Liz leaves town on April 14th on the Ric & Liz Dvd #4B. There are a few more Ric scenes into early May towards the end of the Ric & Liz #4B. Once Liz returns, all of her scenes are included through July 23. I also added a bonus Ric & Liz #4C dvd, with the first few of her scenes back in town in June as Liz and Ric run into each other, scenes with Lucky as he is now in love with Emily, and ends with Robin’s return for Lila’s Memorial. Note: Ric storyline spins off towards Alexis by May, 2004 as Liz has left town while Becky was on maternity leave. Ric’s complete storyline is on the Ric & Alexis edits which begin with all of his scenes from May, 2004.

Ric & Liz #4 November 4th, 2003 - July 23, 2004: 8 hrs 46 mins on three dvds

Liz has just told Em that she slept with Zander, Emily lets Elizabeth off the hook by revealing that she had just slept with Nikolas and was in no position to judge. Emily says she hoped their decision didn't come back to hurt them. Ric arrives at the penthouse to quiz Sonny about the massacre of the Five Families, Sonny announces that he has retired but Ric refuses to believe Sonny's statement. As the two men argue, Sonny once again reminds Ric that Sonny will eventually pay Ric back for the way that Ric kidnapped Carly, but Ric declares that he is not afraid of Sonny's threats! Ric warns Sonny that IF Faith ends up dead, Ric will be able to hang the rap on Sonny!

Elizabeth is working at Kelly's. Zander comes into Kelly's wearing a suit. Elizabeth notices and asks him why he is wearing a suit. He tells her he is working for someone new. She confides in him that she agreed to go out with Ric even though she told him she wanted to stay away from him. Zander tells her she looks very tired. She tells him she has been pulling double shifts at Kelly's and that she has been trying to paint afterwards into the early morning hours. She tells him that she wishes she had a trust fund like Emily so she wouldn't have to work. She also wonders why Nikolas is supposed to be broke but somehow happens to own a new ship. She also tells Zander that Nikolas is giving Emily a grand tour of his ship right now. Zander's eyes widen and he runs out of Kelly's.

Concerned for her friends after a freighter explosion, Liz breaths a sigh of relief when Emily and Nikolas turn up alive. Ric records a videotape declaring his undying love for Liz. Liz takes a home pregnancy test and discovers she is pregnant with Zander's baby. Liz tells Emily that she's pregnant with Zander's child, and that its happening at the worst time as she has just begun to trust Ric again and believe that he loves her. Emily presses Liz to tell Zander that she's pregnant in order to get Zander to focus on something other than his destructive anger and career. Albeit hesitant, Liz agrees to tell Zander, but stops outside of his hospital room door when she hears him arguing with Jason.

Liz leaves and runs into Ric in the lobby. She admits that she loved his tape and all that he said, but that its too late for them to start over, and she is to blame for it. Not knowing that she is pregnant, Ric cuts Liz off and tells her that they should not discuss their relationship but rather just spend some time together. Liz agrees without telling Ric the truth. Later, they meet up in the park for a picnic.

Ric goes to Kelly's and tells Liz that Sonny is holed up in his penthouse, and Scott has ordered the police to shoot him. Liz questions Ric on what seems like concern, and Ric confesses that Sonny will never be an easy topic for him. He admits that he and Sonny have many things in common. His sincerity is not lost on Liz. Ric and Elizabeth arrive at the ski lodge, prepared to enjoy a romantic weekend together. But the romantic weekend is interrupted when a police officer arrives to announce that District Attorney Baldwin needs Ric back in town to help indict Ric's gangster brother for attempted murder.

Later, Elizabeth and Emily meet at Kelly's and Elizabeth confides that she still has not worked up enough courage to tell Zander and Ric about the expected baby. As Liz and Emily talk, Nikolas arrives, followed closely by Faith and Zander. As Nikolas and Faith confer, Elizabeth speaks briefly to Zander. Liz tries to persuade Zander to break off his involvement with Faith, but Zander refuses and advises Liz not to try to save him from himself. Later in the evening, Ric and Elizabeth return to the ski lodge and Ric reports that Sonny has confessed to kidnapping Samantha and has pretty much sealed his own fate. When Ric confides that Sonny's assured downfall feels like a hollow victory, Elizabeth declares that she now believes that Ric could become the man Liz once believed Ric was. They seal their new understanding with a kiss.

Alcazar tells Ric that he is dropping all charges against Sonny and that there shouldn't be a trial. Ric disagrees with him and says he can still subpoena him and use him as a hostile witness. Alcazar warns him about that and makes a remark about Elizabeth as a way to subtly threaten him. Sonny surprises the courtroom when he shows up as the trial is about to reconvene. The judge allows him to come and sit down at the defense table. Ric gets calls Sonny to the stand. Ric questions him about his real business. Sonny smiles smugly at Ric and announces he owns an imported coffee warehouse. He questions him about his rivalry with Alcazar as being about business. Sonny tells him that Alcazar has nothing to do with his business and admits to trying to kill Alcazar because he went after his wife.

Justus gets up to re-direct questions for Sonny's defense. He asks Sonny to tell him about what Alcazar did to make him feel that his wife's life was threatened in some way. Sonny tells the court that Alcazar went after his wife and went so far as to kidnap her and then hire someone to pretend to be his late wife. Scott asks Ric why he isn't objecting at all. Ric tells him to let him finish. Justus tells the judge that the defense rests after Sonny testifies. Justus' closing statement tries to make Sonny look like he was just protecting his family from Alcazar. The judge orders everyone to leave and return the next morning after they deliberate and come up with a verdict. Sonny is taken away in handcuffs.

The jury is called into the room and the verdict is about to be read. The jury foreman reads the verdict as not guilty on counts of attempted murder and kidnapping. Scott is stunned and gets upset and asks to know what the voting numbers were from the jury. When it is revealed that the jury voted not guilty unanimously, Scott asks the judge to put aside the jury's verdict and to give Sonny a guilty verdict. The judge denies Scott's request and tells Scott that the trial was fair and the jury's verdict was fair. Scott asks Ric how Sonny was found not guilty when he even admitted to kidnapping Sam and for shooting Alcazar. Ric tells him that Sonny was persuasive with the jury and got them on his side. Scott storms off furiously.

Later, Ric approaches Scott and Brian arguing. Scott storms off. Ric tells Brian not to worry about Scott for much longer and that Scott will probably put his foot in his mouth when he talks to the press next time and that he will be waiting for that day when he can step in to the position as the new DA Sonny and Carly go to Kelly's to celebrate Sonny's acquittal. Ric also shows up and comes inside. Carly and Courtney aren't too pleased to see him there. He goes over to talk to Sonny. He congratulates Sonny on his acquittal and thinks Sonny won that verdict fair and square by persuading the jury to take his side. Sonny doesn't buy it and accuses Ric of trying to go after him again. Elizabeth steps in and defends Ric and asks Sonny if he is the one who is stuck in the past and that maybe Ric was just impressed with how Sonny acted at his trial. Sonny tells her that he doesn't think he is stuck in the past.

Elizabeth and Emily sit in the park and talk about Elizabeth's pregnancy. Elizabeth is afraid to tell Ric about her pregnancy and tell him he isn't the baby's father because she is afraid she will lose him this time for good. Emily advises her to tell Ric the whole truth about the pregnancy and that he most likely will want to help her raise the baby even if he isn't the biological father. Ric shows up with ice-skates and apologizes to Emily for not renting some for her. He tries to coax Elizabeth to join him on skates but she refuses to go and surprises him when she snaps at him that she can't skate. Emily realizes her concern about skating while she is pregnant and steps in and covers for her by saying that Elizabeth twisted her ankle and can't skate. He asks her if she saw a doctor about it. She tells him she didn't but she will be fine if she doesn't put weight on it. Ric accepts her explanation for not skating. His cell-phone rings suddenly and he excuses himself to go answer it somewhere else. While he is taking his call, Elizabeth thanks Emily for covering for her. Emily advises her to just tell Ric the whole truth since she can't hide her pregnancy from him forever. Ric comes back and tells her he has to go deal with business and asks for a raincheck. He kisses her goodbye.

Elizabeth sits up and tells Emily that she is going to tell Zander and Ric the truth about her pregnancy by the end of the day. She finds Zander talking to Faith and waits until she leaves. She approaches Zander to talk to him to tell him she is pregnant with his child. Zander doesn't give her a chance to tell him anything and informs her that he has no interest in keeping any ties in Port Charles and wants to live his life solo and that he isn't the same person that was her friend before. She ends up not telling him about her pregnancy and wishes him luck and leaves.

She runs into Ric again later at the park. He is concerned about her ankle but she tells him it is better. She notices something is on her mind and asks her what is wrong. She tells him that she hasn't been honest with him like she should and tells him she is pregnant. He is excited with the news and sees it as a second chance for them and assumes the baby is his and kisses her. She tries to tell him that Zander is the baby's father but he doesn't give her a chance to tell him when he hugs her and kisses her and tells her that they can move ahead and be a family again. Elizabeth hugs him back but doesn't correct him about him not being the father of the baby.

