Dante & Lulu #2  October 5, 2009 - January 11, 2010 - 8 hour original edit

DVD #2A  Lulu and Ethan arrived in Greece and used subterfuge to gain entrance to a large villa. Once inside, armed guards, who were not impressed that Lulu was Nikolas' sister, confronted them. Before ordering them out, the guards made it clear that neither Nikolas nor Helena were paying their salaries. As they were leaving, they noticed a young woman walk down a hallway. Ethan and Lulu went to a local bar to plot their next move. While they were there, the woman they had seen in the villa sat down at the bar. Ethan introduced himself. The young woman said her name was Mischa. Ethan invited her to sit at the table with him and his sister, Lulu. Lulu and Ethan continued their conversation with Helena's nurse. She confirmed that Luke had tried to escape, but he hadn't gotten too far before he had been caught. The nurse said she didn't know for sure that Luke was still alive.

Dominic was doing Sonny's dirty work, and he took Tommy Soto deep into the woods to kill him. As soon as they were far away from anyone who could have overheard them, Dominic revealed to Soto that he was an undercover cop. Soto could choose to go into witness protection or be killed. Soto tried to refuse witness protection, but he quickly changed his mind and left.

Jason showed up and found Dominic in the woods. Soto was nowhere to be seen, and it appeared that Dominic had been knocked unconscious. Jason quickly looked around for Soto, but they left when Jason couldn't find any sign of the traitor. Jason took Dominic to Sonny to explain what had happened. Sonny was furious, but Jason asked him to give Dominic a break. Dominic had saved Morgan's life, and they owed Dominic for that debt. Sonny reluctantly agreed, and Dominic left.

Dominic showed up at Sonny's house and found Claudia waiting in the living area. She offered him a drink, and Dominic was immediately suspicious. Claudia had always been mean towards him, so he couldn't figure out why she suddenly changed her mind about him. Dominic didn't have to fend off Claudia for long, though. Johnny rushed through the door and threw Dominic out of the way. Johnny raised his hand as if to punch his sister and demanded to know what she had done to Olivia.

10/7 Johnny offered Claudia the opportunity to right her wrong. Instead, Claudia accused Olivia of using Johnny in order to make Sonny jealous. Johnny explained that Olivia was his safe zone. She was the only person that he could turn to who wasn't filthy or corrupt. Johnny accused Claudia of destroying the best thing that had ever happened to him. He wondered why he shouldn't do the same thing to Claudia. As tears streamed down his face, Johnny reminded Claudia that he could make her disappear. He wanted her to give him one good reason why he shouldn't. Dominic stepped in to urge Johnny to back off.

After Johnny left, Claudia decided to use the ugly confrontation to her advantage. She tried to cry on Dominic's shoulder, in an effort to seduce him. Dominic offered Claudia sympathy, but nothing else. Claudia resorted to more aggressive tactics; she kissed Dominic. Dominic pushed Claudia away and then reminded her that Sonny could walk in at any time. Claudia suggested a more private setting, but Dominic declined.

Dante met Ronnie at a safe house. Dante told Ronnie about Sonny's orders to kill Tommy Soto and Jason's decision to make sure that the hit was carried out. Dante also revealed that Claudia had tried to seduce him. Ronnie was not pleased; he realized that they had reached the point where they had to make their move. Ronnie wanted Dante to wear a wire, so that they could gather sufficient evidence to nail down their case against Sonny.

Mischa ushered Ethan and Lulu into the room. Luke smiled as he saw his children; he wondered what had taken them so long to find him. Ethan confessed that they had not realized that Luke had been kidnapped until Mischa had contacted them. Luke was curious why Mischa had sent Ethan and Lulu a text message, but Mischa didn't provide an answer. Mischa insisted that they had to hurry before the guards discovered them. After Ethan freed Luke from the handcuffs, Luke and his children prepared to flee.

Helena begged Luke to take her with them. Ethan and Lulu didn't want to, but Luke scooped up Helena and then deposited her in a wheelchair. The group made their way to the front door, but before they could escape, armed guards surrounded them. Helena tried to order the men to stand down, to no avail. One of the guards instructed another guard to return Helena to her room.

Lulu warned the men that her brother, Nikolas Cassadine, would not appreciate the way that she had been treated. They ignored Lulu until she announced that Nikolas was behind them. When the guards turned to check the doorway, Luke and Ethan sprang into action. Within moments, the guards were disarmed. To everyone's surprise, Nikolas really did appear on the doorstep, demanding to know what was going on.

10/8 Dante and Ronnie discussed the plan to have Sonny incriminate himself while Dante wore a wire. Ronnie reminded Dante that the wire could not be turned off, and Dante needed to be careful what he said and to whom. Ronnie questioned Dante's ability to be objective and to follow through with the case against Sonny. Dante blew up at Ronnie. Dante said that he did feel bad that he would bring down Morgan's father, but that Sonny was a criminal who needed to be stopped. Dante said that he was a cop and he would not let anything get in the way of his job.

Dominic showed up at Sonny's house and Johnny arrived shortly after. Sonny wanted Dominic to deliver some papers to Olivia. Dante arrived at the hotel to deliver the papers to Olivia. She loudly asked him if he could stay to make sure all the papers were in order. Once they were close to each other, Olivia quietly asked Dante why he had not returned her calls. Out loud he talked about the Michael Corinthos Foundation, but he wrote the word "wire" on the paper Olivia held.

Olivia understood Dante's message and quickly walked away. Dante received a phone call from Claudia. She requested that he meet her in the hotel room she was in. Dante went to the room to meet Claudia. They talked about his botched hit on Jason that Claudia had ordered. Dante said that Claudia had wanted him to disappear. Claudia said that she was glad that Dominic had stayed around because she needed him. Claudia kissed Dominic. Dominic said that he was not interested in her, but Claudia would not take no for an answer. She started to take off her clothes.

Dominic said that he was loyal to Sonny and did not want a bullet in the head. Claudia said that Dominic could give her something that Sony could not, and she would make it worth Domnic's while. Claudia told Dominic that she could give him information, facts, and figures that would help him move up in Sonny's organization. Claudia tried to take off Dominic's shirt, but he stopped her.

