Brenda Returns #5 September 20 - October 29, 2002: 8 hour original edit - 8 hr original edit

Later, Jason enters Brenda’s room when she wakes up screaming from a nightmare. Jason and Brenda pull away from a hug. He asks if she is alright. She said that her nightmares are getting worse and that the medication used to help. Jason offers to get meds for her but she said she doesn't want any more drugs. Sonny walks into the next room and listens at the vent. Jason tells her that he is doing everything he can for her and if she needs anything to tell him. Brenda asks him to leave. Jason enters the next room and tells Sonny that they need to get Brenda out of there now. Jason tells Sonny Brenda had a nightmare and that she turns down his getting her meds for her illness. He states that she is only concerned with Jax. He tells Sonny he can't deal with her anymore and he wants Sonny to send her to Puerto Rico.

Sonny refuses. He said that they are holding her until Alcazar is out of the picture and then she can do whatever she wants. Jason said he needs a break, and Sonny tells him to be back asap. Brenda is knocking on the door of her room trying to get Jason's attention. She says she needs to tell him one thing about Jax. She begins screaming and banging on the door. She realizes that someone is on the other side of the wall. She says she can see them moving through the grate. She keeps asking questions for the person to talk, but the person on the other side (Sonny) does not answer. She says Jason blames her even though he hasn't come out and said it yet. She says that maybe it is her fault, but that she only wanted to protect him. She said that no matter what happened she always loved him.

Brenda is still talking to "the person" on the other side of the wall. She said the only thing that matters to her now is protecting Jax. She says that she would give anything to see him right now, or to talk to him. Brenda asks if there is anything that she could make this person do to break their orders. She makes fun of how the guards can't break their "sacred orders" and Sonny smiles. She says she feels bad for people like that, those that have to take orders. Brenda says that she recalls one day when she was walking down the pier, a man walked up to her and asked if she needed help... a musical montage of flashbacks of multiple scenes with her and Sonny together to "Crazy Love".

Skye and Jax happily plan the wedding, unaware that Brenda is alive. Alcazar places a call to Roy and tells him that tailing Jax isn’t cutting it anymore. Alcazar orders Roy to kill Jax who can’t understand why Jax is still such a big deal since Brenda isn’t trying to contact him. Alcazars repeats the order and after hanging up tells and unseen person that he may have to kill Jax himself as Roy may not follow through. Carly shows up at the safe house hot on the heels of Sonny’s guy. While he’s blasting her for not following the plan, Alcazar slips a silencer on his piece. Ned offers to hold Jax’s wedding ring from Brenda for safekeeping. Jax tells him that that part of his life is over and flings it towards the water. He must throw like a girl because it doesn’t make it and we see Brenda conveniently pick it up. Skye and Jax pose for pictures for the photographer at the church.

Meanwhile, Alcazar is waiting in one of the reception rooms off of the chapel. He waits for a good clear view of Jax so he can shoot him but Jax's parents are in the way of his view. Jason orders Roy to stay clear of Alcazar and try and find Brenda so that they can get her back to the safe house before Alcazar sees her. Brenda gets a cab and arrives at the church. She finds a gold wedding band on the ground next to her. She picks it up and reads the inscription. She realizes it is the ring she gave Jax when they got married and feels sad. She is about to go into the church but is startled when Courtney arrives and gets her attention. She asks Brenda if she is here for the wedding. Brenda tells her she came to pray and that she was told there was a private ceremony and so she was just leaving. Courtney tells her that she is sort of related to the bride since her husband A.J. is the bride's brother and is walking her down the aisle. Brenda doesn't reveal who she is and lets Courtney go by.

Brenda sneaks into the church and hides in one of the reception areas. She sees Jax and almost reveals herself when she is alone in the room with him but Ned shows up and so she loses her nerve and hides in the corner. Ned and Jax discuss his marriage to Skye. Brenda overhears Jax tell Ned that he wouldn't marry Skye if he didn't love her and intend to be with her forever. Brenda moves to the next room but decides to watch the ceremony. Skye goes in one of the rooms to find a handkerchief that Lila gave her. She sees Alcazar in the room and asks him what he is doing in there. He makes up some story about how he is the Reverend's assistant and was asked to check out the fuse boxes to make sure everything was o.k. for the wedding. Skye buys his explanation and allows him to kiss her cheek for good luck.

The ceremony begins with A.J. walking Skye down the aisle. As the bride and groom are exchanging vows, Brenda watches from the loft. She thinks about her own wedding to Jax on his yacht years ago and feels painful that she couldn't be happy with him now. The power goes out from the storm outside and the rooms plunge into darkness. They continue the ceremony and exchange rings. Jason is given orders from one of Sonny's men via Sonny that he is to find Brenda and return her to the safe house and to not try and apprehend Alcazar at this time. Jason reluctantly follows his orders and witnesses Brenda across from him watching the ceremony but the power failure keeps him from getting to her.

