General Hospital Transcript
Transcript provided by Suzanne
THIS STILL NEEDS EXTENSIVE EDITING!
final thought. Milky way nature of his relationship with ms. Reeves? He did. D.A. Sheridan: Hearsay, your honor. Judge milford: Overruled. Could you be a little more specific? I overheard sonny say, “whatever happened between us in nixon falls, it has to come from me, and it will.” What was that, ms. Tait? What went on between the alleged victim and the accused? Love. Are you saying that sonny and nina, they fell in love in nixon falls? You would have to ask them that question. You think I want you to give me space? Well, what else can I think? I mean, sometimes you’re — you’re happy I’m around, but then other times, it’s — it’s like I’m annoying you or I’m in the way.
[ Clears throat ] Hey, you guys. Hey, sweetie. Brook lynn and chase are gonna be in charge. They’re gonna watch you while ned and I are out, okay? Got it? What do you have there, leo? So, how are you guys feeling? Uh, ready, no matter what we learn.
[ Sighing ] Yeah. Yeah, whatever leo needs, is what we said. How about you? You sure you can, uh, keep an eye on him? You know, last time we put you in charge, there was a — you lose a kid once, you can never live it down. At least there’s two sets of eyes on him today, right? It’s nice having chase around. Too nice.
[ Knock on door ] Hi! Uh, you’re early for lunch. That’s because I couldn’t wait another minute for my schatz to open her christmas present.
[ Chuckles ] Thank you for understanding why I chose to work on christmas. I try not to be offended that you’d rather be here than celebrating the holiday with your mutter. Come on! With you and scott practically fused at the hip, I would have been a total third wheel. You could be in love, too. In fact, once you open your gift, you’ll never have to spend another holiday alone.
[ Chuckles ] Thanks for showing me around the invader. You’re welcome, son. I am determined to reboot
the invader as a reputable, credible resource for the inquiring minds. That’s a great new beginning for the paper and for you. Now that the pcpd has officially cleared you of shooting hayden, nothing can hold you back. Well, what about you, tj? Huh? You forget about our plans the other day to watch the game? You barely return texts. You’re either crazy busy or something’s got you preoccupied. Are you holding something back? What are you so eager to ask me? Well, aunt stella, I just discovered something unexpected about marshall. And then it occurred to me how very little I know about the man. Well, that’s not surprising. Your dad hasn’t been a part of your life since you were a child. So what did you discover? I discovered that my dad’s a musician. And a fine one, too. See, that’s why I called you here, so you could fill in the blanks concerning my father. Tell me everything there is to know about marshall ashford. What is the relevance of this line of questioning, your honor? I want to hear every word. Even if we’re to take this hearsay on good faith, what bearing does it have on these charges? Scott: Well, there is relevance, and I can explain. Your honor, this is not a trial. The witness has not been deposed. There’s been no appropriate discovery related to her testimony. Hell, you’re the one that put ms. Tait on the stand in the first place. I have every right to question her.
This waiting is driving me crazy. I’m nervous, too. But, you know, we’ve done the research, asked the questions, observed leo’s behavior. We’re as prepared as we can be. But no amount of preparation can really — can really prepare a parent f-for the possibility that — that they — that they can’t — that i can’t provide what my child needs, you know? Look, the diagnosis isn’t gonna change how we feel about our son. No. No, of course not. This doesn’t change how much we love leo, but what if leo needs something that I can’t give him? Mr. And mrs. Quartermaine? Let’s go to my office. It’s time to talk about leo. Here we go. I wanted to tell you, but…it’s a tricky topic. He’s someone that makes my uncle curtis incredibly uncomfortable, and it didn’t feel like it was my place to announce his arrival. And even though he wants to reconnect with family, I just — I want to get to know him for me. Okay, so some distant family member resurfaced? Not so distant. Marshall ashford is here in port charles. Okay, wait, wait. Tommy and curtis’ father is alive? How did you realize your dad was a musician? A group of volunteers were playing for the patients at G.H. And there was marshall right there playing the clarinet.
