Month: December 2023

General Hospital Transcript

Transcript provided by Suzanne

THIS STILL NEEDS EXTENSIVE EDITING!

[ Guitar playing ] Oh, I knew it was too good to be true. Eddie maine has clearly not left the building. Maxie: [ Muffled ] No, mom, I mean it. You and dad have already helped me so much. I can’t allow you to jeopardize your financial future to save me from this mess.

[ Knock on door ]Nina: Come in. Hi. Nina: Hi! Is this a bad time? No! No. Never. I — I’m so happy to see you. Are you sure? Because lately, it feels like you’ve been… pulling away. Obrecht: All right, I’m here. Oh. Hi, liesl. Hey, come on, have a seat. I’m not sitting. I’m not staying. We broke up. State your business. Coffee. I thought we agreed that if we ran into each other in public, we’d be civil. We did. But this is not a chance encounter where we can regretfully nod our heads to each other in passing and continue on. You call that civil? Oh, here we go. Sit, sit. Here we go. Okay. You asked me here. To what end? Ah! Yes. The “end.” See, I think that our relationship, it ended too soon. Why do you keep coming back here? I like the ambiance. You know this place is owned by corinthos’ ex-wife. You don’t say. What if someone recognizes us? Mwah. Oh! Hello. Hi. Just us? Just us. Good morning. Hi. Hi.Hi. Anything I can get you while you look at the menu? Uh, I’ll start out with a coffee. Mm-hmm. Thanks. Double-double flat white triple sweet with legs. Coming right up. Oh.

[ Chuckles ] Someone sounds like they need a pick-me-up. Did you have a late night? No. Just indulging. While I can.

[ Clears throat ]

[ Clears throat ] Excuse you. And what is that supposed to mean?

[ Door opens ]

You know? We really need to work on your people skills. Fled ] Mom, I loveyou for wanting to bail me out, but let’s be honest. If you really could just make the money back, then you’d already have it. Okay. Let me look at the numbers. Maybe we could come up with a compromise, like a partial loan or something. But I-I gotta go, mom. Okay. I love you, too. Bye.

[ Knock on door ] It’s open! Hi, maxie. Brook lynn! This is a surprise. You in the middle of something? Always, but it’s good to see you. What brings you by? Is everything okay? Yeah, fine. Great, actually. Deception is back and better than ever. You sure? Yeah. Why do you ask? Because. I was just eavesdropping on you. The bridge and tunnel twins swore up and down that you were in your right mind. I don’t know why I let them get my hopes up. Clearly, those perpetual teenyboppers prefer having eddie mayne around. You really think so? Oh, I know so. You’re exactly their type. The pink ladies from bensonhurst are probably tearing each other’s hair out, battling over who gets to wear your leather jacket. Are you quite finished, mother? It is ridiculous to s– did you just call me mother? I’m sure that’s not the only thing I’ve called you. Ned? It’s me.

[ Sighs ] No. I haven’t been distancing myself from you. No. Absolutely not. It’s just, you know, with the magazine and the metro court and the holidays, it’s just, I’ve been jammed. Do you mean that? Yes, of course I do. Okay. Because if this relationship is going to work, we have to be honest with each other. Absolutely. Are you sure I haven’t said or done something that might have upset you? You, upset me? No, no! Absolutely not. Oh, god. No, no. It’s just, um — it’s just, I’ve been really swamped lately on all fronts, you know? And — and I know people were concerned when I offered to sell my half of the metro court back to carly. They thought I was doing that to score points with you and her. But honestly, it’s really this — having two full-time jobs, it’s finally taken its toll. No, of course, I totally get it. Good. Yeah. I love you. So — anyway, I’m so glad that you’re here, because I wanted to get your input. I have some ideas, but I wanted your opinion. What do you think I should get wiley and amelia for christmas? The bond we shared was broken. You were the one who broke it when you chose to help elizabeth even though her lies contributed to my britta’s death. She was my client. You know, confidentiality — you as a doctor, you know it would have been unethical for me to have told you. And legally and medically, we are both such paragons of ethics. I’m sorry, scott. Truly I am. But our problems are insurmountable. Yeah, but we also had a lot of fun, even though we have these problems. The way I see it, liesl, is that, uh, we march to a different drum beat. That’s why I think we are a good match. That’s why we were a good match. But now… you don’t want me back, scott. You just want someone. To avoid being alone. And I, of all people, understand that. I’ve been in relationships where I felt more alone than I did when I was unencumbered. That’s how I know it’s best not to settle. Settle? I mean, you haven’t even been around. You’ve been gallivanting around the country, all these medical conventions and everything else. Now, liesl, you tell me. Are you not just a little bit lonely? I heard about the miscarriage. Molly’s devastated. It’s awful. I ran into her at rice park, and she was just bawling her eyes out. So I took her back to my apartment. We talked about things, and we decided that I’m going to be molly’s surrogate. The only person in port charles who might recognize me is anna devane, and it’s been well over 30 years since she’s laid eyes on me. Spies have very long memories. It’s part of the job. You’re living proof.

[ Cellphone rings ] Yeah? What’s the value at now?

Wheels. I got it. Okay. All right. And how about amelia? I know amelia is too young to understand what she’s playing with, but if you decide to get her a doll, I’d prefer it be a doll with a career. A doll with a career. Okay. All right. So like a doctor. A lawyer doll. Or even a magazine editor/hotelier like her grandmother. Or a nurse like her mom. All good ideas. You know, um, willow, I just have to tell you, I, um — thank you for coming here. I really appreciate you. Well… right back at you. And you’ll let me know if I overdo it, okay? Total honesty means total honesty. Oh, since we’re discussing christmas, michael tells me we’re spending christmas eve with you and sonny. Yeah. That okay? It’s great. In fact, I was thinking maybe the kids can open up their presents from you and sonny when we’re there. That way, you can see their reactions. My ned, I missed you so much. And I faked that amnesia for months just to hear you say that. You want another head injury?

[ Chuckles ] Not that I don’t deserve one. I’m sorry for how I behaved toward you when I thought I was eddie. No apology necessary. Really? Really. Actually, it’s eddie maine that owes me an apology. But his nonexistence in and of itself is a gift. I am so grateful to have my son standing in front of me again. You know I love you, right? Of course. What’s not to love? I love you, too. What? You have wasted so much time! Saying we love each other? You let me go on and on about you being eddie maine still. Have you ever tried to stop you? I want you to put this guitar in the attic. You need to focus and stop michael from taking control of elq. I thought you wanted nothing to do with elq. I don’T. But it doesn’t mean I want to see alan’s surprise offspring and his grandson run away with it. You need to get your head in the game. Before you say anything, I know how you feel about this. You already told me that you didn’t think it was wise of me to be molly and tj’s surrogate. No, I never said that. Well, okay, I don’t know, but what I — what I meant to say was being pregnant and giving birth, they’re bigger than you could ever imagine. They have to be experienced to be understood. I just wanted you to think about it carefully before making such a big commitment. And you’re right, 100%. I was not ready. And now I am. And so is molly. I know you’ve met corinthos face to face. A few times, yes. Is there anyone else in town who could recognize you? A few of his guards and business associates. Other than that… maybe it’s time for you to head back to D.C. Whatever the circumstances require. But before you go, find the report that forsyth stole from anna devane. I may be alone in my travels, but I’m never lonely. I’m interacting with peers, offering my expertise, and I’m learning so much. Discoveries and developments in disease, state of the art technology and treatments. I cannot begin to tell you how exciting it all is. That’s it. I want you to tell me that stuff. Scotty, stop. I’m going to say something. Um, we may never see each other again — an ominous prologue. I think you’ve been doing all this traveling ’cause you’re hiding from your grief. Auf nimmer wiedersehen, scott. Have a good life. Liesl. Liesl, liesl, wait a second. Come on. Hang on a second. Okay? Now, talk to me, okay? Let me in. I understand the grief that you’re going through more than anybody. I buried three children. Our children, they were forces of nature. And I think that if we talk about them and we share our grief, I think that would bring us closer together. And that is precisely why we are not together. Because you could not be more wrong. Well, what can I say? At least you’re admitting up front this time that you’re spying. I’m not spying… this time. I — your door was a little bit open, and I just happened to hear part of your conversation. Okay, fine. I guess that is the definition of eavesdropping. Since you’re not here for corporate espionage, what are you here for? I wanted to share some news. Oh, my god. You and chase?

[ Laughing ] We’re engaged! Aah! Congratulations. Thank you. Okay. Wait. No. I need to look. Does it meet with your approval? Oh, yes, it does. That is a good stone. Okay, my feelings are a little hurt chase didn’t consult with me, but whoever he did go to steered him in the right direction. He made sure to do his research and be really thorough. Chase is so sweet that way. Oh! Have you and detective adorable set a date yet? Not yet, but we’re thinking early in the new year. Oh. I see. What are you — what are — no! Knocked up for real this time? I am not pregnant, maxie! Then why the shotgun? There is no shotgun or weapons of any kind. We just — violet doesn’t believe in long engagements. All right, then. If you need a wedding planner… like I would consider anybody else. And I’m sure you have planned my entire wedding already. Oh, I have a file. And a vision board. I have color samples, dress choices, dinner and dessert menus, dj playlists, a few venues. You haven’t picked the band yet? You’re the one that knows all the musicians. I’ve missed us. Me, too. And since you are going to make me the happiest woman on my wedding day, maybe there’s something that I can do for you in return. Such as? Depends. Tell me what’s going on with you.

[Deep exhale]

yeah. Yes. Sonny and I would love to watch wiley and amelia open up their gifts. Yes. As long as michael is okay with it. It’s christmas. I can’t imagine why he wouldn’t be.

[ Both chuckle ]

[ Knock on door ] So — this is convenient. I can kill two birds with one stone. Oh. Do you have something to discuss with both me and nina? As a matter of fact, I do. Drew. What about drew? I just wanted to make sure you both knew that drew would be spending christmas in australia for a business deal. Yes, I knew that. Nina? No, no, that’s — that’s news to me. I’ll just make sure that sonny knows that. Thank you so much for coming by and telling us. That might change carly’s holiday plans, which in turn might change our plans. Ah, yes. The domino effect. One decision sets in motion a whole chain of events. Well, I’ve got to run. Nina, I’ll text you if I think of any more gift ideas for the kids. Yes. Thank you. And I’ll do the same. Excellent. Okay. Bye, ned. Bye, willow. See you at home. I can’t tell you just how tempted I was to finally let willow know that I wasn’t the one who turned in carly and drew into the sec. It was you. So why didn’t you, ned? When tracy’s lawsuit froze deceptor sales, our stocks plummeted, and I stopped drawing salary. Oh, maxie, no. Yeah, I went from paying my credit cards off monthly to only making the minimum payments, but I still had bills, so I was still charging. I basically blew through my savings and dug myself into a major hole. But deception is recovering, right? I mean, your salary’s going to kick in soon. If only. What are you going to do? Well, my mom and mac want to liquidate part of their financial portfolio to help me out of this debt. But I don’t feel right about doing that. They’ve worked their entire lives to earn that money so their portfolio can grow. Okay, how about I loan you the money? No, I-I appreciate the thought, brook lynn, but I can’t accept that. Why not? I’m a trust fund baby. I have tons of funds in an account that I didn’t earn. I would be putting it into good use. Thank you for the offer, brook lynn, but my parents are going to help me. Let me ask you a question, okay? Would you even be in this position if it weren’t for tracy’s lawsuit or me spying? No, no, I wouldn’T. So let me fix this. I-I owe it to you. This is not your problem to solve, brook lynn. It’s mine, and I will. Now, I really need to get back to work. Why? It’s not like you’re getting paid. Oh, I can’t wait to plan your wedding. Even more than I already have. I don’t understand why you won’t let me comfort you, help you here, I mean, I — forget about a relationship. Why won’t you let me help you? But I don’t want you to. I don’t want anyone to. When I lost nathan, I didn’t think I could go on. But I did, in part because I still had my britta. Some people might find comfort that their child died heroically. I envy them. All I feel is grief. I doubt I will ever make sense of why I am still alive when my children are gone. Perhaps it’s so I can redeem myself with my grandson, james. He reminds me so much of my beloved nathan. Listen. Liesl, liesl. I understand the whole grandkid thing. Elizabeth’s kids, they’re — they’re not mine by blood, but I think of them — I am their grandfather. I like it that way. It’s good that we can still count what few remaining blessings we have. But I-I think that we can have more blessings. Just when it was going so well.

