Jonathan Returns #1  October 27, 2009 - January 19, 2010 - 8 hour original edit

DVD #1A  Lucky arrived at Elizabeth's house, and she nervously greeted him for their dinner date. The boys were spending the night at Gram's house, so Liz and Lucky had the entire night to themselves. Lucky helped Liz find her jacket and calmed her down before they left for the Haunted Star.

Luke was thrilled to see his son and Elizabeth as they walked through the door at the casino. He walked towards them and offered free drinks and some chips for them to gamble with. Liz saw Nikolas across the room with Rebecca, and Liz started daydreaming about running across the room and kissing Nikolas. She realized it wasn't a good idea to be around Nikolas, so she told Lucky that she wanted to spend the evening with him at home.

When Liz and Lucky arrived home, they started making out and kissing on the couch. Lucky asked Liz if she was sure about what she was doing, but she agreed that she was ready to be intimate with him. Suddenly, Liz started daydreaming about kissing Nikolas again. She sat up and realized she couldn't be with Lucky. Liz told Lucky that she knew she loved him, but she was afraid of making another mistake and hurting him. She ran out of the house, and Lucky called his mother for advice. Luke and Liz unknowingly found Nikolas at the same time on the docks. Luke watched from the shadows as Liz ran into Nikolas' arms and they passionately started kissing.

10/28 Lucky was waiting at the pier when Luke arrived an hour late for their meeting. Luke apologized for his tardiness, blaming it on his hangover. Lucky wondered what had sent his father diving head first into a bottle of booze; he suspected that a phone call from Laura might have set his father off. Luke revealed that he had not spoken to Laura, but he realized that Lucky had.

Lucky admitted that he'd called Laura to let her know how things were going with Elizabeth, but he refused to elaborate beyond that. Luke was curious if Lucky had any doubts about remarrying Elizabeth. Lucky assured Luke that the marriage was best for everyone, including Cameron and Jake. Luke wondered if Lucky had truly moved past Elizabeth's relationship with Jason and her lies about Jake's paternity.

Lucky couldn't believe that Luke would go there given Luke's recent discovery of his long-lost son, Ethan. Luke refused to allow Lucky to deflect; he reminded his son that they were talking about Lucky and Elizabeth, not Luke. Luke wanted to know if Lucky truly trusted Elizabeth. Lucky assured his father that he didn't doubt Elizabeth, but Elizabeth didn't trust herself. According to Lucky, Elizabeth was judging herself just as harshly as Luke was.

Luke clarified that he wasn't judging Elizabeth, but Lucky didn't care. He suggested that Luke mind his own business. Luke forged ahead as he asked if Lucky and Elizabeth wanted the same things out of life. Lucky wondered what that even meant, but then answered that he and Elizabeth wanted a family. It didn't bother Lucky that he didn't share the same DNA as Cameron and Jake. They were his sons in every way that mattered.

Luke sensed his son's sincerity, so he backed down. After Luke left, Lucky lingered on the piers. He was deep in thought when Nikolas approached him. Lucky explained that he'd had an argument with Luke. Lucky confessed that it irritated him that, despite everything, Luke knew him best and therefore was always able to ferret out the truth.

Lucky explained that Luke had suggested that Lucky might be carrying some lingering resentment over Elizabeth's affair with Jason and Jake's conception. Lucky assured his brother that he had moved past Elizabeth's betrayal. According to Lucky, it was Elizabeth who had not been able to forgive herself for what had happened. Nikolas was curious if Lucky had any doubts about marrying Elizabeth. Lucky resented the question. Nikolas apologized, but suggested that perhaps Elizabeth might be holding back from Lucky.

Lucky went to the hospital to ask Elizabeth to join him for a cup of coffee. Elizabeth explained that she had half an hour before her break. Lucky was disappointed. He didn't have time to wait because he had to get to work. As Lucky started to leave, Elizabeth called out to him. She apologized for running out on him the previous night. Elizabeth confessed that she didn't know what was wrong with her. Lucky revealed that Nikolas has told him what was really going on with Elizabeth.

According to Lucky, Nikolas had suggested that Elizabeth was terrified of hurting Lucky again. Lucky understood that Elizabeth felt responsible for the breakup of their marriage because she had lied about Jake's paternity, but he insisted that he didn't expect her to be perfect. Lucky wanted Elizabeth: her confusion, fears, and anger. Elizabeth couldn't believe how wonderful Lucky was to her. Lucky didn't understand why Elizabeth didn't feel as if she deserved it. He realized that their relationship was messy, but he urged her to find a way to forgive herself. Lucky assured her that he would give her all of the time that she needed.

11/2 Back at the PCPS, Jason told Lucky to go look for Carly. Lucky said that Mac would not let him join the search because Mac thought that Lucky could not be objective and might do something rash. Jason said that Lucky was not a killer. Lucky told Jason that nothing was certain. He told Jason that Mac could be right because people did crazy things in the name of family. When Mac entered the interrogation room, he told Lucky to cut Jason loose. As a parting shot, Mac told Lucky that at least he did not have to bring Lucky up on charges for aiding and abetting. Jason told Lucky how much he appreciated that Lucky was ready to help and would have if Mac had not interfered.

11/5 Elizabeth bumped into Nikolas when she arrived at the hospital to see Lulu. After Nikolas gave Elizabeth a quick update on Lulu's condition, Elizabeth asked if anyone had called Lucky. Nikolas explained that Lucky was in the field, working. Nikolas suggested that they head to Lulu's room, but Elizabeth hesitated. She didn't know if was a good idea. Nikolas thought it was important for them to behave normally, which meant that they should go to Lulu's room together.

Elizabeth and Nikolas entered Lulu's room a short time later. Luke kept a close eye on them, while Lulu told them about her ordeal. When Tracy and Ethan arrived, Tracy revealed that she had been worried sick about Lulu. Ethan grumbled because he realized that he should probably be nicer to Dominic, since he had saved Lulu's life. Lulu groaned when Nikolas echoed Ethan's frustration.

Elizabeth reminded everyone that Lulu was a good judge of character. Lulu appreciated Elizabeth's support. Moments later, Elizabeth offered to fetch coffee for everyone. Nikolas decided to help her. As they left the room, Tracy asked Luke what he found so fascinating about Elizabeth and Nikolas, she could see the wheels spinning in his brain.

11/6 Elizabeth was surprised when she bumped into Nikolas at the police station. Nikolas explained that he was there to talk to Lucky about Elizabeth. Elizabeth didn't think it was a good idea, but Nikolas argued that Lucky kept turning to him for advice. Elizabeth didn't want Nikolas to talk to Lucky about her for any reason. She revealed that she was at the police station to drop off a picture that Cameron had drawn; it was of Elizabeth, Lucky, Jake, and Cameron. Nikolas glanced at the family picture and then walked away without comment.

Jason went to the police station to give his statement regarding Claudia's disappearance. He was surprised when Lucky opened the interview by asking Jason what his favorite color was. Lucky wondered if it was black because Jason tended to wear the color almost exclusively. Next, Lucky asked Jason what his favorite kind of music was. Lucky suspected that Jason might lean towards "Emo" music. Jason wondered what any of that had to do with Claudia.

Lucky turned serious; he demanded to know where Jason had gone after he had been released following his arrest at Metro Court. Jason claimed that he had searched for Claudia, but didn't elaborate. Lucky assured Jason that anything he shared with him would be off the record; Lucky had already typed up his report about the interview and he had noted in his report that Jason had refused to cooperate.

Jason wasn't swayed. Lucky observed that sometimes when people refused to talk they spoke volumes. Lucky confided that their tech people had retrieved the CD from Sonny's office; they knew that Claudia had been plotting to murder Sonny. According to Lucky, had Claudia been alive, they would have had enough evidence to arrest her. Lucky assured Jason that killing Claudia would have been justified under the circumstances. However, Jason covering up what had happened made it appear like murder.

Jason admitted that he respected Lucky; however, Claudia was gone and so was any evidence. Jason was confident that eventually Claudia would be forgotten, which was what she deserved. Lucky realized that Jason had not killed Claudia, but he was equally certain that someone else had ended her life. Lucky warned Jason that no matter how well the evidence had been buried, it would find it's way to the surface eventually.

11/9 At GH, Nikolas followed Elizabeth into a supply closet and locked the door. They began kissing passionately but stopped when they overheard Mayor Floyd stop Lucky in the hallway outside the door. Rebecca entered the hallway as the mayor was exiting. She told Lucky that she agreed with what he had said to the mayor, but she was very glad that he had been so harsh with her when she had confessed to being a con artist. Lucky said that he was glad that things had worked out for Rebecca and Nikolas. He said that seeing that she and Nikolas had been able to get their relationship back on track had given him the courage to ask Elizabeth to marry him. In the supply closet, Nikolas and Elizabeth overheard their conversation.

Elizabeth was downcast after listening Lucky talk to Rebecca. She told Nikolas that they had to stop. Nikolas, also chastened, agreed. He said that they would figure something out and he would call her later. She told him not to call. She said she needed some time away from him. Elizabeth waited until Nikolas had gone before leaving the closet. She immediately ran into Lucky, who wanted to know what was wrong and why she had tears in her eyes. Lucky begged her to tell him the truth. Elizabeth hesitated then blurted out that she had been sleeping with Nikolas. Lucky was appalled to find out that the affair had started the night that she had accepted his proposal. Before she could say more, Nikolas rounded the corner and approached them. Lucky drew his gun and shot Nikolas.

11/10 At the hospital, Elizabeth imagined what would happen if she told Lucky that she had slept with Nikolas. In her vision, Lucky pulled out a gun and then shot Nikolas. Elizabeth returned to reality when Lucky admitted that he felt as if he were pressuring her to give him an answer that she didn't want to give him. When Elizabeth failed to respond, Lucky asked her if she was okay. Elizabeth shook off her morbid thoughts and then mumbled that she had been shaken after she had nearly lost a patient while his heartbroken wife had looked on.

Lucky seemed to sense that Elizabeth was afraid of losing him. He promised her that he wasn't going anywhere. Elizabeth confessed that she couldn't imagine her life without Lucky. Lucky believed that they would always end up together because she was the only person that he trusted. Elizabeth seemed uncomfortable by the heartfelt declaration, but Lucky didn't appear to notice.

Lucky revealed that he had arranged for Audrey to watch the boys, so that he could take Elizabeth out for a date. Elizabeth promised to be ready when her shift was over. After Lucky left, Elizabeth went to the nurse's station. Nikolas approached her moments later. Elizabeth was upset; she couldn't believe what had almost happened in the supply closet. Elizabeth wondered why they couldn't stop themselves from acting on their feelings. Nikolas replied, "Because we can't."

Lucky went to the Haunted Star to arrest Luke. It appeared that there had been numerous noise complaints about Luke blasting his blues music every evening. Luke thought it was a ridiculous waste of time for Lucky to arrest him on such frivolous charges. Lucky asked Luke to behave himself for just one evening, so that Lucky could spend some time with Elizabeth. Luke commented that it appeared that Lucky was betting his "whole heart and soul on this thing with Elizabeth." Lucky didn't deny it.

Luke told Lucky a story about a gambler who had continually bet on the same number even after he started losing. When Luke had suggested that the gambler change the number, the gambler refused. Lucky claimed that his relationship with Elizabeth wasn't a gamble. Lucky also resented Luke trying to offer Lucky advice despite Luke's failed marriage to Laura and his travesty of a marriage to Tracy.

Luke confessed that he was worried about Lucky. Lucky decided to view Luke's concern as an expression of love. However, he wished that Luke would just be happy for him. Lucky slammed down the citations for the noise complaints on the bar. Before he walked out, he told Luke not to worry about the charges.

Later, Nikolas arrived at the Haunted Star at Luke's request. Luke explained that he knew what was going on between Nikolas and Elizabeth. Luke didn't think that it was right for Nikolas to make a fool of Lucky. Luke urged Nikolas to stop the affair with Elizabeth or to tell Lucky the truth. As if on cue, Elizabeth and Lucky entered the casino.

11/11 At the Haunted Star, Luke warned Nikolas that Lucky wasn't blind; sooner or later, Lucky would figure out what was going on between Nikolas and Elizabeth. Luke urged Nikolas to tell Lucky the truth, but Nikolas suggested that if Luke felt that Lucky needed to know then Luke could tell him. Moments later, Lucky and Elizabeth approached them. Lucky wondered why Luke had asked to see him. Lucky was also curious why Nikolas was at the casino.

Nikolas explained that he had dropped by to ask if Luke had heard from Helena. Luke admitted that he would rather deal with Helena than the annoying noise citations that Lucky had dropped off earlier that day. Lucky sensed that there was more to Luke's request than the citations. Luke revealed that he wanted Lucky to know that he wasn't as opposed to Lucky and Elizabeth's relationship as Lucky had assumed.

Luke explained that he wanted to make certain that Lucky and Elizabeth had learned from their past mistakes. Lucky snarkily responded, "Actually Dad, we were thinking of repeating them all, but now that you've advised against it, we'll reconsider." Luke clarified that he was just trying to look out for Lucky. Lucky didn't appreciate Luke's concern. He collected the citations, along with the payment for the fines, and then left.

At a French restaurant, Lucky and Elizabeth sat down at a cozy table. However, Lucky's thoughts remained on Luke. Lucky was disappointed by his father's lack of support. Elizabeth tried to play peacemaker, but Lucky's resentment was too strong. Lucky didn't understand why Luke insisted that Lucky and Elizabeth's marriage wouldn't last. He suspected that it had something to do with Luke's failed marriage to Laura. Elizabeth wondered if they were making a mistake by getting married, but Lucky insisted that they weren't.

Elizabeth was awed by Lucky's faith in her. She confessed that she sometimes wondered who she was. Elizabeth feared that she would disappoint Lucky. Lucky didn't want Elizabeth to live in fear of doing something wrong. He wanted her to trust him when he told her that they would make their marriage work. According to Lucky, Elizabeth was his first love and his last love.

Elizabeth was moved to tears when Lucky pulled out a small box that held a beautiful diamond engagement ring. Lucky grew concerned when Elizabeth hesitated to accept the ring. Elizabeth confided that she was afraid that they would jeopardize what they had if they got married. Lucky assured Elizabeth that they could work out anything if Elizabeth opened up about what was troubling her. Elizabeth seemed on the verge of telling Lucky about her affair with Nikolas when she glanced up to see Nikolas and Rebecca enter the restaurant.

11/12 At the French restaurant, Nikolas and Rebecca joined Elizabeth and Lucky at their table. Lucky was slightly annoyed by Nikolas' boldness. Rebecca was embarrassed when she noticed the engagement ring on the table. After Rebecca apologized for the intrusion, Nikolas reminded Lucky of all of the times that Elizabeth and Lucky had interrupted his time with Emily during their engagement. As the tension mounted, Rebecca suggested that perhaps they could be a witness to Lucky and Elizabeth's special moment.

Lucky thanked Rebecca for her peacemaking efforts. With Elizabeth's blessing, Lucky picked up the ring and then talked about how much Elizabeth meant to him. As Lucky slid the ring on Elizabeth's finger, Elizabeth promised to always love Lucky. She also vowed that he was the only man that she wanted to be with. Nikolas understood Elizabeth's silent message; he picked up his glass to propose a toast. Nikolas complimented Elizabeth on her fiery spirit and Lucky for never giving up on love. Nikolas wished them all of the happiness that they had wished him over the years. Elizabeth held back her tears as she pasted on a smile and then lifted her glass.

Later, Nikolas met Elizabeth at her studio. Elizabeth was furious that Nikolas had interrupted her special evening with Lucky. Elizabeth suspected that it had been intentional, since Nikolas had known that Elizabeth and Lucky would be at the restaurant. Nikolas snidely commented that it was a shame that Elizabeth didn't return Lucky's feelings. Elizabeth snapped, "Don't you dare tell me how I feel about Lucky."

Elizabeth was curious if Nikolas had heard anything that she had said to Lucky over dinner. She insisted that she loved Lucky. Nikolas wondered where that left him. Elizabeth reminded Nikolas that he was supposed to be her best friend, not her lover. Elizabeth regretted that she had slept with Nikolas, and she was certain that Emily would be appalled if she knew what they had done.

Nikolas tried to reach out to Elizabeth, but she pushed him away and then ordered him to, "Get out." Nikolas realized that he had gone too far. He apologized for upsetting Elizabeth and then promised her that he would stop pursuing her. However, Nikolas wanted Elizabeth to know that, if she changed her mind, he would be waiting for her.