Alcazar goes to make his move to shoot Jax but Brenda grabs his arm and the gun goes off toward the floor between them. He turns around and finds himself pointing the gun at Brenda, who stares him down. Jax and Skye finished there wedding ceremony with no apparent interruption by Alcazar. Jax surprised Skye with a reception in the foyer before they left for home. While they were busy getting married, Alcazar was trying to get a shot at Jax, but Brenda caught him off guard and tried to convince him to shoot her instead. Jason then came in and was able to distract Alcazar so that both he and Brenda could get away.

Brenda steals Jax and Skye's limo and gets away. Roy and Jason set off to look for Alcazar again and when Roy finds him, they struggle and Alcazar is shot in the stomach. While Skye prepares for her wedding night with Jax, he goes around the cottage and onto the patio, blowing out the candles that they had lit earlier. As he turns to go back inside, someone behind him says, "Congratulations." He turns around to find Brenda, who he had believed dead for the past four years.

One of Alcazar’s men helps him into what looks like a cabin. He tells no-name goon to get him a doctor and to make finding Brenda the top priority. Jax slowly turns around and spots Brenda. He can’t believe his eyes and they stand there staring at each other for what seems like hours. Jax finally speaks and tells her that he knew she was alive. He tells her that he saw her in Paris, “it was you, it was you…” Brenda says yes and runs and jumps into his arms. Jax hugs her tightly as he starts to cry. Brenda tells Jax all about the night of her accident, stating that she doesn’t really remember anything after she hit the water. He tells her how tortured he was to watch the whole thing happen and relives diving into the water from the helicopter that Jerry was piloting.

Though Brenda wants to answer Jax’s questions, she interrupts to tell him quite succinctly that he’s in grave danger from the man that she’s been shacked up with for the past four years. She wants him safe, that’s the only reason she risked even seeing him. Of course, Alcazar says Jax, you’re the only thing that Sonny and I have in common. Brenda says that Alcazar shot Sonny and she’s not going to let him hurt anyone else she loves. “He’s been good to me, took me to the best doctors money can buy and has been feeding me lies and meds I don’t need in an attempt to make me stay with him forever”. Jax asks why it was so easy for her to believe that Alcazar would stand beside her during her illness when he promised the same exact thing.

Skye’s looking for her groom and Jax tells Brenda she can’t just leave again. She says she did what she came to do which was warn him. She tells him to take his new bride and just vanish. Jax begs her not to disappear, gives her his cell phone and tells her to go to her old cottage. He says he will see her there tomorrow and makes her promise she will show up. She agrees and hides behind the foliage to watch Jax and Skye smooch. Jax and Sky make love while a desolate Brenda sits alone in her old cottage fondling Jax’s old wedding ring amid the candles. Later while Skye’s sleeping, Jax steps outside and calls Brenda. He knows she said that she would be there tomorrow, but she didn’t promise. “I promise” she says and then he says “remember, nobody leaves”.

Then next day, Jax arrives and upon finding the cottage empty, he begins searching for his lost love. Brenda shows up and tells him that she had taken a walk in the woods. Jax reminds her of the danger of the situation and that she shouldn’t be wandering out there alone. She says the same thing to him and that he shouldn’t have come without a bodyguard. He hands her a bag of clean clothes as well as a bag containing breakfast. She apologizes for her timing, but reminds him that she is not going to be hiding out in the cottage. She asks him if he has told Skye about her or the situation. He tells her not to worry that he knows exactly what he has to tell Skye. Brenda has changed into some clothes and tries to locate a pad of paper and a pen. After finding them she begins to write a letter.

Brenda reads the letter she wrote to Jax. Can’t quite remember everything she says, but in a nutshell, she tells him that she is grateful for every moment they spent together. When she left before she didn’t know if he would survive, but now she knows she will because of Skye. She tells him that she wants him to be happy and then she will be happy. She leaves the letter underneath a book on the table and prepares to leave, but sees someone come up to the cottage. She hides in another room and sees Jason enter and he begins looking for clues that she was there. Jax arrives and Jason begins to interrogate him about Brenda’s whereabouts. Jax remains mum. Its pretty obvious that Jason knows Brenda has or is there and tells Jax that now it is up to him to protect the people he cares about.

Jason leaves and Jax tells Brenda that its safe to come out. She begins to protest saying that it would be better if her and Alcazar just left. Everything would be easier. Jax disagrees and pulls her into a hug. While in the hug, Brenda tries to get the letter back from its hiding place. Jax goes to take clothes to a hidden Brenda. Brenda asks Jax many questions about Skye. Skye is not a dummy so she is quizzing poor Jason about Jax's whereabouts. Later, Jax returns to the cottage and approaches Brenda. He tells her that "Skye gave me back my heart. I need her as she needs me."