[ Laughs ] I want love. I think you do, too. I knew how badly molly wanted to be a mother, of course, but I never really grasped it until I saw her in the park that day. I want to be her surrogate. I want to give her and tj what they want more than anything. We’ve been attempting to reconstruct forsyth’s movements from the night he retrieved the report until his death. When will you have actual results? I’ve been assured we’ll have something very soon. None of this would be necessary if someone hadn’t jumped the gun, quite literally, and eliminated forsyth prematurely. He was much more valuable alive. Will there be anything else? Uh, no. That’s it. Thank you. Then I’ll leave you to it. Thank you for choosing our bank.

you’ve really thought thisthrough, with molly and tj, and I just know they want this so badly. And I want to be a good sister. I want to give this to them. Okay. Hit me. Thoughts, concerns, questions. Objections. God knows you’ve got them. Okay, I do. And I can see that you have thought this through, and it’s coming from a place of love. And I support you all the way. Dante: Who are you? I know that we were crazy about each other. A while back, but I think we could be crazy about each other again. Is that so? Yes. Yes, it is. And I-I have another point. I mean, time is ticking away. We’re not getting any younger, so I say we strike while the iron’s hot. You feel that we need to embrace this opportunity because another, better one might not come along? Yeah, we should take this opportunity. Why wait for another opportunity? Mm. An admirable attempt.

[ Chuckles ] What maxie would call a “nice save.” But if one of us is settling, then we both are. And I never settle. I hope you know that even though we will not have our own happy ending, I hope you find one yourself. Okay, well, you can let haven know that we will consider booking sasha and cody for another appearance, but haven will have to agree in advance to limit her own camera time. Oh, hi. Sorry. You’re on the phone, so I’ll just — I’ll come back. Okay, well, just give haven the message, and let us know what she decides. We’re not in a hurry. What’s up? Nothing. Mm, nothing really. No, nothing. Uh — I think I made a mistake. Brook lynn: Got a minute? For my granddaughter? Always. Look at these pictures. Isn’t sasha radiant? She always is. I don’t really get the point of cody, though. Well, everyone has a different demographic, right? I suppose so. She’s got the department store and boutique crowd, and he maybe increases foot traffic. But can you imagine lucy coe wanted to replace her with a random singer? That random singer’s name is blaze, and she happens to be wildly popular and extremely talented. Good for her. She’s also my client. Good for you. She’s definitely not the face of deception, nor will she ever be. Which, coincidentally, is what I wanted to talk to you about. The singer? No. Um, deception. I don’t know. Why didn’t i expose you to willow and blow up your newfound detente with her? You know, there’s one thing that everyone seems to be conveniently forgetting. Regardless of who turned in carly and drew to the sec, it doesn’t change the fact that they committed insider trading. So drew at least got what he deserved, including a beating in prison. No, he didn’t deserve to get attacked, but that has nothing to do with the insider trading. He wouldn’t have been in pentonville in the first place if you hadn’t turned them in! If drew and carly hadn’t committed a crime. If this had been about justice or doing the right thing, you wouldn’t have used martin as your go-between. So now you’re scrambling, scrambling, because you want to keep all of this quiet, because you don’t want to lose sonny or lose any chance of having a relationship with willow, your sweet, beautiful daughter. And so far, it’s worked. So far. You know, ned, if you wanted to blow up my life, you wouldn’t be talking to me right now. You’d be out there talking to sonny and michael and willow and whoever. But here you are, standing here talking to me. So tell me. What do you want? What I want is to make a deal with you.

I thought you wantednothing to do with deception. I thought you wanted your sole focus to be music. And you couldn’t have deception as backup, because it would prevent you from going all-in on your dream of being a so-called manager of so-called talent. Wow. You were listening. Oh, yes. I heard every word. How else could you use it against me later? So did you just drop by to remind me you turned your nose up at my generous offer? Actually, I dropped by to tell you I’ve reconsidered. Reconsidered what? What’s the mistake? I had drinks with scott. You’ve done that billions of times. Not literally billions, but at least in the thousands. I am not making myself clear here, am I? Can’t believe I’m saying this to you, of all people, but could you please elaborate? Okay. Um, scott asked me to join him for drinks, and like you said, a billion times. Nothing unusual. So I agreed, and it quickly became clear. Scott’s really lonely. You know, he’s kind of out of sorts. He had the breakup with liesl, and — I never thought he was good enough for her. What? I always felt exactly the opposite. Scott has faults, I agree, many, many faults. But he also, you know, deep down, underneath it all, he has a great, big heart of gold. And therein lies the problem. That you think scott has a big heart of gold? Yes. Well, it’s just, me, I can’t help myself. I sympathize with him. And you see, sympathy always leads me down this road that I’ve traveled many, many, many, many, many, many times. And the last time I traveled that road, I lost my doc for good. And I just do not want the same thing to happen with marty. No, of course not. Right. And I think you’re thinking the same thing. Scott and i are just friends, right? We’re best friends. We’re just friendly friend-friend-friends, and we can never be anything else but just friends. Because if we cross that line of romance, it leads ultimately to total disaster. I end up heart-sore, humiliated, and broke, usually. And sometimes all three happen at the same time. But at the same time, it’s not always scott’s fault, you know? He — he really is a wonderful, unique, funny man. And he’s also the catalyst to absolutely some of the worst decisions I have ever made in my entire life.

[ Knock on door ] Am I interrupting? In exchange for you keeping quiet about me turning carly and drew in to the sec, you want what? I am willing to continue taking the blame for drew going to prison if you get me some useful insider information. Wow. You don’t lack for audacity, do you? I see the irony hasn’t escaped you. Okay, so this isn’t a joke? You — you want me to get insider information on what, crimson? Or the metro court? Drew and michael have been double-teaming me again with elq and aurora. And what I want, what I need, is an advantage. Specifically inside information about crimson’s parent company, aurora. Sorry, sis, I gotta run. Everything okay? Yeah. I was just, um, hoping to hear back from dante. He’s working a case, and I want to make sure everything’s okay. Dante is a badass. Full stop. I’m sure he’s fine. You know, when you’re right, you are right. I’m sorry, what? Say that again. I want to make that my ringtone. When you’re right, you’re right. I love you. Bye. Mwah. Bye. Continuing to search for the report could leave us exposed. That is the risk. But is it worth taking? If that report were to fall into the wrong hands, it would not only compromise the wsb. It would compromise pikeman. So tell me, do you think it’s worth it?

[ “Deck the halls” playing over speakers ]

Don we now our gay apparel

fa-la-la, la-la-la, la-la-la

troll the ancient yuletide carol willow: Sam. Oh, my god. I am so sorry. I did not mean to startle you.

Now that chase and i are engaged, I have realized that you were right.

[ Laughs ] I’m always right. You’re going to have to narrow that down. Well, until I get more clients and get them more gigs and contracts — and you start making money? It’s going to be tough for us to live on chase’s salary. So it seems like a good idea to find something more stable, you know, to supplement my income. So if your offer is still on the table… my offer is still on the table. I would be delighted to have you join me at deception. Thank you, grandmother. And someday in the future, the company will be yours. But until then, you have a lot to learn. And I cannot wait to start teaching you. Maxie and I were, uh, in the middle of a very, very important conference. You aren’t here on deception business, are you? No, maxie. It’s personal. Well, lucy and i were in the middle of something. Yes. Thank you. We’re fine. Thank you. Oh, great. I need to check in with H.R. Oh —

[ Clears throat ] So, um, what is it exactly that you want? Well, I’m flying down to florida to see serena for christmas and say hello to the manatees. Aww, that — that’s really nice. So, um, go ahead. Give her my love. Well, why don’t you tell her yourself? Wanna tag along? You think I can get insider information on aurora? Crimson is one of aurora’s biggest assets. That gives you access. No, it doesn’t, ned! Aurora is all michael and drew. Michael hates my guts. And drew, we’re not exactly best friends. Well, if you think he’s not crazy about you now, wait until he finds out that you are the reason why he almost died in prison! Okay, ned. Even if I set up a meeting to discuss with drew about crimson and aurora, he’s not going to talk to me about anything other than crimson. He’s not going to give me any relevant details about aurora or elq. Nina, think back to those bygone days in nixon falls. Oh, dear god. When you kept sonny’s identity hidden from him, and you kept his existence hidden from everyone here. And you’re bringing this up, why? To remind you just how resourceful you can be. Especially when your back is up against the wall, which it most certainly is right now. Nixon falls is a very small town. All I had to do was not say anything, and people still found out. Get me the intel. Otherwise, I’ll just make that short little three-minute walk from the mansion down to the gatehouse and share some insider information of my own with willow about just how low you can stoop. Christmas eve, michael and i are taking the kids to sonny and nina’S. Oh. Dante and I are going to take all the kids to the quartermaines’ on christmas day. Sounds… …perfect. Worst-case scenario, forsyth passed the report on to someone else. And if that is the case… whoever has it now will have to be dealt with.

On the next “General Hospital” —

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General Hospital Transcript

Transcript provided by Suzanne

THIS STILL NEEDS EXTENSIVE EDITING!

brava! Whoo! Violet, you were brilliant. Yes. Uncle chase was good, too. Yes, he was. He definitely was. You know, maybe I could get you a part-time gig as a studio musician, babe. Never mind me. I think you found your next breakout performer. Please bite your tongue. Please. Don’t worry. I do think violet’s a little too young to go on tour. Okay. Maybe, but I’m not too young to sing at your wedding. Please?

[ Laughing ] Ohh.Oh. Something tell me you’re not working on your christmas list. No, pop, I’m not. And if I get my wish this year, I’m never gonna ask for anything ever again. Sorry I’ve been too busy to cook for you lately. I’m not. Ouch.

[ Laughs ] I like your cooking. I love your cooking, actually. Mm-hmm. But I was in the mood for sushi, and you have not mastered that yet. Okay, well, I’m making dinner for you this weekend. Oh, if you insist. Only if I can help you. Deal. Any requests? I don’t know, something cozy. Maybe your bolognese? Oh, wait. I know. We can go to the store and get some ingredients. And then on the way back, we can get you a little christmas tree for in here. Uh, that’s okay. What’s okay? I don’t need a tree. Sam: We should figure out when we want to decorate the christmas tree. And what is the deal with christmas? Well, you know, fat, jolly guy comes down the chimney, and then you buy me a bunch of presents. You’re hilarious.