[ Exhales sharply ] Yes, that sounds just like your dad. See, that’s an example of what I’m talking about, right there. I have no idea of what sounds like marshall. I don’t know the guy. But you do. Well, when you were growing up, you — you never asked about him. That’s because every time marshall’s name came up, we saw how much hurt it caused you and mom. So tommy and me, we — we made a pact. We weren’t gonna cause you any more grief by asking a bunch of questions about dad. Okay, that breaks my heart. Irene and I never wanted you boys to feel like you couldn’t talk about your daddy. Me and tommy, we just decided to go another way. What does that mean? It means… it means we made up stories, you know? And in our imagination, our dad was courageous and he was brave. He was a hero. And then I met him, and, well, he was just a man. But I have no idea who that man is. Do you? Ms. Tait, how do you know that mr. Corinthos and nina reeves were in love? Nina said so. What exactly did she say? She said their love was the purest thing she’s ever known. Do you think mr. Corinthos reciprocated that? Nina said that mike felt the same way. Mike being mr. Corinthos? Yes. But she also said it ended once he got his memories back. Oh. Well, once he got his memories back, he, uh, decided that ms. Reeves was not legally at fault. How telling.
[ Chuckles ] No further questions. D.A. Sheridan: Redirect, your honor. Judge milford: Proceed. Ms. Tait, my apologies my colleague felt it necessary to put you in that position. I have only two more questions for you. First, have you ever asked mr. Corinthos about this alleged romantic relationship with ms. Reeves? Willow: No, I haven’T. Oh, so we’re taking the defendant, a woman charged with fraud, at her word. Objection, your honor. Judge milford: Less editorializing, mr. Sheridan. Final question, ms. Tait. Do you believe the personal feelings nina reeves had for mr. Corinthos motivated her to fraudulently conceal his identity? Objection, your honor. The D.A. Is asking the witness to speculate what was going on in my client’s head at the time. Overruled. You opened this door, counselor. Witness will answer the question.
What do you think, leo? You ready for some breakfast? I had breakfast hours ago. Oh, well, we all can’t be such early risers. What do you want to do today, huh? You want to go to the movies or visit the aquarium? Maybe play with some nifty superhero action figures your cool stepsister got you? No? Okay. I know what to get you next year.
[ Sighs ] Well, I think these things are pretty cool, brook lynn. Well, now I know what to get you, too. You know, going back to that boundary conversation, how much of that was your dad, and how much of it’s you? I mean, am I getting on your nerves? ‘Cause if I’m around too much, just — just say the word. Maybe it’s why you’re so grumpy. Is this hot enough for you? I’m not grumpy.
[ Clears throat ] I’m frustrated. You signed me up for a matchmaking service? Well, not just any matchmaking service. Society setups is an elite service catering to upwardly mobile professionals. Ugh! I mean, could this be more pretentious?
[ Sighs ] I know you’re struggling, britta, and not without reason. For all his flaws, jason morgan was a remarkable man. But he’s gone. There’s no use pining. Learn from my example instead. Scott and I bonded while mourning the loss of franco. If I can find love in the midst of grief, who’s to say you can’t, too? Do you believe nina reeves’ personal feelings for mr. Corinthos motivated her to fraudulently conceal his identity? I-I’m not in nina’s head. I can’t tell you what her motive was. Fair enough. Let me ask a less speculative question. Is it true that, in nixon falls, the man who called himself mike was single and available to ms. Reeves, whereas sonny corinthos has a wife and a family? Yes. Thank you, ms. Tait. I appreciate your honesty. No further questions, your honor. You may step down.
[ Breathing shakily ]
[ Door closes ] Willow… are you okay? I-I — I never meant for you or your family to find out this way. I-I — I never meant for you to find out at all. I’m having a really hard time understanding this. Why didn’t you tell me what you knew? Tommy and curtis thought their old man was dead. And now he shows up? Where has he been? He won’t say. He just wants to move forward. But curtis isn’t having that. He thinks marshall can’t be trusted. Oh, I completely agree with curtis. You show up after all these years with zero explanation? Still, we both know the past can be complicated. You mean like your complicated past with tommy. Does marshall know? He knows he’s not my biological grandfather. He saw my father’s day post that I dedicated to you on social media. But I loved tommy as a father, and he considered me to be his son. He knows that, too. He still wants to get to know me, but if that makes you uncomfortable… that’s up to you, tj. You’re a grown man. And curtis is entitled to his feelings about marshall, but so are you. Just be cautious.