Jax walks in on Brenda in a towel, which startles her. Jax wanted to know if she was ok and asks if she needed anything. Brenda asks Jax what Skye was like and Jax told her that he was really happy and how much he loves her. Brenda and Jax talk about Skye, Ned, and Lois and about her relationship with Alcazar. Jax tells Brenda how much he was in love with Skye but when he looks at Brenda his eyes tell a different story. At the safe house, Alcazar reminisces about Brenda and figures out that she would be at her old cottage.

Brenda sees that Jax had left his Jacket and holds it close. Jason bangs on the door. Brenda tries to stop Jason from entering the cottage, but does not succeed. Once he is inside they argue over where or not she should return to “safe” keeping. Jason tells Brenda that he will keep her safe, even if he has to carry her kicking and screaming from the cottage. Alcazar's man is after Monica. She has disappeared into an elevator at GH. Alcazar’s thug manages to wrestle free of Alan’s hold and takes off after Monica. Monica pulls the emergency stop and places a call to Jason. She tells him about Alcazar's injury, her being kidnapped to treat him, and warns him that Alcazar is gunning for him.

Monica tells Jason she is at the hospital, stopped between floors and afraid to get off in case the man is waiting for her. She promises to stay put until Jason gets there. Brenda urges Jason to go help Monica, since she will only put herself in more danger by escaping from where ever he takes her. With a warning NOT to go outside, run if she sees or hears anything, and NOT to go to Jax, Jason leaves her. Brenda immediately calls Jax.

At the moment, Jax admits to Skye that he lied about his meetings with Jason because he did not to tell her the ‘truth’. He says that Alcazar is a bigger threat than he first thought and promises not to lie to her anymore, but neglects to mention Brenda’s involvement completely. Skye thinks they should go to France and let Jason handle Alcazar. Jax refuses to leave until he is sure ‘everyone’ he cares about is safe. Brenda calls and tells Jax that Jason has found her and asks him NOT to return to the cottage anymore. Jax tells her that he will be there right away. He tells Skye he has to go and might be gone several days.

Alcazar recalls a conversation where Brenda mentioned the cottage and realizes that it is most likely where she is hiding. After managing to dress he calls someone and tells him or her to get him the address of Brenda’s cottage. Shortly after, his henchman returns with the antibiotics. When Alcazar asks, the man claims to have “taken care of Monica”. Alcazar tells the man he knows where Brenda is and wants to go there ASAP so he can finish his business and get out of town. When Jason gets to the hospital he meets up with an irritated Alan who is still upset about the kiss me witnessed.

Monica exists the elevator and Alan demands an explanation. Jason intervenes and asks Monica if she can tell him where the cabin is. Telling Alan she was kidnapped and promising to explain later, Monica rushes off to help Jason find Alcazar’s hideout. When Jason and Max arrive, they find the cabin empty. Jason finds a clue to where Alcazar has gone and calls Sonny for help. Jason tells Sonny that he missed Alcazar at the cabin but it is obvious from the missing piece of a map he found that Alcazar is on his way to Brenda’s cottage. Jason asks Sonny to intercept Alcazar since Sonny is closer and can arrive sooner than Jason can. Sonny tells Carly he has to go stop Alcazar, but again fails to mention Brenda in anyway. Carly pleads with Sonny not to go, but Sonny maintains that he has to put a stop to Alcazar’s plans.

Jax tells Brenda that he wants to take her to New Orleans until everything is over. Brenda recalls the happy night they spent there before they got married, but refuses to stay in the same hotel. Jax tells she can stay anywhere she wants. Jax again wonders why Brenda couldn’t trust him with the truth about her condition. Brenda claims it no longer matters. Suddenly, Alcazar bursts through the door, gun in hand. Jax tries to shield Brenda. Jax tells Brenda to run and accuses Alcazar of playing mind games with her. He tells Alcazar that even if Alcazar manages to kill him, Jason and Jerry will come after him and won’t rest until he is dead. Alcazar shoots Jax in the abdomen.

Brenda listens in shock as Alcazar tells her to come with him or he will kill Jax with the next shot. Brenda runs to Jax and throwing herself across his body dares Alcazar to shoot her. Alcazar tells Brenda that she can stay and watch Jax bleed to death or save his life, by going with him and calling 9-1-1 from the car. As Brenda kisses Jax goodbye, Sonny appears in the doorway. He shoots Alcazar twice. Alcazar falls to the floor. Sonny approaches Brenda, is who still shielding Jax with her body. He softly says her name. Brenda looks up at him in disbelief. Sonny is hit when Brenda professes her love to a critically wounded Jax, who is taken to the hospital. Brenda blames Sonny for Jax being shot.

