Curlyqgrl's Brenda Returns 2010 #8

Brenda Returns 2010 #8 August 2 -Oct 19 , 2010: 8 hr original edit

Dvd #8A Franco went to a private jet. As the plane prepared for takeoff, he made a phone call. He told the person on the other end that he wanted to book a very special model. In his lap was a magazine that was opened to a full-page picture of Brenda.

8/6 Robin arrived, and Max left the office. She shared the news that she'd received an email from Brenda, which caused Sonny to smile. Robin explained that Brenda had been involved in a charity, the Alliance to Save Exploited Children. She offered Brenda's contact information to Sonny, but he declined, stating that it wouldn't be a good idea for him to be in touch with Brenda. Robin got a page and left, but not before placing the sticky note with Brenda's information on Sonny's bar. On the waterfront, Sonny reminisces about the first time he'd met Brenda.

8/9 Sonny was getting air on the docks when he saw someone who made him call out "Brenda." When the woman turned, it was Claire. Sonny noted that Claire was dressed more casually that usual. Claire said she did not always have to dress so formally. Later back at home, Sonny has a flashback to Brenda.

8/11 In Italy, a man was irritated because a mystery woman had not arrived. His companion explained that she was late because her flight had been delayed. The first man was frustrated because they always had to wait for the lady in question. Moments later, the mystery woman sailed passed them and then entered a dressing room. In the dressing room, a stylist showed the mystery lady a selection of gowns. Later, the mystery lady, flanked by guards, was about to step onto a stage when a knife-wielding man charged at her. Several guards quickly subdued the potential killer and then wrenched the knife away from him. Meanwhile, other guards herded the lady to a corner before she was harmed. Seconds later, an announcer introduced the goodwill ambassador of the Alliance to Save Exploited Children. Brenda Barrett fought back tears as she glanced at the would-be assassin and then walked out onto the stage to present a humanitarian award.

8/12 In Italy, Brenda turned to the door when she heard Suzanne enter the suite. Brenda worried that Suzanne was mad at her. "Not at all," Suzanne assured Brenda before she revealed that she had been looking for Brenda's replacement. According to Suzanne, Angelina was too busy, so she was considering calling Jennifer. Brenda realized that she had been fired. Suzanne was upset because a man had gotten close enough to Brenda to strike her face with a knife. Brenda reminded Suzanne that the man had not succeeded because the Cartullo Couture bodyguards had managed to subdue the attacker. Suzanne didn't want Brenda to be at risk, but Brenda refused to allow an isolated incident to force her into hiding because her charity work was too important. Brenda doubted that the people who had targeted her would see the error of their ways if she stepped down. Suzanne feared that their work would make Brenda a bigger target. "Good," Brenda snapped. Suzanne was alarmed by Brenda's defiant attitude because she didn't want the Alliance to Save Exploited Children to be known as the charity that had gotten Brenda Barrett killed. Later, Brenda was introduced as the Face of Cartullo Couture during a press conference. Reporters immediately questioned Brenda about the attack, but she focused on promoting the ASEC.

After the press conference, Suzanne took Brenda to a different hotel suite, where they could better protect Brenda. Suzanne then gave Brenda a jewelry box that contained a stunning diamond necklace. Brenda explained that she didn't wear diamonds because they were bad luck for her. After Suzanne left, Brenda gazed out the window as she thought about the past. Brenda remembered Jason showing up at the bridal suite after Sonny had left her at the altar. Brenda had asked Jason to take everything that had reminded her of the wedding, including a pair of diamond bracelets that Sonny had given to her. When Brenda snapped back to the present, she walked over to the jewelry case and then snapped it closed.

8/13 Mike sat with Sonny and asked why Sonny was suddenly thinking about Brenda. Mike surmised that, because Sonny's life was in turmoil, he wanted to be the man he'd been when he was with Brenda. Sonny mused that it had all been so much simpler then. Mike went to take care of a customer, and Sonny looked longingly at the piece of paper with Brenda's contact information that Robin had given him.

Brenda sat in her hotel room, reminiscing about her past with Sonny. Suzanne arrived and reminded Brenda that Brenda needed to get dressed for the big date with the man of Brenda's dreams, movie star Murphy Sinclair. Brenda mused that she'd like to cancel. Suzanne urged Brenda to keep the date because the attention they'd garner would help her charity, the Alliance to Save Exploited Children.

Later, after Suzanne left, Murphy arrived and popped the cork on a bottle of bubbly. He told Brenda that he'd expected her to cancel, as he knew how much she hated attending premieres. He admitted he couldn't stand them either. Murphy checked in with Brenda to make sure she was all right after the recent attack on her by a knife-wielding man who'd attempted to scar her face. She assured him that she was fine, and they both took it all in stride. Later, the couple arrived back at the hotel room after the premiere, having just eluded the paparazzi. As they poured glasses of champagne, they laughed about their adventure, but both agreed that there was something missing from their lives. The couple lamented that money, success, and fame were not all they were cracked up to be. They sat, and Murphy got serious. He told Brenda that he loved her and asked her to marry him.

8/16 Brenda and Murphy talked in her hotel room. He proposed and wanted to get married, but Brenda pointed out all the reasons that he should stay single, the primary one being his career. She told him that marriage had never been in her plans, and she thought that he felt the same. Murphy said that he had felt the same way until he realized that he wanted to spend all his time with Brenda. She said that they were both celebrities and that they would have schedule conflicts. Murphy offered to drop out of his movie project to be with her. Murphy said that the only time he was not lonely was when he was with Brenda. Brenda told Murphy that he was adorable and convincing, but she did not love as deeply as he did. She said it was not because of him, but because of what had happened to her when she had loved deeply. Brenda explained that she had been left at the altar three times and that had put her off marriage. When Murphy asked for details, she said that Jax had done it twice and Sonny once. She said that Jax had left her the first time when Sonny showed up with the ex-wife that Jax thought was dead.

The second time Jax refused to marry her was because he had found out that she had kissed Sonny the night before the wedding. She said that she went back to Sonny, but it did not last and Sonny had sent his best friend to deliver the news that the wedding was off and their relationship was over. Murphy asked if she still loved Sonny. When Brenda did not answer immediately, he said that her past was none of his business and all that mattered was what was between them. Murphy told Brenda that he liked the person he was when he was with her. She told him that he was making it hard to say no. They shared a long, slow kiss. Brenda playfully told Murphy that he was a horrible person. Just before saying goodnight and exiting Brenda's hotel suite, Murphy said that he was not above playing dirty. Brenda walked out on her terrace and flashed back to the time when Jason had told her that Sonny had chosen to terminate their relationship and would not be marrying her. She remembered standing in the rain. A flashback showed Sonny watching her. In Port Charles, Sonny stood at his terrace window and remembered the same scene.

8/19 Brenda returned to her mansion and was greeted by Suzanne. Brenda revealed that Murphy had asked her to marry him the night before but that she hadn't given him an answer yet, because she feared that he was using her as a safety blanket. Suzanne asked Brenda why she didn't want to marry Murphy, and Brenda responded that her heart was somewhere else. Brenda said that it wouldn't be fair to Murphy because her heart would be divided between him and a man who wasn't even a realistic option. Later, Suzanne and Brenda discussed Brenda's travel plans. Brenda wanted a vacation but Suzanne made it very clear that Brenda needed to appear at an upcoming gala in Rome and that they needed Cortullo's money. To get it, Brenda had to satisfy commitments that had been made. Suzanne suggested that Brenda call the man from her past to gain closure on that relationship. As Brenda sat by herself later, she stared at her phone and the note that Robin had written Sonny's number on. Brenda wistfully debated calling him.

Robin visited Sonny at his home and asked him if he'd gotten in touch with Brenda. Sonny beat around the bush, hemming and hawing about having been too busy. Robin told him that Brenda wanted to hear from him. She implied that, since Brenda and Sonny had matured since they were last together, they should explore the possibility of reconnecting. Robin mentioned that, when Sonny and Brenda were together, he'd been the happiest Robin had ever seen. As Robin parted, she encouraged Sonny to call Brenda. After Robin left, Sonny mulled over Brenda's contact information. Later, Sonny sat in his parlor alone, he contemplated calling Brenda.

8/20 As Sonny sat alone in his study, Brenda sat by herself in her villa. Both dialed each other's numbers and each got a message stating that the circuits were busy.

Suzanne returned to the villa with the information that the man who had attacked Brenda was not telling the police anything. Suzanne worried that he might have been warned not to talk. Her guess was that he was involved with the Russian Syndicate. Suzanne hypothesized that the mob didn't want Brenda publicizing the plight of exploited children, because that's how the organization made its money. Brenda told Suzanne about the man from her past she'd been referring to. Suzanne figured, correctly, that he had been a mobster. Brenda reminisced about the time Sonny, with Luke's help, rescued her in Puerto Rico. Brenda said that she used to feel alive but had begun to feel dead inside. Suzanne figured that all of the drama in Brenda and Sonny's lives had heightened their feelings toward each other.

Brenda maintained that it had been more than that but that it hadn't ended well. Suzanne countered that at least Brenda had survived. Suzanne took back her earlier advice to contact Sonny so that they could have closure on their relationship. She advised Brenda to stay as far away from him as possible. Suzanne told Brenda that she had an appointment with a curator named Wilhelm von Schlegel about Brenda posing for an avant-garde artist. Later, after Suzanne had gone, Mr. von Schlegel arrived at the villa, and Brenda let him in and explained that she didn't sit for paintings and that all of her print work was under contract with Cortullo. Mr. von Schlegel informed her that the artist he represented wanted to do a whole collection based on Brenda. "I'm sure you've heard of him," he stated. "Franco."

Sonny continued to muse about calling Brenda until Kristina surprised him with a visit. Sonny invited her to stay for dinner. Kristina agreed and asked to use his computer to email her study partner. She saw the photos of Brenda on the screen and asked Sonny why he was interested in such a big star. Kristina realized that Sonny and Brenda had dated in the past. She told Sonny that the project she and her study partner were working on was to write about a public figure they admired. "Brenda Barrett would be perfect" Kristina beamed. Kristina asked if Sonny would call Brenda, but Sonny replied that it would be best if Kristina spoke to Robin, who had just run into Brenda in Africa. Sonny talked about the intensity of his and Brenda's love and explained that he'd left Brenda at the altar.

8/23 Franco's representative, Von Schlegal visited Brenda in her hotel room and offered her a contract to pose for Franco. Brenda said that she did not want to be associated with a potential serial killer. Von Schlegal said that Franco was a genius whose last exhibition had been a seminal work in performance art. When Brenda said no again, Von Schlegal showed her a check for a large amount and said that twice as much would be given to her charity. Brenda said that she was not interested. Von Schlegal said that Franco was not accustomed to hearing the word no. Brenda said that she did not want to be associated with violence as she showed Von Schlegal the door. Brenda phoned Murphy and left a message. She told him that she would call him back when she finished her workout. After Brenda turned out the lights and left, noises that sounded like something breaking sounded from the terrace. Back from working out, Brenda went out on the terrace to call Murphy. As she left another message, a man wearing a black body suit silently crept up on her.

Ronnie burst in to arrest Sonny for attempted murder. Dante told Ronnie that it Sonny shot Johnny in self-defense, but Ronnie told Dante that no gun had been found at the scene, which surprised both Sonny and Dante.

8/24 In Italy, someone, dressed from head to toe in black, lurked inside Brenda's suite while she stood on the balcony. The mystery person slipped out of sight when Murphy knocked on Brenda's door. Murphy explained that his manager had arranged for Murphy to take some time off when the filming of his latest spy movie had hit a snag. As Murphy talked about how his character, who was able to kill someone with his bare hands, Brenda admitted that she knew someone like that in real life. Brenda explained that she couldn't stand the man because he barely said a work and always made her feel as if he could snap at any moment. However, Brenda offered to give Murphy a few tips on how to play such a character more convincingly.

Later, Brenda wrapped up a call with someone who had designed a special gown for her to wear at a gala for Cartullo. Murphy took the opportunity to invite Brenda to go to Lake Cuomo for a few days. Brenda explained that Suzie wanted her to do a photo shoot, so she couldn't get away. Murphy was disappointed; he reminded her that he wanted her to share her life with him. Brenda hugged Murphy and then explained that she wasn't ready to give up her life to someone. Murphy clarified that he wasn't asking for Brenda to give him her life; he just wanted to share his life with her. Brenda argued that Murphy deserved to find someone who was ready to give over to the crazy kind of love where she was willing to give up everything for him. Brenda didn't think that she could ever be that person for him. Eventually, Murphy managed to persuade Brenda to go away with him. She quickly threw some things together and then left with Murphy. Afterwards, a dark figure stepped out of the shadows and then slipped out of the hotel via the balcony.

8/27 Diane explained to Bernie that she could not advise her client to jump bail. She left the room and Bernie asked Sonny when he wanted to leave the country. He explained that he hadn't been able reach Jason and hadn't seen Max or Milo. Sonny instructed Bernie to prepare for his departure. Sonny explained that he'd need a plane and money, he was going to Rome.

Murphy was thankful that the tank in London that he was supposed to "drown" in for a movie was broken. It allowed him to spend more time with Brenda. He told Brenda that he might not take on the international man of mystery movie role because he feared that another man might take her away from him while he was shooting on location. Brenda looked at Sonny's contact information as Murphy spoke. However, she promised Murphy that no one could steal her heart from him. She still wasn't going to marry him, she said as she laughed.

Later, Brenda stood on the balcony and reminisced about her romance with Sonny. Murphy startled her when he walked onto the terrace with bottles of beer and suggested a boat ride under the stars. She declined, and they joked about how super spies drank martinis or champagne, not beer. He declared that he would not give up beer, no matter how much they paid him. Brenda said that she'd prefer to spend time with the real Murphy Sinclair, the little boy who preferred to fish rather than have his photo taken, not the actor. He replied that he needed a stable woman in his life to help maintain that balance. As they joked with each other, Brenda mentioned her husband, which caught Murphy unaware. She explained that she was referring to an ex-husband and that it had been a marriage of convenience. He recapped what he knew about her: Brenda had been left at the altar three times, but the one time she made it through the ceremony was when she married a killer whom she didn't love and never slept with. Murphy let Brenda know that she was the only one he could be himself around. He told her he'd beg her to marry him, if that was what she wanted. Brenda said yes, and Murphy prepared to grovel, but she clarified that she was responding affirmatively to his marriage proposal.

