Outside the Floating Rib, Julian dialed Cyrus' number. At the exact same time, an explosion went off inside. There were bodies strewn everywhere in the mostly dark establishment, except for the flashing and sizzling lights that went off periodically. Elizabeth managed to get herself to her feet, and she saw that Franco was awake. She located Cameron, who was injured but alive. He asked about Danny and Dev. Outside, Dante struggled to his feet after having been knocked down, and he called 9-1-1 for help.
Laura found Sonny at Volonino's gym and told him that Cyrus had been after her. Cyrus had seemed to be interested in a murder that she'd committed when she'd been a minor, and he'd obtained the heavily redacted file. She proceeded to tell Sonny about David Hamilton, an older man she'd been interested in.
Laura explained that David had been a predator and had used her to get back at her mother. She began to cry as she recalled how David had ripped up Laura's letters and laughed at her. She had pushed him, and he'd died after hitting his head. She had been convicted of murder. Sonny stopped her. He thought that David had gotten what he'd deserved.
Laura didn't understand why the old case had shown up after so many years. Sonny informed her that he had his eyes on Cyrus, but he didn't know what Cyrus could be up to. Laura thought that it could be for leverage or blackmail, or maybe Cyrus had known David. She still wondered why Cyrus would "drag it up." Sonny thought it was because Laura was the mayor. Laura thought it was more. Just then, they each received a phone call.
At General Hospital, Carly asked Portia for an update on Sasha. Portia revealed that the young woman had had a difficult night. Portia wondered where Sasha had obtained the drug she'd taken and declared that it had been either very strong cocaine or something else. She added that either way, it had caused the heart attack.
Portia confided that there had been a rise in overdoses, and she and Carly agreed that they knew who had been responsible. Carly noted that they had to keep their families safe, and Portia disclosed that Trina had rebounded after the grief of her father's death. When the phone at the nurses' desk rang, Portia answered it. She agreed to alert the staff and told Carly about the explosion at the Floating Rib.
Sam stopped Alexis from leaving the intervention at Sam's place. Sam asked her mother if she'd rather drink and promised that no one would enable Alexis. She asked Alexis to stay and listen. Molly and Valentin joined in to try to persuade Alexis to stay. Alexis chose to go to the door, but Molly's words about being named after The Unsinkable Molly Brown won Alexis over.
Alexis slammed the door and told the assembled group to use their perfect words and get it over with. She sat down. Diane asked to go first, and Alexis taunted her for referring to a paper instead of "winging it." Diane proclaimed that Alexis meant a lot to her.
Diane spoke of a couple of previous experiences they'd had together and their sharing of secrets. Diane referred to Alexis as "my most cherished comrade," and she wiped away tears. Diane wanted her friend back because things were not the same, and Diane wanted to help.
Alexis insisted that she was just drinking, and it wasn't the end of the world. She wanted to know who else had a "heartwarming" story to share. At that point, everyone's phones either rang or chimed with news of the explosion. Sam was beside herself with worry because she knew that Danny and Jason had been at the Floating Rib.
Sam wanted to leave immediately, and Alexis offered to go with her. When Sam declined, Alexis offered to babysit for Scout instead. Sam made it clear that she wanted Alexis nowhere near her kids. Diane offered to accompany Sam while Molly chose to stay to watch Scout. Valentin also stayed behind. Molly assured Alexis that Sam hadn't meant what she'd said, but Alexis knew that she had. Valentin wondered if it showed Alexis how much her drinking had affected her family.
Julian ran up to Dante outside of the Floating Rib and claimed to have been driving. Dante ran inside the building and found Lulu, while Cameron walked around looking for Dev, Danny, and Jason. He urged his mother to look after Franco. Finally, Cameron located Dev and did his best to try to wake him up. Dante cleared the way for Lulu to be able to move. Outside, Julian found Danny's cap and began to cry.
Lulu opened her eyes and began to call out for Dustin. Elizabeth urged Cameron to keep Dev warm while she attempted to stop the bleeding from Franco's head wound. First responders finally arrived, and people began to call out to them. Carly arrived and asked Julian about Dev, but he was crying as he showed her the cap. Carly grew emotional and asked if Jason and Danny were inside.
