As Sonny walked by the bar at Metro Court, Brando called out to him and offered to buy him a drink. Brando admitted that he'd been happy that Sonny had urged him to go to the Nurses Ball. He'd enjoyed answering the phones and the "sense of community." Just then, Sonny received a phone call from Turning Woods.
Jax and Nina were exhilarated after their performance at the ball, and they grabbed a table to continue to celebrate. Nina was joyful to celebrate her love of her job, her relationship with a "good man," and being at peace. Carly saw them and arranged for drinks. She told them that everything would be on the house after Nina's help in the custody suit.
Carly continued to go on about the happiness of getting rid of Nelle. Nina was uncomfortable at Carly's proclamation that "all's well that ends well," and after Carly walked away, Nina noted that she didn't think that Nelle felt that way.
Carly found Sonny and Brando at the bar, and Sonny revealed that his phone call had been from Mike's caregiver, who had shown Mike a video from the 2018 Nurses Ball. Sonny explained that he and Mike had performed a song. The caregiver mentioned that Mike had been all smiles.
Sam stopped by Jason's hospital room to tell him about the Nurses Ball. She was happy to see that he had stayed put in the hospital, although he admitted that he'd taken a walk, which had exhausted him. Sam had expected him to try to escape, although he reminded her that he would only do so if there was any kind of trouble.
Sam admitted that she had big plans once Jason returned home. His phone rang, and after a brief chat, he hung up. He told Sam that it had been the police with the preliminary report on his accident. The bike's stabilizer had been the cause. Sam was angry because Brando had been the one to install the part. She began to rant about Brando, although Jason suggested that the part could have been faulty.
Sam believed that Brando had tried to sabotage the bike, but Jason disagreed. He thought that Brando had been honest with him and Sonny, and he'd told them that Cyrus had been at the garage. Sonny had given Brando a "pass" for the time being, and Brando knew that Sonny and Jason would find him if he disappeared.
Jason promised that he and Sonny would handle Brando if he'd had anything to do with the bike's part being installed incorrectly. Sam declared that she was not buying Brando's "nice guy act." She announced that she had to get home to the kids.
Elsewhere in the hospital, Ned and Olivia waited for word on Brook Lynn. Ned was impatient, but Olivia tried to get him to calm down and allow the staff to do their job. Chase showed up and told them that the police had questioned people at the Nurses Ball, and he asked if Brook Lynn had any enemies or people who had been angry at her. "Other than me?" Ned asked.
Ned admitted that there had been ELQ tension, and he'd kicked Brook Lynn out of the house. Chase wanted some kind of timeline, and Olivia filled him in on Brook Lynn's problems with Linc. She thought it seemed more likely that Brook Lynn had overheard something she shouldn't have at the ball.
Olivia comforted Ned as Chase spoke to Officer Sanchez. Chase told the policewoman that the attack on Brook Lynn had appeared to be a crime of passion or desperation, but they would start by pursuing Linc.
At the Quartermaine mansion, Willow exclaimed that Wiley was not in his bedroom. Monica went over the events of the evening as she remembered them, and Michael suggested they check the rest of the house. Before he even left the room, he spied a cloth on the floor, picked it up, and smelled it. He handed it to Monica, who did the same, and she verified that it was chloroform. Michael called the police to report Wiley's kidnapping.
Julian held a gun on Nelle at Pier 55 and told her that it was over. Nelle tried to argue with him; however, Julian made it clear that Wiley was sitting in his car, and he would not hand the boy over to her. Nelle reminded him that Martin Grey held a document that detailed Julian's misdeeds.
As Nelle tearfully held her hands up, Julian taunted her with the car keys. He proclaimed that he would no longer take orders from Nelle, and he didn't care if Sonny killed him. He added that Nelle would be dead and would no longer have the ability to destroy Wiley.
Suddenly, a gun shot rang out, and a man began to wrestle Julian. The car keys dropped on the ground as the men tussled, and Julian won out. The other man dropped to the ground. Julian looked around. Nelle and the car keys were gone. He tossed the gun into the water and apologized to the unconscious man.
At the hospital, Officer Sanchez informed Ned and Olivia that there were no eyewitnesses to Brook Lynn's attack. Chase had to leave, and Portia had an update on Brook Lynn's condition. The doctor stated that Brook Lynn had a long way to go. There would be a delicate procedure, and the young woman was in critical condition.
Ned stated that he wanted to speak to Brook Lynn after her surgery. Portia told him that his daughter had barely been alive before the surgery, and the team would do their best. She didn't know anything else. Ned began to sob, and Olivia suggested they sit in the chapel. Ned only wanted to wait, and Olivia reminded him that the delicate surgery would take time. She thought that "no news is good news."
Ned felt that Olivia was being nice when she should have told him, "I told you so." He had put the company ahead of his daughter. He cried again; the last thing that Brook Lynn might remember if she died would be his slamming the door. Olivia believed that Brook Lynn's feisty spirit would get her through, and she would return to them.
Ned promised that he would say everything he needed to say, although "I love you" was all he could think of. He would never forgive himself if Brook Lynn was never able to hear him. Portia returned with some news.
At Metro Court, Brando joked with Carly and Sonny and viewed the video from the old Nurses Ball. He was happy to add it to his memories of Mike. Carly received a phone call from Michael about the kidnapping. She was certain that Nelle had been behind it, and Michael agreed. Carly broke the news to Sonny and Brando and packed up her things to head to the Quartermaines'. Sonny didn't think that Nelle would hurt Wiley, since she only wanted him as leverage.