[ Knock on door ] Marshall: Excuse me. I’m, uh, looking for the arts & culture — tj? Marshall. What are you doing in a newspaper office? You first. Well, I’m, uh, putting together a band, and I was hoping to generate some interest from the arts & culture reporter. Wow. Okay. Uh, well, you would have to talk to the publisher, who happens to be standing right here — my father, shawn butler. Dad, this is marshall ashford. Nice to meet you, mr. Ashford. I have no intention of shaking hands with the man responsible for my son thomas’ death. Your honor, I-I would like to note, for the record, that D.A. Questioned the veracity of what my client said to ms. Tait. But yet, he didn’t recall mr. Corinthos. Judge milford: So noted. While it is the prosecution’s right to call the witnesses that they deem appropriate, it is also within my discretion to call the witnesses I feel are pertinent. And given that there are some questions about the nature of the relationship between the accused and the alleged victim, I recall sonny corinthos to the stand.
I wish to god that I neveroverheard nina and your father. I was just in the wrong spot at the wrong moment. I-I’m not blaming you for happening on a private conversation, but why didn’t you tell me about it? Nina convinced me not to say anything, that keeping quiet was somehow protecting you and your family. Well, she was wrong. Did you have a personal relationship with nina reeves in nixon falls? I had many personal relationships when I knew myself as mike the bartender. I forged friendships. I built a life there. We just heard willow tait testify under oath that she overheard you and the defendant allude to a prior romantic relationship. Did she perjure herself? No, she did not. Willow told the truth. And that truth being what exactly? That… …nina, we — we had a relationship, and we ended up falling in love. Whoa, that’s not fair, marshall. It’s o– it’s okay, tj. I can understand why mr. Ashford feels the way he does. You understand — you understand ’cause it’s true. You shot my son after you slept with his wife. I’ve made mistakes in my life. And certainly my last encounter with tommy is something I’m going to always regret. But you don’t have all the facts, mr. Ashford. Fact — you had an affair with my son’s wife. Fact — you fathered a child with her. Fact — when he confronted you about your betrayal, you shot him in cold blood. Now, if I’m missing something, please, enlighten me. What happened was self-defense. Oh, please. He’s telling the truth. I had no choice. Tommy was not in his right mind. What don’t I know about marshall? What I know about marshall is limited to a few years decades ago. Okay, but it’s still more than I know. Okay. Marshall was a very private person. But your mama, irene, was the center of his world. He waited on that woman hand and foot, unless he was playing that darn clarinet. You’re never gonna believe this, but he loved that old thing so much, he gave it a name.
[ Chuckles ] What’d he call it? Henrietta.
[ Sighs ] And he carried that old thing with him everywhere he went. Irene used to scold him for leaving the case on the kitchen table. Okay. So and then what? Well, like I said, marshall was very private. But he was also very generous. It seems like you and tommy would get a new pair of shoes and barely break them in before marshall was donating them to the local group home. Drive your mama crazy, but marshall would just smile and say, “my sons have a daddy who can buy them new shoes with just one gig. But those other boys had nobody.” Wait, so you’re saying I’m — I’m frustrating you now? It’s not you, okay? It’s the situation. The uncertainty, it’s just — it’s overwhelming.
[ Sighs ] ‘Cause you don’t know how long it’s gonna last. Look, even though the bad guy is out of commission, it’s only temporary. We’re stuck in this limbo. But if the bad guy wakes up and starts fighting the good guys again, we may have to play these roles indefinitely. Yes. And in a perfect world, the villain would retire forever and the city could take down the bat signal and krypton could return to normal. You don’t know much about the superhero multiverse, do you?
[ Sighs ] Who cares? Look, the point is, there’s no light at the end of the tunnel, bat signal or not. Well, that’s not true. I mean, if the bad guy loses his powers, then a woman can get her child back. And another woman has to let go. Dr. Newman: When it comes to developmental disabilities, we can’t use straightforward diagnostic tools like blood tests or x-rays. We rely on history and behavior for diagnosis. Based upon the recent developmental assessment, language evaluation, social screening I conducted recently, as well as the supplemental information you provided, it’s my determination that leo has autism spectrum disorder. Is that conclusive? You’re always free to get a second opinion. But I believe other physicians will concur with my findings. So what is the next step? Dr. Newman: For leo? We talk about the many state and hospital resources available. And for you both, I recommend taking time to process this diagnosis and all the emotions it may bring. I don’t know how else to say this, mother. I’m not interested. Fine. But people in control of their own romantic destiny often make
ein schlamassel. Look at nina. What’s going on with nina? She pinned her hopes on an unavailable man, and her life is unraveling as a result. Oh, is this — is this the guy she was seeing in nixon falls? Do you know him? We both know him. Nina fell for sonny corinthos. Judge milford: Should this case go to trial, the defendant may be found guilty of a crime. In the eyes of the law, you would be her victim. Mr. Corinthos, do you consider yourself the victim of a crime? No. You may step down.