Sonny, Laura, and Mac arrived. Mac suggested that there had been a gas leak, and he announced that only first responders could get inside the building. He added that the roof had been partially caved in. Laura began to scream for Lulu.
Inside, Dante tried to calm Lulu down as paramedics worked over Dustin who clutched the engagement ring. Elizabeth reassured Franco that Cameron was okay. Dev was wheeled out, and Cameron followed. He wanted to accompany his friend to the hospital, but Sonny announced that he would go. Dante walked outside with Lulu, and Laura hugged her daughter profusely.
Lulu insisted that she had only bumped her head, and she was worried about Dustin. Laura wanted Lulu to be checked out at the hospital, and Dante offered to take her. Mac informed Laura that she was needed to address the press.
Sonny sat beside Dev in the ambulance and urged him to make it through. Dev mumbled through the oxygen mask and thanked Sonny for giving him a family and a home. He wanted Sonny to tell Josslyn he was sorry. Sonny begged him not to die, but Dev passed away seconds later.
Sam and Diane arrived at the scene of devastation, and Sam had to be stopped from going inside to try to find Jason and Danny. Diane urged her to allow the first responders to do their jobs. Sam spotted Julian and asked if he'd seen her husband and son. Julian handed her Danny's cap and comforted her.
Carly left a voicemail for Jason, and Sonny returned. He announced that Dev hadn't made it but had thanked Sonny for giving him a family. Carly was upset but glad that Sonny had been with the teenager. She stated that they had given Dev two years in their home. Sonny wanted to tell Brando before he heard it elsewhere.
Laura received word of Dev's death and informed Mac. Mac told her that Danny and Jason hadn't been found, and there was still no word on the cause of the explosion. Sonny left a voicemail for Brando, and Sam continued to scream that she needed to get inside.
At the hospital, a doctor updated Lulu and Dante that Dustin would need surgery. Dante wanted Lulu to get checked out first rather than fall over in front of Dustin, and he offered to check on Dustin himself. Elizabeth rushed in and asked a doctor if Franco's injury could have impacted his brain tumor.
Lulu cried to Laura that she had been waiting for a doctor to see her, and she hadn't seen Dustin yet. Elizabeth got to Franco's treatment bay as he pulled out tubes and tried to leave. She told him that he needed surgery to drain the blood from his brain, and it was possible that part of the brain tumor would be removed.
Franco argued that he'd rather die than be the same person he'd been in the past. Franco grew agitated and wanted to leave. Elizabeth informed him that he had to have the surgery, and he wouldn't die. Franco wanted her to let him go.
Dante stopped to check in on Dustin, who tried to get up while connected to various tubes and monitors. Dante assured him that Lulu was okay and would be in to see him. He joked that Lulu only looked fragile. Dustin wanted Dante to promise that he'd be there for Lulu, but Dante argued that Lulu wanted Dustin. Dustin insisted that she would need Dante.
Suddenly, Dustin struggled to breathe, and a monitor went off. Dante shouted for a doctor, and Portia ran in and yelled, "Code Blue." She began to work on Dustin, but it was too late. Dante met up with Lulu and Laura and shook his head. "I'm sorry. Dustin didn't make it," he said. Lulu grew hysterical and sobbed that she should have been with him. Dante revealed that Dustin's last words had been about Lulu. He held out the ring.
At Sam's place, Alexis searched for alcohol, and Valentin revealed that he couldn't find any in the kitchen, either. Molly was annoyed and snapped at Valentin. She reminded him that it was supposed to have been an intervention. Alexis suggested that Molly check in on Scout, and Molly headed upstairs. Valentin asked if he could read his letter and promised it wasn't as long as Diane's.
Alexis threw herself onto the sofa and stretched out. Valentin sat beside her and read. He stated that when he'd learned that his life had been a lie, Alexis had talked him down. If she'd been drinking, she wouldn't have been able to help him. He would always think of her as a sister. "Please don't drown yourself in alcohol. Love, Valentin," he concluded.