Skye arrives at the hospital and learns Jax was with a woman when he was shot. At the police station, Brenda refuses to implicate Sonny in any wrongdoing and states he saved her and Jax's lives. In the interrogation room at the Port Charles Police Department, Sonny and Jason see Carly run into Brenda just as Brenda is rushing out of police headquarters to see Jax at the Hospital. Carly recognizes Brenda and suddenly realizes that Brenda must have been Alcazar's girlfriend. Carly accuses Brenda of being the cause of all the carnage. But Brenda just pushes past Carly, in a hurry to see Jax.

Carly: (Sarcastically while gripping Brenda by the arm) “We can’t thank you enough for bringing Alcazar into our lives.” “Brenda Barrett? Or is it Brenda Alcazar now?”
Brenda: “You need to let go of my arm…I’m going to the hospital to see Jax (yanks free and starts to walk away) …idiot.”
Carly: (Shrieking to Brenda’s back ) “Well, you’d better hurry because Jax is married too!”
Sonny: “At least Carly didn’t lose it.”
Jason: “Yet,”
Sonny: “You know she’s going to go postal and then what are we going to do?”
Even Taggert gets in the act by remarking to Sonny, “So, the devil wouldn’t have you – huh?”

Brenda arrives at GH and watches Skye with Jax through the window. When Skye steps out, Brenda slips in unnoticed to Jax's ICU room. She begins talking to Jax and asks if he would please wake up for her. Jax and Brenda gaze at each other and whisper “nobody leaves”. Brenda holds Jax's hand, Skye suddenly returns to Jax's ICU room and asks Brenda: "Who are you? And what are you doing with my husband?' Skye recognizes Brenda. Brenda tries to explain her disappearance, her escape from Alcazar and how she tried to get to Jax to warn him.

Skye blames Brenda for Jax being shot. Jax defends Brenda by saying she did everything she could to warn Jax. Jax exonerates Brenda of any liability and reveals, in front of Skye, that he asked Brenda to stay. Skye asks Brenda what her immediate plans are. Skye is not happy that she wasn't told about Brenda. Skye questions what would have happened if Brenda had shown up sooner, would he still have married her?

Brenda goes to see Alcazar in his hospital room and tells him she will never care for him after what he has done. Alexis enters room and puts it all together that Brenda is a cause of all the lousy things that have happened. Brenda apologizes and leaves. Alexis approaches Alcazar's bed and tells him "her name was Kristina" - the woman you killed in Sonny's warehouse - Alexis' only sister. She tells him Kristina was beautiful, loyal and strong with crystal-clear eyes.

Alcazar took that away from Alexis. Alexis calls Alcazar vermin and tells him she won't tax the citizens of PC by dragging him through the system. She goes to his medicine IV and toys with Alcazar about turning off his medications to bring on a slow, painful death but Ned interrupts and says he wants to do it. Ned tells Alcazar he loved Kristina too, and he was going to marry her. Ned tells Alcazar that someday, someone's going to make him pay, then Ned leaves the room.

Skye questions why Brenda is in Jax's room and then remembers who she is. Skye questions how Brenda knows about her. It occurs to Skye that Jax abandoned Skye the day after their wedding to see Brenda. Brenda explains that she didn't know how "bad" Alcazar was, and that Jax helped her. Brenda claims she isn't in PC to complicate anyone's life. Skye says she is going to make sure Jax and her stay happy. Skye blames Brenda as the reason that Jax almost died, and Jax awakes and says Brenda's the reason why he's alive. Jax tells Skye he would have married her if Brenda showed up in the middle of their vows.

Brenda, still lurking around, peeks in on Alcazar then enters his room. He awakes and smiles at her telling her he's going to make a full recovery. She asks why he did this, and he says to keep his promise to her. Brenda tells Alcazar she could never care for him after what he's done. Alcazar says he doesn't care if she loves him or not, she's his. Jax reassures Skye she won't lose him either to the bullet wound or Brenda. Brenda returns, again, to Jax's room but runs away when Skye see her. Skye goes after her.

Skye apologizes and thanks Brenda for saving Jax's life. Brenda tells Skye she's leaving town again. Skye offers to let Brenda go in and say goodnight to Jax. Brenda sits down next to Jax with Skye watching through the window looking concerned. Brenda overhears Monica discussing Jax's case with another doctor and Brenda asks for information, but Monica cuts her short. When Edward arrives at the Hospital he is thrilled to see Brenda. Brenda assures Edward that she is not there to break up Jax's marriage to Skye. Skye visits Jax in ICU and Skye notices that Jax no longer has his wedding ring on. Jax guesses that they took it off when they operated, and asks Skye to find it for him.

