General Hospital Transcript
Transcript provided by Suzanne
THIS STILL NEEDS EXTENSIVE EDITING!
Dex, it’s carly. Are you there? I’m looking for josslyn.
[ Sighs ] Dex! The deception feature is huge! And it looks terrific. Would you say that we got maximum exposure at a bargain rate? I would, grandmother, say just that. Your negotiating skills were awe-inspiring. Thank you.
[ Laughs ] So, you got credit, carly had a great first issue, deception had huge exposure. I-I mean, everybody wins. E-except nina. Did I tell you that we would be able to run this company with or without maxie? Let’s not even go there, okay? Ladies, have I got a surprise for you.
[ Sighs ] Hey.
[ Elevator bell dings ] Well, hello there, stranger. So nice to see — marshall, are you in there? Oh, stella, I’m so sorry. Ah. I got kind of caught up in my head there for a minute. Are you okay? Yeah. Yeah. I’m, uh, perfectly fine. Physically. I just came from my psychiatrist. Oh. How did it go? I was prepared for bad news. I know how to deal with bad news. But… but what? I got good news. And I have no idea how to handle it. Gregory: “Notorious criminal is shot while being transferred from pentonville.” “Notorious” doesn’t even scratch the surface of who olivia jerome was. Mm. But it is technically correct. The headline does lean in the direction of the more lurid, but it doesn’t tip over into it. Thanks. It says she didn’t see her death coming. That’s unfortunate. It’s a mercy she didn’t deserve. Wow. Anyway, it doesn’t matter what I think. If I can get readers who need some sort of sparkling headline to actually read this article, they’re gonna read something that really matters, right? About gun control, about rising violence, about prison reform. Yes? Well, from what I read, you’ve got the catalyst you’re looking for. She usually does. There’s no one better at turning a headline into a cause than my cousin. Come on, dex! Open the door! He’s gone.
[ Door closes ] Trina. Hey. How was physical therapy? Was everyone blown away by you? It was okay. Well, you’re improving every single session. Everyone can see that. Mom and I are amazed by how far you’ve come. Thanks for the encouragement. So we’re gonna throw you the biggest party this zip code has ever seen once you’re up on your feet.
[ Chuckles ] Walking over to you and your mom for a hug will be all the celebration I need. There’s no need to worry about a party. Well, okay. I guess I should go cancel the caterers then. Trina. You don’t have to hide from me. And you don’t have to run away from what you feel. People don’t usually need my help in dealing with good news, so I don’t have much experience in that area, but let’s give it a shot anyway. You know, my psychiatrist has been weaning me off my meds. Yeah, for a few months now, right? That’s right. And in all this time, there’s been no episodes, no — no seeing things, no hearing voices. No I-indications of schizophrenia? It confirms what portia first suspected and all this testing and observation seem to bear out. Back in the day, you were misdiagnosed. Yes, ma’am.
[ Sighs ] Well, I guess there’s no sense in railing at the past. It’s not gonna hear us anyway. It’s not like I can track the doctor down and, what, what, beat him up? Sue? I’m not sure it would do any good if you could. Look, so, instead, why don’t we just thank the good lord that that sword that’s been hanging over your head for 40 years is finally gone. You, marshall ashford, are finally free! That’s the thing. I don’t feel free. When I got here, uh, it was too late. Too late how? Dex was already gone. But, uh, sonny was here, and he gave me this as a consolation prize.
[ Dog tags clatter ] So, dex left on his own? Well, it’s not like he had much of a choice. But sonny didn’t hurt him. Not according to sonny. What did dex’s letter say?