Emily and Elizabeth talk at GH Elizabeth had just had an appointment with Dr. Meadows, which turned out fine. Elizabeth tells her that she was going to tell Zander that he was the baby's father but he told her first that he didn't want any ties to anyone in Port Charles and that he wanted to live his life on his own terms. Elizabeth told her that she was trying to tell Ric that he wasn't the baby's father but he was so excited and happy about the news of her pregnancy that she didn't have the heart to tell him. They run into Ric. Emily is barely lukewarm to Ric, since she still isn't sure she trusts him. Ric calls her on it. Emily tells him she has no problem with him as long as he doesn't hurt Elizabeth anymore. Emily takes off.

Ric tells Elizabeth he doesn't think Emily likes him yet. Elizabeth reassures him that Emily is just protective of her since what happened with them before and she will come around eventually. Elizabeth mentions she has to go back to her studio and do some art work. Ric tells her that he has a surprise for her and won't take no for an answer. Elizabeth is intrigued and goes with him. He takes her to the church where a priest is waiting to marry them. Elizabeth is surprised but agrees to remarry him again. They marry and go back to Kelly's to have a quiet celebration. As they are getting their coats on to leave, Ric notices a note sticking out of his coat pocket. He opens it and reads it and puts it back in his pocket without telling Elizabeth what it is. She notices his change in mood about the note and insists he tell her what the note said. He goes outside and tells her it is nothing but she insists. He tells her the note said that he wasn't the baby's father. Elizabeth is shocked.

A stunned Liz grabs the note that Ric finds and tears it up. Ric confronts her about whether he is the father of her baby, and despite his words of understanding, Liz denies that the baby is someone else's. Liz calls Emily to confront her for telling Ric the truth. Emily arrives to meet her at Kelly's, and Liz blasts her for writing the note. Emily denies any wrongdoing and Liz realizes that she's telling the truth, but not before Ric overhears the conversation and learns that Zander is the father of Liz's baby. He later interrupts in order to speak to Liz alone, and admits that he wrote the note to get Liz to tell the truth. She's shocked at first that he attempted to trick her, but she finally admits that the baby is Zander's. Ric is understanding and tells Liz that he loves her and will love the baby as his own, but they must tell Zander the truth.

Elizabeth and Ric return from their honeymoon. Elizabeth finds excuses to keep her from telling Zander about the baby. Ric tells her to stop stalling and get it over and that he will come with her and help her. Elizabeth worries about Zander's reaction to the news and that he will try to take this thing to court. Ric assures her that it won't happen and that he will go and help her. They get dressed up and go to the casino opening. They see Zander standing on the deck after he saw Nikolas and Emily together and found out they are engaged. Elizabeth approaches him and tells him that she and Ric got married and just got back from their honeymoon. He congratulates them but in a very uninterested manner. Elizabeth comes right out and tells him she is pregnant and he is the father.

Ric steps in before Zander has time to react and offers to pay him a nice stipend if he agrees to give up his rights as the biological father and allow Elizabeth to put his name on the birth certificate instead. Zander watches them for a minute and then tells them "no sale." and walks away. Elizabeth runs into Emily inside the casino and tells her what happened. Emily tells Nikolas she has something to take care of and that she is sorry to cut the evening short and leaves abruptly. She goes to Kelly's.

She finds Zander sitting at a table having coffee. She approaches his table and sits down. She tells him she knows about what happened with Elizabeth at the casino and wants to talk to him. He tells her she must have known for weeks about Elizabeth's pregnancy and didn't say anything. He tells her that he told Elizabeth that he wouldn't just hand the baby over to her just like that because he wanted her to tell Emily so she would come over to talk to him.

At the casino, Ric and Liz are enjoying opening night. Armed robbers enter and take everyone's valuables. Afterwards, Ric questions Faith regarding the robbery, but she professes her innocence. She is then shocked to hear the news that he and Liz are married and expecting a baby. Zander goes to the casino to tell Liz and Ric that he'll stay out of the way of them and the baby, but they don't trust that he's finished with them. Liz and Courtney decide to mend fences. Having earlier mistaken Courtney and Brian as being more than acquaintances, Liz encourages her to move on with him.

As they are talking, Ric goes outside of Kelly's to meet up with Brian, who he is secretly working with to take down Sonny and Jason. Ric tells Brian to pump Courtney for information about Jason and Sonny. Brian points out that Courtney is very loyal, but Ric pushes him to do his job. Liz overhears them, and asks Ric if he's continuing his personal vendetta. Ric denies that he's doing anything more than his job as assistant DA, and Liz buys his lie.

At the casino, Liz asks Zander if he's reconsidering his approval of Ric raising his baby. He assures her that he is not ready to be a father, but later asks Alexis for legal advice on his rights should he want the child. Ric sees him with his lawyer, and doesn't think that things are settled. Elizabeth hauls Zander away from Faith long enough to hand the legal documents to Zander to relinquish all paternity claims he might make on Liz's child. She is disappointed when Zander coolly announces that he wants to think about the matter before signing any documents.

Sage waylays Ric on his way to the Haunted Star and reports that her Uncle Lorenzo is missing and Sage believes that Sonny has Lorenzo stashed somewhere. Ric advises Sage that he will have to wait 24 hours before filing a missing person's report and Sage storms away. Ric reminds Brian that Courtney is a means to an end which is jailing Sonny and Jason! Ric alerts Brian to Sage's report that Lorenzo is missing and strongly suggests that Brian use his date with Courtney to pump Jason's estranged wife to find out what Courtney knows. Brian argues that he does not want Courtney to get suspicious, but Ric reminds Brian that, as soon as Jason is behind bars, Brian will have a clear field for a romance with the mobster's wife.

Courtney is pleased when Brian arrives for their date and happily announces that she expects to enjoy a fun-filled evening with Brian. When Ric arrives aboard the haunted Star, Elizabeth immediately reports to her husband that Zander is now dragging his feet about signing the papers to relinquish paternity of Elizabeth's child. When Ric finally gets a chance to take Zander aside, Zander coldly informs Ric that Zander would now be willing to sign the papers only in exchange for Ric pulling the right strings to make sure that Nikolas gets sent up the river for Cody's murder.

Ric arrives at Wyndemere with police officers and orders that Nikolas be arrested for Cody's murder. Nikolas is interrogated by Ric at police headquarters. Ric tries to get Nikolas to confess to killing Cody but he refuses to admit to anything. Nikolas tries to explain to Ric that he thinks Ben, the bookie killed Cody not him. Ric tells him there is no proof that Ben exists since Cody was a con-man and probably lied about owing money to this Ben guy. Ric gives Nikolas a glass of water.

Nikolas' fingerprints get on the glass and Ric sneaks the glass into a plastic bag after finishing his questioning. Lucky comes over to Ric with a plastic bag containing a candlestick found near the scene of Cody's murder. Ric takes it and tells Lucky he will take care of it for him. He takes the glass and brings it with him to the lab. Emily asks Ric if she can see Nikolas. He tells her that Nikolas is talking to Alexis and that Alexis asked for no interruptions right now. While Em is waiting, Tracy arrives and begins to taunt her. Ric sees that Tracy is upsetting Emily and comes over to ask Tracy to leave Emily alone. Tracy agrees to leave the station.

Emily asks Ric what evidence he has against Nikolas to keep him detained. Ric tells her that he has enough circumstantial evidence to hold him on murder charges. Emily gets upset with Ric and tells him he has no right to arrest anyone after what he did to Carly and Elizabeth and lashes out at him. Elizabeth walks into the police station and overhears Emily shouting at Ric and telling him she can't forgive him yet for what he put Elizabeth through even if Elizabeth has forgiven him.

Elizabeth comes over and asks Emily what she thinks she is doing yelling at Ric that way. Emily tells Elizabeth that Ric had Nikolas arrested for murder and can't talk to her right now. Elizabeth tells Ric that she is sorry about Emily and that she had no right to say those things to him. Ric defends Emily and tells her he understands how Emily feels right now and not to be angry with her. He tells Elizabeth to go home and that he will be there awhile. The forensics on the candlestick arrive and Ric looks at the results. Ric goes outside and meets with Zander. He informs Zander that Nikolas' fingerprints were found all over the murder weapon and that now that he did his part he expects Zander to sign over paternal rights to Elizabeth's baby in return. Zander tells Ric he will sign over his rights as soon as Nikolas is convicted of murder.

Alexis runs into Ric at the courthouse. She asks him why he is so determined to charge Nikolas with Cody's murder. He tells her that he has enough evidence to try Nikolas and that he is planning to ask the judge to deny bail to Nikolas. Alexis tells him that his behavior is suspicious to her and asks him if he has a hidden agenda concerning Nikolas. Ric tells her he doesn't. Alexis doesn't believe him. Ric leaves the courtroom with an unhappy look on his face. He glares at Nikolas and Alexis as they are leaving. Ric comes around the corner as he is leaving the courthouse and runs into Zander. Zander tells him that he is disappointed in Ric for not getting Nikolas held without bail and threatens to end the deal they had. Ric tells him that he needs to be more patient and not to act without thinking first, which he points out Zander does all the time. Zander calms down and agrees to wait for Ric to get Nikolas convicted at trial.