[ Laughs ] Seriously, tell me something I don’t know. No, I mean, like, when are we gonna go to the quartermaines versus my mom’s? And what about sonny and nina? I don’t know. I think we have too many family members. That is not an answer, detective. Hmm. Oh, gus, you can just place them right on that table. Thank you!

[ Laughs ] I appreciate you. Well, hello! Well, hello, yourself. How are you? Oh, good. Oh. Mm! Wow. Yeah, I know. Yeah. Did you leave anything at the store for, like, other people to buy? Ha, ha, ha. Make fun all you want, but this is our first christmas as husband and wife, and I am gonna go all out. We do good work. Sister joanne claire would be proud.

[ Laughs ] True. We got a lot more house to go, but these two rooms look beautiful. Mwah.

[ Door closes ] No. No, no, no, no, no. This will not do, not at all. What won’t do?

[ Chuckles ] It looks like coney island in here. What, you got a beef with coney island now? Don’t worry. I’m home in the nick of time, apparently. Aw, man. Christmas is ruined.

Okay, I got this and this for avery and donna. Not sure who’s gonna get which one. They’ll love those, yeah. Yes, I thought so, too. And I got, uh, ties, bunch of ties for the guards. Nice. And, oh, got a new laptop for dex. You weren’t kidding when you said you went all out, nina. I couldn’t — can’t help myself. Oh, and I got riding boots for james. You know, he’s really into riding these days. He’s taking lessons from cody bell. Well, it looks like you thought of everything. Yeah. Now, what about amelia and wiley? Yeah, I’m not too concerned about sonny and nina, because they live down the hall, and we can stop in and see them at any time and have a drink. That’s okay. Either way, there will be enough cookies for everyone. Cookies? Yeah. I-I bought two dozen from aiden webber. Two dozen cookies? What are you doing to me? I’m trying to be good this year. No one’s good during the holidays, detective. I like the sounds of that. I will not tell santa.

[ Chuckles ] No, what I meant by that was not only are aiden’s christmas cookies absolutely delicious, but he’s using the money to pay his way to paris. He wants to go to pastry school. Isn’t that really cool? What’s that? Pastry — pastry school? What? You haven’t logged that thing in yet. Well, no. If I had, it would have been long gone by now. Am I dating the grinch and I didn’t know? No. Do you not celebrate? I do. Then why don’t you want a christmas tree? Because it’s — because why? It’s a lot of work, isn’t it? You got to water it, decorate it, sweep up all the pine needles. Oh, the horror. Besides, christmas is for kids anyway. Yeah, exactly. It’s the one time of year that we’re reminded of all that childhood magic. Yeah, if you had that kind of childhood. You should absolutely sing at our wedding. Really? If not at the ceremony, definitely at the reception. Whoa, whoa. Are — are you two sure? I mean, you’re absolutely positive about this? ‘Cause she — she’ll remember this. 100%. Okay. That’s a lot of percents, daddy. She’s got you there. Kid’s got me everywhere. I’m so excited for you. You’re gonna have to pick a special song for such a special day. Will you help me, grandpa? I’d love to. When are you gonna have your wedding? Oh, you would fit right in in bensonhurst. Is that a place where they have weddings? Oh, frequently. Is that the place where you’ll have your wedding? We haven’t figured that out just yet. Violet, weddings take a long time to plan. Sometimes you have to pick a date that’s more than a year away. You’re gonna wait a whole year?! I’ve been gone a pretty long time. Aren’t you happy to see me? Yes. Oof. I sense a “but” in there. But christmas is fun, and you don’t like fun. I-I like fun. Occasionally. And luke was a-a big believer in fun. When’s the last time? I had fun? Um, I had fun, uh, uh, at the luau with brook lynn. Luau? There was a luau at the metro court. Oh, and you went? I’ve got photographic documentation.

[ Chuckles ] I want to see that. How are you, leo? Pretty good. Did you see any animals on your trip? I did. You should look in your photo ark book — uh, uh, red deer and peregrine falcons. I will. Zoo or natural habitat? Okay, fine. I saw the falcon in captivity, but the deer I saw in nature. Cool. You should check it out. I will. The house looks pretty. “The house looks pretty.” Thank you, sweetheart. Thank you.

[ Chuckles ] You know that expression — beauty’s in the eye of the beholder. Tracy, what is not beautiful about all of this, tracy? Where to begin? Buckle up. There’s way too much garland. Way too much garland. Ah! Too many ornaments.

[ Gasps ] And the tree is in the wrong place. Face it. If my son were still in his right mind, you never would have been given free rein.

So, instead of taking years to possibly regain mobility, I could be walking with full body support in a matter of weeks.

[ Scoffs ] Man. This sound like magic. It could be, pop. Uh, hey, hey. Downsides. Well, it is an experimental procedure in the early stages of human trials. So there are a lot of unknowns and absolutely no guarantees. That’s a nice way of saying a lot of things could go wrong. Yeah, pop. But what if it all went right? Ned is ned? No more eddie maine? Well, I think that eddie is always gonna be a part of ned. But, yes, your son’s memory is fully restored. When? Uh, a week ago, I guess? A week? Yeah, give or take. Yeah. And no one thought to tell me. I guess it makes sense. I’m only his mother. Well, I mean, I th– I think that we assumed that — that he might want to tell you himself, you know, in person. Uh, face to face. Mano a mano. Mano — mano a mama.

[ Laughing ] That’s a good one. Are you done? Yes. Yeah. I guess it’s really lucky I came home, because I might have gone to my grave thinking that my son was lost to me forever. Okay, speaking of which, tracy, if — if ned did not prompt this visit, why did you fly all the way home? We haven’t picked a date just yet, but we promise it’ll be way sooner than a year. Like way, way sooner. You mean it? As if I could wait any longer to marry your uncle. So give me a ballpark. Violet! Hey. What? I just want to know how long. And would it be longer if there were two brides and two grooms getting married? Oh, no. We’re not. No. What’s wrong? Um, you know, that — that star on top of the tree is crooked. It needs to be fixed right away, don’t you think? Absolutely. Is there a tree doctor in the house? Dr. Violet reporting for duty. I don’t know, doctor. This is a very complicated christmas tree surgery. Are you sure you’re up to it? As sure as I’ll ever be. Alright. We’ll take it. Pick up or ladder? Of course pick up. Well, hurry up. The patient doesn’t have a lot of time. You ready? 1, 2, 3. Oh! You didn’t have a christmas tree growing up? Uh, we did. We did all the rituals, followed all the traditions. But it was all kind of for show. Like we were playing make-believe or something. And christmas was not a happy time in our house. Why not? Look, I mean, if you’re not comfortable, you don’t have to tell me, but I love you. And this is a part of you. So… if you do want to share it, I would like to hear. It’s not all that original. My, uh — my dad was a selfish sob that just cheated on my mom all the time. And you knew? He didn’t exactly try to hide it. I’m so sorry. That’s awful. The worst part is that she stayed with him. Why do you think she stayed with him? He was successful. He gave her a good life. But I really just don’t think she was strong enough to stand on her own. That must have been really hard for you and your brothers to watch. For me, yes. My brothers, not so much. They — they grew up to be just like our dad. I was the only one that didn’t play along. And your brothers didn’t like that. That’s why they beat me up. Oh, the, uh, final arson report came back on anna’s house. Anything interesting? Yeah, you could say that. They found shreds of fabric in the bushes that tested positive for the accelerant used to start the fire. And dna was a match for this jameson forsyth guy. Aka the dead guy with the key. Right. And because there was incriminating evidence against him in that report, anna thinks he stole it. What she doesn’t know is that he might have put it in this locker before he was murdered. So anna still doesn’t know about the key. No, and I was going to tell her. What stopped you? The M.E. Get this — forsyth’s body is gone. What do you mean his body is gone? It just disappeared from the morgue? Basically. The wsb had it confiscated.

Oh, that looks so much better. Oh, yeah. So much. Thank you, doctor.

[ Cellphone chimes ] Any time. Yeah. My mom wants us to stop by the house. She say why? You know lois. She loves a good mystery. Anyways, thank you guys so much for having us. This was so much fun. Thank you for all the help with the tree. She’s a beaut. It’s a perfect choice. Congratulations, bro. Congratulations again. I’m so happy for you guys. We are happy. I can tell. I want to know the wedding date as soon as you decide. Yes, ma’am. Welcome to the family. Are you sure about this? Sure as I’ll ever be. Just the best news you could give us. Love you, dad. I love you, too. Brook lynn: Alright. Bye, everyone. Bye, everyone. Thank you. Thanks so much. Finn: Hey, guys, thank you for everything. Yeah. As soon as you decide! We got the memo.

[ Laughter ] Good night, guys. Okay, missy. Who are you calling missy? Who am I calling missy? The girl whose bedtime was over an hour ago. Why don’t you two relax, and I’ll tuck her in? Can grandpa do it? I would be delighted. Good night, aunt elizabeth. Good night, my baby girl. I love you. Good night, daddy. Good night, sweetheart. I love you. Love you, too. Yeah. Ready? Lead the way. You know, portia — she’s the one who brought this, uh — this procedure to my attention. Portia signed off on this? Yeah, she submitted me as a potential candidate. Mm. So portia is alright with you being a-a guinea pig, no matter the dangers involved? Pop, you’re acting like portia’s pushing me into this. Isn’t she? Well, she’s my wife. She provided me with information and an opportunity. But ultimately, you know, the decision is mine. Sounds like you already made it. And if I have, would that be a problem for you? Not only did the wsb confiscate the body, they classified everything related to forsyth — the forensics on the accident, all of it. Well, clearly the wsb doesn’t want anyone knowing why forsyth was in port charles or who killed him. You know what else was on that list of confiscated things? The arson report. I don’t have access to it anymore. Okay, so the wsb knows that it was forsyth who burned anna’s house down. Since you’re getting those yankee tickets for wiley, I thought — you know, I was thinking maybe I’ll get him a baseball cap or — or a jersey so he could be outfitted for the game. And for amelia, you know, I saw this really cute lavender snowsuit, so I thought maybe that — it had a really cute fur-lined hood. What? Are those bad ideas? No, they’re great ideas, but it’s just kind of modest. I mean, look, amelia’s a little girl. She’s not gonna know the difference. But wiley, why can’t you get him a little more? Well, he comes from a really big family, okay? He’s probably gonna get a mountain of gifts. I don’t want to overwhelm him. Like my nanny used to say, if you get so many presents, no present is special. Is that it? No. That’s exactly what I thought. What else? I’m trying not to provoke michael. Luke’s legal affairs are impossibly tangled. Bobbie, to her credit, has been really tenacious. She won’t accept no for an answer, and she is also charming all of the bankers and the bureaucrats. It’s definitely a two-person job. Which is exactly the opposite of explaining why you are here. Well, in order to be more effective, I have to prove my legal standing. And luckily, luke did give me power of attorney a while back, so I came here to retrieve those documents. You flew halfway across the world so you could get paperwork that we could have just pulled and sent to you? I don’t trust anyone with my personal papers. Huh. “Huh”? What does that mean? No, nothing. Nothing. I just — I just thought that maybe, just maybe, you flew all this way because you wanted to be with your family at christmas.

that there’s still tension between you and michael. It should not be that way. Well, it could be worse. I mean, he is perfectly pleasant when we’re all together. There’s a difference between pleasant and welcoming and even, you know, accepting. Okay, all I can hope for — all I can hope for is that things get better with time. I mean, it certainly has with willow, right? I mean, look where we’re at. I know it’s new, but I treasure that relationship. Willow is a special person. And for me to have her in my life, I have to keep the drama at a minimum. So this is me, sonny, letting michael set the pace. Okay, you know what? I’m going to talk to michael on your behalf. No, no. Please. You can’t do that. Well, we got another piece of the puzzle from the medical examiner. Oh. Do tell. Forsyth had a burn scar on his leg. Oh, let me guess — approximately four months old? Lines right up with anna’s house burning down. I’m assuming the wsb took those notes, too? What, are you a detective or something? No, I’m a P.I. Even better. Oh. Hey, you were really smart not to log that key in. Well, if I had, they would have been all over it. Wsb, they must not know that this key exists. Are you gonna tell anna about it? No. Not yet. I want to look into it for myself first. Wait. Your own brothers beat you up? It was kind of a thing in our house. Fun for the whole family. Hey, how can you joke about this? ‘Cause I’m here, aren’t I? They didn’t break me. But why? Why did they want to hurt you? I mean, was it because you protected your mom? No, my mom and I weren’t close, actually. I never understood her. I was always disappointed that she didn’t leave my dad, who to my brothers was king. God, they worshiped him. It was so obnoxious. They were just these arrogant, win-at-any-cost, just jerks. Well, it sounds like I chose the right brother.