8/30 Brenda and Murphy celebrated their engagement with a trip to Lake Como, Italy. They had to cut their visit short when Murphy's agent called him back to the movie set in Rome. Once back in Rome, Murphy told Brenda that he wanted to get her an engagement ring. Brenda told him that she wanted to keep the engagement private so they could avoid the media circus that would ensue if she started sporting a ring. Murphy agreed to wait on the ring. He left Brenda in her hotel room and went to the movie set.

Suzanne dropped in to discuss security for Brenda's Africa trip. Brenda was not happy to need so many guards, but Suzanne convinced Brenda that it was the only way to keep her safe from the Russian mob. Brenda told Suzanne that she and Murphy were engaged. Suzanne wanted to know if Sonny was out of Brenda's life. She also asked if Brenda loved Murphy. Brenda said that she was over Sonny. She said that the highs would not be as high with Murphy, but the lows would not be as low either. She said that both she and Murphy thought that was a good thing. Brenda told Suzanne that she and Murphy wanted to build a good, stable life together. Suzanne smiled and told Brenda that she hoped it all worked out and congratulated her on the engagement.

In the Port Charles Police Department interrogation room, Sonny and Bernie made plans for Sonny's escape to Rome, because neither believed that Sonny would get a fair trial. Bernie wanted Sonny to go to South America where it would be harder for the police to find and extradite him, but Sonny insisted on going to Rome.

8/31 Dante took the stand to assure the judge that Sonny wasn't a flight risk. Dante promised the judge that Sonny would never leave his children behind. Claire only had one question for Dante: she wanted to know what Dante's relationship with Sonny was. Dante admitted that Sonny was his father. Claire smugly announced that she didn't have any further questions and then sat down. Claire was outraged when the judge decided to set Sonny's bail at three million dollars.

On a private jet, Sonny thought about Brenda. He recalled a time when Brenda had tried to persuade Sonny to leave town to protect himself. Sonny insisted that he had three high-priced lawyers to make certain that he stayed out of jail. Brenda feared for Sonny anyway; all she wanted was for him to be safe. Sonny pulled Brenda close for a passionate kiss. As the memory faded, Sonny instructed the pilot to fly to Rome because there was someone that Sonny needed to see.

In Italy, Brenda had a flashback of the attack on her moments before she had been scheduled to present a humanitarian award. A knock on the door startled her. The person quickly identified himself as an Interpol agent. Agent Bates wanted to discuss the attack on Brenda during the awards ceremony. Brenda was surprised to learn that she had become a target of a very dangerous individual. According to Agent Bates, "The Balkan" was the head of a crime syndicate, but very little was known about the man including what he looked like. The agent warned Brenda to take the threat seriously, but Brenda insisted that she refused to go into hiding because someone had decided to target her. Agent Bates wondered if Brenda had any idea why the Balkan would be after her. Brenda suggested that perhaps the Balkan objected to her charity work because he exploited children. Agent Bates warned Brenda that the Balkan was not to be trifled with, so he urged her to contact Interpol if there were any problems.

Brenda was confident that she was safe under Cartullo's care. Agent Bates appeared to have his doubts, but he realized that Brenda wouldn't cooperate with his efforts to protect her. Shortly after Agent Bates left, Brenda decided to do an Internet search on the Balkan, to no avail. Suzanne dropped by later. Suzanne had spoken to Agent Bates, so she was eager to get Brenda to safety. Suzanne suggested that Brenda spend some time with Murphy in London, but Brenda refused to consider it. Brenda insisted that there was nothing to be concerned about.

9/2 In Rome, Brenda returned to her suite to find Suzanne waiting. Suzanne was upset because Brenda had been running around without an armed guard. Brenda dismissed Suzanne's concerns. Brenda explained that she had gone to the piazza to shop for flowers and some fresh produce, so it was unlikely that anyone would have made a move against Brenda in the crowded marketplace. Suzanne disagreed; she was concerned because a very dangerous man had targeted Brenda. Brenda refused to hide from the Balkan because she didn't want him to win. Suzanne argued that she wasn't even certain that Brenda was safe in the suite, so she thought it might be best for Brenda to return to the United States. Brenda insisted that her life was in Europe and that she was engaged to Murphy. Suzanne appreciated the work that Brenda had done for the charity; however, it didn't sit well with the people who had been profiting from the exploitation of children. Brenda wondered if Suzanne were suggesting that Brenda quit.

Suzanne clarified that she wanted Brenda to take a break and to step out of the spotlight. Suzanne was certain that Murphy would understand. She urged Brenda to consider returning home. Brenda explained that she could never return to Port Charles. Brenda and Suzanne argued for a few minutes, until Brenda tearfully admitted that she was finally starting to feel happy in Rome. Suzanne immediately backed down, but she insisted that Brenda promise to travel with bodyguards at all times. Brenda readily agreed. Suzanne also wanted Brenda to consider going to Port Charles if anything else happened. Brenda remained stubbornly silent, so Suzanne let the matter drop. After Suzanne left, Brenda wandered around the suite until she found a slip of paper with Sonny's name and phone number written on it.

Later, Brenda started to type an email to Sonny, but she became lost in thoughts of the past. Brenda recalled a heated argument with Sonny about Sonny's jealousy over Miguel. Brenda was hurt because Sonny didn't trust her. She also resented feeling as if she needed Sonny's permission to have friends. In her fit of anger, Brenda grabbed a pair of scissors and then began to cut her hair. The memory faded when Brenda's cell phone rang. Brenda was delighted to hear from the person on the other end. She quickly made arrangements to meet the person in the hotel's garden and then ended the call.

Sonny was shown into a villa in Rome. A man by the name of Giorgio introduced himself and then explained that Sonny's host, Tino Coppola, had sent his regrets for not being able to welcome Sonny personally. Tino had been delayed because of business; however, Tino had instructed Giorgio to see to all of Sonny's needs. Sonny showed Giorgio a picture of Brenda in a magazine and then explained that he needed to find her. Later, Sonny flipped through a magazine filled with Brenda's pictures as he recalled Brenda telling him that his love was the best thing that had ever happened to her. Brenda swore that she couldn't let it go even if she wanted to. Sonny remembered telling Brenda that he had known within five seconds of meeting her that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. Sonny promised that she would always be perfect to him, even if she were old and had lines on her face. Sonny returned to the present when Giorgio returned with news that he had found Brenda.

According to Giorgio, Brenda was staying at an upscale hotel, but she was surrounded by security. However, Giorgio confided that she had been seen slipping in and out of the entrance to the garden. Giorgio offered to send some guards with Sonny to the hotel. Giorgio explained that there was a new player on the scene who went by the name, the Balkan. The Balkan had honored the peace treaty with Tino, but Tino didn't want to take any risks with Sonny's safety. Sonny appreciated the concern, but he assured Giorgio that it wasn't necessary. Sonny insisted that he was in Rome for personal reasons. A short time later, Sonny stood in the hotel's garden. A waiter showed Sonny to a table, took his order, and then fetched Sonny some espresso. Sonny showed the waiter a picture of Brenda and then asked if she had recently been seen in the garden.

The waiter confirmed that Brenda was in residence, but that Sonny hadn't been the first to inquire about her. Sonny smiled and then sipped his coffee. Moments later, his magazine slid off of the table. Sonny bent down to retrieve it just as Brenda stepped into the garden, looking for someone.

At the penthouse, Carly demanded to know where Sonny had fled to. Diane advised Jason not to prolong the suffering. Diane thought that it was best to use the "rip off the band aid" method. Jason promised to let Carly know Sonny's destination once he had some kind of confirmation. Carly decided to plant herself on Jason's sofa to wait. Diane chuckled knowingly as she suggested that the suffering that she had referred to had been in reference to Jason, not Carly. Diane warned Jason that Carly would find out eventually; she suggested that it might be easier on Carly if she heard the news from a friend. Jason didn't think that Diane was helping, so Diane decided to leave. Carly quickly played the Michael card to get Jason to tell her where Sonny was. Jason pleaded with Carly to remain calm. Carly promised not to get upset because she didn't think that there was anything that Jason could say that would shock her. Jason revealed that Sonny had flown to Rome to find Brenda. "Except that," Carly responded. Carly was livid that Sonny had abandoned his four children to chase after a "spoiled little drama queen." Carly proceeded to rant about Sonny's selfishness and how bad Sonny and Brenda were for each other.

9/3 As Sonny sat at the café downstairs from Brenda's hotel room in Rome, Brenda met Murphy on the sidewalk just outside. Brenda wanted to sit at an outdoor table there, but Murphy convinced her to order room service to avoid fans and the paparazzi. Sonny didn't see Brenda before she left with Murphy. As Sonny began to leave the café, an older Italian woman approached him and asked to dine with him. She said that they could keep each other company until the woman he was waiting for arrived. Sonny wondered how she knew he was waiting for someone. She answered that it was obvious. He invited her to sit with him and showed her a magazine spread featuring Brenda. Sonny opened up and talked about his past with Brenda. He told her that they'd never been able to get their relationship right but that they could never quite let go of each other. Sonny talked about having helped Stone get off the streets years before, before he died of AIDS. Sonny also admitted that he was not sure if he'd changed much over the years. His circumstances were different, he shared, but he was not sure he was.

He acknowledged that he was contemplative at that moment because his life was in crisis. The woman sensed that Sonny was examining the road not taken, wondering what his life would be like if he and Brenda had stayed together. As the woman prepared to depart, she implored Sonny to see Brenda and share how he felt about her. In an alley outside of the hotel, a man approached another man with a picture of the woman they were looking for. He handed him a publicity photo of Brenda and Murphy.

Brenda and Murphy returned to her room, and Murphy very seriously told her they needed to talk. He was concerned that Brenda had been traipsing around Rome while a madman was after her. Murphy told her that Suzanne had called him and that they were both worried about Brenda's safety. If she wasn't careful, he warned, she'd get herself killed. Brenda reacted poorly to Murphy's trepidation. She didn't want him to take care of her. Murphy countered that he wanted Brenda to be less cavalier and to watch out for herself. He begged her to return to England with him, where she would be safer. Brenda, in an emotional outburst, told him never to treat her as a helpless girl. He responded that he was not going to take the flack for all the guys who'd preceded him. He loved her and wanted her safe.

Brenda pointed out that there were threats everywhere. She could be hit by a bus or fall off her high heels. She wondered if that meant she should never leave the house. Murphy made it clear that he wanted Brenda not to make it so easy for a would-be attacker to get to her. She blithely told him that she didn't have the luxury of yelling "cut" when things went wrong. If he didn't accept her as she was, she directed, he was free to leave. He did. Before long, however, Brenda went after him. The men pursuing Brenda grabbed Murphy and restrained him. She emerged from the hotel lobby and heard a gunshot, which got Sonny's attention as well. Brenda looked over her shoulder, and her and Sonny's eyes met. They both smiled. 9/7 In Rome, two men who might have been pursuing Brenda and/or Murphy grabbed Murphy and restrained him. Brenda emerged from the hotel lobby and heard a gunshot, which got Sonny's attention as well. Brenda looked over her shoulder and saw Sonny. Their eyes met, and they both smiled. Two other men pretended to ask Brenda for an autograph and attempted to abduct her, but Sonny pulled his gun on them. As passersby distracted the men, Sonny and Brenda made a run for it.

They went to Sonny's hotel room, and Brenda explained that Interpol had warned her about a man named the Balkan and that he might be after her. She and Sonny took a walk down memory lane together. Sonny told Brenda that he was in Rome because he wanted to see how it would feel to run into Brenda again. He'd also tried to call her once, but the line was busy, he shared. Sonny admitted, though, that he might not have revealed himself had he not witnessed the attempted kidnapping. Brenda confessed that she'd been tempted to contact Sonny since she'd gotten his phone number from Robin. Brenda explained that she, too, had tried to call Sonny but had gotten a busy signal. She wondered if maybe they'd serendipitously attempted to call each other at the same time. Sonny stood up, and the two of them stood very close to one another, as if they would kiss.

Later, Suzanne arrived at the hotel's sidewalk café and met Murphy, who explained that two men had attempted to abduct him, but one of their guns had gone off, and they'd let him go. Murphy reported that, immediately after, he'd seen Brenda standing hand-in-hand with a man who had his gun trained on two other men. Suzanne asked if Brenda had been struggling, but Murphy told her that Brenda had willingly run off with that man. Murphy wanted to call Interpol, but Suzanne discouraged him.

In an unknown office, a mysterious someone watched a video of Sonny shooting Johnny.

9/8 At the Coppola villa in Italy, Sonny gently kissed Brenda's forehead before he leaned down to kiss her lips. Brenda pulled away before they touched and then explained that she was engaged. Sonny appeared surprised, but quickly recovered. He guessed that Brenda was engaged Murphy Sinclair. Brenda confirmed his suspicions and then asked if Sonny were married. Sonny confessed, "Not at the moment." Brenda burst out laughing. Sonny admitted that perhaps it had been for the best because he had jumped bail for attempted murder. Brenda was incredulous. Sonny quickly filled her in on the arrest and Claire's decision to record their private conversations, which Claire was determined to use against him in court. Brenda was curious why Sonny would want to kill Johnny. Sonny explained that there were several reasons, but the most important one had been Johnny's relationship with Sonny's seventeen year-old daughter. Sonny explained that Johnny was thirty. Brenda was horrified by the age gap and conceded that it had been an inappropriate relationship. Brenda wondered how Kristina was doing.

