered his life to help him patch up his past; however, he wanted a future with her too. Kate was stunned when he revealed that Michael's girlfriend, Abby, had been killed. Kate wondered if it had been "business related," but Sonny assured her that it had been a freak construction site accident.

Sonny confided that a part of him wished that it had been a result of the mob, because then he would have been able to retaliate. As a parent, Sonny was frustrated, because he couldn't help his son. Kate insisted that she wasn't the person to talk to about that, because she didn't have children. Sonny credited Kate for helping him to stare down his demons in Bensonhurst, but he felt powerless to fix things for Michael. Kate argued that no one could fix things for Michael, because no one ever got over losing their first love. They looked deeply into each other's eyes, until Kate's office phone rang.

Kate apologized to Sonny for not being able to offer helpful advice about Michael's situation, but Sonny assured her that she had listened, which had been enough. He reminded her that his invitation to join him later was still open, and then assured her that they would just hang out. After Sonny left, Kate called a mystery person. She confessed that she might need help to keep her from making a huge mistake, so she wanted to know when she could see the person again.

At the loft, Dante scooped up his new bride, and then carried her over the threshold, despite Lulu's protests. Lulu insisted that she was too heavy, but Dante ignored her. "Welcome home, Mrs. Falconeri," Dante told Lulu as he gently set her down. Lulu smiled, and then kissed her husband. Afterwards, Lulu spotted a gift basket that Olivia had left behind. Dante grumbled that he would have to discuss boundaries with his mother, but Lulu assured him that it wasn't a problem unless Olivia made a habit of letting herself into their home.

Dante wondered if Lulu had any regrets about marrying him. "No," Lulu promised. Moments later, Dante spotted an envelope. Dante was shocked when he discovered that it contained a cashier's check for one hundred thousand dollars from Sonny. Lulu wondered if it were legitimate coffee business money, or mob money. Dante was curious if she thought that they should keep it, so Lulu questioned if Dante wanted a relationship with his father.

Later, Olivia let herself into Dante and Lulu's loft. "Oh shoot, you're here," Olivia said when she saw Lulu standing in the living room. Olivia quickly explained that she had hoped to drop off some essentials before Dante and Lulu had arrived home. Lulu appreciated Olivia's thoughtfulness, so Olivia apologized for all of the Falconeris crashing Lulu's wedding. Lulu assured Olivia that it was fine, prompting Olivia to warn Lulu which family members to avoid in the future.

The conversation then drifted to Sonny's extravagant wedding gift. Olivia explained that she had been hesitant to return the envelope to Sonny, because she had felt guilty that he hadn't been invited to the wedding. Olivia explained that Sonny desperately wanted a place in Dante's life, but it wasn't easy, because Lulu hated Sonny. Lulu assured Olivia that she didn't want to prevent Dante from having a relationship with Sonny, even though Lulu would never forgive Sonny for shooting Dante. Olivia smiled, because Lulu's willingness to accept Sonny's role in Dante's life boded well for the newlyweds.

Lulu confessed that she had never seen a successful marriage, so she didn't have anything to go by. Olivia revealed that Dante's grandparents, and Olivia's four brothers had healthy marriages, so Olivia knew that respect and honesty were essential to a happy marriage. Olivia then joked that it also helped if one of the spouses knew their way around the kitchen. Lulu reminded Olivia that Lulu was a disaster in the kitchen, but Olivia was confident that Lulu would eventually learn to cook.

A short time later, Lulu offered Olivia a taste of the pasta sauce that Lulu had prepared. Olivia was reluctant to tell Lulu that it was awful, so Lulu tested it. Lulu realized that it was foul tasting, so she asked Olivia what to do. Olivia suggested that Lulu order some pizza, but Lulu was determined to salvage the meal. Olivia handed Lulu a bottle of wine with the suggestion that everything tasted better with wine. Lulu's expression turned somber as she set the bottle on the table.

Dante caught Delores in the evidence room at the police station. He demanded to know what she was doing there, so Delores made a scathing remark. Dante didn't appreciate the attitude, so he reminded Delores that she wasn't authorized to be in the evidence room. Delores claimed that the door had been open, but Dante suspected that she had swiped his keycard again. Delores turned defensive as she explained that she had just been going the extra mile to work some unsolved cases. Delores began to rant about her male co-workers' sexist views, so Dante accused Delores of having a chip on her shoulder.

Delores insisted that she had been trying to find clues to track the man who had been stalking and attacking strippers. Dante confessed that her previous superiors had commended Delores for being a fine investigator, so Dante was confident that the case was in good hands. However, Dante was curious why Delores had asked for a transfer, instead of moving up the ladder at her previous precinct. He suspected that it had something to do with "Rosa." Delores was furious that Dante had been checking into her background, but Dante refused to apologize for finding out about Delores' sister's unsolved murder.

Delores refused to discuss it, so Dante suggested that they talk to Mac about it, and then threatened to reveal that Delores had been snooping around the evidence room without authorization. Delores insisted that her sister hadn't been murdered; she had been left to die, like garbage, in an alley to send a message. Dante assured her that he knew about revenge, but Delores screamed that he didn't know anything. Dante was concerned about Delores' short fuse, prompting Delores to jump to the conclusion that Dante wanted sexual favors from her in exchange for his silence. Dante was stunned when Delores began to unbutton her shirt, and then reached for his belt buckle. Dante quickly pushed her away, and then clarified that he didn't want to have sex.

Moments later, Sonny appeared in the doorway. "Um, am I interrupting something?" Sonny asked. Sonny explained that he was there to congratulate his son on getting married to Lulu. Delores was shocked to learn about the nuptials. Sonny asked for a private word with Dante, so Delores quickly left. Dante didn't think that it was a good idea to have a close bonding moment with his father at the police station, because it might raise eyebrows, so Sonny invited Dante to stop by Pozzulo's to talk.