A short time later, Lucky arrived at the studio with a bouquet of white roses. Elizabeth was impressed that he had been able to find a place that sold flowers at such a late hour. Lucky apologized for how the evening had turned out. He sensed that Elizabeth was deeply troubled. Lucky admitted that she had not reacted to the engagement ring as he had hoped. He wanted to know what was wrong. Elizabeth claimed that she was what was wrong. She had failed him many times. It had taken her a while to trust what he had known all along: they belonged together. Elizabeth kissed Lucky and then the two made love.

11/13 At the nurse's station, Rebecca took the opportunity to congratulate Elizabeth about the engagement. When Elizabeth mumbled her thanks, Rebecca observed that Elizabeth didn't seem very happy. Elizabeth reminded Rebecca that it wasn't a joyous day for her because it was the anniversary of Emily's death. Rebecca knew what day it was, but felt that she was damned whether she mentioned it or not.

Elizabeth blamed Rebecca for Nikolas losing himself to grief and doing things that he otherwise would never have done. Rebecca asked, "What in God's name is wrong with you?" Rebecca then snidely suggested that perhaps Elizabeth should concentrate on her own life, instead of Nikolas'. Rebecca assured Elizabeth that Nikolas was just fine. Elizabeth offered to enlighten Rebecca about what Nikolas was really like.

Elizabeth explained that Nikolas had finally been piecing his life together when Rebecca had arrived on the scene. Ever since then, Nikolas had been slowly sliding back into his grief. As a result, he was making self-destructive choices. Rebecca insisted that Nikolas was not lost in the past. According to Rebecca, Nikolas had moved on. Rebecca knew that because she shared a bed with Nikolas. When Rebecca assured Elizabeth that Nikolas had been "easy and fun" the previous evening, Elizabeth warned Rebecca that Nikolas was a master at hiding his true feelings. Rebecca wondered why Elizabeth was so worried about Nikolas when Elizabeth had just become engaged to Lucky.

Lucky found Nik at Emily’s crypt. Nikolas confessed that Emily would be disappointed in Nikolas. Lucky didn't understand why Nikolas was so hard on himself; he assured Nikolas that it was okay to have moments of weakness. Nikolas clarified that he was out of control, so he was certain that Emily wouldn't approve. Lucky admitted that he wasn't oblivious to how difficult it must be for Nikolas to have a ringside seat to Lucky and Elizabeth's reconciliation. Lucky understood that it had to hurt Nikolas being reminded that he could never have the same opportunity with Emily. However, Lucky believed that Rebecca was a wonderful person in her own right. Lucky was certain that Emily would be happy that Nikolas had Rebecca in his life.

Nikolas admitted that he was attracted to Rebecca because she looked like Emily. Lucky didn't think that Rebecca could replace Emily, but he was confident that she could make Nikolas happy.

Later, Elizabeth took flowers to Emily's crypt. Elizabeth wished that Emily were there, although she suspected that Emily would be disappointed in her friend. Elizabeth admitted that she had "bitched" Emily's sister out. Elizabeth confessed that she didn't even recognize herself any more. She wondered how she could be engaged to one brother while sleeping with another. Elizabeth felt as if she were betraying both Lucky and Nikolas.

Elizabeth believed that she should have been a better friend to Nikolas instead of falling into his bed. She realized that Nikolas was in a tremendous amount of pain after losing Emily. Elizabeth hated that she had allowed things to continue; she realized that it had been selfish of her. Elizabeth's head told her that she had to stop what she was doing with Nikolas, but her heart and body wanted the affair to continue. Elizabeth had hoped that making love to Lucky would stop her obsession, but she had been wrong. She loved Lucky, but she wanted to be with Nikolas.

When Rebecca spotted Lucky at the hospital, she asked to speak to him. Rebecca claimed that Nikolas had been wonderful, but she was worried because he had a tendency to get "broody." Rebecca was curious how she could stop those episodes. Lucky suggested that Rebecca simply be there for Nikolas.

Later, Lucky bumped into Nikolas on the pier. He told Nikolas about his chat with Rebecca and then he revealed that he had decided to take his own advice by spending time with Elizabeth. Lucky hoped to pick up where he and Elizabeth had left off the previous evening. According to Lucky, it had been "awesome." Nikolas suggested that Lucky must feel good, since he had finally managed to persuade Elizabeth to have sex with him again. Lucky seemed taken aback by Nikolas' crude observation.

11/16 Ethan stopped by the nurse’s station at General Hospital to ask Elizabeth to intercede with Nikolas on Rebecca's behalf. Ethan said he was asking her because Nikolas really listened to Elizabeth instead of pretending to listen like he did with everyone else. Elizabeth looked thoughtful, but told Ethan that she did not want to be involved. Besides, she added, Rebecca deserved what she got.

Nikolas and Lucky met up on the wharf. Lucky thought everything was great between himself and Elizabeth because they had made love the previous evening. Nikolas was visibly distressed by the news. When Lucky noticed his Nikolas' discomfort, Nikolas said he was jealous because he wanted what Lucky and Elizabeth had. Lucky told Nikolas that he wanted to see Nikolas find the same happiness with Rebecca that Lucky had found with Elizabeth. Reluctantly, Nikolas accepted Lucky's advise and solemnly wished happiness to Lucky and Elizabeth before the brothers parted.

Lucky caught up with Mac near the coffee machine at the police station and brought him up to speed on their quest to get evidence against Sonny and Jason for Claudia's murder. Lucky told Mac that without a body, it was very hard to make a case. Mac told Lucky that with some critical circumstantial evidence, they might build enough of a case to get a search warrant. Lucky said that he had questioned Sam. He said that he did not believe that she had witnessed the murder, but he did not believe that she had been completely honest with him.

He also told Mac that phone records showed that a pool man had made an emergency call at Kate Howard's home that evening because of the storm. Lucky said that he would contact the repairman to see if he had seen anything useful. Later, after Mac went about other business, Lucky called the pool man and found out that Maxie had been at Kate's house that evening.

Nikolas walked over to the nurses' station and told Elizabeth that he was not at the hospital to see her, but was there because of a board meeting. He said that he had talked to Lucky earlier and that he had a conscience, also. Monica joined them before Elizabeth could respond. Elizabeth accepted congratulations from Monica on her engagement to Lucky. Each acknowledged that they had visited Emily's grave earlier that day, which was the anniversary of her death. Monica reminisced about Emily and the bond that she had shared with Lucky, Elizabeth, and Nikolas when they were teens. After Monica left, Elizabeth and Nikolas shared a bittersweet look.

Luke called Elizabeth to the Haunted Star. She thought that he wanted to talk about his relationship with Lucky. Instead, Luke told her he knew about her relationship with Nikolas. Lucky met with Maxie on the docks. She guessed that he wanted info on Lulu's relationship with Dominic, so she babbled out her opinion that Dominic was not right for Lulu. Lucky thanked her, then asked point-blank if she had seen Sonny "coming or going" on the night that Claudia had disappeared when she had opened the gate for Kate's pool man. Maxie was speechless.

11/17 On the pier, Lucky questioned Maxie about what she had seen on the night of Claudia's disappearance. Lucky was particularly interested in knowing if Maxie had seen anything noteworthy at Sonny's house while she had been waiting for the pool repairman to arrive. Maxie claimed that she hadn't seen anything, but Lucky didn't believe her. Maxie asked him why she would lie. Lucky suggested that perhaps she was afraid or she was protecting Spinelli. Maxie didn't think it was a good idea for Lucky to question her, given their history. When she started to leave, Lucky stopped her. He observed that she was trying much too hard to avoid answering his questions. As an addict, Lucky recognized the signs of denial. Lucky pointed out that Maxie had a perfect view of Sonny's place from her car. Maxie argued that it had been raining too hard that night, so she had been unable to see through her windshield. Lucky decided not to push for answers, but he warned her that she might be subpoenaed to testify.

At the Haunted Star, Luke revealed to Elizabeth that he knew that she was having an affair with Nikolas. Elizabeth wondered how Luke had found out. Luke explained that he had seen her and Nikolas kissing on the piers. When Elizabeth apologized, Luke made it clear that he wasn't judging her. He had made his own fair share of mistakes. Elizabeth wondered what Luke planned to do. Luke said he had intended to do nothing, but then he had decided to talk to Nikolas. 

Elizabeth was surprised that Nikolas and Luke had spoken. Luke claimed that Nikolas was too busy justifying himself to do right by Lucky. Elizabeth admitted that she had tried to tell Lucky about her relationship with Nikolas, but she couldn't hurt Lucky like that again. Luke argued that Lucky deserved to know the truth. Elizabeth promised that she would never be with Nikolas again. Luke advised Elizabeth to tell Lucky that, not him. Elizabeth loved Lucky and she believed that they could be happy together. She didn't want to alleviate her own guilt at Lucky's expense. She begged Luke not to tell Lucky.

After Elizabeth left, Luke called Lucky. When Lucky arrived at the casino, he assumed that Luke wanted to discuss Sonny's role in Claudia's sudden disappearance. Luke clarified that he wanted to talk about Lucky and Elizabeth. Luke insisted that Elizabeth wasn't telling Lucky everything. Lucky snidely commented that they had a therapist to advise them. Luke urged Lucky to look closer at his relationship with Elizabeth. Lucky hated that Luke had given up on love, but he refused to follow in his father's footsteps. When Luke warned Lucky that he was making a mistake, Lucky announced that it was his mistake to make. Lucky ordered Luke to keep his doubts to himself, then he stormed out of his father's casino.

Elizabeth went to Wyndemere to talk to Nikolas. Nikolas had seen the launch approach; he had hoped that Elizabeth had been on it. Elizabeth wondered why Nikolas hadn't warned her that Luke knew about their affair. Nikolas confessed that he hadn't wanted to use the news as an excuse to see or talk to Elizabeth. Elizabeth suspected that Nikolas had hoped that Lucky would somehow learn the truth.

Nikolas admitted that a part of him did want Lucky to know. Nikolas believed that he deserved Lucky's resentment and anger. Elizabeth was curious if Nikolas wanted Lucky to break things off with Elizabeth, so that Nikolas could help her pick up the pieces. Rather than answer her, Nikolas demanded to know what Elizabeth wanted. Elizabeth revealed that she wanted to feel for Lucky what she felt for Nikolas. Nikolas was reflective as Elizabeth walked away.

11/18 Lucky was certain that Sonny and Jason were covering up more than Claudia's demise. Jason didn't know what Lucky wanted from him. Lucky clarified that while he was not condoning what Jason had done or looking the other way, he understood what had led to Claudia's death. Lucky admitted that he respected Jason for making the decision to give Jake up. Therefore, Lucky intended to step down from the case because of conflict of interest. Lucky wanted Jason to know that whoever took over the case would run with the evidence that Lucky had gathered. According to Lucky, the evidence pointed to Jason and Sonny as co-conspirators who had covered up Claudia's murder. He warned that Jason and Sonny could be facing murder charges.

At Kelly's, Elizabeth placed an order for a picnic lunch. Elizabeth explained to Mike that she and Lucky intended to go hiking. Nikolas entered the diner in time to hear Elizabeth's plans for the day. Elizabeth turned to Nikolas when he remarked about her plans. Elizabeth demanded to know if Nikolas was following her. Before Nikolas could respond, Rebecca entered Kelly's.

Rebecca threw her arms around Nikolas and then kissed him. Elizabeth was annoyed by the public display of affection. Nikolas appeared uncomfortable as he ended the kiss. Seemingly oblivious to the undercurrents between Nikolas and Elizabeth, Rebecca explained that she and Alfred had planned a surprise for Nikolas, but they needed a little more time to get things done. Rebecca promised to call Nikolas to let him know when everything was ready at Wyndemere.

After Rebecca left, Elizabeth asked for a moment of Nikolas' time. Nikolas followed Elizabeth to a secluded nook in the alley. Elizabeth observed that Rebecca clearly had something romantic planned for Nikolas. To Nikolas' surprise, Elizabeth admitted that she was glad; she hoped that it helped Nikolas to move forward. Nikolas was bothered by Elizabeth's attitude. He demanded that she look him in the eye to tell him that she was happy that Rebecca had special plans for him, but Elizabeth couldn't do it.

Nikolas dared Elizabeth to deny the attraction that she felt for him. As he spoke, Nikolas inched closer to Elizabeth until he could kiss her. The heated kiss continued until Robin walked up. When Robin saw Elizabeth in Nikolas' arms, she blasted Elizabeth for cheating on Lucky. Robin couldn't believe that Elizabeth would hurt Lucky again; she vowed to testify on Lucky's behalf if he decided that he wanted custody of the kids.

Elizabeth snapped out of her nightmarish fantasy when Sam called out Elizabeth's name. Elizabeth looked around for Nikolas, but didn't see him. As Sam started to leave, Elizabeth asked Sam to wait. Elizabeth admitted that she had unfairly judged Sam in the past. Elizabeth realized that she had been a hypocrite and that she didn't have any right to cast judgment on anyone. Elizabeth wasn't proud of what she had done; she felt that she owed Sam an apology. Elizabeth understood if Sam didn't want to accept the apology, but she had to let Sam know that she was truly sorry for how she had treated her. Sam didn't respond.

After Elizabeth collected the picnic lunch from Mike, Lucky entered Kelly's. As Elizabeth and Lucky prepared to leave, Lucky admitted that he had been at Jason's penthouse to follow up on some evidence. Lucky realized that he might have to arrest Jason, so he had decided to step down from the case. Elizabeth was plagued with guilt. As her eyes filled with tears, she tried to work up the courage to tell Lucky about Nikolas, but the words wouldn't come.

Lucky assumed that Elizabeth felt guilty for turning to Jason after their marriage had fallen apart. He assured Elizabeth that she didn't need to keep apologizing for the past; he had forgiven her. Lucky felt equally responsible for having hurt Elizabeth with his addiction to drugs and his affair with Maxie. Lucky insisted that their mistakes were in the past and that the power of forgiveness had set them free.

Later, Elizabeth and Lucky settled on a blanket to enjoy their picnic. When Lucky mentioned that Elizabeth should have packed her painting supplies, Elizabeth remarked how much their lives had changed. A nurse and police officer had replaced the artist and musician. Lucky believed that they were rich in all of the ways that mattered.

Elizabeth thanked Lucky for the picnic; she confessed that it had been exactly what she had needed. After Elizabeth made a wish on an eyelash, Lucky wanted to know what she had wished for. Elizabeth teased that she couldn't tell him. However, she did confide that some things were precious and needed to be cherished or else they would be lost forever. As Elizabeth spoke, Lucky spotted a sign near a tree. He realized that the property that they were on was for sale.

11/19 Lucky couldn't believe that the property that he and Elizabeth had picnicked on was for sale. Lucky was certain that they were meant to find it. Elizabeth admitted that the secluded area was lovely. As Lucky looked around, he imagined them raising the boys there. Elizabeth was surprised when Lucky proposed that they buy the property and then build a house on it. Elizabeth wondered how they would pay for it. Lucky was confident that they would find a way.

Elizabeth suggested selling her house. However, she was uncertain if Lucky would be comfortable using the money from the sale of a house that Jason had bought for her. Lucky assured her that he didn't have any qualms about using money for a down payment on the property. He reminded her that it was their life and their journey. Once the decision was made, Elizabeth embraced the idea of starting over in a new home. Lucky decided that he would talk to his family about renting out the Spencer home. As Elizabeth shared her ideas for their new home, Lucky smiled. He enjoyed hearing her talk about their future. As Lucky kissed Elizabeth, she wrapped her arms around him.

A short time later, Elizabeth arrived home to find Nikolas sitting in her living room. She informed Nikolas that he shouldn't be in her home. Elizabeth suspected that Nikolas might be drunk when she spotted a snifter of brandy. Nikolas assured her that he was sober. He offered to leave depending on how Elizabeth answered his question. Nikolas wanted to know if Elizabeth felt about Lucky the way that she felt about him.

Elizabeth confessed that what she felt for Nikolas scared her. Nikolas admitted that his feelings for Elizabeth scared him, as well. He realized that he shouldn't want Elizabeth, and that Lucky was the best man for her. Elizabeth reminded Nikolas that she planned to marry Lucky, but she hated herself because she couldn't stop thinking about Nikolas. Nikolas kissed Elizabeth and then asked her to tell him that she didn't want him. Elizabeth responded by returning Nikolas' kiss.

Later, Lucky bumped into Lulu on the pier. He immediately sensed that his sister was troubled. Lulu wondered what Lucky's reaction would be if Dominic turned out to be a different person than the one he appeared to be. Lucky insisted that Dominic was exactly what he appeared to be: a wise guy. Lulu wished that she could be more like Lucky and Elizabeth; she didn't want to be afraid to put her heart on the line.  After Lucky left Lulu, he went to Elizabeth's house. As Lucky knocked on the door, Elizabeth and Nikolas were about to make love on the living room floor. They jumped apart when they heard Lucky call out Elizabeth's name.