Sonny admitted that he loved his daughter, but she also scared him to death. Brenda was certain that Kristina was desperate for her father's attention. Sonny assured Brenda that Kristina had gotten it. He confessed that he had believed that his daughter had been sleeping with Johnny, in part because of what had happened with Karen and Brenda years earlier. Brenda reminded Sonny that she had been eighteen, in college, and on her own for quite some time before Sonny had entered her life, so it had been a completely different situation. Sonny confessed that he had done something that he would always regret; he had a bomb planted in Johnny's car. He wondered if that changed things for Brenda. "No, it doesn't," Brenda readily assured him. Brenda recalled how she had found Sonny after his wife, Lily, had been killed in a car explosion. Brenda could tell how much pain Sonny had been in and that Lily's murder had destroyed him. Brenda imagined that Sonny must have felt desperate to resort to such measures, in order to deal with Johnny.

Sonny opened up about the shooting that had led to the attempted murder charges. Sonny insisted that it had been self-defense, but Johnny's gun had disappeared. Brenda believed him because she knew that Sonny would never shoot an unarmed man. Sonny was forced to reveal the details of how he had shot Dante. Tears slid down Brenda's cheek as she realized how awful it must have been for Sonny to learn that he had shot his own son. Sonny was moved; Brenda had been the first person not to label him a monster. Sonny confessed that he might not have gone that far if Brenda had been at his side. Sonny and Brenda talked about Dante for awhile. She was surprised when Sonny revealed that Dante had stood up for Sonny during the bail hearing. Brenda couldn't understand why Sonny hadn't stayed in Port Charles. Sonny insisted that he realized that his children would be better off without him.

Brenda became quite emotional as she recalled another time that Sonny had made a similar decision. Brenda would never forget that Sonny had left her at the altar because he thought that it had been the only way to protect her. Brenda insisted that if she would have happily given up her life to be with Sonny. She urged Sonny to return home because his children needed him. Brenda pleaded with Sonny never give up on his children. Sonny was happy that he had found Brenda because she had helped him to see things more clearly. Sonny offered to take Brenda back to her hotel. A short time later, they stood on the steps near the garden to say goodbye. Sonny reminded Brenda to keep her bodyguards close. He admitted that it was a bit ironic that she needed them when she had always resented having to be surrounded by Sonny's men. Brenda acknowledged that he had a point.

Sonny wished Brenda well, but Brenda refused to let him leave until he told her the real reason that he had sought her out. She felt that he owed it to her. Sonny confessed that on the flight to Italy he had told himself that she was sad, lonely, and needed him. He was certain that when they saw each other all of the years and choices that they had made would disappear. However, Sonny realized that those things had shaped who they were. Sonny understood that he needed to return home for the sake of his children. He admitted that a part of him had known that she would give him clarity if he talked to her. Brenda laughed; she thought that was more credit than she deserved, but Sonny disagreed. Sonny confessed that he had loved Brenda from the start. As Sonny walked away, it began to rain.

9/10 Suzanne confronted Brenda about her refusal to present at the awards ceremony. Brenda explained that she and Murphy had argued terribly the prior night. Suzanne asked if Brenda's state were because she had nearly been kidnapped. Brenda accused Suzanne of hyperbole, but Suzanne countered that Murphy's experience was anything but an exaggeration. Brenda, unaware that Murphy had nearly been abducted the night before, was concerned, but Suzanne assured her that Murphy was all right. Suzanne pointed out that Murphy had gotten away from the men after one of their guns had gone off, and that he'd seen Brenda running away with an armed man he didn't recognize. Brenda tried to call Murphy, but he didn't answer. Suzanne shared that Murphy had wanted to call Interpol, but she had talked him out of it. Brenda thanked her for that. Suzanne informed Brenda that Murphy was headed back to London. Brenda explained that she had been unfair to Murphy during their argument the night before and that she'd gone to apologize to him when the two men, who had pretended to be fans, had grabbed her. Brenda lied to Suzanne and told her that another hotel guest's bodyguard had rescued her. However, Suzanne doubted the claim. She told Brenda that there were two choices: Brenda could stay in Rome and get herself killed, or she could go back to the U.S. Later, as Brenda primped in front of her vanity, two men burst in and abducted her.

Jason presented evidence to Dante that Ronnie had ditched Johnny's gun at the crime scene, after Johnny had been shot. Claire arrived as Diane and Sonny walked into the police station. Diane explained that Sonny had merely spent time alone to clear his head but that he had not jumped bail. Claire didn't buy it and demanded to interrogate Sonny. Sonny asked to speak to Jason first, and Claire allowed it. In the interrogation room, Sonny told Jason that he'd returned to Port Charles because of his children but that he absolutely couldn't go to prison. Sonny explained that the better part of him had been lost somewhere along the way toward that point in his life and that he had to reclaim his better self. He wanted to show that side of him to his kids. Sonny begged Jason to find evidence that would prove Johnny had been armed the night of the shooting. Jason left.

9/13 Thugs forced Brenda out of her hotel suite at knifepoint, but as they exited, paparazzi besieged Brenda and started snapping photos. Brenda escaped the thugs and locked herself in her suite. Suzanne was mortified about the attempt on Brenda's life and wanted to send her away, but Brenda said she was fine and refused to leave Rome. She was adamant that she would not let anyone tell her how to run her life. Suzanne said that since Brenda had made a commitment to Murphy, things had changed and she had someone else to think about. She told Brenda that it was time to stop thinking about her career and start thinking about self-preservation. Brenda remained stubborn. She told Suzanne that she would be careful and that she would use guards. She told Suzanne not to call Murphy.

In the interrogation room, Sonny told Johnny that he was ready to put the past behind and move on. He said that he was tired of his kids getting caught in the middle. Johnny said that a truce was okay with him, but he would not give up any territory. Sonny said fine. He said that as long as Johnny respected his territory, he would try not to take what belonged to Johnny. When Johnny asked if they had a deal, Sonny said on the condition that Johnny stayed away from Sonny's family. Johnny said he would have made the same request, but his family was gone. Sonny responded that the truce would not work if Johnny could not let go of the past. Before Johnny responded, Claire walked in and wanted to know what was going on.

Murphy showed up at Brenda's suite. He told her that his publicist, not Suzanne had alerted him to what had happened. He wanted to leave with Brenda immediately. She worried about his commitments, but he said that the most important commitment was the one they were making to each other. When Murphy told Brenda he was taking her to London, Brenda stopped him before he could pack for her. She told him that she was calling off their engagement because she still had unresolved feelings for another man.

9/14 In the interrogation room, Claire demanded to know what was going on between Sonny and Johnny. Johnny explained that he and Sonny had some unfinished business. Claire was stunned when Johnny suddenly announced that he wanted to change his statement regarding the shooting. Claire wondered if Johnny were waiving his rights to counsel. "Yes," Johnny confirmed. Johnny admitted that he had been on Baker Street when he had seen Sonny approach. Johnny confessed that he had pulled out a gun, with the intention to kill Sonny. However, Johnny had second thoughts about shooting Sonny, so Johnny had hesitated. Johnny assured Claire that Sonny had used the opportunity to shoot Johnny in self-defense. Claire was curious what had happened to Johnny's gun. Johnny had no idea because the last thing that he had remembered was being shot, and then he'd woken up in the hospital.

Jason spoke to Suzanne on the phone about the recent attacks on Brenda. Suzanne sensed that Jason was surprised by the call, so she explained that Brenda had listed him as an emergency contact. Jason demanded to know more about the attempts on Brenda's life. Suzanne explained that someone had recently tried to knife Brenda and that Interpol had become involved. Jason was curious why Brenda wasn't surrounded by security. Suzanne revealed that Brenda had a security team in place to protect her, but Brenda didn't take the threats seriously enough, so she tended to ignore all of the security measures. Jason requested that Suzanne fax him all the details and then promised to fly to Rome that evening. However, Jason made it clear that he didn't want Brenda to know his intentions.

After Jason ended the call, Sam seemed unhappy at the prospect of Jason flying to Italy to take care of Brenda. Jason explained that Brenda had listed him as an emergency contact and that there had been several attempts on Brenda's life. Sam assured Jason that she understood, but Jason sensed that Sam remained troubled. He invited her to join him on the trip, but Sam declined. She thought that he would have enough to contend with trying to take care of Brenda. Sam grabbed her crutches and then explained that she had to run an errand, but she promised to return before he left for Rome. Jason assured Sam that he wouldn't have agreed to go unless it had been an emergency. Sam admitted that Brenda had been smart to marry Jason because he really was the best protector.

Jason filled Spinelli in on Brenda's recent troubles. Spinelli was horrified that someone as divine as Brenda was in peril. Spinelli was eager to join Jason on the trip, but Jason made it clear that he had to deal with Brenda alone. Spinelli argued that he could be of help to Jason, but Jason refused to change his mind. Spinelli wondered if Jason preferred some privacy during his reunion with Brenda. Jason insisted that he just wanted to get to Rome, take care of the problem, and then return home.

In Italy, Brenda explained to Murphy that she couldn't marry him because she had unresolved feelings for someone else. Murphy apologized for being overprotective, but Brenda assured Murphy that had not been the problem. Murphy wondered if Brenda had been involved with the other man while she had been dating him, but she assured him that she hadn't. Murphy tried his best to get Brenda to reconsider breaking off their engagement, but Brenda stood firm. Brenda was certain that Murphy would find the right woman for him one day. Eventually, Murphy accepted Brenda's decision, so he kissed her goodbye and then left. A short time later, Suzanne arrived. Suzanne was curious why Brenda had wanted to discuss a new itinerary. Brenda explained that she wanted to schedule a trip to promote her charity. Suzanne warned Brenda that it could be months, if ever, before it was safe enough for Brenda to travel.

Brenda promised to be careful, but Suzanne sensed that there was another reason for Brenda's sudden desire to take a trip. Brenda admitted that she had ended her engagement to Murphy. Suzanne realized that Brenda would not change her mind about traveling to promote the charity, so she agreed to call Cartullo to see if they would pay for the extra security that would be needed. Brenda offered to talk to Ernesto, which made Suzanne chuckle. Suzanne didn't have any doubt that Brenda could get Ernesto to foot the bill because Brenda had every man wrapped around her finger. Brenda denied it, but Suzanne challenged Brenda to name one man who wouldn't jump at Brenda's every whim. Brenda simply smiled.

In Jax's office, Carly was livid when she reviewed the various Crimson cover page mockups featuring Brenda. Carly demanded to know if it had been Jax's idea. Jax readily admitted that he had suggested Brenda for the cover. Jax assured Carly that it had been strictly a business decision. Carly didn't doubt Brenda would help increase Crimson's circulation, but she questioned the timing. Maxie took the opportunity to leave before the argument between Carly and Jax escalated. Jax accused Carly of making too much out of the decision to have Brenda on the cover of the magazine. He promised that Carly was his ideal woman, not Brenda. Carly suggested that Jax's actions spoke louder than words. She was certain that Jax was once again competing with Sonny for Brenda's affections. Carly pointed out that Sonny had flown to Rome to see Brenda, so Jax had responded by asking Brenda to be on the cover of Crimson. Carly invited Jax to fire up the jet to fly to Rome, but Jax insisted that he was fully committed to Carly. He conceded that he had feelings for Brenda just like Carly had feelings for Sonny, but that only made Carly angrier.

9/16 Dante had heard about Claire's decision to recuse herself from prosecuting Sonny in the future. Dante was curious if Sonny were using Claire. Sonny confessed that, in a way, he was. Sonny explained that he had recently seen Brenda. Sonny liked Claire, but he hoped that she would help him forget about Brenda. Sonny wondered if that were wrong.

Jason arrived in Rome. Suzanne Stanwyck introduced herself, but it was clear that Jason was not what she had expected. She couldn't believe that he was Brenda's ex-husband. Jason tried to get to the bottom of what was going on with Brenda, but Suzanne refused to answer his questions until she had more background information on Jason's relationship with Brenda. Suzanne was curious how Jason and Brenda had ended up married. Jason explained that he had been Brenda's only option. "Meaning?" Suzanne probed. "She had no other options," Jason replied. Suzanne was frustrated by Jason's lack of cooperation. Jason finally relented by volunteering that Brenda had feared that she might be sick. Brenda had needed someone to make legal decisions for her if her illness became too bad. Jason explained that the other two men in Brenda's life had been married, so Jason had been the only person available. "So you're not in love with her?" Suzanne asked.

Jason made it clear that he and Brenda did not get along, but he was determined to protect her. Suzanne appreciated his honesty. She confessed it had been impossible to protect Brenda. Jason knew that Brenda hated bodyguards, so he realized that it had been a challenge for Suzanne to keep Brenda safe. Suzanne thought that it was generous of Jason to offer to protect Brenda, but she questioned if perhaps Jason suffered from a savior complex. Jason explained that Brenda meant a lot to several people close to Jason. Suzanne acknowledged that Brenda had a gift for inspiring people to care about her. Jason insisted that he didn't need to care about Brenda. Suzanne chuckled; he was the exception to the rule because most men found Brenda compelling and impossible to leave.

Brenda was surprised to find a rack of stunning wedding gowns waiting for her when she arrived at a photo shoot. Gilles, the photographer, explained that Cartullo had planned to do a winter wedding ad campaign. Brenda made it clear that she did not model wedding dresses, so Gilles assured her that they would get some different gowns for her to wear. Later, Brenda wore a stunning silver gown as Gilles prepared to snap photos of her. Gilles made idle conversation with her by asking if Brenda had ever been married.

Brenda recalled her wedding to Jason. She smiled as she admitted that she had been married once. Gilles was curious what the best part of marriage had been. "Getting divorced," Brenda laughingly answered. As the photo shoot progressed, Gilled continued to ask Brenda questions about her past. Brenda became lost in thoughts about how each of her weddings to Sonny and Jax had ended before they had a chance to exchange vows. Brenda became emotionally upset as she recalled the heartbreak of Sonny leaving her at the altar. Gilles sensed that Brenda was troubled. Brenda asked for a break, so that she could compose herself. A short time later, Brenda arrived at her suite in a foul mood. Brenda demanded to know why Suzanne hadn't warned her that it would be a photo shoot for wedding dresses. Suzanne admitted that she hadn't known, but she was relieved that Brenda had opted to fulfill her obligations to Cartullo.