"Score!" Alexis shouted shortly after. She'd found a bottle and a couple of glasses and asked Valentin to join her. He was angry at her non-reaction to his sentiment, but Alexis poured herself a glass. Valentin announced that he would wait until there was word on Jason and Danny.
Alexis proclaimed that she had known the night would come. She'd hoped her grandson would grow up, but Sam had sent him out with his father. Jason was "a magnet to danger and dangerous people," she said. She added that it had caught up to him.
Outside the Floating Rib, Julian attempted to reach Cyrus on the phone. He growled that his grandson had been inside. Carly and Diane wondered if Jason and Danny had been inside during the explosion, but Carly knew that Jason had survived worse. Sam was in a daze, and Julian told her he needed to tell her what he'd done. Sam asked if it could wait because she was still waiting for word of her husband and son. She walked away.
Sonny told Diane about Dev, and he asked her to do the paperwork at the hospital as a family representative. He would look out for Sam. A cop informed Carly that they were still searching inside. Suddenly, she spotted Jason and ran into his arms. She ordered him to stop scaring her; she had known he wasn't dead.
Sam looked over and saw Jason. She ran and hugged him tightly as he explained that he had left the Floating Rib in order to drop Danny off at the Quartermaines'.
Outside the smoldering Floating Rib, Carly and Jason were joined by Sam and Sonny as Julian looked on. A hysterical Sam asked Jason where Danny was. Jason assured her that he'd just dropped Danny off at the Quartermaines'. Julian put Danny's cap down and walked away. Sam told Jason about Julian finding the cap. She looked around for Julian, but he wasn't there. Jason asked about Cameron and Dev, and Sonny informed him that Cameron was fine; however, Dev hadn't made it. Sonny walked off, and Carly followed him.
Sam wondered why Jason hadn't called her when he'd found out about the explosion. He explained that "something urgent came up," and by the time he'd gotten his dead phone charged, he'd heard about the explosion and had gone straight there. A few feet away, Sonny looked into the destroyed bar. He told Carly that Dev had crossed the world by himself to be part of their family. "Family is supposed to protect you. It's not supposed to end like this," he said.
As paramedics wheeled someone out of the Floating Rib on a stretcher, Mac instructed a cop that no one was to be allowed inside except emergency crews. Maxie and Peter arrived on the scene, and Maxie asked for an update. Mac reported that everyone should have been transported to the hospital by then. She specifically asked about Lulu and Dustin, but Mac instructed her to inquire at the hospital. Maxie advised Peter to stay there and cover the story, and she would keep him updated.
When Maxie was gone, Peter inspected the wreckage of the bar from the outside. He wondered if Mac would answer some questions for him, but Mac could only say that the PCPD would take over the investigation once the fire investigation team was done. Sonny approached Mac and informed him that Dev hadn't made it. Sonny asked Mac to tell Sonny what he found out regarding whether or not it was an accident. Mac replied that he and Felicia were meticulous with their maintenance of the bar, but something could have gotten past them.
Sonny and Carly returned to Jason and Sam, and Sam wondered if Brando knew about Dev. Carly wanted to tell him, but Sonny said that Brando hadn't been answering his phone. Jason figured that Brando would be at the hospital with Cyrus. Sam proposed that she and Jason go pick up Danny, but Jason had to go to the hospital first. Sonny thought that whatever it was could wait. However, Jason insisted that if it was something that could wait, he would let it. Sonny and Carly agreed to meet Jason at the hospital, and they left. Sam asked if it was something to do with Cyrus. Jason promised to fill her in later, and he hugged her and left.
In a room at the hospital, Dante gave Dustin's ring to a sobbing Lulu, and he tried to console her. He wanted to find a doctor to make sure that her headache wasn't something more serious, but she began to talk about how she hadn't even had the chance to say goodbye to Dustin. Outside the room, Deanna pointed Maxie in Lulu's direction, and Maxie entered the room. Dante left as Maxie embraced Lulu.
