Nikolas & Emily #3  November 11, 2003 -  February 23, 2004 - 8 hour original edit

Nik reads Stefan's suicide letter that Emily has found. Nikolas shows the letter to Luke. Luke angrily claims that Stefan's "suicide note" is a forgery and refuses to use Stefan's note to get off the hook for Stefan's murder. Nikolas and Skye try to convince Luke to use the letter to save himself, but Luke continues to refuse. Later at Wyndemere, Nikolas talks to Emily about Stefan's suicide note. Nikolas returns with Stefan's suicide note and turns the note over to Scott. Luke sees Nikolas with Scott and urges Scott to rip Stefan's note up and throw it away. Luke argues with Scott and Nikolas about the letter from Stefan that supposedly exonerates Luke of murder. Luke accuses Nikolas of being up to something and that Scott is in on it.

Scott tells him that forensics analyzed the letter and said that the handwriting on the letter matched with some written record signed by Stefan. Forensics also reported that Stefan's fingerprints were found on the letter as well. Luke thinks Nikolas somehow forged the letter for some reason. Nikolas tells him that as far as he is concerned the war between the Cassadines and the Spencers is over. Scott tells Luke that since he wants to be convicted of murder he doesn't want to give him what he wants. He also tells Luke that the letter shows a shadow of a doubt if it is presented at trial and he doesn't want to try a case if he knows there will be doubt in the juror's minds. Luke grumbles about being released and storms off. Skye listens to the whole thing and can't believe that Scott and Nikolas are allowing Luke to just walk off and not care about whether he goes to hurt himself.

Nikolas meets up with Emily at GH. She tells him she had to turn her cell-phone off because she had to attend some 3 hr. orientation seminar for her pre-med program. He kisses her and tells her he missed her. Later, Nikolas runs into Zander on the docks. Zander tells him he needs to make good on his debt to Faith or else. Nikolas refuses to let Faith use his ship to carry illegal drugs. He asks Zander what he is thinking working for Faith and tries to persuade him to not work for Faith. Zander pulls out a gun and threatens Nikolas to cooperate for Faith. Nikolas still refuses. Zander tackles Nikolas and punches him in the gut. Nikolas fights back to defend himself. Zander takes his gun to hit him in the face but Nikolas ducks and avoids the blow. He tackles Zander and gets a few swings in.

When Zander looks like he may attack Nikolas this time, Emily comes up behind Zander and hits him in the head with the gun he dropped and knocks him to the ground. Zander comes to and realizes that Emily was the one who hit him. The cops come and Emily points out Zander and tells them that she witnessed him pull a gun on Nikolas and attack him. The cop takes the gun and guesses that Zander doesn't have it registered and asks him if he has a permit to carry it. Zander tells him he doesn't. The cop takes out his handcuffs and arrests Zander. Emily watches in sadness that it has come to this. Emily has Zander arrested to protect him from getting himself killed but at the police station they get into a heated discussion and Emily informs him that he is on his own after Faith posts his bail.

Nikolas visited Jason and Sonny earlier to let them know that Faith is threatening his life if he doesn't allow her to use his freight to carry her product. Sonny tells Nikolas to talk to Jason about it since he is too busy right now with other things than to deal with business right now. Jason tells him that he needs to inform Faith and her men that he is under his protection right now and mentions that Faith's last shipment was mysteriously gone from some fire. Nikolas mentions that Zander just has a personal grudge against him. Jason tells him that as long as Zander works for Faith it is business. Nikolas and Emily stop by the Cellar club and inform Faith and Zander that they are under Jason's protection and that is directly from the horse's mouth. Nikolas tells them that he has no intention of carrying illegal products for her on his ship. Nikolas and Emily leave.

Faith tells Zander that she is going to show this town that she isn't someone to be crossed and gives Zander instructions to do something where Nikolas will be the first example she makes out of everyone. Zander sneaks onto Nikolas' ship and plants a bomb on it. Nikolas and Emily talk and joke around at Kelly's with the waitress, Penny about how he is taking her on a tour of his ship and that is supposed to be an example of some romantic dinner he has in mind as they wait for their take-out dinner. He gives her a tour and they end up in some room and they make out on one of the cots, unaware there is a bomb ticking away under it. Nikolas finally notices that there is a bomb in the room. He goes over to check it out. He decides to find some tools and try and cut one of the wires in hopes that it is the right one and will stop the timer on it. Emily stops him and tells him she doesn't' want him to cut the wrong wire and wants to use the through so much to finally be together and then their lives are going to end because of a bomb.

Elizabeth is working at Kelly's. Zander comes into Kelly's wearing a suit. She 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 like a bat out of hell. Nikolas and Emily watch the time run start to run out on the bomb and decide to cut one of the wires. Zander gets there and pounds on the door and tells Emily that he never meant for her to be there just as the bomb goes off. Injured from the explosion Nik accuses him of rigging the bomb on the Cassadine ship.

Liz tells Emily that she's pregnant with Zander's child, and that it’s 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. Emily continues to defend Zander to Nicholas and Jason despite overhearing him threaten to kill Jason. She stops Jason from attacking Zander, but later Jason tells both her and Nicholas that he will handle Zander from now on, no matter what they say. Nikolas tries to distract Emily from studying for medical school so that they can spend time together. She finally agrees, and they play in the snow and kiss. Back at Wyndemere, Emily and Nikolas make love and count their blessings. Emily and Nikolas arrive and post Jason's bail. After Emily leaves the PCPD, Jason warns Nikolas that Faith may interpret Sonny's arrest as an opening to take over more of the local criminal territories. Jason asks Nikolas to call Faith and offer to make peace with her, while using the opening to see if Faith will drop any hints about her planned moves.

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 convince Zander to break off his involvement with Faith, but Zander refuses and advises Liz not to try to save him from himself. Nikolas tells Faith that he is willing to accommodate Faith's "business." However, Faith leaves without betraying any of her plans. Jason meets Nikolas on the docks and sends Nikolas around to distract Faith. As Nikolas talks to Faith, he suddenly announces that Sonny’s men surround them. As Nikolas speaks, Jason detonates an explosive that blows up Faith's shipment. Alexis presents Emily with her divorce papers to sign, and also informs Nikolas that the Cassadines are officially bankrupt. Emily stays at Kelly's while Nikolas and Alexis leave to deal with some family business, and Zander walks in with a girl.