Brenda informed Suzanne that she expected Cartullo to pay all of the necessary costs for the trip to promote Brenda's pet charity. Suzanne warned Brenda that it might not happen because it wasn't worth risking Brenda's life. Brenda explained that she had done the photo shoot to satisfy Cartullo. Brenda hated modeling because it was a mindless and pointless occupation, but she did it because Suzanne had insisted that Brenda's fame would shine the spotlight on the Allegiance to Save Exploited Children. Suzanne acknowledged she had told Brenda that, but Suzanne argued that it had become too dangerous. Brenda was furious because her ineffectual security team had not done their job.

As Brenda ranted, Jason stood in the hallway eavesdropping on Brenda and Suzanne's conversation. Brenda angrily demanded that Suzanne find someone who could provide adequate security because Brenda intended to travel on behalf of ASEC. Moments later, Jason knocked on the door. Brenda marched to the door to open it despite Suzanne's protests. Brenda immediately tried to slam the door shut when she saw Jason standing on the doorstep. Jason pushed his way into Brenda's suite. Suzanne quickly excused herself and then left. Jason informed Brenda that her security was lacking because it had taken him less than ten minutes to gain access to her room. Brenda didn't care because Jason was just a hired killer. Jason reminded Brenda that the men trying to get to her were also professional killers. He wondered if Brenda wanted to die. Brenda argued that Suzanne had exaggerated matters. She reminded Jason that it had been eight years since they had seen each other, so she demanded to know what he was doing there. Brenda worried that Sonny had sent him. She was stunned when Jason admitted that Sonny had no idea that he was in Rome.

9/17 In Rome, Brenda accused Jason of lying when he told her Sonny had not sent him. Jason informed Brenda that the charges against Sonny had been dropped and that Sonny hadn't even mentioned Brenda to him. Jason wanted to focus on beefing up security for Brenda, but she wanted to know if Sonny had been seeing anyone. Jason reported that Sonny was dating a woman but that it didn't appear to be serious. Jason admitted that it had been Suzanne who had informed him that Brenda was in danger. Brenda got angry that Suzanne was, in Brenda's opinion, overreacting. Brenda and Jason argued over whether or not he would protect her.

As Spinelli entered Jason's penthouse, he received a call from Jason. Carly demanded to talk to Jason, but Jason told Spinelli to make Carly wait. Brenda tore the phone from Jason's ear at the same time Carly yanked Spinelli's phone from him. Carly and Brenda got into it over the phone until Jason took his phone back. Carly whined to him about Michael having almost gotten expelled from school. Michael snatched the phone from Carly and explained that he had gotten into a fight but that it had been no big deal. He gave the phone back to Spinelli. Jason directed Spinelli to dig up any and all information on the Balkan.

Brenda asked who Spinelli was? Jason explained that Spinelli was a hacker who could access information that Interpol was unlikely to share. Jason asked if Brenda had any idea why the Balkan would want to harm her. She explained that the work she was doing to end child slavery was a threat to the Balkan's criminal empire. Jason said there had to be more to it than that and demanded to know what Brenda had done to raise the ire of such a powerful figure. Brenda was angered by the accusation but agreed to let Jason be her bodyguard. She told him he needed a tux, because they were going to a gala.

Sonny and Dante sat in Sonny's study, Sonny talked about his feelings for Brenda. He said that, as much as he'd been able to fall in love with other women since, he'd never gotten over Brenda.

9/20 In Rome, Brenda and Jason bickered in her hotel suite. He wanted her to stay home from a Cartullo gala, but she insisted that she had to go. Brenda said that her work with the charity was important, and she had to go to those events to promote it. Jason told Brenda that she had not changed because she still made everything about herself and her own importance. Brenda was hurt, but covered it with sarcasm and bravado about her safety. Suzanne interrupted them and wanted to know why Brenda was not ready. Jason said they had to cancel, but Suzanne said that they had taken his advice and upgraded security for the event. He left to check out the new arrangements. Brenda noted that Suzanne was wearing a white dress instead of her usual black. Brenda wanted to know if Suzanne was trying to impress Jason by looking more feminine. Brenda advised Suzanne not to fall for Jason because he killed people. Suzanne told Brenda that she liked dangerous men. When she called Jason "cuddly," and said that his ideas for security were very impressive, Brenda got snarky. Suzanne told Brenda that she sounded jealous. She also told Brenda that it was refreshing to see a man who did not fawn at Brenda's feet.

Jason returned and told Suzanne and Brenda that security was still not tight enough to guarantee Brenda's safety. Both Brenda and Suzanne insisted that Brenda had to attend. Suzanne explained that Brenda's celebrity was what gave them power to stop abuse of children. She said that because Brenda had gotten so much publicity when she visited a mine that was worked by child slave labor, the mine had been shut down, which was a major victory. Suzanne said that Brenda had to attend because it would be their last chance of the season to secure donations and support. Brenda told Jason that he would have to be her escort and wear a tux, but he resisted and said he would watch from the sidelines. Suzanne stepped in and explained that the other attackers had appeared suddenly and if that happened again, he would not be able to reach her in time. Jason reluctantly agreed to wear a tux.

In the limo, Jason was uncomfortable in his tux, and even more uncomfortable when Brenda said that her corset had come unhooked and asked him to rehook it. Jason refused and exited the car as soon as it stopped. When Brenda stepped out, photographers surrounded her. She took Jason's arm and posed with him as the paparazzi snapped photos.

9/21 In Rome, Brenda warmly welcomed Ernesto as the papparazi continued to snap pictures of Brenda and Jason. Brenda introduced Ernesto Cartullo to Jason and then explained to Ernesto that Jason was her ex-husband. Ernesto extended his hand to Jason as he wondered how Jason had managed to let an angel like Brenda get away. Jason ignored Ernesto's question and hand until Brenda ordered Jason to be polite. Jason shook Ernesto's hand and then insisted that they had to get Brenda inside because Ernesto's security team was lacking.

Brenda quickly tried to downplay Jason's assessment of Ernesto's security force, but Jason ignored her as he hustled Brenda away from the paparazzi. Later, Brenda and Jason returned to Brenda's hotel suite where she proceeded to berate Jason for being rude to Ernesto. Jason was unapologetic for letting Ernesto know that Cartullo's security team was ineffective. Brenda was also furious that Jason hadn't made any effort to be sociable during the event. Jason was curious why Brenda had continually introduced him as her ex-husband. Brenda explained that everyone at the party was likely on the computer, as they spoke, trying to find out everything that they could about Jason, so she had decided to put it out there first to avoid it being a big secret scandal. Brenda announced that she was headed to bed because she was exhausted. She was stunned when Jason made it clear that he would remain in the suite to guard her. Brenda didn't think that it was necessary, but Jason refused to budge. Brenda left the room to fetch a pillow and blanket, which she deposited on the sofa. Brenda let Jason know that was called having good manners.

After Brenda went to bed, Jason checked the locks on the door and patio and then pulled out his gun. He sat down on the sofa and had just closed his eyes when he heard Brenda cry out. Moments later, Brenda and Jason emerged from the bedroom. As Brenda curled up on the sofa, Jason sat in a nearby chair. He was curious if Brenda had suffered nightmares often. Brenda admitted that she rarely had them, especially when she was focused on her work for the Alliance to Save Exploited Children. However, she acknowledged that the bad dreams tended to plague her when she had a photo shoot. Jason could see how hard it was on Brenda, which surprised her. Brenda decided to change the subject by asking if Jason recalled the last time that he had worn a tuxedo and escorted her to an event. Jason was certain that it had never happened before. Brenda burst out laughing as she reminded him of their high school senior prom when he had been in love with Karen Wexler and Brenda had been in love with Jagger Cates. Brenda chuckled as she recalled how she and Jason had felt like a couple of outcasts.

Jason was glad that he didn't remember the prom. Brenda dropped the subject and then asked if Jason had ever visited Greece. Jason quietly confessed that he had gone there once on his way to Egypt. Brenda was curious which part of Greece he had seen. Jason revealed that he had gone to Kythnos. Jason had enjoyed the small island because it hadn't been a tourist spot. He confessed that it reminded him a bit of Italy. Brenda revealed that it helped her to hear him talking because it made her sleepy. Jason decided to continue telling her about his thoughts of Kythnos, particularly the beaches. As he spoke, Brenda fell asleep. Jason quietly rose, turned off the light, and then returned to his chair. Jason appeared to be deep in thought as he watched Brenda sleep.

Dvd #8B 9/22 In Rome, Jason entered Brenda's suite to discover that Brenda had gone to a meeting at Cartullo. Suzanne assured Jason that Cartullo's security team had escorted Brenda, but Jason wasn't satisfied. Suzanne promised Jason that Brenda was her friend, so she had every reason to want Brenda to be safe. Jason didn't think that it mattered because Brenda might end up dead. Suzanne could sense how irritated Jason was; he blamed it on Brenda because Brenda was an annoying person. Suzanne was surprised that Jason was not smitten with Brenda like every other man. Jason ignored the comment. He was frustrated because Cartullo's security team was more suited to deal with crowd control rather than the type of people who worked for the Balkan. Suzanne thought that it was a good thing then that Jason was Brenda's bodyguard. She handed Jason a magazine that featured a front-page picture of Jason and Brenda at the gala.

Jason couldn't understand why anyone would care about who Brenda was dating. Suzanne explained that Brenda had been considered Murphy's girlfriend until recently, so Brenda suddenly appearing on the arm of her ex-husband had piqued the public's interest. Jason wondered why Suzanne seemed pleased about it. Suzanne admitted that people didn't want to see pictures of needy children because it made them sad. However, the public took notice when their favorite celebrities were photographed visiting areas in need. People tended to be generous if they thought the charity was "cool." Suzanne explained that Jason's appearance with Brenda at the gala had made Brenda more famous than ever, which translated to more money for the Alliance to Save Exploited Children. Jason was curious what Interpol was doing for Brenda. Suzanne confessed that Interpol seemed more interested in catching the Balkan rather than protecting Brenda. Their conversation was cut short when Murphy knocked on the door. Murphy wanted to have a private word with Jason about Brenda, so Suzanne excused herself. Murphy wondered what was going on between Brenda and Jason.

Jason explained that he just wanted to keep Brenda safe. Murphy was curious if there were more to Jason's relationship with Brenda. Jason quickly clarified that he and Brenda were not a couple. According to Jason, he and Brenda had gotten married for a stupid reason and then quickly divorced. Murphy revealed that Brenda had unresolved feelings about someone from her past, which had led her to end their engagement. Jason denied that he was the man that Brenda still cared about. Murphy didn't believe Jason, but he wanted Jason to appreciate the second chance that he had been given with Brenda.

9/23 In Rome, Brenda was livid when she entered her suite to find Jason and Murphy talking about her. Murphy quickly took responsibility for the meeting; he claimed that he had wanted to meet his rival. Brenda clarified that Jason wasn't the man that she had unresolved feelings about, but Murphy didn't believe her. Murphy was certain that Brenda's ex-husband was the reason that she had broken off their engagement. Brenda continued to deny it, so Murphy demanded to know who Brenda was in love with. Brenda assured Murphy that it didn't matter because she didn't have any intention of seeing that man again. Brenda reminded Murphy that it would never have worked for them because she could never make Murphy happy. Murphy disagreed; she had made him happy. However, Murphy accepted Brenda's decision, so he asked Jason to take care of Brenda and then left. Brenda acknowledged that Murphy was an amazing man, but he didn't make her happy.

Jason suspected that it was because of Sonny. Brenda admitted that she never had the same deep feelings for Murphy that she'd had for Sonny. She was certain that she would have left Murphy one day, one way or another, so she had decided to spare him the pain of that because she knew how deeply it hurt. Moments later Suzanne arrived. Suzanne was upset because the picture of Brenda and Jason had been causing quite a sensation on the Internet. According to Suzanne, people thought that Brenda and Jason were dating. Brenda didn't see the problem, so Suzanne explained that they couldn't have the world thinking that Brenda was dating a hit man while trying to save exploited children. Suzanne had no idea that Jason had been tried for murder and that he had recently been released from prison. Brenda was surprised to hear that Jason had been in jail. Brenda wondered why Jason hadn't mentioned it. "Because I'm out," Jason answered.

Brenda was curious what he had been convicted of, but Jason didn't want to discuss it. He simply explained that the charges had been dropped. Suzanne explained that the children that they were trying to help were often exploited by crime syndicates, so they couldn't have Brenda running around with a professional criminal. Brenda insisted that Jason wasn't a professional criminal; he was a bodyguard who would kill anyone who hurt a child. Suzanne worried that they would spend so much time explaining Jason that it would take them off-message. Suzanne confessed that she would never have called Jason if she had known about his life. Brenda pointed out that Jason had been listed as an emergency contact, so it hadn't been up to Suzanne. Brenda insisted that she intended to move forward with her travel plans for the charity and that Jason would head her security team. Suzanne made it clear that Jason was no longer an option. After Suzanne left, Jason acknowledged that Brenda's work to save exploited children was important, but he wanted Brenda to be careful.

Jason confided that he didn't think that the Balkan was trying to kill her. Jason suspected that the Balkan wanted to kidnap Brenda, but he didn't know why. Brenda implored Jason to pass along a message if Sonny asked about her. Brenda wanted Sonny to know that her life was great. "It's not," Jason argued. Brenda insisted that he tell Sonny that anyway. She also wanted Sonny to know that her work with the children was important and gave her life purpose. Brenda insisted that Sonny needed to know, so that he could go on without her. Jason would only promise to tell Sonny "something," but he wouldn't lie. Brenda was annoyed, but she didn't argue. Jason reminded her that she had all of his numbers, so she was to call if she needed him. Brenda thanked Jason for helping her. They exchanged goodbyes and then Jason left. Brenda wandered to the patio as she recalled a time that she and Sonny had been driving. Sonny had suddenly stopped the car and then reached over to pull Brenda close for a passionate kiss. Brenda snapped back to the present when she heard her door rattle as someone tried to break into her suite.