10/9 In a van, Ronnie listened in on Dante's conversation with Claudia in the hotel room. Claudia was not pleased when Dante made it clear that he did not intend to sleep with her. Dante claimed that he thought too highly of Sonny to betray him like that. Claudia smiled with malice as she revealed that she knew that he was Dante Falconari. Dante tried to call Claudia's bluff, but she saw through his ploy. She smiled victoriously as she observed that his family had a really bad habit of changing their names.

Dante cut to the chase; he demanded to know what she wanted. Claudia informed him, "You. Now and any other time that I say." Claudia was furious when Dante continued to reject her. Dante sensed Claudia's desperation; he wondered why she would resort to threats in order to force him to sleep with her. Claudia didn't have an opportunity to reply because the police began pounding on the door.

When Claudia opened the door, detectives swarmed into the room and then promptly arrested Dante. Claudia demanded to know what was going on. One of the detectives explained that Dante was wanted for questioning in an incident involving a Corthinos shipment. Dante played along with the bust, insisting that he was innocent. After Dante was dragged away, Claudia left the room.

Dante was taken to a safe house where Ronnie was waiting for him. Ronnie announced that Dante had been removed from the case because his cover had been blown. Dante argued that it was not a lost cause, but Ronnie refused to budge. Dante warned Ronnie that he would quit the force and complete the assignment as a civilian.

10/12 Ronnie told Dante that he was off the case because Claudia had blown his cover. Dante refused to leave his post, and threatened to quit the police force so that he could see his mission through. Ronnie tried to talk Dante out of quitting the agency.

Lulu ran into Dominic, who was on the pier swinging a stickball bat. He wanted to know where she had been lately. She told him she'd been away on business and let it drop. When Dominic did not make his usual pickup lines, Lulu wanted to know what was wrong. Dominic said that he had made a promise to himself when he was a kid playing stickball, and he was facing the reality that he might not be able to keep it. He told her that innocent people who mattered might get hurt if he continued on his quest. Lulu listened as Dominic told her that he grew up not knowing who his father was.

He told her that his best friend's father, Mr. Pirelli, had taken over the role, but t he local wise guy had murdered him. Dominic told Lulu that he had promised himself that he would bring the murderer to justice. Lulu concluded that Dominic had joined the mob so that he could take revenge. She asked if Anthony had murdered Pirelli. She was relieved to find out that Anthony was not the one who shot Pirelli, because she did not want Johnny to be part of Dominic's revenge. 

Dominic told Lulu that he had no interest in Johnny, and, in fact, liked him. Dominic said that of all the mobsters he had met, Johnny was the only one who had not had a choice in what he became. Lulu voiced her amazement that for the second time, Dominic sounded more like someone who was against the mob than someone who was part of it. Claudia tracked Dominic down to his room and threatened to tell Sonny that Olivia was his mother if he did not meet her at a hotel. Dominic wanted to know why Claudia insisted on having sex with him instead of someone who was willing.

10/13 Dominic and Claudia were upstairs in Dominic's bedroom. Dominic was busy packing to leave, but Claudia was doing her best to seduce him. Dominic told her he couldn't sleep with her in Sonny's house, so Claudia told him she would rent a room at a hotel for that evening. Dominic couldn't understand why Claudia wanted anything to do with him, but Claudia said Dominic reminded her of Sonny. Dominic couldn't see the resemblance, so Claudia further explained that both Sonny and Dominic had an air of authority that she was attracted to.

Upstairs, Sonny walked into Dominic's room to tell him goodbye. Sonny knew he had been hard on Dominic, but Sonny wouldn't forget what Dominic had done to save Morgan's life. Many people would have just stood by and watched the car run over the boy. Sonny warned Dominic that if he continued in the business, he shouldn't ever get married or have children. Dominic was surprised to hear Sonny as he gave that advice, because Dominic thought Sonny was a great father. Sonny admitted that he loved his kids, but he wasn't to be credited with giving them the wonderful lives they had. Sonny told Dominic that Claudia wanted a baby, and suddenly, Dominic understood why Claudia wanted to sleep with him.

10/14 Dante sat in his mother's dinning room as she served him a sandwich. While Dante wolfed down the sandwich, Olivia confessed that she was relieved that he had been removed from the investigation against Sonny. She didn't want to have to open a newspaper one day to discover that her son had been fitted with a pair of cement blocks. "Cement shoes," Dante corrected his mother.

Dante confided that Sonny had not been what he had expected. Sonny seemed like a typical father who had his problems, but loved his kids. The person that Dante couldn't figure out was Claudia. Not surprisingly, Olivia didn't have anything encouraging to say about Claudia; however, she was concerned by Dante's interested in the "nasty psycho." When Dante didn't supply an explanation, Olivia quickly surmised that Dante intended to go "Lone Ranger" by continuing the investigation on his own.

Olivia begged Dante to reconsider; she wanted him to return to Brooklyn. Dante remained quiet, prompting Olivia to question what was on her son's mind. Dante admitted that he was thinking about his mentor, Lieutenant Vince Poletti. As they talked, it was revealed that Lieutenant Poletti had been killed on a sunny Sunday afternoon in the back alley of a liquor store. Sonny had ordered the hit. Dante hated how the cops always seemed to lose while the mobsters got away with making the rules up as they went.

After Dante left his mother's apartment, he ended up on the pier, where he spotted Lulu. Dante uncharacteristically opened up to Lulu about what was going on. He revealed that Claudia had tried to seduce him and that he suspected that Claudia was trying to get pregnant, in order to pass it off as Sonny's child. Lulu was disgusted by Claudia's conduct. She advised Dante to run as far away from Claudia as he could get. Dante insisted that it was not an option for him. Lulu warned Dante that if he went along with Claudia's plans, there would be no returning from that. Dante realized that he had an important decision to make.

10/15 At the laundromat, Ronnie returned Dante's badge as he confided that Dante had friends in high places. However, Ronnie wasn't comfortable with Dante's reinstatement. Ronnie was concerned because Dante's cover had been compromised when Claudia had discovered Dante's true identity. Ronnie revealed that there was another complication. Joey Limbo, a Zacchara associate, was to be released from jail that very day.