Nikolas runs into Zander at the courthouse. He grabs Zander and puts him in a head lock and threatens to kill him if he doesn't stay away from Emily. Ric witnesses the fight between them that makes Nikolas look violent. Ric breaks it up, but refuses to press charges against Nikolas. An angry Zander warns him to make sure the murder charges against Nikolas stick. Liz comes upon the two, but they cover their conversation. Brian later meets Ric, and Ric pressures him to get information on Sonny and Jason, warning him that his job as a police officer depends on it.

Zander meets with Ric and threatens him that he will exert his parental rights over Liz's baby if Ric doesn't have Nikolas put away for murder. Later, Zander comes upon Nikolas on the docks, and attacks him. Nikolas fights back and then walks away, but not before inflicting enough damage to give Zander an excuse to call 911 for an ambulance and report bogus charges against Nikolas. Accompanied by a real estate agent, Ric and Liz head to their old house to begin the process of selling it. Liz is prompted to push the button to the panic room, but Ric stops her. She tells him she needs to see it again for closure, but a phone call interrupts her before she has a chance, and she then changes her mind. They leave the house unaware of Alcazar.

Ric goes to the docks to meet with Lucky over the news of the ID on Ben as Cody's possible killer, and Ric pulls Lucky off the case saying that he has a conflict of interest. Ric later meets with Brian and tells him to bury the APB report that Lucky has put out on Ben. A call from Emily sends Ric to Kelly's, where she tells him that she thinks that Zander killed Cody in order to frame Nikolas.

At the Hospital, Zander reminds Ric that Zander will not sign away his parental rights to Elizabeth's baby until Nikolas has been convicted for Cody McCall's murder. When Lucky, Emily and Nikolas arrive, Zander identifies Nikolas as his attacker. As Zander, Ric, Lucky and Emily argue about Zander's charge that Nikolas assaulted him, Alexis arrives and reminds Ric that it is illegal for Ric to interrogate her client without allowing Nikolas to consult with his attorney first! Alexis asks to speak to Zander alone. Outside, Lucky reminds Ric about the new lead Lucky gave Ric about Cody's murder, but Ric argues that, in order for Nikolas to be successfully cleared, there cannot be any hints that the Assistant District Attorney and one of the police officers conspired to charge someone else with the crime in order to clear the police officer's brother. Ric reminds Lucky that Lucky is officially off the case!

At the police station, Ric tells Brian that he needs to gain Courtney's trust enough to get her to tell him about what Jason is up to. Brian tells him that he doesn't think Courtney will tell him anything about Jason since she still feels loyal to him and her brother. Ric insists he find out something or he will have him transferred out of the department. While they are talking, Capelli comes over and tells Ric and Brian that a squad car picked up a bunch of kids after catching them throwing snowballs at passing cars on the road. Ric doesn't care until Capelli tells him one of the kids brought in is Sonny's son Michael. Courtney is called and she comes right over.

When she sees that Ric has Michael held in the interrogation area and won't let him go, she gets upset. She insists on seeing Michael and be allowed to take him home since Carly gave her permission to care for him while she is away. Ric tells her that unless she has written permission he can't let Michael go home with her without Carly or Sonny's verbal consent. Courtney explains that they are both away and can't be reached. Ric lets her see Michael after she threatens to remove him bodily from the door. She goes and talks to Michael.

Ric interrupts them and tells her that he is handing Michael over to social services now. She shields Michael's body with her own and refuses to hand him over to anyone and threatens to sue the department. Brian comes in and tells Ric that he has no right to hand Michael over to anyone and that he will help her by bringing in the press to show how he is abusing his power. Ric backs down and lets her take Michael home. Courtney doesn't realize that Brian and Ric staged the whole thing so Courtney would see Brian in a better light and start to trust him.

Ric comes by to question Nikolas and get him to accept a plea bargain for Cody's murder. Nikolas listens to Ric tell him that he has enough evidence to get a conviction since a jury will buy a well told scenario if it is given to them in a real way. Nikolas tells him that if he is so sure he could get a conviction why is he trying to get him to plead guilty to manslaughter instead. Ric tells him he would take the deal if wants to get out of jail in five years and still live the rest of his life a free man. Nikolas turns the tables on Ric a little by suggesting that Ric is going after him for Zander to get him to sign his parental rights away to him and Elizabeth. Ric doesn't answer him and walks out. Zander shows up at the police station. He starts to hound Ric about not getting results quick enough for him concerning Nikolas' murder charge and threatens to tell Elizabeth what Ric is doing to Nikolas for him if he doesn't get Nikolas convicted. Ric tells Zander that he will get everything he wants but he needs to let him do his job.

Liz tells Ric to beware of Zander's blackmail. Suddenly, they are interrupted by a fighting Zander and Nikolas, who spill out into the police station. Zander is clearly attacking a handcuffed Nikolas, but he demands that the police arrest Nikolas again for coming after him. Fed up, Ric arrests Zander instead. Ric confronts him in the interrogation room, and tells him to cut the crap before he blows everything. Ric then reinstates Nik's bail, causing Alexis to be suspicious. She tries to reason one last time with Zander, but he will not listen to her. Instead, she goes to Ric and tells him that she isn't buying his sudden turnaround regarding Nikolas. She warns him that she will ruin him if she finds him working with Zander to frame Nikolas. She tells him to stop making deals with Zander, and instead make one with her. They make a deal that Ric will throw the case against Nikolas at the last minute, and in return Alexis will not tell Liz the truth.

Elizabeth meets with Nikolas outside Kelly's and confides that she believes that Ric is helping Zander frame Nikolas for Cody McCall's murder. Nikolas ducks Elizabeth's questions. Ric meets on the docks with Brian and warns Brian that, once Brian helps put Sonny and Jason behind bars, Courtney will be aware of Brian's real agenda and probably will end her relationship with Brian. Brian expresses his confidence that, once Courtney has come to accept Jason's incarceration, she will turn again to Brian. Brian is shocked when he learns that Lucky has been taken off the Cody McCall case. Brian later asks Ric if Ric ordered Brian to bury the APB for Ben because Ric is trying to frame Nikolas. Ric dodges Brian's questions, and Brian reminds Ric that he did not sign on to Ric's team to put any innocent men behind bars. Ric continues to duck Brian's questions.

Later, Elizabeth is surprised when Nikolas tells Elizabeth that Nikolas believes that Zander is potentially so destructive that Nikolas believes that the best thing Elizabeth can do for her baby is to prevent Zander from staking a claim on the baby by whatever means necessary! Ric arrives and overhears part of Nikolas's defense. After Nikolas leaves, Elizabeth admits that she suspects that Ric is trying to frame Nikolas to make sure that Zander signs over his parental rights to Elizabeth's baby. Elizabeth is shocked when Ric admits that she is right. When Elizabeth blasts Ric for once again acting as if the ends justify the means, Ric argues that he was just stringing Zander along and that he has found a way to cover for Nikolas. But Elizabeth refuses to listen and storms away.

Later, at the hospital, Elizabeth has a heart to heart talk with Audrey and confides that she is having trouble trusting Ric, following Ric's past bad decisions. Elizabeth is surprised when Audrey admits that she now believes that Ric is sincere in his attempts to turn his life around and urges Elizabeth to give her husband the benefit of the doubt if she truly loves him. Elizabeth meets with Ric at Kelly's and offers to give Ric a chance to explain his decisions about Nikolas. Ric declares that he had no intention of allowing Nikolas to go to jail and already has a deal in place with Alexis to string Zander along and then spring Nikolas as soon as Zander signs over his parental rights to Elizabeth's baby.

Ric is stunned when Elizabeth suddenly declares that she believes that Ric honestly did do what he believed was right for everyone concerned. Ric kisses Elizabeth and promises that he will make sure that Nikolas does not go to jail! Ric tries to reassure Elizabeth that he will make sure that Nikolas doesn't get convicted of murder. He tells her he has an alternate plan but is afraid she won't like it. Elizabeth tells him that she will do anything to protect her child and that she doesn't want Zander to be anywhere near her child considering how dangerous he is right now.

Ric goes to the police station. He meets with Zander in the conference room in private. He shows Zander a file of the Cody McCall case. Zander notices that the evidence inside it implicates him as the murderer. He denies having anything to do with Cody McCall's murder since he never knew the man. Ric tells him that he could convince a jury that he murdered the man to frame Nikolas to get revenge and they would buy it. He blackmails Zander by telling him that if he doesn't sign the papers giving him and Elizabeth full parental rights of the baby, he will use the fabricated evidence to have him convicted of the murder instead of Nikolas.

Mac motions to Ric to come outside the room to talk. He tells him that the body of Ben Rogers was found in Azure Key and that two eyewitnesses claim that Ben admitted to killing Cody McCall before his death. He tells Ric that the case against Nikolas is closed now. Ric lies to Zander when Zander asks him what Mac told him. Ric tells Zander that Mac told him that he was going to keep the case open and investigate more into Cody's murder. Zander is still reluctant to sign the papers but Ric convinces him that he can build a strong case against him instead of Nikolas if he wanted to.