[ Voice breaking ] It said that he left because it was safer for everybody and that he loved me and he was grateful for the time that we had together. Oh, baby, I’m so sorry. No. Dex was right. He said this was gonna happen. I mean, sonny had to send him away. He was too much of a liability. Whether it was the cops or sonny’s enemies, they were gonna come for him. He knew — he knows way too much about the organization. He does, josslyn. He’s right. So, what am I supposed to do? I’m supposed to be grateful that sonny sent him away instead of having him killed? Assuming that’s what happened, assuming sonny didn’t make him write this letter, then kill him anyway. Now, come on. Sonny wouldn’t do that. Are you sure? ‘Cause I didn’t think sonny would leave you. I didn’t think he would turn on michael. I didn’t think that he would treat someone who saved his life like a traitor. But he did all that. He did all of that and more. So before you sit here and tell me that dex is somewhere safe, please ask yourself, would you bet your life on it? Because dex just did. I’m sorry. I’m — I’m interrupting? Of course you are, but I’m always happy to have you interrupt me. It actually got me off my soapbox, too, so… I thought you were just hitting your stride. She was, and, in fact, we were just in the middle of — running a newspaper. Yeah, I understand. By the way, you two should be taking a victory lap for the invader’s restraint, telling a story that, in lesser hands, would have become a sensationalistic tale of a vicious criminal brought down in a manner even more grisly than she herself employed. Well, thank you for saying that. And I don’t think that’s why you dropped by. Well, no, not entirely. I’m guessing that shawn butler has not talked to you yet. I just — I just got an e-mail from him, but I haven’t had time to respond to it yet. How’d you know he was trying to reach me? Well, he and i have just completed a rather substantial business arrangement, and he was supposed to tell you. Oh. What kind of business? I bought the invader.
I’m not hiding anything. I’m fine. Okay. Okay. I’ll have to take you at your word, but I just want you to know if there’s ever a time that you’re not fine, you don’t have to pretend that you are. Do you think that’s true? Deep down true? What do you mean?
[ Sighs ] Sometimes people ask you if you’re okay, and you can see that — that they’re desperately hoping that you’ll say, “I’m okay.” That way they can say that they checked in and saw how you were doing. But god forbid you tell them the truth or — or give them a hint that things are not so great, and, boy, do they get uncomfortable. Yeah, I know. Then they start glancing at their watch or checking their phone and, what do you know? They got a message, and then all of a sudden they got to go somewhere, anywhere. Yeah. Right? And not too long ago, you know, you were laughing, having drinks, putting something on the grill, no problem. And now it’s like they don’t know what to say or how to handle you. Yeah. I know a little bit of what that’s like. But, honey, that’s not how it goes here. And not with me. I do know that. But I’m afraid to let everything I’m feeling come out. Now, why is that? Because I feel like if I do, I’ll fall apart. And I’ll never be able to put myself back together again. You’re joking, right? I mean, you’ve never expressed any interest in the invader, let alone buying it. Uh, I know that this comes as a bit of a shock, given my lack of experience with publishing or the media, but you stepped out of the law and became an editor. Look how well that turned out. Are you okay, alexis? I will be once I call shawn. Alexis, I know that you have a long history with shawn. You should make that call. But just so you know, I did make a substantial offer above market for the invader, and he took it. Shawn doesn’t chase money. That’s not his thing. His thing is political and social issues. And his nonprofit organization, which not only funds the invader, but underwrites various media outlets around the world. And with this infusion of cash, it will bolster his nonprofit and expand its reach. And you’re doing this out of the goodness of your heart? No, not entirely. My heart’s not that good. But the invader’s business possibilities are. I didn’t get into this to print money. If I had, we’d still be telling stories about ufos and celebrity diets. I know that, and i respect your incorruptibility. Well, if you’ve come here to take away my editorial control or put a corporate slant on things, I can save you the trouble for making a really difficult call because I quit. “It is with great joy that, together with their families, brook lynn quartermaine –” that’s you, sweetie — “and harrison chase invite you and a guest to the celebration of their wedding.” Doesn’t that just get you right where you live? They’re just perfect, ma. Aren’t they, granny? Mm-hmm. Chase and brook lynn, they are my business. And their wedding needs to be perfect, tracy. So no more petty fighting with lois and olivia about the reception. No more arguing with ned about anything, really. All that matters is that those two beautiful souls belong together and we all do everything we can to help make that happen. Do we understand each other? We do. Brook lynn: They’re just perfect. Far from it. I know who sonny is and I know what he’s capable of. And he just doesn’t want to admit the fact that he was vulnerable and the fact that he actually owes dex. I do not believe that sonny had dex killed. He let him live, and he did that for you. Sonny doesn’t get to play god with our lives just because the rest of you let him do it with yours. I will not let him keep me and dex apart. I won’t do it. I have been here all night looking for something, just looking for an address, a phone number, something from dex’s life before he came to port charles, something that will help me find him. He did two tours in afghanistan, and he came back. So he can’t be gone now.