[ Sighs ]
Baldwin, D.A. Sheridan,I will hear closing statements. Your honor, my client does not stand accused of fraud for monetary benefits. My client is charged with deliberate deception to damage a victim. Your honor, in his own testimony, mr. Corinthos, the alleged victim of nina reeves’ crime, claims he wasn’t one. No victim, no crime. So I am asking that you dismiss the charges today. Whether or not mr. Corinthos considers himself to be a victim is not materially relevant in our system of jurisprudence, your honor. Today’s circus does not negate an undisputed fact. Nina reeves committed a civil and criminal infraction when she deceived sonny corinthos and all who knew him. The state has met its burden of proof, your honor. The fact that ms. Reeves deceived a man who we now know she was in love with only emphasizes the depth of her depravity. Your parents must be so devastated. You know, n-nina, she claims to love my dad, yet she allowed this today? I’m not sure nina knew it would come out. Of course! Of course she did. Willow, you might not realize this, but by keeping nina’s secret, you played right into her hands. She got exactly what she wanted. Right mind? What are you implying? Okay, look, I’m not trying to cast aspersions on tommy. Just the opposite. Tommy had every right to be angry with me. But on that day, it was so far beyond anger. I’m sure ptsd was part of it, but tommy was in crisis and just out of control. Now, he pulled a gun on me. I had a black eye coming. It was completely justified. I own that. But I never expected tommy, that he would — he would try and kill me. I never thought I’d — I’d have to stop him the way I did. I fully believe that if tommy had been able to get help for his ptsd, it would have never ended that way. It wasn’t tommy’s fault or my dad’S. You’re right. You’re right, tj. It was my fault. Okay. I-I totally get it. I mean, you have managed to keep bailey safe for months despite negative attitudes and assumptions coming your way. And however long this lasts, there will come a time when it’s over, and things will go back to their natural state, and you will have to make yet another huge sacrifice. I mean, it’s — it’s heroic. I’m not calling myself a hero. Maybe not, but I am.
[ Sighs ] And whatever you need to keep this going, I’m here to help. And when it’s time to say goodbye, I’ll be right by your side. I appreciate that, chase, but I-I don’t want you to feel obligated. Obligated? Brook lynn, we’re not just co-parents to bailey. You are my friend. Even when I’m grumpy? Yeah. I mean, this — this — this friendship goes both ways. You’ve seen me at my worst, and you didn’t give up on me. Yeah, well, I’ve also seen you at your best. Yeah, like the time that you saw me n-a-k-e-d? I can spell.
[ Laughing ] Okay, then.
[ Clears throat ] Of course you can. So you need to go w-a-s-h up for lunch, buddy. Go ahead. Be right b-a-c-K.
[ Chuckles ]
[ La ughs ]
[ Chuckles ] Process our emotions? I mean, this isn’t about us. This is — this is about leo. Dr. Newman: Learning your child has lifelong developmental disabilities can be challenging. You will have to readjust your expectations about how leo will learn and grow to adulthood. And this diagnosis will likely change what you thought your parenting experience would be. And it’s okay to feel emotional about that. Olivia and I, you know, we just want to give leo all the support and — and opportunities possible. Yeah. I agree. I agree with ned. We — we can handle our emotions…together. I — I’m just afraid. What? I’m just afraid this makes leo’s life so much more difficult. That’s an understandable fear. The good news is that this diagnosis means we can offer appropriate intervention programs for leo right away, programs that will help you engage with your son and help him to engage with the world. It may be helpful to think of raising a child with autism as a — a road trip. You won’t reach your destination in a straight line. There — there will be detours. But that can lead to discoveries along the way. I like that analogy. Can you be honest with us? Does that journey lead to leo having meaningful relationships and living independently as an adult? Please tell us that’s possible.
It’s definitely possible for leo to lead a happy, fulfilled life. G.H. Can offer extensive resources and can work with leo’s school to implement a plan. So leo will be able to remain in school? Every case is unique, but many children on the spectrum benefit socially and developmentally from learning in non-asd classrooms. So what — what happens next? D-does he come in and see you again or…? I’d like to check in on him periodically. I’m also gonna refer him to a geneticist for further testing. Now, I-it won’t change the diagnosis, but it may help diagnose medical conditions associated with symptoms of asd, just for a complete picture. Okay. Do you have any other questions for me? Thank you, doctor. You’ve been very helpful. There’s no reason leo can’t live his best life. The journey may look different now, but the goal is still the same.