After instructing his date to meet him downstairs, Zander stops by to talk to Emily about the arrival of their divorce papers. Zander refuses to allow Emily to express sorrow over their breakup, and they begin to argue and both sign their papers. As Emily walks out of the restaurant, Zander cries over his loss. Emily returns to Wyndemere to let Nikolas know that her divorce is final. While initially worried over his financial devastation, Nikolas realizes that Emily is all he needs to be happy. He proposes to her, and she happily accepts.

At Wyndemere, Alexis and Nikolas plan the steps they will need to take to economize in an attempt to save the Cassadine Empire. Nikolas lets Alexis know about his marriage plans. Emily runs in to Elizabeth at Kelly's and realizes that Elizabeth is suffering from morning sickness. Emily is elated when Elizabeth announces that she won't need to keep her morning sickness a secret much longer. However, when Emily asks if Elizabeth plans to tell Zander that he will soon be a father, Elizabeth explains that she hit the sheets with Ric when they spent a weekend at the ski lodge and Elizabeth plans to let Ric believe that he is the father of Elizabeth's expected child. Emily warns Elizabeth that Liz is buying a whole lot of trouble with that plan. But Elizabeth remains convinced that her plan is the best all around, pointing out that Zander is not interested in being tied down to any responsibilities but Ric is eager to be a parent. And it is Ric whom Elizabeth loves.

Alexis wishes Nikolas good luck in announcing his engagement to the Quartermaine family because he will need it! Later, as Nikolas meets Emily to go to the Quartermaine Mansion, Tracy has, in the meantime, called the Quartermaines together to complain about the way A.J. is running E.L.Q. A.J. is surprised when the Quartermaines unanimously tell Tracy to stuff it. When Nikolas and Emily burst in and announce their happy news, the Quartermaines are at first thrilled until Nikolas regretfully announces that business reverses have rendered the Cassadine Empire almost penniless. Edward insists that Emily cannot marry a Penniless Prince. Emily convinces Nikolas to meet her later, after she deals with her family's objections. Nikolas returns to Wyndemere and reports to Alexis that A.J., Monica, Dillon and Skye were happy at the news of the engagement. But Edward and Tracy were appalled! Alexis advises Nikolas that, when his freighter sank, all hope that Nikolas had of getting the Cassadine Empire back on its feet went down with the ship. Emily informs her family that she has no intention of changing her mind about her marriage to Nikolas and that anyone who attempts to interfere in any way would be barred from attending her wedding. Then Emily storms away.

Nikolas and Emily are surprised when Samantha arrives at Wyndemere and informs Nikolas that she believes she can successfully salvage the sunken Cassadine freighter. Sam asks Nikolas if he would be interested in a business proposition. She asks him to be partners with her in salvaging a boat she has on the pier and that they would share the profits. He is interested but doesn't really know her. He agrees to meet her later on the docks to see the boat and then he will make a decision. Sam thanks him for hearing her out and then leaves. He tells Emily that he doesn't really believe she has a salvage boat on the pier but will show up anyway. Nikolas starts to doubt what kind of a future he can give Emily since he is now broke and that she knew him when he was a rich prince. She tells him that she loves him for who he is and not for how much money he has.

Alexis had gone to Wyndemere to see them and advised them to sell Wyndemere so they can get some big cash fast. Emily doesn't like the idea of Alexis pressuring Nikolas to sell his home. She tells Emily that they need the cash now and this is the way to do it. Sam is waiting on the peir for Nik and Emily. Nikolas and Emily show up on the pier and are apprehensive about Sam's boat. Sam starts to ramble on about not being able to be on time for anything. She realizes she has no boat to show them and is stalling for time. Jax shows up with a bottle of champagne and points out the salvage boat to Emily and Nikolas. Nikolas comments that the boat is smaller than he expected. Jax assures him that Sam can fix it up good and make a profit on it. Nikolas and Emily agree to give it a try. Emily gathers all of the Quartermaines for a happy tree-trimming party. The usual chaos and arguing ensues, with Edward trying to break up Emily and Nikolas, Alan and Tracy arguing, and Skye showing up with Luke.

Sam's father arrives at Wyndemere. Calling himself Bartholomew Cody, he applies to Alexis for the job of butler, bodyguard and launch pilot. Nikolas immediately voices his distrust of Cody, but Cody explains that he only wants to have a job in Port Charles so he can be near his estranged daughter in the hope of a reconciliation. Alexis agrees to hire Cody on a trial basis. Later, however, Alexis catches Cody snooping around Nikolas's desk. As Alexis quizzes Cody about his interest in Nikolas's desk, Nikolas and Emily return from a walk on the beach, carrying an unconscious Sam! As Emily and Nikolas report that they found Sam collapsed on the shore, Alexis calls for the paramedics and a helicopter. Cody uses the distraction to quietly disappear.

As Samantha regains consciousness, she mumbles something about a ship named Courage, and Cody overhears his daughter's delirious ramblings. When the Emergency Team arrives and Sam begins to come around, Cody disappears again. Samantha insists that she does not need to go to the hospital. When Alexis goes looking for Cody, an alarmed Jax suddenly arrives. As Jax reassures himself that Sam is okay, Nikolas and Emily try to quiz Sam about her delirious reference to "The Courage." However, Sam insists that she was just remembering one of her father's favorite sayings about courage. Back at Wyndemere, Emily explains to Nikolas that, years ago, the Quartermaine family had a ship carrying a priceless treasure, which mysteriously disappeared. And the ship, which mysteriously disappeared before it reached its destination, was named The Courage!!

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 rain check. 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. 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.