11/20-11/23 Elizabeth and Nikolas hurriedly threw on their clothes as Lucky continued to knock on Elizabeth's front door. Elizabeth urged Nikolas to go out through the back door. Nikolas managed to slip out of sight seconds before Lucky used his key to unlock the front door. As Lucky entered the house, he saw Elizabeth standing in the living room. He immediately apologized for letting himself in; he had thought that Elizabeth had been in the laundry room.

Elizabeth assured Lucky that he hadn't done anything wrong. When she glanced down at the floor, she noticed one of Nikolas' cufflinks. Nikolas was in the next room buttoning up his shirt. Instead of leaving, Nikolas eavesdropped on Elizabeth and Lucky's conversation. As Elizabeth joined Lucky on the sofa, she managed to hide the cufflink with her foot. Lucky revealed that he had stopped off at the realtor's office to inquire about the property that they were interested in buying.

Lucky explained that he had looked into what the preliminary cost would be for them to build on the property. Elizabeth feared that it would cost more than they could afford. Lucky disagreed; he didn't think that it was hopeless. Lucky suggested that he could ask Nikolas for a loan. Elizabeth objected to the idea. She didn't want to be indebted to Nikolas. Elizabeth thought it would be best if they kept Nikolas out of their house plans.

Lucky wondered what was going on between Elizabeth and Nikolas. He had noticed that Elizabeth had seemed different around Nikolas. Elizabeth claimed that Nikolas had been self-destructive ever since Emily had died. Lucky was surprised; Nikolas had made a similar comment at Emily's crypt. Lucky admitted that he thought that Nikolas had been doing better in recent months.

Elizabeth was curious if Lucky thought that Rebecca was responsible for the change in Nikolas. Lucky acknowledged that things had seemed to be going well between Nikolas and Rebecca. Elizabeth muttered that Nikolas had been lying if he had told Lucky that. Elizabeth appeared on the verge of telling Lucky about her relationship with Nikolas when Lucky's pager went off. Lucky announced that he had to leave to investigate a shooting.

Lucky arrived at the crime scene where Joey and his men had been killed. As Lucky studied the area he suspected that Joey had been involved in an ambush. When the coroner reported that Joey had died from inhaling blood after his windpipe had been crushed, Lucky realized that Joey's body must have been moved. He ordered that pictures of Joey's body be taken from every conceivable angle. Lucky feared that he was dealing with more than a mob shootout. Lucky went back to the ambush site. He ran into the crime scene technicians who confirmed that Joey Limbo's windpipe had been crushed.

11/24 Lucky went to the jail to question Anthony about Joey. Anthony insisted that Sonny was responsible for Joey's death. He also warned Lucky that Luke's hands weren't clean either. Lucky was waiting for Sonny when he arrived home. Lucky assured Sonny that the guards had locked up Sonny's desk before they had left Lucky alone in the living room. Sonny offered Lucky a drink, but Lucky declined; he reminded Sonny that he was a recovering addict and he was on duty. Sonny was curious why Lucky had stopped by. Lucky revealed that he wanted to talk to Sonny about the incident on Front Street.

Lucky shared the details about Joey's crushed windpipe and that his body had been posed. Sonny disavowed any knowledge of the incident. Lucky agreed that it wasn't Sonny's style. However, Joey and Luke had known each other since the days when Frank Smith had controlled the mob in Port Charles. Lucky wondered if his father was involved in what had happened on Front Street.

Sonny suggested that Lucky talk to Luke about that. Sonny confided that he couldn't imagine anything worse than being investigated by his own son. Sonny admitted that he had been surprised when Lucky had decided to join the police force. Lucky explained that he had not become a police officer in order to get back at Luke. According to Lucky, he didn't want the sins of the father to affect his children; Lucky was determined to break an unhealthy cycle.

Sonny suggested that Lucky could have "gone straight" without becoming a police officer. Lucky insisted that he had to remain in the ring. Lucky didn't believe that justice should only be for people like Sonny and Luke, who had the muscle to take whatever they wanted whenever they wanted it. Lucky believed that his badge leveled the playing field for those who didn't have any power.

Spinelli arrived at the art gallery, but did not find Maxie. As he left Maxie a voicemail message, Lucky approached Spinelli. After Spinelli ended the call, Lucky revealed that he wanted to discuss the guest list with Spinelli. Lucky was curious why every "gangster in town" had been at the art gallery opening. Spinelli didn't volunteer any information.

Lucky informed Spinelli that Jason was a suspect in the shooting. Spinelli reminded Lucky that Jason was at the art gallery. Lucky argued that it was "too little, too late." As Lucky spoke to Spinelli about how Joey's body had been posed, a picture on the wall had caught Lucky's eye. Lucky realized that the pose in the picture was eerily similar to position in which they had found Joey's body.

11/30 Elizabeth met with Diane and said that she wanted to sell the house that Jason had given her so that she and Lucky could use the money to start a new life. Diane said that there was no need to sell the house because Jason would be happy to give her the money. Elizabeth said that she did not want to take any money from Jason and she was sure that Lucky did not want Jason's money, either. Before leaving, Diane gave Elizabeth some advice about setting up the house so it would show at its best.

As Elizabeth was tidying up, Nikolas knocked. He said he had stopped by because he had seen the "For Sale" sign. He offered to give Elizabeth and Lucky whatever money they needed to make their dream come true. Elizabeth refused his offer with a sharp rebuke just as Lucky arrived and wanted to know what was going on. Elizabeth had an immediate vision of Lucky calling her a "whore" because she took money from Jason and Nikolas after sleeping with them.

Nikolas took charge and told Lucky that he had offered Elizabeth money for their dream house, but she had refused. Elizabeth told Lucky that the misunderstanding was her fault, and that she had been unnecessarily harsh with Nikolas. After Nikolas left, Lucky wanted to know what was going on with Elizabeth and what was really upsetting her. She told him about Diane's visit and about the offer of money from Jason, which she had turned down. She told Lucky that she felt guilty about taking money from Jason and she had taken out her feelings on Nikolas.

Lucky seemed to understand and told Elizabeth that they could delay their plans. Elizabeth did not take the "For Sale" sign out and told Lucky that she wanted to make a fresh start with him. Lucky met Nikolas on the docks and apologized for Elizabeth's behavior. Nikolas tried to blow it off, but Lucky was persistent. He told Nikolas that Elizabeth was still feeling guilty over her affair with Jason.

Lucky wondered if he had done the right thing by pushing Elizabeth to get engaged. He asked Nikolas for advice on whether or not to offer Elizabeth a chance to get out of their engagement. At home, Elizabeth looked longingly at a photo of Nikolas, Emily, Lucky, and herself at a happier time. Her finger paused and lovingly traced Nikolas' outline.

12/1 Robin arrived at Elizabeth's house to review some things for an oversight committee for the piers. Robin immediately sensed that it wasn't a good time for Elizabeth, but Elizabeth insisted that Robin enter. As the two women sat down in the living room, Robin asked Elizabeth what was wrong. Elizabeth seemed reluctant to open up, prompting Robin to reveal that Nikolas had confided to her about his affair with Elizabeth. Elizabeth was humiliated; she realized that Robin must have a low opinion of her.

Robin insisted that Elizabeth was a good and kind person. Robin realized that Elizabeth wouldn't get involved with Nikolas on a whim. Elizabeth confessed that she hated herself for sleeping with Nikolas; it had made her a cheater and a liar. Robin argued that it wasn't as if Elizabeth had woken up one day and then decided to wreck her own life. However, Robin was curious how the affair had started.

Elizabeth told Robin about the first few times that she and Nikolas had kissed. Elizabeth confessed that she had never been kissed like that; it had affected her deeply. Elizabeth explained that after Lucky had proposed, she had foolishly turned to Nikolas for advice. According to Elizabeth, they hadn't planned on making love. Afterwards, Elizabeth had been determined not to repeat the mistake. She had honestly believed that she could make things work with Lucky, so she had accepted his proposal.

Robin wondered if Elizabeth was in love with Nikolas. Elizabeth hesitated before she claimed to love Lucky, but want Nikolas. Robin suggested that perhaps the attraction between Elizabeth and Nikolas was purely physical. Elizabeth was uncertain; she explained that her long-standing friendship with Nikolas complicated things. Elizabeth confided that her feelings of friendship were interwoven with her intense attraction to Nikolas. Elizabeth didn't know what to do. Robin suggested that perhaps Elizabeth should start by being honest with herself and then she should open up to Lucky about what was going on

Nikolas and Lucky sat down at a table in Jake's. Nikolas was curious why Lucky had changed his mind about marrying Elizabeth. Lucky confided that he suspected that he might have pushed Elizabeth to accept the marriage proposal when she wasn't ready. Lucky thought that Elizabeth had made peace with their past, but he realized that she hadn't forgiven herself for what had happened. Nikolas wondered if Lucky had tried to reassure Elizabeth that all had been forgiven.

Lucky claimed that it hadn't helped. For that reason, Lucky decided that perhaps it was best to call off the wedding. Nikolas was confident that Lucky and Elizabeth could work things out. Lucky hoped that Nikolas was right; the thought of Elizabeth having accepted the proposal, in order to please Lucky, made him sick. To Lucky, that wouldn't be love. He didn't know what it would be, but he was certain that it wouldn't be fair to either of them. Lucky worried that, at the end of the day, he and Elizabeth had made too many mistakes.

Later, Nikolas spotted Elizabeth at the bar. He approached her to assure her that he hadn't known that she would be at Jake's. When Nikolas offered to leave, Elizabeth told him that it wasn't necessary. As Elizabeth joined Nikolas at his table, he told her about his talk with Lucky. Elizabeth felt terrible that she had betrayed Lucky. Nikolas suggested that perhaps it was time for Elizabeth to tell Lucky about their affair. Elizabeth feared hurting Lucky. Nikolas advised Elizabeth to at least tell Lucky that she didn't want to marry him. Elizabeth angrily insisted that she wanted to marry Lucky, despite her feelings for Nikolas. Before Nikolas could respond, Elizabeth stormed out of Jake's.

Maxie called Lucky to ask him to meet her on the pier. When Lucky arrived, Maxie begged Lucky for his help. She wanted him to locate Franco. Lucky insisted on knowing why. Maxie claimed that Franco had taken some revealing pictures of her that she wanted to get her hands on. Lucky felt bad for Maxie, but he explained that Franco hadn't broken any laws, because Maxie had given Franco her consent to be photographed. However, Lucky offered to look into Franco's past.

12/3 Lucky entered Jax's office to question him about the night that Claudia had disappeared. Jax made an effort to paint Sonny in a very suspicious light. According to Jax, after Sonny had received a phone call from Sam, Sonny's entire demeanor had changed. Jax claimed that Sonny had left in a hurry moments after ending the call with Sam. As Lucky prepared to leave, he paused to ask Jax an "off the record" question. Lucky wanted to know where Jax thought Sonny had been headed after Sam had called. Without hesitation, Jax told Lucky that he believed Sonny had gone to kill Claudia.

Lucky went to the Wyndemere stables to talk to Nikolas. Nikolas was preparing to go riding, so he invited his brother to join him. Lucky declined the offer because he had a busy schedule. He had stopped by to let Nikolas know that he had decided to break off his engagement to Elizabeth. Lucky realized that Elizabeth would be deeply hurt, so he wanted Nikolas to be available for Elizabeth to talk to. Nikolas warned Lucky that Elizabeth might object to Lucky's decision.

Lucky insisted that it was for the best to end the engagement; he was certain that there was something off with Elizabeth. Lucky wondered what Nikolas thought about his decision. Nikolas reluctantly admitted that he had noticed that Elizabeth had been struggling lately, so he supported Lucky's decision. Lucky believed that his drug addiction and affair with Maxie had destroyed his relationship with Elizabeth. Lucky accepted that he and Elizabeth might never re-marry.

At the hospital, Robin advised Elizabeth that it was time for her to make a decision about Lucky and Nikolas. Robin didn't want Elizabeth to make the same mistakes that Robin had made by avoiding her problems. Elizabeth opened up about her past. She explained that her first experience with sex had been so brutal that something inside her had shut down. Elizabeth acknowledged that she'd always had issues with sex because a part of her had always been unavailable to her lovers. Elizabeth admitted that she had rarely initiated sex and wouldn't have been bothered if she never experienced it again.

However, Nikolas had awakened something in Elizabeth. She found that she was consumed by thoughts of him, so much so that Elizabeth prayed that it would go away. Elizabeth wanted to be able to look at Nikolas without wanting him. He was her oldest and dearest friend, Lucky's brother, and her best friend's husband. Elizabeth realized that her feelings for Nikolas were crazy and inappropriate. Robin warned Elizabeth that she couldn't hide her affair from Lucky forever. Elizabeth argued that it would kill Lucky and ruin everything. Elizabeth believed that Lucky could "love" her "back to health" because he had done it before.

Lucky arrived at the hospital to pick up Elizabeth. While he waited for her, Lucky chatted with Rebecca about where he and Elizabeth planned to go. Rebecca admitted that Lucky and Elizabeth's plans to go hiking sounded delightful. Lucky reminded Rebecca that she could always call Nikolas if she wanted to go hiking. Rebecca confided that it was unlikely that Nikolas would be interested because he had ended their relationship. Lucky was surprised by the news, but he realized that it explained why Nikolas had been subdued earlier that morning. Rebecca perked up at the revelation. However, before she could question Lucky about Nikolas, Elizabeth arrived.

Elizabeth and Lucky hiked to the property that they had hoped to buy. Elizabeth was thrilled that the property hadn't been sold. As she talked about her plans for selling her house, Lucky quietly told her that as wonderful as it sounded, they both knew that her dreams for their life together were unlikely to happen. Elizabeth appeared startled by the comment. As Lucky forged ahead, he admitted that it had been wrong of him to ask her to marry him when it was clear that she hadn't been ready for marriage.

Elizabeth tried to deny it, but Lucky refused to let her. He told her that it was obvious to him that she had been unsettled ever since his marriage proposal. Lucky realized that he had been selfish to expect her to marry him, so he was determined to stop things before they went too far. Elizabeth was stunned when Lucky announced that their engagement was off.

12/4 Elizabeth was crushed when Lucky broke off their engagement. Lucky stood firm, despite Elizabeth's tears. He insisted that Elizabeth didn't want to marry him. Elizabeth argued that Lucky was wrong, but Lucky didn't believe her. He pointed out that she wasn't happy. Lucky sensed that something stood between them. He gently explained that he loved her enough to let her go. Elizabeth pleaded with Lucky to not give up on her. She promised him that she wanted a future with him. Lucky sadly told her that they didn't have a future with the way that things stood. He urged her to figure out what she truly wanted. Elizabeth cried that all she wanted was to be his wife.

Later, Lucky bumped into Rebecca at the hospital. Lucky noticed that Rebecca was clutching her coat tightly together. When Lucky asked if she was cold, Rebecca admitted that she was mortified. She told him that she had gone to see Nikolas wearing only the coat. Nikolas had rejected her advances. She had been on her way home when the hospital had paged her. Lucky felt bad that things hadn't worked out for her and Nikolas. He admitted that he had hoped that Rebecca would help Nikolas get past losing Emily. Rebecca didn't think that Nikolas would ever stop mourning Emily.

After Lucky left the hospital, he went to see Carly. Lucky explained that he had reviewed the hospital records and Carly's statement about the night of Claudia's disappearance. Lucky confided that certain things didn't jive, so he wanted to question Carly further. As Carly answered Lucky's questions, Michael entered the living room. Michael demanded that Lucky leave Carly alone. According to Michael, Carly didn't know anything about Claudia's death. Lucky found it interesting that Michael had referred to Claudia as being dead, not missing.

Elizabeth went to Wyndemere to talk to Nikolas. Nikolas was waiting for her in the turret room. He revealed that he knew Lucky had intended to end the engagement. Elizabeth bristled when Nikolas suggested that it had been for the best. Elizabeth informed Nikolas that she had told Lucky that she wanted to be Lucky's wife. Nikolas couldn't believe that Elizabeth had refused to take the out that Lucky had handed to her. He wondered why she would opt to continue lying when she had a chance to be honest and open about everything.

Elizabeth was stunned that Nikolas had expected her to go public with their relationship. She was curious if that was the reason that Nikolas had supported Lucky's decision. Elizabeth was adamant that she wanted to be with Lucky. Nikolas wondered if that were true, why she was with him. Elizabeth claimed that she had wanted to tell Nikolas in person. Nikolas grew tired of the argument. He invited her to kiss him to prove that she didn't want him. If Elizabeth kissed him and then walked out, Nikolas promised that he would leave her alone.