That fear — I get it. You feel like if you give it an inch, it’ll take all of you. But, honey, that pain you’re feeling, that hurt — it can’t be contained forever. I mean, you can — you can try to hide it, you can lock it deep inside you, but it’s still there. And it ain’t getting any smaller. What it will do, it’ll turn toxic. And — and — and all that toxic grief will seep out, honey. And eventually, it’ll get to your heart. And it’ll make it harder. And that magical light inside you will dim. And that’s not gonna happen. Not to you, trina. But I just don’t know what to do with everything that I’m feeling. Share it. Let it out. I did, and it broke me to pieces.
[ Sighs ] But I was surrounded by family. My family fixed me. Your mom, aunt stella, my dad, tj, you. You all put me back together. When I had no strength, you all gave me yours. And you, too, trina. You are surrounded by family and love. So let it out. Fall apart if you have to. That’s it. No matter what, honey, we will catch you every single time. I’m not sure I understand. It’s this misdiagnosis. Ever since portia told me my test results didn’t show the genetic markers for schizophrenia, I-I-I’ve been wrestling with this in my head. And now that I’ve been weaned off my meds and there hasn’t been any reoccurrence of symptoms, it’s no longer a question mark in the back of my mind. It’s a fact. It’s real. I was misdiagnosed. But I hope you’re not blaming yourself for believing what that doctor said all those years ago. It’s hard not to. Stella, I got — I got one diagnosis, and I didn’t question it! Nobody did! Doctors were gods back then. What they said was the final word. I got one question. One question. If what I was experiencing wasn’t schizophrenia, then what the hell was it? And what if it happens again? I have to stop because every second I spend crying puts more miles between me and dex. Josslyn, I know you’re hurt. And I know you’re angry with sonny. But dex is alive, and it could have gone differently. Well, the only reason they didn’t is because of you. So I have you to thank, not sonny. Well, it’s least that I owed dex. But he was working for me. So some of your anger should be aimed at me. Well, I also know that dex was always gonna protect sonny. No matter how many times I warned him otherwise, he still believed in sonny. Just like you. How? Why, when he’s been so awful? Don’t say “because of donna.” But it is about donna. Because donna loves her father every bit as much as you love yours. It’s a really, um, difficult question to answer, and you’re probably not gonna understand. And that’s okay. Sonny and i have a history. And I know that he’s flawed. I know him better than anyone. And, yeah, he’s hurt me and he’s disappointed me. But I have hurt him and I have disappointed him. It’s not the same. Let me tell you something. There have been people in my life who wouldn’t quit on me, no matter how bad I messed up, so I don’t quit on sonny, even when I don’t agree with him and even when he’s wrong. Well, sonny doesn’t deserve your loyalty. Or dex’S. Alexis, I admire your journalistic integrity. And of course I want to make money because the invader is a business, it’s not a hobby. But you have been solidly in the black since taking over, so I see no reason to change your approach. It’s highly unusual for a new owner to want to just leave things as is. Typically, they want to tinker or, you know, fine-tune. Alexis, maybe you should hear the man out before you make any decisions, journalistically or otherwise. Fine. Please continue. You are the editor. I have no interest or desire to interfere or tinker with your work. That’s a relief. The invader is your baby, and I intend to keep it that way. Good. And maybe we can even work together sometime. Within those parameters. See? That’s great. That’s the spirit. But, uh, with shawn gone, you’re gonna need a publisher, someone with vision, someone with prior experience. Of course. Of course. Do you have somebody in mind? I hope I’m not late.