Monica arrives and informs Jax that the bullet that hit him fragmented and could cause permanent neurological damage. Monica tells Jax that they face two problems - to stop the internal bleeding, the surgery could damage the spinal cord and result in paralysis. But if they leave the bullet fragments, the fragments could sever an artery and cause further internal bleeding. Monica warns Jax and Skye that they do not have much time to decide what to do. Skye and Jax decide to go ahead with the surgery. Skye assures Jax that they will face whatever comes - together! No matter what!

As Skye and Brenda watch Jax in the OR, Skye tells Brenda that Jax told Skye that Brenda has inherited her mother's illness, and Skye urges Brenda to leave town rather than to try to be a third wheel in Jax's life. Brenda informs Skye that one day Jax will be with Brenda, but it will not be because Brenda has been running after Jax. Jax comes out of the OR and, while Skye talks to the doctors, Brenda slips unnoticed into Jax's room and Jax asks Brenda to help him see if he can feel his leg.

Brenda sits with Jax in his hospital room while Skye meets with Jax's doctors, including Monica about Jax's treatment. They tell her that his surgery was successful but there could be side-effects they are not aware of. Jax asks Brenda to pinch his leg so he can see if he can feel it. Brenda pinches his leg but doesn't tell him and tries to hide her reaction when he doesn't react to her touch on his leg. She changes the subject to distract him about his leg.

She runs into Skye later in the waiting area and tells her about what happened with Jax's leg. Skye becomes very concerned that Jax can't feel his leg. She tells Brenda not to worry about Jax and that she will take care of him now. Brenda hangs out in the waiting area and lets out her grief over Jax's condition. Taggert finds her there and starts to question her about her involvement with Alcazar and how much she had a part in what happened to Jax and Sonny. She tells him that she gave her statement to the police and has nothing more to say.

Taggert won't leave it alone until Ned interrupts him and threatens to press charges against him for harassment and questioning Brenda without allowing her to call her lawyer. Taggert leaves quietly. Brenda is pleasantly surprised to see Ned and they have a happy reunion. Ned invites Brenda to stay at the Quartermaines' in her old bedroom at Lila's request. Brenda reluctantly agrees after Ned reminds her that she is family to them all. Skye and Jax are at the hospital. Jax says he can’t feel his legs or the sheets on them. He tells Skye to feel his leg and she says it’s too soon to tell anything. He grabs his leg and then punches it saying he can’t feel it and that he’s paralyzed.

When Carly answers the door at the Penthouse, she is disgusted to see Brenda standing there. When Michael asks if Brenda is one of Sonny's friends, Brenda tells him that she is then Brenda asks Michael to give her a 'High Five.' Carly is further disgusted when Brenda asks to speak to Sonny alone. Brenda tells Sonny that Taggert is now claiming she asked Alcazar to kill both Sonny and Jax. Sonny tells her that he will take care of her. She tells him that she doesn’t want him to take care of her, and that she just wanted to let him know what was going on. They are interrupted when Sonny gets a call and has to leave.

After Sonny leaves, Carly warns Brenda that Carly does not plan to stand by and suffer in silence while Brenda throws herself at Carly's husband. Carly warns Brenda - 'Do not come in here and High Five my kid again!' Brenda asks why Carly is so uptight if Carly is that confident about Sonny's love for Carly. Carly gloats to Brenda that Sonny married Carly three times but left Brenda standing at the altar! Carly tells Brenda that Brenda was not strong enough to be Sonny's wife and Carly urges Brenda to go lean on Jax and mess up Jax's life. But Brenda informs Carly that Jax might be paralyzed. Carly is shocked to hear that news about her old business partner.

Brenda and Carly continue to argue, and Carly points out that Brenda hurts people and that Carly will not let Brenda hurt Sonny - OR Sonny's family! But Brenda reminds Carly that Carly is too selfish to be sincere about putting her 'family' first. Carly then orders Brenda to get out. As Brenda goes outside, she starts banging her head on the wall in the hallway. Sonny comes up on the elevator and tries to stop her.

Carly looks through the doorway and sees Sonny and Brenda together. Sonny is trying to get Brenda’s attention, “Brenda, Brenda” as Carly looks on. Carly looks on in disapproval as Sonny tries to find out what is wrong with Brenda but Brenda just says that she is in a hurry to see Jax at the Hospital, and brushes Sonny off. After Brenda leaves, Sonny assures Carly that Brenda is not a threat to their marriage. But Carly tells Sonny that it is obvious that Brenda craves attention from both Sonny and Jax at the same time!

At the hospital, the surgeon tells Jax that there is significant swelling. He says that they had to rebuild with bone grafts and support rods because the bullet fractured multiple parts of the vertebrae. He says Jax is paralyzed from the waist down but is unsure for how long. Jax says he wants to start physical therapy tonight and that he will walk out of there within one month. Monica is in the hallway with Skye and tells her that there is a chance Jax could spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair.