At Greystone Manor, Diane was determined to see Sonny. She feared that he had already seen the newspapers, so he was likely brooding in the parlor. Max didn't think that it was a good idea to bother Sonny, but Diane ignored Max's advice. Diane and Max were surprised to find Sonny in a chipper mood. Sonny immediately sensed that Diane had something on her mind, so he warned her that he didn't want another lecture about Claire. Diane handed Sonny a magazine as she informed Sonny that Claire was the least of his problems. Sonny burst out laughing when he saw the picture of Jason and Brenda. Sonny could tell that Jason was miserable and that Brenda appeared to be enjoying every moment of Jason's discomfort. Sonny was confident that the only reason that Jason was with Brenda was because Brenda was in trouble. Diane reminded Sonny of the age-old tradition of women falling in love with their bodyguards. Sonny wasn't concerned about that happening, but he was worried that something serious was going on if Brenda had reached out to Jason for help. Diane warned Sonny not to fly to Italy because Claire might not appreciate it. Sonny explained that he and Claire didn't have that kind of relationship, so he didn't owe Claire any explanations. Diane feared that Claire would jump to the conclusion that Sonny had only returned to Port Charles to seduce Claire to get the charges dropped. Diane also reminded Sonny that Claire's career had been crippled because of Sonny, so Claire might become a woman scorned if Sonny ran off to save Brenda.

Later, Carly barged into Sonny's parlor to complain about Jason flying to Rome to help Brenda. Carly insisted that Michael needed Jason, so Jason should be at home. Sonny was curious what Carly wanted him to do. Carly demanded that Sonny go to Italy to help Brenda. According to Carly, Brenda had only asked for Jason's help because it had been a desperate attempt to get Sonny's attention. Carly was certain that Brenda wanted Sonny, not Jason, to save her. Sonny didn't think that it was just about Michael. He suspected that Carly wanted to make sure that Jax didn't go to Rome. Carly conceded that she and Jax had reconciled, so she was worried about Jax because she had found him asking questions about Brenda. Carly realized that it wasn't good for her, or their marriage, if Jax had Brenda on his mind. However, Carly was familiar with "The Brenda and Sonny Show," which she had watched play out over the years. Carly was well aware that Brenda and Sonny had a long history of breaking up and then making up. Sonny was curious if Carly were suggesting that he work things out with Brenda. "No," Carly admitted; however, she was determined that Jax not get embroiled in Brenda's mess.

Sonny and Michael were pleasantly surprised to run into each other at Jason’s penthouse. Sonny started to talk about Brenda, but then changed his mind because he didn't want to waste what little time he had with Michael by talking about a woman. Michael assured Sonny that it was okay; it would be more interesting than talking about school. Sonny was curious if Michael remembered Brenda. Michael admitted that he had been a kid the last time that Brenda had been in town, so he hadn't paid much attention to her. Sonny conceded that he didn't have the healthiest relationship with Brenda, but they kept finding their way back to each other. Sonny explained that Brenda was special; she was unrealistic, spoiled, and dreamed big, but she was also kind. According to Sonny, Brenda broke her own heart most of the time. Sonny accepted that it was over between them and that she was out of his life, but Michael wondered what would happen if Brenda still loved Sonny.

9/24 At Sonny's mansion, Michael hypothetically asked his dad whether Sonny would want Brenda back if she were available. Sonny replied that the joy that he'd have if she were to become a part of his life again would be exceeded by the pain of losing her once more. Michael offered the hope that maybe Sonny wouldn't lose her again. Sonny said that there was there was too much baggage between him and Brenda. He lamented that he'd hurt her too many times and that he hated himself for that. Sonny stated that love wasn't enough to sustain a relationship if two people weren't good for each other. Michael argued that both Brenda and Sonny had changed. Sonny shared that, years before, Brenda had worn a wire to get Sonny to incriminate himself, because she'd thought that he'd get out of the business. Since Sonny was still in the business, he pointed out, Brenda would never have him back. He used his experience to illustrate that Michael should not follow Sonny's footsteps, because Michael might someday find love and not be able to maintain a relationship if he were in the mob.

After Jason left Brenda's villa, two men burst through her door and grabbed her. They told her they wanted answers. Brenda was defiant, so one of the men injected her with heroin. As Jason was driven to the airport, he received a call from Suzanne, who was worried, because Brenda had missed two appointments and was not answering her phone. Jason told the driver to turn around.

A bound Brenda, woozy from the drug, still refused to answer her captors' questions. Jason broke through the door and shot each man. He demanded to know what the Balkan wanted from Brenda, but it was too late. Both men were dead. Suzanne walked in and was shocked by the scene. She called the doctor and told him that there had been an unintentional overdose. Jason wanted to take Brenda to the hospital, but Suzanne explained that they needed to protect Brenda's privacy. After the doctor left, Jason returned to the suite after having conferred with Agent Bates of Interpol. Bates had confirmed that the two men who attacked Brenda had been working for the Balkan. Jason made clear to Suzanne that the Balkan would have killed Brenda had he just wanted to stop the work of ASEC. She had something the Balkan wanted, Jason argued. Brenda regained consciousness, and Jason asked what she remembered. Brenda recalled that the men who Jason had killed were the same men who'd tried to abduct her when Sonny had been in town. Jason assured her that Suzanne would keep the incident out of the media. She noted that Suzanne really cared about her. Brenda replied that Jason did too.

Sonny arrived and Carly smugly told him that Claire would be a little late. Sonny wondered why Carly seemed so calm. He asked if it was because Jason was on his way home. She replied with the question she knew he wanted answered, "What did Jason say about Brenda?" Sonny took her cue and did ask. She replied that she hadn't heard from Jason and that she assumed he was on "Brenda patrol." She also stated that she knew why Sonny hadn't gone back to Rome to pitch in. It was because Sonny was involved with Claire. Sonny asked if Carly was the least bit concerned about Jax's obsession with him, and Carly responded that the feelings of enmity between the two men were mutual. It all started, she declared, years before, when they began to compete over Brenda's affections.

9/27 At the Metro Court, Carly told Sonny that he was using Claire as a consolation prize for not being able to get Brenda back. She said that his motivation was to keep her from prosecuting him. Sonny told Carly that deflecting prosecution was not the only reason he was sleeping with Claire. Carly said that he liked chasing after buttoned up brunettes and that he was running after Claire because he could not have the brunette he really wanted. Claire joined them before Sonny could reply. Carly let Claire know that Jason was in Rome with Brenda instead of in Port Charles protecting Michael. She offered to pay for their dinner and made a joke about Sonny's plans for dessert. Sonny said that he wanted to cook for Claire, and they would go to his place. As they exited, Sonny told Carly to say hi to Jax for him. Once they got to Sonny's home, Claire and Sonny talked about food. Claire told Sonny that she would never have pegged him as a guy who was as comfortable in the kitchen as he was doing business on the docks. Sonny said that everyone had to have a hobby. Claire said that she thought Sonny's hobby was chasing women. Claire laughed when he asked, "How do you think I got all the girls?"

In Rome, Jason sat with Brenda as she overcame to effects of the heroin with which she had been forcibly injected. She wanted to know all about Sonny. She asked about Carly's relationship with Sonny. Jason told her that divorce was best for both of them. Brenda wanted to know if Sonny talked about her to Jason. At first Jason said no, but then relented and told Brenda that Sonny had once said that he would die remembering Brenda's face. Brenda was touched and asked Jason if he thought that she and Sonny could have made it if Sonny had tried harder. Reluctantly, Jason told her that it seemed to him that she and Sonny did not make each other happy for very long. Brenda was quiet when Jason told her that her life was in serious danger and that he was taking her back to Port Charles to ensure her safety.

9/28 In Rome, Jason tried to persuade Brenda to return to the United States with him because he believed that he could protect her better in Port Charles. Brenda strongly objected to the idea of going to Port Charles. Jason realized that Brenda was afraid to face Sonny. Brenda clarified that it was more than fear; Sonny was like an addiction to her, so she was determined to avoid him at all costs. Jason wondered if avoiding Sonny was more important than staying alive. Brenda couldn't believe that Port Charles was the safest place for her. Jason explained that he was familiar with Port Charles, so he could be much more effective as a bodyguard on familiar ground. Jason also reminded Brenda that he had a life in Port Charles that he wanted to get back to. Jason was certain that Brenda knew what the Balkan was looking for, but Brenda denied it. Jason let the matter drop to focus on convincing Brenda to cooperate. Jason explained that he would have more resources at his disposal to track the Balkan in Port Charles.

Brenda suggested that Jason didn't really want her to go back to Port Charles. She reminded him that he had married her to keep her from breaking up Sonny and Carly's marriage. Jason reminded Brenda that Carly was married to Jax. Brenda wondered if Jason had a change of heart and now thought that Brenda was good for Sonny. Jason didn't think that it mattered. He told her that she could choose to do what she wanted with Sonny, but he was determined to make sure that she returned to Port Charles. Brenda refused to put herself in that position again. She cried that her heart wasn't safe in Port Charles. Jason didn't care about her heart because he was trying to keep her alive. Brenda argued that she couldn't be around the people that she loved because she didn't want them to have the power to hurt her. Jason promised that Brenda could go abroad once he killed the Balkan, but that wasn't enough for Brenda. Jason made it clear that Brenda didn't have a choice. Defeated, Brenda wondered if perhaps she should call Sonny. Jason let her know that it was up to her. Brenda confessed that she didn't want to resort to her old behavior or to hurt anyone.

Molly plopped down on the sofa and then asked if Sonny were in love with Claire. Sonny laughed as he sat down on the sofa next to Molly. He revealed that he just wanted to date a nice woman. Molly wondered if he was dating Claire only because she was nice. Sonny confessed that a person could fall deeply in love with someone, but it didn't always last. Molly suspected that he was referring to Carly, but Sonny surprised her by admitting that he had been talking about someone else. "Brenda Barrett," Molly realized. Sonny seemed startled that Molly knew about Brenda, but Molly explained that Kristina had told her about Sonny's relationship with Brenda. Sonny assured Molly that he was not in love with Claire, but he liked her and enjoyed spending time with her.

9/30 Spinelli was frantically vacuuming Jason's penthouse, unaware that Molly was knocking on the door. Eventually Molly let herself in and then tapped Spinelli on the shoulder. Spinelli jumped, but then smiled when he saw that Molly was standing in the living room with the flowers that he had ordered. Molly explained that her friend's mother owned the flower shop where Spinelli had ordered the flowers. The shop's delivery van had broken down, so Molly had offered to deliver the flowers. Spinelli was grateful for Molly's help. Molly wondered what was going on. Spinelli began to recite Lord Byron's "She Walks in Beauty", which Molly assumed was Spinelli's way of telling her that he had worked things out with Maxie. Spinelli quickly clarified that a reunion with Maxie wasn't an option. He explained that he was anticipating Brenda's arrival. "My uncle's supermodel ex-girlfriend?" Molly asked with excitement. Spinelli vigorously nodded as he revealed that Brenda would be living in the penthouse for the foreseeable future. He was certain that Brenda would be an angel of "patience, kindness, and generosity."

On the plane, Brenda dreamed that she and Jason had bumped into Sonny on the docks. Jason stood back, so that Brenda and Sonny could have a private reunion. Brenda's joy quickly turned to horror when two shots rang out and then blood spread across Sonny's shirt. Brenda began to scream as Jason pulled Brenda away from Sonny. Brenda woke up from the nightmare, calling out Sonny's name. Jason assured Brenda that it had just been a dream; he promised her that she was okay. Brenda was grumpy as she admitted that she'd rather go anywhere except Port Charles. She also resented how everyone, including those on the plane, stared at her. Jason thought that she would be used to it because of her work with A.S.E.C. Brenda admitted that she'd rather crash and drown than go to Port Charles. However, she acknowledged that with her luck, she'd end up stranded on a deserted island with Jason. Jason wondered if Brenda would like a drink. "Yes," Brenda admitted gratefully. Jason signaled to the flight attendant just as they hit some turbulence.

A short time later, Brenda and Jason arrived at the penthouse. Brenda was eager to get inside, so she demanded that Jason hand over the key. Spinelli threw open the door before Jason could dig the key out of his pocket. Spinelli invited Brenda inside and then started babbling. Brenda quickly realized that Spinelli was the "computer guy." Spinelli was delighted when she recalled speaking to him on the phone and remembered his name. Brenda extended her hand, which Spinelli held and then gazed at with awe. Jason explained that Spinelli was staying in Brenda's room, so she would have to take the guest room. Spinelli quickly objected; he had restored Brenda's room to its original state, so he insisted that she take it back. Brenda was impressed when Spinelli offered refreshments: coffee and biscotti. She invited Spinelli to join her on the sofa, so that they could chat. Brenda was flattered when Spinelli referred to her as "the Divine One," but she preferred to be called Brenda.

Later, Michael stopped by to see if Jason had returned. Jason explained that he had been about to call Michael because he had heard that Michael had encountered some trouble at school. Michael confessed that if it hadn't been for Dante, he would have been kicked out of Madison Prep on his first day. Michael believed that Jason was the only person who could understand what Michael was going through. Michael revealed that everyone was eager to help him, including Sam, who had expressed concern about Jason in an effort to get Michael to open up. Jason offered to listen if Michael needed to talk, but before Michael could find the words, Brenda entered the living room. Brenda greeted Michael and then asked Jason, "Who's this?" Moments later, Brenda realized that it was Michael. She was amazed by how much Michael had grown; he had been a baby the last time that she had seen him, but she remembered that he had been obsessed with the Yankees.

Michael smiled as he admitted that he was still a Yankees fan. Jason explained that he and Michael had been in the middle of something, but Michael assured Jason that it was okay. Brenda and Michael talked about school and then Josslyn. Brenda was curious how old Josslyn was and when she had been born. Michael became silent and then quickly excused himself. Brenda turned to Jason to find out what she had said to upset Michael. She was speechless as Jason explained the circumstances of Josslyn's birth and that Michael had only recently been released from prison for killing Claudia. Jason warned her that Michael was going through hell, so he wanted Brenda to be careful. Later, Brenda was having a snack in the living room when Sam let herself into the penthouse. "Brenda?" Sam asked. "Yeah, sorry, who are you?" Brenda wondered. Jason stood on the staircase, looking a bit uncomfortable.