Are you seeing what I’m seeing? I can almost guarantee that I am not. Oh, wait. Let me see. “It is with great joy that, together with their families, brook lynn quartermaine –” you — “and harrison chase invite you to the celebration of their wedding.” Oh. Exactly. Mm-hmm. Even yuri rates a plus one. Well, what is that supposed to mean, “even yuri”? I happen to find yuri very handsome and charming. And that accent is to die for. Yeah, and he is — he is free to attend the wedding with the companion of his choice. Which I would be if there was an “and a guest,” which there is not. And I can only assume that it’s your subtle way of implying that I am not going to be able to find someone to take to the wedding. Oh, okay, alright. Well, I had nothing to do with that. But if I did have something to say about your love life or the dating apps that you should be on, I wouldn’t be that subtle. I think we can all agree on that. Mm. There is nothing subtle about removing “and a guest” from my invitation. And do not try to tell me that this is just a coincidence because years ago I thought that you were not good enough for my son. And now, all these years later, you don’t think I’m good enough for anybody. Good enough? Sure. Nice enough? Well, that depends upon the day you’re having. Well, rest assured, there are plenty of people all over the globe that would be thrilled to be my guest. And I would warmly welcome any one of those lucky winners that you want to bring. Sure, you say that now.
[ Scoffs ] No one is trying to slight you, grandmother. It was a misprint. What? The “and a guest” was accidentally dropped from your invitation. Look, see for yourself. This is the master list we sent to the printer. See? So bring whoever you want, tracy. Fire the printer. I’m not firing anyone. It was an honest mistake, okay? And listen, you know, you can bring someone. You can bring a boatload of someones, whatever. Just let me know so I can make sure that there are enough chairs. But just between us girls — and you know you can tell me — who’s the lucky guy? Come on. Nina: Did you tell her? I was just about to, but your entrance kind of speaks for itself. You okay? Hell no. Gregory, you know nina reeves, the former editor of crimson magazine. Yeah, nina may have been editor — it’s okay, valentin. Alexis, if you’re thinking that I accepted valentin’s offer with the intention of pushing you out as editor in chief and taking over, then — did you? I like that. Getting straight to the point. Thank you for not beating around the bush for a half an hour. Did you? I was surprised as anyone when valentin proposed that I become publisher of the invader, and once the surprise wore off, I got really excited because I have watched what you have done here. You’ve taken this common tabloid newspaper and you turned it into a vehicle for serious journalism. Well, that was the point. That was what shawn butler and i agreed upon from the beginning. And I am so honored to be part of this team, and I will do anything that I can to help you hone your vision. I appreciate that very much. What I would like to know is why the person that I am now taking orders from got fired from her last job. I don’t think this feeling is ever going away. I hate it, but I don’t know how to make it stop. It’s like…
[ Sighs heavily ] It’s like, without spencer… all the color in the world is gone. It’s just gray. And I feel like I’m a zombie barely going through the motions and everything that I thought was important, like art or — or good grades or the sorbonne… I look at that now, and it’s like… none of that is important. And it’s not even that I don’t care. It’s like I-I don’t care that I don’t care. I hear you. Do you think that’ll go away with time? I’m not thinking anything. Just listening. And it’s —