Rebecca returned to Wyndemere. As she approached the turret room, she noticed that the door was ajar. Rebecca heard noises emanating from the room, so she quietly crept to the door. As Rebecca peeked in, she was shocked to see Nikolas and Elizabeth making love.

12/7 Lucky questioned Michael and Carly about Claudia's disappearance. Carly held to her story that she had left Claudia unconscious in the car and had not seen her again. Michael, however, spoke incautiously when he told Lucky that he did not feel guilty and was glad that Claudia was dead. Lucky's suspicions were aroused. When he tried to find out more from Michael, Carly interfered and told Michael to go upstairs. Michael refused and left the house. He told Carly that he had to go to the library to study. Lucky was tenacious with Carly, who repeated her story to him before demanding that he leave her house.

Rebecca was stunned when she saw Nikolas and Elizabeth making love in the turret room. She left without confronting them. After making love, Elizabeth put on her clothes and told Nikolas that what they had done was wrong and that they had to stay away from each other. She said that she was going to marry Lucky, because he offered her the life she wanted. She told Nikolas that she could not bear to hurt Lucky. 

Nikolas wanted to know what they were going to do about the feelings that they had for each other. Elizabeth said that those feelings were fleeting and would go away if they stayed away from each other. Nikolas was not so sure. He said that his feelings for Elizabeth were getting stronger. Nikolas told her she was not being fair to them, but Elizabeth remained in denial and refused to accept her true feelings. She told Nikolas that they had to stop seeing each other. As she left the turret room, she punctuated her message by slamming the door.

Nikolas was in the turret room when Lucky appeared at Wyndemere. He told Nikolas that even though he had tried to break up with Elizabeth, she insisted that they get married. Nikolas told Lucky that he wished them both he best. Lucky was appreciative, but still worried that whatever Elizabeth was hiding from him would eventually come out and wreck their chance at happiness. Nikolas gave tacit agreement.

Lucky met up with Ethan on the Haunted Star. Ethan told Lucky that Rebecca had just been there and was very upset. Lucky was surprised, because he had seen Rebecca at the hospital earlier and she had seemed fine. Ethan said he did not know exactly what was wrong, but Rebecca had referred to both Nikolas and Elizabeth as phonies and users.

Elizabeth was reading a story to Cam and Jake when Rebecca knocked on her door. Elizabeth did not want to let her in, but Rebecca barged in anyway. She sat down with Cam and Jake, and then asked them if they wanted to hear a story. When the boys said yes, she started telling them about a castle, a prince, his sister-in-law, and a turret room. Elizabeth looked very uncomfortable.

12/8 On the Haunted Star, Lucky and Ethan discussed Rebecca's resentment toward Elizabeth. Ethan suspected that it stemmed from jealousy, but Lucky disagreed. Ethan admitted that he didn't know what was going on, but he was certain that something had happened. When Luke entered moments later, Ethan decided to seize the opportunity to help Lucky and Luke work out their problems.

Luke resented Ethan's interference. Lucky realized that his father had concerns about Lucky's decision to marry Elizabeth for the third time; however, he didn't understand what had prompted Luke's objection to the marriage. Lucky and Ethan turned to Luke for an answer. After a few moments of tense silence, Luke asked to speak to Lucky alone. Ethan quietly left the room.

Luke promised that he wasn't attempting to dredge up the past. What he had to say concerned the present. Luke didn't think that he had a choice in the matter anymore. According to Luke, Lucky was standing on train tracks with a freight train barreling down on him. Luke had to act. However, before Luke could continue his speech, Nikolas entered the casino. Seconds later, Ethan charged out of nowhere shouting "You son of a bitch" as he attacked Nikolas.

Luke and Lucky immediately sprang into action. Once they pulled Ethan and Nikolas apart, Lucky decided that it was time to leave. Luke had other ideas; he announced that Nikolas had something to say and then he reminded Nikolas that confession was good for the soul. When Nikolas remained silent, Lucky threw his hands up in the air.

Elizabeth was distraught after an ugly confrontation with Rebecca and called Nik. Nikolas assured Elizabeth that he would take care of everything. Elizabeth gently guided her children away from Rebecca as she tried to order Rebecca out of her home without alarming the boys. Rebecca refused to cooperate. She sat on Elizabeth's sofa with a smug smile, threatening to tell Cam and Jake about what their mother had been doing earlier that evening. Elizabeth decided to put her children to bed, since it was clear that Rebecca was determined to have her say.

When Elizabeth returned to her living room, Rebecca was kicked back on the sofa. She sneered as she noted that Elizabeth had taken her sweet time with the children. Elizabeth explained that she had wanted to make certain that her sons were asleep. Rebecca didn't waste time mincing words. She called Elizabeth a "betraying tramp" for "banging Lucky's brother." Rebecca wasn't surprised that Nikolas had behaved like a typical man by sleeping with "an easy piece."

Rebecca wanted to know what kind of person agreed to marry someone "over and over" only to cheat on that person "again and again." Elizabeth didn't answer Rebecca's questions or respond to her insults; however, she wanted Rebecca to consider the children. Rebecca promptly accused Elizabeth of using her children. Elizabeth pointed out that Rebecca didn't have any room to cast judgment, given her own checkered past.

Rebecca wondered if Elizabeth would have slept with Nikolas if Emily had lived. Elizabeth insisted that the affair would never have happened, but Rebecca didn't believe her. Rebecca claimed that Nikolas and Elizabeth were "faithless sex-obsessed pigs," so it was inevitable that they would have been drawn to each other. Rebecca believed that Lucky deserved better. Elizabeth called Rebecca's bluff. She refused to meekly sit around waiting for Rebecca to drop her bombshell. Elizabeth urged Rebecca to do whatever she felt that she needed to do. Rebecca's confidence slipped, but she recovered quickly. Rebecca promised that Lucky would know what a "lying bitch" Elizabeth was by the end of the night.

After Rebecca stormed out of the house, Elizabeth called Nikolas. Elizabeth warned him that Rebecca had confronted her about their affair and that Rebecca intended to tell Lucky. Later, Elizabeth fell asleep on the sofa. A nightmare of a judge granting custody of Cameron to Lucky and Rebecca plagued her sleep. The judge then granted custody of Jake to Jason and Sam. Elizabeth was devastated as her children were taken away from her. When she woke up, Cam was standing next to the sofa. He was concerned when he realized that his mother was crying.

As Nikolas drove through Lucky's neighborhood, he left a voicemail message for Lucky to call him. Nikolas glanced down to disconnect the call. He was startled when he heard a woman cry out seconds before his car was jolted as if he had hit something.

Lucky arrived just as the last of the patrons were leaving the bar. They pointed to Michael as the reason for the fight. Lucky approached the pool table where Michael was standing. Lucky immediately struck up a conversation, but Michael wasn't interested in bonding over the things that they had in common. Michael was mouthing off to Lucky when Jason entered the bar. Jason warned Michael to keep quiet.

12/9 At Jake's, Jason dragged Michael away from Lucky before Michael revealed too much. Michael insisted that Jason didn't have the right to order him around, especially after what had happened to Claudia. Jason warned Michael to stop talking, but Michael ignored him. When Lucky approached them, Michael informed Lucky that he refused to tell Lucky anything about Claudia. Lucky appreciated the heads-up, but he pointed out that he hadn't asked Michael about her.

Lucky was curious if someone had advised Michael to keep quiet on the subject. Michael ignored the question to accuse Lucky of harassing Carly. According to Michael, Lucky didn't have any family loyalty. Michael considered Lucky a traitor to all of the Spencers. Jason ordered Michael to leave the bar. After Michael stormed out, Lucky admitted that he saw a lot of himself in Michael. Lucky understood what Michael was going through because Lucky had been in a similar situation with Luke. Lucky warned Jason that Michael had slipped up by referring to Claudia as dead. Jason wanted to know if Lucky intended to include the information in his report. Lucky simply advised Jason to get help for Michael.

Nikolas was stunned to discover that he had hit Rebecca with his car. Rebecca was badly injured, but conscious. She called Nikolas a bastard and then accused him of running her down in order to prevent her from telling Lucky the truth about Elizabeth. She vowed that she would tell Lucky everything as soon as she could.

Cameron was worried when he noticed his mother's tears. Elizabeth hugged her son closely as she confessed that she had done something bad. However, she reassured him that everything would be fine. Elizabeth then told Cam that she loved him, even if she didn't deserve him.

Later, Edward stopped by to visit Elizabeth. He claimed to have found a picture of Elizabeth and Emily while going through old photographs. Elizabeth thanked Edward for the picture, but she suspected that he had another reason for seeking her out. Edward didn't deny it. He explained that he considered Rebecca to be a true blessing, so he was curious why Elizabeth hadn't welcomed her into her life.

Elizabeth fetched Edward some tea. Edward was surprised that she knew how he preferred his tea. Elizabeth revealed that Emily had told her. Edward was touched when Elizabeth confided that Emily had loved sharing tea with her grandfather while he had taught her how to read stock market reports. Edward was amazed that the simple moments that most took for granted were important to others. Elizabeth explained that it was one of the reasons why she didn't like Rebecca. She accused Rebecca of trading on their love for Emily. 

Elizabeth realized that Emily would have welcomed Rebecca with open arms--a fact that she suspected Rebecca had taken advantage of. Edward argued that Rebecca was the closest that they would ever get to Emily. Elizabeth suggested that Rebecca had a less than positive effect on some people; she pointed to Nikolas as an example. Edward wasn't interested in hearing about Nikolas. A phone call interrupted their talk. It was Nikolas. Nikolas explained that he was at the hospital with Rebecca. Edward noticed the color leech out of Elizabeth's face; concerned, he asked her what had happened.

Elizabeth arrived at the hospital and pulled Nikolas aside to find out what had happened to Rebecca. Nikolas assured her that it had been an accident. Elizabeth believed Nikolas. Nikolas revealed that Rebecca had accused him of intentionally harming her, which had made her doubly determined to tell Lucky the truth. Elizabeth begged Nikolas to stop Rebecca. Nikolas promised that he would do what he could. After Nikolas walked away, Elizabeth sat down. She was startled when someone tapped on her shoulder to ask why she was upset. Elizabeth turned to see her brother standing behind her. She launched herself into his arms and then hugged him fiercely. Steven wanted to know what was troubling Elizabeth. Elizabeth assured him that all she needed was her big brother.

Later, Steven returned with some hot chocolate. As Elizabeth sipped her drink, Steven confessed that he had missed her. Elizabeth wanted to know what Steven was doing in Port Charles. Steven explained that he was the new chief of staff. At first Elizabeth thought he was joking, but then he revealed that Audrey had known about the job offer. Steven couldn't turn down the opportunity to follow in their grandfather's footsteps by accepting the position that Dr. Steven Hardy had once held. Steven urged his sister to tell him why she was so sad. When Elizabeth confessed that she had made a mess of things, Steven promised that they would figure out a solution together.

A short time later, Rebecca woke up. She immediately demanded to see Lucky. Rebecca claimed that she had something important to tell him. In the hallway, Nikolas and Elizabeth overheard Rebecca's request.

12/10 Rebecca was wide-awake and talking to Lucky when Elizabeth entered Rebecca's hospital room. While Elizabeth checked Rebecca's vitals, Rebecca told Lucky that the accident had been a result of her not paying attention. Rebecca claimed that she hadn't looked both ways before she had tried to cross the street. Lucky was curious why Rebecca had been on her way to his house. Rebecca appeared to take delight in making Elizabeth squirm; she explained that she had decided to visit Lucky on impulse, in order to talk about Nikolas. Rebecca chuckled as she observed that the accident had been the perfect metaphor for her relationship with Nikolas; he had used her up and then he ran her over.

Later, Lucky bumped into Ethan in the hallway. Lucky explained that Rebecca had insisted that the crash had been an accident. Ethan had his doubts; he was certain that Nikolas had intentionally run down Rebecca with the car. Ethan's temper didn't improve when Nikolas approached them. Lucky pointed out that it didn't make sense for Nikolas to lie in wait in Lucky's neighborhood for the off chance that Rebecca would happen along. Ethan argued that it had been a crime of opportunity. Ethan was disappointed when Lucky dismissed the suggestion. After Ethan stormed off, Nikolas reassured his brother that he hadn't meant to hurt Rebecca.

Elizabeth approached Rebecca’s room. Rebecca continued to smile, but Steven immediately sensed the tension between the women. Rebecca hinted that there was quite a bit that Steven didn't know about his little sister. Elizabeth wondered what Rebecca was trying to tell Steven. Steven stepped into the hallway with his sister. He was curious why she wanted to rip off Rebecca's face. Elizabeth warned him not to ask; according to Elizabeth, Rebecca was a "miserable bitch." Steven promised that he was on Elizabeth's side, regardless what had happened.

12/11 Steve pulled Elizabeth aside to discuss a patient's medical chart. He asked her to focus on the medication that Patrick had prescribed. As Elizabeth reviewed the chart, she was horrified to discover that she had made a mistake. Elizabeth explained that she had just started her shift; she assured Steve that Mr. Murphy had been the only patient that she had seen. Steve instructed Elizabeth to sign herself out and then to go home. 

Later, Steve arrived at Elizabeth's house with an update about Mr. Murphy. Epiphany had caught the mistake before the patient had been given the medication. Epiphany and Patrick had assured Steve that Elizabeth didn't usually make mistakes. Elizabeth was greatly relieved to hear that the patient was fine. When Steve demanded to know what was going on with her, Elizabeth told him about her affair with Nikolas. Shortly after Steve left, Nikolas stopped by to tell Elizabeth about Rebecca's latest demand. Elizabeth was stunned that Rebecca wanted Lucky. She asked, "Is that bitch insane?"

Lucky was stunned to find Sonny's lieutenant using a police computer in a restricted area of the police station. Dante tried to talk his way out of it, but Lucky didn't believe him. When Lucky checked the computer, he found an arrest record filed by Detective Dante Falconari. It took Lucky a few moments to put the pieces together. Lucky turned to Dante to ask, "Does your mother know that you are cop?"

Lucky realized that there had been subtle signs that Dante was an undercover cop, but that he had written them off. Lucky wondered how long Dante had been undercover. Dante explained that he had been in the Zacchara organization for a year and that he had used it to position himself with Sonny. Lucky was impressed. He also figured out that Lulu was aware of Dante's true identity. Dante confirmed Lucky's suspicions.

Lucky reminded Dante that Sonny had moles in the police department. He didn't want to risk Dante being discovered by one of them. However, before Dante could slip out of the room, Lulu entered. Lucky and Dante hid their smiles, while Lulu spun a story in the hopes of rescuing Dante from the compromising position. Lucky didn't last long; he burst out laughing as he confessed that he knew the truth about Dante.

Lucky took delight in imagining Luke's expression when he learned that his daughter was dating a police officer. Lulu made it clear that nothing was going on between her and Dante. When Lulu turned to Dante to confirm her claim, Dante announced that he and Lulu were dating. Lulu was speechless. When Lulu recovered from her shock, she told Lucky how difficult it had been for her to keep the secret from everyone that she cared about.

Lucky agreed that it had been unfair of Dante to burden his sister with such a life-altering secret. Dante didn't dispute Lucky, but he couldn't change what had happened. Dante decided to finish his research, so that he and Lulu could leave. Lulu was eager to see what Dante had uncovered, but Lucky put his foot down. He reminded Lulu that she couldn't see the confidential files.

After Lulu left the room, Dante explained that he had seen the CO77X tag in Manhattan near a murder crime scene. When Dante reviewed the tagger's arrest report, he was surprised to discover that there wasn't a mug shot to accompany it. Dante continued digging until he eventually found a picture of the graffiti artist. The mug shot was of Franco.

12/14 Nikolas and Elizabeth talked at her place. Nikolas told Elizabeth that Rebecca wanted to end up with Lucky and had agreed to keep quiet about seeing Nikolas and Elizabeth having sex if they did not interfere with her plans. Nikolas thought that it was a perfect solution, since Lucky had been attracted to Rebecca when she had first arrived in Port Charles. He thought that it would give him and Elizabeth a chance to find out where their feelings for each other might lead. Elizabeth said absolutely not. She told Nikolas that their feelings were fleeting and would pass. She said that the life she wanted was the one she had planned with Lucky. 

Elizabeth told Nikolas that his feelings were not for her, but for Emily. She told him that he was trying to hold on to Emily through her. Nikolas disagreed. When Elizabeth told him that she refused to lose the life she wanted because of an affair, Nikolas told her that it was more than an affair to him, because he was in love with her. Elizabeth said that what she had with Nikolas was not real love, because real love took work. When Elizabeth told Nikolas that what they had was passing, he tried to kiss her. Elizabeth pushed him away. She told Nikolas that if he loved her, he would leave. A tear ran down Nikolas' cheek as he told Elizabeth that he loved her and left the house.

Lucky and Dominic bonded at the Port Charles Police Station. They found Franco's arrest record and realized that the mysterious tagger sign, "CO77X," was his booking number. Dominic and Lucky speculated that Franco must have been the homeless guy who had waved at Jason at the ambush site. They figured that he was also the person who had crushed Joey Limbo's windpipe and posed his body. As they were about to dig further, Mac interrupted and chastised Dominic for taking a chance on being spotted in the PCPS by one of Sonny's many law enforcement informants. Dominic reluctantly promised to get back on the job of bagging Sonny. Before he left, he and Lucky agreed to find a way to stay in touch on the Franco case.

12/15 Lucky arrived at Lulu's apartment to find Dante waiting for him. Dante explained that Lulu had stepped out. Lucky took the opportunity to assure Dante that he didn't have any objections to Dante dating his sister. However, Lucky quickly changed the subject because he was eager to share what he had learned about Franco. According to the French police, there had been four unsolved murders in the Paris area.

Each crime scene had resembled one of Franco's works of art. The Paris police feared that they had some type of "copycat" killer on the loose, because the murders had occurred after Franco had completed the pictures. Dante and Lucky realized that they could be dealing with a serial killer. However, Lucky didn't see how they could obtain a warrant without blowing Dante's cover. Lucky decided to call the Paris police to ask if there had been any sightings of the CO77X tag near the crime scenes of the four unsolved murders. Lucky also intended to request that the Paris police keep an eye on Franco while he was in Paris.

Tracy and Luke were enjoying breakfast on the Haunted Star, when Nikolas strolled in demanding to play a game of poker. Luke grumbled that the casino was closed, but Nikolas refused to be put off. He demanded that Luke make an exception for family. Luke made it clear that Nikolas was not part of his family. When Luke referred to Nikolas as a slimy bastard, Tracy tried to intervene. Nikolas and Luke ignored Tracy as the argument escalated.

Luke accused Nikolas of not caring about anything except himself. Nikolas laughed as he called Luke a hypocrite. Nikolas warned Luke never to badmouth him again, especially after what Luke had done to Laura. Luke stood up and then slowly approached Nikolas repeating, "Nikki, Nikki, Nikki." The moment that Luke was within arm's reach, he sucker punched Nikolas.

Nikolas and Luke briefly exchanged blows until Lucky, who had entered the Haunted Star, pulled his brother and father apart. Lucky demanded to know what was going on, but Nikolas and Luke refused to enlighten him. Nikolas reminded Lucky that Lucky was his brother and Nikolas loved him, regardless what Luke told Lucky. Luke accused Nikolas of lying. Nikolas ignored the accusation as he left the casino.

Lucky wanted to know why Luke and Nikolas were suddenly at each other's throats; he had thought that the two of them had made peace. Lucky wanted to know what Nikolas was lying about, but Luke remained stubbornly silent. Lucky warned Luke not to test his loyalty. Luke wondered how it got to the point where Luke was the first person that Lucky doubted and the last person that Lucky trusted. Lucky claimed that Luke was like the wind; Lucky never knew where Luke would be even when they were sitting in the same room.

Luke accused Lucky of having blinders on. Luke admitted that he saw the worst in people, while in contrast, Lucky seemed determined to see the best in those around him, except for Luke. Lucky suggested that Luke stop trying to keep Lucky in the dark about what was troubling him. Lucky promised that, contrary to what Luke believed, Lucky did not live to give his father "the finger." Luke loved Lucky, but he sensed that Lucky was determined to prove to everyone that he was nothing like his father, which was one of the reasons that Lucky was determined to marry Elizabeth. Lucky argued that not everything was about Luke. According to Lucky, the love that he had for Elizabeth had nothing to do with Luke. Lucky explained that he was just trying to live his life; if Lucky was hurt then it was on him, not Luke.

12/16 Lucky bumped into Michael outside of Kelly's. Lucky struck up a conversation with him, but Sonny quickly put an end to it when he approached them moments later. Sonny casually asked about Elizabeth and the boys, and then quietly sent Michael on his way. Michael apologized to Lucky for his outburst at Jake's, and then left. Lucky urged Sonny to get help for Michael. Sonny assured Lucky that he took care of his children.

Sonny reminded Lucky of the time when Lucky had walked out on Luke. Lucky recalled that Sonny had helped Lucky out by giving him odd jobs; Lucky suspected that Sonny had done it as a favor to Luke. Sonny clarified that he had done it for Lucky, not Luke. Sonny appealed to Lucky as both a friend and a father; he wanted Lucky to leave Michael out of the investigation. Lucky explained that eventually he would have to step aside because Carly and Michael were his cousins, so it was a conflict of interest. Lucky warned Sonny that the next police officer assigned to the case would not be as understanding as Lucky.

Later, Lucky arranged to meet Dante. Lucky suggested that Michael might have the answers that they were seeking; he advised Dante to befriend Michael. Lucky was certain that Michael needed someone to talk to, so he might trust Sonny's lieutenant.

Lucky stopped by to talk to Carly. Carly resented Lucky's presence until he explained that he wanted to help Michael as a cousin, not as a police officer. Lucky could see where Michael was headed. Lucky had been in a similar situation with Luke. Lucky confided that Michael would eventually be faced with the reality that the man he looked up to had done some terrible things. Lucky insisted that Michael was a good kid. However, Michael would reach a point where he would pull away from Sonny. Lucky advised Carly to be there for her son when it happened. Lucky was certain that the secret was eating away at Michael; he warned her that, one way or another, the secret would find a way out.

12/17 At the pier, Nikolas apologized to Lucky about the fight on the Haunted Star. Lucky appreciated the apology, but he made it clear that he didn't want to be involved in the dispute between Nikolas and Luke. Nikolas was surprised when Lucky revealed that he had been waiting for Rebecca. Before Nikolas could question Lucky about the meeting, Rebecca approached the brothers. She was happy to see Nikolas. According to Rebecca, she intended to be open and up-front.

Rebecca wanted to make certain that she and Lucky could remain friends despite her breakup with Nikolas. Lucky assured her that he didn't have any problems with her. Rebecca smiled as she invited Lucky out for a friendly game of pool at Jake's. She wanted to celebrate her release from the hospital. Lucky agreed to meet her, but with the understanding that he was happily engaged to Elizabeth.

Rebecca arranged to meet Lucky later and then left. Nikolas thought it was a bad idea. Lucky reminded Nikolas that Rebecca was Emily's sister, so he didn't see any reason not to be friends with her. Nikolas agreed that Rebecca deserved some kindness after the way that Nikolas had treated her. Rebecca was waiting when Lucky entered Jake's. As they sipped beers and played a game of pool, Rebecca apologized for acting "weird" around Nikolas. She then smoothly guided the conversation, so that Lucky talked about himself. Lucky opened up about his childhood; he revealed that Luke had taught him to shoot pool at an early age.

Once Lucky had mastered the game, Lucky and his parents had traveled around the world, hustling people out of money. Rebecca was fascinated as Lucky shared some colorful stories about his various scams. He admitted that once, at the tender age of five, he had bilked someone out of thirty-two hundred dollars. As Lucky and Rebecca sat down at a table, Rebecca confessed that she had chosen the wrong brother.

Lucky understood that Rebecca was hurting, but he cautioned her that he was not the answer to her problems. Lucky reminded her that he was engaged to Elizabeth. Rebecca argued that Elizabeth didn't deserve him. Lucky didn't appreciate Rebecca maligning his fiancée. Rebecca explained that she didn't care about Elizabeth; however, Lucky deserved to know the truth.

Elizabeth was busy working at the nurses' station when Epiphany approached her. Elizabeth griped when Epiphany added to her workload. Epiphany reminded her that Elizabeth had made a dangerous error the previous day that could have cost a patient his life. Epiphany pointed out that the incident had been grounds for suspension. Duly chastised, Elizabeth apologized. When Steve overheard the exchange, he asked to speak to Elizabeth alone.

Before Epiphany walked away, she warned Elizabeth that she would write Elizabeth up if Elizabeth didn't adjust her attitude. Alone, Steve demanded to know if Elizabeth's feelings for Nikolas were making her "suicidal." Elizabeth admitted that she had considered taking the night off, but they had been short-staffed. Steve appreciated Elizabeth's dedication; he reminded her that the staff knew that she was a responsible person and therefore were willing to make some allowances for recent behavior, but it couldn't continue.

Elizabeth confessed that she felt overwhelmed by everything. Every time she turned around, it seemed as if Nikolas was there. Steve was curious if Elizabeth had asked Nikolas to stay away from her. Elizabeth assured her brother that she had; however she admitted that she hadn't always meant it. Elizabeth realized that she was making self-destructive choices, but she didn't know how to stop.

Steve wondered what Elizabeth would do if one of her boys stood in the middle of a pile of toys and threw a tantrum. Elizabeth responded that she would take his toys away until he calmed down. Steve suggested a similar solution for Elizabeth. Steve advised his sister to separate herself from everything, so that she could focus on taking one step at a time.

Later, Nikolas stopped by the nurses' station to ask Epiphany where Elizabeth was. Epiphany sniped that she had no idea, since Elizabeth had forgotten to sign out. Steve approached Nikolas to request a moment of his time. Nikolas stepped away from the nurses' station to have a private word with Steve. Steve cut to the chase; he told Nikolas that Elizabeth was having a difficult time. Nikolas didn't want to discuss Elizabeth with Steve.

Steve refused to be dismissed. He explained to Nikolas that Elizabeth was miserable. Steve hadn't seen his sister smile since he had returned to Port Charles, so he wanted Nikolas to leave Elizabeth alone. Nikolas explained that he was in love with Elizabeth; he had no intention of walking away from her. Steve revealed that Elizabeth had been so distraught over the affair that she had made a serious error with a patient.

Steve argued that if Nikolas truly loved Elizabeth then Nikolas would give her the time and space that she needed, in order to heal. Steve suggested that Nikolas could afford to take an extended vacation far away from Port Charles. Neither man was aware that Elizabeth stood on the second floor landing, with a patient's file clutched in her hands, watching them.

Later, Elizabeth met Nikolas on the pier. She admitted that she had seen him talking to Steve. Nikolas told her about Steve's request for him to stay away from her. She seemed uncomfortable with the idea of Nikolas and her brother talking about her. That was forgotten when Nikolas revealed that Rebecca had followed through on her threat to seduce Lucky by inviting him to Jake's. Elizabeth was furious; she was certain that Rebecca would tell Lucky everything.

12/18 At Jake's, Rebecca tried to warn Lucky about Elizabeth. She insisted that Elizabeth would be terrified to know that Lucky and Rebecca were spending time together. Lucky suggested that Rebecca stop beating around the bush and tell him what was on her mind. Rebecca agreed, but first she wanted to apologize for hurting him. Before Rebecca could continue, Elizabeth entered Jake's.

Elizabeth had hoped to find Lucky, so that he could help her pick out Christmas trees for her, Audrey, and Steve. Rebecca laughed at the feeble excuse. Lucky admitted that Elizabeth's reason for tracking him down sounded weak. Lucky could tell that Elizabeth was afraid, which gave weight to Rebecca's earlier claim that Elizabeth wouldn't want Rebecca talking to Lucky. Nikolas entered the bar as Lucky demanded to know what was going on.

Elizabeth stuck to her story. Rebecca questioned Elizabeth's timing; she found it curious that Elizabeth wanted to go tree shopping on the night that Lucky and Rebecca were spending time together. Elizabeth turned to Rebecca to snap, "Shut the hell up. I wasn't talking to you." Lucky was taken aback by Elizabeth's anger. He assured Elizabeth that she didn't have any reason to worry about Rebecca. Nikolas decided to put an end to the "nonsense." Rebecca agreed; she was more than happy to enlighten Lucky. 

Before Rebecca could elaborate, Nikolas accused Rebecca of wanting to have an affair with Lucky, in order to punish Nikolas. Rebecca laughed at the suggestion. Lucky decided to take the opportunity to explain to Rebecca the special connection that Lucky, Nikolas, and Elizabeth had shared with Emily. Rebecca had entered their lives with Emily's face, but Rebecca hadn't known anything about her twin sister. Rebecca wasn't interested in hearing about the magic of the four musketeers; she insisted that she knew all about it. Elizabeth informed Rebecca that the "magic" had started with Elizabeth being raped. Rebecca's smirk immediately faded.

Elizabeth quietly shared the events that had led to her violent rape. Audrey had bought Elizabeth a beautiful red dress for a Valentine's Day dance at school. When Lucky had broken their date, in order to go to the dance with Sarah, Elizabeth had decided to put on her dress and go out. Audrey, thinking that Elizabeth was going to the dance, had lent Elizabeth a special bracelet that had been a gift from Elizabeth's grandfather, Steve, to Audrey.

Elizabeth had gone to the movies. She had stopped off at the park on her way home. Elizabeth recalled that it had snowed earlier that day, so it had been very still and quiet in the park that night. She had always wondered why she hadn't heard her attacker's approach. As Elizabeth sat on a park bench, someone had grabbed her from behind and then dragged her into the bushes where she had been brutally raped. Afterwards, Elizabeth had crawled out of the bushes, desperately looking for her grandmother's bracelet.

Lucky picked up the story, as he revealed that he had found Elizabeth bruised, bloody, and with her dress torn. Elizabeth insisted that Lucky had taken care of her that night and every day since. Elizabeth admitted that the rape had profoundly changed her, but Lucky had healed her. Lucky clarified that he had just wanted to help Elizabeth. Lucky went on to explain that Elizabeth had never seen her attacker, but she had remembered that he had whispered to her, "Not a word."

Those words, and the man's arrogance, had been his downfall. Elizabeth credited Emily and Nikolas for sending the man to jail where he continued to serve out his sentence. The following Valentine's Day Lucky had taken Elizabeth to a small church where they had declared their love and then exchanged heartfelt vows of commitment. Emily and Nikolas had rescued the lovebirds from the church during a blizzard. The four friends had returned to Emily's hotel room where they had spend the remainder of the snowstorm ordering room service and having fun.

Nikolas confessed that he would have cherished those times more if he had known that the sun wouldn't shine on that world for long. Lucky admitted that he would love to return to that church and exchange the same vows with Elizabeth once they set a date for their wedding. Elizabeth loved the idea. Lucky noticed that Rebecca had tears in her eyes. Rebecca assured Lucky that she was fine. Their stories had helped Rebecca to make an important decision.

12/21 At Jake's, Rebecca announced to Lucky, Elizabeth, and Nikolas that she planned to leave Port Charles. She told them that after listening to them tell the story of Elizabeth's rape, and the deep bonds of friendship that had developed between Lucky, Liz, Emily, and Nikolas as a consequence, she had gotten what she had gone to Port Charles to find. She told them that she finally felt that she knew Emily and she was ready to leave. After Rebecca left Jake's, Lucky asked Nikolas if he had any regrets. He said no. Both Nikolas and Elizabeth told Lucky that they felt that it was time for Rebecca to move on. 

Lucky, full of holiday spirit, invited Nikolas to assuage his doldrums by going along with him and Elizabeth to look for a Christmas tree. Nikolas declined. Lucky sympathized with Nikolas, assuming that his downcast behavior was caused because Nikolas still missed Emily. He told Nikolas to take heart because someone would come along and he would fall in love again. Lucky walked out ahead of Elizabeth, who shared a poignant look with Nikolas.

Elizabeth and Lucky ran into Luke at the Christmas tree lot. They exchanged pleasantries then Lucky noticed a cigar in Luke's pocket and asked if Luke was at the lot to get his contraband cigars. When Luke asked curtly if Lucky planned to arrest him, Lucky changed the subject and asked if Luke had plans for Christmas. Things became more cordial between them as they discussed family, and Luke pointed out how much he disliked sentimentality. Elizabeth took her leave when Luke mentioned family gatherings and their seething undercurrents in the same sentence. Lucky followed after wishing Luke happy holidays and telling him to save a cigar. Luke had a huge grin after Lucky moved on.

Steve was very cordial when he accepted Rebecca's resignation from GH. When Steve left, Rebecca turned and saw Elizabeth. Elizabeth tried to wish Rebecca well, but Rebecca said she was not keeping quiet for Elizabeth. Rebecca called Elizabeth a lying, two-faced tramp. Then she told Elizabeth that secrets had a way of coming out.

Rebecca said that she wished she could be there to see what happened when Lucky finally found out that Elizabeth and Nikolas were sleeping together. At that moment, Lucky appeared in the doorway. Dominic and Jason raced to Ronnie's bedside. When Dominic asked Lulu what had happened, she confirmed that Franco had been in Ronnie's room.

12/22 At the hospital, Elizabeth wished Rebecca well with her new life. Rebecca didn't believe that Elizabeth was sincere. Rebecca hated leaving, knowing that Lucky's life would be hell because of Elizabeth. Lucky lurked nearby, listening to the exchange. Lucky stepped in when he sensed that the argument was getting heated. Lucky admitted that he thought that Rebecca and Elizabeth had moved past their dislike for each other.

Rebecca realized that she was wasting her time being angry with Elizabeth. Elizabeth apologized to Rebecca, but Rebecca accused Elizabeth of never giving Rebecca a chance. Rebecca then turned her attention to Lucky. Rebecca admitted that she had missed a great opportunity with Lucky. According to Rebecca, Lucky was a wonderful guy who deserved a great life. Lucky assured Rebecca that he had that with Elizabeth.

Rebecca hugged Lucky and then walked away. Lucky wondered if Elizabeth would finally reveal why Rebecca and Elizabeth hated each other. Elizabeth accused Rebecca of being a liar. She admitted that she was thrilled that Rebecca had decided to leave town because Rebecca had brought out the worst in Elizabeth. Lucky chuckled as he confessed that he enjoyed seeing Elizabeth "all fired up."

Later, Lucky spotted Nikolas at the hospital. As Nikolas closed his cell phone, Lucky wondered if Nikolas had been trying to reach Rebecca. Nikolas admitted that he had left three messages for her, but Rebecca had not returned his calls. Lucky suggested that it was for the best; he urged Nikolas to leave Rebecca alone. Elizabeth and the boys approached them moments later.

Cameron announced to his uncle that they were going Christmas tree shopping. Nikolas admitted that it sounded like fun. Nikolas watched as Lucky, Elizabeth, Jake, and Cam left the hospital. A short time later, Nikolas went to Emily's crypt. Nikolas talked about how perfect Elizabeth and Lucky seemed together.

Nikolas confessed that he had realized that, no matter how much in love he was with Elizabeth, he would never be able to have her. Nikolas decided that it wasn't fair to make Elizabeth and Lucky's life chaotic just because his own life was a mess. Nikolas promised that he would turn it all around. Nikolas was unaware that Rebecca stood nearby, eavesdropping on his private confession.

At the Christmas tree lot, Elizabeth and Lucky discovered that all of the best trees had been purchased. When Lucky spotted a tree that hadn't been sold, Cam decided that the tree looked "weird." Lucky agreed that the two points at the top of the tree gave the tree an odd appearance. However, Lucky explained that it was actually a sign of good luck. According to Lucky, Grandma Laura had insisted that Santa Claus left an extra present under unusual-looking trees. After Cam and Jake ran off to find a star for the top of their new tree, Elizabeth confided that she loved the story about the tree. Lucky smiled when Elizabeth insisted that she loved Lucky and that he was the perfect man for her.

12/23 Elizabeth, Cameron, and Jake arrived at Lucky's shortly before the party started. Cameron was excited when he saw the Christmas tree; he wondered if they could spend the night. Elizabeth explained that Santa knew where they lived. She suggested that they write Santa a note to let him know that they would be together with Lucky the next Christmas. Lucky loved Elizabeth's compromise.

After Elizabeth took the boys to their room to play, she joined Lucky in the living room. Lucky mentioned that Bobbie was in Seattle with Lucas. Elizabeth was curious if Lucky had heard from Luke. Lucky confided that he didn't have any idea if he father intended to join them for the family get-together. Ethan arrived moments later, carrying presents for everyone, with jellybeans for the kids.

While Elizabeth took the treats to Cameron and Jake, Lucky wondered if Ethan had talked to Luke. Ethan reluctantly admitted that he didn't think that Luke would show up. Tracy arrived shortly afterwards. She admitted that she had tried to persuade Luke to join her, but he had refused. Lucky appreciated Tracy's efforts. While Ethan fetched Tracy a drink, Lucky stepped away to put some finishing touches on the decorations. Elizabeth approached Lucky to lend him her support.

Lucky was frustrated because he realized that something was bothering his father. He decided that he needed to make an effort to talk to Luke. Lucky apologized for leaving the party, but he promised Elizabeth that he would return as soon as he could. Nikolas and Spencer arrived later. Nikolas explained that they were late because Spencer had insisted that he needed to take along some mistletoe. Spencer proudly held up the mistletoe and then ordered Nikolas and Elizabeth to kiss. Elizabeth leaned down to kiss Spencer instead.

Lucky entered the Haunted Star to find his father alone. Luke invited Lucky to join him for cup of freshly brewed coffee. While Luke fetched the coffee, Lucky told him that Laura had called. Laura wanted Lucky, Elizabeth, and the boys to spend the next Christmas in Paris with her. Luke smiled as he handed Lucky a cup of coffee. Luke fondly recalled a Christmas in Paris when Lucky had been a child.

Lucky admitted that he cherished his childhood. Lucky assured his father that Luke and Laura had given him a life that most people could only dream about. Lucky missed those days, but he knew that there was no going back. Lucky believed that the present held it's own miracles; he had noticed many in recent days, such as Ethan and Lucky managing to spend time together in the same room without fighting, Lucky's continued sobriety, and Lucky and Elizabeth's discovery of the perfect piece property for their new house. Lucky didn't need any big miracles from his father; he just needed Luke to spend Christmas with him.

Ethan read a Christmas story to Cameron, Jake, and Spencer. Lulu picked up Laura's angel for the top of the tree. All heads turned when Luke and Lucky entered. Tracy kissed her husband as Lucky took the angel from Lulu and then placed it on the top of the tree. Cameron looked up at the angel and then waved to it.

12/29 A police officer pulled Michael over for driving erratically. The officer asked if Michael had been drinking. Michael denied it, but the police officer didn't believe him. The police officer asked if Michael would consent to take a breathalyzer test. Michael didn't understand the problem. The police officer explained that underage drinking and driving under the influence were against the law. Michael arrogantly questioned if the police officer was trying to make his monthly quota.

The police officer ignored the insult as he informed Michael that he was under arrest. Before the police officer could handcuff Michael, Lucky approached. Lucky greeted Brad, the police officer, and then explained that Michael was a person of interest in a case that Lucky was working on. Brad agreed to allow Lucky to take over. As Brad drove away, Michael tried to imply that the police officer didn't have any grounds for pulling over Michael. Lucky clarified that Brad was a decent person who was simply doing his job.

Michael demanded to know what Lucky wanted from him. Lucky asked if Michael had been drinking, but Michael once again denied it. Michael assumed that Lucky wanted to question him about Claudia, Lucky suggested that they discuss the real problem: Sonny. Michael claimed that just because Lucky had turned his back on Luke, didn't mean that Michael intended to do the same to Sonny.

Lucky confided that he had grown up in a similar situation as Michael. Lucky explained that parents tried their best to protect their children, but they didn't always succeed. Michael clarified that he didn't have any problems with Sonny. Lucky accused Michael of lying; he understood what it was like to idolize and love a father who turned out to be quite different than the person who had raised him. Michael insisted that he was fine.

Lucky didn't believe Michael. Lucky accused Michael of drinking and driving in an attempt to hurt Sonny. Lucky suspected that Michael realized that the most effective way to punish Sonny was to self-destruct. Michael resented Lucky's attempts to compare their lives; he was adamant that Sonny was nothing like Luke. Lucky pointed out that Michael didn't understand how Sonny had risen to power or how Sonny maintained that power. Michael believed that he knew everything about his father. Lucky revealed that he could smell the alcohol on Michael's breath. He was certain that Michael was pushing the limits, so that Sonny would notice him. Michael was curious if their therapy session was over for the evening.

A short time later, Michael arrived home. Everyone jumped up to yell "Surprise." Their birthday wishes faded when they spotted Lucky standing behind Michael. Carly questioned why Lucky was there. Michael invited Lucky to tell Carly the truth. Lucky explained that Michael had been pulled over for drunk driving. Carly and Sonny were stunned. Sonny thanked Lucky for not arresting Michael; he promised that it would never happen again. Carly decided to walk Lucky to the door, so that she could find out exactly what had happened. Lucky reminded Carly that Michael had committed a serious offense. He suggested that she remind Michael that a drunk driver had killed B.J., and Jason had become a mob enforcer because of a drunk driver.

12/30 At the police station, Mac wondered if Lucky had plans for New Year's Eve. Lucky claimed that he didn't, but then Elizabeth arrived. Elizabeth revealed that she had planned a surprise for Lucky. Lucky was intrigued, especially after Elizabeth pulled out a blindfold that she intended for Lucky to wear during the drive.

Elizabeth took Lucky to Jake's. The bar was closed, but Elizabeth had cheesy fries and ribs waiting for them. Lucky remembered that the first time they had eaten cheesy fries and ribs had been the night that Elizabeth had agreed to be Lucky's girl. Elizabeth corrected Lucky; she had told Lucky that she was already his girl. Lucky smiled and then wondered how Elizabeth had managed to persuade Coleman to close the bar for the night.

Elizabeth admitted that she had promised to convince Lucky not to cite Coleman because one of his bartenders had served alcohol to Michael. Lucky joked that he would hate to find out that his fiancée was sneaking around behind his back without Lucky having a clue. Elizabeth sobered immediately. When Lucky noticed the change in Elizabeth, he assured her that he had been joking. Elizabeth believed him, but she also realized that she had taken him for granted.

Elizabeth explained that she had planned the special evening for Lucky because she wanted Lucky to know that she loved him. Nothing made her prouder or gave her more joy than being his girl. Lucky confessed that his happiest memories included Elizabeth. Elizabeth vowed to never disappoint Lucky. She then challenged Lucky to a game of pool. After Lucky won the game, Elizabeth fetched a gift that she had tucked away for Lucky. It was his old guitar. Elizabeth had taken it to a shop, so that they could replace the old strings. Lucky was thrilled with the guitar. He pulled it out of the case and then serenaded Elizabeth with the song, "My Girl."

1/4 Lucky met Jason at McCall and Jackal Private Investigation. Lucky was surprised when Jason revealed that he wanted Lucky to arrest him. Lucky was curious what Jason hoped to gain by the ruse. Jason revealed that he suspected that Franco had Sam. Jason briefly explained that Franco was obsessed with Jason. He also told Lucky about the threat that Franco had made against Carly and Josslyn.

Jason needed the element of surprise, so he wanted Lucky to arrest him for Claudia's murder. Jason hoped that the cover of an arrest would allow Jason to sneak out of the police station, so that he could catch an unsuspecting Franco. Lucky confessed that he had his own suspicions about Franco, so he agreed to go along with Jason's plan. Lucky suggested that perhaps the arrest would make Mayor Floyd's day.

Mayor Floyd arranged for a press conference at the police station. While Lucky and Mac watched, Mayor Floyd announced that Jason had been arrested for Claudia's murder. After the mayor answered a few questions, Lucky ushered Jason into a nearby interrogation room. As Lucky removed the handcuffs from Jason's wrists, Lucky chuckled that the mayor had "jumped the gun" by announcing the arrest. Lucky hadn't had an opportunity to formally arrest Jason.

Jason was relieved that Lucky wouldn't have to lie about the arrest. He thanked Lucky for his help and then slipped out of the police station. A short time later, Mac talked to Lucky about Jason's arrest. Lucky explained that he had released Jason because there was a lack of evidence. Mac wanted to know what was going on, but Lucky refused to elaborate beyond revealing that it had been a favor. Mac observed that it must have been Lucky's day for favors. He handed Lucky a police file on Franco from New York City. Mac warned Lucky that he didn't want any "nasty surprises" and then walked away.

Sonny arrived at the police station a short time later. A police officer invited Sonny to wait at Lucky's desk. As Sonny sat down, he noticed Franco's file. Lucky entered the squad room just as Sonny managed to slide the file close enough so that Sonny could covertly read it.

1/5 At the Port Charles police station, Lucky caught Sonny snooping through a file on Lucky's desk. Lucky reminded Sonny that it was a restricted file. Sonny smiled innocently as he claimed that the file had been open. Lucky let the lie slide, so that he could focus on the reason for Sonny's visit. Lucky assumed that Sonny wanted to see Jason. Sonny admitted that he was curious why Jason had not called anyone after the arrest; he demanded to know what was going on.

Lucky arrived at the Jacks residence and Jax explained that the front door had been open when he had arrived home and Carly is missing. He had raced to the nursery when he heard Josslyn crying. Jax admitted that Carly tended to be forgetful at times by not closing the front door, but he was certain that something was amiss. Carly and Jason entered the house. After a brief reunion, Jason explained to Lucky and Jax that Franco had targeted Carly because of her connection to Jason. Jax was livid. While Jason went to check the nursery for clues, Jax demanded that Lucky launch a full-scale manhunt for Franco. Carly reminded Jax that he had no idea how dangerous Franco was; she strongly advised Lucky and Jax against provoking Franco.

Jason appeared rattled by the sight of the "CO77X" graffiti tags spray-painted on the nursery's walls and crib. Lucky joined Jason moments later. Lucky wanted to know what had happened. Jason wondered where Lucky wanted him to begin. Lucky suggested that Jason start with what had happened after Lucky had put his badge on the line for Jason. Jason realized that he had asked a lot of Lucky. Lucky assured Jason that he didn't mind taking risks as long as they caught a serial killer. Jason pointed out that many considered Jason a serial killer. Lucky suggested that perhaps it wasn't the time for Jason to have an attack of conscience; Lucky wanted to focus on the case. Jason suspected that Sam had been taken because Jason was expected to make a choice.

Jason explained that Franco had left a message for Jason with Ronnie. It read, "You choose." Jason realized that Franco wanted to see how Jason would react if he were forced to choose between two loved ones. Lucky observed that Franco had a perfect opportunity to hurt Josslyn, but he had not taken advantage of it. Lucky was confident that Franco wanted Jason to understand that he expected Jason to "play nice and follow the rules."

Lucky wondered whom Franco would try to abduct next. Jason admitted that Franco knew everything about Jason, including that he had been on trial for Alcazar's murder. Lucky realized that it meant that Franco was aware of Jason's relationship with Elizabeth. Jason quickly assured Lucky that Franco would target someone more "present" in Jason's life. Lucky worried that Michael, Morgan, or possibly Jake could be in jeopardy. Jason was certain that Franco didn't know that Jake was Jason's biological son.

Frustrated, Lucky admitted that he wished that he could tie Jason to the fountain at Rice Plaza with a note taped to Jason's chest that read, "Here, take him. Return Sam and all will be forgiven. Love, the PCPD." Jason confessed that he would eagerly do it if he thought that it would work. Jason decided that their best chance of rescuing Sam was if Jason did everything Franco's way. Lucky was worried about the consequences if they were wrong. Jason responded, "Then Sam dies, but it will be because of me."

Lucky confessed that he had tried to persuade Sam not to become involved with Jason again. Lucky explained that he cared about Sam; he didn't want to see her hurt. Sam assured Lucky that she knew what she was doing; she had accepted the risk. Lucky was determined to honor her wishes by allowing Jason the opportunity to find Sam on his own. Meanwhile, Lucky decided to check on Elizabeth in the event that Jason was wrong about what Franco knew. Carly and Jax decided to pack up the kids and then fly to Australia until Franco was no longer a threat. Lucky and Jason agreed that it was for the best. 

At the hospital, Epiphany complained when she suspected that some hospital volunteers were responsible for a stack of missing folders. Elizabeth quietly confessed that she had arrived early for work, so that she could organize the folders. Epiphany smiled brightly as she expressed her delight that the "old" Elizabeth was back. Steve overheard the exchange. As Epiphany walked away, he congratulated his sister for earning a compliment from Epiphany. Elizabeth revealed that she was finally clear about what she wanted. Steve wondered if Nikolas was aware of Elizabeth's decision. Elizabeth noticed that Steve was glancing over her shoulder. She turned to see Nikolas approaching. Nikolas asked to speak to Steve, so Steve stepped away from the nurses' station.

Nikolas was furious because of some changes that Steve had made, which had affected the hospital's budget. Steve suspected that Nikolas' issue wasn't with how Steve ran the hospital, but with Steve knowing about Nikolas' relationship with Elizabeth. Nikolas insisted that the relationship was none of Steve's business, but Steve disagreed. Elizabeth was Steve's sister; he knew that Nikolas had been the reason why Elizabeth had been miserable recently.

Nikolas insisted that his only reason for confronting Steve was hospital business. Steve didn't argue, but he refused to alter his plans to revamp the emergency room. Nikolas warned Steve that he wouldn't make any exceptions for Steve just because Steve was Elizabeth's brother. After Steve walked away, Elizabeth demanded to have a word with Nikolas.

Elizabeth led Nikolas to a waiting room. Elizabeth resented Nikolas taking his frustrations out on Steve when she was the one that Nikolas was upset with. She insisted that their affair had to end. Nikolas argued that they couldn't return to being friends. Nikolas claimed that he loved Elizabeth and that would not change simply because she willed it. Neither Elizabeth nor Nikolas was aware that Lucky stood on the other side of the door. Lucky was stunned by Nikolas' declaration of love.

1/6 At the hospital, Lucky lurked outside of the waiting room, eavesdropping as Nikolas professed his love to Elizabeth. Nikolas insisted that his feelings would not change simply because Elizabeth decided it had to stop. Elizabeth suspected that she was merely a substitute for Emily. Nikolas argued that she was wrong, but Elizabeth didn't believe him. She felt that it had been a self-destructive mistake for them to have sex, so she wanted Nikolas to understand that it was over.

Lucky was gone by the time Elizabeth explained that she wanted to share her life with Lucky and the boys. Nikolas argued that it wouldn't change how he felt about her. He was tired of hiding his love for Elizabeth. Elizabeth reminded Nikolas that she stood to lose everything if he decided to follow through with his plans. Elizabeth and Nikolas left the waiting room. As they approached the nurses' station, Lucky called out to them. Lucky didn't give any indication that he had overheard them moments before.

Elizabeth and Nikolas appeared startled to see Lucky. Lucky studied them closely as he asked them if anything was wrong. Nikolas claimed that he and Elizabeth had a heated argument about the changes that Steve had made. Lucky observed that Elizabeth appeared pretty upset. Nikolas took full responsibility and apologized for involving Elizabeth in the issue.

After Nikolas walked away, Lucky explained that Franco was targeting those close to Jason. Elizabeth didn't quite understand what it had to do with her, since she was no longer a part of Jason's life. Lucky revealed that Franco had studied Jason's background, including his trial for Alcazar's murder. Lucky advised her to keep her eye out for anything out of the ordinary.

Later, Lucky stopped by Elizabeth's house to see how she was doing. Elizabeth assured Lucky that she had checked all of the windows and doors to make certain that they were locked. She had also noticed that a police cruiser had passed the house several times. Lucky admitted that there was another reason for his visit. He confessed that he had overheard Nikolas and Elizabeth's argument. Elizabeth appeared shell-shocked as Lucky announced that he finally understood why Elizabeth had been "upset."

In an undisclosed location, Lulu was strapped to a chair that had a bomb attached underneath it.

1/7 Elizabeth was devastated when Lucky revealed that he had overheard her argument with Nikolas at the hospital. Elizabeth tearfully tried to explain herself, but Lucky cut her off. He couldn't believe that his own brother had betrayed him. Lucky admitted that he had been so sickened by Nikolas' declaration of love that he had walked away after he had heard it. Elizabeth realized that Lucky didn't know about the affair.

Lucky was curious how long Nikolas had been in love with Elizabeth. Elizabeth admitted that it had been a while. Lucky wondered why she hadn't told him. It dawned on Lucky that she might return Nikolas' feelings. Elizabeth assured Lucky that she wasn't in love with Nikolas. According to Elizabeth, she remained silent because she didn't want to cause a rift between the brothers.

Elizabeth insisted that what Nikolas felt for her wasn't real. She believed that Nikolas was still grieving for Emily, and Elizabeth was merely a convenient substitute. Lucky didn't buy the excuse. He reminded Elizabeth that Emily had been dead for two years. Elizabeth empathized with Nikolas' situation, because she had turned to Jason after she was told that Lucky had perished in a fire.

Lucky didn't see the similarities; Jason wasn't Lucky's brother. Lucky realized that Luke must have picked up on Nikolas' feelings for Elizabeth, which had prompted Luke to urge Lucky to reconsider marriage to her. Lucky also assumed that Nikolas was the reason that Elizabeth had been an emotional wreck for weeks. Elizabeth insisted that she wanted to spend her life with Lucky. She begged Lucky not to confront Nikolas.

Lucky couldn't make any promises; he needed to time to wrap his mind around the idea that Nikolas was in love with her. However, he realized that it could be worse. Lucky was grateful that Elizabeth wasn't in love with Nikolas. Elizabeth appeared stricken, but Lucky didn't notice her reaction because his phone rang. It was Dante demanding to see Lucky about Lulu.

Elizabeth went to Wyndemere to talk to Nikolas. Nikolas wasn't in the mood; he claimed that he still had tire tracks on his back from their last conversation. Elizabeth ignored the comment as she revealed that Lucky had overheard their argument at the hospital. Nikolas was relieved. Elizabeth was stunned by his reaction.

Nikolas thought it was for the best, because it meant an end to their charade. Elizabeth quickly clarified that Lucky had only heard Nikolas claiming to be "infatuated" with her. Nikolas resented how Elizabeth continued to downplay his feelings for her. He reminded her that he loved her and that she loved him. Elizabeth made it clear that she intended to stay with Lucky even if it meant lying for the rest of her life. Nikolas invited Elizabeth to continue to deny how they felt for each other, but he warned her it wouldn't change anything.

Lucky arrived at Franco's workshop to talk to Dante. Dante quickly updated Lucky about Lulu's disappearance and Franco's plans. As they talked, Dante showed Lucky all of Franco's "goodies" in the workshop. Dante insisted that they needed to keep Franco in town and interested in Jason if they had any hope of rescuing Sam and Lulu.

At an undisclosed location, Lulu tried to free herself from the chair that she was strapped to. When Franco entered, she immediately ceased her struggles. She demanded to know what Franco wanted from her. Franco thought that his desires were pretty clear; he expected Jason to choose. Franco assured Lulu that she had a 50/50 chance of being rescued. Her survival depended on Jason making the wrong choice. Lulu assured Franco that Jason would never choose incorrectly, so it was up to her to rescue herself.

Lulu suddenly lifted her arm to show Franco that she had freed herself. She quickly leaned down to pick up a wire that was attached to the bomb under her chair. Lulu told Franco, "See you in hell," but before she could follow through on the threat, Franco leaned down to grab her hand. He responded, "Have a nice trip" and then jerked her hand above her head.

1/8 At Franco's workshop, Lucky and Dante discussed how they should proceed with the search for Lulu. Lucky realized that they needed to be objective. Dante agreed that they had to think like cops. They couldn't allow their personal feelings to guide them. With a fresh perspective, they looked around the workshop. Dante found a piece of chalk, which initially seemed out of place amongst all the material that Franco had used to build the bombs. Dante suspected that Franco might recreate the crime scenes instead of just the "death poses."

Lucky realized that Dante was onto something. They decided to head to the police station to review the file of the man who had been murdered near the scene of Franco's arrest for tagging. Lucky warned Dante that it could compromise Dante's undercover assignment. Dante didn't care; his priority was to find Lulu. Lucky admitted that it was the answer that he had hoped for.

At the police station, Lucky and Dante sequestered themselves in a computer room, so that they could review the file of the murder in Tribeca. As they studied the file and pictures, Lucky and Dante settled on two possible locations where Franco might have stashed Lulu. Lucky sent a cruiser to a warehouse near a bridge while he checked out a building in another part of town. Dante remained behind searching for other possible clues. A short time later, Jason called with an address.

Lulu sat strapped to a chair, screaming for someone to help her. As her pleas went unanswered, Lulu became distraught. She realized that she had mere seconds left to live.

1/11 At the studio, Franco made a video of himself explaining that he was a person without feelings and had always been that way. He said that his prison experience at 18 had taught him about murder. He said that after he got out of prison, he had murdered without remorse and had then turned those actions into art. As Franco painted, Jason and Dominic raced to save Sam and Lulu. Jason found Sam and rescued her in time. They heard an explosion across town, but the bomb meant for Sam did not go off. When Jason examined it, he found that the plastic explosive was actually modeling clay and realized that Franco had played him again. When Jason tried to reach Dominic on his cell phone, Dominic did not answer.

Lucky and Steve Webber arrived at the blast scene simultaneously. Steve told Lucky that he had seen a man fitting Dominic's description rush into the building just before it exploded. Lucky was frantic about Lulu as he got on the phone and called for emergency crews.

Elizabeth called Nikolas, but Alfred told her that Nikolas was on his way to Europe. As soon as she was off the phone, Elizabeth called her Gram and asked her to babysit the boys, then hurried to dress the boys and convince them that they wanted to have hot chocolate at Gram's house.

Jason and Sam arrived on the scene of the second blast. Lucky became unhinged and backed Jason into a wall, when he found out that Jason had opted to save Sam instead of Lulu. He was not mollified to find out that Jason had sent Dominic for Lulu, and became enraged when he heard that Sam's bomb had been a deliberate dud. Before Lucky could go postal on Jason, Lulu called out to him. Dominic led her out of the bombed building. He had managed to free Lulu and find an access door to the basement where they had sheltered under an I-beam. The support beam had not collapsed and had protected them from both the debris and suffocation.

Elizabeth caught up to Nikolas before he could leave town. She told him that he could not go. He told her that he could not stay around and watch her marry Lucky. When Nikolas asked Elizabeth why she kept returning to him if she loved Lucky the way she said she did, Elizabeth told him that she loved both of them. Elizabeth said that she would always love Lucky because he saved her after the rape. She said when she was with Lucky, she was always that 15-year old girl. She said that when she was with Nikolas, she was a woman and could be anything that she wanted to be. When Nikolas asked her how they would resolve all their differences, Elizabeth said that she did not know the answer, but she did know that nothing would be solved by running away.

Lucky was grateful to Dominic for saving Lulu. Dominic was very modest, but Lulu told him that he was a hero and he should get used to it. Jason left to go after Franco, but Lucky stopped him and said that it was Lucky's job. Lucky told Jason that Jason could go with him, but Lucky intended to put Franco in jail, not in the ground. As Lulu assured everyone that she was unharmed, one of the firemen announced that the charred body of a woman had been found. Johnny uttered the word, "Claudia." Both Dominic and Sonny looked thoughtful.

Jason and Lucky pulled up in front of the studio. Lucky told Jason to stay in the car, but Jason jumped out and stopped Lucky from opening the door. He told Lucky that Franco expected Jason back and had probably set a trap. Jason told Lucky that Franco had said that for every person that Jason had killed, he would kill another. As Franco walked down a set of outside stairs, a huge explosion took place in the building next to those stairs.

1/12 At Wyndemere, Lucky demanded to know what had made Nikolas think that it was okay for him to steal Lucky's fiancée. Lucky couldn't understand how Nikolas could allow himself to fall in love with his "former and future" sister-in-law. Nikolas didn't think that he had to explain to Lucky how easy it was to love Elizabeth. Lucky was a little surprised that Nikolas readily admitted that the accusation was true.

Nikolas explained that it had not been a conscious decision for him to fall in love with Elizabeth. It had happened without Nikolas realizing it. Lucky wondered why Nikolas felt obligated to tell Elizabeth about it. Nikolas admitted that he didn't have an answer; it had been something that he had felt compelled to do. Lucky was disgusted as he realized that Luke must have noticed Nikolas "sniffing around" Elizabeth. Nikolas insisted that it wasn't like that.

Lucky couldn't believe that Nikolas would put Elizabeth in a situation like that. Lucky wondered if Nikolas had dropped Rebecca, so that Elizabeth could replace her. Nikolas insisted that he had ended things with Rebecca because it was the honorable thing to do. Lucky laughed at the idea of Nikolas behaving honorably. He accused Nikolas of putting Elizabeth in a "terrible situation."

Nikolas snapped that it wasn't that cut and dry; he couldn't help how he felt. However, Elizabeth had made it clear that Lucky was her choice. Lucky wondered how they would get past what Nikolas had done. Nikolas planned to remain on the sidelines until Lucky found a way to forgive him. Lucky didn't think that would be possible, since Nikolas had lied to him. Nikolas didn't think it would have been right tell Lucky about his feelings for Elizabeth over the holidays.

After Lucky left Wyndemere, he went to Crimson to talk to Lulu. Lucky found the office empty, so he called Lulu's cell phone to leave a voicemail message. Sam stepped off of the elevator as Lucky ended the call. Lucky was annoyed to see her. He asked Sam to leave Lulu alone. According to Lucky, Lulu had enough on her plate without Sam trying to make it okay for herself that Jason had saved Sam instead of Lulu. Sam reminded Lucky that Jason had called to tell Dominic where Lulu was.

Lucky didn't think that had mattered, since Sam had never been in any real danger from a bomb. Sam pointed out that no one, including Jason, could have known that. Sam wondered what Lucky would have done if he had faced a similar dilemma, except instead of choosing between Sam and Lulu, Lucky had been forced to choose between Elizabeth and Lulu.

Elizabeth arrived home with Steve and the kids. Steve waited until his nephews went to their rooms to play before he grilled Elizabeth about the emergency that had forced her to pack up the kids and then drop them off at Audrey's. Steve knew that it wasn't a hospital emergency, since he had been working. Elizabeth revealed that she had learned that Nikolas had intended to leave town. Elizabeth confessed that she had panicked, so she had sought out Nikolas to persuade him to stay.

Elizabeth confided that she kept telling herself that she could handle things, but in reality, she was always anxious. Elizabeth revealed that she had known women who had been stuck between two men; she'd always believed that they were weak. Elizabeth admitted, however, that she was the poster child for women like that. Elizabeth felt terrible because she realized that Nikolas was grieving for Emily and therefore vulnerable.

Steve reminded Elizabeth that she was always taking care of others; he wondered whom Elizabeth could count on. Without hesitation, Elizabeth answered, "Lucky." However, she couldn't understand how she could be so in love with Lucky, yet suddenly fall in love with Nikolas. Steve was encouraged that Elizabeth was finally able to admit that she had genuine feelings for Nikolas instead of trying to pass them off as something irrational. When Steve referred to Elizabeth as "peanut," she smiled.

Elizabeth and Steve talked about growing up. Steve recalled a specific incident when their sister, Sarah, had wanted to see a movie. Elizabeth had been grounded, so she had been left at home with Steve. Steve had hoped to cheer up his six-year-old sister by taking Elizabeth for a drive and then allowing her to steer the car. Elizabeth admitted that she had been thrilled by the sense of power. Steve suggested that perhaps it was time for Elizabeth to take control of her life instead of allowing fear to guide her.

Steve reminded Elizabeth that there were three people involved in what was going on. According to Steve, even Lucky was contributing to the problem. Elizabeth insisted that she wanted to marry Lucky. Steve urged Elizabeth to tell Lucky the truth. Elizabeth wondered how Steve would feel if he were in Lucky's shoes. To Elizabeth's surprise, Steve revealed that he had been in a similar situation.

Steve explained that his girlfriend, Charlotte, had fallen in love with his best friend. Steve had been deeply hurt, but he realized that neither Charlotte nor his friend had planned on falling in love. Steve insisted that they were good people who hadn't meant to hurt him. Steve was no longer close to his friend; however, he was happy for his ex-girlfriend and friend because they were expecting their first child.

Elizabeth wondered if that was the reason that Steve had left Memphis. Steve made it clear that he had returned to Port Charles to take their grandfather's old position at the hospital and to be closer to Elizabeth and Audrey. He had hoped that by sharing his experience with Elizabeth, she would realize that the truth was best for everyone.

1/13 At Crimson, Sam wanted to know whom Lucky would have saved if he had been forced to choose between Elizabeth and Lulu. Sam thought that Lulu had a right to know. Lucky couldn't believe that Sam would ask him that question. He explained that it wasn't the same situation that Jason had faced. Sam didn't have children who would wonder where their mother was. The painful reminder of her childless state hurt Sam. Lulu was stunned by her brother's cruel words.

Lucky realized that he had gone too far. He apologized for opening old wounds. Lucky acknowledged that it had been unfair of him to throw the loss of Sam's child in her face. Sam appreciated Lucky's remorse. Lulu pointed out that Sam had no idea that the bomb hadn't been real, so the terror had been just as real for Sam as it had been for Lulu. Lulu suggested that the person Lucky was truly mad at was Jason.

Jason was waiting for Lucky in the interrogation room at the Port Charles Police Station. Lucky was in a surly mood when he entered the room. He accused Jason of not respecting him because Jason had lied to him for months about Jake. Jason was a glaring reminder that Lucky had a bad habit of trusting the wrong people. Lucky claimed that his trust in Jason had nearly cost Lulu her life.

Lucky resented how Jason had pretended that his relationship with Elizabeth had been platonic, when in reality Jason had been trying to steal Lucky's wife. Lucky seemed to realize that he was behaving inappropriately, so he decided to remove himself from the case. Lucky informed Jason that another police officer would contact Jason to question him about the events surrounding Sam and Lulu's kidnapping. As Lucky prepared to leave, Jason stopped him.

Jason apologized for lying to Lucky about his relationship with Elizabeth. Jason respected Lucky and he would always be grateful that Lucky was a wonderful father to Jake. Jason acknowledged that the incident with Franco drove home the fact that Jake was safe with Lucky. Lucky assured Jason that he loved Jake as his own.

Lucky returned to Crimson to check on Lulu. He apologized for his earlier outburst with Sam. Lucky confessed that he had unloaded on Jason, but the situation with Sam and Lulu was only part of the reason. Lucky reminded Lulu of the months that she had known the truth about Jake, but hadn't told Lucky because she had been worried that he would relapse. Lucky was curious if Lulu was hiding anything else because of the same fear. Lulu found the question odd, but she assured him that she wasn't keeping any secrets from him.

Lucky wondered if Lulu knew that Nikolas was in love with Elizabeth. Lulu was stunned by the news. She was curious where he had gotten the idea that Nikolas loved Elizabeth. Lucky revealed that he had overheard Nikolas confess his feelings to Elizabeth. Lucky admitted that he felt betrayed. Lulu insisted that it didn't make sense. According to Lulu, Nikolas didn't have a prayer with Elizabeth because she was in love with Lucky.

Nikolas went to Elizabeth's house to talk to her about their relationship. He confessed that it had given him hope when she had persuaded him not to leave town. His spirits plummeted when Lucky had shown up at Wyndemere to confront Nikolas. Nikolas had realized that Elizabeth had given Lucky the impression that Nikolas' love for Elizabeth was one-sided. Elizabeth apologized; she realized that the right thing would be to tell Lucky that she had slept with Nikolas, but she couldn't do it. Elizabeth realized that she would lose Lucky if she did.

Nikolas was confused because Elizabeth had admitted that she was in love with Nikolas. Nikolas insisted that things could not continue as they had been. Nikolas pleaded with Elizabeth to let go of the past, so that they could have a chance for a future together. Elizabeth realized that she was sending mixed signals, but she insisted that she wanted a life with Lucky. Nikolas argued that Elizabeth wasn't being fair to Lucky. He believed that Lucky deserved to be with a woman who loved Lucky completely.

Elizabeth didn't want to hurt anyone, but she insisted that she wanted a family with Lucky and the boys. Nikolas pointed out that her relationship with Lucky was based on lies. He didn't understand how that could be good for anyone. Elizabeth suggested that perhaps it was time for Nikolas to leave, but Nikolas ignored her. He warned Elizabeth that what they felt for each other would not go away simply because Elizabeth willed it.

Nikolas reminded Elizabeth about Emily's marriage to Zander. Nikolas admitted that he wasn't exactly Zander's friend, but he had seen what Emily's lies had done to Zander. Nikolas explained that what had hurt Zander the most had been the realization that Emily didn't love her husband.

Elizabeth admitted that if she looked at her situation objectively, she'd agree that Lucky deserved someone better than her. However, she couldn't imagine her life without Lucky. Elizabeth credited Lucky with saving her after she had been brutally raped. Nikolas pointed out that Elizabeth was talking about gratitude, not love. Nikolas believed that his brother wouldn't want her to be with him simply because she was grateful.

Nikolas insisted that he was in love with her. Elizabeth acknowledged that she was in love with Nikolas, but she added that she was also in love with Lucky. Elizabeth made it clear that she intended to marry Lucky. Nikolas seemed exasperated.

1/14 Lulu went to the hospital to talk to Elizabeth. Elizabeth explained that she was on her way to check on a patient. Lulu didn't care; she insisted that what she had to say was more important. Lulu revealed that Lucky had told her that Nikolas was in love with Elizabeth. Elizabeth didn't want to discuss it with Lulu; she reminded Lulu that it wasn't any of her business. Lulu disagreed; she claimed that Lucky had made it her business when he demanded to know if Lulu was keeping anything from him. Lulu clarified that she was concerned about Lucky, not Elizabeth's feelings.

Lulu wanted to know if there was more to Nikolas' newfound feelings for Elizabeth. Lulu was worried that history was repeating itself, this time with Nikolas rather than Jason. Elizabeth insisted that the situations were completely different. Lulu confessed that she had never pictured Elizabeth as the "femme fatale" type. Elizabeth was taken aback when Lulu suddenly demanded to know if Elizabeth was pregnant. Elizabeth quickly denied it. Lulu was relieved. However, Lulu decided that Elizabeth had sent Nikolas the wrong signals. According to Lulu, Elizabeth was in a mess of her own making.

Nikolas was surprised when Steve opened Elizabeth's front door. Steve invited Nikolas inside as he explained that Elizabeth had asked Steve to fix a plumbing issue that the boys had created with a toy soldier. Nikolas complimented Steve on the tactful reminder of Lucky and Elizabeth's children. Steve admitted that he didn't think that Nikolas had intended to fall in love with Elizabeth. Steve also confessed that he didn't envy Nikolas for the turmoil that Nikolas must be dealing with.

Steve acknowledged that Elizabeth appeared to be the love of Lucky's life, but he questioned if the same was true for Elizabeth. Steve realized that it might be something that Lucky would eventually have to face. Nikolas blamed himself for the situation; he had relentlessly pursued Elizabeth, something Lucky would not have done in a similar situation. Nikolas decided that it was time to leave. He asked Steve to tell Elizabeth that he had dropped by, but then changed his mind.

When Elizabeth arrived home, Steve told her about Nikolas' visit. Elizabeth was happy that Nikolas had someone to talk to. Elizabeth revealed that she had an ugly run-in with Lulu at the hospital. She couldn't imagine how others would react if they knew the truth about her affair with Nikolas. Elizabeth admitted that she was tired of feeling guilty and wrong all of the time.

Steve pointed out that they had been blessed and cursed with parents who were outwardly focused overachieving people dedicated to saving the world. However, they were not physically or emotionally available. As a result their children had suffered for it, Elizabeth most of all. As the youngest, Elizabeth had been an unexpected surprise who had never had a true sense of security. Steve suspected that was what had drawn Elizabeth to Lucky. Lucky loved Elizabeth unconditionally, so Steve understood her desire to cling tightly to Lucky. However, he worried that Elizabeth might be doing Lucky a disservice by being afraid to let go.

Lulu found Nikolas at Wyndemere. She told him that Lucky was furious because he suspected that she was covering for Elizabeth the way that she had done when Elizabeth had been involved with Jason. Nikolas insisted that, even if it were true, their situations were completely different. Lulu asked, "Are you and Elizabeth reading from the same bad script?" Lulu was certain that Nikolas didn't fall in love without Elizabeth's active participation.

1/15 Lucky entered Sly's office, where Mac was waiting. Mac explained that he had asked Lucky to meet him, so that he could update Lucky. Sly revealed that they had found a strand of hair in the floorboards of the burned-out cabin where Claudia had been killed. Sly and Mac suspected that the hair belonged to the killer. Lucky wondered how they would be able to do a DNA match. Mac was confident that anyone they asked would readily volunteer a DNA sample if they were innocent.

Sly cautioned Lucky and Mac that there had been a lot of people who had stayed at the cabin over the years. There was a possibility that the strand of hair belonged to someone who wasn't connected to the murder. Lucky suggested that perhaps it might also lead them to a suspect they hadn't considered.

At Wyndemere, Nikolas took full responsibility for what had happened with Elizabeth. Lulu couldn't understand why Nikolas would want to wreck Lucky's life by pursuing Elizabeth. She realized that Nikolas had been a mess since Emily had died, so she suggested that a long vacation might help. Nikolas was surprised that Lulu wanted him to leave town.

Lulu explained that Elizabeth appeared to enjoy being stuck between two brothers. She assured Nikolas that she wasn't choosing Lucky over Nikolas, but she didn't want Nikolas to destroy his life the way that Stefan had when he had fallen in love with Laura. Nikolas confided that he had already considered leaving town; he didn't see any reason not to follow through with those plans. Lulu wondered where Nikolas intended to go. He revealed that he would take Spencer to Paris, so that they could spend some time with Laura.

Lulu thought it was a wonderful idea; she was certain their mother would enjoy being close to Spencer and Nikolas. However, she cautioned Nikolas not to tell Laura about the rift between him and Lucky. Nikolas assured Lulu that he wouldn't. Lulu thought that it was for the best that Nikolas leave town. She was certain that time would help them all to heal. Nikolas asked Lulu not to blame Elizabeth or to pass judgment. Lulu promised that she would try.

Steve and Elizabeth sat in her living room and talked about her situation with Nikolas and Lucky. Elizabeth believed that if Emily had lived, everything would have been different. Elizabeth was certain that she would have been happily married to Lucky. "Are you sure of that?" Steve asked. Elizabeth seemed surprised by the question. Steve doubted that Elizabeth's life would have been as idyllic as she imagined.

Elizabeth admitted that Nikolas had taken her by surprise. She had never felt the kind of passion, need, and obsession that she felt with Nikolas. She conceded that she felt those things for Lucky, but not as intensely. Steve realized that Elizabeth had not had it easy growing up. Their parents had been too busy healing the world to pay attention to their youngest child, which was why Elizabeth ended up living with their grandmother. Steve explained that true passion was unexpected and drove people to do things that they could never imagine.

Elizabeth was determined to make things right. She realized that she had developed a pattern of sabotaging things with Lucky every time they grew close, first with Jason and then with Nikolas. Steve wondered what it said about her relationship with Lucky if she had to shut down a part of herself in order to be with him. Steve didn't see any way for Elizabeth to avoid hurting someone, so he advised her to follow her gut instincts. A knock at the door heralded Lucky's arrival. Steve left moments later.

Lucky revealed that he had confronted Nikolas. Elizabeth was curious what Nikolas had said. Lucky admitted that Nikolas had claimed that he had never meant to fall in love with Elizabeth or to hurt Lucky. Elizabeth assured Lucky that it was true. Lucky was disgusted; he realized that Luke had seen the truth all along. Lucky decided to cut Nikolas out of his life. When Elizabeth began apologizing, Lucky demanded to know why she was always telling him that she was sorry.

Elizabeth insisted that she had never intended to cause problems between Lucky and Nikolas. She assured Lucky that Nikolas loved him. Lucky wondered why she was defending Nikolas, but then he apologized. He realized that he was unfairly taking his anger out on her. Lucky was determined to focus on the future and their life together. Before Elizabeth could respond, the phone rang. It was Nikolas. Nikolas had called to let Elizabeth know that he was leaving town for good. Nikolas disconnected the call before Elizabeth could respond.

After Lucky left, Audrey called to explain that she had decided to take Cameron and Jake to the zoo. Audrey promised to drop the boys off in a few hours. After Elizabeth ended the call with her grandmother, she gathered her purse and keys and then left the house.

Lucky bumped into Lulu outside of Kelly's. Lulu told Lucky that Nikolas had decided to move to Paris with Spencer. Lucky hoped that Nikolas didn't intend to drag Laura into the mess that Nikolas had created. Lulu suggested that Lucky cut Nikolas some slack. She assured Lucky that Nikolas was trying to do the right thing. Lulu urged Lucky to at least say goodbye before Nikolas left town.

Elizabeth found Nikolas in the turret room. Nikolas told her about his plans to fly to Paris with Spencer. He didn't want Elizabeth to punish herself for what had happened; he wanted her to have a good life with Lucky. Elizabeth wished that things could have been different. It wasn't fair that he had to leave. In a moment of desperation, Nikolas begged Elizabeth to run away to Paris with him. He promised that they could start over and have a wonderful life together.

Elizabeth looked at Nikolas with sadness in her eyes. Nikolas understood that Elizabeth was turning him down. They stared at each other for several moments and then Elizabeth stepped forward to give Nikolas one last hug and a kiss goodbye on his cheek. As Elizabeth started to walk away, Nikolas reached for her hand. Elizabeth hesitated, but then she went into Nikolas' arms.

Lucky arrived to find Alfred closing up Wyndemere. When he asked Alfred where Nikolas was, Alfred directed Lucky to the turret room. Alfred had no idea that Elizabeth was with Nikolas. As Lucky approached the turret room, he heard voices. Inside, Elizabeth and Nikolas exchanged heated kisses as they tore off each other's clothes. Elizabeth begged Nikolas to promise her that he would find happiness. Nikolas vowed to try. As Elizabeth and Nikolas declared their love for each other, Lucky looked into the room. Lucky's confusion turned to disbelief when he saw Nikolas and Elizabeth about to make love.

1/18 Lucky watched through a crack in the door as Nikolas and Elizabeth exchanged passionate kisses on the couch in the turret room. Lucky made a slight sound as he slipped away without being seen, but neither Elizabeth nor Nikolas wanted to investigate. After making love, Nikolas and Elizabeth shared their feelings. He wished that they could be together openly. Elizabeth said that they should be grateful for what they did have. She said that they had always been great friends and had helped each other through some tough times. Nikolas told Elizabeth that all he wanted was to know that she was happy. She told him that she knew that he was moving to Paris so that she could be with Lucky. Elizabeth told Nikolas how much that gesture meant to her. 

As they dressed, Elizabeth urged Nikolas to start a new life in Paris. She told him to find a new love and settle down with her. Nikolas told her that he would try, but that he was in love with Elizabeth and he did not think that anything could change that. He told her that she had been his second chance at love. Elizabeth responded optimistically, "Third time's the charm." Nikolas told Elizabeth that he would establish a good life in Paris where he would spend more time with his mother, Laura, and his son, Spencer. Then he asked Elizabeth to put the past behind her and stop feeling guilty about what they had shared. He told her to go back to Lucky, to love him and try to be happy.

The scene he had witnessed in the turret room devastated Lucky. When he arrived home, he went to the closet and pulled out a baseball bat. With tears in his eyes, he started smashing all the breakables and knickknacks while carrying on a conversation with an imaginary Luke. He told Luke that he understood Luke's cynicism and what he had meant when he had warned Lucky that everything was an illusion, just one big lie.

Lucky was calm and controlled when Elizabeth knocked on his door. When she wanted to know what had happened to cause the devastation to his house, Lucky lied and said that he had found it that way. Elizabeth wanted to call the police, but Lucky said that Luke might have been responsible, and he wanted to find out before taking any other action. Elizabeth was ready to grab a broom and clean up, but Lucky had a sharp tone in his voice when he told her to leave it. He told Elizabeth that the house was a mess and would stay a mess until he figured out what to do.

Lucky was alone, talking on the phone to Laura as he told her Nikolas' plan to move to Paris. He did not tell her that he had seen Nikolas and Elizabeth making love. He wanted to know how she had coped knowing that Nikolas carried the evil Cassadine blood. While he talked to her, he loaded a gun.

Elizabeth tracked Steve down at the hospital and told him that Nikolas was moving to Paris. She thought the decision was for the best and she was looking forward to getting on with her life with Lucky. She asked Steve to see if she could get the entire weekend off. She was delighted when he told her that she had the time off and she was free to spend it with Lucky.

As Nikolas, Spencer and his nanny were about to board Nikolas' jet, Lucky stopped them and asked for a word with Nikolas. After Nikolas sent Spencer and the nanny to the plane, Nikolas was stunned when Lucky said that he wanted Nikolas to remain in Port Charles.

1/19 At the airport, Nikolas was curious why Lucky would want him to stay after Lucky had felt betrayed by Nikolas' love for Elizabeth. Lucky pretended that he had let go of his anger. Lucky feigned sympathy for Nikolas' loss of Emily; he claimed that under similar circumstances, he would have been more self-destructive than Nikolas had been. Nikolas was curious if Lucky was supposed to be working. Lucky assured Nikolas that the station would call if there were an emergency. Lucky studied Nikolas closely as he explained that he trusted Nikolas completely. Lucky claimed that he was confident that Nikolas would never betray him by acting on his feelings for Elizabeth. 

Lucky conceded that he could understand how Nikolas had fallen in love with Elizabeth. He realized that Elizabeth had been there for Nikolas during a difficult time. Lucky suspected that Elizabeth had probably made it easy for Nikolas to fall in love with her. Nikolas didn't want Lucky to blame Elizabeth for anything that had happened. Lucky kept a tight leash on his fury as he expressed his desire not to repeat the mistakes that their fathers had made. Lucky wanted Nikolas to remain in Port Charles. Lucky continued to pressure Nikolas until Nikolas agreed to cancel his flight.