Nikolas shows up at the Quartemaine mansion and finds Edward in the study. He asks him if Emily is around. Edward tells him she is not here right now and gets suspicious of Nikolas for not knowing where she is. Nikolas tells him that he did come over for another reason and explains that Emily mentioned a ship the Quartermaine family had in the far past called "The Courage" and asks him what he knows about it. Edward tells him about some ancestor of the Quartermaines named Celeste who was engaged to some man with a treasure and she was sailing on the ship "The Courage" with her brother when it sank and she died by drowning. He tells Nikolas that there was a rumor that a treasure was on that ship. Edward realizes what Nikolas is interested in and laughs at him for thinking that there is a treasure in the water for him to find to get rich quick. Nikolas explains that he believes the freighter that sank is down under where "The Courage" sank and that a tiara was found at least to prove a treasure is down there. Emily shows up at home and finds out from Nikolas what is going. Nikolas shows up on the boat and overhears Sam talking to Jax about the tiara she found and how they are going to get rich. Nikolas spoils things by insisting he will get some of that treasure as well. Later, Tracey informs the family, except for Emily that she has no intention of giving Nikolas half of the treasure's profits but that they will make Nikolas think he will so he will cooperate and help them.

Emily and Tracy discuss the discovered Quartermaine treasure, and Tracy offers to split it with the Cassadines, 50/50. When Emily asks why Tracy is willing to be so generous with Nikolas, Tracy claims to be far kinder than the family gives her credit for. Emily sees through her, and calls her out for being a con and a liar. A defiant Sam declares the treasure that she's found to be hers and hers alone. Nikolas disagrees with her, and tells her that it doesn't belong to her, and she ought to check out the state property laws. Sam tries to get Jax on her side, and he is, but only in front of Nikolas. Nikolas warns Sam that he'll press charges against her if she takes the treasure. Alone, Jax tries to reason with Sam and get her to cut her losses and leave the treasure. Nikolas presents Emily with a gorgeous engagement ring for Christmas. He's sold Wyndemere early in order to afford to buy it for her, but unbeknownst to Nikolas, Emily (with a little help from Alexis) was the buyer. She returns the deed for Wyndemere to Nikolas for his Christmas present.

As a morose Luke sits alone aboard the Haunted Star on Christmas Eve, the ghost of Stavros, who is shackled in chains, visits him. Stavros shows Luke the chains he is forced to carry and informs Luke that the chains were forged by the hatred Stavros practiced during his life. Stavros further warns Luke that Luke is destined for the same fate unless Luke changes his life. Stavros predicts that three more spirits will visit Luke. The next spirit to appear is Helena, who informs Luke that she is the spirit of Christmas Past. Helena takes Luke to a street corner in Port Charles, where Luke sees himself as a youngster, along with Bobbie, conning a rich woman out of some money. While Luke and Bobbie tell their benefactress that they need the money for groceries, they really plan to buy a bus ticket to go live with their Aunt Ruby in Florida. Luke is amazed to learn that the benefactress was Lila Quartermaine, who had planned to adopt Luke and Bobbie. Luke argues that he and Bobbie were better off with Aunt Ruby in a brothel in Florida than with the dysfunctional Quartermaines. However, Helena next whisks Luke to a scene from his past, when Luke successfully convinced Bobbie to turn tricks for a couple of more years until they had enough money ahead to quit "the life."

The next spirit to arrive is Nikolas, who declares that he is the Spirit of Christmas Present. Nikolas whisks Luke off to the Docks, where they find Scott making off with cash that has just been donated to a children's charity. Although Luke insists that Scott's moral failures have nothing to do with Luke, Nikolas explains that that Luke once was a man of honor with good intentions, but Scott began to head down the wrong road when Luke's affair with Scott's wife, Laura, broke Scott's heart. Then Nikolas and Luke visit the Quartermaine Mansion and listen to Edward telling Skye about the children that Edward and Lila almost adopted once. Luke feels compassion for Skye and becomes alarmed when a melancholy Skye prepares to take a drink.

Next, Nikolas takes Luke to Luke's own home and they listen in as Lucky explains to a devastated Lulu that her father was not really the one who bought her bicycle for her. Lucky explains that her father really does love Lulu, but he just does not know how to show it! Luke insists to Nikolas that none of this is Luke's fault, but Nikolas points out that Luke was never able to accept any kind of responsibility for the way he changed the lives of those around him. As Luke argues that his love for Laura was genuine and her illness has devastated him, Nikolas whisks Luke away to the Hospital where Laura is staying. Although Laura does not speak, Luke confides to his wife how much the happy times they once enjoyed meant to him. Luke begs Laura to reach out to him but is disappointed when Laura makes no response.

Back aboard the haunted Star, Luke moans that he failed Laura. Then the third spirit arrives. Silently, the black-shrouded figure points a bony finger toward the future. Luke sees a teen-aged Lulu, along with Emily, Nikolas, Lesley and Bobbie, gathering around a grave. Luke learns that Lucky has just been killed in the line of duty as a police officer. Lulu mourns that Lucky wasted his life trying to make up for his father's mistakes. Later, the Spirit and Luke look on as Cameron and a police officer discuss the homeless bum who has just been found dead on the street. As Luke grouses that he has no interest in the death of another homeless derelict, the Spirit whisks Luke off to the morgue. There, Luke realizes that the old homeless derelict is Luke! When Luke awakens, alone, he finds he is once again aboard the Haunted Star. Luke is elated when he discovers that he is alive after all and that it is still Christmas Day. Luke rushes out to buy Christmas gifts. Luke visits Wyndemere. Finding Cameron, Alexis, Kristina, Emily and Nikolas assembled there; Luke invites them all to dinner then suggests that Cameron should use the opportunity to give Alexis a kiss! Later, Luke arrives at Bobbie's house and dispenses gifts; the others begin to sing Silent Night.

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. Emily tries to reason with Zander in order to get him to give up his rights to Liz's baby, but he refuses and takes his anger at Emily out on Liz's situation. Emily begs him to rethink his decision, but he refuses and leaves.