A crying Lulu told Maxie that she'd been about to ask Dustin for a break when he'd proposed, and there had been an explosion before she had even been able to answer. Maxie wondered what Lulu's answer would have been, and Lulu admitted that she would have turned Dustin down. She explained that, although her life with Dante was over, his return had made her own life uncertain, and she needed to figure out what she wanted. Maxie knew that all Dustin had wanted for Lulu was for her to be happy.
While it wasn't fair that Dustin had died, Maxie believed that it showed that time was too precious to waste. She urged Lulu to tell Dante how she felt. Lulu thought that it was too soon, and she wanted to honor Dustin. She added that she still felt a lot of pain from when Dante had left, and she refused to put herself and her family in that position again. She would want Dante to guarantee that he would never leave again. Maxie disclosed that that would be asking the impossible, as they'd been reminded that night that nothing in life was certain.
Dante was looking into the wreckage of the Floating Rib when Peter approached. Dante informed Peter that Maxie was with Lulu at the hospital, and he added that Dustin hadn't made it. Peter was upset to hear it and thought that it was unfair. Dante pointedly agreed that good people were dying, and people who deserved worse were walking around just fine. Peter wondered if Dante missed being a part of the action. Dante replied that he had other uses for his skill set, and he walked away.
On the other side of the building, a man handed Mac the preliminary report from the fire investigation team. Mac looked through it and muttered, "Damn. Someone did this on purpose."
Brad was asleep in his room as he called out, begging for someone not to kill him. Britt entered the room and woke him up, assuring him that it had just been a bad dream. Brad admitted that it had felt more like a premonition, and he knew that someone would "finish the job" and kill him. She urged him to relax because he was safe there. Brad disagreed, as Cyrus could have Brad killed, and everyone would believe that Sonny had done it. Britt vowed to find a way to keep him safe, and he wished her luck.
Outside of Brad's room, Britt was surprised to see Lucas there for Brad, but Lucas was shocked to learn that Brad was in the hospital. She told him about Brad's injuries. She added that Brad was lucky to be alive, but he needed all the support that he could get. Lucas went into Brad's room, waking Brad up. Refusing to look at Brad, Lucas read through Brad's chart and saw that he had an excellent prognosis. He called Brad lucky, and Brad replied, "I used to be." Just then, Deanna stuck her head into the room and informed Lucas that he was needed in the emergency room. Lucas left the room despite Brad's pleas for a conversation.
Cyrus and Brando arrived at the hospital, and Cyrus asked Portia for an update on victims from the explosion. Portia assured him that they were on top of it, and she hurried away. Brando muttered to Brando that he needed names on who had and hadn't survived. Brando replied that the building had basically been demolished; there was one report of a death, but there were no names yet. He figured that the families would be informed first. Cyrus asked Brando to keep him updated, and Cyrus walked away.
A few minutes later, Sonny, Carly, and Jason arrived at the hospital, and Carly wanted to find Brando. Just then, Cyrus and Brando descended a nearby staircase, and Carly observed how visibly shocked Cyrus was to see Sonny and Jason as they passed by. Sonny and Jason made their way to the chapel, and Sonny wondered what information Jason had uncovered. Jason thought that it was better for Sonny to hear it straight from the source, and he opened the door of the chapel to reveal Britt.
Jason explained that Britt was the reason he'd been called away from the Floating Rib that night, and Britt remarked that it was the one time in her life when her timing had been perfect. Britt explained to a curious Sonny that, when Brad and Nelle had switched babies, they'd been working alone. However, she revealed that Brad had had help covering it up, and she named Julian. Sonny realized that that was what Nelle had used to blackmail Julian into marriage.
Britt's pager went off, and she told Sonny and Jason that she had to go back to work. Jason asked Britt to tell Sonny about Brad first, so she updated Sonny on Brad's trip to the hospital. Britt added that Brad believed that Julian was the only person who'd want Brad dead. Her pager went off again, so she left to get back to work. Sonny thought that Cyrus had put a hit out on Brad as a favor to Julian, and he wondered what Cyrus would want from Julian in return. Jason figured that there was only one way to find out, and he left to find Julian. Sonny lit a candle in the chapel and hoped that Dev found peace.