After Monica and Skye leave, Jax dreams of dancing with Skye in her wedding gown. But Skye suddenly turns into Brenda in his arms. Jax wakes up and asks for Skye - but she is not there! Jax sees the phone on the other side of the room. He fights to sit up, and get to the end of the bed. He tries to stand up and his legs buckle underneath him as he falls to the floor in pain. Jax is on the floor of the hospital in pain. Jax struggles to get up after he has fallen to the floor in an attempt to determine for himself whether or not he is facing a lifetime of paralysis. When Brenda arrives at the Hospital, she insists on seeing Jax and discovers Jax on the floor.

Back at the Penthouse, Sonny explains that he wants to give Brenda enough money for her to be able to get the best medical care and live close to a clinic specializing in Brenda's illness - for whatever time Brenda has left. Carly surprises Sonny when she urges Sonny to give the money to Brenda pronto and hurry Brenda out of town. There is no time like the present, Carly insists, as she encourages Sonny to give the money to Brenda that very night!

At the Hospital, orderlies get an unhappy Jax back to bed, then Brenda calls Skye, advising Jax's bride that Jax needs her right away. Bobbie stays to speak to Jax, and Bobbie informs Jax that it was not too long ago that doctors were telling Bobbie that Bobbie would never walk again - but Bobbie proved them wrong. Bobbie tells Jax that, if he genuinely wants to walk again, Jax needs to pay attention to the advice he is getting from his doctors and to let the people who love him be with him!

When Skye arrives at the hospital, she finds Jax and Brenda in an intimate huddle. After Brenda leaves, Skye informs Jax again that Skye plans to be there for the long haul. Skye tries to convince Jax that he can do anything he decides to do. So Skye is stunned when Jax announces that he plans to divorce her!

Monica finds Brenda in the Hospital corridor and demands that Brenda return to the Quartermaine Mansion with Monica. When Brenda arrives at the Quartermaine Mansion with Monica, everyone is on hand to greet her, including Lila and Reginald! After the rest of the Quartermaines retire for the night, Brenda goes out On the Terrace and is surprised when Sonny suddenly shows up! Sonny offers Brenda the $2 million that he believes Pier 52 is worth to him. But Brenda wants to know if Sonny just wants Brenda to leave town.

Sonny tries to buy off Brenda for her to leave town. She is upset that he wants her out of town and she blames it on Carly. Sonny says Carly doesn't want Brenda around, but that's not why he's there. Sonny just wants to make sure she's taken care of. Brenda challenges him that he wanted to see her and that he's a big liar. Sonny says he loves Carly, and his marriage to Carly has nothing to do with Brenda, she has no effect on his marriage. Brenda claims she is staying in PC because Jax might be paralyzed, and until Jax asks her to leave. Sonny tells Carly that Brenda turned down the money and that she's staying. Carly is not pleased. Sonny tells Carly that Brenda is hanging around because of Jax. Carly sympathizes with Skye and Brenda's interference. She makes reference to Brenda just waltzing into town to take away Skye's happiness.

Jax tells Skye nothing's forever. Skye says there is no way she's letting Jax divorce her. Jax doesn't want Skye tied to a crippled man and asks her to leave. Jax says if she won't leave he'll drag himself out of bed and throw her out, but he has no strength. He tells her to get the hell away from him. Skye is crushed and leaves in tears. Brenda shows up and Jax tells her "good night", and wants her to leave. He is sulking because of his paralysis. He tells Brenda he's already thrown Skye out. Brenda tells him nobody tells understand what he's going through better than she does. Brenda makes reference to her mother's disease and how Jax didn't want to leave her. She uses this to validate her four-year absence from PC.

Brenda tells Jax that he's being selfish, but Jax claims it as his right. Brenda tells Jax that she was wrong by not letting her support her years ago, but that he needs to let Skye help him now. Skye encounters Alcazar walking down the hospital hall and she confronts him. She says the fact that he's walking at all is a travesty, an that he should be dead. She slaps him across the face. A security guard intervenes and Skye tells Alcazar that he's going to pay. Alcazar sends for Brenda. When she arrives, she wants to know what he wants. He says his story hasn't changed, he wants her. Alcazar tries to convince her to leave PC with her. He tells her she doesn't belong in PC and that she's an outsider looking in. He makes reference to the little time she has left, to which Brenda responds "go to hell".

Skye is crying and Brenda approaches her. Brenda tells Skye she should go see Jax, but Skye tells her Jax wants a divorce. Brenda encourages Skye to stay with Jax no matter what. When asked if Brenda still loves Jax, Brenda responds not as much as Jax loves Skye. Skye goes back into Jax's room and finds him in pain. Jax reconfirms he doesn't want Skye's help. Skye says Jax can do whatever he wants, but she is staying. Brenda is outside Jax's hospital room looking in.