[ Chuckles ] You would have had even less use for them than I did. By the time I was 12 or 13, all I wanted was to get out. So that’s why you enlisted. The day I graduated high school. Uh, look, I’m sorry. You — you just asked me why I didn’t want a christmas tree, and here I am opening a vein. Hey. No. I’m glad you told me. You are? Yeah. Makes me love you even more. “But I heard him exclaim as he drove out of sight, happy christmas to all, and to all a good night.” Ho, ho, ho! You know we’re not supposed to read this until christmas eve, right? We’re jumping the gun a little bit. Grandpa, do you think the christmas tree is happy now? Most definitely. Especially since you fixed the star. You were so right, violet. It is a special tree. We made it beautiful. We certainly did. It takes kind heart to do that, you know, to make a home for a less-than-perfect tree. That really is the true spirit of christmas. I just love christmas. Me, too. It is a beautiful tree. Flaws and all. Shh. You think it has ears? You never know.

[ Chuckles ] Maybe there’s a lesson in there somewhere. How so? Well, the point of the christmas tree isn’t that it’s perfect. It’s what it represents. Love and light and warmth. Hot cocoa.

[ Laughs ] That, too. When I look at this tree, I see the joy in violet’s face and chase and brook lynn decorating and your dad, so happy to have his family together. Tell me. I don’t want to say it. It might help. This might be my dad’s last christmas.

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[Deep breath] Theo’s nose was cause for alarm, so dad brought puffs plus lotion to save it from harm. Puffs has 50% more lotion and brings soothing relief. Don’t get burned by winter nose. A nose in need deserves puffs indeed. America’s #1 lotion tissue. Want the power of 5 serum benefits in 1? New olay super serum activates on skin to hydrate, smooth, visibly firm, brighten, and improve texture. It’s my best skin yet. Olay part of the reason why you didn’t tell anna about the key to begin with is because you thought that the locker was potentially under surveillance. Or worse. Or — or worse like what? Like booby traps? I’m being serious. I know you are. No, you thought anna going to that locker would put her in danger. Which is still a possibility, but — no, and now you’re just willing to throw yourself in the line of fire? Hey. Can you let me finish? I’m sorry. Okay. Go. Since the wsb classified everything to do with forsyth — taking the body, all that stuff — that strongly implies that they don’t know that this locker exists. But they’re still looking for this report. If they knew the locker was out there, they would have found a way in it by now. Look, I get that you want to protect anna, and I love that you have her back. But if you go in this alone, who has yours? For most people, decorating the christmas tree is something to look forward to. It’s like the official start of the season. But not for you. That tree going up was like a warning flare that things were about to get way more tense. And all the parties — either my dad would go and leave my mom alone, or she would go with him, and they would come home fighting because he was hitting on some other woman. It was this vicious cycle that my mom refused to break, and I — I just couldn’t help resenting her for it. That must have been torture to watch. I’m so sorry. Don’t be. I went out and made my own life, one I’m very grateful for. Especially because you’re in it. Well, I am sorry that your christmas tree brought you dread instead of joy. But I really hope that I can show you how special christmas can be. If you decide to go forward with this experimental procedure, I’m gonna be behind you 1,000%.

[ Sighs ] Thank you. Thank you, pop. Now, I’m not saying I’m good with the risks involved, but, son, if it gives you hope, if it gives you any chance of recovering what you lost, it’s worth a shot. That means a lot. Okay. Okay. Timeline. What’s your timeline? Mm, as in when the procedure would get started? Yeah. Somewhere around january or february.

[ Whistles ] That soon? What’s the point in wasting time? If I’m gonna do it, there’s no sense in waiting. Keep thinking I’m gonna get used to it, but every time my dad stumbles or collapses into a chair — it’s torture. He’s getting less and less steady on his feet every day. Sooner or later, he won’t be able to hide it. I don’t think he’s trying to. What he is trying to do, and succeeding in my opinion, is basking in his family, soaking up every ounce of joy that he possibly can. My dad said he wants this to be a good christmas. I want that, too. I want it to be a great christmas, for him and for violet — for all of you. And I do. I want to appreciate their joy, not dwell on what we’re about to lose. Then do that. I’ll try. Do me a favor, though, will you? Anything. You see me start to backslide… call me on it. Okay. But if I’m not around and you feel yourself heading towards a dark place, I want you to look at that tree. It’s all the light you need. Are you glad uncle chase and brook lynn are getting married? Very glad. Me, too. What song should I sing at the wedding? Let’s talk about that tomorrow. Right now, it’s time for dreamland. Okay? Good night, sweetheart. Good night, grandpa.

[ Grunts ]

[ Sighs ] Grandpa? Why do you use a cane now? Well, I recently discovered that I am needing help to walk. That’s okay. We all need help sometimes. What is the tree doing in here? It’s always in the foyer. The tree is perfectly fine there, tracy. I see that nobody purchased any gifts. Well, we just put the thing up, like — a tree without gifts is depressing. These are for leo. I thought you came home just for some paperwork, tracy. I did. But you had time to go shopping for your grandson? Why are you still here? Aren’t you late for a nail appointment in bensonhurst? I don’t know how many times I have to tell — I do these myself every– of course you do. I should have known that. And recent events have necessitated my presence here. Like what? It looks so beautiful in here. You see? I agree with brook lynn. Very festive. Granny…mother. Welcome home.

[ Sighs ] It is great to see you, tracy. How was your flight? You look happy. I am. Yeah, but unusually happy. Why is that?

that’s a lot to absorb. I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t just a bit overwhelming. I’d be worried if you weren’t overwhelmed. You got this, son. And when you need help, you just look behind you. You’ll see portia, stella, me, trina, all there to back you up. Yeah. I’m just not used to being propped up, you know? It’s typically the other way around. Good. Give us a chance to repay you for everything you’ve done for us. I’m scared, pop. That’s good, too, son. ‘Cause you can’t be brave if you ain’t got nothing to be afraid of. Thank you. Hey. All good? Violet is fast asleep. Thank you. It’s my privilege. Can I give you a ride home? No, I’ll grab a rideshare. Oh, I’m sorry I posed that as a question. I’m taking you home. I wouldn’t argue with her. No, I’m getting that sense. Thank you. Thank you for, um… taking violet christmas tree shopping. It was a very good day. Watching you be a father to that incredible little girl makes me insanely proud. Good night, dad. Good night, hamilton. Night. You’re beautiful. I do not want you advocating for me. That’s the last thing I want. And the thing that I want even less than that is to again be a point of contention between you and michael. I-I saw how sad you were when you two were estranged. I love michael. I know my son. He’s loving and loyal, and he could be the worst enemy you could have. He got his stubbornness from carly and his ruthlessness from me.

[ Sighs ] Well, let’s look at the bright side, okay? Michael has decided that he is going to bring willow and the kids to our place on christmas eve. That’s huge. That is a step forward, a big step. Yeah, it is. Do you want to know about you? What about me? Well, do you want to know — I can give you a little hint of what I got you for christmas. You as my wife… is the only thing that I need for christmas.

[ Chuckles ] I know that you would never let anna do this alone. So why don’t the two of you just investigate this together? Because the wsb definitely has anna under surveillance. If I involve her… it would alert the wsb. That’s why I got to go. I got to go do it myself, retrieve this thing, whatever’s in this locker, and I-I’ll take it to a secure place and — and check it out. But what if you’re also under surveillance? I just — I feel like that’s unlikely. Plus, I’ll be super careful, okay? Sold? No, it’s just the brief time that the wsb had you almost destroyed your life. I don’t want it to pull you in any deeper. Hey. It’s because of my time with the wsb that I feel like I have to do this. They’ve been grossly abusing their power. I feel like I have to hold them accountable. And to me, it all starts with that report. Good night, sweetheart. Sweet dreams. Chase and i are getting married. Whoo-whoo!

[ Laughs ] I knew it. My only question is, what took you so long? That’s q code for “congratulations.” I just wanted to make sure that brook lynn knew I loved her for her and not her money. You know what? There is a very easy way to convince us of that. Sign a prenup. Tracy! Come on. I’m just being practical. Now is not the time to be practical. We just announced our engagement, and we’re on cloud nine. If I’ve learned anything from what’s going on with my dad, it’s that the future isn’t promised. But whatever it holds, however long it lasts, I know I want to face it with your granddaughter by my side. Aww. Aww! Well, in that case, I wish you both a lifetime of happiness.

[ Voice breaking ] I mean it. Thank you. Means the world. Thank you.

On the next “General Hospital” —

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Transcript provided by Suzanne

THIS STILL NEEDS EXTENSIVE EDITING!

[ Keys jingle ] Okay. For doing this. Oh, I wouldn’t miss it.

[ Keys jingle ] Okay. Violet: Daddy, is that you? It sure is. Don’t come in until I tell you to. Okay. You can come in now! Look at our tree! Violet picked it herself. It’s just what I wanted.

[ Chuckles ] Molly. Hey, wait. Wait, wait. Wait for what? Are we sure we really want to do this? You’re having second thoughts? Let’s call it an abundance of caution. Sometimes life doesn’t give you time to think things over. You make a snap decision, and then you live with the consequences, right? But we can take a moment to review and re-evaluate. Where are you going with this? Some clichés exist for a reason. You are the smart davis daughter. Sam is the resourceful one. Kristina… is the impetuous one. Ar e we 100% sure thatwe want her to be our surrogate? Hello. Uh, is charlotte here? She’s with laura. Helps her to spend some quality time with her grandmother. Oh, yeah. Yes, that’s — that’s perfect. Really. She’s A…wonderful presence in her life, and so empathetic. She’s lucky to have her. She’s got a dad, too. What can I do for you? Nothing. I just came by to give you an update. On? The arsonist that set fire to my house. It wasn’t charlotte. This is a disaster. I know, right? Not one inch of this entire gigantic house has been decorated for christmas! Flight attendant: Ladies and gentlemen, we are approaching the atlantic coastline and should soon be turning south for the final leg of our journey. We anticipate landing in an hour. We are pleased to offer you a light snack… [ Sobs ] …Complimentary beverages, and cocktails for our first-class passengers. An attendant will be coming through the cabin shortly to take your order.