Brando offered to help Sonny in Jason's place. Carly stopped at Nina and Jax's table to tell them the news. She asked Jax for help with Josslyn the next day, if needed. Nina began to weep. She believed she should have realized what would happen and warned someone. She was familiar with the way Nelle thought.
Nina was angry at herself, but Jax tried to reassure her that Wiley would be found. Nina also berated herself for treating Willow so poorly when she'd been Charlotte's teacher. She respected Willow. Jax agreed that Willow had impressed him during her testimony in court, and Nina stressed that Willow was more of a mother to Wiley than Nelle would ever be.
Jax revealed that he missed his strong mother but he'd been fortunate to have her. He was sorry that Nina hadn't had a good childhood. Nina confessed that she'd overcompensated with Charlotte and had realized that one didn't have to be a biological mother to have undying love for a child.
Chase questioned Monica at the Quartermaine house. He told the family that alerts would go out, and he had also been in touch with the FBI. Michael thought the kidnapping had been planned. Willow recalled that Nelle had been scheduled to perform at the Nurses Ball, and Chase related that she had not done so. Michael realized that the scheduled performance had merely been a diversion.
Julian returned to Charlie's Pub and received the phone alert about the missing Wiley. He was surprised when Sonny walked in but didn't seem shocked when Sonny revealed that Nelle had kidnapped Wiley. Sonny asked Julian why he wasn't surprised and if he planned on meeting Nelle. Julian confirmed that he wasn't surprised that Nelle had taken Wiley. She had been desperate.
"Quit stalling!" Sonny yelled. He wanted to know where Nelle was. Julian insisted he didn't know. Brando walked out from the back with a packed duffel bag. "Going somewhere, Jules?" Sonny asked. Julian claimed that the bag had been packed for a donation. Sonny noted that he hadn't seen much of Julian at the Nurses Ball, and he wondered if Julian knew anything about Monica being knocked out.
Julian was adamant that he didn't know anything. Sonny declared that he would be "judge, jury, and executor if Wiley wasn't found. He and Brando headed to the door, but Julian called out to them to wait. Julian was sorry, and he stated that he would tell Sonny if he knew anything. Sonny hoped for Julian's sake that Nelle's story didn't differ from Julian's. Sonny added that he would drop the duffel bag off at the collection box.
Meanwhile, at the Quartermaines', Chase announced that Nelle's apartment had been emptied. Carly revealed that Nelle had money from selling her ELQ shares, but Chase believed that her resources would be limited. Willow related that Wiley's favorite toy kangaroo was missing, and that had been something talked about during Nelle's last visit.
Monica was worried that Wiley's heart condition might flare up, but Willow assured her that the boy had been fine. Monica was taken to the hospital against her wishes, and Chase assured Willow that Wiley would be found.
Carly called Jason and told him about the kidnapping. She explained that the cops were present, but she was positive Nelle had taken Wiley because his favorite stuffed animal was missing. She also told him that Sonny was following up another lead. Jason offered to help, and Carly admitted that she knew he would. Once the call was over, Jason placed a call to Spinelli.
Jason arrived at Pier 55 while on the phone with Spinelli and told him that no one was there, even though Nelle's phone had been shown to be in the area. Jason began to look around until he heard groaning. He pulled out his gun and found the man on the ground. "Taggert?" Jason asked. Taggert looked up. "Angry boy!" he said.
Carly told her family that Jason had left the hospital and would let them know if he found anything. Michael felt better with Jason's involvement, and Carly believed that Nelle would have left a clue behind. Chase announced that Nelle's car had been found abandoned.
As Nelle drove quickly with Wiley in the back seat, she was horrified to hear sirens and see flashing lights behind her. She was worried that cops would take her son and give him back to Carly but was relieved when the police cars sped by her. She continued chatting to her son. She told him how she'd found the car in a used car lot, and no one would be able to link it to her. She was sure they'd never be found, and Carly would not have her grandson because Carly deserved that.
Ava arrived at Charlie's after having heard about Wiley's abduction, and she was relieved that Nelle hadn't roped Julian into it. Julian told her that he'd barely been able to convince Sonny that he'd had nothing to do with it. She lamented that he'd let Nelle blackmail him into marriage, but he insisted that he'd had no choice. She countered that he'd had plenty of choices: "Gun or knife? Revolver or automatic? Silencer or no silencer? Those are choices!"
A clearly exhausted Julian told Ava the story, starting with taking Wiley from the Quartermaines' and ending with the mystery man stopping him from killing Nelle. He blamed himself for Wiley's kidnapping, and he wanted to help get the boy back. He remembered Nelle talking about the tracker she'd put on Wiley's stuffed animal. Ava warned him that when the cops caught Nelle, she would tell them everything she knew, which would "sign your death warrant." She thought the best possible outcome for Julian would be for Nelle to disappear.
Franco and Elizabeth sat in the Metro Court restaurant and discussed what Elizabeth had overheard about Nikolas and Ava's marriage. Their ideas conflicted, so Elizabeth suggested that she ask Nikolas, who had just entered the restaurant. Franco told Elizabeth that she always saw the best in people, but Nikolas wasn't a good guy. She countered that Ava was manipulating the situation, as Ava was never one to sit idly by. Elizabeth didn't trust Ava, and Franco didn't trust Nikolas. "Where does that leave us?" he wondered.