Nikolas shows up at Kelly's to find Emily, and she tells him that he was right about Zander being manipulative. She explains the situation with Liz and the pregnancy, as well as Zander's refusal to give up his rights to Ric. Both agree that Zander is doing it to keep a hold on Emily through Liz and her baby, and Nikolas tries to get Emily to see that she's not responsible for Zander and his choices. Emily thinks she owes it to Liz to stay involved, and tells Nikolas that she's going to continue to try and convince Zander to let the baby go, despite Nikolas' protests. Zander then runs into them, and surprises them with the news that he told Liz and Ric he would give up parental rights of the baby.

Emily announces to Tracy that the treasure is gone. Tracy begins to blame Nikolas, and insinuates that he's hiding it to steal it all from the Quartermaines. Angry, Emily attempts to hit Tracy, but is stopped by her. Tracy continues to attempt to make Emily doubt Nikolas, but she stands her ground and defends her fiancé.

Nikolas confronts Cody, Sam's father about where the treasure is. Cody insists that he doesn't have the treasure but that Sam took it and ran off. Nikolas tells him to find out where it is and return it to him since the treasure belongs to the Cassadine and Quartermaine families. Emily lays unconscious near the water, which laps around near her face. A book is lying down near her on the sand. Nikolas notices some sand on his floor where Cody was standing and goes to find out where it came from. He finds Emily lying unconscious and goes to her. He fears for her life when he sees she isn't breathing. He gives her CPR and she coughs up some water and wakes up. She tells him she found a book and that they need it. Nikolas brings her back to the house and takes care of her. He tells her he doesn't care about the treasure anymore if it means he will lose her. She assures him she is fine and that they shouldn't give up on the treasure because of what happened to her. She points out that he has been sheltered by Stefan all his life and he is doing the same to her now and she wants him to trust in her and not be so afraid to take risks.

Emily discovers that Nikolas' family tattoo matches an insignia in Blackthorn's diary. The two conclude that Blackthorn must have been a Cassadine, and they begin to read his story. They discover a map has been removed from the back of the book, and discuss another potential treasure as Cody eavesdrops from the door. Cody returns to the grotto, where the hit man is waiting for him. Cody attempts to save himself with Nikolas and Emily's story of the map. Back at Wyndemere, Emily and Nikolas further imagine the life of Blackthorn and Constance Quartermaine, and decide to look at the grotto again for additional clues.

As they open the secret passageway, Emily screams at the dead body hanging in it. Emily and Nikolas realize that the dead man hanging in the passageway is Cody. Nikolas goes to call the police, but Emily stops him when she tells him that he has a motive and will likely be seen as guilty of murder by the police. He calls the cops anyway, but they arrive after Emily has time to stash the diary. Brian questions Nikolas on his whereabouts when Cody was killed, and then implies that he is guilty. Nikolas claims it was likely Ben, the hit man, but he is unable to give any evidence. Once the police leave, Emily and Nikolas read more of Blackthorn's diary, to find potential clues for additional treasure. Just as they come across something, Lucky returns to tell them that the tests show that Cody was in fact murdered, and that Ric wants to see Nikolas for questioning. Emily is thrilled when Nikolas returns from the Port Charles Police Department and declares that the police could not connect Nikolas with Cody’s death in any way. Emily and Nikolas wonder why the police are not searching for Cody's larcenous fence, Ben, now that Cody is dead. Emily and Nikolas begin reading through the Pirate's Journal for clues to the treasure. Nikolas suddenly guesses that the treasure is at Blood Point, on the Azure Key.

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.

Lucky goes in to see Nikolas to warn him that the murder weapon was found and to watch out. Nikolas tells Lucky that he didn't kill Cody and that he feels like he is being set up since the police had no evidence before against him. Alexis walks in and tells Nikolas to stop talking to Lucky. She tells Nikolas that since Lucky is a cop whatever he says to him can be used against him. Lucky excuses himself after telling Alexis that he wouldn't do anything to hurt his brother's case. Alexis talks to Nikolas alone. She tells him that the evidence so far is just circumstantial but that Nikolas had a motive for killing Cody and that he had the opportunity and that could be incriminating for him. She tells him to not say anything more to Lucky or Ric. She also tells him that he can't prove this Ben guy exists since he never met him and only knows of his existence from Cody, who is dead.

Meanwhile, Zander pays a visit to Emily and tells her that he can make the charges against Nikolas go away if she agrees to do owe Faith. Emily asks him how he has that much power to help Nikolas. Zander tells her that he has connections with Faith that can help make evidence disappear. Emily realizes that Zander is trying to get Nikolas thrown in jail for murder to get some revenge on her and Nikolas. She takes off for the police station. She 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. Emily decides to wait and see him.

Tracey shows up and acts all worried about something going on. Emily thinks she is worried about Nikolas being arrested. Tracey taunts her about having to have a jailhouse wedding if Nikolas gets convicted of murder. Emily defends Nikolas and tells Tracey he is innocent and will not go to prison for murder. Ric sees that Tracey is upsetting Emily and comes over to ask Tracey to leave Emily alone. Tracey 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 arrives and Ric looks at the results. Emily goes in to see Nikolas. Nikolas tries to reassure her that there is no evidence the police will find to convict him with since he didn't do it. Lucky comes into the room and tells Nikolas that his fingerprints were found all over the murder weapon. Nikolas denies that he killed Cody and can't understand why his fingerprints could have been found. Lucky apologizes but tells him he has to bring him to lockup now. 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.

Emily tells Nikolas about Zander's visit at Wyndemere and how he told her he could make the charges against Nikolas go away. Nikolas realizes that Zander is trying to keep manipulating her and making her feel guilty for dumping him. Emily tells him that she thinks he is being deliberately set up and that she doesn't trust Ric will give Nikolas a fair trial. Alexis comes to tell Nikolas that his bail hearing is going to happen later that day. Nikolas and Alexis come out of the courtroom. Nikolas thanks her for getting him bail despite how Ric strongly argued against it. Alexis tells him that she doesn't trust Ric's motives for pushing so hard for bail to be denied. 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 headlock and threatens to kill him if he doesn't stay away from Emily. Ric witnesses the fight between them that makes Nikolas look violent. Emily goes to the casino to find Jax. She tells him about Cody's murder and how someone is setting up Nikolas for murder and how this Ben guy probably did it and took off to find Sam. Jax tells her that some guy pulled a gun on him on the docks before and that he could be that Ben guy who killed Cody. He agrees to help Emily by going to look for Ben. Emily thanks him and tells him about the book she found and that there is a mention of a map and a place where there is more treasure in Azure Keys. Tracy overhears the whole conversation about the treasure but hides in the corner of the deck. Emily takes off.