Zander angrily signs away his parental rights. Elizabeth comes over to the police station and thanks Zander for signing the papers. Zander starts to get suspicious after she leaves. He asks Ric what Mac really said to him. Ric admits that the Cody McCall murder case has been closed and that someone verified that Cody was murdered by a man named Ben Rogers. Zander realizes he was tricked into signing the papers and vows to get revenge on Ric.

Ric arrives at the hospital to see Brian (who was shot during a police raid on a Corinthos shipment), he angrily lashes out at Lucky and Capelli when they tell him the shipment was legit. He sees that Brian has regained consciousness and begins to question him on who shot him. Although Brian sees the image of Courtney, he doesn't give her up to Ric. Ric presses him to name a shooter, and asks if it could have been Jason. Knowing that Jason was in front of him when he was shot from behind, Brian tells Ric that it couldn't have been Jason, but that's the only thing he knows.

Ric shows up to question Sonny and Jason, but they aren't there and Carly demands that he leave. He tells Courtney that Brian was shot, but is going to be okay. Faith meets Ric on the docks to ask for his protection against her enemies. He tells her he might help her if she can help him find out who shot Brian. In exchange for Ric's help, Faith names Zander Smith.

At Kelly's, Ric assures Emily that Ric has no reason to go after Zander because Zander has already signed over his paternal rights to Ric and Elizabeth. Courtney is shocked when she overhears Ric tell Emily that Detective Beck himself was the one who identified Zander as the shooter! At GH, Courtney overhears Ric tell Brian to sign the statement that implicates Zander as his shooter. Brian tells Ric that he has no problem putting Zander away since he is just like Jason and Sonny and that he should be in jail anyway just like the man who shot his father and killed him.

Courtney walks into his room to see him. Ric tells her that Brian signed a statement implicating Zander for the shooting. She ignores Ric and focuses on Brian. She asks him if he can be so sure Zander shot him with all the things that were happening at the time and all the people around. Brian asks her how she knows that and asks her if she was there. She doesn't answer him.

Later, Zander holds a scalpel against Brian's neck, and demands to know if Ric is setting him up. Brian tries to calm Zander down, and admits that Ric is setting him up as Brian's shooter. Zander tells Brian that he's innocent, but a struggle ensues, and the hospital is notified of an attack in Brian's room. Meanwhile, Ric interrogates Maxie on her helping Zander. He tells her that she could be guilty of aiding a fugitive, but Maxie continues to deny having seen Zander. As Ric is alerted to a problem in Brian's room, he runs off in time for Zander to make it to the elevator in an attempt to escape.

Maxie jumps in with him, but he tells her that she's already risked enough to help him. He denies shooting Brian again, but tells Maxie to leave him alone and not risk more. Ric questions Brian on Zander's reasons to be in his room, and Brian tells him that Zander wanted to let him know that he didn't shoot him. Brian also mentions that Zander said Ric has reason to frame him, but Ric quickly turns the tables on Brian by pointing out that Brian was the one to ID Zander, and perhaps he has reason to name him in order to protect the real shooter.

Maxie helps Zander escape from GH and rushes a disguised Zander through the hotel lobby, and takes him down to the boiler room. It's clear that he is severely wounded and in great pain. Cassandra Kanelos, Chief Electrician for the Port Charles Hotel, tracks ADA Lansing down and alerts Ric to the dangerous overload posed by the new security system. Ric promises to check into the matter.

At the PCPD, Ric offers to help Carly to make amends for kidnapping her. He pulls a few strings and finds a judge at the hotel to rescind the restraining order keeping her away from her children. Alexis and Cameron talk to Ric at the hotel. Ric refuses to drop the charge against Zander because a cop was shot. Alexis points out to Ric that if he doesn't back out of the case himself and let someone else prosecute the case, she will make sure a judge knows that he is biased against Zander because he is the father of Ric's wife's baby and he has reason to want him behind bars. Ric agrees to take himself off the case. Nikolas sees Maxie exiting a door marked for the lower basement room.

Nikolas enters the stairwell that leads to the basement. He goes inside the electrical room and finds Zander. Zander has a metal pipe in his hand and threatens Nikolas with it. He also informs Nikolas that as soon as he takes care of him he is going to grab Emily and leave the country forever. He hits Nikolas in the stomach with the metal pipe. Nikolas ducks for the next blow and manages to kick Zander in the head and knock him out on the floor. He checks his pulse and sees he is still alive and breathing and leaves the room. He locks the room up from the outside so Zander can't escape. He calls the police and informs him that he found Zander and locked him in the electrical room in the hotel. An electrical unit blows a fuse and a fire starts and surrounds Zander's unconscious body.

A fire spreads throughout the basement as Zander lays unconscious on the floor. Nikolas calls the police and requests them to come to the hotel and they will find Zander locked up in the utility room in the basement. He doesn't tell Emily what happened with Zander when she asks him where he went. He tells her he was just in the lobby. Ric learns from Lucky that the treasure was stolen from the auction. He tells everyone present that he will be questioning everyone as quickly as possible and that some of them may have to go to the police station to sign a report.

Mac and another cop draw their weapons as they approach the basement door. Mac calls out a warning to Smith that they are going inside and to cooperate. They get no answer from Zander. Mac orders the cop to open the door gently and have his weapon ready in case Zander is armed with a gun and tells him he can be dangerous when provoked. The cop opens the door slowly. The fire inside the basement causes a back draft when the door opens and Mac and the cop are blown from the blast of fire.

Outside, a devastated Maxie realizes that the burned body that was just pulled from the hotel is probably Zander. Ric comes upon her and tries to assure her that Mac is going to be fine, and that he will take her to him at the hospital, but Maxie breaks down and tells him that Zander is dead. She's escorted away, and the next person on the scene is a frantic Liz, in search of her husband. She finds him and he tells her to go home where it's safe, but she refuses to leave until her friends are out of the hotel. Ric breaks the news to her that Zander is likely dead, and they are then approached by a fireman who tells them that the helicopter can't land on the roof to rescue people.

Outside the burning hotel, on the street, as Ric tries to assist in evacuating the guests trapped in the Versailles Room, Capelli arrives and informs Ric that the coroner's office has declared that the body they discovered in the basement of the Hotel was NOT Zander! Capelli speculates that Zander either escaped or is somewhere in the building. Later, Capelli informs Ric that the body in the basement has been identified as Scott Baldwin. When Capelli implies that Scott may have been done in by one of his many enemies and that Scott was being investigated by Internal Affairs.

Ric warns Capelli that Internal Affairs might be investigating Capelli as well. Capelli retorts that Andy is just as squeaky clean as Ric's flunky, Brian Beck. Maxie arrives at the fire scene and learns that the body in the basement is no longer thought to be Zander. Maxie implores Ric to continue looking for Zander. Ric reassures Maxie that his plan is to be able to rescue everyone inside the building including Maxie's sister, Georgie! Lucky reports to Ric that he did not see Zander inside the building.

Elizabeth wonders if Zander is really dead. Ric thinks he had to have died in the fire. The press interviews Ric about the fire and the death of Scott Baldwin. Ric tells the press that the body has been identified as belonging to Scott Baldwin. Ric also tells them that he has an investigation pending in the origin of the fire. Elizabeth panics when she overhears Ric make plans to go up to the roof on the helicopter and help with the rescue. Ric reassures her he will be very careful and that he should be back soon.

Ric arrives upstairs, Ric asks Brian if he knows who shot him. Brian sees that Jason is wearing the same jacket that his shooter was wearing and points to him and tells Ric that Jason shot him. A man in a firefighter suit walks by all the rescue personnel and other firefighters carrying a sack of what is probably the treasure and ignores everyone who calls out to him. The person in the firefighter suit opens up his mask to wipe his face of sweat and it is revealed to be none other than Scott Baldwin.

Luke is dismayed when he sees everyone pushing and shoving at each other to get up to the roof to get on the helicopter. He takes out a gun and points it at everyone to get them to listen to him. He tells everyone that no one's life is more important than another's and that everyone will draw a number and go in the order their number is called. Ric agrees to that as a solution and makes out pieces of paper with numbers on it.

Capelli accuses Jason of shooting Brian, who is put on the helicopter first because of his gunshot wounds. Jason refuses to speak to him or Ric. Justus tells Ric that there is no probable cause to arrest Jason for Brian's shooting since no one was there to witness it and that Brian has a known bias against Jason. Ric is reluctant to arrest Jason at first. Sonny loses his temper at Ric. Ric has Jason arrested out of spite.

Capelli tells Jason that he will not allow him to be on the helicopter and suggests he has to wait until the last helicopter comes. He then suggests that he take Jason down the stairs in handcuffs and bring him out that way. Ric is against this idea at first but Sonny's temper gets worse and he accuses Ric of murder if he allows Capelli to take Jason down the stairs and risk his life like that. He accuses Ric of getting someone to do his dirty work for him so his hands don't get dirty. Ric allows Capelli to take Jason down the stairs.