10/1 Sam entered Jason's living room and, in an awkward encounter, met Brenda. Sam got to see another side of Jason as he got flustered arguing with Brenda. Sam commented that it was funny to witness him in such a state. Brenda and Sam sat and got to know each other. Sam uncomfortably shared her past with Jax and Sonny. Brenda reacted with discomfort, since she also had a past with both men. Brenda offered to stay elsewhere, because she didn't want Sam to feel uncomfortable. Sam insisted that it wasn't a problem and asked Brenda to stay. After Sam left, Brenda berated Jason for not having told her anything about his life. The two continued to spar until Brenda announced that she had to go see Sonny. Spinelli returned home to witness Jason and Brenda sniping at one another, as Brenda left the penthouse to meet bodyguards downstairs. Sam returned, and Jason asked Spinelli to leave them alone. Sam announced that she thought she and Jason should break up.

Sonny arrived home to find Brenda waiting. He was pleasantly surprised until she announced that she'd stay in Port Charles for a while, but that she would not see him, ever.

10/4 Jason refused to let Sam break up with him because of Brenda. He told her that he loved her and had no interest in Brenda.

Brenda went to see Sonny. She said that she was not in Port Charles because of him, but because Jason had insisted. She said that she loved Rome and would go back to the city as soon as her security issues were resolved. Sonny offered Brenda champagne and a chance to catch up. Brenda said that they had done that in Rome, and nothing good could result. She told him that she would do her best to avoid him while she was in town. Sonny said that they had shared a lot together and that they would always be friends. Brenda said that she did not want to be friends with him. Sonny said that when he had been in Rome, she had helped him, and he felt like that meant something.

Sonny said he felt like they were being given a second chance. Brenda said it was more like a tenth or fifteenth chance. Sonny said that they had both grown up and knew what really mattered. Brenda said for Sonny, that was showing his children that he loved them. Brenda said that she had met Michael. She commented that he had been a baby the last time that she had seen him. She said that even though she and Sonny had been together many times over the years, the sum total of time they had spent together only amounted to two or three years. Sonny said that time did not matter, what mattered was the connection. He told Brenda that she could not fight the pull, that it was inevitable. Diane walked in before Brenda could respond.

Diane complimented Brenda's style then reminded Sonny of the meeting they had scheduled. Brenda took that as her cue to leave, but Sonny cancelled the meeting with Diane instead and sent her away, but not before Diane told Brenda how glad she was that Brenda had a man like Murphy Sinclair in her life. After Diane was gone, Sonny said that he regretted not going to Rome to see Brenda sooner. Brenda said that it did not look like Sonny had been pining away for her. Sonny said that he had been content, but nothing as special as the relationship he had with Brenda had happened. Brenda admitted that when their relationship was working, nothing was better, but when it was not, it was hurtful and painful for both of them.

Sonny said that Brenda could have sent Jason to deliver her message, but she had decided to see him in person. He told Brenda that the real reason she was there was so he could convince her to give them another chance. Brenda said that their problem in the past was trust, and it was a decade later, and he still did not trust her to mean what she said. Brenda said that no matter what she and Sonny tried, there was no way they could make it work because their relationship would always fall apart. Sonny said that the connection they had to each other was still there and that nothing could match what they had always felt for each other. Brenda had tears in her eyes as she and Sonny moved slowly into each other's arms.

10/5 At Greystone Manor, Sonny tried to kiss Brenda, but she stepped back before their lips touched. Brenda was determined not to act on her feelings for Sonny. She explained that she hadn't wanted to return to Port Charles because she knew that it would be too painful for her. "Why?" Sonny wondered. Brenda smiled sadly as she simply explained that they couldn't be together. Sonny disagreed. Sonny acknowledged that years before, they had faced obstacles that had kept them apart, but Sonny insisted that those obstacles were gone. Sonny believed that they could finally get things right if they gave their relationship a chance. Brenda welled up as she conceded that she had been crazy in love with Sonny, which had driven her to do stupid things. She didn't want to be that person again. She feared that she would lose herself in Sonny again if she became involved with him. Brenda backed away and then turned to leave, despite Sonny's attempts to persuade her to stay.

Shortly after Brenda left, Claire walked in. She noticed the two glasses of champagne on the coffee table. Sonny admitted that he had something to tell her. Claire was certain that it had to do with the person that he'd been drinking champagne with. Sonny gently explained that he had recently visited Brenda in Rome and that Brenda had returned to Port Charles. He didn't think it would be fair to continue seeing Claire when he had feelings for Brenda. Claire was clearly hurt as she informed Sonny that he had broken the law by flying to Rome. "Don't do this," Sonny implored Claire. He didn't want things to turn ugly between them. He explained that he had believed that things were over between him and Brenda when he had left Rome, so he had decided to move forward with Claire, only to discover that Brenda had been waiting for him when he had returned from the island. Sonny acknowledged that he and Brenda had loved each other off and on for years. He realized that the timing was horrible, but he wanted Claire to know what was going on. Claire admired his honesty, but she wasn't thrilled that Sonny wanted to be with Brenda. Later, Claire entered her darkened office and then picked up her messages. Claire glanced at the pink slips of paper, but didn't read them as tears began to flow down her cheeks. Claire sobbed for a while, dried her tears, and then picked up the phone. She told the person on the other end that she wanted back in on the Corinthos case. She realized that she couldn't prosecute Sonny, but she could help gather enough evidence to put Sonny away for life.

Brenda arrived home, Jason made it clear that he wasn't in the mood to deal with Brenda's problems. Brenda ignored Jason as she told him about her visit to Greystone Manor to see Sonny. She was desperate for Jason to help her stay away from Sonny. Jason explained that he had more important things to deal with. Brenda reminded him that the only reason that she was in Port Charles was because Jason had talked her into it. She begged him, as a friend, to keep her from blowing her life apart. Jason realized that Brenda was genuinely upset, so he apologized for snapping at her. Brenda admitted that she should be able to stay away from Sonny without Jason's help. Jason assured her that Sonny wasn't trying to hurt her. Brenda realized that, but she was certain that if she stayed in Port Charles that she'd end up being destroyed. Brenda implored Jason to get the situation with the Balkan resolved as soon as possible, so that she could return to Rome.

In the office at Pozzulo's, Suzanne informed Jason that she didn't think that the Balkan would give up on Brenda. She was certain that he would follow Brenda to Port Charles. Jason confessed that he hoped the Balkan showed up in Port Charles because it would put the crime lord at a disadvantage. Suzanne wondered what would stop the Balkan from going after Brenda on her next trip. Jason made it clear that Brenda would not be traveling until the Balkan had been dealt with. Suzanne argued that it was unreasonable to expect Brenda not to travel, because she had commitments to fulfill for Cartullo. Jason insisted that all of Brenda's trips would be suspended until it was safe for Brenda to travel. Suzanne doubted that Brenda would go along with those plans. Sam entered the office seconds later. Jason introduced Suzanne to Sam. Suzanne smiled politely and then explained that she needed a few more minutes alone with Jason to discuss Brenda's security. Sam realized that Suzanne had been the one to call Jason to help Brenda. Sam was curious why Suzanne hadn't been able to provide adequate protection for Brenda.

10/6 At Pozzulo's, Sam informed Suzanne that just because Jason had been married to Brenda, for a few months a long time before, didn't mean that he had to take care of Brenda forever. Sam was curious why Suzanne couldn't provide Brenda with adequate protection. Suzanne explained that Brenda had listed Jason as her next of kin and emergency contact, so Suzanne had merely called Jason to let him know what was going on. Suzanne suggested that perhaps Sam should ask Jason why he had felt compelled to hop on the first plane to Rome and then take over Brenda's life. Sam turned to Jason; she realized that he had a job to do, but she resented Suzanne dismissing her from the office. Suzanne explained to Sam that the Balkan wasn't a simple threat; he was an international crime figure and a killer. Suzanne didn't think that Brenda deserved to die because Sam didn't want to share her boyfriend.

Suzanne insisted that Brenda was important for countless children who benefited from the work that the Alliance to Save Exploited Children did. Sam wondered why Suzanne was incapable of keeping Brenda in line. Suzanne confessed that she would love to be able to control Brenda, but Brenda would only listen to Jason. Moments later, Sam's phone rang. Jason immediately realized that something was wrong. Sam explained that it was about Michael, but she refused to elaborate. After Sam left, with promises to call Jason, Suzanne commented that it was clear that Michael was someone important to Jason. Jason explained that Michael was his nephew and that he and Michael's parents had made a lot of poor choices for Michael. Suzanne was sympathetic as Jason revealed that Michael had gone to jail for killing someone in self-defense. Suzanne had learned through her work with ASEC that taking a life changed a person. She suggested that the best way to help Michael heal was through time and effort.

Later, Suzanne wondered who she had to sleep with to get a drink. Milo offered to fetch Suzanne some wine, but he assured her that she didn't have to sleep with him for it. Suzanne smiled as she explained that she had been joking. As Milo poured Suzanne a glass of white wine, Suzanne questioned Max about Brenda's contact list that Jason had provided. She wasn't happy that it was limited to a few people, but Max explained that he wasn't in a position to do anything about it. Suzanne wondered if Max and Milo were ready to protect Brenda. She warned them that Brenda could be difficult. Max bragged that he had a knack for handling difficult women. Diane was not pleased to hear Max's comment as she entered the restaurant. Max quickly introduced Diane to Suzanne. Diane and Suzanne appeared to take an instant disliking to each other. Diane accused Suzanne of using the charity to line her pockets, but Suzanne clarified that ninety-five percent of the donations went to the children that ASEC represented. Diane was curious who was footing the bill for Brenda's security because she didn't think that it was fair that her two clients had to pay for Brenda's protection. Suzanne didn't realize that Diane represented Max and Milo. Diane quickly clarified that she had been referring to Jason Morgan and Sonny Corinthos. Suzanne insisted that Sonny wasn't allowed anywhere near Brenda. Diane smugly informed Suzanne that Sonny was all over Brenda like "white on rice."

10/7 In Jax's office, Jax insisted that he didn't want Brenda on the cover of Crimson. Maxie argued that the timing couldn't be more perfect because Brenda was in Port Charles. Jax was stunned by the news, which surprised Maxie. Maxie thought that everyone knew. "Knew what?" Carly wondered as she entered the office. Jax quickly changed the subject. He instructed Maxie to have Kate get back to him about the travel expenses because Kate had been over budget every quarter.

At Pozzulo's, Dante let Sonny know that the investigation into the bombing of Johnny's car had been reopened. Sonny reminded Dante that the Lopez brothers had been responsible, but Dante revealed that the Lopez brothers had been cleared. Sonny wondered why Dante was trying to rock the boat by reopening an investigation that might end the truce between Sonny and Johnny. Sonny urged Dante to leave it alone. Dante explained that he hadn't asked for the case; it had been assigned to him because Lucky had been out of town. However, Dante couldn't ignore that Kristina and Johnny had almost been killed in the bombing, so he felt compelled to investigate. Dante insisted that Sonny had the means, the motive, and the opportunity to plant the bomb under Johnny's car. Sonny warned Dante not to repeat the mistake that Dante had made with Michael. Dante argued that it was an entirely different situation, but Sonny disagreed. Sonny reminded Dante that Michael had paid a much higher price than Dante had expected. Sonny didn't understand why Dante wanted to stir things up and put the truce in jeopardy. Sonny claimed that sometimes it was best to leave well enough alone. After Dante left, Sonny placed a call to Diane. Sonny wanted Diane to find a way to get the investigation closed.

Jax strolled into the restaurant as Sonny ended the call. Jax bluntly informed Sonny that Brenda was in town, so Jax wanted Sonny to leave her alone. Sonny took great pleasure in revealing that Brenda had been waiting at Greystone Manor when Sonny had returned from the island. Sonny let Jax know that he had opened a bottle of champagne and that he and Brenda had enjoyed a nice talk. Sonny then wondered what Jax was doing there. "Aren't you married?" Sonny asked. Jax had hoped that Sonny had finally realized how much danger Sonny's lifestyle posed to everyone. Jax thought that Sonny would put Brenda's welfare first. Sonny suggested that Jax go home to take care of Carly. Meanwhile, Sonny planned to do his best to take care of Brenda.

At the hospital, Brenda popped her head into Robin's hospital room. Robin was delighted to see Brenda. Max and Milo waited in the hallway while the two friends reunited. Brenda explained that Jason had arranged for them to guard her, but she didn't want to talk about that; she wanted to know what was going on with Robin. Robin told Brenda about the fall down the well, Lisa's obsession with Patrick, Patrick's one-night stand with Lisa, and Lisa's suicide attempt. Brenda wondered where Lisa was? Robin explained that Lisa had been taken to Shadybrook for an evaluation. Robin hoped that Lisa would be transferred to a prison for the criminally insane. Robin then admitted that she had seen Stone while she had been in the well. Robin acknowledged that Stone hadn't been real, but it had been wonderful to see him nonetheless. Brenda understood; she knew that there wasn't anything like a person's first love. Robin and Brenda talked about what had led to Patrick's infidelity. Robin admitted that she had shut Patrick out before she had gone to Africa. Brenda didn't think that it was an excuse for Patrick to sleep with another woman. However, Robin assured Brenda that Patrick was a wonderful father.