Nikolas slams Zander against the wall and accuses him of trying to set him up. 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. Brian then runs into Courtney and asks her out. She tells him about her conversation with Michael, and accidentally talks too much about Jason and his business. Tracy drops by Wyndemere in an attempt to cut a deal with Nikolas on the new treasure. Nikolas will have none of it, and Tracy angrily begins to insult him, prompting Emily to throw her out. Nikolas and Emily then begin to read more of Blackthorn's diary, trying to locate the treasure. Nikolas confesses to Emily that he won't go to prison for a murder he didn't commit, and if it looks like he'll be convicted, he will leave the country. Emily agrees with his plan and declares that she'll go with him.

Emily and Nikolas meet with Mike to try and get help with Cody's murder. Mike knows of Ben, and identifies him to Lucky for the police report. Nikolas and Emily run into Zander outside of Kelly's. Zander taunts Nikolas and he retaliates by punching him. Zander complains and tries to have assault charges placed against Nikolas, but Emily backs him down. 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. 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. 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!

Emily goes to see Nikolas for a visit at PCPD. She tells him about how she confronted Zander about knowing so much about the murder charges brought against Nikolas so soon after his arrest. Nikolas doesn't want her to go near Zander anymore and doesn't like that she is willing to see a good side of Zander, who is doing things out of hurt. Emily goes back to Wyndemere and reads some more in Cassandra's journal. She reads about how Cassandra was suppose to marry a rich suitor and that he had Nicoli arrested after finding out she was secretly in love with him and how he tried to blackmail Cassandra into marrying him in order to have her love Nicoli freed. She reads about how Cassandra impulsively takes out a gun and shoots the villainous suitor. Later as she is putting the journal away she feels a hand on her shoulder. She is startled by the feel of the hand and turns around to find Zander there. Zander tells her he wants her back and tries to convince her that Nikolas is just using her for her money and that took advantage of her when she had cancer to get close to her. Emily tells him that she fell in love with Nikolas and is sorry she hurt him. He grabs her and kisses her. Emily slaps him across the face when he doesn't let go of her and tells him she doesn't want him anymore.

Emily goes to see Nikolas at the police station. She is crying which concerns Nikolas. He asks her what is wrong. She seems hysterical and tries to explain that he was right about Zander; he has changed into a stranger. She tells Nikolas that Zander came to see her and tried to force her into admitting that she still loved him and not Nikolas. She tells him that Zander tried to kiss her but she slapped him and asked him to go. He eventually left but wasn't happy. Nikolas tells Lucky what is going on with Zander being increasingly threatening toward Emily. Nikolas suggests that she go out of town for a while so Zander won't find her again and try to manipulate or scare her anymore. Nikolas feels that he can't protect Emily while he is locked away. Emily reluctantly agrees to go somewhere and let Lucky help keep her safe somewhere. 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. After Ric left Nikolas in the visitor's room, Zander walks in. He tries to get a rise out of Nikolas by being there and asking if Emily is there. Nikolas turns the tables on him by telling him that Emily came over and told him how he tried to get her to come back to him and how he had Lucky bring her somewhere safe so he couldn't find her. He tells Zander that if he thinks that by having him convicted of murder and using Ric to do it will mean he will get Emily to come back to him it isn't going to happen. He explains to him that Emily told him that she now hates Zander and wants nothing to do with him ever again. This statement angers Zander who attacks Nikolas and beats him up and throws him across the room.

A fighting Zander and Nikolas fly 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 Ink’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. 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. Lucky implores Nikolas to let Lucky expose Ric's attempts to bury the information about Ben. But Nikolas urges his brother to wait. Nikolas explains that he mostly wants to nail Zander and wants to do that first, before they try to expose Ric's complicity. Lucky reluctantly agrees to wait. After Lucky leaves, Nikolas receives a call from his groundskeeper, informing Nikolas that a strange man has broken in to Wyndemere. Nikolas tells the groundskeeper that he will take care of the intruder himself.

Alexis, Nikolas and Emily show up to talk to Jax (just returned from Azure Keys). Jax has good news for them about the murder case. He tells them that Sonny and Sam heard Ben tell them that he killed Cody McCall when he followed Sam there to steal the treasure from her. He tells Nikolas that the case against him should be dropped soon. Alexis asks Jax to take better care of himself and not die on her. She leaves after talking to Mac on the phone about the case and is on her way to the police station to make sure that nothing ends up on Nikolas' record.

Jax tells Nikolas that Sam no longer has the treasure and that someone on the island stole the treasure from Sam and that the only thing Sam found was some ring with an insignia on it. Nikolas and Emily realize the ring must be the one that belonged to Blackguard the pirate. Nikolas shows Jax his tattoo with the same insignia that is on the ring Sam has on her. They tell Jax that the ring was left on the island by Nikolas' ancestor. Nikolas and Emily discuss the treasure. Nikolas tells her they have no sizable amount of cash right now and need that treasure.

Emily and Nikolas return to Wyndemere to find Jax waiting for them. He tells them he waited so he could warn them in person that Sam wants the treasure and that Helena is in town and has the treasure herself. Helena returns to Wyndemere and greets Nikolas cheerfully. Nikolas tells her that he is engaged to Emily Quartermaine. Helena tells him his taste has improved in women since his last one but doesn't think Emily has enough breeding to be a Cassadine. Nikolas tells her that he loves Emily and that she will respect her while she is there. Helena pushes him aside and tells him she has something to tell him. He guesses she is going to tell him she found the treasure. She tells him she does have the treasure and that it is all for him.

 Emily and Nikolas are shocked to find out that Helena has the treasure. Helena tells Nikolas that she stole it to save him from bankruptcy, but they don't buy it. When Nikolas informs her that the treasure is also the Quartermaines and that he plans to share it with Emily, Helena withholds it from him and demands that he let Emily go. Nikolas refuses, but Emily bursts out that she's willing to give Nikolas up in order to save him from his dangerous creditors. The two continue to pretend that they will separate for the treasure, but Helena doesn't buy Emily's act. Emily declares that she's willing to do anything for Nikolas, so Helena tells her that she'll keep an eye on the situation, and then she leaves. Nikolas and Emily laugh at their ruse, but Nikolas knows that Helena didn't believe it. They discuss how to steal the treasure from her, and take off to find it. As they leave, someone is seen watching them from the eyes of a painting of a Cassadine ancestor. They return and come to the decision that Helena likely has the treasure out of the country. They continue to plot how to steal it from her, and after they leave Helena emerges with a smile. As she toasts the Cassadine painting on the wall, she is suddenly grabbed from behind. At GH, Zander listens in as Brian talks to Courtney about the shooting. Ric comes up and tells Zander that he is wanted for questioning. Zander realizes he is being set up and takes off running. The police are looking for him; his picture is in the newspaper as a fugitive.

In flashbacks, it is shown that Courtney shot Brian (Brian names Zander to protect her, figuring Zander is a mob guy and guilty of something). Maxie comes upon Zander while he takes refuge from the police in a treatment room. He begs her to help him and that he is innocent. She agrees (and hides him out at her house, not included). Lucky meets with Nikolas and Emily at Kelly's. He tells them that he hasn't found out where Helena went off to suddenly. They figure she went off to hide the treasure somewhere else instead at Wyndemere.

Before Lucky leaves for work, Emily asks Lucky to make sure that Zander isn't harmed by the police and to bring him in for his own safety. Nikolas gets upset with her for continuing to defend Zander after everything he has done lately. Emily admits to Nikolas that she still feels that Zander wouldn't have shot a cop and that deep down he is a good man under all that hurt and she feels guilty for causing him pain. Nikolas tells her that he is tired of her continuing to feel guilty for what Zander decides to do on his own and making excuses for him. She tells him she can't help it and that Zander is hurting because she left him and that he loved her. Nikolas tells her that he doesn't want her to let Zander manipulate her anymore.

Emily shows up on the docks alone. She hears a noise and asks who is there. Zander comes out of the shadows to talk to her. He pleads for her to help him and insists he didn't shoot the cop like they are accusing him of and that he has everyone after him and is going to get killed if she doesn't help him. Emily feels bad for him and tells him to just leave town and not come back. Zander tells her that she would like that if he left town and didn't come back. He tries to get her sympathy by telling her that everyone he ever cared about and loved has turned their backs on him including Alexis, and his father and that he needs her to believe him and help him. He starts to cry and tries to kiss her but she pushes him away and pleads with him to leave town for his own good. He refuses to leave and tries to get her to love him and starts to kiss her. Nikolas grabs him and pushes him away from Emily. Zander backs away but pulls a gun out of his jacket and points it at Nikolas. He asks Emily if she is ready to see him kill Nikolas in front of her.

Jax watches as Zander points a gun at Nikolas intending to kill him. Nikolas steps in front of Emily to protect her and asks Zander if he really wants to kill him in front of Emily. Zander doesn't seem to care at the moment. Jax very quietly climbs from the stairwell onto the docks so Zander won't hear him approach. Jax jumps Zander and tries to wrestle the gun from him. The gun goes off and it appears that Zander was shot somewhere on the leg. He manages to get the gun from Jax by knocking him to the ground. Zander points the gun at Jax and tries to shoot him but the gun jams up on him and he can't fire. Zander runs away.

Nikolas calls 911 for the injured Zander and then calls the police. Lucky comes over and takes a statement from Jax and Nikolas. He alerts the police about Zander's possible whereabouts and that his leg was injured. As Nikolas is talking to Lucky, Jax talks to Emily, who thanks him for saving their lives and not shooting Zander. She feels that Zander isn't really a killer and was just desperate. Jax tells her he felt his life was going to end even though he didn't think Zander would have meant to really kill him. Nikolas and Emily go back to Wyndemere and get into an argument over Zander. Emily still wants to see the best in Zander and doesn't want him to die and Nikolas tells her he wants him to die.

Maxie finds an injured bleeding Zander at GH. She follows him into the elevator and is worried how he will get out of GH unseen as the cops are once again looking for him (he had confronted Brian in his room, not shown). Lucky realizes that the elevator has stopped and that Zander is in it. The police get the elevator moving again, and when the doors open, they see on Maxie. She again denies helping Zander, and although suspicious, Lucky finally believes her and leaves without seeing Zander's blood dripping from the elevator shaft, the camera pans up to the ceiling of the elevator to indicate Zander's means of escape. Emily and Nikolas argue over Zander, with Nikolas pointing out that they agreed to share their lives together so she no longer has the right to throw hers away in order to save Zander from himself. She can't help but feel responsible, but Alan agrees with Nikolas and tells her to be careful.

Back at Wyndemere, Emily apologizes to Nikolas by pulling him into a kiss. Nikolas comes upon Emily searching for information on Zander from the Internet. She says that news reports say he's still at large, and she hopes he's made it to Canada. Nikolas changes the subject to Helena, and the two think that she's probably hiding, but has not gone far. They begin to search through her purse, and Emily discovers papers written by Blackthorn. They read the pages and discover that Constance and Blackthorn didn't die when the ship was sunk, but rather made it to an island, likely Spoon Island, where they had food and treasure to maintain their lives. Emily and Nikolas begin to search the area where Blackthorn hid, and they come upon the symbol of two hearts that he mentioned in the pages. They kiss in happiness at their discovery, and accidentally dislodge the secret door.

Maxie rushes a disguised Zander through the PC hotel lobby, and takes him down to the boiler room. It's clear that he is severely wounded and in great pain, and Maxie doesn't want to leave him alone. Zander asks her to get him some pain medication to take the edge off, but she refuses to leave without him. He begs her to do this last favor for him, and promises to stay put and rest until she returns. Maxie finally agrees and goes to the hospital to steal pain medication for him, but once she's gone, Zander collapses. Later, Edward walks in with a maintenance man. They overhear the man tell Edward his electrical system is dangerously outdated and in need of an upgrade. Edward promises to have it fixed as soon as he has a cash flow again. As Zander recovers in the Boiler Room of the Port Charles Hotel, the electricity continues to malfunction. Zander fantasizes that he sees Emily and that Emily pleads with Zander to reconcile with her and allow her to go with him to Canada just as they had planned to go years before.