Ric arrives safely back outside and is reunited with a relieved Liz. He tells about Sonny and Carly falling through the collapsed flooring and most likely are dead. Ric tells Mike and Courtney that Sonny and Carly are probably dead due to the fall. Courtney and Mike are devastated. Courtney gets even more upset when she asks about Jason and is informed by Ric that Capelli arrested Jason for shooting Brian and is taking him through the stairwells to the front of the hotel instead of by helicopter.

Courtney loses her temper and accuses Ric of purposely trying to get Jason killed. She starts punching Ric several times and accuses Elizabeth of being clueless about her husband. She tells Ric she hates him and that he should have died in the fire not Sonny and Carly. An enraged and hysterical Courtney screams at him and Liz, and asks them if they are happy that they've gotten what they wanted. Ric defends himself as Sonny's brother who has lost someone too, but Courtney gets further enraged and Mike has to pull her away. Emily and Monica come upon Ric next and demand to know about Nikolas and Jason.

Courtney breaks away from her dad and finds Capelli who tells her Jason isn't coming out of the hotel. Courtney can't believe her ears as Capelli makes up a story about Jason attacking him, and she begins to flip out. Her tirade brings Ric over, and she screams at him about Jason's situation. When a fireman tells her they've abandoned the search in Jason's area, she tries to run into the building herself, but is stopped by another officer.

Courtney continues to struggle against the police, when Sonny, Carly, and Alcazar suddenly emerge from the building. She runs and throws herself into Carly's arms and tells them that Capelli handcuffed Jason to a pipe and left him in the building to die. Sonny yells at Ric that it will be on his head, but they all agree to believe that Jason can make it out alive. As they worry and wait for word on Nikolas and Jason, Ric kills their hope when he tells them that the building has become too unstable, and the rescue search has completely been called off. Suddenly, Jason emerges from the building. Courtney runs to him, and he hugs her. Over his shoulder he looks at Emily, and she reads his eyes and knows that Nikolas isn't coming out with him.

Emily has been taken to GH, Liz walks into the room to see her and agrees to take her back to the hotel. Liz tells Alan that Emily has to deal with Nikolas in her own way, and they can't make her accept his death until she's ready. Back at the hotel, Liz blocks Ned from holding Emily back, and Emily begins to dig through the rubble to find Nikolas. At the police station, Ric tries to get Jason to talk by telling him that he knows that Capelli is on Alcazar's payroll, and he also thinks that Jason is innocent.

Jason refuses to speak without his attorney, and Justus shows up in time to hear Ric badger him and tell him that he'll be executed if Brian dies and he's convicted of it. Ric returns and Justus tells him that Jason is the victim of mistaken identity. Ric begins to argue, and Jason screams at him that he didn't shoot Brian. Capelli tells Jason he's going down for Brian's murder, but Ric returns with ballistic reports that set Jason free.

Detective Capelli confronts Jason, he points a gun at Jason and tells him to give him his gun when he finds him at the remains of the hotel. Jason tells him that he will never get away with killing him since the cops will find a bullet in his back and that he is already in trouble for handcuffing him to the stairwell during the fire. Capelli tells him he will think of a way to convince the cops and Ric that he killed him in self-defense after he "retaliated" for the fire by trying to kill him first. Jason hands over his gun and while Capelli is distracted, Jason presses a button on his cell-phone to get Ric on the phone.

Ric answers his cell-phone and overhears Jason and Capelli talking. He hears Capelli tell Jason that he is going to kill him like he should have done at the hotel. Jason gets Capelli to admit that he shot and killed Brian in the hotel and tried to set him up for the murder. Jason tells Capelli that he wanted Brian dead himself and isn't going to tell the police any of that. Capelli tells him that he doesn't believe him when he says he won't retaliate. Capelli is about to shoot and kill Jason and Jason tells him that if he kills him he will have Sonny out for him and that Sonny will find him anywhere he tries to hide.

Ric and some uniformed police officers arrive at the scene. While Capelli is distracted, Jason jumps him and tries to get the gun out of his hands. The two men struggle for the gun when it goes off and Capelli falls to the ground. Ric checks his pulse while the two uniformed cops restrain Jason. Ric tells them that Capelli is dead. The cops start to arrest Jason and place him in handcuffs. Ric stops them and tells them to release Jason. One of the cops questions Ric's orders since they see Jason being a cop killer. Ric informs them that Jason shot Capelli in self-defense and commends him for using his cell-phone to allow him to hear Capelli's confession.

The cops are given their orders to get Capelli sent to the morgue. Ric asks Jason to come to the station and make a statement about what happened with him and Capelli at the fire and what just happened now with the shooting. Jason refuses to make a statement without his speaking to his lawyer first. Ric tells him that he isn't up to anything with him and is just trying to do his job. Jason tells him that he is a liar and that he wants something from him like a favor in return for his statement. Ric tells him that when he has him convicted it will be for doing something illegal and that when that happens he will make it stick. Jason tells him he should have arrested him when he had a chance and walks away.

Ric questions Edward about the fire while he is at the hospital. Edward pretends to be crazy. Justus tries to keep Edward from giving himself away too much by demanding to know why Ric is badgering Edward when it is clear that he isn't of sound mind. Liz arrives at the police station to beg Ric to abandon his heavy workload and join her for dinner. He's about to agree, but they are interrupted by a rabid Luke who insists that Ric look at the videotape he has with him. They pop in the tape, and see Scott Baldwin on it, very much alive. Scott tells Luke that he used the fire to escape an Internal Affairs investigation of his wrongdoings, and that he planned to make off with the treasure, but it was stolen. He promises to stop in to see Laura before he takes a tour of the world, angering Luke and prompting him to warn Ric that he'll kill Scott if Laura is disturbed.

Ric reopens an autopsy on the body from the hotel, and prepares Liz again for it to be Zander. Nik returns alive, and decides to tell Ric about his part in Zander's death. Ric says it wasn't Nik's fault Zander died in the fire but when the lab report comes back stating that Zander died from a blow to the head, Ric arrests Nikolas for Zander's murder as Emily and Liz watch. Nikolas swears that he's innocent, and Emily demands to know why Ric is rushing to judgment. Alexis tells Emily and Liz that she will find Nikolas the best attorney, and when they question her, she admits she's already representing Carly and can't do both. Later, Liz informs Ric that she has no intention of sitting by and watching him put Nikolas away for a murder that he did not commit.

Ric comes into the visitor's room and offers a deal to Nikolas. He offers Nikolas a manslaughter charge to accept, a charge that would only keep him in prison for a minimum of 5 years. Nikolas rejects his deal and claims he is innocent. Ric tells him that he has a solid case against him for murder and tries to encourage him to take the deal. Emily tells Ric that Nikolas shouldn't go to prison for something he didn't do and asks Ric to investigate some more. Ric leaves the room and runs into Lucky. Lucky isn't pleased with Ric for not investigating Zander's murder enough and trying to pin the murder on Nikolas. Ric asks Lucky if he is afraid that Nikolas may have killed Zander and that is why he is trying so hard to push him.

Nikolas tells Emily and Jen that he wonders what Ric is up to since he seems to be working so hard to make a deal with him when he already has a solid case against him. Next, Ric shows up at GH and is late for Elizabeth's sonogram. Dr. Meadows is concerned about Elizabeth's blood pressure being too high and advises Elizabeth to calm down and take it easy. Elizabeth asks Ric to try and do whatever he can to prevent Nikolas from going to prison since he is her friend and she cares about him. Elizabeth goes home and reads her mail.

She finds a letter addressed to her with Zander's name in the upper left hand corner. She quickly opens it to find a quick note inside the envelope. It says that if she got this letter it means that he is probably already dead and tells her that Ric was the one who killed him. Liz asks Ric to drop the charges against Nikolas and she'll have less stress in her pregnancy. She tells Nikolas that everything will be fine and she knows he is innocent. Liz questions Lucky about Ric's investigation into the Zander's death, but Lucky brushes her off. Nikolas makes bail.

Lucky meets with Ric and informs the him that security cameras show that Scott was at the courthouse at the time that Zander apparently died in the hotel fire. When Ric doesn't seem all that surprised that they have cleared Scott of any involvement in Zander's death, Lucky accuses Ric of having inside information about Zander's death, but Ric denies Lucky's supposition. Meanwhile, Elizabeth continues to re-read the letter she received from Zander, which accuses Ric of being responsible for Zander's death. Elizabeth compares Zander's handwriting in the note she received to Zander's handwriting when Zander signed the agreement to relinquish custody.

Elizabeth is stunned when she discovers that the note and custody agreement match. Elizabeth hides the note when she hears Ric returning home. When Ric asks Elizabeth why she she wanted him to come right home, Elizabeth warns Ric that he will not like her reason for calling. Ric and Elizabeth arrive at Wyndemere to meet with Lucky, Nikolas and Emily. Ric suggests that Nikolas returned to the basement and fought with Zander after calling the police. When Ric tells Nikolas he can allow Nikolas to plead guilty to manslaughter but not to self-defense, Nikolas again denies that he killed Zander and suggests that Ric killed Zander to make sure that Zander could never change his mind about custody of Elizabeth's baby. Elizabeth insists that Lucky, Nikolas and Emily are wrong about Ric.