Lila would be so upset. She would have reginald and the — reggie who? Oh, reggie. He was the butler when ned and I were married. She would have reggie and the entire staff decorating this house by the first of the month. Everything would be out, except for a few things that came out on christmas eve. I’m thinking of a specific train set that alan was very fond of. Train set, huh? Oh, yeah. Yeah. It was, um… it was a family heirloom given to him by his grandfather, who was in railroads. What, like — like an engineer or something like that? No, no, no, no, no. Grandpa — great-grandpa quartermaine, he owned railroads in upstate new york, going into canada, and this particular train set was an exact replica of one of his trains. And alan — oh, alan, he was so proud of it. Well, why wouldn’t he be? Yeah, but by then it was an antique, so it only came out on christmas eve. But everything else, everywhere else, there were wreaths on the doors, there was a garland going all the way down the staircase, everything by december 1st. I cannot believe that you were not more on getting decorations in here. I… your family’s house. Your father’s garage was like a-a christmas wonderland. Your own apartment! I know. Come on! I could tell your room from the street just by walking by and looking up. Lois… I still enjoy christmas decorating. When — early on in my marriage to ned, monica and i sort of, uh… clashed over the christmas decor. She wanted a fresh tree. I had put up something a little more… effusive. Mm. She made it very clear that this was her house, it was her choice, so you know what? I just let it be. Mm-hmm. I let her take the lead on the christmas decorating. Okay, and I appreciate the sensitivity, but we can’t leave this house bare while we’re waiting for monica to come back from a medical conference. Okay, then let’s go for it! Yeah? Yes. Okay. Alright. But if my vote has any weight to it, I’m gonna say… I would appreciate an actual tree as well. I can do natural. Look at my fingernails. Don’t make me… okay, but if we’re gonna do this with the port charles pioneers, we got to get moving. Okay. Let’s go. The tree looked lonely. It wasn’t as pretty as the others. And if I hadn’t picked it, it might not have been picked at all. Yeah, you know what, sweetheart? I think… I think you chose the perfect tree. The whole point is that it’s not perfect. Mm-hmm, but I think it’s perfect for us. Elizabeth: I agree. You’re really getting into the spirit of christmas. And I promise you, we are going to make this tree look spectacular. Mm-hmm. And the first step is putting on the lights. Who’s going to do the honors? Daddy. Yeah. Daddy. Right. How about a nice cup of hot cocoa first? Tj, from the moment we decided we wanted to have a baby, we have faced nothing but setbacks. Sometimes I think the universe is trying to tell us something. Maybe you and I aren’t meant to have children. I-I never said that. So, you do want to have a baby? Absolutely. So do I. Because anytime I think about giving up, accepting that we aren’t meant to have kids, I-I get this pit in my stomach. I mean, that’s why I was crying in the park when kristina found me. The thought of never having a family with you broke me. I’m so sorry, mol. But that’s when everything started to shift. I mean, think about this. I’m never in the park in the middle of the afternoon. I’m in my office or in court. What are the odds that I’d be there and so would kristina? A-about a million to 1. I mean, that’s — that’s got to be fate, right? Like, fate that my sister would find me. Fate that she’d offer to carry our child again. And I have no interest in fighting fate. I can feel it in my heart. This is the right thing to do. And I’m 1,000% sure about kristina. Then so am I. Okay, let’s — let’s do this.

[ Chuckling ] Okay. Molly, tj, hi. Come in. What brings you guys over? This is more of a sister thing, so I’ll let molly explain. Spill it, sister. I am about to officially ask you for a huge favor. One that will dominate your life for the next nine months. Yes, I’ll be your surrogate!

[ Laughing ] Are you sure? Are you kidding me? I have never been more sure of anything in my life. Oh!

[ Both laugh ] Well, charlotte has always denied burning your house, but she lies about a lot of things. She didn’t lie about this. How can you be so sure? Forensics. Csi collected some scraps of fabric from the hedges around my house, and they all tested positive for the accelerant that started the fire. And they lifted some dna, which matched someone that isn’t your daughter. Oh, thank god. Yeah. It’s a relief, yes. I-I didn’t want to think that she’d gone that far. Why didn’t i believe her? Why didn’t I have faith in my own daughter? You said there was a dna match. Who’s the arsonist? I can’t tell you that.

the whole point is that it’s not perfect.

[ Chuckles ]

[ Sighs ]

[ Groans ] Hey, dad? You okay? Yeah. I’m fine, fine. Yeah? Yeah. Just sat down a little more quickly than I intended.

[ Chuckles ] I really want this to be a good christmas. One to remember. Okay. Cocoa’s ready! Here you go. Take a cup. Oh, wow. Here you go. Oh, my goodness. Yep. Oh, hey, you want the big one? It’s okay. No, take that one. Drink yours fast, daddy, so we can put up the lights. Okay, well, listen, you — you and elizabeth did such a great job making the cocoa, it’d be kind of a shame just to gulp it down. Oh, don’t worry, I can make more. Ah, okay.

[ Knock on door ] I’ll get it. Hey! Merry christmas! Happy decorating!Merry christmas. Get in here. We bought a few extra things. How are you? Good to see you. Hi! How’s it going? Yay! More decorations! Brook lynn:

[ Laughing ] Yes! Hey. How are you with christmas lights? Just wanted to let you know that your daughter is not responsible for the fire at my house. Okay, wait a minute. If there’s a dna match, that means that the arsonist is in a database somewhere. So, who is it? I can’t share that information with you. Why not? Is it classified? I-I don’t know. I would imagine that someone, somewhere considers it classified, yes. Well, I’m not talking to them, am I? I’m talking to you. So who burned your house? It’S…need-to-know. You don’t need to know. Why do I not need to know that? I don’t understand. Really? That astonishes me that you fail to understand, because I feel that I made myself quite clear the last time we saw each other. I can’t tell you who burned my house down because I don’t trust you.

[ Dramatic music plays ] Mols, you were so emotional the last time I saw you. I wasn’t sure if maybe upon thinking about it more, you might not want me to be your surrogate. Life’s been a roller coaster since I found out I can’t get pregnant. And when andrea miscarried, tj and I were devastated. I could quote you the medical statistics on the odds of a miscarriage, but… none of that prepared us for when andrea told us that she lost our baby, or having to tell molly. When andrea miscarried, I… I realized that I needed to do some real soul-searching. For the first time in my life, something that I really wanted wasn’t going to come to me because I was smart and prepared and willing to work hard. I felt entitled to being a mom, like whenever tj and I were ready, whenever it fit into our schedules, I’d get pregnant and we’d have a baby nine months later. But when that couldn’t happen

[Voice breaking] Because of me… because I am basically infertile, I just — I jumped right in to finding a solution. Solving the problem — I can do that. So I found andrea to be our surrogate, and she got pregnant, and everything was going according to plan. Until it wasn’T. And it’s only now that I realize that I have to do the thing that scares me the most. I have to accept that I am not in control… and ask for help. Ahh! Ohh! Well, at least we made a start. Yes, I will get the other garlands and the wreaths from the florist, I guess. I’m so glad we got the tree from pc pioneers. Oh, yeah. Me too. So good. It makes you feel so good knowing that you gave back to the community. And those kids in their uniforms — so cute! It makes me think of little dante when he was that age. Was he a pioneer? Uh, no, he was not. But that was not for my lack of trying. I signed him up, I took him to the first meeting, and that kid had jumped out the window and escaped before I even got my car out of the parking lot.

[ Gasps ] No! Yes. Hand to god. I got a call from the troop leader. He was apologetic, beside himself. I said, “calm down.” I went and checked the corner lot, and who was there playing baseball but little dante falconeri?

[ Laughs ] I swear to you, lois, I wanted to grab that kid by the back of his hair and drag him home. Aww! And then I said, “you know what? Who am i to dictate his dream?” You know, if my kid wants to — to play sandlot baseball and dream of a career in the major leagues instead of learn the fundamentals of camping, like, who am I to say? Aww! He’s my kid, and I should support him. So that’s what I did. Oh, vivi. You know what? That has always been one of my favorite things about you. You just take people as they come and you love them for who they are. You never try to make them who you think they should be. Well, it’s a fine line sometimes, you know. With your kids, you — you got to accept them… mm-hmm. …But you also got to provide some guidance, so… mm-hmm. Yeah. It’s like being A… a carpenter and a gardener. That’s the difference. I don’t follow. Oh, okay. So, a carpenter builds a house based on his plans, right? Uh-huh. The wood has no say. But a gardener, it’s different because he raises what he has. You know, he may tend the soil, fertilize it, pull the weeds, give it water, a little bit of love. But he doesn’t plant a pine tree expecting it to grow into an oak. He just raises the very best trees that he can. Well, you’ve definitely done that with brook lynn. Aww. She is a spectacular young woman, really. Aww. Thank you so much. And, you know, you did a pretty good job with dante and leo as well. Well, we’re both very good gardeners. That we are. Oh, my god. Cody’s gonna be here with the tree any minute. We got to get up to the attic and get the christmas tree ornaments! Let’s do this!

People always say that I’m generous… and humble.

[ Chuckles ] But what I never realized is that the person who’s giving is in charge. Like, they’re deciding when and how much. And hopefully they’re doing good, but they are the one in control. And we all know how much I love to be in control. You’re being way too hard on yourself. Asking for help means giving control to someone else. And that would be hard for me under any circumstances, but it is excruciating when the person I’m asking for help is someone that I treated unfairly. Well, if you mean me, you’re forgiven. Not that there’s anything to forgive. Well, how about the fact that I was a total witch the first time you offered to be our surrogate? I didn’t really think it through. I-I didn’t really understand what was at stake. Molly and I were both pretty raw in those first weeks. Neither one of us made an honest effort to see where you were coming from. Yeah, but especially me. I mean, I-I’ve realized that my reaction back then had a lot less to do with you and a lot more to do with me being messy and irrational. Two things that I try to avoid. It hurt that you can carry a child and I can’t, and that it would be easy for you. It just doubled down on my pain. Which makes no sense, I know. Please. I wrote the book on being messy and irrational. And if you would have taken me up on my original offer, it would have been a huge mistake. We weren’t ready. As painful as it was going through this process, it made us ready. You know, I am ready and I want to do this. Thank you. I’m so lucky to have you as my sister. And as my surrogate.

[ Chuckles ] I am the lucky one. I really do want to be clear about this. You lied to me. And because you lied, I-I had no idea that the intruder in my apartment was your daughter. You’re right. You’re right. I take full responsibility. But you withheld information, too. You’re far too good an agent to shoot at point-blank range without a confirmed target. You were gunning for somebody that night, weren’t you? Charlotte got in the way. Well, I guess we both have to live with that for the rest of our lives, right? Wait, wait. I’m sorry. I wish I had told you. I didn’t tell you that charlotte was stalking you because I was afraid. I was afraid that if you knew, that… you’d leave me, that you’d end our relationship. Why would I? I mean, I don’t know that, that I would have ended the relationship. But we’ll never know, becauseyou didn’t give me a choice. You didn’t tell me the truth, so I couldn’t make my own decision. Well, it’s too late for us. But it’s not too late for your — your daughter. You know, you need to focus on her and get her the help that she needs. Okay, everybody cross your fingers. Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait! Violet, come here. If you make a wish the moment before the christmas lights come on for the first time, it’ll come true. So get your wish ready. Brook lynn: Okay.

[ Laughter ] I knew it would be beautiful.

[ Laughter ] Oh-ho!

[ Laughs ] Oh, my. Wait. Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. What? What… what does this — this remind you of?

