This week on General Hospital…Jason’s family and friends react to his return; Anna struggles to get away from Paul’s blackmail; and Ava wins custody of Avery.
Anna hesitates outside of the DA’s office when she hears the unmistakable sounds of passionate kissing. She realizes that Ava is with Paul. Luckily Ava pulls away as Anna enters. Ava heads to Avery’s custody hearing as Anna confronts Paul. She wants to know what his motive is. When Paul refers to Carlos’ murder, Anna threatens to turn herself in. Paul holds up a photo of Emma, telling Anna that if she goes to jail, who will take care of Emma? Anna realizes Paul is blackmailing her; she calls Paul “despicable.” Paul smiles and offers Anna a job as a special investigator for the DA’s office. Anna has no choice but to accept the job; she knows Paul will want her to do his bidding while turning her back on her ethics…but then again, isn’t it already too late for Anna to quibble about morals?
At the courthouse Scotty and Ric go head to head, trying to prove who is the unfit parent: Ava or Sonny. Michael and Morgan testify on their father’s behalf. Kiki arrives and testifies on Sonny’s behalf, which breaks Ava’s heart. So as soon as Ava gets Sonny alone, she goads him. She taunts his current disability, which leads Sonny to threaten to kill her. And Ava has it all recorded on her cell phone.
At All Saints Church Elizabeth watches her wedding day disappear like a puff of smoke as Carly enters with Jake. Jake announces that he is Jason, but he doesn’t remember his old life. Or feel any of those old feelings. Carly produces Spinelli’s computer program and the DNA test as Sam bursts into tears and runs out. Elizabeth tries to get Jason to remember that he loves her, but everyone is too focused on Sam, including Patrick who watches his own relationship dissolve before his eyes. Jake/Jason grabs Nikolas, threatening to choke him. Did Nikolas know anything about this? Nik claims he didn’t and leaves with Hayden, who is enjoying the show a little too much. Jake/Jason runs out and Elizabeth follows him to the bridge where she tearfully reminds him that he loves her as Jake Doe and she loves him. That doesn’t change anything! Jake/Jason reiterates that he still loves her, but everything else has changed. He may still be married to Sam. He doesn’t like who Jason was, so what does that mean for him? Desperate Elizabeth asks Jake/Jason to come home with her and he agrees.
Nikolas and Hayden return to Wyndemere where they flirt and get romantic. They kiss, but Hayden playfully pulls away, asking how Jason will react once he learns that Nikolas and Elizabeth knew all along that Jake was Jason. Nikolas plays dumb, but Hayden manages to get him to admit that yes, he has known for a while that Jake was Jason. In return Hayden admits she regained her memory as soon as she was discharged from the hospital, but she pretended otherwise in order to ingratiate herself to Nikolas. She admits she has developed feelings for Nikolas—and she knows he cares about her too!
Back at All Saints Sam tries to process the fact that Jason is back and he doesn’t remember anything. Patrick tries to be sensitive; he counsels Sam to take it slow, citing him and Robin as an example. Loving each other wasn’t enough and they couldn’t last. When Sam refers to Jason as her husband, Patrick asks if she has stopped loving him. Sam shakes her head. She is just confused, that’s all! Patrick knows the feeling, having been through this with Sabrina and Robin.
Carly finally arrives at the courthouse where she is about to tell Sonny that Jake is Jason, but court is called to order. Scotty plays Ava’s recording and the judge is properly horrified. She declares both Ava and Sonny to be awful people, but feels Avery would be safer with Ava. She awards Ava sole custody of Avery. Sonny naturally blames his loss on Carly’s absence and orders his men to wheel him out. Carly turns to Michael and tells him that Jake is Jason. She then calls Jason to leave him a message, saying how much they need him and they should tell Sonny about him together. Carly of course has no regard for Jason’s feelings or Sam’s or Elizabeth’s. As soon as she hears the word Jason, she is all about herself.