Ric suddenly suggests that, since Emily was at the hotel, perhaps it was Emily who killed Zander after Zander made some obsessive demands of Emily. Elizabeth appeals to them all to quit accusing each other of Zander's death and search, instead, for the real culprit. Ric finally persuades Elizabeth to return home with him and get some rest. As Elizabeth and Ric arrive home, Elizabeth apologizes to Ric for leading him into an ambush set up by Emily and Nikolas. But Ric assures Liz that it could not have been her fault. Ric goes on to confide that he understands that Emily is desperate to save Nikolas and willing to take any risk.

Then Ric admits that he would also be desperate to save someone he loves and willing to take any risk to protect a loved one. When Ric asks Elizabeth is she believes Nikolas might be right in guessing that Ric killed Zander, Elizabeth rushes to assure her husband that she believes in him implicitly. When Elizabeth asks if Ric did kill Zander, Ric denies that he did, but admits that he did consider the possibility. Ric assures Elizabeth that he plans to find who did kill Zander, so they can put it all behind them. After Elizabeth goes to lie down, Ric receives a letter from Zander, accusing Elizabeth of being the one responsible for his death!

Alexis calls Ric to the stand to testify in the Corinthos custody hearing. She asks him if he is close to Sonny as his brother. Ric tells her he isn't close to Sonny. Alexis asks him what he thinks of Carly as a parent. He tells the judge that he believes Carly loves her children very much but doesn't think she is a more suitable parent than Sonny. Alexis is surprised since he is supposed to be a witness for Carly, not Sonny. Ric tells the judge that Sonny may be a little overprotective of his children but that he believes he loves his children deeply and could provide a better home for them than Carly. Carly stands up out of her seat and accuses Ric of being a lying piece of scum. Ric gets off the stand and the judge calls for a recess. Sonny asks Ric what he wants from him in return for testifying for him. He tells Sonny he does want a favor.

Ric sees Elizabeth burning her letter from Zander and stops her. He admits to her that he received his own letter stating Elizabeth wanted Zander dead. She admits she killed Zander, but didn't realize he was dead when she left the hotel. She just grabbed the documents and ran out. Ric tries to get Elizabeth to believe that someone else might have killed Zander after she left, and she can't confess right now because of the stress to the baby. Liz walks into Wyndemere as Emily tells Nik they need to leave town, but Liz says that won't be necessary.

Ric rushes in and tries to stop her, but Liz admits to murdering Zander. Ric tells them he only wants to help his wife, and asks them to trust him, but Emily and Nikolas refuse to do that and suggest Liz turn herself in and they testify on her behalf. As they say this, Ric realizes that Liz has left to turn herself in. He rushes after her, but she's already on the road. She reaches in her purse for a tissue, and when she looks back through the windshield she sees something in her path and swerves the wheel to run off the road and crashes. She realizes what has happened, and that she's all right, but she's frantic about the well-being of her baby.

Lucky comes upon the scene, and Liz tells him that she was on her way to the police station to confess to murdering Zander. Lucky gets an ambulance to her, and notifies Ric who is still at Wyndemere. Ric, Emily, and Nikolas rush to GH where they encounter Lucky, who tells them of Liz's confession. Ric tells Lucky that Liz didn't really kill Zander, and confesses to the murder himself. Lucky doesn't necessarily buy it, and he, Nik, and Emily follow Ric to Elizabeth's room where she tells them not to let Ric cover for her. Nikolas comes up with the idea for Ric to use his favor with Sonny to pin Zander's murder on Capelli, so that none of them take the blame.

At the hospital, Ric informs Emily and Nikolas that he believes it might be best for Emily to approach Jason and explain that Elizabeth plans to confess to Zander's murder rather than let Ric appeal to Sonny to order Jason to implicate Officer Capelli in Zander's death. Ric explains that they can say that Jason's general distrust of law enforcement was the reason why Jason did not come forward with what he knew sooner. Ric explains that Jason can say that Jason did not want Nikolas to be convicted of a crime that Nikolas had not committed.

Later, Ric visits Elizabeth and reports that Nikolas and Emily plan to approach Jason first before they involve Sonny. Ric hints that he hopes that Jason might be persuaded to help because of his previous fondness for Elizabeth, if for no other reason. Jason accompanies Nikolas and Emily to the Port Charles Police Department, where Ric hands Jason a prepared statement to sign. Jason reminds Ric that Jason knows that Ric could come after Jason later on a perjury charge, but Ric assures Jason that Ric's only motivation is to protect

Elizabeth and guarantee Elizabeth the life that she deserves. Ric appeals to Jason as Elizabeth's friend to help them all protect Elizabeth. Ric assures Jason that Ric, Nikolas, Emily and Lucky would never have any reason to contradict Jason's statement and, since Capelli and Zander are both dead, neither of them would be in any position to contradict Jason's statement. Nikolas and Emily assure Jason that they believe that, in this instance, Ric's only motivation is to rescue Elizabeth and that they all agree that they SHOULD protect Elizabeth. Jason reluctantly signs the statement and Ric announces that the case is now officially closed. Ric leaves the hospital with Elizabeth, who confides that she feels as if a huge weight had been lifted from her shoulders.

Nikolas and Emily arrive at Kelly's to find an anxious Elizabeth waiting there. They ask her what is going on with the murder case. Ric shows up with flowers for Elizabeth and assures her that the murder case is officially closed and that Zander is now in their past. Emily defends Zander by reminding Elizabeth that Zander had some good in him and wonders if Elizabeth will ever tell her child about his/her biological father. Elizabeth understands that Emily wants to see the good in Zander but isn't sure she will tell her baby about him. Ric and Elizabeth talk about Zander. Elizabeth tells Ric that she needs to see Jason and thank him for lying to protect her.

She goes to the courthouse and finds Jason talking in the hallway with Courtney. She asks Jason if she could speak to him alone. Courtney goes over and sits in the corner. She can't help but be jealous when she witnesses Elizabeth talking to Jason and then having Jason touch her stomach when her baby kicks and Jason looks awed by it. Elizabeth thanks Jason for helping her even though he doesn't like the cops or Ric. He tells her that he hopes that she has a happy life with her new baby.

At Wyndemere, Zander hides as Emily and Elizabeth discuss their respective futures with Nikolas and Ric and the baby. He seethes as Emily speaks of her love for Nikolas, and Liz of her hope for the future Ric will give her child, but he finds a glimmer of hope when Emily admits that he'll always have a spot in her heart. Emily goes to Kelly's and calls Elizabeth to come right over. Elizabeth shows up at Kelly's as soon as she can. She asks Emily what is wrong. Emily tells her she thought she saw Zander standing in the park looking at her. Elizabeth tells Emily it is natural to think she saw Zander since he has been on her mind a lot lately and that she did the same thing when she thought Lucky had died in a fire years ago.

After a nightmare in which Zander steals her baby, Liz nervously admits to Ric that she can't shake thoughts of Zander. But when Ric informs her that Zander's body will be buried in a police plot with an unmarked grave, Liz gets him to agree to release Zander's body for a real funeral. The two go to the hospital to make the arrangements, but are interrupted by a frantic Enid who has been questioning Mac, Felicia, and Lucky over the whereabouts of her missing brother, Wally.

As Liz fingers Zander's leftover possessions, Enid runs up and grabs a ring from her, insisting that it's Wally's ring. Ric and Liz realize that Zander is alive, and Ric immediately calls for another autopsy on the body to see if it is Wally. Liz leaves the hospital, wondering where Zander might be, as Ric privately puts out an APB on him. Thinking as Zander would, Liz goes to the cottage to see if he's there, and spots him with Emily through the window.

Emily goes to the cottage to say goodbye to the memory Zander but as she turns to leave, she is shocked to actually see Zander standing in front of her. She rushes to him and hugs him, happy to see him alive. He vaguely explains the situation of the fire to her, and avoids her questions about the body that was found. Emily's happiness turns to fear as she slowly begins to realize that Zander is mentally not all there. Zander refuses to allow Emily to leave the cottage, but outside, Liz spies them and runs to Ric to get police to rescue Emily. Emily attempts again to get through to Zander, and suddenly the police show up and surround the cottage.

Zander tries to get Emily to leave without him, but she refuses. She yells to Lucky that she and Zander will exit, unarmed, together. Zander thanks her again for all that she's done for him, and the two walk out of the cottage. As Zander and Emily step out on to the porch, Ric orders Zander to step away from Emily. Emily assures Ric that she is okay, and that Zander is surrendering. Ric orders Zander to kneel down and put his hands on top of his head. Instead, Zander shoves Emily out of the way. Telling Emily that he loves her, Zander reaches into his pocket as though to pull a gun in a suicide by cop move.