[ Laughing ] What do you think? How about st. Finbar’s our sophomore year? Oh, my god. Sister joanne claire was so mad when she realized it was us sneaking into her office and moving around her pictures of the saints. We would swap peter and paul, peter and paul, peter and paul. Oh, man. She got us, though. Detention, and we had to decorate the entire auditorium for christmas all by ourselves. We were there until 3:00 A.M. Well, 3:17, but who’s counting? Oh, and when we came out that morning and our parents were waiting for us… I don’t think I’ve ever seen my mother so angry. But my father, he was disappointed. And somehow, that was so much worse. I know, I got a speech all the way home. I can still hear it. “Your cousin connie would never do anything like this.” Because your cousin connie never stepped a toe out of line. Although, I got to say, I wished I had followed your cousin connie, because I was grounded. I was grounded with a 5:00 P.M. Curfew until the following april. And by the way, you were supposed to be grounded, too. I was grounded, technically. Mm-hmm. Do you remember my bedroom window? It was a joke. I know! You snuck out of that room so easily, it might as well have been on the ground floor. Yes, right out the window and out to the nightclubs in the city all night long. Oh, your poor parents. Honestly, I think back, lois… honestly, I really feel bad for all the worries I gave them. But you know what? At the time… mm? …I really enjoyed myself. Yeah, you did.

[ Both laugh ] Okay, I grabbed the tree, I got some garland. Where do you want them? Well, I am so glad you asked. Flight attendant: Ladies and gentlemen, please bring your seats completely upright and fasten your tray tables. Kindly make sure that your belongings are safely stowed under the seat in front of you. We will be coming through the cabin to do a final check as we prepare for landing. Damn you, luke spencer. I miss you.

I don’t think you’re in any position to tell me what charlotte needs right now. She needs counseling. She was stalking me for months. That is not normal behavior. You saw the letter from victor. You know that her actions were not malicious. Maybe not, but they are unquestionably illegal. She thought she was protecting me. She thought that you were a threat. You’re not doing her any favors by making excuses for her. You’re enabling her. Anna, she was manipulated by a master manipulator. Victor exploited her love for her father, her need for a family. She thought that you were dangerous. And then, of course, when he released your file and the world knew that you had been acting as a double agent — oh, don’t throw that in my face, please. I’m not. But you can’t refute it. It was true. She thought she was protecting me. Think about that. A teenage girl standing against a master spy. So, we can say what we will about my daughter, but she’s not a coward. She did what she thought she had to do. And what, you’re proud of her? I’m appalled at what she did. But I’m proud of her courage. I’m proud of her determination. I’m sickened that victor twisted her for his purposes. Well, he didn’t tell her to write the word “murderer” on my door. Or break into my hotel suite and trash my clothes and write a threatening message on my mirror. Charlotte came up with that all on her own. I can’t believe this is actually gonna happen. Sometimes the universe finds a way. All I know is I’m grateful, ’cause this feels right. Okay, okay. I think it’s high time the expectant parents celebrated up.

[ Both chuckle ] Mama q, could you hand me some wire, please? Yeah. Here you go. Thank you. I have been meaning to ask you, why do you call olivia mama q? Well, she’s dante’s mother. What else would I call her? If you say “zia,” I will murder you right there where you’re standing. I’m just sayin’! What’s a zia?

[ Laughing ] Now that the tree is lit, we can start hanging ornaments. Uh, before we get to the real decorating, brook lynn and i have an announcement to make. Can you announce fast? We need to decorate. Violet! This may be important.

[ Laughs ] Don’t rush them. Uncle chase, brook lynn, I apologize. Please take as much time as you need. Thank you. I think you should do the honors. Okay. Dad, finn, violet, elizabeth… brook lynn has agreed to be my wife, and we are getting married. Ohh! Yay! Oh, what?! Yes! That’s amazing!

[ Laughter ]

To the baby to come. No child will ever be more loved and more welcome. Hear, hear. Hear, hear.

[ Chuckles ] Mm… it’s ginger ale. Gotcha.

[ Laughter ] Not that there’d be anything wrong with drinking right now. Are you jump-starting a healthy new lifestyle, or is this the only thing with bubbles that you had in the fridge? Ah, both. I had a-a friend bring a really nice bottle of champagne over, actually, but it doesn’t last very long in this house. Maybe I should get an early start and — and indulge in all the caffeine and alcohol while I can. We — we know that you’re giving up a lot. It’s well worth it. To you, kristina, and this… to this expanding family. Cheers. Cheers. It’s true. Victor never told charlotte how to stalk you. I imagine she got that off the internet, from some book — you “imagine”? I mean, did you question her about this? I’ve not interrogated my teenage daughter. No. She’s been traumatized. She’s recovering from a gunshot wound. I’m aware. She needs time to heal. She needs her father to stop making excuses for her. You’re not protecting her, valentin. You can’t keep blaming victor for what happened. Victor’s to blame. Yeah? If she had been arrested for the crimes that she committed, what was she gonna plea? “My dead grandpa made me do it”? It doesn’t matter what victor wrote to her. It doesn’t matter what lies he told her. Charlotte is responsible for her own actions, and you have to make her understand that. And you have to get her the help that she needs before she does something irrevocable. Congratulations, bro. Thank you. Oh! Hey. Congratulations, brook lynn. You are an incredible young woman. Aww. You are a lucky man. Oh, I’m the lucky one. No, we both are. I wish you both a lifetime of love. Did you give brook lynn a ring, uncle chase? You know, violet, I did. But I, um — I kept it hidden as to not ruin the surprise. Finn: Ohh! Do you want to see me put it on her finger? Yes, please.

[ Laughter ] Alright. Wait! You’re supposed to go down on one knee. Oh, he did, when he asked me to marry him. Can’t you go down on one knee again, uncle chase? I want the complete picture. Finn: Me too! Me too! Ohh. Of course I can. Alright. Yeah! Aww! Daddy, when are you gonna get aunt elizabeth a ring? Uh… it’s time to decorate the tree! Yes, the…tree.

[ Sighs ] So, what’s so bad about being called a-a zia? Well, nothing. Or — or everything, depending on your circumstances.

[ Laughs ] I still don’t get it. Okay. Zia means “auntie,” right? Which could refer to your mother or your father’s sister. Or — or your sister-in-law. Uh-huh, or it could be a distant cousin or any female relation. But it could also be a term of affection. Or — or someone, a woman that you are close to, but you’re not actually related to. But there is a generational aspect to it. It’s for somebody older. For example, you would never refer to my brookie as zia. Right, but I — I could call you zia?

[ Laughs ] Uh, no. He’s got you there, though. No, but — I don’t mean — okay, hold on one second. Because technically yes, but absolutely no, you cannot. I would prefer it if you continued to call me lois. Totally understand, lois. Aww, honey, this tree looks so beautiful. It does. It’s so nice having you here to help out. Hey, it’s my pleasure.

[ Sighs ] So… how do you like working for the quartermaines? I really, really like it. Yeah, it’s the first place in a long time that feels like home.

[Dee p breath]

[ Speaking italian ] Ohh! Ahh! Cody, you know what? Thank you so much, sweetheart. We could not have done this without you. Oh, yeah, no, and you get extra points for patience. That was a lot of fun, you know. Learned a new word. Not that I’ll ever call either of you “zia.” Yeah. And it got me into the spirit of the season. I might even… yeah, I might grab a tree for the stables. Well, ladies, thank you for a fun time.

[ Both laugh ] Oh, my, oh, my, oh, my. Oh, you know what? Hm? I got to say… this looks a lot better than the auditorium at st. Finbar’S. Yeah?

[ Laughing ] You know.

[ Both laugh ] Charlotte needs to know that what she did was wrong and that she can’t solve her problems by breaking into people’s houses and writing threatening messages. I agree. Charlotte needs limits. Oh, limits… she’ll get them. She needs counseling, and she’ll have that, too. But we have a big problem. Victor convinced charlotte that you were dangerous. And you shot her. So in charlotte’s mind, victor was right. I hope you get through to your daughter and that you get her to understand that victor was never right about anything. Anna, wait. I’m sorry. So am I.

[ Door closes ]

[ Muffled sobs ] That is one gorgeous tree. Mm-hmm. Might be the best tree I’ve ever seen. It certainly is lovely. You were right, brook lynn. When you make a wish on a christmas tree, your wish comes true. Mine already did. What did you wish for, sweetheart? Is it okay to tell? Absolutely. I wished for this to be the best christmas ever. And it is. Our tree is beautiful, uncle chase and brook lynn are getting married, and I have a present for all of you. What kind of present? Stay here. I’ll be right back.

[ Chuckles ] Any idea what this is? Ah, could be beaded necklaces… uh-huh, uh-huh. Acting kind of secretive there, bro. Sure you don’t have any idea what this present is? I can neither confirm nor deny. Finn: Uh-huh. I’m going to sing a song that I wrote myself, and uncle chase will accompany me. Gregory: Uh-huh!

[ Guitar plays ]

When there is no light we will shine, shine, shine when the darkness falls I’ll be by your side if you don’t mind I really wanna shine with you you I wanna shine with you you I wanna shine with you do you remember that night when the stars were bright? And the moon was above shining in your eyes if you don’t mind I really wanna shine with you you I wanna shine with you you I wanna shine with you you I wanna shine with you you I wanna shine with you

[ Applause ] Whoa! Brava! -That’s amazing. -Whoo! Whoo-whoo! Okay. So what happens next? We’ll talk to our fertility specialist, let them know that we have a surrogate, and are ready to move forward. And once we have a more concrete timetable, we’ll get back to you about scheduling, but we’re hoping it’ll be soon. The sooner the better. Now that we know what we’re doing, there’s no point in waiting around. Thank you so much. I will be grateful to you forever. It is my great honor.

[ Chuckles ] Okay. Bye. Bye. This — this… this is really happening. We might just get our miracle after all.

[ Laughs ]

[ Laughs ] We do good work. Mm. Sister joanne claire would be proud.

[ Chuckling ] True. We got a lot of house to go, but these two rooms look beautiful.

[ Door opens, closes ] They do! Tracy: No. No, no, no, no, no. This will not do. Not at all.

On the next “General Hospital” —

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General Hospital Transcript

Transcript provided by Suzanne

THIS STILL NEEDS EXTENSIVE EDITING!

. Hurry! We have to find our tree before they’re all gone! Looks like there’s a lot of them to choose from. We have to find the perfect tree. Perfection is the enemy of the good. What does that mean? It means that sometimes when you’re looking for perfection, you miss something quite special. Okay, I’ll be on the lookout for a special tree. Well, I-I doubt that I’ll get a tree myself, but I’m delighted you invited me here to help select yours. Well, I got to hand it to you, pop. You can decorate the hell out of a christmas tree. I mean, portia and I, we have — we have tons of ornaments between us. And yet, you managed to get them all on the tree. What, did — did that one break? Just my heart. I recognized this ornament the moment I unwrapped it from the tissue paper. Your mama made this for us our first christmas together. Something yummy and fruity for me, and a three-olive martini for you. Well, lucy. You sure do know what I like. Well, uh, I think after our long and tangled history, I better. So, with your busy schedule, I’m glad you could pencil me in. I always make time for you. I wish, uh, liesl would do that, but she’s running around, conference to conference to conference. She’ll do anything to stay away from me and just…

[Sighs] Forget about me. But I’m glad that I have a friend like you. Why are we meeting here? Is there another — no, no, no, no. Nothing like that. I just, uh, wanted to keep it quiet. Yeah? I got a look at the final arson report on your house. Was it charlotte? We meet again.