The security technician finds Edward and reports that the new security system, put in place just for the auction of the pirate treasure, will overload the electrical grid and the hotel could go up in smoke the next time someone turns on a hair dryer. However, Edward informs the Electrical Technician that nothing can be done about the electrical system for at least another 24 hours. After that time, Edward assures the technician, the Quartermaine family will have enough money to update the Hotel's electrical system with all of the latest technology. The Quartermaines gather in the hotel for the auctioning off of the treasure. The Quartermaines and the Cassadines will split the proceeds from the auction evenly.

Tracey has Coleman meet her there. He is carrying a gun under his tuxedo jacket and hangs around waiting for a moment when Tracey can distract the guards and he can make his move to steal the treasure from the families. Nikolas tells Emily that he doesn't trust Tracey or Helena not to try and steal the treasure during the auction and gets more security to help him. Tracey announces she wants to make a toast and makes a big spectacle of herself to get the guards' attention. Coleman waits until he sees a guard watching Tracey intently and moves his hand to the guard's gun as if to take it from him but Nikolas surprises him by coming up behind him and grabbing him by the arms and knocking him backwards. The security guard sees what is going on and helps Nikolas subdue Coleman. Nikolas orders the guards to escort Coleman from the hotel premises and make sure he leaves. Helena warns Tracey that if she tries to steal the treasure she will not live to see it. Lucky shows up with Brian at the hotel after hearing about how the treasure was almost stolen.

Nikolas suspiciously watches as Maxie exits a door from the basement. Nik heads down 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. 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.

Edward gets a call from the hotel manager. He tells them that there is a fire in the hotel and that they all must evacuate immediately. Mac and a uniformed cop show up at the hotel after getting Nikolas' call. They ask the hotel clerk at the front desk about the utility room and where it is and announce that the fugitive Zander Smith has been hiding down there and is locked inside right now. Mac and the cop draw their weapons as they approach the 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. The fire department shows up. The Quartermaines are informed that the fire is spreading quickly to all the floors and that it is reaching the stairwells too. Nikolas finds out that the fire seems to have started somewhere in the basement. Nikolas starts to feel guilty for locking Zander up down in the basement. He ends up telling Emily what he did and worries that he may have inadvertently put Zander in grave danger. Monica and Emily urge Alan to go downstairs in the freight elevator, which is still working and go downstairs and help make sure everyone gets some medical attention. Everyone begins to bicker about the emergency situation.

Nikolas is distraught to realize he could be partially to blame if Zander dies. He tells Emily that he knocked Zander out and locked him in the furnace room where the fire began. Emily tries to comfort him and tell him that he's not to blame. Edward admits to Justus that it's his responsibility to keep the building up to code, and Lucky informs everyone that propane tanks from construction on the floor below have burst and that the only way out is the roof. Everyone rushes out to the balcony to wave down the helicopter, but it turns away. They all begin screaming, and Lucky tells them that the winds are too high for the helicopter to land and rescue them.

Helena keeps on Nikolas to try and get out on his own because he's more important than the others, and Edward feels guilt for his part in the fire. Tracy tries to bond with Edward, but he tells her that she frightens him because she reminds him of everything that's bad in himself. Nikolas and Emily decide that Helena may have a point, and they decide to go to the stairwell to investigate a possible alternative to the helicopter rescue. Nikolas tries to get Lucky to go with them, but he says he has to take care of the people waiting to be rescued. As Emily crosses the room after kissing Monica, the ceiling and chandelier begin to collapse. Nikolas runs to push her out of the way, but it falls on both of them. Nikolas escapes unharmed, but Emily gets a cut on her leg that hits her artery. Monica wraps the cut and puts a tourniquet on her, but informs Nikolas that she has to get the wound stitched soon or Emily could bleed to death. While Emily rests and Monica tends to other people, Helena takes the opportunity to loosen Emily's dressing so that she will die and free Nikolas.

On the balcony outside the Versailles Room, Monica and Nikolas wait together for one of the helicopter pilots to drop a medical kit onto the roof so Monica can suture the wound in Emily's leg. Meanwhile, Helena takes advantage of Monica's absence to remove the tourniquet from an unconscious Emily's leg. Cassandra Kanelos, the Hotel Electrician who warned Edward about the faulty wiring, arrives in the Versailles Room and collapses at Edward's feet. Pointing towards Edward, Cassandra dies. When Monica and Nikolas return with the medical kit, a horrified Monica discovers that Emily is bleeding again and rushes to stop the bleeding. Helena overhears Tracy, Justus and Edward arguing over the best way to deal with Quartermaine responsibility for the fire. Edward sits beside Emily and prays for forgiveness for the shortcomings that precipitated the disaster at the Hotel.

Monica quietly informs Nikolas that Emily's bandage could not have just fallen off the way it did and that the bandage was probably removed deliberately. Nikolas immediately suspects Helena. However, before Nikolas can confront his grandmother, Emily opens her eyes and tells Nikolas that she loves him. Ric gets up on the roof by helicopter to help rescue everyone. He wonders how Capelli got upstairs so quickly since he wasn't with him in the helicopter. Nikolas confronts Helena about loosening the tourniquet on Emily's leg to kill her. Helena denies it. Nikolas warns her that if he finds out she had anything to do with trying to harm Emily, she will wish she died in this fire.

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. Nikolas tells Emily that he will give her his number if it comes up first before hers since she was injured. Emily doesn't want him to do that and tells him she is fine now. They both are pleased when they find out that their numbers are close together and they will be getting on the helicopter at the same time. Luke offers to give Skye his number, which comes up before hers. Skye refuses to accept his offer but is touched by his gesture. Edward tells Justus that he can't go on the helicopter before everyone else since he is the owner of the hotel and that the fire is really his fault and that he doesn't feel right about it. Justus tells him that he has to take his number when it is called like he agreed to do and not to play the martyr now.