[ Sighs ] I keep getting e-mails from pcu asking me to confirm if I’m coming back for the fall semester, and I don’t — I-I just — I don’t know if I can do that. So don’T. Don’t do it. But what if I never can? You don’t need to remind me that sonny often hurts the people he cares about and then rationalize it by saying he’s following some code. I know, josslyn. I’ve watched him do it for years. Hell, I’ve watched him do it to me. But I knew what I was getting into when I chose to be a part of sonny’s world, and so did dex. So, this “code” just justifies everything that sonny’s done? No, honey. It explains it. It’s his world. It’s how he operates. It’s what he’s done for years. Hell, by now, it’s a part of his dna. Is loyalty a part of this code? Seriously, mom. Why is it that everybody, dex included, has to be blindly loyal to sonny, but he doesn’t have to be loyal to them? Dex is not stupid or naive. He’s ex-military. Adapting to situations is what he does. He’s lucky that he was dealing with sonny, and he’s even luckier that he had you. No. I’m a part of the reason why he’s in this mess. You’re not. You —
[ Sighs ] You are the only reason that he’s probably still alive, okay? You and the fact that sonny loves you. Oh, don’t! He does. Or dex wouldn’t have gotten the option to leave. Well, I don’t want sonny’s kind of love. I just want dex back. So can you please help me find him? Port charles is the only true home he’s ever known. Okay [Sighs] Josslyn, before you take off and blow up your life trying to find dex, you need to ask yourself a very important question. What, what if I don’t find him? What if you do?
I can’t imagine going back to campus in the fall a-and doing things that normal people do in college, not after losing spencer. And I’d just be pretending. And I don’t even have enough energy to pull that off. I don’t even bother trying. Well, it’s clearly one of those times where “fake it till you make it” doesn’t apply. If you’re not feeling college, then don’t go. Okay, well, try telling that to mom. Yeah, that’s gonna take some time, but she’ll get there. Look, no matter how old, how independent or self-sufficient you become, you’re always going to be your mother’s child. And your mom wants what every parent in the world wants, and that’s for you to be happy. I don’t think I can ever be happy again. Well, do you have an idea about what it would take for you to be happy again? A miracle. Barring that? I just need… I just need to find a way to keep spencer present in my life ’cause I feel like I’m losing a little bit of him every day. And what if one day the only thing left I have of him… …is this? I wasted half my life because some doctor thought he knew what was wrong with me. But doctors know more today than they knew back then. But I may never know what happened to me. And I have a hard time letting go of that one.
[ Sighs ] I think you can be forgiven for that. What happened to you back then was a mystery, and people need a mystery solved. And as much as I want answers, I’m not sure I can afford to spend the limited time I have on this here earth trying to find them. Is it fair to my family? Is it fair to the people I care about? Only you can answer that. Oh, I know exactly what I’m gonna say to dex when I find him. I’m gonna say, “to hell with sonny. You’re coming back home with me.” Okay, I don’t doubt that you have what it takes to find dex. But dex isn’t in sonny’s world anymore. He’s not under his thumb. Isn’t that what you’ve always wanted? Let dex start a new life. Hey, nina’s exit from
crimson had nothing — it’s okay, valentin. Alexis asked a very valid question, and she deserves a response. I try to keep my personal and professional worlds apart. Drew chose to merge the two. He put carly in place as editor in chief solely to get back at me. So if anyone put crimson and its staff at risk, you should be looking in carly and drew’s direction, not mine. Mm. Well, thank you for being so forthright. And I’ll always be like that. Any more questions? Not at the moment. I know my exit from crimson — it was a little dramatic, right? And the whole drama between me and carly and drew — it’s a little scandalous, but a little scandal does not need to get in the way of serious journalism. Ask woodward and bernstein. I know it might not be my place to point this out, but woodward and bernstein investigated and reported on a scandal. They weren’t a part of the scandal itself. I know that I have not run a daily before, but I have years of experience in publishing — perhaps a little bit more than you, alexis. That’s true. And I know how this industry works. I can get things done, and I am prepared to make this work. Are you?