Ronnie and Dante were startled when Olivia marched in and then demanded to know why they were in Port Charles. Dante revealed that someone important had pulled some strings on Dante's behalf. Olivia was livid when she realized that Dante was back on the case. Ronnie gathered his things and then fled before Olivia's tantrum drew unwanted attention. Before Olivia could continue lecturing Dante, he confided that someone was determined to remove Sonny from power. Olivia wondered why Dante couldn't go after someone more deserving of an arrest than Sonny. Dante reminded Olivia that it wasn't up to him. Sonny had known the consequences of his choices.

10/16 At Greystone Manor, Sonny and Dominic discussed the threat that Joey Limbo posed. Sonny questioned if Dominic was the right person to eliminate Joey. Claudia insisted that Dominic was the perfect choice to carry out the hit. She quickly jotted down a list of contacts and then handed it to Dominic. Claudia assured Dominic that the people on the list would help him if he mentioned her name. 

Dominic met Lulu for coffee. Lulu was curious if Dominic had decided what he was going to do about Claudia's proposition. Dominic didn't think that he had a choice in the matter. Lulu couldn't believe that Dominic was seriously considering getting Claudia pregnant.

Later, Dante met Claudia at her hotel room. Claudia was furious when Dante informed her that he had no intention of ever getting her pregnant, so that she could pass the child off as Sonny's. Claudia wondered if Dante was willing to risk his mother's life when Sonny learned that she had lied about Dante's true identity.

10/19 Claudia was trying to convince Dominic to have sex with her. She threatened to tell Sonny that Olivia was his mother if he did not comply with her demands. Dominic responded that if Claudia told Sonny that Olivia was Dominic's mother, she would no longer have the leverage she needed to keep Johnny and Olivia apart. Before walking out, Dominic called Claudia's bluff. He told her that he preferred that Johnny not sleep with his mother, but if she decided to tell Sonny, he was sure that she would lose more than anyone else.

Dominic ran into Lulu in the alley outside Jake's. She wanted to know if he had slept with Claudia. She was pleased when he said that he had not. Dominic teased her that she wanted to know because she was interested in him. She said he was too full of himself. Dominic asked Lulu for a date, but she said no. Dominic was momentarily distracted by some graffiti on one of the walls, but did not say anything to Lulu about it as they walked into Jake's.

Dante went back to the alley to look at the graffiti he had noticed earlier. CO77X was written in fancy script on the wall. As Dante stared at the design, the scene shifted to a warehouse loft. The same distinctive letters and script were painted on a window. Inside the loft, in dark shadow, was either a very still person, or a statue, in meditative pose. There was a large corkboard to the left, with crime scene photos of a man who had been shot in the back.

10/20 Lulu was talking to her brother. She couldn't believe how wrong she had been about Lucky's relationship with Liz. Lucky promised not to tell her he told her so, though. All the conversations were halted when Laura's mom wanted to take some photos to send to her daughter. After the pictures were taken, Leslie mentioned to Luke that Laura was interested in what Ethan looked like. Luke said that he had talked to Laura about his illegitimate child, so it was no surprise to him that Laura was interested in Ethan. Luke made an announcement to welcome Elizabeth back in the family, although he acknowledged that Elizabeth had never really left the family. Luke also wanted to welcome Ethan to the family. Ethan didn't know what to say, and Luke said that must have been a first. 

Dominic interrupted Johnny and Olivia's conversation when he knocked on the door to Olivia's apartment. Olivia left to give Johnny time alone to talk to Dominic and made Dominic swear not to tell anyone about Johnny and Olivia being back together. Dominic had other things on his mind, though. He was more concerned with where Claudia and Sonny had gone. Johnny didn't know, but they both realized that Johnny would be an easy target while Sonny was gone. Dominic thought it was safer for Ms. Falconeri if Johnny kept his distance from her while the risk was so high.

Dominic arrived at Sonny's house to start snooping through Sonny's desk. It wasn't long before Dominic was caught red-handed, though. Jax warned Dominic that he needed to be more careful when he was looking through other people's things. Dominic knew right away that Jax had been instrumental in getting him reassigned to Sonny's case. Dominic couldn't figure out why Jax cared, though. Jax explained that he wanted Sonny put behind bars forever. It would be safer for Carly, the boys, and Jax's unborn daughter if Sonny were out of the picture.

10/21 On the waterfront, Dante met Ronnie to update him about Sonny and Claudia's trip. Ronnie seemed to sense that Dante was concerned about Sonny's welfare. He was curious what Dante expected him to do. Dante suggested that it was time to arrest Sonny. Ronnie worried that Dante was in too deep. He accused Dante of trying to find a "non-violent" way to bust Sonny. Ronnie warned Dante that, given Sonny's lifestyle, it might not be possible. As Ronnie prepared to leave, Dante spotted some graffiti on a warehouse wall. Dante was curious if Ronnie recognized the "CO77X" tag, but Ronnie had never seen it before.

Dominic decided to enlist Spinelli's help researching the graffiti tag. While Spinelli tapped away on his laptop at the penthouse, Dominic realized just how skilled Spinelli was in the cyber world. Spinelli admitted that he was one of the best. Dominic wondered if Spinelli could move money around without the authorities knowing. Later, Spinelli confessed that he had not been able to find any information that revealed the possible meaning of "CO77X." Spinelli suggested that perhaps it was merely a child's prank. While Spinelli and Dominic discussed the tag, a warehouse office was shown. The walls were lined with police snapshots of murder crime scenes. On the floor of the office, was a poster with "CO77X" painted on it. Moments later, red splatter appeared across the tag.

10/22 Dominic tried to gain access to some of Sonny's sensitive files by using the excuse that he needed Spinelli's help to locate Joey Limbo. According to Dominic, he required Spinelli's cyber skills, in order to figure out where Joey would strike next. Spinelli was reluctant to agree to Dominic's request because he didn't know if Dominic had been granted access to the classified information. Dominic assured Spinelli that Sonny had given Dominic carte blanche to use whatever means necessary, in order to track down Joey.