Ric has Jason arrested for Brian's murder. 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. Jason gives his number to Courtney to take and to get on the next helicopter instead of him.

Suddenly the floor beneath Sonny and Carly and it caves in from the fire. Sonny and Carly fall to the floor below them. Capelli orders Jason to stop on the stair and points a gun at him and plans to kill Jason and make it look as if Jason tried to overpower him instead. Jason surprises Capelli by striking him with a kick instead and knocks Capelli's gun away. Capelli grabs Jason and throws him against the wall and knocks him out briefly and retrieves the gun. He handcuffs Jason to the stairwell and leaves him there. Jason asks him how he is going to explain the handcuffs being attached to the stairwell railing and Capelli tells him he will convince Ric that he had to handcuff him because he got violent with him and that he had to and that he planned on getting someone to help find him but it was too late.

Capelli goes up on the roof and insists on getting on the last helicopter. Monica, Emily, and Nikolas ask him where Jason is. Capelli lies and tells them that Jason got too violent so he had to handcuff him to the stairwell until someone could find him and get him out. Monica and Emily yell at Capelli. Nikolas tells Emily to go on the helicopter and he will go back and help Jason. Emily tries to insist on going with him to help Jason but he refuses to let her and makes her go on the helicopter and get medical treatment there. Emily reluctantly gets on the helicopter. Emily sobs as she says goodbye to Nikolas and boards the helicopter. He waves to her as she goes into the air, and she screams as the roof explodes in flames and collapses around him. Nikolas manages to live through it and finds his way to the stairwell where Jason has been handcuffed to the railing. Jason yells at Nikolas to leave him and get out, but Nikolas refuses. He walks away and quickly returns with an ax to break Jason's handcuff. As the men try to figure out a way to get out, they realize that a gas pipe is leaking and they run as it explodes.

At the hospital, Monica rushes Emily into a room to get blood and be treated for her cut. Emily is out of it, but awakes after her transfusion in terror over Nikolas. Monica tries to comfort her, but Emily can't calm down. After Monica leaves the room, Emily removes her IV and goes to find Nikolas herself. Emily shows up, and together with Courtney, they worry as they 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. Emily begs Sonny to do something. She wants them to continue searching.

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. He tells his sister that Nikolas survived the roof collapse, found him and saved his life, but unfortunately broke a gas pipe in the process. He recounts his memory of running into a hotel corridor with Nikolas when an explosion occurred, pinning them both under beams. Jason awoke and was able to get out, but he couldn't get to Nikolas. Emily begins to sob and refuses to believe that Nikolas is dead.

Jason and Courtney bring Emily back to the hospital to be checked out, but she can only call for people to find Nikolas. After they wheel her into a room, the police arrive to arrest Jason for the attempted murder of Brian. Courtney tries to follow him to the station, but he tells her to look after Emily. Emily refuses to stay at the hospital, even after Monica and Alan demand it. She tells them that either they drive her to the hotel or she'll walk over to find Nikolas. Liz walks into the room and offers to take her. As Emily dresses, 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. When she can't find him, she calls out to him and then breaks down. Emily learns that Edward is responsible for the fire and blames him for Nikolas' death.

At Wyndemere, Helena blasts Emily and blames her for Nikolas' death. She tries to kick Emily out of Wyndemere but Emily refuses to leave and points out that she bought Wyndemere back for Nikolas and that she can't make her leave. Helena continues to blame Emily for not allowing Nikolas to escape the fire when he could have and that she should have bled to death. Emily tells Helena that she is going to tell Monica that she was the one who loosened her tourniquet and tried to kill her. Alexis walks in and hears Helena lighting into Emily cruelly and orders her to leave Emily alone. Helena turns around and tells Alexis to leave with Emily and that she has no right to be there. Alexis informs her that she is the executor of the estate and if there is anyone who isn't welcome at Wyndemere is herself. Helena tells her that Emily wasn't good enough for Nikolas and that she should have died instead of him. Alexis tells her that Nikolas loved Emily and that he wouldn't want her treating her like this. Helena vows revenge on Emily and leaves.

Alexis talks with Emily about Nikolas. Alexis tells her that she was the one constant true love in Nikolas' life and that she should be proud of that. Emily takes comfort from Alexis, who informs her that Nikolas never changed his will before he "died" and that he left half of his estate for Leslie Lu and Kristina and that he set up trusts for them for college and made sure that Laura could still be able to live in the mental facility she is currently staying in. Emily asks Alexis if she can look through his desk and that there are some photos she would like to have of him. Alexis tells her to take what she wants. Emily looks at some recent photos taken of her and Nikolas. She looks at them and cries. She hears a voice calling her name and she looks up. An injured and weak Nikolas is in the doorway and having difficulty walking. Emily is in shock but runs to him and hugs him fiercely.

Nikolas tells Emily that his love for her kept him going in the hotel fire and it helped him get out of the building. Alexis hugs Nikolas hello and tells him Cameron and Scott Baldwin died in the fire and that Zander is missing. Nikolas thought Zander died because of him, but Alexis reassured him it wasn't his fault. Helena sees Nikolas and tells him he survived as he is the greatest Cassadine of all. Nikolas wanted to start over fresh with the family, but Helena asks Emily to leave Nikolas or their love will destroy her and ruin Nikolas. Emily is disgusted by Helena's continued attempts to break her and Nikolas up. Helena insists that they split up, and warns them both that Cassadines destroy those that they love, and while Emily thinks she's being melodramatic, Nikolas knows she speaks the truth. Emily decides that she doesn't care about a potential curse on the Cassadines, that she will be with Nikolas no matter what, but it's clear that Nikolas is not convinced. They are interrupted by a call from Lucky, telling them that Zander is the body that was found in the hotel. Despite Emily's protests, Nikolas decides he has to tell Ric about his part in Zander's death. Maxie enters the PCPD as Nikolas is turning himself in for locking Zander in the furnace room.

**The End**