[ Sighs ]
Well, I wish I had something different to say, honey, but my advice is the same. If you want to keep spencer present, then share your memories of him. Tell your mom. Tell josslyn. Tell me. But even you’ll get tired of that. Try me. And you can start with that figurine. Why is it so special? You brought your turtle dove with you? Well, yeah. There might be weekends where you’re gonna be back home and I’ll be here and… it’ll be like if we’re still together. That’s what this thing is for, isn’t it?
[ Chuckles ] Yeah. Yeah, it sure is. That’s pretty cute. Aww, you have yours with you. Yeah, I, um — I take this with me everywhere I go. It’s — it’s a turtle dove. There’s two of them — like in the christmas carol.
Two turtle doves um…spencer… spencer originally wanted to give this to me for christmas, but so much happened, and, um, he gave it to me months later. But I didn’t care about the delay. I loved them. Like I loved him.
[ Sighs ] I guess I’m just gonna have to learn to live with the fact that I — I may never know what was wrong with me. Better than the alternative.
[ Both laugh ] How you doing now? Better. Better than I have in years. The symptoms haven’t shown any signs of returning and the stress of — of waiting for it to happen again — I didn’t know how much it was weighing on me until… it’s gone. You have been carrying a heavy burden for a long time. Are you ready to put it down? The past is the past. Let’s focus on today the way that I’ve been focused on yesterday. Besides, I hear today is where the good stuff is anyway. Are you sure about this? What other choice is there? How can somebody take a look at me and diagnose a condition I had 40 years ago that hasn’t reared its ugly head since? I got to let it go. You can’t stop a man with a plan. Skiddlee-dee-bop, sha-bop, sha-bam.
[ Both laugh ] Not this man, not this plan. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate you listening to me. I appreciate you more than you know. It’s what I do. It’s a lot more than that. Thank you. Felicia. I-it’s — it’s stella, yes. I was wondering if I could trouble you with something. At the moment, there is no one in particular that I want to take to the wedding. Do you want me to introduce you to someone? Oh! Or I can help you set up your dating profile for the apps. I really don’T. I, uh — I’m actually quite content being single. I’m talking about someone pleasant for the wedding. You know, someone who’ll open the door for you or take your coat for you or give you a little dip on the dance floor in the middle of the reception. Pass. But thank you, though. “Tracy quartermaine and a guest.” Better? Much.
[ Sighs ] Hey. Come here. I can see it in your eyes. You’re worried about your grandmother. Don’t be. Tracy doesn’t need anyone but tracy. I’m not so sure about that, ma. For all granny’s bravado, there’s a loneliness inside her. It’s been there ever since she lost luke. I don’t know. Maybe this wedding will be a way for her to be a little less lonely. Yeah.
[ Laughs ] I knew you’d make the right decision. It’s for the best of the invader. Well, it’s what we all want. Yes. Well, we are going to take off because you have a lot of work to do. Yes, I have plenty of work to do, familiarizing myself with the operation. Well, you know I’m just a phone call away, and I will do everything I can to make this arrangement work. Well, that makes it unanimous.
[ Chuckling ] Okay. Okay.
[ Door closes ] I know what you’re thinking, so just go ahead and say it.
[ Sighs ] I’m thinking that you’re taking a risk, but you already know that. Of course I know that. I can see what’s going on. I’m not ready to leave the invader, and I want to see what those two are planning. Thank you for having my back. Yeah, of course. But make no mistake. I’m expecting great things from you and alexis. That is, if you meant what you were saying in there. Oh, I meant every word. I mean, the invader can be a bit self-righteous, but alexis does a great job. She does a great job. But the newspaper could use a little… sexing up. How do you intend to do that? Oh, that’s simple. You just focus on the stories that the readers are hungry for. Such as? Such as… carly and drew. I can’t let dex go. I’m sorry. He just means too much to me. So…I’m gonna find him. And if he doesn’t want to come back to port charles, then we’ll go somewhere else together.
[ Door closes ]
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