At the bar, Nikolas quietly talked to Spencer on the phone. He advised Spencer that Ava had figured out their plan, but it was a minor setback. He had a contingency plan that was "working like a charm." A few minutes later, Nikolas' phone call was over, and Elizabeth sat down next to him. She told him about a "disagreement" that she and Franco were having, and she told him that she was bothered by how close Franco and Ava were getting. Nikolas admitted that he'd had his own suspicions about the two, and he thought that she would be better off without Franco. "Even if losing him breaks my heart?" she asked. He replied that someone like her could easily find someone "worthy," who could make her happy.
Outside of the restaurant, Franco bumped into Ava, who could tell that something was wrong. He mentioned a "disagreement" with Elizabeth, and he said that he thought that Nikolas was trying to "weasel his way" back into Elizabeth's good graces. Ava was sure that Elizabeth wasn't thrilled about Franco's friendship with Ava, but Ava was glad they'd gotten closer. She told Franco that he was her best friend.
A few minutes later, Ava sat at the bar, next to Nikolas, who'd thought that she would be home. She admitted that she hadn't gone home because she'd assumed that he would be there. He wondered why she was avoiding him. She told him that she sometimes needed a break from being his wife. He sympathized with needing a break from one's spouse. "It's a pity we're stuck with each other," he said. "It's the worst," she agreed.
At the hospital, Ned insisted to Olivia that he loved his daughter, and he would never forgive himself for how he'd treated her if she didn't make it. Portia approached the two and informed them that Brook Lynn had survived surgery. However, her blood pressure had dropped, and due to other complications, the procedure had been too risky to finish. Brook Lynn was getting a "massive transfusion" so that she could be stabilized. She promised to let them know when Brook Lynn was settled in the ICU, and she walked away.
Just as Ned realized that he had to call Lois with the update, Cyrus approached. He expressed his sympathy for the "terrible tragedy" and wondered who could have hurt Brook Lynn. "It's not a good time," Olivia growled. Cyrus assured them, "as chairman of the board," that all of the hospital's resources were at their disposal. Olivia spat that the Quartermaines had built the hospital, and Ned added that every patient got the best possible care, no matter what.
Portia returned and gave Ned and Olivia directions to Brook Lynn's room. She warned them that Brook Lynn was sedated and wasn't expected to wake up yet, but she could still hear them. When they were gone, Cyrus asked Portia for an update on Brook Lynn. Portia refused to tell him and cited HIPAA. Cyrus stated that he didn't like her tone and reminded her that he was her boss. "As if I could forget," she muttered. He asked if they were going to have a problem. "Do you object to me using my skills as a doctor to care for patients?" she asked. "Not at all," he replied. "Then we have no problem," she said curtly, and she walked away.
Sonny arrived at the Quartermaines' as Chase assured everyone that there were a lot of people out searching for Wiley. Chase had to get back to the station, but he promised that Wiley would be found. When he was gone, Sonny told Michael about his visit to Julian, who had claimed to know nothing. Sonny added that he had someone following Julian just in case. Carly wanted to go to the police station, just in case there were any updates, and Sonny went with her. Willow didn't think that she could deal with being at the police station, but she encouraged Michael to go if he wanted to. He promised to call with any updates, and he left.
At the police station, Sonny hung up his phone and announced that nothing had left the harbor in two hours. Carly didn't think there were any flights that late, so she assumed that Nelle was on the road. Michael arrived just as Sonny's phone rang, and he walked off to answer it. He answered the phone to Olivia, who told him about Brook Lynn.
Chase informed Carly and Michael that their tip hotline had collected hundreds of calls, and they would take some time to sift through. Sonny returned and updated everyone on Brook Lynn. Michael commented that she'd called him, but she hadn't answered his return calls. Chase looked at the time of the calls and realized that it was around the same time she'd been attacked. "It was Nelle," Carly decided. She recounted how Nelle was supposed to have performed at the Nurses Ball, but she never had. She assumed that Brook Lynn had gotten in Nelle's way. Sonny left to check on Brook Lynn.
Julian arrived at the police station, and Chase had to hold Michael back as he demanded to know where Wiley was. Julian swore that he had no idea, as Nelle had never confided anything in him. Chase took Julian to the interrogation room as Michael's phone went off. He answered it to Willow and informed her that there were no updates on Wiley except for Julian arriving for questioning. He also told Willow about Brook Lynn's attack and that they believed that Nelle was responsible.
In the interrogation room, Julian couldn't recall Nelle saying anything about taking Wiley. Chase clarified that she would have bragged about it, as she always believed that she was the smartest one in the room. Julian couldn't think of anything, so Chase advised him to "get comfortable." Chase left the room, and Michael mentioned the fake passports Nelle had had for the first time she'd planned on taking Wiley. Chase hurriedly looked for the names on the passports, which were Barbara and William Langdon, and he added them to the alert. Upon a search of the names, he found that Nelle had purchased a car a week before, and he excitedly added the description of the car to the alert, as well.
Willow was surprised to open the door to Nina. Nina knew they weren't friends, but she wanted to help Willow in any way that she could. She offered to wait with Willow. Willow initially shot down the offer; however, her fear took over, and she was grateful for the company. The two sat down in the living room, and Willow wondered what had caused Nina's visit. Nina replied that Willow loved Wiley, and she was a good person.
Willow confided that she was terrified not knowing where Wiley was, and she was physically hurting. Nina had spent a lot of time with Nelle, and she didn't believe that Nelle would hurt Wiley. Willow reasoned that Nelle had probably attacked Brook Lynn for overhearing Nelle's plan, and Nelle would have no reason to hurt Wiley. She added that there was no way Nelle could lie her way out of hurting Brook Lynn, so she would likely go to prison for a long time when she was caught.