Robin wanted to change the subject, so Brenda offered to talk about herself. Brenda revealed how she had ended up in Port Charles. Brenda hoped that Jason would catch the Balkan soon, so that she could return to Rome. Brenda admitted that Jason was the best bodyguard, but she didn't want Robin to tell him. Robin assured Brenda that she never got involved in one of Jason's relationships. Brenda burst out laughing as she explained that she and Jason didn't have a relationship. According to Brenda, a person couldn't have one with someone who never listened and always ordered people around. Robin wondered if Brenda had gotten a chance to see Sonny. Brenda told Robin about her encounter with Sonny in Rome and then admitted that she had gone to Greystone Manor to tell Sonny that she wouldn't be able to see him while she was in Port Charles. Brenda revealed that Sonny wanted to try to make their relationship work, but Brenda didn't think that it was a good idea. Robin didn't understand why, but Brenda confided that she had shed countless tears over Sonny through the years. Robin suggested that perhaps Sonny had been too much for Brenda in the past, but the timing might finally be right for them.

After Robin left the hospital, she stopped by Pozzulo's to talk to Sonny. Sonny wondered if Robin had second thoughts about Sonny and Brenda reconnecting. Robin revealed that it was just the opposite; she urged Sonny to "go for it." Robin was certain that Sonny and Brenda would be happy together. Sonny argued that he and Brenda had destroyed each other, so it might not be a good idea. Robin pointed out that things were different; Sonny had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and Brenda had grown up. Robin was confident that Brenda was a stronger person than she had been in the past. Sonny agreed, but he suggested that it was because he wasn't in Brenda's life. Robin thought that Sonny and Brenda had a chance to make things work, but she warned Sonny not to assume that they would have another chance.

At Jason's penthouse, Brenda was stunned to discover that Suzanne was in Port Charles. Suzanne revealed that the Balkan had struck in Rome. According to Suzanne, the Balkan had destroyed Brenda's apartment and the hotel suite. Suzanne broke the news that everything that Brenda owned had been destroyed. Suzanne begged Brenda to follow Jason's instructions carefully because the Balkan was clearly a dangerous man. Brenda decided that she needed to see someone, so she left.

10/8 Robin visited Sonny at his office. She urged him to pursue Brenda, but Sonny was resistant. He told Robin that he wanted Brenda to be happy, and letting Brenda build a life with Murphy would do that. Robin said that Brenda and Sonny's love could have been the greatest ever. Sonny wondered if it would work since they'd both matured--if they were each brave enough to give it another try.

Brenda surprised Jax as he worked in his office. Carly showed up, and Max and Milo tried to prevent her from going into the office. Carly barged through the door and caught Brenda and Jax in an embrace. Carly's face cracked when Brenda explained that Jason had insisted that Brenda stay in Port Charles. Carly didn't let on that she was angry and left Brenda and Jax to catch up. As Brenda and Jax reminisced, Brenda expressed that she loved her life, despite the fact that she still regretted that Jax had left her. Later, Jax stood alone in his office and reminisced about his days with Brenda. Carly entered the room, prompting Jax to apologize. Carly told him that if he loved her, he'd never see Brenda again.

Carly stormed in and berated Jason for not warning her that he'd convinced Brenda to return to Port Charles. Carly assumed that Brenda wanted to resume a relationship either with Jax or Sonny. Jason made it clear that he was not enjoying Brenda living with him but that it was the only way to keep her safe. He explained to Carly who the Balkan was and that Jason wanted the man to go to Port Charles where he'd be on Jason's turf. Carly shared her concern that Jax might fall back in love with Brenda.

Later, Suzanne paid Brenda a visit. They sparred over Brenda's unwillingness to discuss work and Brenda's desire to have a personal life. She needed to face her demons, Brenda elaborated. There was someone she wanted to allow herself to love. After Brenda left, Suzanne complained to Jason that Brenda was on her way to see Sonny. Suzanne worried that Brenda was in love with Sonny and planned to tell him. Jason said he didn't care about what went on between Sonny and Brenda. Suzanne replied that at least she had control over Brenda's career. To that end, Brenda would do a fashion shoot in Paris the following week. Jason replied that it was not feasible.

Dante went to Sonny's home to see him. While waiting, Brenda walked in and surprised Dante. It was obvious the two knew each other. Sonny arrived and introduced Brenda to his son, Dante. Brenda was shocked.

10/11 Carly stomped into Jax's office and demanded that he never see Brenda again. He said that he would stop seeing Brenda if she stopped seeing Sonny. Jax called it compromising. Carly said that it was not the same because she had children with Sonny. Jax said that his friendship with Brenda was no threat to his relationship with Carly.

At Sonny's home, Dante was introduced to Brenda as Sonny's son. Both seemed flustered. Dante asked why she was there. Brenda said that she was seeing old friends. Dante said that he and Sonny were on opposite sides of the law. Dante told Brenda that Sonny had shot him on a previous occasion when Dante had tried to arrest Sonny. Sonny said that things had gotten better since then. Dante said that he was at Sonny's place on official business. He said he was investigating the bomb in Johnny's car. Sonny said he had planted the bomb. Brenda said that some things were better left unsolved because sometimes people did the right thing for the wrong reasons. She gave Dante a pointed look when she said, "But you know that, don't you, Dante?" Dante responded that a crime had been committed and blood ties would not make it go away. Dante was very formal with Brenda when he told her it had been nice meeting her and he hoped she enjoyed her time in Port Charles.

After Dante left, Brenda told Sonny that she had seen Robin, who had encouraged her to take another chance with Sonny. Sonny was ready to try again, but Brenda turned the conversation to Dante. She said that she recognized that Dante and Sonny had a complicated relationship. She said that Sonny would be a good father to Dante. Sonny said that Brenda always saw the best in him. Then he asked why she was there. Brenda looked at the framed pictures in the room and wanted to know why there were no pictures of Dante. Sonny looked at her and said that she was not there to talk about Dante.

Suzanne was with Jason at the penthouse. She wanted his help to stop Brenda from getting involved with Sonny again. Jason said that no one could stop Brenda from doing what she wanted to do, especially with Sonny. Susanne said that Brenda listened to Jason more that anyone else, but Jason was not moved. He said that he would protect Brenda from the Balkan, but could not protect her from Sonny.

Maxie pounded on the door and demanded that Jason send Brenda back to Rome. She was upset because of Spinelli's impassioned infatuation with Brenda. Maxie said that Brenda was messing with Spinelli's mind. Suzanne sputtered when Maxie called Brenda a "mind-altering bimbo," but Maxie continued to vent and said that Brenda was a bad influence on Spinelli. Jason said that Brenda could not go back to Rome because people were trying to kill her. In a very soft voice to avoid being heard, Maxie muttered, "Yeah, anyone with a man."

Robin went to see Jax. Robin said that Brenda always turned to Jax when she was struggling with feelings for Sonny. Jax did not like hearing that, and he was even more upset to find out that Robin was responsible for getting Brenda and Sonny in touch with each other again. Jax wanted to know why Robin was encouraging a relationship between Sonny and Brenda. Robin said it was because they deserved to find out if they could have a life together. Jax said that Brenda deserved better than Sonny. He said that he loved Carly, but would not sit back and do nothing while Sonny hurt Brenda.

Carly found Jason alone when she barged into the penthouse to share her upset and jealousy about Brenda. She asked Jason for reassurance. Jason told Carly that he loved her. He said that she was someone he could count on and one of the few people who had changed his life. Carly said she was fearful that Jax was falling for Brenda again. She told Jason that she was the one who had seen Sonny and Brenda kissing the night before Brenda's wedding to Jax and had told Jax about it. Carly said that she had never seen Jax as hurt as he was by Brenda's betrayal. Carly told Jason that Jax was not like him. Carly said that Brenda knew how to work Jax and had already started getting under his skin by going to Jax and talking about Sonny.

As Lulu talked to Dante, he was not listening to her. He was lost in thought as he remembered his first meeting with Brenda when he was assigned to her protection detail as a young patrolman in New York City.

10/12 In Ireland, Siobhan eavesdropped from behind some crates as the Balkan's underling, Swavek, ordered Ronan to find Brenda. Lucky, posing as Ronan, insisted that Brenda was too high-profile to take out. Swavek made it clear that Ronan didn't have a choice. Lucky warned Swavek that the Balkan's henchmen had ended up dead the last time that the Balkan had tried to kill Ronan. Swavek insisted that he was just trying to help Ronan; he explained that the Balkan wouldn't have any use for Ronan if Ronan didn't follow the orders. Lucky argued that Brenda was famous, so it wasn't easy to get to her. Swavek assured Ronan that Ronan didn't have to kill Brenda; the Balkan wanted Ronan to snatch her and then hold her until the Balkan collected her. Swavek revealed that Brenda had last been seen in Rome. However, Swavek had no idea where she had been moved to. Ronan agreed to start his search in Rome and then left with Siobhan.

In Jax's office, Robin suggested that Brenda should follow her heart. Jax was certain that Sonny would destroy the life that Brenda had built. Jax admitted that he didn't trust Sonny not to take advantage of Brenda. Robin gently pointed out that Jax was married, so it wasn't his call to make. Jax argued that he could be happily married to Carly and still be concerned about Brenda. Robin suspected that Jax was more concerned about stopping Sonny than saving Brenda. Jax denied that he wanted revenge against Sonny. He insisted that he was simply trying to look out for Brenda. Robin explained that Brenda was a grown woman who had made a life for herself. She was certain that Brenda had things figured out. Jax was adamant that Brenda would be a moving target if she were with Sonny.

Robin pointed out that Brenda was already surrounded by danger; however, her point was that Jax's interference might pose some unexpected problems. Robin suggested that Brenda might see Jax as an attractive alternative to Sonny. She was curious if Jax were ready for that. Robin reminded him that he had wrecked one marriage for Brenda, so she wondered if he were prepared to sacrifice a second marriage. Jax was confident that he could be friends with Brenda. Robin was curious if Jax had considered how Carly might feel about his desire to protect Brenda from Sonny. Robin insisted that Brenda and Sonny had something special, so Jax should stay out of it.

At Jason's penthouse, Carly ranted about Brenda. Carly was certain that Brenda wouldn't be happy until every man was fawning at her feet. Jason argued that Brenda wanted to be with Sonny, but Carly wasn't satisfied. She was certain that Brenda would eventually seduce Jax. Carly continued to complain about Brenda, so Jason let her know that Brenda planned to leave Port Charles once the danger had passed. Carly then complained that Brenda would break Sonny's heart. Jason suggested that Carly warn Sonny, if she was so concerned. Carly let the matter drop, but she demanded to know how long Brenda would remain in Port Charles. Jason confided that it would help if he knew what the Balkan looked like.

At Greystone Manor, Brenda wondered why Sonny didn't have a picture of Dante among the photographs of his children. Sonny knew that she hadn't stopped by to talk about Dante. Brenda became lost in the past as she remembered her first meeting with Dante. Brenda had been curious if Dante had ever protected anyone before. Dante had told her an entertaining story about protecting his cousin once, and a Kentucky Derby-winning horse. Sonny noticed Brenda's momentary lack of attention. He wondered if she were okay. "Yes," Brenda assured him as she shook off the memory. She admitted that she had been surprised to meet Dante. Sonny chuckled as he confessed that it appeared that she had made quite an impression on his son.

The conversation then drifted back to Sonny and Brenda's relationship. Brenda insisted that she couldn't be with Sonny, but Sonny didn't understand why. Brenda claimed that everything had ended for them when he had left her at the altar. Brenda suggested that Robin was lost in a fantasy about first love because she couldn't let go of Stone. Sonny was curious if Brenda knew what Stone's dying wish had been. Brenda didn't, so Sonny revealed that Stone had wanted Sonny and Brenda to be together. Brenda argued that they weren't the same people that they had been then. Sonny was certain that Brenda wanted to explore a relationship with him, but she denied it. She explained that she had stopped by to let Sonny know that she was leaving town.

Later, Brenda stormed into Jason's penthouse to let him know that she intended to leave town immediately. Jason realized that Brenda had been in a fight with Sonny. Brenda insisted that things had turned out exactly as they should have. Jason wondered if Brenda had confessed that she still had feelings for Sonny. Brenda was livid when she realized that Suzanne had been talking to Jason. She felt like they were all in high school. Jason assured Brenda that Suzanne had just been concerned. Brenda didn't think that it mattered, since she didn't have any plans to be with Sonny. Brenda angrily blamed Jason for her troubles because Jason had forced her to return to Port Charles. According to Brenda, there wasn't any difference between being emotionally dead and physically dead. Jason suggested that Brenda simply stay away from Sonny.

Brenda confessed that she had to tell Jason something that was worse than anything he could imagine. "What makes it worse?" Jason wondered. Brenda's eyes filled with tears as she tried to find the words. Jason grew frustrated as he pushed Brenda to reveal her secret. Brenda resented Jason's lack of compassion, so she shut down. She decided that she would call someone else to guard her, but Jason ignored her as he walked away. Brenda wandered over the stairs and then sat down. Brenda once again became lost in the past as she remembered offering Dante a snack to eat while he guarded her from the hallway. She was touched when Dante picked out two chocolate bars from a gift basket and then revealed his intention to give the chocolate to his mother. Brenda's tears dried up as she smiled at the memory.

At Greystone Manor, Sonny ordered a dozen white roses for Brenda. Suzanne strolled into the room just as he ended the call. After she introduced herself, Sonny offered to write a check for a sizable donation. Suzanne refused to take money from a criminal. Suzanne made it clear that she couldn't care less about him, but Brenda was special. Suzanne recalled that Brenda had been quite young when she'd first become involved with Sonny. Sonny was curious what Suzanne was trying to tell him. "Nothing," Suzanne calmly informed him; however, she confessed that it would be tempting to explore the nature of Sonny and Brenda's relationship back then. Sonny sensed an unspoken threat, so he announced that their conversation was over. Suzanne refused to be strong-armed. Sonny decided to cut to the chase, so he invited Suzanne to get to the point.

Suzanne ordered Sonny to stay away from Brenda. "Isn't that up to Brenda?" Sonny questioned. Suzanne argued that Brenda was blinded by the stars in her eyes, so she couldn't appreciate that Sonny might harm her reputation. Sonny was curious if Suzanne was worried about Brenda's credibility or the charity's cash flow. Suzanne insisted that they were linked, which meant that Sonny was bad for Brenda either way. Sonny let Suzanne know that it was Brenda's call to make. Suzanne realized that Sonny might be feeling overly confident because Brenda had told him that she was still in love with him. Sonny hid his surprise as Suzanne urged him to get past his own selfish needs by letting Brenda go.