Carly approached Cyrus and Brando, and she remarked on how surprised Cyrus had looked to see Sonny and Jason. Cyrus claimed that he'd been thinking about how fortunate the two had been to not be at the Floating Rib. She asked to talk to Brando privately about a personal matter. Brando informed her that he was working, and she could say anything in front of Cyrus. Carly divulged that Dev had been at the Floating Rib that night, and he hadn't made it. Cyrus gave Brando his condolences and advised him to take as much time as he needed.
A stunned Brando sat down with Carly, and she wondered if he was all right. "I'm not sure," he admitted. He reasoned that he and Dev had barely known each other, despite playing father and son, but Dev had gone to Brando for advice and had known that he could count on Brando. Brando said that he would miss Dev, and Carly agreed. As they talked more about Dev, Sonny approached. Noticing Cyrus watching, Brando said that he had to get back to work. When Brando was gone, Carly told Sonny how surprised Cyrus had looked to see Sonny and Jason. Sonny informed Carly that Jason was out getting answers about Julian.
Cyrus ran into Portia and asked for a word with her. She replied that she was so busy that she had no time to avoid him. He asked for an update on the latest casualties from the explosion, but she advised him to call the PCPD or the mayor's office. She was just trying to save as many lives as possible, as every life was precious. She hurried off, and he took his phone out.
Britt returned to Brad's room and wondered how things had gone with Lucas. Brad replied that there had been so many things he'd wanted to say, but Lucas hadn't even looked at him. Britt advised him to give it time, but Brad replied, "That's assuming I have any left." Britt assured him that he had plenty, as she'd made a deal with Sonny. She continued that she'd offered information in exchange for protection for Brad. She clarified that she'd told Sonny all about Julian helping Brad cover up Wiley's parentage. "Why would you do that?" Brad wailed. He asked Britt how she thought Lucas would take it if Sonny killed his father.
Dante entered the chapel at the hospital and found Lulu there, lighting a candle. She thanked him for meeting her, as she wanted to talk to him in private. He thought that she could just as well talk to him in a room after getting checked out by a doctor, but she demanded that he let her talk. She grabbed her head in pain. She managed to mouth "I love you" before passing out in Dante's arms.
At Sam's, Alexis poured a drink and informed Valentin that she didn't need a babysitter. She added that she couldn't imagine that he cared about whether or not she got sober. He replied that sometimes, the only way to bear a burden was to drink. She replied that it was more complicated than that, and she didn't expect him to understand. He insisted that he did, as they had been raised the same.
A short while later, Alexis and Valentin played a game with handwritten index cards comparing all of the bad things that had happened to them, or that they'd done, in their lives. Alexis realized that she hadn't touched her drink in a while, and she figured that that had been part of Valentin's plan. Sam arrived, and she informed her mother that Danny and Jason were fine, and that Danny was staying at the Quartermaines'. Sam saw the drink in front of Alexis and knew that she should have known better than to leave Alexis with Valentin. Alexis countered that Valentin had been a good friend that night. Alexis and Valentin began another round of their game as Sam went upstairs to check on Scout.
A short while later, Sam announced that Scout was fast asleep, and she observed that Scout wasn't the only one. Alexis was asleep on the couch, and Valentin wanted to check in with Sam before he left. Although she still wasn't a fan of Valentin, Sam commended him on the distraction that his game had provided for Alexis. "Who knew that you could use your powers for good?" she cracked, and he advised her not to tell anyone.
Sam thanked Valentin for staying with Alexis, but he shot back that he didn't need Sam's gratitude. He put on his coat and left. When he was gone, Sam put a blanket on Alexis. She took out her phone and made a call. "Damn it, Jason. Where are you?" she wondered when her call went unanswered.
Ava arrived at the docks and wondered where Julian was, since he had been the one to text her about an emergency. Julian finally arrived, and he begged Ava to hide him at Wyndemere. She demanded to know what had happened, and he was shocked that she hadn't heard. He promised to explain later, because if she didn't take him, he was a dead man. Ava assumed that Cyrus had called on him for a favor after Cyrus had taken care of Ryan, and she wondered what Cyrus had asked Julian to do. "Kill Jason," Julian responded, and he told her about the bomb he'd been given to plant.