Willow feared that Wiley would never be found. Nina understood, as she had a child "out there" and didn't know where or if the child was even still alive. She urged Willow to have hope and to think that, wherever their children were, they were living a good life.
Ned entered Brook Lynn's room as Olivia looked on from outside the room. He sat next to Brook Lynn and grabbed her hand. He assured her that he was there for her, and Lois would be catching the next flight back from Australia. He apologized for wasting so much time with her, and he regretted his "Edward move" of throwing her out. He expressed his love for her and called her irreplaceable. He kissed her on the head and urged her to return, and he promised that he would be there waiting.
Sonny arrived at the hospital and hugged Olivia. He wondered if she had any idea who had attacked Brook Lynn, but she didn't. Sonny confided that he thought it had been Nelle, and he told her his reasoning.
A short while later, Portia emerged from Brook Lynn's room and assured Olivia and Sonny that Brook Lynn was stable. Sonny asked when she would be awake so they could find out who had hurt her. Portia hoped that Brook Lynn would be awake within a few hours, but the injury to her throat had been so severe that there was a possibility she wouldn't be able to talk. Inside the room, Ned said that he knew that Brook Lynn would be fine, as she would never let Ned have the last word. He begged her to wake up, and she slowly opened her eyes.
In the car, Nelle told Wiley that he was lucky to have a mom that wasn't too intimidated to rescue him from Sonny. She was thankful that Wiley shared no DNA with Sonny, but she lamented that he was biologically related to Carly. However, she was relieved that he would never see Carly again. "You're mine. Only mine," she said. She suddenly realized that she had taken a wrong turn, and she pulled over.
Nelle waved her burner phone around, trying to get a signal for her GPS. She finally gave up and aimed her flashlight on a map. Just then, a woman who'd been out for a walk realized Nelle was lost and wondered where she was headed. She pointed on Nelle's map where they were, and she gave Nelle directions back to the highway.
The woman caught sight of Wiley in the backseat and asked for the "cutie's" name. "Will," Nelle quickly answered. She continued that the movement of the car was the only way she could get the child to sleep, so she had to go. Just as Nelle drove away, the woman's phone went off. She was sad to see that it was about a missing child, but the sadness turned into shock when she saw the pictures of Nelle and Wiley.
Jason opened the front door to Epiphany, who yelled at him. He had checked himself out of the hospital and had then asked her to get in a car with one of his associates. She had no idea where she was. She walked into one of Sonny's safe houses, and Jason led her into a bedroom, where an unconscious man lay. Jason asked Epiphany for her help.
Epiphany was not shocked to see that Taggert was alive but only that he was there. She tended to him, and she told Jason that Taggert's blood loss was not severe. A bullet had gone through him cleanly. She admitted that she would be unable to report the shooting of a dead man, but she could not answer Jason's questions. Jason realized that Epiphany had been involved in Taggert's phony death.
Epiphany reminded Jason that she'd helped him in the past without asking questions, and she expected the same from him. She made it clear that he wasn't the only one with secrets, and hers was none of his business. She only wanted Jason to make sure that Taggert got out of Port Charles safely, and she commended him for having called her to help.
At General Hospital, Olivia and Sonny looked into Brook Lynn's room as Ned sat by her side. Olivia was happy that Ned had been inside when Brook Lynn had finally awoken, and she and Sonny were hopeful that Brook Lynn could provide answers to Wiley's kidnapping. Sonny asked about Dante, and Olivia told him she didn't know anything. Sonny was certain that Dante would eventually reach out because he was strong. Olivia agreed.
Ned expressed his love to Brook Lynn and how regretful he was regarding his actions the last time he'd seen his daughter. Brook Lynn flashed back to the dressing room with Nelle at the Nurses Ball. Ned continued to go on about his inexcusable behavior in putting ELQ ahead of family. Brook Lynn had another flashback and grew agitated; Ned ran out to look for help.
Sonny walked into the room as both Olivia and Ned urged him to wait for the doctors. Brook Lynn motioned for Sonny to get close, and he told her about Wiley's kidnapping. He asked if Nelle had been her attacker, and Brook Lynn nodded yes. Olivia and Ned looked confused as Sonny continued his questioning. He wondered if Brook Lynn's call to Michael had been to warn him, and she nodded yes.
Sonny asked for pencil and paper because Brook Lynn indicated there was more to tell him. She struggled to write something as Olivia helped. Brook Lynn's hand shook as she tried to write. Just then, Dr. Fisher arrived with Epiphany, who shouted at everyone to get out of the room. The doctor told Brook Lynn how well she'd done with the surgery but said she needed time to recover. He urged her not to talk at all in order to not damage her vocal cords.
Willow and Nina played a game of backgammon at the Quartermaine mansion as they waited for word on Wiley. Willow chatted about living with the Quartermaines, and she disclosed that they'd been on their best behavior. When the doorbell rang, Nina insisted on answering. It was Jax, who was looking for news.
Willow spoke about the probability that Nelle had attacked Brook Lynn and about the kidnapping. Jax expressed doubt that the incidents were related. However, he added that Nelle wasn't invisible, and someone would be bound to see her. Olivia phoned Willow to check on her and to let her know that Brook Lynn was awake and had made it known that Nelle had been the one to attack her. Willow revealed that Nina and Jax were visiting.
Nina was sure that Nelle wouldn't hurt her child, and Jax offered to go to the hospital for further news. Nina walked him out, and he stated that he would do what he could to help to get Wiley back. Nina went back inside and found Willow staring longingly at photos of Wiley.