[ Chuckles ] How could what happened have been your fault, marshall? You weren’t even around. That’s my point. Perhaps if I had been present to guide my son, tommy might still be here. That’s a lot for you to carry. That’s my job, to carry it. And I’ve been off my job for a long time. I’m glad you got a dad to do what I couldn’t — protect his son. Curtis: Do you think marshall even wondered who bought our shoes after he left? I can’t answer that.
[ Sighs ] What did this guy do outside of his music gigs? Who were his friends? Did he have any other family? Curtis, you’re asking the wrong person. You should be asking marshall. Yeah, I tried that. He doesn’t tell me much. Could it be you’re asking him the wrong questions or maybe going about it in the wrong way? You know, nobody appreciates being interrogated. He abandoned me. And now he wants me to let him back into my life. Don’t I deserve answers? Of course. And it’s — it’s natural that you’re curious. But marshall is within his right to keep his own counsel. So then where does that leave us?
[ Sighs ] You should know I met with marshall privately. I told you I won’t let anyone agitate this family. And I had to be sure of his motives. And? He wants to get to know you. And it sounds to me like you want the same thing. So talk to the man. Start small and — and build from there. Nina swore you to secrecy so that she could use this as a bombshell and play it to her best advantage. I-I — I don’t know, michael. Nina seemed grateful that I wasn’t going to tell her secret. She seemed eager not to cause any more pain. Nina played all of us. Judge milford: We’re gonna take a recess now while I weigh the testimony and evidence presented and consider the charges.
[ Gavel bangs ] I didn’t — I didn’t want this. Carly! Carly, I am so sorry. What the hell, dad? I’m gonna make this right. Don’t worry about it. Nina’s only hope of evading a trial and a potential guilty verdict is if scott can get someone on the stand to admit that sonny and nina were in love. Wow. Well, that would explain why nina kept going back to nixon falls and what peter was holding over her head. She wasn’t just trying to protect james. She didn’t want to lose her boyfriend. And now she’s in legal jeopardy.
[ Sighs ] She’s also going to face the wrath of carly when this comes out. Come on. I’ll help you clean up. You know, today was a lot of fun, but I never want to be a source of stress in your life. You know, maybe — maybe your dad was right. Maybe we should be setting some boundaries. No boundaries. I want you here.
I am sorry for the way marshall treated you. No. No, no, no. You’ve got nothing to apologize for, okay? I can’t blame marshall for protecting his son. Look, I’d have done the exact same thing if — if I ever thought somebody hurt you. I-I know my uncle. He has all these questions about all the years marshall’s been gone. But everything I’ve seen leads me to believe that he just wants to be part of this family. I hope curtis can come to see that, too. Marshall: I thought I’d be back by now, too. I still have some unfinished business. Here in port charles. The last thing I want to do is set our progress back. I’m following protocol.
[ Knock on door ] I’ll be in touch. I want to be here, too, but after everything that you’ve given up, I also want to respect that you’re entitled to a life of your own. Okay. Great. Then we are, um — we’re on the same page. You’ll be here just for appearances, then. Right, to co-parent bailey for as long as it takes. And I’ll, uh — I’ll stay out of your way otherwise. Great. Deal. Deal. Anything else? Um… tell our daughter I’ll see her soon.
[ Sighs ] The doctor seemed nice, right? Yes. Yes. And very knowledgeable. Hey. Leo will be fine. Thank you. Thank you for pushing through my defenses.
[ Chuckles, sniffles ] So where do we go from here? Home, to be with our son. Yeah. And like dr. Newman said, we start our road trip today, huh, as a family. Mm.
[ Chuckles ] You still haven’t heard anything from scott?
Nein. I have no idea if nina is going to get out from under the charges. If she does, she might find out that freedom could be even worse. What have you done? I kept you out of a hamster cage. No thanks necessary.
[ Footsteps depart ]
[ Door opens ] Did you use me, nina? Sonny: Carly, wait! Hey. Hey. Can I just explain? Can you listen to me? Listen to who?! Mike? Sonny? Or someone else completely?
On the next “General Hospital” —
Back to the GH Transcripts Page
Back to the Main Daytime Transcripts Page