I am surprised, though, that mom never told me that she made an ornament marking your first christmas together. We were newlyweds. I had a great gig with a club band, so I was out late most nights. Anyway, we — we managed to get ourselves a tree. But I was always too busy to help decorate it. Christmas eve rolls around, I come home, right? And I find the tree strung with lights, with just one ornament — this ornament. I figure, I say, “whoo-hoo! She mad. She mad now.” I start apologizing, offering to stay up late, do whatever it is she needed me to do. But she said — she said, “no. No need.” Your mom, she liked that tree just like that. Yeah, this tree here is a beaut. And our first tree, with this ornament, that was the best tree I ever seen. You know what I love about you, though, is you don’t judge me. You never have. You just see my core, and you don’t judge my heart or my soul. Although, you know what? You have judged several of my relationships. Oh, like you haven’t judged mine. That’s just because I really do — I just want what’s best for you. So, you know, if it couldn’t be me… go on. I mean, you know, it could have been. I mean, we tried on the legit and the down low, but… well, you know, that stupid, stupid affair really did cost me my relationship with doc. Such a messy thing that upended everything. It was such a wake-up call. And I did have to completely reevaluate my life. And I think that — that’s why we know that we just are better friends than lovers. Well, we… have changed course a few times. Several times. But somehow we still stay connected there, don’t we? Because of our daughter, because of serena. Have you — have you, by the way, heard the latest about serena?

[ Sighs ] Grandpa, look at this one! I’m gonna go down that aisle and see if I can find anything that’s special. I’ll look forward to that. That’s a nice one. Yeah. Diane: I think it’s this one. Robert: Hmm. Just imagine this tree covered with lights, lots of ornaments. You got all that? Absolutely. And what about the — what do you call that stuff? The stuff? The mistletoe-y stuff.

[ Laughs ] Alexis! Oh, hi. Alexis: Hi! What are you doing here? Hi! Oh, I would ask you the same thing. Hello, robert. Alexis. I’m here with diane to select a christmas tree. Oh, that’s new. I don’t recall you ever having a tree before. Really? I thought you had one every year? No, no, no. I said I-I think about having one every year. But this year, I’m following through. It’s just the start of a new tradition. Mm. One of many, I hope.

[ Chuckles ] Come on, grandpa, let’s go this way. What an unfortunate coincidence running into you, ms. Miller. Um…hmm. May I join you, or are you too busy? No, no, I-I can take a break. Please have a seat. Here you go. So, a-are you here for another burger? Oh, this time, I’m trying out your blt. Oh. I hear raves about it. The house specialty. Great. Do you want fries or coleslaw with that? Fries, of course. Oh, okay. Danielle. This gentleman would love to have the blt with fries. Do you want a shake? Because our shakes are legendary. Uh, water’s fine. Thank you. Have to save the calories somehow. So, how are you enjoying port charles? There’s nothing in t he reportthat ties charlotte to the fire. Oh, thank god. Yeah. I mean, honestly, it’s just — it’s a huge relief. Yeah. Yeah. Any indication who’s responsible? Uh, yeah. We have pinpointed another suspect. Let’s hear it. Morning after the fire, evidence was found in the bushes outside your house. Scraps of fabric. They tested positive for the same accelerant used to start the fire. Okay. So, the arsonist fleeing the scene would have caught their garments on the hedge or something. Also, we were able to lift dna from the fabric. Great. We got a match to the late jameson forsyth.

Why is it unfortunate to see this lady, grandpa? You know, I think I’ve had enough tree shopping for tonight. Besides, it’s getting a little chilly out. Why don’t we find something to warm you up? Uh, good evening, folks. Good night. Good night. Bye, di. Diane: Bye. Who is that lady?

[ Sighs ] You know what? I was going to inspect some of those trees down there. You want to go scope them out first? Sure! Stay where we can see you.

[ Sighs ] Was that really necessary? Robert: So, what was that all about? I am representing a family that is suing general hospital for malpractice. So what? Everyone’s entitled to representation. I mean, it doesn’t have to get personal. It gets personal when the doctor at the center of the lawsuit is your son. And gregory chase’s son is dr. Hamilton finn. Well, you handled the whole thing with a lot more tact than professor chase. Thank you for noticing. I promised you something warm. Let’s go. Alright.

[ Chuckles ] So, forsyth would have set the fire thinking that the last copy of the mission report was in my house. But he couldn’t have been certain of that, so he would have kept me under surveillance and would have seen me and robert move the trunk into maxie’s apartment. So…forsyth would have been watching the night that charlotte was shot? Yeah. I mean, he was probably waiting for cops and everyone to leave till the apartment was empty to go in and get the report and whatever supporting evidence. Okay, so, forsyth is dead… murdered. What happened to the report? I’m not sure what I thought port charles would be like, but it has definitely surprised me. Really? In what way? Uh, the cuisine, obviously. Obviously.

[ Chuckles ] And the people seem friendly. Yeah, we’re pretty friendly. I mean, for the most part. I’ve enjoyed getting to know the city. I run through the park every morning past the port charles museum. The chuck. I mean, that’s what the locals call it.

[ Laughs ] Well, thank you for the correction. I haven’t had the chance to visit yet, but I plan to make time for it. Great. How long are you staying in port charles? I’m not sure. Right now, my visit is, uh, open-ended. Mama never tell you that story? I don’t know, maybe it just made her miss you too much. Man… I’d hate to think I ruined christmas for your mama. No, you didn’T. I told you that when we got the tree, pop. Christmas was mom’s favorite time of the year. I remember she would wait till december 1st before she would start decorating, but when she did — oh, look out! She went all in — garland, ribbons, wreaths, christmas music from mahalia jackson to the jackson five, bing crosby to aretha.

[ Laughs ] It was 24/7 music, pop.

[ Chuckling ] Yeah. You know, I do believe that’s why I still love christmas so much to this day. ‘Cause that’s when mama was always her happiest. You know, even though I-I was the surrogate and I didn’t give her, really, my biology, I feel like, deep down, I gave her a part of my…spirit heart. Spirit heart? That sounds like something new age.

[ Chuckles ] What I do know is that we really made a great kid. Yeah, we really, really did.

[ Cellphone chimes ] Uh, sorry. Excuse me. Oh, sorry. Okay, remind me not to take any texts from work because tracy quartermaine being involved with deception is the absolute worst thing that could possibly happen. Yeah, I’m really sorry that you gave away all your stock of deception, including the tie-breaking vote with elq. Yep, I’m really sorry, too, you know? But, um… sometimes you just have to sacrifice for those you love. And maxie and sasha and I, we are not taking salary right now just to make sure we don’t have to lay off any of our staff. You know, dominique was serena’s biological mother. She was all heart, but I think you’re right. I think she did get your… spirit heart.

Thank you so much. I look forward to getting all of the details from you. Okay, okay, bye. Hey, babe. Did you guys decorate the tree? Marshall: Mm-hmm. Oh, my gosh, it’s so beautiful! Well, you can credit pops for most of it. He even managed to get all of both of our ornaments on this one tree. Ye– no, I-I-I see! I’m — I’m in awe. It even smells like christmas around here.

[ Laughter ] I am pleased that you like it. And with that, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to step outside and get myself a breath of fresh air. Okay. Are you sure, pop? It’s kind of cold outside. Uh, I like the cool.

[ Chuckles ] And there’s a throw on the chair. I’ll be fine. Okay. You and your dad, um, have fun decorating? Yeah, like I said, pop did most of the work. I just kept him company. We reminisced. Pops told me a great story about… …about this one. Irene: You should use that blanket. You’ll catch your death out here. I love that serena’s, you know, running around florida, saving all the manatees. But, you know… I hope she settles down one day and, you know, maybe I get a little grand-toddler to bounce on my knee.

[ Laughs ] Okay, you know what? Don’t tell anybody, but you really are an old softie. You wouldn’t want to be a grandmother? Um, well, I’d have to wrap my mind around it. Oh, yeah. You know, I don’t think I’d mind because I like the age I am right now. I mean, I-I kind of like the well-earned wisdom and that I really am becoming the woman I want to be, and I know who I am, and I certainly know what I want. But that doesn’t change the younger lucy, who was fearless and curious about everything and saw endless possibilities, or the 30-something lucy, who actually relished being in my bra and panties in front of everybody at the nurses’ ball. You liked being half-naked up there? Well, I didn’t at first. I was kind of mortified. But you know what? By the third or fourth time — don’t tell a soul, but I just pretended to be embarrassed ’cause I knew I looked damn good. Yes, you do. Finn did nothing wrong. The muldoon family is already grieving their loss. The last thing they need is some lawyer swooping in to make a buck. I’m gonna stop you right there. Diane is a shark, but she is not a vulture. She is also not the attorney that filed this suit. She’s a litigator. She’s a trial attorney. And she took over this case because it went to trial. She’s also on retainer for the muldoon family, so she has a legal and financial responsibility to look out for them. And quite frankly, from the facts of this case, she’ll probably win. I have a complex business situation to untangle and get up and running. What kind of business are you in? I’m a security consultant. I set up security systems, both cyber and real world, everything from individuals to large companies. So, you used to be a spy?

[ Laughs ] I could tell you, but then I’d have to kill you. Oh. [ Laughs ] In all seriousness, why would you think that? Because my ex-husband uses a security consultant, and he used to be a spy. Seems to be where all the best security people learn their craft. Well, I know the types. But in my case, you’re mistaken. And I’m still really good. Clearly. Mm-hmm. Okay, well, let’s see. Ex-military? Although that would be the same thing, right? Mm. Hmm. Oh, I’m sorry. Can you… I’ll be right back. Diane, hey! How are you? In desperate need of hot chocolate. Oh, okay. Robert, how are things? Busy, busy, you know. Never a dull moment. We’d like two beverages to go. We’re planning on an excursion. Oh, okay. Come on, come on. Right this way. Okay, one hot chocolate to go for diane and robert. Coffee for you? Hot chocolate. I’m actually quite fond of it. Yeah, but don’t let that get out. It’ll ruin his carefully crafted grouchy image. No.

[ Carly laughs ] So, forsyth — obviously, he was a pro. There’s no way he keeps that report on his person. Yeah, but I don’t think for one second that he would have destroyed it. No, I mean he wasn’t the only person involved in the op. He would have kept that for leverage. Or insurance. Like I did. Yeah. I don’t think forsyth acted alone. Someone else is involved. I know it. Okay, look, I-I think you are onto something here, anna. Mm-hmm, yeah. If you are here to view jameson forsyth’s body, it’s gone.

You believe finn committed malpractice? I thought we were on the same page on this. Gregory, you know how much I love your son, and I think he’s an excellent doctor. But I am looking at this from a legal perspective. And there is a strong argument to be made that he should have pushed for more testing when muldoon first came to see him. Doctors test based on symptoms presented. Of course, there are tons of tests he could have run, but are they practical medically, not to mention financially? Again, I am not saying that finn is guilty. I’m saying there’s an argument to that effect, and diane is going to make that because that is the way the law works. Spoken like a former legal eagle.

[ Sighs ] Yes. Facts and testimony matter greatly. But in the end, the winning attorney is the one that makes the most compelling argument to the jury. And yes, I used to be an attorney. And I miss it. Thank you for the, um, compliment. You always have been such a sweet talker. But, you know, with your rakish good looks and your pocket squares… oh. …I think you could be the next golden bachelor. Golden bachelor?