At the police station, Carly informed Michael that another alert had gone out with Nelle's alternate identity, Barbara Langdon. Michael was concerned that Wiley could prove to be a burden to Nelle. Sasha arrived to ask Chase about Wiley. She told Michael how sorry she was. Nelle's abandoned phone turned up. Michael wanted to attempt to get into the phone, and Chase finally relented after they argued about it back and forth.
Michael thought that he'd be able to figure out Nelle's password, but he had no luck. Chase warned him that he would be locked out if he tried too many times. Carly took Sasha aside to thank her for her concern. Sasha admitted that she hadn't been cut out to be a stepmother, but she cared about Willow and Michael. Carly replied that she knew what it had cost Sasha, and Sasha prayed to God that it would all work out.
Sonny phoned Carly to tell her about Brook Lynn, and Carly then broke the news to Chase and Michael. She put Sonny on speakerphone, and he disclosed that Brook Lynn knew more about Nelle, but she'd been unable to communicate.
Vera, the woman that Nelle encountered on the road, gave Nelle directions back to the highway. After Nelle was gone, Vera received a phone alert about the missing Wiley and Nelle, and she gasped. "Oh, my God! It was her!" Vera said. She phoned the Port Charles police hotline and reported her sighting. She noted that she was in Clarksfield, and she urged the police to hurry.
Nelle continued to drive and told Wiley how she'd made a sacrifice for him, but Willow and Michael didn't deserve him. Nelle finally arrived at her destination and found the hidden key. She knew that she would not be found in her hiding spot.
Back at the hospital, Sonny received a phone call from Jason, who reported that he was handling a situation. Sonny told Jason about Nelle, and Jason revealed that he'd looked for her at Pier 55 without success. Sonny asked about the situation, but Jason would only say that he was handling it.
Michael and Carly arrived at the hospital from the police station, along with Chase and a uniformed police officer. Chase went off to see Brook Lynn, and Sonny told Carly about the phone call he'd just received from Jason. She thought it was important that Sonny help Jason because there was nothing for him to do at the hospital.
Epiphany wouldn't allow Chase to talk to Brook Lynn, but he received the hotline notification and wanted to pursue it. He ordered the accompanying police officer to stay. Michael looked in on Brook Lynn, and she beckoned him inside. He sat down, told her how sorry he was, and blamed himself for allowing Nelle into their lives. He thanked Brook Lynn.
Brook Lynn had a flashback to the dressing room again and recalled overhearing Nelle talking about the tracker in the kangaroo. She began to speak with great difficulty and informed Michael of the GPS tracker on Wiley. Michael was more determined than ever to get into Nelle's phone, and Brook Lynn confirmed that Nelle had the tracking application on the phone. He only had one more password to try before he was locked out.
Suddenly, Michael flashed back to an earlier rendezvous with Nelle. She had mentioned that the beginning of her new life had been her surgery, and the date had been March 21, 2011. He tried the date, and the phone was unlocked. Olivia and Ned arrived and yelled at Michael to leave. Michael claimed that he had been trying to stop Brook Lynn from getting out of bed.
As Michael walked out, he assured Brook Lynn that he would take care of everything. Out in the hallway, he located the tracker application on the phone and ignored Epiphany, who was talking to the police officer as they walked by.
Jax found Carly, and they sat down on a bench. Carly related that Josslyn was with Trina and hadn't heard anything about the latest turn of events. She was hopeful that it stayed that way. They spotted Olivia, who told them that Brook Lynn was getting stronger. Olivia also said she had chased Michael out of the room. He had said something strange, though. He'd told Brook Lynn to take care, and he would take care of everything else.
Ned sat with Brook Lynn and promised that if the police didn't find Nelle, he would track her down himself. Olivia assured Brook Lynn that she would heal. Ned told his daughter that she would be able to write, but he didn't want her to talk. Brook Lynn began to cry, and Olivia urged her stepdaughter to rest.
Carly looked at her phone and attempted to reach Michael.
At the Quartermaines', Nina tried to lure Willow into conversation. She asked Willow's opinion of Charlotte, and Willow talked about what a bright, curious, and inventive child she was. She thought that Charlotte was gifted and belonged in a higher class for that but wasn't ready for it socially. She thought that Charlotte needed more friends. "We all need friends," Nina said soberly. The doorbell rang, and the women were surprised to see Sasha.
Sasha declared that she'd gone to get news at the police station but hadn't wanted Willow to be alone. She cried that she was sorry. She noted that Willow had Nina to keep her company, so she would get going. Willow urged her to say a prayer, and Sasha offered to help out if there was anything she could do.
After Sasha had gone, Willow confessed that she missed Sasha as a friend. Willow hadn't forgiven Sasha and Chase and felt betrayed, but she knew that Sasha hadn't acted out of malice. Sasha and Chase had been weak and hurting, and they had made the wrong choice. Nina agreed that Sasha had done the same to her, and she missed Sasha even though Sasha wasn't her daughter.
Outside, Sasha pulled her little bag of cocaine from her purse.
Chase found Vera and showed her Nelle's photo. Vera positively identified her and mentioned that she'd merely given Nelle directions to the highway. The baby had been sleeping. Chase put out a widespread alert with all the details that he had. He made note that the suspect was extremely dangerous.
Nelle talked to herself as she unpacked some of her things. She blamed her situation on Michael because he'd believed everything that Carly had ever told him. He was one more person to betray her and lie. Nelle fingered her broken-heart necklace and pulled Wiley's toy kangaroo out of the bag. She was furious when she realized that she could have been tracked.
Michael double-checked the GPS on Nelle's phone as he drove her way, thanks to the tracker in the kangaroo. He ignored a phone call from Carly. "Dad's coming," he said.