Julian continued and told Ava about the explosion at the Floating Rib, and she demanded to know who had died. Julian only knew of Dev, and Ava was livid that he'd caused the death of an innocent high school student. He told her that he would be the next one to die if she didn't help him. She wasn't sure about helping him, because if Sonny found out, she would never see Avery again, and Sonny could also decide to end her life, as well.
Just then, Julian's phone went off, and it was a text from Cyrus that read, "We need to talk." Julian begged Ava to take him to Wyndemere, as he needed time to plan, and then he promised that he would vanish. He implored her, as she was all he had left.
Molly and Sam finally relaxed at Sam's place after Alexis settled down in the guest room. Sam admitted she was grateful that Danny hadn't been at the scene of the explosion, although she was happy he hadn't been home during the confrontation with Alexis, either. Molly asked about beer, and Sam pointed her to the fridge.
Molly and Sam agreed that they were good with the idea that Alexis had Valentin on her side. Sam noted that Alexis had only had one glass of tequila while she'd been with him as opposed to the entire bottle of vodka she might have had if alone. Molly was convinced that Alexis could actually hear Valentin like she couldn't hear the rest of the family, and she admitted she tried to remind herself that Alexis was sick.
Sam guessed that both she and Molly felt betrayed by Alexis, and they agreed that their faces always indicated as much. Molly said that Valentin's feelings never showed on his face. Sam thought that if Valentin could save Alexis, she was all for it. She wasn't sure that anything was enough, though. Molly suggested rehab for Alexis, but Sam wondered how that would work.
Jason stepped off an elevator at General Hospital and saw Sonny, who demanded that Julian be found. They contemplated the relationship between Julian and Cyrus and wondered how Cyrus planned on collecting from Julian, who owed him.
Portia saw Carly and expressed her condolences about Dev. Carly planned on telling Josslyn and Trina, who were together at her home. Sonny was glad that the girls would be able to lean on each other.
In Cameron's room, Laura gave him a big hug. He admitted he was okay and that nothing was broken, although he wouldn't be able to play soccer right away. He was worried and scared about Franco, and Laura declared that she felt the same way.
Elizabeth found herself in the chapel, where she prayed for Franco to fight, even though she knew he'd been tired and hopeless. At the same time, Dante rushed into emergency with an unconscious Lulu in his arms. Portia looked at Lulu quickly and ordered a CT scan, and Dante told Kevin and Sonny that Lulu had collapsed suddenly.
Elizabeth found Laura and Cameron together, and she informed them that Franco's surgery had just begun. The women offered to visit the vending machine for snacks, and Cameron complained that he hadn't been able to get hold of Dev.
Once Laura and Elizabeth left Cameron's room, Laura disclosed that Dev had died, and Elizabeth knew that Cameron would be devastated. Just then, Laura received an urgent message from Kevin. Elizabeth paced outside of Cameron's room until Scott showed up and hugged her. She broke down. They entered Cameron's room, and the teenager asked where Dev's room could be. Elizabeth broke the bad news, and Cameron began to cry hysterically as his mother hugged him.
Josslyn was happy to see Carly when Carly arrived home, and they shared a hug. Carly slowly undid her coat as Josslyn told her that Cameron was okay after an explosion that had hurt lots of people. Carly said how sorry she was and slowly divulged the news. "Dev was killed," she said.
Carly explained that Dev had had serious injuries, and Sonny had been with him in the ambulance. Josslyn and Trina were upset and wanted to visit with Cameron. Carly gave Josslyn a hard time about going, but she finally relented. Carly hugged both of the girls together.
Julian arrived at Wyndemere with Ava, and Nikolas called out from the study. He asked if Ava had managed to get Julian to leave the country. Ava went into the room alone and confessed that Julian had been appreciative. Nikolas maintained that he'd done it for Ava in order to get her to stop being involved with Julian's antics. They were interrupted when Nikolas received a phone call from Kevin, who urged him to get to the hospital. He thought that Laura would need extra support due to Lulu's injuries. Nikolas mentioned the explosion.