Dante recalled when a detective had explained that Brenda needed protection. According to the detective, a guy who was wanted by Interpol was stalking Brenda.Lulu slept soundly in Dante's arms while he thought about the past. Dante remembered how he had offered to guard Brenda from the hallway, so that she could have some privacy in her hotel suite. Brenda had begged Dante to stay because she couldn't sleep without someone talking to her. She invited Dante to watch television, but Dante warned her that he was an "obnoxious channel flipper." Dante assured her that she would be fine because he might hit on the cleaning ladies, but he wouldn't let anyone enter her room. Brenda laughed as she admitted that he had eased her mind.

10/14 At Pozzulo's, Jason warned Claire that Michael wouldn't survive another stint in Pentonville. Claire suggested that Michael shouldn't have violated the terms of his parole. Claire was startled when Sonny suddenly appeared in the doorway and then ordered her to leave Michael and Jason alone; her problem was with him. The wind left Claire's sails when Sonny insisted that Claire was a better person "than that." Sonny threatened to bar her from the restaurant if she continued to pull stunts like the one that she had. Sonny was curious why she hadn't taken the advice. Claire shrugged as she admitted that she had fallen into Sonny's trap. Sonny conceded that he had wanted a relationship with Claire, but then Brenda had returned to Port Charles. He didn't think it that would have been fair to continue seeing Claire while he had feelings for someone else. Sonny admitted that it hadn't been an easy decision.

Claire confessed that it wasn't fun being the scorned woman, but it was more humiliating that she had sunk low enough to threaten Michael's freedom. She decided that she would see the breakup as a sign of respect. Sonny assured her that he did respect her, but he couldn't change how he felt about Brenda. Claire reminded him that she couldn't prosecute him because she had recused herself; however, she could help to build a case against Sonny, so that someone else could try him. She hoped that Sonny enjoyed his time with Brenda because it might not last long.

Maxie urged Spinelli to move out of the penthouse until Brenda had left town. Spinelli refused to consider it. Maxie believed that Spinelli was nothing to Brenda, but the gum under her Cartullo pump. Maxie was annoyed when Brenda entered the living room and then smiled sweetly at Spinelli. Brenda hugged Spinelli and then thanked him for the yoga video that he had given to her. Maxie decided to introduce herself to Brenda. Brenda was amazed by how much Maxie had grown. Maxie cut to the chase by demanding that Brenda stay away from Spinelli because he was clearly not Brenda's type. Brenda was surprised by Maxie's hostility; she couldn't understand why Maxie had a problem with Brenda and Spinelli's friendship. Maxie callously informed Brenda that pretending to have feelings of friendship for Spinelli was selfish and unfair. Spinelli reminded Maxie that she had done exactly what she was accusing Brenda of doing.

Maxie wasn't moved; she refused to stand by while Brenda manipulated Spinelli. Brenda assured Maxie that she wasn't using Spinelli, but Maxie didn't believe her. Maxie tried to enlist Jason's help when he arrived home. Jason didn't want any part of the argument, but Maxie continued to rant about Brenda. Eventually, Jason shouted, "Enough!" Maxie smiled smugly when Jason demanded to know what Brenda had done to Spinelli. Brenda was infuriated that Jason appeared to be accusing her of wrongdoing. Brenda insisted that Spinelli had been very kind and helpful to her. Jason argued that she wasn't there to be waited on. Maxie added that she didn't understand why Brenda was even in town. Meanwhile, Spinelli clarified that it had been an honor to help Brenda. Maxie continued to plead her case for Spinelli to move out because he was nothing but a glorified butler to Brenda.

Spinelli reminded Maxie that it was his choice to decide who his friends were. Maxie was stunned when Jason ordered her to leave. Maxie couldn't believe that Jason would toss her out after everything that she had done for him. After Maxie left in a huff, Jason pointed out that the only way that Spinelli should be helping Brenda was by tracking down the Balkan. After Spinelli left, Jason informed Brenda that he wanted her to back off of Spinelli. Brenda was offended, but Jason explained that Spinelli tended to spend too much time in the cyber-world, so Spinelli had difficulty separating fantasy from reality at times. Brenda assured Jason that she would never do anything to hurt Spinelli. Jason believed her, but he insisted that Spinelli would read too much into her kindness. Jason feared that Spinelli would rush into danger to save her from the Balkan. Brenda realized that Jason was just trying to keep Spinelli safe, so she agreed to take a step back. However, she asked that Jason take care of things as soon as possible and persuade Sonny to stay away from her.

Later, Suzanne stopped by the penthouse to let Brenda know that she had cancelled a photo shoot. Brenda was annoyed because Suzanne had told Jason about Brenda's feelings for Sonny. Suzanne didn't apologize; she had been concerned about Brenda because Brenda couldn't be linked to organized crime. Brenda assured Suzanne that it no longer mattered because Brenda and Sonny wouldn't see each other again. Suzanne was surprised that Sonny had been so self-sacrificing. Brenda was curious why Suzanne thought that it had been Sonny's decision. "Because I told him to," Suzanne answered. Brenda clarified that she had asked Jason to have a talk with Sonny. Suzanne wondered why Brenda had undergone a change of heart about Sonny. Brenda admitted that too many things had happened.

Jason returned to Pozzulo's to talk to Sonny. Sonny assured Jason that Claire wouldn't follow through with her threat to turn in Michael for a parole violation. Jason warned Sonny that Claire remained a threat because she was in a position to cause them trouble. Sonny realized that; he confided that there had been something special about Claire, but then Brenda had returned. Jason explained that Brenda hadn't wanted to fly to Port Charles. According to Jason, Brenda was still messed up, so she didn't trust herself to be around Sonny. Sonny felt the same way, but he wanted to try to work things out with Brenda anyway. Sonny was certain that Brenda kept seeking him out because she was looking for reassurance that she could take a chance with him again. 10/15 Jason told Sonny that Brenda was serious about not wanting Sonny in her life. Jason explained that she had nearly been destroyed, emotionally, after Sonny left her at the altar. He warned Sonny not to pursue Brenda because their past had caused untold damage on those around them. Sonny said that he couldn't help himself. He wondered if Jason was seeing danger that wasn't there. After Jason left, Carly stormed in and pleaded with Sonny to resume his relationship with Claire. Sonny was nonplussed, but Carly demanded that Sonny get over his unhealthy attachment to Brenda and refocus his efforts with Claire. Sonny doubted Claire would take her frustrations out on Michael just to get back at Sonny. Carly berated Sonny for being so cavalier. He told her to stay out of his personal life.

Dante thought about his past with Brenda. He recalled the time he'd met her, when he had guarded her while she was staying in New York years before. Lulu stopped by the station to visit Dante. Dante continued to hide his and Brenda's shared past from Lulu. He begged out of dinner with Lulu and told her he would probably work late.

Suzanne wanted to know what had prompted Brenda's abrupt change of heart with regard to Brenda's decision not to rekindle her romance with Sonny. Suzanne could tell that Brenda was deeply troubled and conflicted over her feelings for Sonny. Brenda explained that she'd always become obsessed and irrational over Sonny and that she knew she would lose him again. Brenda said that she really had to get out of Port Charles, as soon as possible.

Brenda went to see Jax. Max and Milo worried about the connection that Jax and Brenda shared and how it could impact Jax and Carly's fragile marriage. Brenda assured Jax that she would follow his advice and stay away from Sonny. Max and Milo escorted Brenda back to Jason's penthouse. She asked them to wait in the lobby, but Max explained that it would defeat the purpose of them guarding her if they were that far away. She assured them she'd be all right and would not sneak out. As soon as they left, Dante arrived to speak with Brenda. They went upstairs to talk privately. Dante and Brenda promised each other that neither had shared their secret. Jason walked into his living room and, soon after, Sonny arrived.

10/18 At Jason's penthouse, Jason and Sonny discussed Brenda. Sonny wanted to renew his romance with Brenda, and Jason worried that Brenda knew something about the Balkan that she was not telling. Jason said that the Balkan was trying to take Brenda, not kill her. Jason thought it was because Brenda knew something or had something that the Balkan wanted.

Upstairs in the regrettable pink room, Brenda and Dante talked about their mysterious past together. When Brenda said that Sonny was a good man who had made bad choices, Dante said that he was not there to talk about Sonny, but to make sure that they were on the same page. They agreed that no one should find out about what they had done in their shared past and that their secrecy pact was still intact. Sonny knocked on the door, and Dante let him in. He pretended to be angry because Brenda had called him over so she could defend Sonny. He stormed out and left Brenda and Sonny alone.

Brenda apologized for getting involved in Sonny's affairs. Sonny was pleased that Brenda was showing concern for him and told her that they still had a chance to be happy. Brenda said that they could never be happy because no matter how many times they tried, a relationship between them always ended badly. Sonny moved to take Brenda in his arms, but she resisted and told him no to touch her. She was very insistent, even in the face of Sonny's persistence. When Jason walked in and wanted to talk, she screamed at both of them to get out because she needed some time to be alone and think. Jason said okay, but insisted that she be ready to talk downstairs later.

Downstairs, Spinelli and Jason tried to find out more about the Balkan and understand his connection to Brenda. Jason tried to understand why Brenda would try to reconcile Sonny and Dante when she kept saying that she did not want to have any contact with Sonny. Jason called Max and bawled him out for letting Dante in to see Brenda. Spinelli said that he had narrowed down the search for the Balkan, but still did not know his identity. Jason said that he believed Brenda knew the Balkan's identity.

A sad, quiet Brenda descended the stairs and insisted that she needed to go back to Rome. Jason ignored her plea and wanted to know about the Balkan. He told Brenda that somebody would be hurt or killed because she was not telling the truth to him. Brenda told Jason that she hated him, then walked out to the terrace. An angry Jason left the penthouse and met Sonny on his way back in to see Brenda. Max and Milo stood guard at the door. On the terrace, Brenda was recalling the same event. She was remembering a hug she had shared with Dante on a New York rooftop, when Sonny found her and asked if she was all right. She turned to him, and they embraced.

10/19 Dante reflected on the past. Dante recalled Brenda arriving to the hotel with a date. Dante had been annoyed when Brenda's date had asked Dante to give them some privacy but a short time later, the date had left Brenda's room in a huff. As Lulu slept, Dante's thoughts drifted to Brenda. He recalled how Brenda's date had left her room in a foul mood shortly after he had asked Dante to give them some privacy. Dante had snickered at the man's retreating back until Brenda had poked her head into hall to invite Dante into her suite.

On the terrace, Sonny quietly held Brenda in his arms as she recalled a time that she had been in a similar situation with Dante. Brenda remembered looking deep into Dante's eyes. The memory unsettled Brenda, so she pulled away from Sonny. Sonny urged Brenda to tell him what was troubling her because he wanted to help her, but Brenda remained tightlipped. Sonny seemed resigned, so he left. In the hallway, Sonny asked Max and Milo to be kind to Brenda and to treat her with respect.

Shortly after Sonny left, Robin arrived. Max and Milo let Robin know that Brenda was having a bad day. Milo was frustrated because he didn't know how to cheer up Brenda. Max and Milo began to bicker about Brenda, so Robin quietly slipped into the penthouse. Brenda greeted Robin with a fierce hug, which prompted Robin to wonder what was wrong. Brenda explained that she was upset about Sonny. Brenda admitted that she loved Sonny, but she couldn't be with him. Robin wondered if Brenda had told Sonny that. "Yes, several times," Brenda revealed. Brenda wanted Robin to explain to Sonny that he and Brenda were not meant to be together. Robin apologized for making things more difficult for Brenda; she realized that she had imposed her own romantic fantasies on Sonny and Brenda.

At Greystone Manor, Jason updated Sonny on what he had learned about the Balkan. Sonny trusted Jason to stay on top of things, so Sonny changed the subject to Brenda. Sonny admitted that he had seen Brenda earlier that evening and that she had been upset. Sonny realized that he had been the cause of Brenda's sorrow. Jason admitted that he had confronted Brenda about his suspicions that she was hiding something. Jason made it clear that he had let Brenda know that he didn't appreciate her keeping secrets from him. Sonny was curious how Brenda had reacted. "Not good," Jason admitted. Jason had warned her that it would be on her if someone got hurt or killed because she had kept secrets. Sonny reminded Jason that Brenda was in a fragile state, so he advised Jason to be patient. Jason assured Sonny that he was trying. Sonny knew that Brenda didn't want him taking care of her, but he asked Jason to promise to look out for Brenda. Jason readily agreed.

After Jason left, Robin stopped by to see Sonny. Sonny was delighted to see Robin, but she warned him, "Don't speak too soon." After a warm hug, Robin explained that she had talked to Brenda. Robin revealed that Brenda was upset because of the situation with Sonny. Robin regretted that she had encouraged Sonny and Brenda to see each other because she hadn't realized how devastating it would be on Brenda. Sonny wondered how he could fix things. Robin suggested that Sonny leave Brenda alone. Robin knew that the love was there for Sonny and Brenda, but Brenda wanted to be left alone. Sonny was reluctant to hurt Brenda again.

Sam arrived at the penthouse to learn that Jason wasn't there. Brenda offered to leave when Sam explained that she had plans with Jason. Jason entered moments later. To Brenda's surprise, he apologized to her for yelling at her earlier. Brenda appreciated it, but she insisted that it wasn't necessary because she had been unfair to him.

In Brenda's bedroom, Brenda recalled the time that she had invited Dante into her suite after her date had left in a huff. Dante had been reluctant to enter her suite because he had been assigned to guard her, but Brenda had insisted that it was part of his duties. Dante had finally relented. Once Dante had entered her suite, Brenda began asking questions about Dante's life. Eventually, Dante had told Brenda an amusing story about how he had encountered a group of young boys playing stickball. Brenda had burst out laughing when Dante had admitted that he had broken a window while playing stickball with the boys.

**The End**