Sonny arrived at the safe house and saw Taggert in the bed. "How the hell is he alive?" he asked. Jason told Sonny about finding Taggert at the pier and that Epiphany had helped to take care of Taggert without question. She hadn't been surprised to see Taggert alive. Sonny thought that Jordan knew, too, but he wondered why Taggert was back in town.
Taggert woke up, and Jason handed him a glass of water. Taggert couldn't remember anything after struggling with a man who had wanted to shoot a girl. Taggert explained that he had been at the pier in order to catch a launch out to a freighter. "How the hell are you still alive?" Sonny asked incredulously.
Ned sat next to Brook Lynn as she dreamed of Nelle attacking her. Olivia entered as Brook Lynn snapped awake from the nightmare. Ned assured his daughter that it had just been a dream, and everything was going to be all right. A short while later, Portia had finished checking Brook Lynn out and assured them that Brook Lynn's prognosis was excellent. She continued that the extent of vocal cord damage was unknown, so she advised Brook Lynn not to talk under any circumstances. A distressed Brook Lynn thought back to the few words she'd said to Michael about Nelle.
Later, Brook Lynn thought about her fight with Ned and tried to sleep as he looked in on her room. Ned talked about all the fights he'd witnessed between Edward and Tracy, and he'd sworn he would never treat his child that way. He wondered why one could only understand how stupid their behavior was when it was too late. Olivia assured him that it wasn't too late, as Brook Lynn was getting better, so he could straighten out his priorities. He promised to learn from his mistakes, and he was grateful to have the chance.
Carly was with Jax at the hospital when she got a call from Michael. He told his mother that he'd gotten a lead on Nelle, who was at their family cabin. He instructed her to call the police and let them know, and he hung up. She told Jax about the call, and they rushed out.
At the cabin, Nelle was angry at herself for telling Julian to get the stuffed kangaroo, which had the GPS tracker in it. She pulled the tracker out of the kangaroo and stomped on it. She refused to let her plans fall apart. A few minutes later, Michael arrived outside of the dark cabin with the keys to it. He let himself into the house, and Nelle immediately hit him over the head with a vase. Michael composed himself and demanded that Nelle tell him where Wiley was.
Nelle went on a tirade about how neither Michael nor Willow deserved Wiley. Michael offered her a chance to prove she was as good of a mother as she claimed. He promised to find a place for her in Wiley's life if she told him where Wiley was. She didn't believe him, as she thought Carly would keep Nelle away from Wiley no matter what. Michael threatened to let Sonny handle Nelle if she didn't cooperate with him.
Michael reminded Nelle that he had family on both sides of the law, and he added that the police were on their way. He knew that she would be going to Pentonville, where Sonny could reach her, and she would be "done" unless Michael intervened. "What's my incentive?" he yelled at her. Before she could answer, Michael heard Wiley crying from another room and followed the sound. Nelle wanted to be gone before the cops got there, but she figured that they would be able to track the car. She bolted out the door.
Michael found Wiley in a bedroom, and he promised his son that he would never let Nelle touch Wiley again. Just then, someone entered the cabin, and Michael heard Carly calling out for him. Michael went to his mother and found Jax with her. He told them what had happened, and Jax went outside to call the police on his satellite phone, since no one had cell reception. "This can't happen again. Nelle has to be stopped," Carly stated. She thought that Nelle needed to be locked up for Wiley's sake, and she left the house.
Nelle was wandering through the woods when Carly found her. "Mommy to the rescue!" Nelle taunted. "You're done. It ends right here," Carly said. "You pushed me to this," Nelle said of Carly. Carly recounted all the ways she'd opened up her life to Nelle when Nelle had first arrived in town, but she thought that Nelle couldn't accept love. She begged Nelle to turn herself in and do the right thing for Wiley "for once." Nelle challenged Carly to "come and get me" and ran off.
Carly tackled Nelle, and the two struggled until Nelle kicked Carly across the face. Carly was down, so Nelle ran. Moments later, Carly heard Nelle screaming and begging Carly to help. "I can't hold on much longer! I'm slipping!" Nelle yelled. Carly followed the sounds and found Nelle hanging off the side of a cliff. Carly got down and offered Nelle her hand. Nelle grabbed her hand. Carly pulled, but Nelle fell.
Outside the cabin, Jax put in a call to Jordan to update her on the situation. When he returned to the house, he informed Michael that the police would be there soon, and he asked where Carly had gone. Michael divulged that Carly had gone after Nelle, because Carly hadn't wanted Nelle to get away. Jax scolded Michael for not stopping Carly or getting Jax, and Jax ran out the door. Michael returned to Wiley and expressed his eagerness to get his son home, but they had to wait for the police. He was glad that Wiley had slept through most of the excitement. He assured Wiley that there were very few evil people in the world, and he didn't believe that Nelle was one of them.
Jordan was finishing up a phone call when Curtis entered her office to talk. He confided that he was still bothered by Taggert's death and the fact that Trina was grieving. He regretted not going back to help Taggert, as the man could still be alive with one different decision. Jordan replied that Taggert had made the decisions that he'd thought were best, and she believed that Trina would understand in time. She hoped that Portia would help, as well.
Speaking of Portia, Curtis told Jordan about his conversation with Portia about her guilt surrounded the end of her marriage to Taggert. He divulged that the marriage had ended because of Curtis, which Taggert hadn't known. Curtis didn't want to keep any secrets from Jordan.
Later, Jordan hung up the phone from her call with Jax and updated Curtis on Wiley's rescue. He figured that she had a lot of work to do, so he excused himself. She thanked him for checking in with her, and he left.
