Pay It Forward
Mac came to visit Robert as he prepared for surgery. They talked about old times, and Mac promised Robert would be okay. Robin walked into her father's room and tried to prepare him for the surgery. Robert told her that she and the baby would get everything if something were to happen to him. Robin said the only thing she wanted her daughter to get from Robert was stories from his past adventures. Robert said he was just being realistic about the future. Before he was wheeled away to prep for surgery, Robert told Robin he didn't want a colostomy. No matter what happened during the surgery, he wanted Robin to make sure the doctors did not perform a colostomy.
Epiphany had a lot on her hands when the groomsmen from a wedding party came into the hospital all in a panic. Meanwhile, Kyle and Claire dealt with the groom. He was frustrated because he wanted to be at his wedding, not at the hospital. The groom explained that he had been having fainting spells. He showed perfect timing when he fainted after explaining his symptoms to Kyle and Claire.
Leo was examining the fainting groom, Larry, when the bride-to-be, Grace, angrily walked in. She thought that was just Larry's way of evading the wedding. Leo thought the fainting episodes were just due to nerves and stress, but Larry fainted again just as he was given the go-ahead to check out of the hospital. After another round of tests, Leo discovered that Larry suffered from a disorder that caused his heart to beat irregularly. If Larry became too stressed, he could die. After hearing the news, Grace was willing to call off the wedding, but Larry didn't want that to happen. Larry desperately wanted to marry Grace. Leo was ready to give Larry a prescription that would allow the groom to marry his fiancé-as long as he promised to come back to the hospital the next day. Happily, Larry kissed Grace, but suddenly Larry grabbed his chest and yelled out in pain.
As Claire walked into the hospital, a young man, Ryan, stopped her and tried to talk to her. Clearly, Claire didn't remember Ryan, but she pretended to remember that they had gone out previously. Ryan played along until he finally confessed he had gone to school with Claire. She was upset with him and stormed off. Epiphany took Ryan into a room, and Claire had to deal with Ryan again when he became her patient. Epiphany thought the young man just had a pulled muscle, but Claire thought it would be best to have a CAT scan. Ryan argued with her and wanted an MRI instead. Claire consented and allowed the MRI.
After the results from the MRI came in, Claire and a group of doctors came into Ryan's room and talked about him. Epiphany also entered and asked what was going on. Claire told them all that the MRI revealed that Ryan had four kidneys. Ryan said he wanted Claire to be his doctor so she would have to pay attention to him. Claire and Ryan argued for a little while over petty stuff from old school days until Ryan asked what would happen to his two other kidneys. Claire explained they would likely be removed, but Ryan thought they should sell them. Claire said that was illegal, so Ryan came up with the idea to auction them off and give the proceeds to charity.
Jagger attended a support group for parents of autistic children that was led by Saira. He listened as parents shared their stories. Saira looked at him and asked if anyone else was interested in sharing their story, but Jagger didn't want to talk at that meeting. When the meeting was over and the majority of the group left, Jagger overheard as another parent asked Saira how she became involved in autism research. Saira revealed that she had a younger brother with autism. Back in those days, an autistic child was institutionalized, which was what happened to her brother. Seeing her brother sent to live in a home in New York was what caused Saira to go to Port Charles to study autism.
Later, after everyone else had left, Jagger confronted Saira and commended her on her bravery to speak about her own personal experience with autism. Saira told Jagger he would soon have the courage to share stories about Stone, as well. She broke down and started to cry, telling Jagger she felt responsible for abandoning her little brother. Jagger held her and they leaned towards each other and kissed.
Saira left her autism meeting and found Leo, exhausted and sitting in the waiting area. She congratulated him on Larry's successful emergency heart surgery but thought he should get a shower and rest. They talked about recent staph infections that had been going around, and Saira thought she could help with her alternative medicines. Leo wasn't interested and told her his medicine would treat the staph infections just fine. Leo left to check on his patient, and he and Kyle noticed Larry was suffering from a staph infection. Larry's options were somewhat limited because he was allergic to penicillin and couldn't take some of the other antibiotics due to his condition. Desperately, Leo asked Saira for help and they were soon mixing together a salve for Larry's wound. When Leo went into Larry's room to check on him later, he asked his patient how he knew Grace was the woman for him. Larry said Grace was the first woman who didn't want to change him. Leo left Larry's room and saw Saira sleeping in the waiting area. He thanked her for her help and told her Larry was improving. Then he admitted he thought she was great and admitted that he couldn't wait to see her every day he came to the hospital. Saira said he wasn't her type, but he got to her. Leo made Saira feel alive and challenged.
As Robert's surgery was being performed, Mac tried his best to comfort Robin. Patrick came out and told her the cancer had spread more than they had realized. Robert would need a colostomy. Mac reminded Robin that her father had insisted he not have that surgery, but Robin knew it was the only way to rid Robert's body of the cancer.
Robin, Mac, and Patrick were all at Robert's bedside when he awoke from the surgery. Robin told her father that a colostomy had to be done, and Robert was furious. He asked Mac how he could let her do that to him. Robin said she had no choice. She couldn't let her father die. Later, Robin revealed her decision to Jagger. He tried to reassure her and told Robin that she had simply done what she had to do. Saira walked over to them and thanked him for attending the autism meeting. After Jagger left, Robin asked Saira what was going on between her and Jagger. Saira told her friend about the kiss they had shared, but Robin thought Saira had feelings for someone else.
Epiphany tried to change Robert's colostomy bag while Robert was asleep, but he woke up before she could even begin. Patrick and Robin explained to Robert what Epiphany was doing and that everything would be ok. Robin had to leave the room, though, when her father started screaming out in pain.