[ Laughs ] Well, maybe if the contestants looked like you. Oh, no. No, no, no, no. Uh, wouldn’t — no, and I-I wouldn’t — no, you know, I think this is just all about you being at loose ends over liesl. But you know what, lucy? I’m not here to sing the blues. What’s going on with you? Why are you flying alone? Curt is says christmas was stillyour favorite time of year. I’m glad my leaving didn’t change that. I just regret missing all those christmases with you and the boys. Irene… why did I ever leave? Mulled wine, huh? Did you make this, or did marshall? Well, I put out the wine while dad was trimming the tree. Hmm. You two make a really nice team. This

is a very welcome endto a long…long day. Honey, I can have one of these waiting for you every night from now until christmas. Oh? Well, be careful. You don’t want to start spoiling me now.

[ Both laugh ] That’s the plan. And it’s a ramp-up until your real christmas present. Ooh! Mysterious. I like it. Um… but I may have something special for you. But it’s not a present. It’s the chance to walk again. I can’t stand when these agencies just swoop in here, no warning, demanding this and that, going through my records. What agency are you referring to? The wsb. They took forsyth’s body, classified the autopsy and all the related reports. Hang on here. Oh, my gosh. Look at that. Yeah, they classified the, uh, arson report. I can’t even have access to it. I suppose you went old school and made a copy of the report. No, I didn’t, ’cause I didn’t have time. What about your autopsy notes? You got those? They took everything. But it’s interesting that you mention an arson report. Why is that? Because the victim had a partially healed burn on his left leg. Okay. Are you guys headed to christmas festivities? Well, we just came from rice plaza. By the way, if you’re planning on getting your christmas tree from the port charles pioneers, hurry ’cause they’re going fast. Do they have good ones? They do. They do. I found a good one. But the shopping trip was cut short by a work complication, so I’m gonna have to circle back. Oh, that’s too bad. Well, I did offer her a consolation walk in the park. I mean, it’s all nicely lit up, very festive. The city trees aren’t lit yet, but however… I think th at sounds romantic and fun.

[ Chuckles ] Thank you guys for stopping in. Thank you. Thank you. Carly, your table’s order is up. Oh, thanks. Mm-hmm. (Vo) no matter who you are there are times it can be tough to be yourself when you have severe asthma. Triggers can pop up out of nowhere and lead to an asthma attack. But no matter what type of severe asthma you have tezspire can help you be you. Tezspire is an add-on treatment for people 12 and over that can help you have fewer attacks,… breathe better and relieve your asthma symptoms. So you can be you, whoever you are. Tezspire is not a rescue medication. Don’t take tezspire if you’re allergic to it. Allergic reactions may occur and can be serious. Rash or eye allergy can happen. Don’t stop your asthma treatments unless your doctor tells you to. Tell your doctor if you have a parasitic infection or your asthma worsens. Sore throat, joint and back pain may occur. Avoid live vaccines. By helping control your asthma tezspire can help you be you. No matter who you are. Ask your asthma specialist about tezspire today. Want the power of 5 serum benefits in 1? New olay super serum activates on skin to hydrate, smooth, visibly firm, brighten, and improve texture. It’s my best skin yet. Olay (vo) get in the holiday spirit with chex cereal’s 12 days of surprises! Learn easy recipes, get festive freebies, and more. Shop specially marked boxes of chex cereal today. Ho. Ho. Ho. It’s santa. We got a problem. Ho! Ho! Ho! Pain hits fast.So get relief fast. Only tylenol rapid release gels have laser drilled holes. They release medicine fast for fast pain relief. And now, get max s trengthtopical pain relief precisely where you need it. With new tylenol precise. The long-lasting scent of gain flings made it smell like dave was in his happy place… …the massage chair at the mall. But…he wasn’T. Gain flings with oxi boost and febreze. (Vo) purina cares here. Tually, I’m the onewho has been neglecting marty. You know, I’ve just been so focused and so all-consumed about deception that I-I just feel awful about it. Well, why? You’re a busy person. H-he should be paying attention to you. Well, he is. I mean, he’s attentive and everything. I’m the one that has limited availability. Well, why should you go out of your way? I mean, he should be paying attention to you at all times. I would be. I’m sure you mean well, okay? I just don’t want to get my hopes up for some christmas miracle. I completely understand that. Of course not. But please, please, honey, just — just hear me out. Now, I came across this studyon an experimental procedure, and one of the subjects was a man who was paralyzed from the waist down. Curtis, after this procedure, this man could walk with full body support after only 11 days. Are you saying that this is a possibility for me? You begged me not to go. Said you’d stand by me no matter what. But I wouldn’t listen. Mnh-mnh. I left you and my boys. Told myself I was sparing my family from my illness. Maybe I was just sparing myself from being less-than in your eyes. Joke’s on me, right? It was all a lie. A misdiagnosis. I never had schizophrenia.

[ Voice breaking ] And I am so sorry. Baby…

[ Sobbing ] I… I am just so sorry.

[ Sobbing ] Marshall ashford. You have been given a gift. You have a clean bill of health, and you’ve reconnected with your son. Why do you waste one more second looking back at something that can’t be changed, instead of living the life you have now? It’s beyond me. Merry christmas! Merry christmas. Just so you understand, I’m team finn, right? In fact, I-I helped martin prepare him for his deposition earlier. You did? How did it go? I didn’t pull any punches. I played diane’s part. I was the opposing counsel. No wonder you argued that there was a case to be made by diane. Yeah, and I think finn is more prepared now. I also have to confess that I rather enjoyed it. Cross-examining him, trying to trip him up, pointing out the weaknesses in his testimony… being ruthless? With a purpose. I was using the skills that I spent all those years developing. Getting back on that judiciary bike, riding it with the wind at your back. It’s hard to believe that I’m not going to practice law ever again. I’m sorry. I know how painful it is to be confronted by something you used to be great at and not being able to do it anymore. Wow. I’m sorry. You win. I promise never to complain or pine away about my career loss again. It’s not about comparing losses. I’m just saying I understand. I know you were an excellent lawyer. Thank you. Hey, violet, is that the one? I don’t remember you mentioning a burn. A lot was happening at the time. He had a significant bruise on the left heel. Is that unusual? Actually, yes, since it was starting to callus. So what — what — what does that tell you? It indicates it wasn’t a fresh bruise, and it certainly didn’t come from the impact of the vehicle striking him. I found that odd, so we looked into his left shoe, and we found this under the lining. Right, my partner was able to get a match on the guy’s fingerprints. How old do you think the burns were? Between three and four months. August. That sounds about right. Yeah. Listen, thank you for taking the time to meet with us. Yeah. Appreciate it. We’d also appreciate it if you wouldn’t mention this to anyone. What would be the point? I have no proof. The wsb took it all, which is a gross abuse of power. I’ve never seen anything like it. I-I work with federal and state agencies all the time. None of them swarm in and take what they want with impunity like this. I sure hope someone can rein them in. Well… what do you think? I think someone at the wsb is going to a great deal of trouble to clean this up. Huh. You’re back. Sorry about that. I never pegged you for the dine and dash type, but — or, more accurately, the order and dash. But people can surprise you. I got an overseas call, and the reception was dicey. I needed to call back on my satellite phone, which I realized I’d left in my hotel room. So, I left, fully intending to return and pay for my meal. And, uh, on the way back, I saw these, and I hoped you’d accept them… with my apologies.

Sitting here fretting over things that happened 30 or so years ago won’t change anything, and it won’t absolve you of a thing. The here and the now — that’s what matters. The only thing the past can do for you is to let you learn from it, so you don’t make the same mistakes going forward. What do you do… with the feelings?

[ Sobbing ] The regrets… …from leaving you and my boys. Let it go. Yes, I was angry and hurt at first, but I didn’t let it stop me from living my life. I had a lot to figure out. You know, I-I-I struggled some, but I enjoyed life plenty. I mean, my boys were a handful, but they were my pride and joy. And I still managed to have a full life. And yes, sure, I… I missed you plenty. And I thought about you all the time. But I didn’t let myself worry, waste my life thinking about what could have been. I lived my life and I loved living it. And that’s what I want for you, marshall. You’re safe. You’re alive. Be thankful for the life you have with your beautiful family — our family. Our son needs you. And you’re right here for him. Isn’t that something? And I-I’m so thankful for that. Aren’t you? You may not have been here in the past, but you’re here now. So enjoy this christmas and every christmas to follow, and I’ll be right here, enjoying it with you. That’s the best gift you can give me. This procedure… it’s in the very early stages of human trials. But as soon as I read it, I knew. I knew that you would be the ideal candidate. Before

you were shot,you were in perfect health, great physical condition. And, baby, I hope you don’t mind. I submitted your name and medical records. But before you get mad, I just heard back. They’re considering you to be a part of the trial.

[ Exhales deeply ] Well…why would you submit my name without tell– got it. You didn’t want to get my hopes up. And, again, this is in the very, very early stages, and there’s no guarantee that… you will be able to walk again. But, honey, this is a chance. Thank you, baby. Thank you. Oh.

[ Sighs ] Oh, my god. You know I always appreciate, um, getting attention from you a-as long as we, you know, maintain our boundaries. I still feel that spark between us. Do you? Um… nostalgia.

[ Stammering ] You’re feeling nostalgia. I think we’re both feeling nostalgia. You know, we cannot deny our past. We can’T. And we will always be connected because of serena. But I am with marty, and you, you know, you’re hoping to get back with liesl. It might happen. It could. And if not, I’m sure you’ll find somebody very wonderful to be with. And I got to go, you know. Thank you for the conversation and the — the drink. And, uh, you know, if you hear from our daughter, please remind serena to call her mom when she hits dry land.

[ Exhales deeply ] Okay, lucy. I’ll catch you later, huh? Of course you will.

[ Chuckles ] Okay.

[ Chuckles ] I felt the needles, and it’s not dry, so it’s fresh. Good. And it’s not too tall, but tall. Mm. And nice, with no bald spots. No, I don’t see any. Great. Now, if we could just track down a sales person. But I don’t want this one. I thought you liked it. I do, but it’s too pretty. Someone else will want it. I want to find a tree that’s not so pretty, but special, and give it a home. Sounds like a plan. Why don’t we look down that aisle there? I appreciate the apology, but the flowers were not necessary. They’ll just go to waste in my hotel room. Please accept them. Come on. Add a little more christmas cheer to the place. Okay. Uh, thank you. Um… well, your food had to be wrapped up, and I’m sending it to the homeless shelter. But I can put another order in for you. Well, let’s, uh — let’s save that order for another day. I’m in the mood for something a bit more elevated. Can I take you out to dinner? Uh, thank you, but, um, I’m seeing someone. Of course. Why wouldn’t you be? It’s my loss. Well, that… should cover my bill. You didn’t come here for the blt, did you? No. But I’m glad I came. Alright, well, thank you for everything you’ve done. I’ll — I’ll take it from here. Whoa, whoa, whoa. What are you talking about? “Thank you.” I’m not just gonna — just gonna drop out of this. I know. Look. Forsyth, he came for the report because he’s named in it. And then someone else wanted him and the report eliminated — someone who’s probably incriminated in the report, also. Mm-hmm. And whoever it is, they got a lot of power. Enough resources to murder forsyth, disappear the body, classify any mention of it so that we can’t access it. Right, we’re looking for someone high up in the wsb food chain who was there on the day of that blown op. Not “we.” Me. Anna, stop it, stop it!

Me. You’re a loose end, too. You’re target number one. I’m not letting you do this on your own. No, but it’s my past, dante. I am not going to put anyone else I care about in danger. It’s cost me too much. So…I’m good. I’ll just handle this alone, alright? Thank you.

On the next “General Hospital” —

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