Dominic insisted that Joey was a serious threat to Sonny and the organization, so it was imperative that they locate Joey as soon as possible. Spinelli eventually capitulated, but before he could open the files on his laptop, the doorbell rang. It was Lulu. Lulu had Maxie's Halloween costume, a sexy Xena outfit. Maxie had asked Lulu to drop off the costume. Lulu was horrified when Dominic suggested that Lulu try it on for him. She refused to even consider it. Spinelli snatched the garment bag out of Lulu's hand to hang the costume in a safe place. Dominic continued to make suggestive remarks, fueling Lulu's anger. 

After Lulu left, Spinelli called Dominic out on his behavior. He suggested that if Dominic were interested in Lulu, he wouldn't spend so much time trying to make her mad. According to Dominic, angry seemed to be Lulu's favorite state of mind. Spinelli didn't appreciate Dominic's jest about Lulu. However, before he could respond, Johnny arrived. Spinelli asked Johnny to explain to Dominic that Lulu would never be impressed with Dominic's miserable attempts to woo her. Johnny didn't want to get involved, because Lulu's personal life wasn't any of Johnny's business. Johnny clarified that he had been instructed to pick up a flash drive for Bernie. Dejected, Spinelli handed over the flash drive. Before Johnny left, he suggested that Lulu was perfectly capable to taking care of herself.

At Tracy's request, Lulu met her stepmother at the Haunted Star. Tracy confessed that she was concerned about the growing animosity between Ethan and Nikolas. Tracy worried that Lulu would be caught in the middle of their strife. Moments later, Dominic approached Lulu. Lulu was surprised to see him. After Tracy walked away, Dominic sensed that Lulu was troubled. Lulu admitted that she was worried about her brothers. Dominic spotted Ethan at the bar. He was curious whom the man standing next to Ethan was.

Dominic was shocked when Lulu admitted that it was her father; he confessed that he was eager to meet the legendary Luke Spencer. Before Lulu could stop him, Dominic approached Luke to introduce himself. Lulu bit her tongue when Ethan informed Luke that Dominic was bad news. Luke reminded Ethan that it was up to Lulu to decide how she felt about Dominic. Rather than respond, Lulu opted to drag Dominic away.

As Lulu and Dominic sat down, talk of her father prompted Lulu to wonder if Dominic had ever thought about finding his own father. Dominic agreed to answer Lulu's question if she left the casino with him. Dominic and Lulu ended up at Kelly's enjoying a cup of hot cider at one of the outdoor tables. Lulu reminded Dominic of his promise, but he continued to stall. When Lulu threatened to leave, Dominic admitted that he had found his father.

10/23 Outside of Kelly's, Lulu and Dominic sipped hot cider. Lulu was curious how Dominic had found his father. Dominic confided that, at the age of 14, he had asked around town until he had gathered a list five men who might be his father. One man had died, while two others had moved out of town. One day, Dominic had gone to the house of the fourth man.

When Dominic had seen the man with his wife and children, he realized that his existence might destroy the man's life and the lives of his young children. Dominic didn't want to do that to the family, so he had left. Lulu was moved by the story; however, she wondered how Dominic knew that the man was his father. Dominic claimed that the children had been almost mirror images of him. Lulu questioned if that had been sufficient proof.

Dominic confessed that it didn't really matter. Whoever his father was, it was likely that the man had a family. Dominic had no desire to ruin anyone's life. Lulu suggested that Dominic's father might be happy to learn that he had a son. She reminded Dominic that Luke had been surprisingly thrilled to discover that he was Ethan's father. Dominic didn't want to take the risk.

Lulu was impressed that Dominic's thoughts ran that deep. She decided to leave before she became too excited by the prospect that there was more to Dominic than had met the eye. Dominic wondered when he would be able to have more than a cup of cider with Lulu. Lulu didn't know, but she suggested that he keep trying.

Inside Kelly's, Dominic fetched a cup of hot cider, which he gave to Kristina when he joined her at the table. Dominic admitted that there were guys like she had described. However, he insisted that those guys weren't worth the "gum on your shoe." Dominic added that guys like him enjoyed "pounding" guys like that. He was curious if Kristina was asking him to teach Kiefer a lesson. Kristina declined the offer. Dominic started to tell Kristina that sex should be special, but then stopped.

Dante entered the bar. Kate asked for a bottle of whiskey before she made her way to Dante's table. Dante wasn't in the mood to deal with Kate, but she didn't care. She informed him that he had two options: they could pretend to be strangers or she could announce to everyone in the bar that she and Dante were related. "Either way," Kate informed him, "Cousin Connie is going to buy you a drink and you are going to listen to what she has to say." Kate poured two shots of whiskey and then handed one to Dante. After she emptied her shot glass, Kate urged Dante to quit his assignment and then return to Bensonhurst. Kate insisted that Dante would never be able to bust Sonny; she intended to explain why it was impossible.

10/26 At Jake's, Kate made cryptic comments to Dante about his relationship to Sonny. When she told Dante that revealing his true identity would protect him from Sonny and Sonny from him, Dante was confused. Olivia heard Kate's remark and hurried over. Dante was curious about Kate's statements, but Olivia rushed Kate away and warned her not to tell the secret. Dante joined them and told Kate that Sonny would kill him if she told his real name. Kate insisted that nothing would happen to him. Dante paid her no heed. Before leaving the cousins alone, Dante told Kate that if she spilled his identity, she would not only be responsible when Sonny killed him, but she would be responsible when Sonny killed Olivia. Kate scoffed, but Dante stormed out of Jake's without listening to her explanation.

Dominic dropped in on Johnny at the garage to pry information out of him about the whereabouts of Claudia and Sonny. Johnny did not know any more about where they were than Dominic did. Johnny said that he knew that Claudia had put the moves on Dominic. Dominic wanted to know if Johnny also knew that Dominic had turned her down. Johnny congratulated Dominic for making a good decision. Though Dominic doubted that Claudia would come after him again, Johnny told Dominic to call if he needed help fending her off. Dominic thanked Johnny, and left.

10/27 Dominic fought with another cop about the evidence they had on Sonny. The other man didn't think they had enough to put Sonny away. Lulu overheard enough of the conversation to understand that Dominic was an undercover cop. Dominic was horrified that she had uncovered his secret, but soon he realized that something wasn't quite right with Lulu. She stumbled around and her speech was slurred. Lulu promised him that she hadn't been drinking, because she had been at a photo shoot that night. Dominic asked her if she'd had anything to drink, and she admitted to drinking a bottle of water.