Dante was curious why Sonny was there, so Sonny explained that he needed Dante's help. Dante was taken aback when Sonny revealed that Abby had been killed. Dante realized that Michael was devastated, so Sonny revealed that Michael blamed himself for what had happened to Abby. Dante promised to pay his brother a visit, but Sonny wanted Dante to find the man responsible for attacking Abby's friends, before someone else was hurt.

Later, Delores was sifting through boxes in the evidence room when Dante questioned her about what she knew regarding the man who had been attacking strippers. Delores was curious why Dante was suddenly interested in the case, so Dante reminded Delores that they were partners. He promised to cover for her if anyone asked why she was in the evidence room, provided that she included him on her findings. After Dante left, Delores pulled out a picture from one of the boxes, and then stared at it.

At Carly's house, Carly was on the phone with Morgan. She told her son to be careful skiing with friends in Aspen, assured him that she loved him, and then ended the call. Moments later, Shawn entered the living room. Carly thanked Shawn for going with her to visit Morgan for Christmas, so Shawn reminded her that it was his job. Carly was curious if Shawn had wanted to spend part of the holiday with his family, but Shawn assured her that he had been exactly where he had wanted to be.

Carly wondered why Shawn didn't want to spend time with his family and friends. She was certain that they missed Shawn, but Shawn refused to discuss it. Carly resented Shawn shutting down on her. She knew that he was still struggling with what had happened to him in Afghanistan, especially after the recent shooting at Pozzulo's. Shawn didn't deny it, but he reminded her that he had been dealing with posttraumatic stress disorder for a long time. Carly tried to discuss the topic in further detail, but Shawn ordered her to drop it.

Carly left the room, and then returned a few minutes later with a dog in tow. Shawn wondered what she was doing with the dog, so Carly explained that she had picked Wilma up at a shelter. The dog ran to Shawn, who immediately started to pet the friendly dog. Carly raved about the animal, but Shawn informed Carly that there was a problem; it was a male, not a female. He was curious why she had adopted a dog that she clearly knew nothing about. Carly insisted that it didn't matter, because she had saved the dog, whom she quickly renamed Wilson, from death row.

Shawn reminded Carly that dogs needed a lot of care. Carly didn't seem concerned about the work that the dog would require, so Shawn shrugged his shoulders, and then suggested that Josslyn would be delighted with the new pet. Carly quickly clarified that the dog was for Shawn, not Josslyn. Carly explained that she had noticed how well Shawn had responded to the dog at the hospital, during a PTSD attack, so she had decided to skip the red tape by adopting a dog from the pound, instead of trying to purchase a therapy dog. Shawn insisted that he couldn't accept the gift, which elicited a growl from Wilson.

Sam sat down at a booth, and then ordered a coffee. After the waitress left, Sam noticed a baby doll abandoned on the bench. She picked it up, and then questioned the waitress about it when the waitress returned with the coffee. The waitress recalled that a man had been seated in the booth earlier, so Sam immediately asked for a description. Sam became uneasy when the waitress seemed to describe Franco. Moments later, Patrick walked up to the table, and then breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that Sam had Emma's toy.

Patrick thanked Sam for finding the doll, and then explained that it was Emma's new favorite toy. Sam relaxed as Patrick insisted that he owed Sam, because Emma would have had a meltdown if the doll had been lost. According to Patrick, it was one of the lesser joys of parenting, but he wouldn't change it for the world. Sam invited Patrick to join her, so Patrick sat down, and then ordered a coffee. He admitted that he and Robin had gone through a lot of trouble to buy the doll, so he was happy that it hadn't been lost.

Sam chuckled, and then asked if Patrick and his family had had a good Christmas. Patrick confessed that it had been the best holiday he'd ever had, because Robin had been determined to make it perfect for Emma. Patrick asked if Sam and Jason had had a good holiday, and then wondered if people had started to ask them when they planned to start having children. Patrick quickly apologized when he realized that it had been an insensitive question, because of Sam's fertility issues. Sam assured him that she hadn't been offended, but Patrick switched gears to remind Sam that Jason needed to reschedule his post-op checkup.

The waitress returned to refill their coffee cups, but Sam decided to order a cup of herbal tea instead. After the waitress left, Sam confessed that she admired Patrick and Robin, because they had been through so much with Lisa Niles, but they had managed to keep their marriage together. She was curious what the secret to their happiness was. Patrick assured her that there wasn't a secret; he and Robin loved each other and didn't want Emma to grow up with divorced parents, so they refused to give up on their marriage. Sam noted that love was a powerful thing, but Patrick insisted honesty was the key.

Robin apologized for stopping by Jason's penthouse unannounced. She realized that Jason had turned down her request to help her disappear, but she insisted that she didn't have anyone else to turn to. Jason was stunned that Robin hadn't talked to Patrick about her HIV status, so Robin explained that she had sought a second opinion from a doctor in Africa, who was considered to be a leading specialist in the field. According to Robin, the doctor had urged her to give the new drug protocol a chance, because "it could and should" work; however, Robin insisted that she needed to be prepared for the worst.

Jason suggested that it sounded as if Robin were giving up, but Robin argued that she had been living with HIV for twenty years. Jason reminded Robin to give the new drug protocol time to work, but Robin wondered why she should bother, since it might eventually fail again. Jason refused to help Robin disappear, so he warned her not to ask him.

Robin decided to change the subject by imploring Jason to make an appointed for a checkup. Jason insisted that he was fine, and then urged Robin to tell Patrick about her deteriorating health. Robin explained that she just wanted to preserve the memory of the man that she loved, so she didn't want to put Patrick in a position where he had to carry the burden of "forcing a lightness" that Patrick didn't feel, just to keep her spirits up.

Jason was curious if Robin had considered how Patrick and Emma would feel if she were to suddenly disappear without a trace. He insisted that Robin wasn't sparing her family; she was cheating them. Robin ignored Jason's remark as she tried to persuade Jason to see Patrick about the bouts of rage, because she feared that it might be neurological. Jason assured her that he would, when he had the time. However, he reminded Robin that his loved ones had had the opportunity to say what they had needed to, because he hadn't kept them in the dark about his situation prior to the brain surgery. According to Jason, Robin was denying Patrick and Emma the same opportunity.

Robin insisted that they had been talking about Jason, not her, so Jason accused Robin of shifting the focus. Robin argued that she simply wanted to help those she cared about, while she could, because she wanted to make certain that her loved ones were set up to live long lives. She admitted that she was concerned that something was seriously wrong with Jason, but he insisted that he was fine. Robin feared that the episodes of rage would worsen until he hurt someone close to him, like Sam. Jason argued that nothing like that would happen, because he knew when the anger had started, and why. However, he refused to elaborate.

Robin was curious if Sam knew about Jason's bouts of uncontrollable anger. Jason's silence spoke volumes, so Robin wondered why Jason expected her to tell Patrick about her situation, but he refused to say anything to Sam about the episodes of rage. Jason agreed to have a follow-up exam if Robin promised to talk to Patrick about her own health problems.

Outside of Kelly's, Johnny bumped into his father. Johnny wanted to know if Anthony had been responsible for the hit that had been put on Jason. Anthony griped that Jason had sent his "new muscle," Shawn, who had managed to escape the shootout unscathed. Johnny pointed out that Anthony wouldn't have known that, unless Anthony had been involved. Seconds later, Sonny strolled up.

Sonny was curious who the intended target had been for the hit that had been carried out at Pozzulo's: Jason or Sonny. Anthony feigned ignorance about the shootout, but Sonny didn't buy it. Sonny was furious that his accountant, Bernie, had nearly been killed, so Sonny intended to make the person responsible pay. Anthony tried to push Sonny's buttons by making a snide remark about Sonny's firstborn son being a cop, so Sonny reciprocated by accusing Anthony's firstborn of being a "psycho." Sonny and Anthony continued to trade barbs and threats until the planted drugs and the Zacchara shipping lane were mentioned. Johnny denied shooting Dante at the warehouse, but Sonny didn't believe him.

Johnny insisted that he'd give Sonny the shooter on a platter, but he couldn't, so they should simply chalk it up to the price of war. Sonny claimed that he wasn't aware that they were at war, prompting Johnny to chuckle. Johnny claimed that the five families were scratching at the gate "like Seabiscuit with a full bladder, ready to run the Derby." Anthony wondered if Sonny had ever read, The Art of War, an ancient Chinese book. Anthony revealed that the book suggested that an enemy was a resource. Sonny cut Anthony off with the argument that it didn't apply to "rabid dogs."

Sonny imaged that it had been difficult for Johnny to turn over the reigns of the organization when Anthony had been released from prison. Johnny quickly clarified that he was fully in control of the Zacchara organization. Anthony claimed to be enjoying retirement, and focusing on his flowers. Sonny was curious if one of those flowers were Tracy Quartermaine. Anthony explained that Sonny couldn't understand Anthony's desire to avoid trouble, because Sonny had never spent any significant time in jail. According to Anthony, Sonny preferred to have people like Jason and Michael take the fall.

Johnny warned his father that he'd gone too far by talking about Michael, but Anthony was unapologetic, because Johnny had been good to Michael and Michael's "stripper girlfriend." Anthony realized that he hadn't seen Abby around for a while, so he wondered how she was doing. Sonny informed the Zaccharas that Abby had been killed in Chicago. Anthony and Johnny were genuinely shocked, and saddened by the news, so they extended their condolences. Sonny suggested that Abby's death could have been avoided if Johnny had had his house in order.

Sonny explained that Michael had sent Abby to Chicago to keep her safe from the man who had targeted the dancers at Vaughn's, which wouldn't have been necessary if Johnny had found the man. Sonny vowed to take back the shipping lane, and then left. Johnny demanded to know if Anthony had had anything to do with Abby's death, but Anthony denied it. However, Anthony thought that it would be prudent for them to not let the opportunity pass them up. "Opportunity?" Johnny asked. Anthony imaged that Michael was suffering, because of Abby's death, which made Michael vulnerable.

Johnny warned his father to leave Michael out of it, so Anthony assured his son that he intended to focus on New Year's Eve, not mob business. Anthony bragged that he planned to take things to the next level with Tracy, and that it would be a game changer. Anthony started to leave, but stopped to ask if Johnny had found a new cop on the inside to replace the one that they had lost. Anthony thought that it would help to have someone on the inside.

Later, Johnny greeted Delores when she entered Kelly's. Delores admitted that she had heard that Johnny's truce with Sonny was precarious. Johnny seemed unconcerned, so she accused Johnny of exploiting women. Johnny assured her that he was committed to getting the "freak" who had been attacking his dancers off of the streets, so they should have an understanding. Delores' eyes narrowed as she wondered if he were trying to use seeing her by the evidence room as leverage. Johnny clarified that he had caught her where she shouldn't have been, but Delores insisted that he had merely surprised her.

Johnny was curious if Delores had been trying to find something, or hide something. Delores decided that it was time to leave, but Johnny was curious if she had always loved music. Delores doubted that Johnny was really interested, but Johnny assured her that he wanted to get to know her better. He recalled crawling under the piano as a small child, while his mother had played Chopin. Johnny confessed that he had been moved to tears when he had heard the beautiful music. Delores seemed to soften towards Johnny until he asked if she had enjoyed Christmas, even though her husband had been stuck out of town.

Delores accused Johnny of trying to cause trouble for her by misleading Olivia about the night that Delores had met Dante for drinks at Jake's. She made it clear that she only intended to discuss the investigation, and then asked him what he knew about the dancers who had been attacked. Johnny was curious what she would give him in exchange. Delores admitted that she didn't intend to tell him anything, because he was still a suspect in Lisa Niles's murder. Johnny reminded Delores that the case had been closed, but she argued that anyone could have sent the text message of Briggs's confession. After Delores left, Johnny called someone to order an extensive background check on Delores.

At the loft, Lulu was disappointed that she hadn't been able to cook a decent Italian meal for Dante. Olivia reminded Lulu that it would take time to develop cooking skills. Lulu realized that she would have to spend a fortune on delivery, prompting Olivia to wonder if it would be so terrible for Lulu and Dante to accept Sonny's generous wedding gift. Lulu admitted that the money would be handy, but there were other family members that they could turn to if they were in a financial bind. Olivia thought that Lulu and Dante should give Sonny fair consideration, without jumping to the worst conclusion, but Lulu argued that Sonny was trying to buy a relationship with Dante. Olivia doubted that it was as sinister as that.

Olivia suggested that perhaps Sonny feared rejection if he reached out to Lulu and Dante empty-handed. Lulu was curious if Olivia wanted Dante and Sonny to have a relationship, so Olivia admitted that she did. Lulu doubted that it would ever happen, but she realized that it wasn't up to her. Olivia advised Lulu to discuss it with Dante. As if on cue, Dante arrived home. Olivia was happy to see her son, but she quickly excused herself, promised Dante that she would never be like "Mrs. DiVincenzi," and then left. Lulu wondered who Mrs. DiVincenzi was, but Dante explained that he had to get back to work, so he wanted to enjoy dinner with his wife.

Lulu warned Dante that he might not like what she had cooked, but Dante sat down anyway. Later, Lulu offered Dante seconds on the salad, but Dante declined. Lulu reminded him that most of the dinner hadn't been edible, but Dante assured her that the pasta had been cooked to perfection. Lulu revealed that the pasta had been the only part of the meal that Olivia had coached her on. Lulu then pushed Dante to tell her about Mrs. DiVincenzi, so Dante revealed that Mrs. DiVincenzi had been the mother-in-law "from hell" who had constantly found fault with her daughter-in-law until one night the daughter-in-law had walked out on her husband.

Dante explained that his friend had chased after his wife down the street, worked things out with her, and then had tossed Mrs. DiVincenzi out of his home until she could show his wife proper respect. Lulu wondered what the moral of the story was, so Dante revealed that it meant that marriage was the start of a new family, and that the spouse would always be first. Dante couldn't imagine throwing his mother out of his home, but Lulu reminded him that Olivia wasn't the problem. Dante sobered as he revealed that he had seen Sonny earlier that evening. Lulu was stunned to learn that Abby had died. Dante was surprised when Lulu suggested that perhaps it was a good sign that Sonny had asked for Dante's help to find the man who had attacked the dancers from Vaughn's, rather than delegating the job to his henchmen.

Dante admitted that Sonny had also asked Dante visit him. He was impressed when Lulu didn't make a harsh remark about Sonny, so Lulu explained that she intended to support her husband if Dante wanted a relationship with Sonny. Later, Dante went to see Sonny at Pozzulo's. Dante warned Sonny that it wasn't a good idea to drop by the station for visits, so Sonny promised to call the next time. Dante then revealed that they didn't have much to go on in regards to the man who had been attacking the dancers from Vaughn's, so Dante planned to re-interview the victims.

Sonny was startled when Dante pulled out the cashier's check that Sonny had given Dante and Lulu as a wedding gift. Dante explained that he couldn't accept it. Sonny assured Dante that it was legitimate money, but Dante insisted that it wasn't about that. Sonny realized that Dante didn't want the money, because it was from Sonny.

At the penthouse, Jason offered to have a post-op check up if Robin agreed to tell Patrick that her drug protocol had stopped working. Robin wondered if Jason were truly prepared to risk his health to blackmail her. Jason explained that he would do whatever necessary to get through to her. She warned Jason that everything would change if Patrick were to find out that her life-saving cocktail of medications had failed. Jason was unmoved, so Robin wondered why he was being so stubborn. She was curious if Jason would blame himself if Franco were to do something to Sam.

"Where did that come from?" Jason asked, startled. Robin explained that her meds had stopped working, because Lisa had tampered with them, so Patrick would blame himself. Jason argued that Patrick would do that regardless, so it didn't matter. He insisted that Robin couldn't take Patrick's guilt away, but she could let Patrick help her. Moments later, Jason's phone rang. He perked up when the caller revealed that they might have a lead on Franco. Jason instructed the person to call back when there was proof, and then abruptly ended the call.

Robin had noticed Jason's burst of temper, so she warned him that he appeared to have a serious neurological problem. She feared that the attacks would continue to get worse, so she begged Jason to seek medical treatment. Jason reminded her of his terms, but Robin pleaded with Jason not to throw his life with Sam away. Jason stood firm, and then explained that he needed to take care of something first anyway. Robin relented, but she warned Jason that he only had until the end of the night to hold up his end of the bargain. Moments later, Michael knocked on the door.

Robin offered Michael her condolences, and then left. Michael wondered if Sam were around, so Jason revealed that she was at work. Michael thought that it was probably for the best that Sam kept busy, and then asked if Jason were curious about the trip to New Zealand. Jason figured that Michael would talk about it when Michael was ready, which made Michael smile. Michael appreciated that Jason and Sam never pushed him. Jason was stunned when Michael revealed that Sam had told him about what Franco had done in Hawaii.

Jason recovered quickly, and then admitted that it was good to know that Sam had found someone whom she could talk to. Michael was curious how Jason was holding up, because Jason had been forced to watch what Franco had done. In a burst of temper, Jason knocked the books off of the coffee table, and then admitted that he wanted to kill "that son of bitch." "Jason, this is why Sam can't talk to you," Michael replied. After Jason's rage subsided, he revealed that he might have a lead on Franco. Michael insisted that Sam was more important than finding Franco, but Jason argued that Michael didn't understand Jason's need to make Franco pay.

Michael warned Jason that the more Jason focused on revenge, the more alone Sam would feel, which was why Sam couldn't open up to Jason. Michael explained that Sam needed to feel comforted and supported, but all Jason had to offer was rage. Moments later, Robin called to remind Jason of their deal, so she wanted to know when he would arrive at the hospital for the checkup. Jason was curious if Robin had held up her end of the bargain, but Robin argued that it wasn't an answer. Jason insisted that he had to go, but he promised to talk to Robin later. After Jason ended the call, he started to leave, but Michael stopped him. Michael advised Jason not to get caught up in the hate, or Sam might slip away.

At Carly's house, Shawn pointed out that he hadn't asked for a dog. Carly insisted that Shawn and Wilson were great for each other, but Shawn wasn't swayed. Carly wondered if the problem were the dog, or that she had given Shawn the gift. Shawn reminded her that a dog was a big responsibility, but Carly argued that Wilson just needed some love, care, and attention. Shawn claimed that he didn't have any to give, but Carly didn't believe him, because she had seen Shawn with Josslyn. Carly was certain that Shawn and Wilson could help each other, so Shawn wondered why it was so important to Carly that he take the dog.

Carly admitted that if Shawn let Wilson in, then perhaps it would change everything else. Shawn felt uncomfortable with the direction of their conversation, so he decided to take the dog for a walk. Carly refused to let Shawn run away, because she believed that Shawn wanted to feel something, albeit perhaps not with her. Shawn quickly clarified that he hadn't said that, but Carly accused Shawn of sending her mixed signals. "What do you want?" Shawn asked, exasperated. Carly insisted that she wanted to know what he wanted, so Shawn pulled her close for a heated kiss.

Shawn immediately regretted the kiss. Hurt, Carly realized that it was clear that he didn't want her. Shawn insisted that it wouldn't be fair, which sparked Carly's anger. She resented Shawn talking to her like Jax had, so Shawn reminded her that Jax was still alive, and out there. Carly argued that Jax hadn't made any attempt to contact her, so it didn't matter. Carly refused to let Shawn use Jax as an excuse to avoid her, so she decided that it was time for Shawn to move out, since Franco was no longer a threat to her. Startled, Shawn warned Carly that it was a bad idea, but Carly was determined to focus on her New Year's Eve bash at Metro Court.

Carly announced that she intended to move into the hotel with Josslyn, so Shawn's services would not be required. Shawn wondered if she were firing him, so Carly clarified that she was "dismissing" him. "Doesn't feel good, does it?" Carly asked, and then sailed out of the room. Shawn confided to Wilson that Carly was unlike anyone that he had ever met. He promised to find Wilson a good home, because Shawn was too screwed up to properly care for the dog. Shawn explained that he was trying to stop things before he got in too deep, if he hadn't already.

Carly checked in with Michael to see how his trip to New Zealand had gone. She was curious if Michael had found the field of lavender that Abby had loved. Michael confirmed that he had scattered Abby's ashes in the field, and that it had been as beautiful as the picture. Carly was certain that Abby would have loved it. Michael then shifted gears to confide that something strange had happened in Auckland; Michael thought that he had spotted Jax.

At the nurses' station, Patrick overheard Maggie yelling at a staff member on the phone. Moments later, Epiphany walked up, so Maggie wondered if anyone in the hospital actually cared about the patients. Epiphany resented the remark, so she ranted at Maggie, and then stormed off. Patrick sarcastically remarked that Maggie seemed to have a way with people, so Maggie explained that she had been frustrated, because she had a seven-year-old lymphoma patient with no immune system, who needed to go into isolation. Maggie had hoped to make things fun for her patient, so that the child wouldn't be further traumatized.

Patrick admitted that he had once been like Maggie, but things had changed, because he had a lot to lose. Later, Maggie spotted Epiphany, so Maggie quickly apologized for her unprofessional behavior. Epiphany revealed that she had spoken to the pediatric nurses, and they had agreed to fix up the room for Maggie's isolation patient. Maggie was delighted, and thanked Epiphany. After Epiphany walked away, Patrick confessed that Epiphany was a good person to have on one's side.

Maggie was curious if Patrick had found out why Robin had been crying the other day. Patrick told her that Robin had been upset, because an HIV-positive patient had taken a turn for the worse. According to Patrick, not everyone was as fortunate as Robin, who remained in good health.

Later, Robin was relieved when she saw Jason arrive at the hospital. Jason admitted that he was ready for answers. Seconds later, Jason's phone rang. The caller informed Jason that they had proof of Franco's location, so Jason assured the caller that he would be right there. Robin tried to stop Jason from leaving the hospital, but he promised her that he would be back. He reminded Robin of their deal, and then disappeared into the elevator.

Robin spotted Patrick at the nurses' station. She tried to broach the topic of her health crisis, but Patrick thought that she had wanted to scold him about losing Emma's doll, so he assured her that Sam had found it, and that it had been returned safe and sound. Moments later, Robin was paged. She explained that it was about her HIV patient, and then walked away.

Tracy stopped by the loft to reveal that she had received a message from Luke, in the form of a diamond. Tracy wanted Lulu to tell Luke that it wouldn't work, but Lulu pointed out that she didn't talk to Luke. Tracy held up the diamond for Lulu to see, but Lulu accidentally dropped it into the sauce that she had been preparing. Lulu quickly scooped the diamond out of the sauce, and then handed it back to Tracy. "Just what I wanted. A garlic encrusted diamond," Tracy remarked as she cleaned the diamond off, and then tucked it away.

Lulu was surprised that Luke had sent Tracy the expensive bauble, so Tracy admitted that she only suspected that Luke had sent it. Tracy explained that it had arrived on her doorstep with a message written on the back of an invitation to Metro Court's New Year's Eve bash. Tracy added that the note had read, "You've got the rock, I've got the setting." Tracy revealed that she intended to go to the party, so that she could tell Luke that she was tired of waiting for him. Tracy poured herself a glass of wine, so Lulu invited Tracy to help with the cooking. Tracy scoffed at the idea, but she was curious why Lulu was in the kitchen.

Lulu explained that she wanted to prepare a home-cooked meal for her husband. "Did you say husband?" Tracy asked. Lulu admitted that she and Dante had gotten married on Christmas Eve in a private ceremony. Tracy thought it had been wise of Lulu and Dante to keep things simple, and then decided to test Lulu's marinara sauce. Tracy grimaced as soon as it hit her tongue, and then demanded to know why Lulu was going through so much trouble. Lulu insisted that she was trying to heed Tracy's advice by following her own bliss instead of rescuing everyone around her.

Tracy warned Lulu that if Dante needed Lulu to be the kind of wife who cooked, then Lulu was in trouble. Lulu promised that she wasn't changing herself to accommodate Dante, and then shifted the focus of the conversation back to Tracy's relationship with Luke. Lulu doubted that things were really over between Tracy and Luke, but Tracy made it clear that she intended to make Luke understand that they were over. "Whatever you say," Lulu replied with a smile.

At Pozzulo's, Dante explained that he couldn't accept Sonny's generous wedding gift, because Dante felt like he would owe his father. Sonny assured Dante that there weren't any strings attached to the money, but Dante stood firm, because he suspected that Sonny was trying to buy his way into Dante's life. "Would that be so bad?" Sonny wondered. Sonny complained that every time they took a step forward, they ended up taking two steps back. Dante assured his father that he wasn't returning the money out of spite, but Sonny suspected that Dante blamed him for the shooting at the warehouse. Sonny vowed to find the person responsible, to make them pay for nearly killing Dante.

Dante was frustrated, because someone always had to pay with Sonny. The argument escalated when Jax's name cropped up. Sonny denied that he'd had anything to do with what had happened to Jax, but Dante didn't believe Sonny, because Dante recalled what Sonny had been like on the night of Jax's plane crash. Sonny became concerned when Dante's breathing became labored as he clutched his side in obvious pain. Sonny quickly guided Dante to a chair, and then poured his son a glass of water, as he asked Dante what was wrong. Dante explained that he'd had similar attacks following the removal of part of his lung after the warehouse shooting.

Dante insisted that he was fine, but Sonny remained worried. Dante accused Sonny of sounding like a concerned father, so Sonny admitted that he was, even though Sonny hadn't been invited to the wedding. Dante clarified that no one had been invited. Sonny assured Dante that he was happy for his son. Sonny wanted Dante to accept the money, so that Dante had time to properly recuperate from the shooting. Dante refused to take the money, so Sonny reminded Dante that they were family.

"I've got enough family," Dante grumbled. Sonny warned Dante that eventually the real world would intrude on Dante and Lulu's bubble of newlywed bliss. Dante confessed that he struggled everyday with the idea of Sonny as his father. Sonny explained that he just wanted to be a part of Dante's life, not his enemy. Dante assured his father that he didn't think of Sonny as the enemy, but he couldn't forget that Sonny had shot an unarmed man when he had taken aim at Dante.

Sonny explained that his entire life had been about survival, but the argument didn't hold water with Dante, because Sonny had enough money to retire comfortably. Sonny argued that he would have to leave the country -- and his kids -- behind, which didn't appeal to him. Sonny asked Dante to meet him in the middle, so Dante agreed. However, Dante didn't see backyard barbeques in their future. Sonny was curious if Dante were interested in meeting him for New Year's Eve. Sonny explained that Carly was hosting a gala at Metro Court, so Sonny thought that Michael might appreciate being surrounded by family.

Dante promised to be there if Sonny stopped writing checks. Sonny compromised by agreeing to do something worthwhile with the money, that Dante would approve of. "Can you trust me on that?" Sonny wondered. "Yes," Dante replied.

At the penthouse, Michael told Carly that he had seen a man with an uncanny resemblance to Jax at the airport in New Zealand. Michael had called out to the man, but the man had been headed to a gate, so he hadn't turned around. According to Michael, the man had boarded the plane by the time that Michael reached the gate. Carly suggested that perhaps Michael's grief over losing Abby had made him see things. Michael conceded that he hadn't seen the man's face clearly, but he was almost certain that it had been Jax.

Carly reminded Michael that he had been through quite a lot with Abby's death, so Michael pointed out that Carly had also suffered a tragic loss when Jax had died. Carly explained that she didn't want to discuss it, because she wanted to focus on Michael, but Michael refused to let it drop. He was curious if she still loved Jax. Carly admitted that she did, but she recognized that it wouldn't have worked out for her and Jax. Michael wondered why she hadn't tried. Carly assured Michael that she had, but she also acknowledged that she hadn't always put Jax first. Michael noticed that Carly talked about Jax as if he were still alive.

Frustrated, Carly demanded that Michael drop it. Michael assured her that he wasn't trying to upset her, but she had never admitted that Jax had died, so he was concerned. Carly tried to change the subject by reminding Michael that he hadn't been by the house to open his Christmas gifts. Michael explained that he wasn't in the mood to celebrate, and then turned the conversation back to Jax. He was curious if Carly would be able to forgive Jax, but Carly realized that Michael was really asking if she could ever forgive Sonny. Michael admitted that he just wanted everyone to get along.

Carly explained that if Jax were alive then Jax would still be in danger, because of Sonny. According to Carly, that was something that she couldn't get past. "Why was it so easy for you to move on with Shawn?" Michael asked. Carly clarified that she and Shawn were not a couple, but Michael argued that she had taken Shawn to Hawaii, so Michael suspected that they were headed in that direction. Carly continued to deny that she was involved with Shawn, but Michael cut her off, because all he could think about was Abby.

Carly promised Michael that he would eventually be able to move on, but Michael vowed that he would never let go of Abby. Michael insisted that he wasn't like Carly, who went from relationship to relationship. He quickly apologized when he saw her hurt expression. Carly realized that Michael was grieving, so she invited him to attend her New Year's Eve bash at Metro Court, so that he could get his mind off of things for a little while. Michael agreed to think about it, and then left.

At the hospital, Ewen assured Shawn that Shawn would like the doctor whom Ewen had recommended. According to Ewen, the doctor would be great with Wilson too. Shawn explained that Wilson was not his dog; he had been a gift from his boss, but Shawn couldn't handle the responsibility. Ewen reminded Shawn that dogs could help people with posttraumatic stress disorder, so the dog would be a benefit to Shawn. Shawn insisted that caring was too much of a complication that neither one of them could afford. Ewen wondered if they were still talking about the dog.

Shawn grew uncomfortable with the direction of their conversation, so he decided to check on the dog. Ewen thought that it was a good sign that Shawn was concerned about Wilson. Ewen realized that it was hard to let someone in, but Shawn argued that he didn't have any room in his life for anyone to get close. "Get close or get in, period?" Ewen wondered. Ewen realized that Shawn had been hurt before, and likely had lost people close to him. "Every single one," Shawn admitted.

Later, Shawn went to the penthouse to check in with Jason, but Carly greeted him at the door. She led him to the living room as she revealed that Michael had seen Jax at the airport in New Zealand. Carly admitted that she hated that she hadn't been able to tell her son that there was a good chance that Jax was still alive. Neither Shawn nor Carly realized that Michael stood in the hallway, eavesdropping on their conversation.

At Wyndemere, Ethan was asleep on the sofa when the lady in white entered the parlor via the tunnels. She spotted a notepad on the table, so she picked it up. Ethan had scribbled, "Who are you?" on the paper. The woman wrote something in response, and then left. Moments later, Ethan woke up. He immediately saw the notepad, so he picked it up. "No one," Ethan read.

Ethan spoke aloud as he insisted that everyone was someone. Ethan jotted down another message for the lady in white, instructing her to wake him up the next time that she found him asleep. He then carried a box of food to the tunnel entrance, left it there, and then turned to talk to Laura's portrait. Ethan wondered if she thought that he were like Luke, and then confessed that he didn't want to be like his father. Ethan jumped when a door suddenly slammed shut in the castle.

Moments later, Alexis and Molly entered the parlor. Molly hugged Ethan as Alexis explained that they were returning a few of Stefan's books, which Molly had borrowed from the library. Molly dashed off to return the books, and to fetch some others. Meanwhile, Ethan wondered if Alexis had hoped to check up on him. Alexis reminded Ethan that Wyndemere belonged to her family, and that she was the last Cassadine standing. "Or am I?" she wondered.

Ethan was curious what Alexis had meant by the remark, so Alexis admitted that she was intrigued by the mystery that he was trying to unravel. Ethan assured her that he had nothing to report, but he promised to tell her if he discovered anything. Alexis casually looked around as she asked, "There's no vampires here or chest of gold in the floorboard?" She warned him that she was entitled to the majority of whatever he found. Ethan reminded her that he was a man of his word, and then reiterated that he had nothing exciting to report, except that he'd managed to get the electricity turned on. Ethan and Alexis were unaware that Molly lurked nearby, listening to their conversation.

Later, Alexis scolded Molly for wandering off, instead of staying in the library. Molly explained that she loved the atmosphere of Wyndemere, because she found something new every time she visited the castle. "It's so Wuthering Heights," Molly exclaimed. Ethan chuckled as Molly suggested that perhaps she and Alexis could move to Spoon Island. "Don't even think about it," Alexis warned her youngest child.

Ethan suggested that they all head out, because he had to pick up something to eat. Alexis wondered why he didn't help himself to the food in the box near the tunnel entrance. Ethan managed to give Alexis an excuse as he tried to hustle her out of the door, but Alexis announced that she had some paperwork that she needed to find. Ethan offered to help her locate it, but Alexis assured him that she was fine. After Ethan reluctantly left, Alexis noticed how many books Molly intended to take home, so she instructed Molly to return some of them.

Alexis snooped around the parlor, while Molly set some books aside. Molly was surprised when one of the books turned out to be a photo album with pictures of Stavros, Stefan, and Nikolas when Nikolas had been a baby. Molly then asked her mother what Alexis was looking for. "Nothing," Alexis replied. Molly decided to show Alexis a button that Molly had found on the beach.

Molly wondered if the button might have belonged to some long-forgotten prince, pirate, or philosopher. Alexis doubted that the owner of the button would live up to the "heroic proportions" that Molly had imagined. Meanwhile, Ethan decided to check in with Alexis when he arrived at Kelly's. He left her a message, and then ended the call. Moments later, he noticed the lady in white standing outside of Kelly's. He quickly went to the door, but she had disappeared before he could catch up to her.

At the nurses' station, Maggie welcomed Liz back to work. Maggie realized that she hadn't worked with Liz yet, but Maggie had heard that Liz was one of the best nurses on staff. Maggie then wondered how Aiden was doing. Liz assured Maggie that Aiden was great, thanks to Maggie. Their conversation then drifted to Christmas. Maggie was surprised when Liz revealed that Lucky had left town again, in search of another miracle.

Maggie suggested that it was good for men to occasionally chase windmills, because they eventually woke up to realize that they were exactly where they should be. Liz was curious if Maggie were hoping that would happen with Steve. Maggie realized that Liz didn't beat around the bush, so Liz admitted that she was tired of "waiting and reacting," because it hadn't gotten Liz anywhere. Maggie respected that, so she confided that she and Steve had been close once, but things had changed. Liz confessed that the same had happened with her and Lucky. Maggie pointed out that change wasn't always a bad thing, because it could open a person up to new experiences, like the mystery man who had saved Liz.

Maggie was curious if Liz had ever learned the man's identity. Liz admitted that she was beginning to wonder if she had imagined the whole thing, because it didn't make sense for someone to save a person, and then disappear. Maggie suggested that a lot of adults dismissed things like fate, mystery, and romance, but she wasn't one of them, because she worked with children. Liz smiled in understanding. Liz realized that she didn't know Maggie's history with Steve, but she warned Maggie that Steve was one of the good guys, and he was happy with Olivia. "Got it," Maggie replied.

After Maggie walked away, Liz bumped into Ewen. She suddenly had a flashback of the mystery man who had carried her out of the water. Ewen joked that they had to stop meeting like that, but then sobered when he noticed that Liz seemed distracted. Liz apologized, and then thanked him for the paints that he had given to her for Christmas. She confessed that she had used them, and that she had decided to return to her studio. Ewen thought it was important to feed one's passion, so he encouraged her to follow through with the painting.

Liz suddenly noticed that his shirt had been buttoned wrong. Ewen handed her his coat, and then quickly adjusted his shirt. He explained that he tended to get lost in his thoughts, so he didn't always pay attention when he was getting dressed. Liz suggested that it might also be a result of living alone. "That too," Ewen conceded. She handed his coat back to him, which was missing a button like the one that Molly had found on the beach. Liz confessed that she had been thinking about taking him up on his offer for counseling. Ewen agreed to see her professionally, on the condition that she painted something that was important to her.

Patrick took Emma out for ice cream while Robin stayed at the house and made arrangements for a trip. Patrick and Emma returned. Patrick went to dress, while Robin and Emma had a chat. Robin articulated how much she loved her little angel and told her to be a good girl for Patrick, because he'd need his daughter's love.

Patrick emerged, fully dressed for a night out, and they all took photos. Robin said, "I don't think I've ever been happier than I am right now," as she took Emma to bed. When Robin returned, Patrick was asleep on the couch. She snuggled up to him and wished him a happy new year.

Sam tossed and turned in bed as the nightmare of Franco's rape haunted her. Jason called, and she told him how much she wanted him to be with her during the holiday. He told her that Franco was gone.

Sam asked Jason to forget about Franco, at least for the night. Jason responded that he couldn't let it go. Sam all but begged until Jason relented and promised to go home. Later, Sam realized that her period was late.

Tracy ran into Ethan in front of Kelly's and asked where Luke was. Ethan replied that Luke wasn't whom he was waiting for. Tracy shared with Ethan the diamond ring that was ostensibly from Luke and accompanied an invitation to the Metro Court party. Tracy said she was finished with Luke. Ethan suggested she tell Luke in person.

Later, a cold, frustrated Ethan wrote, "looking for no one," on a to-go cup and left it on the bench outside the diner. Moments after he left, the blonde woman arrived.

Sonny visited Kate at Crimson, bringing with him a trumpet, which he played poorly. He explained his performance was subpar because there was something stuck in it. Kate removed from the horn a sketch of Sonny's restaurant's planned renovations. They reminisced about the restaurant they had frequented in the old neighborhood.

As Kate escorted Sonny out, they ran into Spinelli. Sonny demanded the money Spinelli was to pay. Spinelli handed over a 20-million-dollar check. Kate said she didn't want to know how Spinelli had gotten it and quickly ushered Sonny out of the building.

Maxie congratulated Spinelli, who asked for her aid in choosing the right outfit for a date. Maxie peppered him with questions about the woman he'd alluded to. Spinelli remained vague and exited, leaving behind a flustered Maxie.

Later, Maxie marched into Kelly's, supposedly to give Spinelli a tie clip. Maxie suggested that the woman meeting him there might have been a figment of his imagination. Spinelli looked outside at the woman who'd just missed Ethan.

Dante gave his condolences to a distraught Michael, who sat at a table in Kelly's. Dante urged his brother not to seek revenge. Michael noticed Dante's wedding band, which prompted Dante to apologize for not having invited Michael to the wedding.

Tracy asked Carly if Luke had made reservations. Carly replied that he hadn't but that someone had reserved a table under Tracy's name. Tracy approached the table and was horrified to find that Anthony, not Luke, had invited her. She stormed out, and Anthony ran after her.

He caught up to her in the elevator, which broke down. Anthony explained that blackmailing her was only one of the ways he was wooing her. He took a ring out of his packet, got on bended knee, and proposed to her.

As Carly saw to the finishing New Year's Eve touches in the Metro Court's restaurant, Olivia asked when Shawn would arrive. Carly explained that Shawn and she were not together. Olivia suggested that Jax would have approved of Carly moving on. Carly called Michael and invited him to the party. Michael accepted and said he'd be there.

Later, as the crowd gathered for the festivities, a hostile Michael walked in and made an announcement. He proposed a toast to Carly. He began by heaping insinuation-laden praise upon his mother, before switching to a eulogy for Jax. He looked Carly in the eye. "Jax is alive, and you knew it the whole time," he accused.

Alexis demanded to know if it was true, and Michael revealed that he'd seen Jax at the airport. Carly stated that she didn't know for sure if Jax was alive. However, the yacht that she and Jax owned had gone missing just after the crash that had supposedly killed him. She believed that Jax was alive, hiding from Sonny, who'd tried to kill him.

Sonny accused Carly of lying so that Sonny would get convicted of Jax's death. Michael asked his mother how she could have put her kids through the hell they'd lived in all those months, before he stormed out. Dante ran after Michael, leaving behind Sonny and Carly to battle.

Michael stepped onto a roadway as Jason's motorcycle sped toward him. Unable to control his bike, Jason plowed right into Michael. Both lay on the roadway, unconscious.

At the airport, Jax sat awaiting his flight. "Daddy's on his way, sweetheart," he uttered as he looked at a photo of Josslyn.