Ric gives the order to fire and Zander is hit several times. He falls to the ground, and a devastated Emily cradles him in her arms one last time. He tells her she was his life, and he dies in her arms. Emily blasts the police for firing on an unarmed man. Emily tearfully reminds Ric that she told them that Zander wasn't armed, but they didn't believe her. Zander reminds Emily that this is the way they met, with the police all around, and perhaps it should have ended like this years ago. When Emily realizes that Zander is dead, she bitterly accuses Ric of killing Zander deliberately. As the paramedics take Zander's body away, Emily says one final good-bye telling Zander that she is sorry for the way things turned out, because Zander deserved better.

Emily is offended when Ric declares that Zander's body will be taken to the morgue for an autopsy. As Emily again blames Ric for Zander's death, Lucky tries to explain that they were all following police procedures and that Zander appeared to be reaching for a gun. As Emily continues to accuse Ric of deliberately killing Zander to get Zander out of the way, Elizabeth tries to reason with Emily, but Emily refuses to listen. Emily bitterly asks Elizabeth if Elizabeth knew that Ric would make sure that Zander didn't live long enough to claim his child.

Emily is shocked when Elizabeth admits that it was Liz who spotted Zander with Emily in the cottage and, believing that Zander was holding Emily hostage, Liz was the one who had called the police. Ric reminds Emily that the police believe that Zander killed an innocent bystander at the Port Charles Hotel and then set fire to the Hotel to cover up the death. Ric reminds Emily that one of the people who almost died in the fire was Nikolas and suggests that Emily would not be yelling at the police for shooting Zander if Nikolas had been one of the victims of the fire. Ric insists that Zander deliberately made a move that Zander KNEW would be misinterpreted by the police because Zander wanted to die!

Later, as Ric, Elizabeth, Emily and Lucky arrive at the PCPD to make their statements, Elizabeth asks Ric if there was any truth in Emily's accusation and Ric assures Liz that Emily was just upset and will see things differently once she has a chance to sort things out. Ric asks Emily if Zander mentioned anything about the death of a Hotel employee named Wally, but Emily insists that Zander said nothing. But, if Zander did have anything to do with Wally's death, Emily is convinced it would have been an accident.

Ric finds Elizabeth back at the Cottage. As Elizabeth wonders what they should tell the baby about Zander, Ric assures Liz that they will decide all of that together when the time comes. After Ric assures Elizabeth that their child will have all of the advantages that Zander missed out on, Liz again asks Ric if Emily was right about Ric wanting Zander dead.

Faith is arrested for money laundering due to a police tip from Skye. Ric joins Faith and Skye in the interrogation room. Realizing that Skye made a deal of immunity for her and Luke, Faith asks her what she thinks Luke will say about the situation. Luke picks this time to enter the room, and announce to Ric that he has no intention of making a deal to send Faith to prison. Skye is shocked, while Faith is pleased, and Luke grabs Skye and takes her out of the room. Angry at her new legal difficulties, Faith rages at Ric over his ongoing vendetta against Sonny.

Liz walks in just in time to hear the conversation, but pretends to disregard Faith. Emily rushes to the station and approaches Lucky, Liz and Ric. Even though Ric promises he's doing everything to look for Nikolas, Emily demands more. Ric follows Emily home and tells her that after another 24 hours has passed, he will have no choice but to end the search for Nikolas since he can't invest anymore manpower since the other cases are suffering. Emily pleads with Ric not to give up on Nikolas yet and insists she is going to go back out to the search sight and keep looking for Nikolas.

Elizabeth arrives at Wyndemere to give Emily some emotional support. Emily refuses to let Elizabeth coddle her and insists on going back out to search. Elizabeth persuades her to sit and have some tea first since she has been outside in the cold for hours. Ric gets a call on his cell-phone concerning Sonny and tells Elizabeth and Emily that he has to go take care of something and leaves abruptly. Elizabeth voices her concerns about Ric to Emily, fearing that Ric has a hard time letting go of his resentment of Sonny even though he has tried to reassure her that his hatred of Sonny is in the past.

Ric and other police officers show up at Carly's cottage after Sonny has killed an intruder. Ric tells him that he is in charge of the investigation. Carly, Alcazar, and Sonny tell the cops what happened. Ric questions Sonny's real motives for killing the assassin. Sonny predicts that Ric will use this as an excuse to arrest Sonny. Sonny tells Ric to go ahead and arrest him. Carly tells Ric that she will call the media on Ric and will make sure the public sees that he is arresting Sonny for personal reasons. The new cop backs Ric up which doesn't surprise anyone. Alcazar tells Ric it isn't necessary to arrest Sonny since there is no evidence that points to anything but self-defense since the assassin was an intruder in the home. Ric backs off but insists he will keep investigating the assassin's death.

Lucky was upset that Ric was downgrading the search for Nikolas but could find the time to get a search warrant for Sonny's apartment, based on Sonny's shooting of the assassin. During Ric and Sonny's meeting, Ric questioned whether Sonny was actually trying to shoot Alcazar rather than the assassin. Sonny blamed the interrogation on Ric's vendetta, the fact that their mother had chosen Sonny. Ric blasted that Sonny was the worst of his two fathers, violent like Deke and selfish like Mike. He continued by exclaiming that he himself was trying to be better than his own father and was trying to do so by being with Elizabeth and preparing for a baby that wasn't even his; he knew he would be a better man than Sonny.

Elizabeth overheard the loud argument from the corridor and charged into the office and asked if that was his reason for being with her! Elizabeth bursts in on Ric's meeting with Sonny and confronts Ric on his motivations behind their relationship. She accuses him of lying and never ending his vendetta against Sonny, and Ric finally comes clean and admits that she's right. Elizabeth then stuns Ric when she tells him she's had enough of his deception, and that she's leaving him. Elizabeth later runs into Jason, who helps her with her devastation over the collapse of her marriage.

Ric arrives at the Penthouse to see Sonny and finds Samantha patiently waiting for Sonny to return. When Sam coldly informs Ric that Sonny is obviously not home, Ric declares that he will wait. As Ric waits, he bluntly asks Samantha how much Sonny is paying Sam to warm Sonny's bed. Sam protests that she was framed on the prostitution charge in the same way that Ric keeps trying to frame Sonny. Ric suggests that Sonny is unaware of some of the more unsavory details of Sam's past, but Sam dares Ric to print out a copy of her rap sheet and give it to Sonny, boasting that Sam knows that Sonny trusts her. Ric informs Sam that Sonny is merely using Sam to distract Sonny following the loss of Sonny's family.

When Sam protests that she knows how Sonny feels about her, Ric points out that Sonny never takes Sam out in public and never allows Sam to spend time with his children. Ric smugly suggests that Sam is an embarrassment to Sonny. Sonny returns home before Sam can continue the argument and Sonny orders Ric to leave. Ric informs Sonny that Elizabeth has left him, and, because Elizabeth is now gone, Ric no longer has a reason for pulling his punches where Sonny is concerned. Sonny threatens to break Ric in the end and, after daring Sonny to "bring it on," Ric walks out. After Ric is gone, Sam reports Ric's taunts to Sonny and Sonny tells Sam to get ready, because Sonny plans to take Sam out on the town that evening.

As Sam sits down, Ric approaches her and hits on her. She feigns interest in order to see how far he'll go, and when he propositions her, she angrily tells him she wouldn't sleep with him if he was the last man on earth. Ric laughs that she's pretty high and mighty for a whore, and she retorts that he'll never get the things that Sonny gets. When Ric arrives at Kelly's with a huge bouquet of flowers, Mike strongly suggests that Ric should pick some other place for a romantic rendezvous with his wife.

However, as Mike goes on to blast Ric for Ric's enmity with Sonny, Ric reminds Mike that IF Mike had been a better husband and father, none of the terrible events which shaped Ric and Sonny's lives would have ever happened, and there would be no reason for the enmity. Mike observes that Ric is just like Sonny, but then accuses Ric of having no soul and walks away. When Elizabeth arrives at Kelly's to meet Ric, she finds the bouquet of flowers and Mike explains that Ric was called away on police business but will return soon.

Ric arrives at Lorenzo's apartment, Ric is frustrated when Lorenzo and Sonny both claim that NO gun went off. Ric lets slip that the police arrived because they received a report from Courtney that Lorenzo's life was in danger. But Sonny coldly informs Ric that Lorenzo is perfectly safe, because Alcazar is under Carly's protection. After Sonny angrily storms away, Ric warns Carly that Sonny and Lorenzo will keep on trying to kill one another until one succeeds and the other goes to prison for murder. Ric appeals to Lorenzo to think about pressing charges against Sonny if Lorenzo wants to stay alive, but Lorenzo ignores Ric's warnings. Observing that he hopes that Carly's good opinion is worth risking Lorenzo's life, Ric storms away.