At Sonny's safe house, Sonny questioned how Taggert was alive, and why he was back. Taggert answered that he was trying to protect his daughter, as he knew how dangerous Cyrus was. Sonny commented that if Taggert were to "take out" Cyrus, he would be the last one anyone expected. Taggert agreed that it would be a great plan if he hadn't already gone to Jordan, who'd been the only reason he'd been able to fake his death. He didn't want to put Jordan in that position after she'd helped him. "Disappear him, Jason," Taggert urged.
Sonny informed Taggert that there was a lot going on that Taggert was unaware of, so they were waiting to make their move. Taggert asked Sonny to look after Trina, and Sonny promised to protect her as much as he could. The two men shook hands, and Taggert left. Sonny regretted not hitting Cyrus as soon as Cyrus had gotten out of Pentonville, especially since he knew that Cyrus was trying to get rid of Jason to get to Sonny. Jason commented that he'd already figured that his "accident wasn't an accident."
Sonny's phone went off, and he answered it to Jordan, who updated him on Wiley's rescue. She told him what had happened and that her team was still searching for Nelle. Sonny thanked her and hung up, and he relayed the information to Jason. Jason thought that the news made one less reason to wait to make a move against Cyrus, but Sonny wasn't keen on wasting Mike's last days on Cyrus. Sonny thought that their best bet was for Cyrus to fail so his associates lost money and moved out of Port Charles. Jason vowed to get answers, and he left.
Sonny put in a call to ask Olivia about Brook Lynn. Olivia assured Sonny that Brook Lynn would be all right. Sonny also updated her on Wiley's rescue, and she was ecstatic at the news. When she hung up the phone, she entered Brook Lynn's room and told Brook Lynn and Ned the news about Wiley. She didn't know how, but she was happy that he'd been found. Brook Lynn gave a wide smile.
Jordan was on the phone when Jason burst into her office. When she was done with her call, she scolded Jason for entering without knocking. "I saw a friend of yours. You have a lot of explaining to do," Jason told her.
At Kelly's, Josslyn and Trina talked about how fun their Nurses Ball performance had been. Josslyn didn't know why Cameron wouldn't celebrate with them, and she asked if Trina thought that Cameron acted strangely around Josslyn. Josslyn continued that Dev had claimed that Cameron liked her, but she suddenly realized that the only person Cameron acted differently around was Trina. Trina suggested that Josslyn talk to Cameron, but Josslyn thought a talk would be humiliating and would make things awkward. Trina admitted that she knew the feeling.
Starting from the kidnapping, Trina told Josslyn everything that had led up to Trina and Cameron sharing a kiss. Josslyn was shocked, but Trina insisted that they'd just been trying to comfort each other after a shared trauma. Trina thought that that would explain Cameron's odd behavior sometimes. "If you liked Cam, you would tell me, right?" Josslyn asked. Trina thought they'd wasted too much time on the conversation, and she proposed a pinky swear that no guy would ever drive a wedge between the two.
Portia arrived at Kelly's and saw that Trina and Josslyn were celebrating their performance. Curtis arrived and joined the conversation, and he told the girls that they should be proud of themselves for contributing to such a huge success. As Portia and Curtis went to their own table, both the girls' phones went off, and they giggled over Cameron thinking he was the star of their act. Portia and Curtis agreed that it was good to see Trina smile. Portia approached the girls and asked Trina what was so funny. As Trina shared the text with her mother, a hooded Taggert looked into the diner wistfully at his daughter.
Sam arrived at Alexis', and she talked to her mother about how angry she was at Jason. She revealed that he'd checked himself out of the hospital, against his doctor's orders, to help find Wiley. Other than a quick phone call, she had no idea where he was or what he was doing. Alexis asked about the Nurses Ball and who had been there. Sam recognized her mother "fishing," and she informed Alexis that Neil hadn't been there.
Just then, the doorbell rang, and Alexis opened the door to Neil. He told Alexis that he was on his way from dropping off his patient files to Kevin. Sam's phone went off, and she announced with relief that Wiley had been found. She excused herself so Neil and Alexis could talk, and she left. Alexis and Neil sat down, and they agreed that there was an important talk they had to have. Neil remembered Alexis saying that she couldn't be friends with him, and he wanted to know if she still felt that way.
Jordan met with Jason on the pier, and she demanded to know what was so important that he'd needed to risk her reputation and career by barging into her office. Jason showed her a shell casing he'd found near the same spot he'd found Taggert. She urgently asked him what had happened, and he observed that she didn't seem surprised that Taggert was alive. She wanted details about the shooting, which he didn't have, but he told her what had happened after he'd found Taggert. Jason questioned how Jordan had faked Taggert's death, but she shot back that she didn't owe him an explanation.
Jason told Jordan that he and Sonny could have helped, but Jordan reasoned that she didn't know the terms of their truce with Cyrus. Jason believed that his accident hadn't been an accident, and that Cyrus was trying to clear a path to Sonny. Jordan admitted that even Curtis didn't know that Taggert was alive, as she hadn't wanted him implicated if things went wrong. She continued that too much time had passed, so telling him would destroy her marriage. Jordan maintained that she would solve things the only way she knew how, but Jason didn't think she could do it alone. "You working with a cop?" Jordan asked, amused. Jason insisted he could handle it, and Jordan left.