Dominic thought someone could have slipped something into the water. He wanted to take her to the hospital, but she convinced him to take her back to his apartment. Once they arrived at his place, Lulu started kissing Dominic and she told him how she had wanted him from the very first time she had seen him. Dominic insisted that they couldn't sleep together while she was under the influence of something. He pushed her down on the bed to sleep off the drugs, and he hoped she would have no memory of that evening when she woke up in the morning.

10/28 Dominic returned to his room after a shower in the communal bathroom. Wearing nothing but a towel, Dominic quietly approached his dresser while Lulu slept soundly in his bed. Dominic dropped the towel, and was in the process of pulling on his underwear, when Lulu suddenly began shrieking. Dominic realized that she'd seen him in all of his glory; he apologized as he gathered his things and then fled to the bathroom. A short time later, Dominic re-entered his room, fully dressed. He found Lulu crawling on the floor in a mad search for her shoes.

Agitated, Lulu demanded to know how she had wound up in Dominic's room. Dominic was stunned to discover that Lulu didn't remember anything after the Crimson photo shoot. He explained that he had bumped into Lulu on the docks and that he had quickly surmised that she'd been drugged. Lulu questioned why Dominic had taken her to his room.

Dominic realized that Lulu suspected that he'd taken advantage of her condition. He admitted that they had kissed, but he clarified that it had not gone beyond that. Dominic took offense when Lulu didn't immediately believe him. He told her, in embarrassing detail, how she had been the aggressor, not him. To Lulu's annoyance, he added that she looked cute when she was "stoned."

Claudia was trying to reach Johnny on the phone when Dominic entered the living room. Sonny informed Dominic that he wanted additional guards to accompany Claudia to the hotel. When Dominic agreed to assign some men to guard duty, Sonny clarified that he expected Dominic to watch over Claudia.

Dante followed Claudia in to her hotel room. As soon as the door closed, Claudia began issuing threats. She was certain that Johnny had disappeared to "play house" with Olivia. Claudia vowed to tell Dante's secret if Johnny wasn't at her party. Dante suggested that there could be many reasons that Johnny wasn't returning Claudia's calls, but Claudia insisted that Dante track down her brother.

When Dominic returned to Greystone Manor, Sonny informed Dominic that he wanted Dominic to attend Claudia's party. While they talked about the party, Dominic noticed that Sonny had casually tossed a folder on a chair. After Dominic assured Sonny that he would be at the party, Sonny excused himself. Sonny explained that he had to meet Jason. Once Sonny was gone, Dominic flip through the folder and then began riffling through Sonny's desk. Michael walked in moments later. Dominic explained that he was on an errand for Bernie. Michael didn't question Dominic; he was too preoccupied with his own thoughts. Michael admitted that he needed to speak to his father about an important matter that couldn't wait. 

10/29 At the Jacks residence, Lulu wondered if it was wise for Carly to attend Claudia's birthday bash. Carly argued that she might not have another opportunity to go to a party after the baby arrived. When Carly returned to the living room, dressed for the party, Lulu asked her cousin what she thought of Dominic. Carly admitted that Dominic seemed like a nice guy; however, he worked for Sonny. When Carly asked why Lulu thought that Dominic worked for Sonny, Lulu confided that she didn't know. It seemed to Lulu that she was missing a piece of the puzzle.

Carly was curious if Lulu was referring to her memory loss the previous night. Lulu confided that she sensed that she had learned something important about Dominic, but she couldn't remember what it was. Lulu hoped that Maxie would be able to help her figure it out. When Lulu mentioned that Maxie was going to the party, Carly was relieved. Carly had changed her mind about going to the party.

Carly explained that, as much as she wanted to snoop, she had to put the welfare of her child first. Carly decided that it would be best to stay home with Mercedes and the boys. Lulu was disappointed, but agreed with Carly. Before Lulu dashed off to the party, she promised to call Carly with frequent updates. Carly intended to hold Lulu to the promise.

As the guests began to trickle in for Claudia’s party, Jax noticed Dante's arrival. He quickly approached the undercover cop to remind Dante of his assignment. Dante didn't appreciate Jax's interference or advice. Lulu arrived just as Maxie demanded to know what Dominic's intentions were towards Lulu. Lulu tried to salvage the embarrassing situation, but Dominic didn't make it easy. He revealed to Maxie that Lulu had spent the night in his room after he had found her as "stoned as a rock star" on the piers. When Maxie pointed out that Dominic could have taken Lulu to her own apartment, Dominic pointed out that he could have also left Lulu wandering around on the docks.

Maxie questioned if Dominic had taken advantage of Lulu, but he clarified that he had not laid a hand on Lulu, despite Lulu's repeated requests. After Dominic excused himself, Maxie confided that Lulu was in deep trouble. Lulu smiled in response. Later, Lulu apologized to Dominic for Maxie's questions. Dominic admitted that he liked knowing that he kept Lulu off balance. Lulu confessed that she felt as if she didn't know the real Dominic. Dominic's response was a simple, "Good." Dominic called Carly when he spotted Michael lurking on the fringes of the party. Carly thanked Dominic for calling her; she promised to collect her son as soon as she could.

All heads turned when Sonny and Claudia arrived at the party. Claudia clung to Sonny's arm, while he smiled indulgently at his wife. Everyone sang "Happy Birthday" to Claudia as a huge birthday cake was wheeled out on a serving cart. Sonny asked for everyone's attention. As Sonny announced that he wanted to say a few things about his "lovely wife," Carly, Olivia, and Johnny entered the restaurant within seconds of each other.

Sonny started his speech by acknowledging his long-standing friendship with Luke, who had always been loyal to Sonny. Next, Sonny thanked Robin for being like a sister to him and for bringing Patrick into their lives. Sonny was eternally grateful to Patrick because he had saved Michael's life. Sonny then thanked Mike for never giving up on him. After Mike, Sonny thanked Alexis, conceding that, despite their differences, they had mutual respect for each other. When Sonny thanked Jason, he admitted that they had both paid a high price for their choices. Finally, Sonny turned to Claudia to ask, "What can I say about you? What best describes my wife? How can I ever repay you?"