Once Nikolas had gone, Ava lost her composure. She began to shriek at Julian and yelled that he might have killed her husband's sister. Julian told her to relax, but she continued to shout about the innocent people who had been hurt or were dead because of him. Julian replied that the Floating Rib was supposed to have been empty, but Ava screamed that it was a restaurant. She accused him of having known the outcome, and she ordered him to stop lying.
There was a knock at the door, and Ava composed herself before answering it. Jason stood there. Ava told him that Nikolas was at the hospital for Lulu, and Jason told her that two people had been killed, also. "Where's Julian?" he asked.
Dante sat with Sonny at the hospital and spoke about going halfway around the world to protect Lulu and get the guy who had caused her harm. He'd gone home, messed up, and left again to protect his family from himself. He had thought he'd done the right thing, but instead, he should have stayed home and told his family every day how much he loved them.
Sonny received a phone call, and someone gave him limited information on the explosion. "Son of a bitch!" Sonny exclaimed when the call ended.
Laura caught up to Kevin, and he gave her the scant details he knew about Lulu. Laura mentioned that Lulu had been fine earlier. Dante saw them and told them how Lulu had passed out. Nikolas joined the group, and Portia arrived with test results. She explained that Lulu had suffered a cerebral contusion followed by cerebral edema.
Portia announced that Lulu was already in surgery, as there had been no time to delay. She would have a craniotomy to lift the skull in order to stop swelling and to prevent further damage. Laura broke down.
In the chapel, Laura noted that she had been so relieved when she'd seen Lulu walk from the explosion while others had died. She should have known that Lulu hadn't been safe. Kevin assured her that no one had known. Dante walked in and sat in a pew across the aisle.
Trina and Josslyn arrived to visit with Cameron, and the trio hugged each other. The girls were thankful that Cameron would be okay. They all talked about their feelings, and Cameron blamed himself for leaving Dev alone. Josslyn assured him that Sonny had been with Dev. Cameron wondered why he hadn't been killed, but Trina didn't think that question should be answered.
Trina believed that time left shouldn't be wasted, and she, Josslyn, and Cameron shared a deep conversation. Josslyn agreed that they had suffered through the deaths of Oscar, Dev, and Taggert. No one knew how much time was left in their lives.
Trina and Cameron vowed to be more grateful, while Josslyn wanted to be braver and be able to say what she felt. Josslyn wanted to "put myself out there," and Trina and Cameron agreed they should do the same. Sonny's security guard, Trent, arrived to take Josslyn home.
Scott reassured Elizabeth that they would get through everything, and Elizabeth wondered how he stayed so calm. She mentioned Franco's brain tumor and gasped when Scott didn't know what she was talking about. She had forgotten to tell him, and she informed him that treatment had grown more complicated since the explosion injuries.
Scott realized why Franco had been so "crazy," talking about his insurance policies. Elizabeth related that the tumor was inoperable, and she hadn't known for that long. They had planned to get a second opinion. She declared that she and Franco had been hopeful before the explosion, but Franco was scared that he would be a different person.
At Wyndemere, Jason was about to head into the study where Julian had been hidden, but he received a phone call from Sonny. The mob boss announced that the explosion at the Floating Rib had been caused by a bomb, and he planned on sending his man, Carl, to pick up Sam and her kids. They could stay at his place. Sonny asked to speak to Ava, and Jason handed her the phone.
Ava took the phone nervously, and Sonny informed her that after someone had blown up the Floating Rib, he was afraid it could be the start of a war. He wanted Avery to accompany Jason to his home. Ava thought that Avery would be safer at Wyndemere, and Sonny asked to speak to Jason again. Jason agreed with Ava. After the call, Jason ordered Ava to call him if she heard from Julian. Once Jason was gone, Julian emerged.
Ava's first thought was to call Jason, but Julian was sure his sister didn't want him dead. Ava spoke of how desperate she'd been to keep Julian alive, but he had blown up the Floating Rib. She screamed at him, and she blamed herself. She should have allowed Julian's actions to catch up to him, and she wondered if she could be called an accomplice.