At Kelly's, Curtis got coffee for himself and Portia. Portia apologized to him again for Trina's vitriol, but he understood that Trina needed to put her anger somewhere. Portia was glad that Trina had performed in the Nurses Ball, and she wondered if Curtis had ever done so. He told her about the magic act he'd done, which he'd used to propose to Jordan. Portia realized that the Nurses Ball was kind of like an anniversary for the couple, so she regretted talking to him about their past. She insisted that he hadn't been the cause of her marriage ending.
Curtis recounted that it had been too early in his recovery for a relationship, so he'd taken a closer look at his life when Portia had admitted to him that she'd been married. He related that one thing he could never ignore in a relationship was dishonesty. Portia wished she had been honest with Curtis sooner, but she didn't regret their time together. She went on that honesty was one of the most important lessons she wanted to teach Trina, and she admitted that she wanted Trina to turn out more like her father. She was glad that Trina loved her father, but she wished that Trina could be civil to Curtis. He insisted that he could handle it, and Trina had to grieve in her own way. Before leaving, Curtis informed Portia that he'd told Jordan about their conversation.
In Geneva, Dante tossed and turned as he had the same nightmare about shooting Lulu and about the day he'd left Port Charles. Dr. Kirk entered Dante's room, and Dante immediately lunged out of bed and pinned the doctor against the wall. "Stand down! There's no danger. You're safe," Dr. Kirk assured a still half-asleep Dante. Dante apologized for the reaction and confessed that he'd been having his same nightmare. The doctor offered to up Dante's medication, but Dante refused due to the "fog." With no drugs or therapy, Dr. Kirk disclosed that there weren't many treatment options left. Dante thought that whatever had been done to him couldn't be treated. The doctor disagreed and vowed to get Dante to believe.
Dr. Kirk said that he'd been getting pressure from his superior about sending Dante home. He admitted that the director of the WSB wanted Dante for a "priority operation," as it concerned someone close to Dante. Dante assumed it was Sonny, but the doctor didn't know. Dante asked the doctor to tell the director to "go to hell." If Dante didn't go on the mission, Dr. Kirk gave him two options: "sit here and rot," or do the work to address his PTSD and get back to his life.
Dante realized that he'd spent enough time locked up for his own good and that he was ready to do the treatment. Dr. Kirk was happy with the decision, and Dante wondered how long it would take for him to get better. He knew that he'd been gone for more than a year, and he wasn't sure how much of his family was still waiting around for him.
In the woods, Nelle screamed out for Carly to help her, as she was slipping and about to fall. Carly followed the sound of the screams and found Nelle hanging on to the edge of a cliff. Carly reached out and urged Nelle to grab her hand, and Nelle did. Carly tried to pull Nelle up, but Nelle slipped and fell. Carly was in shock until Jax found her. A very upset Carly tried to stammer out what had happened, and Jax wrapped her in a comforting hug. He told her that they needed to decide what to do next, as the cops might not believe her version of events due to her history with Nelle.
Jax also feared that the justice system would throw the book at Carly, since she was Sonny's wife. She thought that Jax would be able to back her up. Jax thought that, since the two were on good terms, he might not be thought of as a reliable witness. He instructed her to "volunteer as little information as possible." He told her to say that she'd fought with Nelle, of which there would be evidence in the clearing. He continued that, by the time Carly had regained her senses, Nelle had been gone. He urged Carly to let the cops find Nelle and to save herself.
Sonny arrived at the cabin. Michael assured his father that Wiley was safe, and he added that he couldn't wait to take his son home. Valerie entered the cabin to get Michael's statement. She informed the men that there were plenty of roadblocks out for Nelle. She and Michael sat down, and he took her through the whole night. He said that he'd been trying to call Willow, but he had no reception. Valerie replied that she had a satellite phone in the car, so she would take care of it.
Willow let Lulu into the Quartermaine mansion, and Lulu was surprised to find it otherwise empty. Willow informed Lulu of everyone's whereabouts and added that Brook Lynn was going to be fine. Lulu offered to keep Willow company, and Willow agreed. Later, Willow's phone went off, and she was terrified to answer the call from the police. She answered the call to Valerie, who assured Willow that Wiley was safe. When Willow was off the phone, she thanked Lulu for waiting with her. Lulu informed Willow, as someone who had experience with Sonny as a father-in-law, that Sonny never would have let Nelle disappear with Wiley.
When Valerie returned to the cabin, Michael told her about Carly and Jax, and she assured Michael that the two would be found. Just then, Michael's phone went off, and he answered it to Jax. Jax informed Michael that he'd found Carly. Michael asked about Nelle, but Jax claimed bad reception and hung up. A cop entered the room with Nelle's fake passports, and Michael was grateful he'd found Nelle and Wiley when he had. Michael wanted to take Wiley home to Willow, and Sonny offered to drive. Valerie told them that she was sending patrol cars to the Quartermaines', just in case.
Carly and Jax argued over what to tell the cops, and Carly insisted that cover-ups never turned out the way they were supposed to. Just then, they heard approaching police, and Jax told her that they needed to get to the clearing where she'd fought with Nelle. A short while later, the two arrived back at the cabin. Valerie gave Carly every update she had about Wiley and Nelle. Valerie wanted to ask Carly some questions about the night, and she started by asking if Carly had found Nelle.
Lulu was walking by Kelly's when her phone went off. She smiled at the text from Dustin that read, "Kids in bed. Wine uncorked. How soon can you get home?" She replied that she was on her way, and she continued walking.
At the Quartermaine mansion, Willow was asleep on the couch when Michael's voice over the baby monitor woke her up. She heard Michael telling Wiley how loved he was and that they would never lose him again. Willow rushed upstairs and into Wiley's room, and she gave Michael a huge, tearful hug.