After reading Brenda's letter to Jax saying goodbye, Skye spots Brenda arriving at the Hospital. When Brenda asks about Jax, Brenda is surprised when Skye urges Brenda to go inside and see Jax. However, when Brenda sees Jax, Jax tells Brenda he needs her help! Jax asks Brenda to lie for him and tell Skye that they realized how much they still love each other and want to be together. Brenda is apprehensive about lying to Skye since she knows that she stayed away from Jax and hurt him the same way. He tells her about Skye's alcoholism and that she is strong enough to go on without him. Skye goes to see Jax and finds him talking to Brenda. Brenda tells her that she still loves Jax and he still loves her and that she knows that Jax is divorcing her now so they can be together now. Skye asks her to leave. Brenda leaves as asked.

Skye tells Jax that his little scheme to get rid of her didn't work and that he will have to fight her in family court to divorce her since she isn't giving up on their marriage because of his paralysis. Jax realizes that he needs to convince Skye that it is over between them and that he wants Brenda back. Brenda is in the waiting area when Alcazar sees her. He tells her that he has been released from the hospital and is under police guard but that he will find a way for them to go away together. Brenda tells him that she has no intention of leaving Port Charles with him and that she hates him. He doesn't believe she has no feelings for him and insists they will be together again soon. She informs him he will be arrested soon enough.

Taggert shows up and agrees with her and tells that because of Brenda's testimony and the other evidence they have against him he is now under arrest. Alcazar doesn't seem too upset by the arrest. Brenda returns to Jax's room. He tells her that Skye needs to be convinced that he is still in love with her in order for her to believe their marriage is over. He asks Brenda to kiss him when he hears Skye talking to an orderly outside his room. Brenda doesn't want to kiss him but he pleads with her that this is the right thing to do for Skye and everyone else. Brenda leans into him to kiss him when Skye walks into the room.

When Jax spots Skye in the Hospital corridor, watching as Brenda visits Jax, Jax asks Brenda to kiss him and then he 'confesses' to Brenda that he still has strong feelings for her, in a charade designed to convince Skye that Skye should bail from the marriage, rather than feel obligated to a lifetime commitment to a paralyzed man. When Skye leaves the hallway, Brenda tells Jax that he is no longer the man she once loved because the REAL Jax could NOT be that cruel to anyone but especially to someone he said he loved. Jax objects to Brenda's assessment of his character and Jax reminds Brenda that he probably will never walk again. However, as Brenda and Jax argue about Jax's plan to spare Skye by pretending that he does not love her, Brenda notices that Jax's foot twitched. Brenda tells Jax that he just moved his foot, but Jax is not sure he can believe her.

Dr. Caldwell arrives at Jax's room and tells him that the movement of that foot IS a good sign. Skye watches as Brenda finally leaves Jax's room. When John and Jane arrive, they are thrilled to hear Jax's good news. But John is surprised when Jax tells them that it was BRENDA who was with him when he moved his foot! Skye catches Brenda before Brenda can leave the Hospital and Skye lets Brenda know that she saw through Jax's charade. Skye accuses Brenda of wanting to be with Jax. Then Brenda tearfully admits the truth that she still does love Jax. Brenda reminds Skye that Brenda, after all, has a rather short life expectancy and that she would never knowingly let Jax become entangled in the kind of uphill battle Brenda knows will be coming up for her. But, when Brenda tries to leave, Skye stops her.

Jax explains to his parents how Brenda was with him when he wiggled his foot for the first time. Jane and John remind Jax that THEY believe that Jax truly loves Skye and they urge their son to think twice before following through on his plan to push Skye away for her own good. Skye urges Brenda to stay in Port Charles and appear to go along with Jax's plan to persuade Skye that he has fallen back in love with Brenda but Skye urges Brenda to use that opportunity to set Jax free to love again by convincing Jax that there truly is no future for Jax with Brenda.

Brenda visits Jax and tells him that she needs to take care of herself and Jax needs to take care of himself. After she leaves, she calls Jason and tells him she needs to see him. Jason arrives at the Hospital and Brenda tells Jason that she wants money from her inheritance so that she can return to Europe. Jason and Brenda argue, but Jason agrees to get some money to Brenda.

Sonny stops by Jax's room. In the hallway, Skye throws away the flowers she brought for Jax. Skye sees Brenda and compliments Brenda's outfit. Brenda claims her clothes just arrived from Paris, but they still look like the Salvation Army clothes she'd been wearing. Brenda indicates that she is playing by Skye's rules. Skye has a plan, and tells Brenda when her plan is complete, Brenda should be gone by then. Brenda smarts off and asks "What if I'm not?" Skye tells Brenda to go for it if she thinks she can take Jax away from her and then Jax can nurse Brenda through her illness and witness her death.