10/30 At the Metro Court restaurant, party guests were gathered around Sonny and Claudia as Sonny acknowledged the important people in his life and then concluded his speech by turning to his wife. As everyone listened, Sonny credited Claudia for changing his life and leaving her mark on him and his family. Claudia's joy turned to trepidation when Sonny accused Claudia of being everything that people had warned him about.

No longer masking his fury, Sonny angrily denounced Claudia for plotting to kill him and setting the events into motion that had resulted in Michael's shooting. Claudia appeared shell-shocked until Sonny called her a "faithless bitch." The insult seemed to jerk Claudia out of her daze. Claudia insisted that she was innocent, and then accused Jason of trying to frame her. When that failed to impress Sonny, Claudia begged to have a moment alone with her husband. Sonny laughed, but there was no humor in the sound. He apologized to the guests and then assured them that Claudia had lied to everyone for the last time. 

Sonny vowed that he would make certain that everyone would pay for their role in Claudia's plot. Desperate to save his sister, Johnny stepped forward. Johnny claimed that he had arranged the failed hit against Sonny. Johnny also insisted that Claudia had not known about it. Sonny revealed that he had heard every sordid detail of the plot with his own ears, so he knew that Johnny was lying. Sonny clarified that not only had Claudia hired Ian Devlin, but she had also enlisted Jerry Jacks to help carry out her plan.

Sonny urged Jax to confirm that he had known about Jerry's involvement in Michael's shooting. He invited Jax to explain the steps that Jax had taken, in order to protect Jerry. Near the elevator door, Carly appeared devastated by Sonny's revelation. Claudia's eyes filled with tears as she begged Sonny to stop. She reminded him of the life that they had built together and the child that they had lost. Sonny shouted for Claudia to "shut up" and then admitted that he "thanked God" that she had lost their child after the accident. 

Claudia reacted as if Sonny had slapped her; she couldn't believe Sonny considered the loss of their baby a blessing. Sonny shrugged his shoulders and then accused Claudia of getting pregnant on purpose. Claudia lashed out at Sonny. She claimed that everyone knew that the Corinthos children ran wild. According to Claudia, it was Sonny's fault that Michael had been at the warehouse on that fateful night. Sonny had enough of Claudia's twisted lies, so he ordered his men to grab her. Claudia immediately pulled a gun out of her purse and then threatened to shoot anyone who approached her.

As Claudia made her way to the elevator door, Johnny and then Jax tried to persuade Claudia to drop the gun before things escalated. Claudia ignored them as she pulled Carly in front of her and then shoved the gun against Carly's stomach. Carly was seized by a contraction, but Claudia held the gun firmly in place. As Claudia slowly backed into the elevator, Carly begged Jason to take a shot. Jason refused to risk Carly's life.

Michael felt responsible for what had happened. Michael believed that he could have stopped the tragic events. Dominic insisted that Michael was not to blame for the kidnapping. When people started to leave, Dominic asked for everyone's attention. Dominic explained that the police were going to want to question everyone, so he advised all of the guests to get comfortable and not to discuss the events with each other. Luke wondered who had died and made Dominic "chief of police." Dominic ignored the taunt. 

Olivia pulled Dante aside to warn him that Claudia had been very close to blowing his cover. Olivia suggested that it was time for Dante to return to being a police officer. Sonny turned to Dominic to update him on the events that had transpired in the lobby. Dectective Williams approached Sonny moments later. Williams wanted to know what evidence Sonny had obtained to suggest that Claudia had been responsible for Michael's shooting. Sonny explained that Jason had found it and that the evidence was at his coffee warehouse. Sonny offered to let his people know that the police would be by to pick it up. Williams appreciated Sonny's cooperation. 

11/2 Lulu went to Jason's place to enlist Spinelli's help to find Carly. Once there, she found Dominic and Spinelli already tapping into traffic and security cameras looking for the car that Claudia used for her getaway. Dominic had developed a meticulous search pattern, but Lulu thought it was too slow. Dominic insisted that Lulu and Spinelli keep using his search pattern while he sought help elsewhere. As soon as Dominic left, Lulu told Spinelli to look for speeding cars and cars being driven erratically.

Dominic went to see Ronnie in his apartment to ask for help finding Carly. Ronnie was not sympathetic. He told Dominic that he should be at Sonny's trying to locate evidence to convict Sonny instead of getting involved with the family. Dominic was irate to learn that Ronnie felt that putting Sonny behind bars had a higher priority than saving an innocent woman and her unborn child from a lunatic. Dominic told Ronnie to find the evidence himself. Dominic said that he was going to help find Carly and then stormed out.

When Dominic returned to Jason's place, Lulu and Spinelli told him about the car headed towards the old Zacchara mansion. Dominic got ready to leave, but Lulu told him she was going along. Dominic was not pleased, but Lulu gave him no alternative when she said that if he did not take her, she would go on her own.

Dominic and Lulu investigated the Zacchara mansion. They bumped into Johnny, who had gone looking for Claudia and they decided to search together. As they explored a hidden passage, Lulu fell through the floor into a well. She was bobbing in the water as Johnny and Dominic tried to reach her. Kristina was waiting up when Alexis got home. Alexis again assured Kristina that Claudia's behavior was not Kristina's fault. Kristina shared her fears about Sonny's mean behavior. She worried that she was like him.

11/3 Lulu, Johnny, and Dominic continued to search the old mansion grounds until Lulu fell into the icy water. Dominic tried to free her, but Lulu's leg was pinned under a beam. Johnny realized they weren't going to be able to get Lulu out alone, so he left to find help. Dominic stayed in the freezing water with Lulu and talked to her. He tried to joke with her, but she told him his jokes were old and she had already heard them. Lulu did admit that she liked him, but more importantly, she admitted remembering that he was an undercover cop. Dominic admitted to her that he was a cop, and he also admitted that his mother was Olivia.

As time dragged on, Lulu began to wonder if she would make it out alive. She told Dominic to get out of the water and save himself, but she begged him not to take Sonny down. When Lulu talked about her adventure days with her parents, Dominic guessed that Lulu got her sense of adventure from her father, Luke. Lulu asked where Dominic had received his adventure gene.

11/4 Lulu remained trapped in freezing water with Dominic at her side. As the frigid temperature slowly took its toll on Lulu, Dominic tried to keep her alert. Lulu wanted to know why Dominic was after Sonny. He revealed that Sonny had been responsible for the death of Dominic's mentor. Lulu refused to believe that Sonny had murdered an innocent person. She was curious how Dominic intended to explain Sonny's arrest to Michael and Morgan. Dominic believed that he would be doing the boys a favor by taking down Sonny.

Lulu's condition steadily declined. Desperate to keep Lulu focused, Dominic promised to take her to the Metropolitan Opera after her recovery. Despite Dominic's best efforts, Lulu slipped into unconsciousness. Moments later, Johnny led the paramedics to Lulu. As she was rushed to an ambulance, she referred to Dominic as "officer." Johnny questioned Lulu's slip, but Dominic managed to laugh it off as a delirious rambling.

When Dante arrived at the hospital, Olivia told him that Carly and the baby had been rescued. Dante was certain that Sonny and Jason had killed Claudia. Olivia didn't appear concerned by the prospect, prompting Dante to remind his mother that Sonny and Jason didn't have the right to be Claudia's judge and executioner. Dominic checked to see how Lulu was doing. Lulu was slowly recovering, but she was worried about Dominic's plans for Sonny. Dominic reminded Lulu that he was a cop, so it was his job to take down Sonny.

11/5 Dominic entered Lulu's hospital room and then jokingly asked if she was ready for their date. Lulu laughed and then referred to Dominic as "officer." Dominic asked Lulu to find a less revealing nickname, but Lulu wondered why she should. She was curious if Dominic expected her to sit quietly on the sidelines while he took down Sonny. Their discussion was cut short when Luke strolled in, which cut their discussion short . Dominic excused himself, but Lulu invited him to stay. Luke quipped that Dominic probably had to go to fit Claudia with a pair of "cement shoes." After Dominic left, Lulu asked why Luke had made the comment. Luke pointed out that it was doubtful that Sonny would let Claudia live after what she had done.

Elizabeth and Nikolas entered Lulu's room a short time later. Luke kept a close eye on them, while Lulu told them about her ordeal. When Tracy and Ethan arrived, Tracy revealed that she had been worried sick about Lulu. Ethan grumbled because he realized that he should probably be nicer to Dominic, since he had saved Lulu's life. Lulu groaned when Nikolas echoed Ethan's frustration. Elizabeth reminded everyone that Lulu was a good judge of character. Lulu appreciated Elizabeth's support. 

Later, Dominic went to Greystone Manor to check in with Sonny. Dominic told Sonny about his search for Claudia, including Lulu's accident at the old Zacchara mansion. Sonny was relieved to hear that Lulu would make a full recovery. Dominic changed the subject to ask if there was anything that he could do to help Sonny. Sonny realized that Dominic was referring to the situation with Claudia.

As Sonny assured Dominic that everything had been taken care of, Dominic noticed the pile of clothes burning in the fireplace. When Dominic offered to help with the "clean up," Sonny looked beyond Dominic's shoulder to ask if Jason needed any assistance. Dominic was slightly unnerved to realize that Jason had silently entered the room. Sonny decided that Dominic could help by retrieving Claudia's car.

As Dominic investigated the burned out cabin, he heard a noise. It turned out to be Johnny. Johnny suspected that Dominic was part of the "clean up crew," but Dominic clarified that he had not set fire to the cabin. Johnny revealed that he was certain that Sonny had killed Claudia. Dominic was surprised when Johnny told him about Sonny's bloody clothes.

Dominic suggested that perhaps Claudia had escaped into Canada, but Johnny argued that was not the way things worked in their world. Johnny seemed resigned that his sister had died; he just hoped that she had not suffered. Dominic vowed to help Johnny find out what had happened to Claudia. Dominic claimed that he owed it to Johnny.

11/6 At the Jacks residence, Dante wanted to know what Carly claimed happened at the cabin. Jax revealed that Claudia had delivered Josslyn, but he refused to elaborate beyond that. Dante kept pushing for answers, prompting Jax to admit that someone had entered the cabin just as Claudia had tried to take off with Josslyn. However, he warned Dante that Carly would never testify against the person. Sonny arrived to talk to Jax. Sonny stopped short when he saw Dominic standing in Jax's living room. Dominic explained that he was there to check on Morgan, but Morgan had already left for school. Jax played along with Dominic's story and pretended to be offended by the presence of Sonny's henchman in his home. 

Dante was furious when he arrived at his mother's apartment. He demanded to know if she was trying to get him killed. Dante warned Olivia that each of her seven revealing voicemail messages over the past hour could have cost them their lives. Olivia was unrepentant. She demanded to know how he could take advantage of Johnny's grief. She thought that Dante should be ashamed of himself. Olivia explained that Johnny was heartbroken about his sister's death. Dante realized that Johnny was grieving, but Dante had a job to do. Olivia didn't think that it was right for Dante to take advantage of Johnny when he intended to use the information to arrest him. Dante reminded Olivia that his target was Sonny, not Johnny. However, he promised to put in a good word for Johnny when the investigation was over.

11/9 Lulu and Dominic met up at Kelly's. She was there to pick up an order and teased him about being an undercover cop. He begged her to keep quiet and told her that his life was in very real danger. Lulu laughed and said that no one was listening. She told him that her dad had been a friend of Sonny's for a long time and she was able to separate the person from what they did. Dominic wondered how she could ignore the money laundering and murders. When he asked if her breakup with Johnny had been because he was mobbed up, she told him it was none of his business.

Mike delivered her order and Lulu left in a snit. Mike told Dominic that Lulu's reaction meant either she hated him or she really liked him. Johnny joined them. Mike offered condolences and told Jonny that he hoped that Johnny could cope with the circumstances and Claudia's disappearance. Johnny thanked Mike for his concern. When they were alone, Johnny told Dominic that Sonny had killed Claudia. Dominic wanted to know if Sonny had actually admitted to the killing, but Johnny had to say that Sonny had only said that Claudia was gone.

11/10 At Greystone Manor, Sonny insisted that he didn't want Michael to be involved in his business. Michael thought that it was too late; he had killed Claudia. Sonny glanced up in time to see Dominic standing in the doorway. Sonny immediately warned Dominic never to sneak up on him. Sonny then demanded to know how long Dominic had been standing in the room. Dominic clarified that he had not overheard anything. Sonny seemed satisfied.

After Michael left the room, Dominic explained that he had stopped by to let Sonny know that there was trouble brewing. According to Dominic, Claudia and Sonny's marriage had been the glue that had held the Corinthos and Zacchara empires together. With Claudia's disappearance, there were rumblings that a war between Sonny and Anthony was imminent. Sonny suggested that they spread the word that Claudia had left town, but Dominic didn't think it would work.

Dominic revealed that many believed that Sonny had put his personal life ahead of the business. There was also the threat of Joey Limbo to be dealt with. Sonny was curious what side Dominic was on. Dominic assured Sonny that he was firmly in Sonny's camp. Sonny was pleased. Dominic wondered what Sonny wanted to do next. Sonny confided that he wanted to force Anthony to make a mistake.

Dominic was at the coffee warehouse when Sam arrived looking for Jason. Before she left, Dominic took the opportunity to question her about Claudia. Sam was curious why Dominic was interested in Claudia's disappearance. Dominic explained that Sonny had ordered him to keep a lid on things. Sam stuck to her cover story.

11/11 When Dominic arrived at Greystone Manor, he noticed that the housekeeper was cleaning out the fireplace. Dominic offered to carry the ashes out for Graciella. Graciella handed the bag to Dominic and then left the room. Michael lurked nearby and had overheard the exchange. When Michael made his presence known, he asked why Dominic was suddenly helpful with the staff. Dominic suggested that it was his way of showing respect for those who had to work hard for a living.

Michael bristled; he accused Dominic of being jealous because Michael was the boss's son. Before Dominic could respond, Lulu entered the parlor. When Lulu noticed the bag in Dominic's hand, she quipped, "Looks like I caught you with Sonny's garbage." Michael reluctantly turned his attention to his cousin; he told her that he was happy that she had recovered from her ordeal at the abandoned Zacchara mansion. Lulu sensed the tension between Dominic and Michael. After Michael left, Lulu wondered what was going on with Michael.

Lulu met Olivia at Kelly's, in order to discuss Dante's situation. Olivia was shocked when she realized that Lulu knew that Dante was an undercover police officer investigating Sonny. Lulu explained that she had stumbled upon the truth after she had found Dante's badge and then, later, overheard a conversation between Dante and Ronnie on the docks. Lulu was curious how Olivia could have stood by while her son investigated Sonny.

Olivia revealed that she had not learned of Dante's assignment until it was too late. She begged Lulu not to share Dante's secret with anyone. Lulu urged Olivia to tell Sonny the truth. Lulu was confident that Sonny would leave Dante alone because of Sonny's long-standing friendship with Olivia. Olivia thought that Lulu was being naïve; she insisted that Sonny would feel betrayed and would most likely strike out in anger.

Ronnie met Dante in Dante's room above Kelly's. Dante feared that Ronnie had taken an unnecessary risk, but Ronnie wasn't concerned. He demanded to know where Dante's evidence was. Ronnie was disappointed when Dante revealed that his evidence was actually a bag of ashes. Dante hoped that their lab people could find a scrap of material with Claudia's blood and Sonny's DNA. Dante believed that it would establish that Sonny had killed Claudia. Ronnie appeared to have his doubts.

Dante explained that a witness had seen Sonny wearing a bloody shirt shortly after Claudia had disappeared. A short time later, Dominic had seen Sonny burning a pile of clothes in the fireplace. Dominic was certain that the blood on Sonny's shirt had been Claudia's. Ronnie promised to have their forensics department test the ashes, but he didn't hold out much hope of finding anything useful. 

As Ronnie opened the door, he found Lulu standing on Dante's doorstep, ready to knock. Lulu immediately recognized Ronnie. With a knowing smile, she commented, "You guys seem pretty serious. Shall I guess what you're working on?" Neither Dante nor Ronnie appeared pleased by Lulu's insinuation.

11/12 Lulu noticed the bag in Ronnie's hand. As she entered Dante's room, she joked that she could say that she had caught Ronnie holding the bag, but she didn't think that they would find that amusing. Ronnie quickly excused himself and then left. Lulu demanded to know what was going on with the bag of ashes; she refused to stand by while Dante built a case against Sonny. Dante wondered if that was the reason that Lulu had been at Greystone Manor. Lulu confessed that she was conflicted.

Dante reminded Lulu that his undercover assignment wasn't a game. If she revealed his true identity to Sonny, then Sonny would kill him and most likely his mother, but Lulu disagreed. She insisted that Sonny would never harm Olivia or her son. Lulu didn't want to betray Sonny's trust. Dante was curious how Lulu felt about all of the people whom Sonny had hurt. Lulu countered that Sonny had also done quite a bit of good for Port Charles and various charities. Dante pointed out that the money had been ill-gotten gains from criminal activity. When Lulu remained undecided, Dante switched tactics. He suggested that, since his days were numbered, he would like to do something with Lulu before he died.

At an Italian restaurant, Dante offered to order dinner for Lulu, but Lulu declined. Lulu claimed that she never allowed a man to order for her. Dante shrugged and said that it was her loss; he considered himself to be an expert on the food served at the restaurant. Dante had intended to order her the finest meal. Eventually, Lulu ordered the meal that Dante had recommended. As Lulu enjoyed her dinner, Dante talked about his childhood. Lulu didn't know whether to believe his stories or not. Dante played at being hurt until Lulu reminded him that it was difficult to trust a man who was lying to everyone in town.

11/13 Sonny's curiosity was piqued when he spotted Dominic and Ronnie on the pier having a private chat. Dominic explained that Ronnie was providing him with inside information about the men who were loyal to Anthony. Sonny wondered why Ronnie would confide to one of Sonny's lieutenants. