Elizabeth was shocked that Liesl was discharging "Jake" from the hospital. Elizabeth argued that the patient had just gotten out of the ICU, and he needed time to recuperate. Liesl thought he'd looked fit when he was standing at the top of the stairs earlier and that he'd had plenty of energy while making fun of Liesl. Jason suggested that "laughter helps you heal." Elizabeth added that the man didn't know who he was and had nowhere to go. Liesl answered that it wasn't her problem and that the bill was due in ten days.
When Liesl was gone, Jason flipped through the bill until Elizabeth grabbed it out of his hands. She was shocked to see that he owed hundreds of thousands of dollars. Jason cracked that, with no legal identity, nothing would happen to him if he didn't pay. He tried to get out of bed to find out about a payment plan and said that he couldn't wait to leave the hospital. He said he'd figure out somewhere to go. "Come home with me," Elizabeth suggested.
At the hospital, Silas waited for an elevator. When one opened, a doctor walked out, and Silas begged the man to take Danny's blood sample to the lab and put a rush on it. The doctor explained the Liesl had banned rushes. Silas gave the vial of blood to the doctor and said that he would take care of Liesl. He immediately walked to her office and was surprised to see Madeline sitting there.
Silas demanded to know why Madeline was there. Madeline explained that she was a "free woman" and was there to see Liesl, who obviously was not there. Silas wondered if Madeline had seen Nina, who was "out of control." He told her about Nina's revenge list and informed her that she was on it. He advised that it was in Madeline's best interest to tell Silas if she knew where Nina was.
Madeline explained to Silas about agreeing to help Nina with her schemes after Nina had shown up at Nathan's apartment. He wondered where Nina was. A short while later, Silas was gone, and Liesl entered the office. Madeline told Liesl that Silas had been there to see Liesl. She continued that she didn't know what he'd wanted, but he'd seemed anxious to speak to Liesl.
Anna sat at her desk, flipping through a file. An officer entered with "the file you asked for on A.J. Quartermaine's murder." The officer wondered why she wanted to look at the file for a closed case. She informed the officer that she had evidence that suggested Carlos wasn't guilty. The officer left, and Anna opened the file. She read through Duke's statement. She called Duke and asked him to get to her office.
A short while later, Duke entered. He talked about how he'd been trick-or-treating with Emma and Patrick, but Anna told him that she'd called him there for professional reasons, not personal reasons. She informed him that she was reopening the case of A.J.'s murder, which again made Sonny a suspect. She asked about Sonny's alibi and handed the statement to Duke. She wanted to give Duke a chance to change his statement.
Anna continued that, if Duke had only made a mistake by mixing up the date that he'd worked with Sonny in the warehouse, Duke could save himself. Duke maintained that he'd told the truth. Anna thanked him and told him that he could go. He implored her not to work so hard and walked toward the door. Before he was gone, Anna informed Duke that, if any evidence against Sonny turned up, Duke would "go down" with Sonny.
Morgan explained to Sonny that Ava had shown up at the brownstone after Shawn had tried to kidnap her. He continued that Silas was there with Ava to help with the pregnancy, which would soon be over. Sonny needed to find Ava before she disappeared again. "So you can kill her?" Morgan asked. Sonny explained that, if he didn't avenge Connie's death, he wouldn't be able to live with himself. He wondered if Morgan would try to stop him.
Morgan replied that he cared for Ava, but she'd obviously lied to him continuously. He understood that Sonny needed to make Ava pay for killing Connie, but he didn't want anything to happen to the baby. Sonny promised that the baby wouldn't get hurt.
A short while later, Max joined Sonny and Morgan. Sonny wanted Max to head up a team to go get Ava that night, so Max went to get ready. Sonny thought that he should have guessed that Ava would go running to Kiki or Morgan. Morgan thought that Sonny had been the one who had posted a car outside the brownstone, but Sonny denied it.
Morgan realized that the car really had been Nina, "Silas' crazy ex." Just then, the doorbell rang, and there was a gunshot immediately after. Sonny and Morgan hit the floor for cover. Moments later, Sonny opened the front door, gun in hand. Max was on the ground with a gunshot wound to his left shoulder.
"We're gonna have a baby," Nina told Ava as Nina filled the syringe with a clear brown liquid. She added that she was going to help speed up the process, but Ava begged her not to. Nina explained that the liquid would be faster and stronger than the pills Ava had been given. Nina thought it was ironic that a needle had taken her baby away, but a needle was also going to give her back a baby.
Ava told Nina that Morgan would soon be back. "We should get on with it then," Nina responded, stabbing Ava with the syringe. Nina listed all the things she would need to deliver the baby and left to get them together. Ava willed herself to move and managed to move her feet. She slid off the couch to the floor and dragged herself to the door. When she was almost there, Nina returned.
"Going somewhere?" Nina wondered, amused. Ava yelled for Nina to stay away, and she screamed for help. Ava began to moan in pain. "Right on time," Nina observed happily. "Ava, let's have a baby!" Nina exclaimed.
Lucy asked Franco if he would take Carly as his wife. "Hell, no. Why would I marry a lying, cheating whore?" he responded to everyone's shock. He announced that Carly had been sleeping with her ex-husband. Josslyn excitedly wondered if that meant that Carly and Jax were getting back together. Franco clarified that Carly had actually been sleeping with Sonny.
Scott wondered if Bobbie knew. "This is getting good," Brad muttered, and Lucas gave him a dirty look. "Do you want me to kick him?" Josslyn asked, but Carly insisted that Franco was angry, but he wouldn't hurt her. Michael shouted that his parents had shared one kiss, and it had ended. Franco said that Michael didn't have all the details, much like Kiki, but mentioned that Bobbie did.
Scott wondered if Bobbie had actually eaten pizza with Carly before their nightcap. Franco added that Carly hadn't eaten any pizza after being "full from Sonny's pepperoni." Bobbie denied Franco's "story," and Scott suggested that Franco was just paranoid. "I'm so not," Franco said. "Let's go to the videotape," he said, gesturing toward the television screen.
Lucas didn't think the kids should be there anymore, so he gathered up Josslyn and Spencer and took them out with Brad. Lucy suggested that Franco and Carly calm down and talk privately, but Franco thought it was "time for the truth to come out." He intended to prove that he wasn't crazy and turned on the video.
The video clip was from after Sonny and Carly had spent the day having sex in Michael's apartment. Carly had even mentioned that fact in the video. She demanded to know how he had gotten the footage. He told her that the camera was "around your neck." She ripped the necklace off as he explained that he'd had no choice but to keep an eye on Carly after Kiki had told him about Sonny and Carly's indiscretion.
Franco continued that Kiki had thought that things between Sonny and Carly were over, because that was what Carly had told Kiki. Franco concluded that Carly had lied to everyone. Lucy shared her fears with Felix that she was the common denominator in all the recent failed weddings in town. She and Felix left as Carly begged Michael and Kiki to go home. "Not 'til he hears what I have to say," Michael said, alluding to Franco.
Michael started that Franco had probably thought that Michael would "blow up" at Carly. He confessed that he wished that Carly was marrying Sonny because that was a wedding he'd be proud to stand up at. "Because your father is such a great guy," Franco said sarcastically. Carly demanded that Franco not play any more videos, but Michael didn't want to see them anyway. "Even if it's about A.J.?" Franco wondered.
"You can hate me, but don't do this," Carly begged. Michael told Franco to play the video. "If you insist," Franco said, and he started the video. The clip picked up a little further into Sonny and Carly's conversation and ended with them talking about how Sonny had slept with Ava in the Quartermaine crypt. Michael was appalled. Carly wondered why Franco was doing what he was doing.
"Good question," Franco responded. "It's like adding insult to injury. You'd think killing A.J. would be bad enough," he concluded. Carly pushed Franco, yelling at him, but Scott held her back. Carly screamed at Michael to leave. Michael asked if Ava had killed A.J. Franco responded that "it's so much worse than that," and played the video. It concluded with Sonny admitted that he'd "put A.J. in the grave."
At Greystone Manor, Max opened the door, expecting trick-or-treaters. He was met by a tall person wearing a devil mask, who was quickly revealed to be a gun-wielding Heather. After ripping off the mask, Heather shot Max at point-blank range. Max stumbled backwards then fell to the ground, clutching his chest as Heather entered the foyer. She leaned over Max to tell him to let Sonny know that she sent her regards then left.
Sonny and Morgan ran into the foyer. Morgan immediately rushed to Max's side to stanch the bleeding as Sonny looked around for possible danger, his gun at the ready. Once Sonny ascertained that it was safe, he approached Max and asked who had fired the shot. Max gasped with pain as he weakly whispered, "It was her." Morgan called for help then returned to Max's side as Sonny offered Max words of encouragement until an ambulance arrived.
At the hospital, two girls dressed in Halloween costumes approached Madeline. She tried to sidestep them, but the young girls refused to allow her to pass without giving them each a treat. Resigned, Madeline offered to check her purse for something, but the girls suddenly screamed in terror then ran off. Madeline rolled her eyes when she saw her sister Liesl scowling at her. Liesl resented Madeline and Nina involving Liesl's staff in their shenanigans, so Liesl demanded to know where Silas was.
Madeline claimed that she had merely sent Silas chasing his own tail, but Liesl was annoyed because Silas was the hospital's top oncologist. Liesl threatened to call to warn Silas that Madeline and Nina were in cahoots if Madeline didn't explain what was going on. Liesl warned Madeline that it was wrong to keep shielding Nina because it was clear that Nina was mentally unbalanced. Madeline resented Liesl lecturing her about Nina because Madeline intended to take care of Nina as Madeline saw fit.
Liesl shifted gears, demanding to know about the missing prescription pad. Madeline fished it out of her purse then handed it to Liesl, claiming that she had merely used it to write Nina a prescription for a sleeping aid. Liesl didn't believe her sister. Liesl warned Madeline that Liesl's reputation was at stake if the prescriptions had been used to harm someone, but Madeline scoffed at the idea that Liesl would be concerned about a ruined reputation after Liesl had been stripped of her Swiss medical license because of illegal human experiments.
Liesl was about to continue questioning her sister when a patient with a gunshot wound arrived in the emergency room. Madeline urged Liesl to help the patient, so Liesl reluctantly entered a nearby trauma bay. Liesl immediately ordered Sonny and Morgan to go to the waiting area then joined the team of doctors working to save Max's life.
Meanwhile, Madeline left Nina a voicemail message imploring Nina to call with an update because Madeline was frantic with worry. Madeline assured Nina that Silas had been dealt with, but it was only a matter of time before he made his way back to the brownstone to check on Ava.
In the waiting area, Liesl explained to Sonny and Morgan that Max had been shot in the thorax, so the doctors were trying to stabilize Max before taking him to surgery. Morgan was curious if Max would make it, but Liesl explained that there weren't any guarantees as Sonny was well aware of in his line of work.
After Liesl left, Sonny and Morgan speculated about Max's shooter. Sonny was certain that Ava had made a preemptive strike before Sonny could kill her. Morgan conceded that Ava was capable of shooting Max, but Morgan refused to believe that Ava would risk harming the baby by confronting Max with a gun. Morgan insisted that Ava genuinely cared about the baby and would never take a chance that Max would fire off a shot at her.
At Maxie's apartment, Silas repeatedly knocked on the door, demanding to talk to Nina. Eventually, Nathan opened the door to explain that Nina was not there. Nathan invited Silas inside as he explained that he had been looking for Nina as well. Silas revealed that Madeline had claimed that Nina had called from the apartment, but Nathan assured Silas that Madeline had been wrong because Nathan had been there for hours, hoping that Nina would turn to her brother for help.
Nathan was curious why Madeline would lie for Nina, but Silas suspected that it was because Madeline and Nina were working together. Nathan had his doubts because he knew that Madeline had been genuinely afraid of Nina, but Silas was certain that Madeline was cooperating with Nina because Nina had promised to give Madeline money. Nathan wondered what Madeline could offer his sister that Nina would want enough to pay for.
Later, Silas and Nathan arrived at the hospital to question Liesl about Madeline and Nina. Liesl admitted that she had provided Madeline and Nina sanctuary because she knew how important Nina was to Nathan, but she insisted that both her sister and niece had left the hospital and that Liesl had no idea where either woman had gone. However, Liesl feared that it did not bode well for anyone.
At Sonny's warehouse, Shawn tried to pick the lock on the door to the room that he and Jordan were held captive in. Jordan felt bad that Shawn had been lured into a trap because of her, but Shawn conceded that Franco and Heather made a great team because, together, Franco and Heather had managed to disarm Shawn of all his weapons and his phone. However, Shawn was irritated that Jordan had been at the warehouse, but she refused to apologize because she had been there to talk to Shawn about the threat to tell T.J. the truth about T.J.'s father.
Jordan was curious what Sonny and Shawn had been doing with someone as dangerous as Heather, but Shawn refused to enlighten Jordan. Jordan confessed that she had feared for her life because Heather had been terrifying, so Shawn vowed that he would not let Heather get away with it. Jordan warned Shawn not to hurt Heather on her account, but Shawn confessed that he had almost lost it when he had seen that Heather had taken Jordan hostage. Shawn shoved the unsettling memory away because he realized that he needed to focus on finding a way for them to escape before Heather returned to finish the job.
As if on cue, Heather entered the room with a gun firmly aimed at Shawn and Jordan. Shawn shifted to stand protectively in front of Jordan as he demanded to know where Heather had gone. Heather explained that she'd had pressing business to attend to then bragged that she had shot Sonny's favorite bodyguard. Concerned, Shawn asked if Max was alive, but Heather shrugged because she had shot Max to make a point to Sonny. However, Heather decided that Sonny was a "meathead" who might need two more reminders.
Heather took aim at Shawn and Jordan, but Shawn tried to appeal to Heather as a mother by explaining that Jordan had a young son. Shawn begged Heather to spare Jordan's life to keep Jordan's family from being torn apart as Heather's had been.
Later, Heather smiled with satisfaction as she stood outside the room where Shawn and Jordan had been imprisoned. "That takes care of that," Heather said as she brushed off her hands. "Now on to more pressing matters," she added then left the warehouse.
At the brownstone, Nina was pleased that she had timed the paralytic drug to wear off just as the labor-inducing medication kicked in. Ava tearfully warned Nina that it was too soon for the baby to be born, but Nina was unmoved. "Let's have a baby," Nina softly said with a happy grin. Ava argued that she needed medical help to have the baby, but Nina refused to call Silas. Nina also sneered at the suggestion that she call her cousin, Britt, because Nina decided that Britt was a "quack" for suggesting that Nina was in early menopause and incapable of having a baby.
"I'm having a baby right now," Nina said with a grin then dragged Ava to the living room. Nina busied herself setting up a birthing area while Ava was seized by a series of painful, hard contractions. Ava whispered to the baby that everything would be okay because "Mommy's here." Nina tensed when he heard Ava, so Nina leaned down to quietly offer the same assurance to the baby that Ava had. Nina urged Ava to cooperate for the baby's sake then resumed setting things up for the birth.
Later, Ava was in agony as Nina suggested that they trying some breathing exercises, since it wasn't time for Ava to push because Ava had not dilated sufficiently. Ava was curious what Nina knew about the birthing process, so Nina recalled helping Madeline with a difficult delivery when Nina had been thirteen years old. Nina admitted that "Allegra" hadn't had an easy pregnancy, so the labor had been unexpected. Nina confided that Allegra's delivery had been horrific because of the terrible sounds that Allegra had made until the "hoof" had pushed through.
Ava was shocked when she realized that Nina had been talking about a horse, but Nina insisted that a foal wasn't different from a baby. Nina recalled that she had been forced to reach up inside the horse to pull the foal out because it had been stuck, but Nina confessed that it had been the most spiritual experience of Nina's life. "It was like I saw God," Nina explained as Ava stared at Nina with stunned disbelief.
A short time later, Ava was on the floor writhing in agony, demanding that Nina get something to help with the pain. Nina insisted that it was too late then instructed Ava to push. Ava refused, but the issue became moot when Ava was hit by another contraction. Eventually, Ava gave birth to an infant daughter. Nina was moved to tears as she wrapped the baby in a blanket then held her close. Ava tearfully asked for the baby, but Nina refused to let Ava even see the newborn.
Nina explained that Ava would never be a mother to the baby then added that Ava already had a child. Moments later, Madeline entered. "Here's our ride," Nina whispered to the baby as Ava continued to plead for Nina to return Ava's child to Ava. Madeline explained that it was time to leave, but Nina suddenly realized that the baby didn't have a name. Ava objected to anyone naming her daughter except Ava, but Madeline pointed out to Nina that it could wait until they were safely gone. Desperately, Ava appealed to Madeline as one mother to another to talk sense into Nina.
On the Haunted Star, Carly feared the worst as she desperately begged Franco not to say anything to Michael, but Franco was unmoved by Carly's tears. Carly switched tactics by ordering Michael to leave, but Michael demanded to know if it was true that Carly and Sonny knew something about Ava murdering A.J. Franco warned Michael that it was far worse than Michael could imagine then played the recording of Sonny standing in Michael's apartment as Sonny confessed to killing A.J. by putting a bullet in "that bastard."
Michael's eyes rounded with shock then filled with tears as he implored his mother to tell him that it wasn't true. Carly offered to discuss it with Michael somewhere more private, but Franco assured Michael that it was true. "Your one father killed your other father," Franco clarified. Carly immediately turned her wrath on Franco, but Franco defended himself by insisting that he wasn't a liar like Sonny and Carly. Franco pointed out that he had kept his promise to Carly that he wouldn't tell Michael the truth about A.J.'s murder; Sonny had been the one to confess.
Carly reached out to her son to try to talk to him, but Michael pulled away from her touch as he ordered her to stay away from him. Franco smirked as Carly flinched but then her desperation took over as she suggested that the video recordings had been carefully edited in the same way as the one Franco had given to Sam to make Sam think that Franco had raped Sam. Carly asked Michael to leave with her, but Michael refused.
Franco decided to play the part of the recording when Carly had talked about covering up Sonny's crime and lying to their son about A.J.'s murder. Michael glared at his mother with loathing as she pleaded with desperate watery eyes for understanding. Franco explained that he had burned a DVD for each of them if anyone wished to hear the details of Sonny and Carly's conversation. Scott quietly warned his son to stop, so Franco leaned back to sip on Champagne as Michael angrily confronted Carly.
Michael accused Carly of trying to keep him away from A.J. since infancy because she had hated A.J. as much as Sonny had. Michael demanded to know how long Carly had known the truth, so she was forced to admit that A.J. had told her about the shooting on his deathbed. Michael was hurt to realize that everything Carly had said about A.J.'s final words had been a lie. "Carly lies," Franco reminded Michael.
Michael wanted to know exactly what A.J. had said, but Carly insisted that it was complicated. However, she promised Michael that A.J. had loved Michael. Michael resented Carly speaking for his father because Michael knew how A.J. had felt. A.J. had returned to Port Charles for Michael and had sacrificed everything for his only son. Michael also recalled that A.J. had repeatedly told Michael how proud he had been of Michael and how much he had loved him.
Carly assured Michael that she loved him, too, but Franco was curious what love really meant to Carly because she had covered up her son's father's dying words to keep Michael from learning that Sonny had committed cold-blooded murder of an unarmed man. Carly begged Michael not to allow Franco to manipulate him, but Franco argued that Sonny and Carly had been the ones to manipulate Michael. Franco reminded Michael that Sonny and Carly had attended A.J.'s funeral with the intention of severing Michael's bond with A.J. under the guise of trying to help Michael move on.
Carly denied the accusation, but Franco insisted that Sonny and Carly only cared about themselves. Michael agreed, but Bobbie insisted that it wasn't true. Michael explained that his whole life, Carly had served Sonny when she hadn't been serving herself. Carly explained that she'd had to keep the secret because Michael had suffered enough losing one father that she had been determined to spare him the heartbreak of losing both of his fathers. Carly insisted that she and Sonny were his parents and loved him, but Michael argued that his only parent was dead.
"God forgive me. It took A.J. dying for me to finally see you and Sonny for what you really are. You are dead to me," Michael growled then he stormed out. Carly cried for Michael to wait as she tried to chase after him, but he ignored her. In the doorway, Carly stopped and turned to glare at Franco. Franco winked at her.
In Silas' office, Alexis, Julian, and Sam watched Danny sleep peacefully on the sofa as they waited for Silas to return with the results of Danny's recent tests. Frustrated that they didn't have answers yet, Sam decided to track Silas down. After Sam left, Alexis and Julian agreed that the possible return of Danny's cancer was a nightmare. Alexis feared that the test results had been correct, but Julian assured Alexis that he would do everything in his power to help Danny.
Alexis pointed out that Julian hadn't banked his bone marrow as Silas had asked, so Julian reminded Alexis that Sonny had threatened to kill Julian if had banked the bone marrow for Danny. However, Julian had decided that Danny was more important than Sonny's threat, so Julian intended to bank the bone marrow. Alexis admitted that it was dangerous because she knew Sonny. "He will kill you," Alexis warned Julian, but Julian was willing to do whatever was necessary for Danny and Alexis.
At the elevator, Silas read the text message that he had received from Ava's phone, urging Silas to take his time with Danny because Morgan had returned to the brownstone. Silas replied that he was waiting for the results of Danny's latest tests, but he hoped that everything was okay with Ava. After he sent the text message, Sam approached to ask if he had heard anything from the lab. Silas assured Sam that he had put a rush on the tests and had ordered the lab to double-check the results, so she thanked him. However, she remained deeply concerned that she was about to relive the worst time in her life as her son once again battled cancer.
Silas assured Sam that he would help her get through it just as he had the last time then switched gears to apologize. He deeply regretted that he had allowed Nina to sabotage his relationship with Sam. Sam was surprised when Silas revealed that he knew for certain that Nina had tipped the press off about Patrick's damaging confession then quietly added that Nina had been guilty of far more than that.
Sam listened in disbelief as Silas told her that Nina was on the run from the police after assaulting him and that Nina had kept a revenge list that had included Ava and Kiki's names. Silas regretted that he had believed Nina's lies, but he knew that he was ultimately responsible for the choices he had made, so he had no one to blame except himself. He hoped to talk to Sam about their relationship once the crisis with Danny had passed.
Moments later, a lab technician walked up to hand Silas the results of Danny's blood work. The technician promised Silas that the tests had been run twice then left. Sam waited anxiously as Silas reviewed the test results. After several heartbeats, he looked up then smiled to assure Sam that Danny was healthy and cancer-free.
At the brownstone, Ava begged Madeline for help, appealing to Madeline as one mother to another. Nina resented Ava speaking to Madeline as if Ava knew Nina's mother, so Ava surprised Nina by revealing that Ava and Madeline were acquainted. Madeline tried to get Nina to leave, but Nina demanded an explanation because it was inconceivable to her that Madeline would know an "anonymous slut" like Ava who had screwed Nina's husband.
Ava confessed that she would never have laid eyes on Silas if it hadn't been for Madeline because Madeline had paid Ava to seduce Silas away from Nina. Madeline accused Ava of lying, but Ava assured Nina that it was true. Ava explained that she had been starting out in the art world when she had met Madeline at an art gallery. Ava described the abstract painting that Madeline had purchased, which Nina had a vague recollection of.
According to Ava, Madeline had offered to give Ava the money to start an art gallery in exchange for Ava's promise to seduce Silas. Ava admitted that she had tried not to fall in love with Silas, but her heart had succumbed to Silas' charms. Hurt, Nina turned to Madeline for answers, but Madeline maintained that Ava had lied out of desperation to keep Nina from leaving with the baby.
Madeline tried to rush Nina out the door, but Ava preyed on Nina's paranoia and insecurities by warning Nina not to trust Madeline because Madeline was only interested in Nina's money. Ava was certain that Madeline had set a trap for Nina by arranging for Nathan to be waiting outside, ready to arrest Nina for kidnapping, which would give Madeline a clear path to Nina's fortune. Nina appeared to waver as Ava urged Nina to leave the baby with Ava to avoid playing into Madeline's hand.
On the Haunted Star, Carly angrily accused Franco of being a "sick son of a bitch." She demanded to know how he could have devastated Michael by showing Michael the video of Sonny and Carly's confessions. Franco defended his actions by insisting that Sonny and Carly had been the ones to hurt their son with their lies and betrayals, but Carly insisted that Franco had used Michael to punish her. Bobbie stepped forward to suggest that she and Carly leave, but Carly refused to budge because Carly was determined to confront Franco about ambushing Michael.
Franco was unapologetic as he conceded that Michael wasn't to blame for having the misfortune of being born to an "unfaithful whore." Carly accused Franco of acting out of spite and jealousy, but she insisted that it had been wrong for him to hurt Michael. Carly conceded that she had been the one to make the mistake of sleeping with Sonny, but Franco argued that Carly hadn't accidently fallen into bed with Sonny; she had made a choice. Franco admitted that he had exposed Sonny and Carly's lies because Franco had wanted Michael to hate Sonny and Carly as much as Franco did, but Franco insisted that Sonny and Carly only had themselves to blame.
According to Franco, Sonny and Carly had only pretended that they had lied about A.J.'s murder to protect Michael, but the truth was that Sonny and Carly had wanted to protect themselves. Furious, Carly accused Franco of using Michael to torture others just as Franco had done when Franco had gotten Michael raped in jail. She suggested that Franco had never had the courage to face his enemies directly, so he had always targeted their loved ones.
Franco admitted that Carly had deeply hurt him by making him believe that his concerns about Sonny and Carly's relationship had been based on unfounded paranoia. He explained that he had never felt real love until Carly, but she had ripped it away by sleeping with Sonny. Carly was unmoved as she confessed that Franco would have quietly disappeared months before if it hadn't been for her love for him.
Carly realized that she finally saw the monster in Franco that Jason had seen, but Franco was curious why they were suddenly talking about Jason. Carly explained that she had originally given Franco a chance because she had mistakenly hoped that there might be some good in Franco, whom she had believed to be Jason's twin at the time. Carly realized that everyone had been right to warn her that she had been deluding herself about Franco, but she conceded that his plan to hurt her by breaking Michael's heart had succeeded.
Carly was grateful that she would never have to lay eyes on Franco again, but he laughed because things were far from over. Carly pointed out that he had nothing left to hold over her head then stormed out. Bobbie immediately seized the opportunity to berate Franco for hurting both Michael and Carly, but Franco was unimpressed by the lecture as he set a jump drive containing Sonny's full confession down on a table. Franco invited Scott to use it as his father saw fit then left.
Bobbie was shocked that Scott had allowed Franco to walk out, but Scott explained that Franco hadn't broken any laws. "The only people that did were Sonny Corinthos and your daughter," Scott added as he fished out his phone to call Dante. Bobbie appealed to Scott as her boyfriend to reconsider because she didn't want Carly to get into trouble.
At Greystone Manor, Michael entered the foyer, angrily calling out to Sonny. He stopped short when he noticed the knocked-over table, blood on the floor, and a discarded gun. Michael's brow furrowed as he took a closer look at the mess then picked up the gun. His hand shook with fury as he tightly clutched the gun then entered the living room, calling out to Sonny once again.
Michael's eyes landed on a picture perched on the credenza of him and Sonny during happier times. His phone rang, but Michael decided not to take the call when he saw that it was Kiki. Instead, Michael's thoughts drifted to the past when he had invited Sonny to A.J.'s funeral, Michael's gratitude for Sonny's support after A.J.'s death, and then Michael's recent talk with Sonny in the Quartermaine crypt when Michael had talked about A.J.'s killer. Michael's hurt turned to rage as he recalled the video of Sonny confessing to A.J.'s murder and then Carly's tearful request for Michael to give her a chance to explain.
Michael was startled when Dante suddenly appeared in the doorway, calling out Michael's name. Michael managed to hide the gun as Dante wondered why Michael was at their father's house instead of Carly's wedding, but Michael wanted to know why Dante was there. Dante explained that the foyer was a crime scene because Max had been shot and taken to the hospital. However, Morgan had mentioned that Max had dropped a gun, but Michael denied having seen it.
Dante asked about Carly's wedding, so Michael revealed that Franco had decided not to marry Carly because Franco had learned that Sonny and Carly had been having an affair. Dante seemed skeptical, but Michael confirmed that Franco had had video evidence of Sonny and Carly having sex in Michael's apartment. Michael admitted that it hadn't been fun to find out as he had, so he had sought Sonny out to get the truth directly from Sonny.
Dante decided to break the news to his brother that Sonny was also being investigated as a possible suspect in A.J.'s shooting. Dante noticed that Michael didn't appear surprised, so Michael admitted that Sonny was a logical suspect because Sonny had always despised A.J. Dante asked Michael not say anything to their father because Dante didn't want Sonny to be tipped off to the investigation. However, Dante promised that Michael would get justice for A.J.
"I know I will," Michael quietly vowed as Dante excused himself to take a call from Scott.
On the piers, Heather was armed with a gun as she looked around for possible danger. She quickly ducked out of sight when she heard Kiki yelling for Michael. Moments later, Kiki stopped on the pier to look around as she realized that she had lost sight of Michael. She quickly called him, but the call went to voicemail. Unaware that Heather spied on her, Kiki begged Michael to return the call because Kiki was concerned about him after what Franco had done. Kiki implored Michael not to do anything crazy then ended the call.
Next, Kiki called Morgan. She became alarmed when he told her that he was at the hospital, but he quickly assured her that her mother was fine. Kiki insisted that she needed to talk to Morgan, so he asked her to meet him at the hospital, where they could talk and he could explain why he was there.
After Kiki left, Carly rounded the corner then stopped on the pier. She was distraught and out of breath as Heather stepped out of the shadows with the gun aimed directly at Carly. "Going fishing?" Heather asked Carly.
Shocked, Carly demanded to know what Heather was doing out of Ferncliff. Heather scolded Carly for being unfaithful to Franco then gloated that Franco had paid Heather a visit at Ferncliff to admit that Heather had been right about Carly. Heather revealed that Franco had also extended an olive branch. "The chance to take a shot at you," Heather added with a malicious grin.
Carly suddenly realized what Franco had meant when he had told her that things were not over. Heather insisted that Franco was a devoted son who knew that Heather was the only person he could truly trust, but Carly argued that Franco was crazy. "Yes, Carly, I really am," Franco replied as he suddenly joined Heather and Carly on the pier.
In the hospital's waiting area, Sonny and Morgan discussed whether or not Ava had shot Max. Morgan reminded his father than Sonny didn't have a shortage of enemies, but Sonny couldn't think of any other woman except Ava who would want to kill Sonny or take a shot at Max.
Moments later, Diane marched up then berated Sonny for getting her boyfriend shot again. Diane asked if it had been Morgan, but Morgan promised Diane that he had learned his lesson the last time and would always regret hurting Max. Diane demanded to know who the shooter had been, but Sonny admitted that he had no idea.
Later, Morgan wrapped up a phone call with Kiki as Sonny returned with an update. Sonny revealed that Max had been stabilized and was expected to make a full recovery. Morgan was relieved until Sonny decided that it was time to fetch Ava. Morgan realized that Sonny wanted Ava dead, but he appealed to Sonny to reconsider because she was the mother to either Morgan or Sonny's child. Sonny insisted that he couldn't make any promises because Sonny couldn't erase the image of Ava leaving Connie to choke to death in her own blood from his mind. Sonny also feared that Ava might have shot Max.
Shortly after Sonny left, Kiki arrived. Morgan quickly filled her in about Max's shooting.
In Anna's office, Anna reviewed the file on A.J.'s murder investigation including Duke's statement providing Sonny with an alibi for the time of the shooting. Moments later, Dante entered Anna's office to hand her a jump drive as he conceded that Anna had been right about Carlos falsely confessing to A.J.'s murder. Anna asked what Dante was talking about, so Dante urged her to watch the video on the jump drive because Sonny had made an unintentional confession.
A short time later, Anna finished viewing the video. Dante wondered if it was even admissible in court because Carly hadn't been aware that the necklace had contained a camera. Anna explained that "nanny cams" had made it legal to record people without their permission but it would depend on where the video had been recorded and if the resident of the premises had authorized the recording. Dante explained that the footage had been taken during Sonny and Carly's tryst in Michael's apartment, so Dante was certain that Michael wouldn't have any objections to the police using it against Sonny.
Anna wondered who had given Dante the jump drive with the incriminating video. "Well, that would be me," Scott replied as he entered Anna's office. Scott was eager to arrest Sonny because he had been waiting for years to finally put Sonny in jail. Scott made it clear that the video was sufficient proof to issue a warrant for Sonny's arrest, but Anna seemed reluctant to take action until she had gathered more proof and evidence. Scott was not satisfied because he wanted Sonny taken into custody. Scott also demanded that Duke and Carly be charged as accomplices for helping Sonny cover up the murder.
After Scott left to get the arrest warrants, Dante tried to defend Duke, but Anna insisted that Duke had been given every opportunity to change his statement. Anna offered Dante an opportunity to recuse himself from the investigation, but Dante declined. However, he was concerned about Michael, so Anna urged Dante to find Michael before another tragedy happened. After Anna left, Scott returned to hand Dante an arrest warrant for Sonny.
In the Floating Rib, Felicia was excited because her mayoral race against Mayor Lomax had been too close to call. She couldn't believe there had been talk of a recount because she hadn't thought that she'd stood a real chance against an incumbent. Mac reminded Felicia of all of her impressive accomplishments, but she pointed out that she had originally entered the race because of Lucy's troubles with a reporter. However, Felicia conceded that she had gotten serious about running for mayor once she had started to address the big important issues.
Felicia was confident that she could make a difference as the town's mayor, but she appreciated the support of both her family and friends. Felicia tapped Duke on the shoulder as he sat at the bar, lost in thought. Startled, Duke looked up, so Felicia asked what was troubling him. Duke refused to burden her on her big day, but Felicia insisted that he open up to her and Mac because they wanted to help.
Duke smiled because Lucy's arrival offered him a timely reprieve. Felicia was curious how Carly and Franco's wedding had been, so Lucy explained that Franco had refused to go through with the marriage because Carly had been having an affair with Sonny. Lucy revealed that she and Felix had decided to slip out when things had turned ugly. Mac confessed that he wasn't surprised by the affair because Mac had warned Franco months earlier that Sonny had always retained a hold over the women who had loved Sonny. Felicia and Lucy agreed that they were perplexed about why Sonny's exes remained loyal to him, but the ladies suspected that his cute dimples had something to do with it.
Felicia was disappointed that Lucy hadn't stayed to glean the juicy details, but Lucy explained that only Scott and Bobbie had remained after the shocking revelation. Felicia quickly warned her friend of Bobbie's arrival when Felicia spotted Bobbie enter the bar. Bobbie made it clear that she wasn't in the mood to go another round with Lucy then ordered a drink. Lucy wisely kept silent because she appreciated that Bobbie had had a rough day. Felicia gently asked Bobbie how Carly had been holding up, but Bobbie became upset because Carly was in deep trouble thanks to Scott.
Lucy instinctively began to defend Scott, but Bobbie explained that Lucy had left before things had gotten really ugly. Bobbie revealed that Franco had played a video of Sonny confessing to A.J.'s murder, which meant that Carly could be charged as an accessory to the crime because Carly had helped Sonny cover it up. Shocked, Duke realized what Sonny's confession meant for Duke.
Duke recalled Anna's offer to recant his alibi for Sonny because she would be forced to arrest Duke if evidence surfaced that proved that Duke had lied. Duke decided to call Sonny to give Sonny a heads-up, but Mac and Felicia quickly discouraged Duke from getting involved. Mac reminded Duke that Duke no longer worked for Sonny and that tipping Sonny off could land Duke in legal trouble. Moments later, a campaign worker approached Felicia to let her know that she was needed at City Hall to discuss the recount.
After Mac and Felicia left, Lucy urged Duke to distance himself from Sonny. Duke glanced at Bobbie, who confirmed that the video was as bad as it had sounded. He decided to leave, anyway, but only took a few steps when Anna entered the bar, blocking his exit.
On the piers, Heather offered to shoot Carly on the spot. Franco was tempted to agree, but he wanted to talk to Carly first. Stunned, Carly implored Franco to stop his mother, but he was curious why Carly labored under the delusion that he had changed simply because he'd had a mass on his brain removed. He pointed out that no one except Carly had believed that Franco had changed, but he realized that Carly had needed to believe the lie to make it more comfortable for her to be with him.
Carly's temper flared as she agreed that she had lied to herself about Franco, otherwise she wouldn't have been able to sleep next to the man who had hurt her son as Franco had done to Michael. Franco wondered why Carly had been determined to make him believe that he had changed because he resented that lie more than her betrayal with Sonny. Carly glared at him, so he revealed that he had intended for his mother to be a part of the wedding's grand finale.
"Better late than never," Heather merrily replied as she leveled the gun at Carly. Franco grabbed his mother's wrist to advise her to wait because they couldn't risk getting caught. Heather insisted that she hadn't had any problem disposing of the warehouse's bodyguard, but Franco explained that population around the piers had increased because of the waterfront revitalization project. Disappointed, Heather agreed to wait, so Franco led the ladies away from the pier.
At Sonny's warehouse, Shawn banged on the door, calling out for help, but no one responded. Jordan made a snide remark, but she quickly apologized for being snippy because she was grateful that he had saved their lives by talking Heather out of shooting them. Shawn explained that he had wanted to spare T.J. from suffering the loss of another parent, but Jordan insisted that if they made it out alive, it would be because of Shawn.
Moments later, the door swung open. Shawn and Jordan were shocked when Carly, Franco, and a gun-wielding Heather marched in. Franco was annoyed that Shawn and Jordan were still alive, so Heather confessed that she'd had a moment of weakness. However, Heather promised that it would not happen again.
Meanwhile, Shawn asked if Carly was okay, but Carly was more concerned about why Shawn was there. Shawn carefully explained that it was a long story, but Franco decided to enlighten Carly by revealing that Sonny and Shawn had intended to murder Franco before the wedding then frame Heather for the crime. Carly wasn't surprised, but she regretted that Shawn hadn't succeeded in killing Franco when Franco had first arrived in town. Franco was unmoved because Carly's words no longer had the power to hurt him.
Shawn assured Carly that Sonny would find them once Sonny realized that things had gone awry, but Franco gloated that he had used Shawn's phone to let Sonny know that Shawn had succeeded in killing Franco. Heather suggested that it was time for their three hostages to die, so Franco agreed. However, Franco managed to quickly disarm his mother then informed Heather that she would be joining Shawn, Jordan, and Carly.
At first Heather thought it was a joke, but Franco explained that he blamed Heather for his insanity. He also blamed Carly, but Carly denied having anything to do with Franco's mental state. Franco argued that Carly represented all of the women who had lied to him throughout his life, starting with his adoptive mother, Betsy. Franco insisted that Carly's biggest lie had been claiming to love him when she never had.
Meanwhile, Shawn watched Franco until he saw an opportunity to make a grab for the gun. However, Franco was a step of ahead of Shawn, so Franco fired a warning shot then threatened to shoot Jordan if Shawn made any sudden moves again. Shawn immediately backed down as Heather implored Franco not to let her die with Shawn, Jordan, and Carly. Heather reminded Franco that she was nothing like Carly. Franco agreed; Carly might have danced with the devil, but Heather had created it. Moments later, Franco left the room then locked the door before walking away.
At the hospital, Kiki told Morgan that Michael knew the truth about Sonny shooting A.J. Stunned, Morgan asked how it was possible, so Kiki told Morgan about Franco's video of Sonny confessing to the shooting and Carly admitting that she had helped Sonny cover everything up. Morgan thought it was sick of Franco to expose the truth like that, but Kiki was more concerned about what Michael might do.
Morgan revealed that he'd had an open and honest conversation with Sonny about Ava, so Morgan had something to tell Kiki. Morgan explained that things were far more complicated between Sonny and Ava than Morgan and Kiki had realized because Ava had lied about something important. Kiki wasn't interested in hearing about another of her mother's lies because Kiki was far more concerned about Michael. She explained that she had been trying to call Michael since Michael had left the Haunted Star, but each of the calls had gone to voicemail.
Kiki was certain that Michael was on the hunt for Sonny, so she decided to go to Greystone Manor, but Morgan explained that Sonny wasn't there. According to Morgan, Sonny had left to take care of something, but Kiki immediately sensed that Morgan was hiding something. She began to question him about it until he reluctantly admitted that he had told Sonny that Ava was at the brownstone.
Morgan insisted that he'd had to tell Sonny where Ava was because Ava had killed Connie. Kiki scoffed at the suggestion, but Morgan confessed that he had heard a recording of Ava talking about the murder. Shocked, Kiki feared for her mother's life, but Morgan promised that nothing would happen to Ava because Sonny would keep Ava safe until the baby was born. Morgan hoped to use the time before the baby's birth to persuade his father to change his mind about killing Ava.
At the brownstone, Ava slowly crawled to the door. She hoisted herself up then opened the door, determined to find her daughter, but froze in her tracks when she encountered Sonny standing on the doorstep. "Long time no see," Sonny said in a soft but chilling tone as he advanced on Ava. Ava slowly backed up until Sonny had entered the brownstone, closing the door behind him.
Ava repeatedly tried to tell him about the baby's abduction, but Sonny ignored her as he informed her that it was time for her to return to her prison. Desperate, Ava yelled out, "I had the baby." Sonny was curious if she'd had the baby before or after shooting Max. Stunned, Ava denied shooting Max then reiterated that she had been busy giving birth. Sonny appeared skeptical because he knew that Silas had given Ava something to stop the contractions, but then he noticed the bloody sheets on the floor where Ava had given birth.
Ava collapsed on the sofa as she began to weep that the baby had been taken. Sonny's eyes rounded with shock as he demanded to know where "it" was. "Not 'it,' Sonny -- she," Ava informed him. Ava tearfully repeated that her daughter had been taken then told Sonny about Nina's appearance. Ava explained that Nina had decided to take Ava's baby to make up for the baby that Nina had lost twenty years earlier and that Nina's mother, Madeline, had helped Nina kidnap the baby.
Ava stressed that the baby was in grave danger because she had been born early, so she implored Sonny to do something. Sonny called Shawn to leave a message for Shawn to return the call right away, but Ava was not satisfied because Shawn was useless, since he had failed to successfully snatch Ava. Ava decided to skip going to the hospital and search for her daughter on her own, but Sonny pulled out a gun then aimed it at Ava. Sonny assured Ava that the baby would be found, but Ava would never be allowed near the infant.
Sonny reminded Ava that he had promised to kill her the second the baby was born because of what Ava had done to Connie. "Second's up," Sonny added with a malicious sneer as he cocked the gun. His hand shook as Ava slowly closed her eyes, resigned to her fate.
Moments later, a gunshot rang out. Ava's eyes snapped open when she realized that she hadn't been hit. Meanwhile, Sonny turned to see who had fired the shot. Michael stood in the doorway, glaring at Sonny after firing a warning shot into the ceiling.
Outside the Floating Rib, Anna thought about her offer to Duke to recant his alibi for Sonny then braced herself as she opened the door. At the same time, Duke stood up, prepared to leave the bar, but stopped short when he saw Anna. Anna stared at Duke with a mixture of hurt and determination in her eyes as Bobbie approached her to plead Carly's case. Anna assured Bobbie that Carly was fine for the moment then pointedly explained that she was there to arrest Duke. Duke tensed, while Lucy immediately sprang to his defense by insisting that Duke had had nothing to do with Sonny shooting A.J.
Anna revealed that Duke had lied for Sonny, so Duke faced charges for perjury, accessory after the fact, and obstructing justice. Duke was stoic as Anna quietly recited the Miranda warning to him as she secured his wrists in handcuffs.
Later, Lucy was still somewhat shocked by what had unfolded between Anna and Duke because Duke had looked deeply hurt by what Anna had done. Bobbie agreed as she checked her phone, which annoyed Lucy. Bobbie pointed out that she had her own problems because Carly was in deep trouble, but Lucy callously insisted that Carly only had herself to blame because Carly had made the choice to help Sonny cover up "poor" A.J.'s murder. Offended, Bobbie wondered when Lucy had become a fan of A.J.'s, so Lucy reminded Bobbie that A.J. had once been Lucy's stepson. "For about a minute and a half," Bobbie muttered.
Lucy conceded that she and A.J. hadn't been close, but she argued that the fact remained that Carly had helped cover up A.J.'s murder. Lucy believed that Carly deserved to be punished, so Bobbie suggested the same could be said for Lucy's "boyfriend," Duke. Lucy seemed surprised by Bobbie's implication that Lucy and Duke were more than friends, but Bobbie didn't believe Lucy because Bobbie had noticed the way Lucy had behaved around Duke since Scott had chosen Bobbie over Lucy. Lucy decided that was her cue to leave, so she hoped Bobbie had fun sifting through the rubble of Carly's latest disaster then marched out.
On the piers, Franco looked at the gun that remained firmly in his grip. Moments later, he pulled out his cell phone then made a call.
In a motel, Nina stood by the window as she gently rocked Ava's baby. She cooed about how beautiful and precious the baby was then promised, "Mommy loves you."
Moments later, Madeline entered with several bags filled with items that she had picked up at a grocery store that remained open 24 hours. Madeline listed the various baby necessities that she had picked up, but Nina wanted to discuss Ava's claim that Madeline had paid Ava to seduce Silas. Madeline was given a short reprieve when Nina's phone suddenly rang. Nina decided to take the call when she saw that it was Franco.
Nina smiled as she greeted Franco then asked how he wedding had been. "Eventful," Franco admitted. Nina smiled because she'd had an eventful day, too, then cryptically explained that there was someone new in her life that she wanted Franco to meet. However, Nina quickly added that it would have to wait a bit longer. She shifted gears by admitting that it had been great to hear his voice, so he confessed that it had been good to hear hers, too, because he had felt in need of a friend. Nina agreed that she had, too, but quickly wrapped up the call.
Nina promptly resumed questioning Madeline about paying Ava to wreck Nina's marriage to Silas. She warned Madeline to be truthful because Nina had control of Madeline's purse strings. Madeline reluctantly admitted that it was true but insisted that it had been necessary to make Nina realize that Silas was not the man for Nina. Madeline explained that Ava could never have seduced Silas if Silas had truly loved Nina, but Nina argued that Silas would never have strayed from the marriage if Madeline hadn't put Ava in his path.
Nina decided that it no longer mattered. "Now that I have Silas' baby," Nina added with a soft smile. Madeline appeared alarmed as Nina continued to talk about the infant as if the baby was Nina and Silas' biological child. Madeline tried to remind Nina that the baby wasn't Nina and Silas' daughter, but Nina ignored her mother because Nina couldn't wait for Silas to meet their baby.
At the Floating Rib, Bobbie was shocked when Franco strolled into the bar then ordered a drink. She asked what he was doing there, so he admitted that he'd had an incredibly bad day. Franco offered to buy Bobbie a drink, but she refused because of what he had done to Carly. Franco was unrepentant as he assured Bobbie that Carly had deserved it. Bobbie informed Franco that all he had done was prove to everyone that Carly should never have been with Franco to start with.
Bobbie accused Franco of unjustly hurting Michael, but Franco was certain that Michael would thank him one day for exposing the truth about Sonny and Carly. Bobbie conceded that she might not be able to do anything to fix Carly's relationship with Michael, but she could call an attorney to help her daughter. Franco advised Bobbie not to bother because the incriminating video recording had sealed Carly's fate.
At the police station, Nathan spoke to Silas on the phone. Neither man had any new information to report about Nina, but they agreed to call each other if anything changed. After Nathan ended the call, he noticed Dante standing in Anna's office. It was clear that Dante was troubled, so Nathan asked if Dante was okay. Dante told Nathan about Sonny's video confession and the arrest warrant that Scott had issued. Nathan offered to carry out the arrest, but Dante declined because Dante had always known there would be a day when he would have to arrest his father.
Nathan sympathized with Dante's plight because Nathan would likely have to arrest Madeline when he caught up to her. Nathan explained that Nina had gone off the rails and that Madeline was suspected of helping Nina evade the authorities. Dante thought his family was messed up but he realized that Nathan might have him beat. Nathan wished Dante luck, so Dante wished the same for Nathan then left.
A short time later, Anna returned to her office with Duke in tow. She left Duke standing in her office with a police officer then joined Nathan in the hallway to tell him about Duke's arrest. Nathan explained that Dante had filled him in about the video recording of Sonny's confession. Nathan realized that it was a bad day for all of them because Anna and arrested Duke, Dante had to arrest Sonny, and Nathan would have to arrest Madeline. Frustrated, Anna returned to her office and dismissed the police officer.
After the door closed, Anna became choked up as she demanded to know why Duke had chosen Sonny over her. Duke denied that he had done any such thing, but he defended his decision to provide Sonny with an alibi because Sonny had not only appreciated Duke's deep-seated desire to make Julian Jerome pay for the unforgiveable things that Julian had done, but Sonny had also made Duke feel useful. Anna couldn't understand why Duke had continued to maintain the charade when it had been clear that everything had been falling down around Duke's ears, but Duke reminded her that he was not the type of person to go back on his word.
Duke had refused to sacrifice his freedom for Sonny's, so Anna hoped that Duke was prepared to face the consequences. A short time later, Duke was led through the squad room on his way to be booked. Lucy called out to Duke not to say anything because she would get him an attorney.
At the hospital, Morgan assured Kiki that there was still time for him to change Sonny's mind about following through on the threat to kill Ava because Sonny wouldn't make a move against Ava until after the baby was born. Kiki couldn't believe that Morgan had risked her mother's life by revealing to Sonny that Ava had been hiding out at the brownstone.
After Kiki left, Dante arrived looking for Sonny. Morgan explained that Sonny wasn't at the hospital, so Dante asked if Morgan had heard about their father's video confession. Morgan admitted that Kiki had already filled him in about what had happened on the Haunted Star and Michael's reaction. Dante realized that he had talked to Michael after Michael had learned about Sonny's role in A.J.'s shooting, so Dante became concerned because Michael hadn't mentioned it.
Dante quickly realized that Michael might have found Max's discarded gun and decided to take it to confront their father. Dante implored Morgan to tell him where Sonny was before something terrible happened.
Elsewhere at the hospital, Silas was surprised when Kiki rushed past him without seeming to notice him. He immediately called out to her to ask her what was wrong. Kiki was shocked that Silas was at the hospital instead of at the brownstone with Ava, so Silas explained that he had been called in for an emergency. However, Silas assured Kiki that Ava was not alone because Morgan was with Ava.
Kiki's fear mounted because Morgan had been at the hospital for hours since Max had been shot in Sonny's home. Silas became alarmed because he had received a text message from Ava assuring him that she was fine. He suddenly realized that Danny's first test results had been a ruse to lure him away from Ava's side, so Silas and Kiki decided to race to the brownstone to check on Ava.
At the brownstone, Sonny prepared to shoot Ava for murdering Connie. Resigned, Ava slowly closed her eyes, but they snapped back open when a shot rang out without hitting her. Sonny and Ava looked at the doorway, where a furious Michael stood after firing a warning shot into the air. Sonny ordered Michael to leave, but Ava implored Michael to help her because Sonny intended to kill her. Sonny angrily shouted for Ava to "shut up" as he continued to aim the gun at her, but Michael revealed that he was there because of something that Franco had said.
Sonny's expression clouded with confusion because he recalled that he had received a text message from Shawn that Franco was dead. Sonny carefully asked what Franco had told Michael, so Michael explained that Franco had played a video of Sonny and Carly's tryst in Michael's apartment. Sonny's worst fears were realized when Michael added that he had heard Sonny confess to killing "my father."
Michael aimed his gun at Sonny as Sonny tried to pretend that he had no idea what Michael was talking about, but Michael advised Sonny to save it because Franco had hidden a camera in the "weird" necklace that Franco had given to Carly. Sonny's voice wavered with emotion as he acknowledged that Michael had a right to be angry, but he pleaded with Michael to hear him out. Ava revealed that she had witnessed Sonny shoot A.J. She begged for Michael's help because Sonny intended to kill her to keep her quiet.
Ava urged Michael to kill Sonny, but Michael refused to listen to the woman who had "screwed" Sonny on A.J.'s grave. Michael was disgusted that it hadn't been enough for Sonny to murder Michael's father, but Sonny had also desecrated A.J.'s grave. Michael thought that both Sonny and Ava were disgusting people, but his issue was with Sonny, so Ava was free to go. Ava appeared reluctant to make a move, but Michael assured her that Sonny wouldn't shoot while Michael had a gun aimed at Sonny.
A short time later, Ava had made her way to the piers. She weakly called out to Franco when she saw him, but he didn't hear her as he walked away. Ava collapsed as her strength gave out. She remained in the alley until Silas and Kiki stumbled across her. Silas immediately checked Ava as Kiki asked her mother what had happened. Kiki was shocked when Silas gently asked where Ava's baby was. Kiki hadn't realized until then that her mother had given birth, so Ava tearfully explained that Nina and Madeline had kidnapped Kiki's newborn sister.
Later, Ava arrived at the hospital via an ambulance. Ava was taken to a trauma bay as she cried out for her newborn daughter. Meanwhile, Silas saw Nathan as Nathan arrived, so Silas approached him to warn Nathan that Nina had done something terrible.
At the brownstone, Michael loosened his tie. "Okay, Sonny -- it's just you and me," Michael said as he steadily aimed the gun at Sonny. Michael demanded to know why Sonny had been at the Quartermaine crypt; he suspected that Sonny had wanted to brag about beating A.J., but Sonny assured Michael that he had been there to visit Jason. Michael didn't believe him and asked where Sonny's "famous honor" had been when Sonny had desecrated A.J.'s grave.
Sonny conceded that he shouldn't have touched Ava, but Michael was infuriated that Sonny had continually lied to Michael. Michael wondered how Sonny had been able to look him in the eye when Michael had accused Ava, an innocent person, of shooting A.J. Sonny's temper flared as he assured Michael that Ava was far from innocent because she had shot Olivia, and she had murdered Connie. Michael was stunned by the revelation because it had vindicated A.J. of a murder that A.J. had been certain that A.J. could never have committed.
Sonny confessed that A.J. had learned the truth about Connie's murder, so A.J. had gone to Ava's apartment to confront her for killing Connie and framing A.J. Sonny revealed that he had arrived at the apartment and found A.J. with his hands around Ava's throat, trying to choke the life out of her, so Michael was curious if Sonny were suggesting that he had shot A.J. to save Ava. Sonny was forced to admit that A.J. had immediately let go of Ava and had tried to tell Sonny the truth about what had happened to Connie. However, Sonny conceded that he had shot A.J. before A.J. had been able to get the words out.
Michael asked if A.J. had been armed, so Sonny shook his head as he acknowledged that he had shot an innocent, unarmed man. However, Sonny hadn't learned the truth about Ava's role in Connie's murder until months later, when a recording had surfaced with Ava's shocking confession. Michael admitted that the timing of Sonny learning the truth hadn't made a difference.
"In fact, it makes everything worse," Michael said. Michael reminded Sonny that Sonny had promised Michael that Sonny would leave A.J. alone. Sonny insisted that he loved Michael, but Michael disagreed because if Sonny had truly loved Michael, then Sonny would have never pulled the trigger. Michael couldn't believe that Sonny had had the audacity to try to comfort Michael, knowing that Sonny had killed A.J.
Sonny insisted that Michael was his son, but Michael shouted that Sonny was not his father. "A.J. was my father," Michael clarified. Sonny conceded that Michael had a right to be angry but Sonny pointed out that he had been the one to raise Michael. Michael accused Sonny and Carly of using Michael as a pawn against A.J. from the very beginning and poisoning Michael against his own father without ever caring what that would do to Michael.
Michael was furious that Sonny and Carly had deprived him of a life with his real father. "And now I'm going to make you pay," Michael vowed. Michael ordered Sonny to drop the gun, so Sonny complied. Michael pointed out that Sonny was as defenseless as A.J. had been when Sonny had killed A.J. Sonny quietly asked if Michael intended to kill him. Michael explained that, unlike Sonny, Michael kept his promises, and one of those promises had been to make A.J.'s killer pay.
"And now, I finally am," Michael added with cold hatred in his eyes.
