Nadine: So what do you think?


Nikolas: This is why you dragged me out of Windermere in the middle of the night?


Nadine: I guess it's not much on first sight. But I always pass this place on my way to work and it struck me for some reason. Location is everything, right? And you can't beat
this. I mean, a block from the hospital, smack dab in the middle of a lively community.


Nikolas: "Lively" -- I guess that's as good a word as any.


Nadine: It's a neighborhood in transition. The developers are buying places left and right. And in a year or two, this will be one of those live-work-shop type of communities. And I know the building doesn't look like much now, but with a little time and money, both of which you have in abundance, the clinic can be something not only vital to the community, but a place that people don't have to be ashamed to enter.


Nikolas: I don't know. I guess I could call a realtor and have them show us the property, get some information on construction zoning, things like that.


Nadine: The lock's broken.


Nikolas: Probably because vagrants live in there.


Nadine: Doesn't look like anyone's inside. Why wait for some stuffy old appointment? Let's check it out now. Come on.


Spinelli: Once again the Jackal's social ineptitude has blown up in another beautiful face.


Leyla: Look, it's not your fault. I should have just been honest with my mother and told her I'm not seeing anyone, let alone a nice Persian doctor.


Spinelli: You explained the ruse, but never the reason. I mean, why would you feel compelled to lie to your mother?

Leyla: I come from a traditional family. My mom's proud of my accomplishments, but she firmly believes that a woman should be married by the ripe old age of 21. Preferably to another Persian. And that that happily newly-formed couple should immediately embark upon the task of baby making. I'm exhausted of having to explain to her that I'm just not ready for that. Of seeing the disappointment on her face. She thinks I'm a coward. I probably am.


Spinelli: No one would ever mistake you for cowardly. I mean, you -- you are the beautiful, brave one. You took a bullet for one of your coworkers. That is the opposite of cowardice.


Leyla: I knew that bullet was a lot easier to confront than my mother's shattered dreams.


Spinelli: Respectfully submitted, you are under no obligation to live your life according to someone else's expectations, not even your most-loved maternal unit.


Leyla: Maybe I should just tell her that there is no Leo in the picture, only she'd drag me outside and introduce me to every Persian bachelor between the ages of 15 and 70.


Spinelli: Everyone would fall at your feet. For you are without question the fairest lady here.


Leyla: Do you want to know something? You're the perfect date.


Spinelli: Me?


Leyla: Yeah. There's really no one else I'd rather be with tonight.


Kate: Maxie, we're done for the evening.


Maxie: Hi.


Sonny: I'm sorry. I didn't know -- I thought -


Maxie: That's clear. I'm about to disappear. I don't want to make anyone mad. When you wake up, your PDA will be waiting for you, fully functional. Bye.


Kate: Bye.


Sonny: You could have said something. I didn't -- you know -- I should have known, you could have been, you know, working at home, but I didn't think -


Kate: Well, after I dropped mike off at Kelly's, I just didn't feel like going back to the office.


Sonny: Mike called you?


Kate: Mm-hmm. I didn't mind, Sonny. You know we both have something in common -- we're both worried about you.


Sonny: Well, I'm not the one who got his ass kicked.


Kate: No, but your son was shot and your father being beaten could stir up feelings of helplessness.


Sonny: I don't want to -- listen to me. I do not want to examine feelings. I just want you.


Lucky: The way that you reacted the night Michael got shot, it made me realize... you and me and Elizabeth, we all want the same thing. We want that… Jake to have a happy, safe life. I love Jake. I love Jake with all my heart. I worry about him. And I feel joy when he smiles at me. I look forward to knowing that I can be a part of everything he can be. What you did was a huge sacrifice. I just wanted you to know that I'll never dishonor that.


Jason: Thank you.


[Door closes]


Johnny: You just really pissed me off.


Lulu: No kidding.


Johnny: Not just for fighting with my sister, but you implied that I'm some kind of puppet.


Lulu: I'm sorry. That is not what I mean. It's Claudia that -- she's pissing me off.


Johnny: You don't know the first thing about her. Lulu, she's been through hell.


[Lulu sighs]


Johnny: Claudia was banished from here when she was 16 years old, ripped away from her family, from everything that she knew from her home. Nobody checked on her. It
was like she never existed. Do you think that was easy?

Lulu: I'm sure it wasn't.