Julian felt bad and insisted he had never wanted any of it. He'd only wanted Lucas to be able to keep his son. Julian blamed his extreme actions on Sonny being unreasonable, and he thought that Sonny was really the "bad guy," not him. Ava pointed out that all of Julian's actions had cost too much. She told him that he needed to go to Sonny and tell the truth or leave. Julian didn't think that Ava really wanted him to go and not ever see his family again.
Ava reminded Julian that Sonny would kill him if he stayed. She was sure that Jason and Sonny were close to figuring things out. She would help Julian one last time, and that would be to help him to run. She added that if he stayed, he was not to have any contact with her. He would be on his own.
As Molly and Sam conversed at Sam's place, there was a knock on the door. It was Sonny's guard Carl. He announced that he would be taking Sam and her kids to Sonny's house. Sam was suspicious and noted that she hadn't received any phone calls about it, but she relented when Carl told her that she had to be moved.
Sonny phoned Carly and gave her an update on Lulu's condition. He told her that Dante was scared, and he revealed that the explosion had not been an accident, but a bomb. Carly informed him that Josslyn and Trina had gone to the hospital to see Cameron, and their guard Trent had taken them. Sonny said he'd seen them, and he added that he wasn't ready to send his family out of Port Charles yet.
Sam settled in at the Corinthos house with Scout and Alexis. Carly assured her that Jason and Sonny would let them know if it was too dangerous to stay. Sam thought it was easy for Carly to live the way she did, but Carly disagreed. She had chosen the life for herself and her family. The door opened, and Jason walked inside. Sam ran to him to hug him, and he apologized for not calling her.
Carly asked if there was any further information on the bomb. "All signs lead to Cyrus," Jason reported. Carly couldn't imagine what could be worth the risk that Cyrus had taken. "Me," Jason replied. He explained that Cyrus believed that he had to get rid of Jason in order to get to Sonny, based on the previous incidents they'd been involved in. He thought that Cyrus would have to pull back.
Sonny arrived shortly after. "What now?" Carly asked. Sam suggested they all pack and leave for Sonny's place in Puerto Rico. Sonny thought it was her choice, and Carly thought they should stay. Sonny believed it would send the wrong message.
At the hospital, Elizabeth saw Lucas, and he told her that Franco's surgery had gone well. He had been able to remove some of the tumor, but there were no guarantees. She thanked him and made her way to Franco's recovery room. Tearfully, she lightly touched his heavily bandaged head and grasped his hand as monitors beeped.
Elizabeth spoke to the unconscious Franco and told him that she'd had to tell Cameron about Dev's death, and it had been awful. She didn't plan on doing it again or having another person in their life be gone. She told Franco that he had better pull through and be himself. She wanted him to tell her that everything was okay. "Why are you yelling at me?" Franco mumbled as he opened his eyes slightly. "Hi!" Elizabeth and Franco both said. Elizabeth leaned down onto Franco and hugged him.
Portia announced that Lulu was out of surgery but in a coma, and they would have to wait for the swelling to go down. She told Laura that it was unknown as to whether Lulu would wake up. Dante asked to see Lulu, and he sat down next to the bed. Her head was bandaged, and she breathed through a tube. Dante wished she would wake up because he recalled how they'd been in the middle of a conversation. He knew she hated interruptions. He began to cry.
Lucas informed Nikolas, Kevin, and Laura that Lulu's traumatic brain injury could prove tricky. Her brain had begun to swell as soon as her head had been hit, and it had continued without being checked. There had been severe damage, and Lulu might not recover.
Due to the Thanksgiving holiday, General Hospital aired an encore presentation of its A Christmas Carol inspired episode that originally aired on December 23, 2019. This was a planned preemption, and there were no "lost" episodes as a result of the programming change.
Regular programming resumed on Monday, November 30, and picked up where the Wednesday, November 25, episode concluded.
Due to the Thanksgiving holiday, General Hospital did not air. This was a planned preemption, and there were no "lost" episodes as a result of the programming change.
Regular programming resumed on Monday, November 30, and picked up where the Wednesday, November 25, episode concluded.