Brenda then decides that Skye should have Jax, and they agree they have a deal. Sonny tells Jax he has a problem with Brenda wasting her time nursing Jax back to health when he has a wife. They exchange insults regarding Brenda when Brenda walks in. Brenda accuses Sonny of being so insecure he must feed on other people's insecurity, and Sonny asks her if she's a psychiatrist now too, in addition to a physical therapist. Sonny leaves.

Brenda is looking in a mirror at the Q mansion, when Sonny enters through the back door. Sonny showers Brenda with compliments. Sonny accuses Brenda thinking that all of PC revolving around her and Candy Boy (Jax). Sonny goes to touch Brenda and she slaps his hand away. A gloating Edward enters the room. Brenda asks Edward to tell Sonny that she doesn't want to talk to Sonny ever, but Edward says he invited Sonny.

Brenda leaves to see Jax. Sonny teases Brenda about her claiming to be a physical therapist. Sonny wants to know if Edward has the DNA results, but they won't be back for an hour. Edward wants to negotiate to make a deal, but Sonny isn't going for it until he knows for sure the baby is his. Sonny leaves.

At the PCPC, Skye has Alcazar brought into the questioning room. He is in shackles and an orange jumpsuit. Skye questions where Brenda was diagnosed and Alcazar tells her. Skye wants to know exactly how much longer Brenda has to live.

Back at the Hospital, Brenda and Jax engage in a long, lingering kiss. As a flustered Brenda pulls away and tries to assure Jax that she no longer loves him in 'that way,' Jax apologizes to Brenda for drawing her into his life, since Jax is not available - because he is married to Skye and truly in love with his wife. Jax tells Brenda he realizes now that it was unfair to ask Brenda to help him walk again, so that Jax can walk home to Skye but never into Brenda's life. Brenda asks why Jax kissed her and Jax admits that he never could resist her.

Skye talks to Brenda about her medications and Brenda assures Skye that Brenda has a large supply of her medication from the clinic in Zurich. Jax has a dream about making love to Brenda. Then Brenda suddenly arrives and Jax admits to her that he was just dreaming about making love to her. Brenda can't hide the fact that she loves him but tells him that she wishes him happiness with Skye.

She leaves the hospital in the pouring rain and finds Sonny standing outside letting the rain drench him. She asks him if he is ok. He tells her that he just found out he isn't going to be a father. Brenda listens to him and shows some sympathy towards him. He tells her that he and Carly lost their baby awhile ago. He tells her that maybe he isn't meant to be a father. Brenda tells him she doesn't think that is necessarily true. They share a tender moment huddled near each other in the rain. Sonny asks her what she needs. Brenda tells him that she doesn't have a long time to live to worry about it. Carly sees them together outside near the doorway. Sonny leaves Brenda out in the rain when she declines to get a ride from him.

Later, Carly runs into Jason at GH. She tells him about seeing Sonny with Brenda outside earlier and they looked cozy. She tells him that Sonny will probably leave her for Brenda now that he knows she lied about Alexis' baby and kept it from him and that it turns out it is Ned's baby after all. Jason tells her to stop jumping to conclusions and go tell Sonny she loves him and fight for him. He tells her not to worry about Brenda. He sees Brenda walking toward Jax's room. Jason grabs her before she can go see Jax and hauls her into Sonny's limo. He tells her he is personally escorting her back to Europe to keep her from causing any more problems for Sonny or Jax. She tells him she wanted to go back to Europe but that Skye asked her to stay around and help Jax recover. Jason tells her that he doesn't care what she wants to do, and accuses her of causing problems in Sonny's marriage to Carly. Brenda realizes what this is about and comes up with some idea in her head and is about to share it with Jason, who just shakes his head in disgust.

Skye gets on a plane for Switzerland to get answers. Posing as a patient with a rare genetic illness (same one as Brenda has), and the nurse fills her in on Brenda's history. She informs her that Brenda is not really ill that her tests came back negative. Skye realizes Brenda is not really dying.

Edward calls Sonny, worried that Brenda didn't come home last night. Carly hopes that this, combined with Jason's sudden disappearance means that he has taken Brenda away to Europe. Brenda and Jason return to PC and show up at the penthouse. Brenda cheerfully announces to a stunned Carly and Sonny that she has just married Jason. Carly is elated by the news of Jason and Brenda's elopement. Sonny toasts them with "love, loyalty, and friendship." Carly offers to throw them a wedding reception. Brenda interrupts Carly's planning to say she has to go.

As soon as Brenda leaves, Carly begs for all the details knowing the Jason "loathes" Brenda. Jason tells Sonny he knows this seems crazy him marrying Brenda. Sonny says he knows that Jason did this for him but it is way beyond the call of friendship. Jason admits that someone has to take care of Brenda and he is in the best position to do so. Sonny wants to know where Jason got this idea. Jason admits Brenda asked him. Jason assures Sonny that he will take care of Brenda.

**The End**