Johnny: Ok, but Claudia pulled through. She dealt with the blows like the survivor that she is. And her love for me, her determination to protect me against our father never wavered. I love my sister. And that's not going to change. And I just wish you could find some compassion in your heart for her.


Lulu: Ok. I respect your loyalty for Claudia. I understand it. I feel the same way about my family. Right or wrong, we back each other. That is why I am so protective over
Nikolas. He lost the love of his life. It's like an open wound. I cannot stand to think about Claudia taking advantage of him.


Johnny: How do you know it's not the other way around?


Lucky: Grr! Whose good-looking family is this?


[Elizabeth laughs]


Cameron: Yours.


Lucky: That's right. Why don't we go get us some hamburger and fries?


Elizabeth: Ok. Hey, Cameron, what do you say to daddy for taking us out to dinner?


Cameron: Thank you, daddy.


Lucky: You got it.


Elizabeth: That's right.


Jason: How are you doing?


Mike: A little battered, a little bruised. I tried to get some rest, but that didn't happen so I thought a change of scenery might help.


Jason: Yeah, I just wanted to let you know that Sullivan -- he's been handled. He's leaving town.


Mike: Ok. Well, good riddance. That guy was a dirt bag. But, Jason, let's be honest. I did welch on that loan.


Jason: Right.


Mike: But, damn it, I couldn't go to Sonny for a bailout. Not after what happened with Michael.


Jason: You should've come to me.


Mike: Look, I thought I was safe, ok? What two-bit loan shark is going to risk everything by doing a number on Sonny Corinthos' father?


Jason: That's the problem. You need to understand something. Sonny wanted a clean break. That's the only way retirement works. That means he's got to be all the way out.
And that means I can't send out any signals that make it look like he's still connected.


Sonny: Where are you going?


Kate: I'm flattered, ok, by your sudden desire for me. But I'm pretty sure it's coming from somewhere else.


Sonny: Why do we have to analyze everything?


Kate: I don't mind being used. I just want to know why.


Sonny: Why? Because I'm all over the place. I'm angry, I'm frustrated, I'm drowning in my own grief. Now it turns out I can't protect my father from that lowlife scum. That's
fine. I can deal with that. It's just that...


[Sonny sighs]


Sonny: I've been hearing Michael's voice in my head over and over again saying "I love you, dad," and realizing that that was the end, right at that moment. You know what? I'm not going to dump this on you. I know you got a lot of stuff to do.


Kate: No, Sonny, no. I can't help you if I don't know what's going on. You're going to have to trust me enough to be honest with me. Can you do that?


Mac: Carly? We've gotten the reports back on Michael's shooting. Forensics, eyewitness testimony. Everything indicates that Ian Devlin acted alone.


Carly: Some doctor from General Hospital decides to shoot Sonny and Michael gets hit and that's all you know?


Mac: We've researched Devlin's past and current associations and came up with nothing that would indicate motive. Whatever the reason died with him.


Carly: Ok, so that's it?


Mac: The case is closed, Carly. It's over.


Leyla: Can this evening get any worse? I mean, I just caught this damn thing.


Spinelli: It's not as if you had a choice. The not-so-blushing bride aimed and fired directly at your upturned hand.

Leyla: Don't think that my mom didn't have something to do with that.


Spinelli: It's unfortunate that you can't fully enjoy yourself at such a festive event. I wish there was something I could do to help.


Leyla: Do you really mean that?


Spinelli: Most definitely.


Leyla: Well, then dance with me. That's what I'd really like.


[Spinelli laughs]


Spinelli: Ok. You ready?


Leyla: Yeah.


Nikolas: This isn't exactly what I had in mind when I pictured this place.


Nadine: Oh, you've got to see beyond the four walls. I mean -- well, like that. Over there.


Nikolas: What? What are you doing?


Nadine: I just want to get up for a closer look.


Nikolas: Here. Careful.


[Nadine screams]


[Nikolas moans]


Nadine: Oh, God! Oh, God, please tell me you didn't hit your head.


Nikolas: [Gasping] I need air, I need a little air.


Man: Hey, freeze! Police!


Nadine: Oh.


Cop: Well, well, what do we have here?


Nikolas: I don't know what you're thinking right now.


Cop: I'm thinking you're both under arrest for breaking and entering and solicitation.