Afterward, Lucky arrives at Kelly's and overhears Elizabeth leaving Ric a voice message. Lucky informs Elizabeth that he left Ric at Lorenzo's apartment, where the District Attorney was trying to convince Lorenzo to press charges against Sonny. When Ric finally meets Elizabeth at Kelly's, Ric admits that he was late because they got a report that Sonny was planning to murder Alcazar. Elizabeth points out that the only reason Ric handled the call personally was because Ric is still nursing his vendetta against Sonny. Ric again tells Elizabeth that he loves her, and Elizabeth admits that she loves Ric as well. However, Ric goes on to confess that the problem with Sonny will always be there between them. Then Ric declares that he is regretfully letting Elizabeth go. Elizabeth tells Ric that she is leaving town and doesn't know if she will ever return. Elizabeth kisses Ric goodbye, then leaves.

Ric continues on his hunt for information about Kristina's paternity. When his attempts to get close to Alexis fail at Nikolas's memorial service, he meets again with his investigator. The man tells Ric that there was a paternity test done on Kristina, and that it showed that Ned was the father without a doubt. Ric remains unconvinced, and orders the man to continue searching until he can prove that Sonny is Kristina's biological father.

At GH, Ric speaks to the man who switched the paternity test on Kristina. He gets the tech to admit that Sonny is the real father, and he prepares to use his information. Before he can leave, Carly rushes by and is stopped by Alexis herself. Ric hangs around the corner and tries to listen in as Alexis blasts Carly for ratting her out to Sonny. Carly tells her that Sonny doesn't know the truth, and it's only thanks to Carly. Alexis begins to rip into her regarding the quality of Carly's motherhood, when Sonny walks up behind her and warns her to back down. He asks Alexis how far she's going to push him, and does she want him to send Kristina back to her father?

As Ric listens in, Alexis blasts Carly for blabbing the secret about Kristina's parentage to Sonny. As Carly angrily denies Alexis's accusation, Sonny suddenly shows up and waand warns Alexis to quit pushing him. Then Sonny threatens to try to reunite Kristina with her father and snarls at Alexis that he has the power to ruin her. Ric comes out of hiding to intervene and angrily reminds Sonny that Ric has the power to arrest Sonny if Sonny continues to threaten innocent citizens. However, when Ric tells Alexis that he will be happy to run Sonny in to the Port Charles Police Department that very moment, Alexis refuses to even consider running Sonny in.

Ric warns Sonny to quit bullying Alexis or Ric will arrest Sonny, with or without Alexis' statement. Carly drops veiled hints to Alexis about exposing all of Alexis's lies. Then Carly coldly informs Ric that Carly believes that Alexis still has "a thing" for Sonny! Alexis informs Ric that Michael is in the hospital and that Carly is just an unfortunate victim of stress. After Alexis storms away, Ric offers Sonny his sympathy about Michael's injuries, but Sonny coldly rejects Ric's offer of sympathy and warns Ric to just stay away from Sonny's family. Sonny then rehashes a list of Ric's shortcomings, promising that, one day, Sonny will succeed in snapping Ric like a twig.

Alexis gets angry when she goes to the police station to see her client, who is being charged with armed robbery and finds out that Ric took the prosecutor off the case and is prosecuting the case himself. She confronts him about it. He tells her that her client needs to serve jail time. Alexis makes a case for her client, who is a single mother of two, with a deadbeat ex-husband and that she robbed the store with an unloaded gun out of desperation to help support her children. He agrees to a plea bargain for her client, 6 month jail time minimum. Alexis accepts the plea bargain.

Faith shows up to try and get Ric to drop the charges against her. He refuses. He makes a comment to Alexis about avoiding a trial against him in court and how he would have won. Faith tells Ric she needs an attorney. Alexis surprises Faith when she changes her mind and agrees to defend Faith in court and vows to beat Ric in court.

Ric questions Luke about the disappearance of Ross (the missing police officer). Next, Courtney was visited by Ric. Ric threatened that she would be arrested if Alcazar was caught moving drugs through her former property. Later the lights suddenly went out, and then Courtney and Alcazar were attacked by cloaked figures wielding machine guns! Alcazar threw his body over Courtney as protection. Ric arrives and insinuates that perhaps it was Sonny who put out the hit on them.

Ric & Liz #4C April 19th - July 23, 2004: 46 mins
Picks up with Ric at Nik’s funeral trying to represent Liz. He runs into Audrey and eagerly asks how Liz and the baby are doing. She assures him that Liz is fine, and hasn’t mentioned Ric once! Emily sees Audrey at GH, and gets an update on Liz.

5/11 Ric learns that Liz gave birth to a healthy baby boy.

6/18 In the park, Ric and Alexis were talking when Elizabeth showed up with her new baby in her arms. She had named him Cameron after Zander's father. Liz said that she was staying with her grandmother and after exchanging pleasantries left with the baby. Alexis told Ric that she thought there was still something between him and Elizabeth, and observes that he isn’t over Elizabeth and that he shouldn't let his vendetta against Sonny ruin his life. After she left, Elizabeth returned alone and talked to Ric. She said that she missed him and wondered if anything was going on between him and Alexis. He told her it was just work. Discussing getting back together, Liz said she didn't think they should go there.

7/2-7/5 In the park, Emily ran into Elizabeth and met Liz's baby. Em admitted that Lucky was beginning to want to be more than friends. Liz was surprised at first but brought up that Em and Lucky had known each other forever. Finally, Emily blurted out that Nikolas was actually alive and told the whole story. Liz told her that she had to go tell Nikolas the truth before he and Mary started a family and it was too late. Emily realized what she had to do and went to the cabin. She found Mary there and confronted her with the truth!

Lucky and Elizabeth spent some time together in the park with baby Cameron, and he admitted his feelings for Em to her. He then said something along the lines of: "If Nikolas were alive..." Elizabeth couldn't hold back the truth. She stated, "He is.” Lucky stares at Liz in shock. She assures Lucky that Emily has seen Nik, that he has amnesia after some sort of head trauma. She doesn’t want what happened with Jason to happen with Nik if he is overwhelmed and runs off. Nik thinks he is an ex-marine named, Connor Bishop, and she fills him in on Mary believing Nik is Connor (her dead husband). Emily doesn’t want to traumatise Nik by telling him the truth and fears sending him into Mary’s arms, but now that Mary wants to get pregnant Emily has no other choice.

7/9 At Kelly’s, Lucky and Elizabeth discussed the situation with Nikolas and Emily. He tells her that Nik has turned away from Emily and Lucky. Lucky still wants to pursue a relationship with Emily, but Liz doesn’t see how that is going to happen now that Nik knows who he is. Emily arrived, hoping for assistance from her friends in getting Nikolas to remember his past. He is still confused, but she wants to help him remember them all together. Lucky became visibly agitated, as he knows she wants Nik to remember her and love her again. Emily insists she doesn’t expect him to return to her, she just wants him to get his memories back. Lucky abruptly leaves, and Emily observes that it is like Lucky doesn’t want Nik to get his memories back. Liz threw out the assumption that, while Nikolas had no memory, Lucky would have a chance with Em. Liz asks Emily to be honest with Lucky about her lack of feelings for him, she doesn’t want to see Lucky get hurt.

7/15 Emily goes to Kelly's and sits with Elizabeth, who gives her condolences to Emily. Bobbie comes over with a piece of chocolate cake to try to cheer up Emily. Bobbie tells Emily that Lila has sort of passed the torch to her when she died and it is up to Emily to help comfort and get the family back on track again. Emily has flashbacks to Lila and Jason. Lucky shows up later and talks to Elizabeth. Elizabeth tells him that Emily isn't handling Lila's death as well as she is letting on and it is up to them to help get her through this. Lucky agrees to help Emily through this loss.

7/16 Lila’s Memorial, Robin arrives and sees the Q’s, Lois, and BrookLyn. Tracy welcomed Amanda Barrington to the service, and Ned greeted Alexis. Alan and Monica spoke to Lee and Gail Baldwin. Lucy arrived wearing a red dress, condolences to her "favorite ex-husband" while also trying not to offend Monica. Robin meets a more grown up Michael who arrived with Sonny, and Carly. Then Jax introduces Robin to Courtney. Next, Ric and Elizabeth arrived. Lucky arrives and greets Emily, pay his respects and serves as a comfort to Emily.

Bobbie, Tony, Felicia, and Mac share their memories of Lila with Alan and Monica. When Jason arrived, he and Robin shared some time together. Jason was surprised to see her but was glad to see Robin happy. She reports that she loves Paris and sees her mom all the time. Robin mentioned that Brenda had told him “hi”. Monica spoke at the service, followed by Alan, who remarked how Lila liked everybody. Tracy spoke about how people wondered how she could possibly be the daughter of Lila Quartermaine, but, given everything, how she was still loved by her mother and how that sustained her. She also said that Lila never stopped learning and that she would try to honor that by learning from her mother.

Ned remembered that his grandmother understood his desire to perform and that she was a performer herself, always coming across as smiling, serene and wise-what they expected her to be. Jason rose to speak but could not. Emily took his place and said that she had never seen Lila able to walk and dance but that her spirit was always free. She lamented not telling her adoptive grandmother that she loved her, one more time. Brook Lynn sang in honor of her great-grandmother, and Edward thanked everyone for attending. He said that he believed there was a Heaven and that Lila was there now. There were fond memories of Lila with Edward and her family as flashbacks rolled.