Johnny: Nikolas will not be the first grieving widower to reach out for a distraction you know, try to find a new woman, let her believe that she can heal him, when he knows very well that A: it's impossible, B: she's transitional, and C: he doesn't give a damn about her and he never will. And it doesn't have to be malicious, Lulu. It's just -- it's a product of grief.


Lulu: I think that is exactly what's happening, except Claudia is manipulating the situation, not Nikolas.


Johnny: Ok. Let's say I buy that and you're right.


Lulu: Ok.


Johnny: Nikolas is not trying to exploit Claudia. Then he'll stop pursuing her. And can stop talking about this.


Lulu: That's the best idea I've heard all night. Fighting about family is very old.


Johnny: I'd rather not fight with you at all.


Maxie: Yes, thank you for checking in, the dresses did arrive. Miss Howard is not here.


Claudia: Oh, good. I actually came to see you.


Maxie: Why?


Claudia: I've heard a few things about you. Namely, that you're friendly with my brother. And you can't stand Lulu Spencer.


Maxie: Well, that's true, but I can't imagine why you would care.


Claudia: Well, I'm just guessing you could always use extra cash. Am I right?


Maxie: I'm listening.


Claudia: I will pay you $10,000 to seduce my brother John. I'll give you $20,000 if you can get lulu to catch you in the act.


Jason: Mike, I did not ask for this job. Sonny insisted I take it, which means I have to make the decisions, and one of them was to keep Sonny untouched.


Mike: I understand. My son's fresh start won't be sabotaged by my screwing up, ok?


Jason: If you're threatened by anybody else, you just come -


Mike: Yeah, ok -- a bad debt or whatever, I'm sure I'll let you know.


Jason: Ok, and if you need money, all you have to do is ask.


Mike: Maybe. But maybe I finally learned my lesson. Ok?


Jason: All right. Take care.


Mike: Jason, a little unasked for advice, ok? Learn from Sonny's mistakes. Isolate yourself. And don't pull innocent people into the line of fire.


Jason: I won't.


Jason: Hey, what's going on? Where's your -


Lucky: Come on, Cam, let's get some fries.


Jason: Cam almost ran into me.


Elizabeth: It's after-daycare energy.


Jason: I remember.


Elizabeth: I should go inside.

(Jason grabs onto Elizabeth's wrist before she goes into Kelly's. She looks back at him and they both stare into each other's eyes for a moment.)


Mac: I know how rough this is, facing it all over again.


Carly: You're just doing your job.


Mac: I wish there was more I could do, more I could tell you.


Carly: As I understand it, Sonny saw the rifle. When Ian Devlin raised the gun to fire, he pushed Kate out of the way, and the bullet ricocheted and hit Michael.


Mac: That matches our findings.


Carly: Ok, so what if Sonny would've shielded Michael instead of Kate? Would Michael have been saved?


Mac: If Sonny had moved the other way, it may have drawn gunfire closer to Michael.


Carly: Ok, yeah, but the bullet could have missed them both, right?


Mac: There's no way to tell.


Carly: Come on. Off the record. You have to have a gut instinct or an opinion or something.


Mac: Carly, Carly... I don't have the answer you want, because there isn't one. After Georgia was murdered, I spent hours rereading the file, going over all the reports. I kept trying to tell myself I was looking for the killer. I was just looking for an answer. Why? You can make yourself crazy trying to make sense of it...That a young life was cut short, that your child was taken. People talking about finding peace. I haven't found it. I just think about the way Georgia lived. I think about her smile.


Carly: Thank you. I appreciate all the work you' done to help Michael.


Mac: I'm sorry.


Sonny: When I chose to get out of the business, it was all about protecting my children, making amends for Michael by giving up the fee that took him. The life that gave me
power and that I loved.


Kate: Right, it's like penance. It's not a sacrifice unless it means something.


Sonny: Absolutely. But, I want to focus on the future. A new life that gives me legitimacy and safety. But, my instincts, everything I know, ties me back to the old one. And I'm not going to lie to you -- watching Jason in charge, knowing that he's making mistakes. I disagree with his mistakes -


Kate: Ok, Sonny, so what am I hearing? Do you want to go back to the organization?


Sonny: Would you stay with me if I did?


>> On the next "general hospital" -


Maxie: Lulu definitely deserves this.


Kate: My career choices never cost me someone I love.


Alexis: It's only a matter of time before they get back together.


Carly: Your brand new love with Kate didn't stop you from wanting me?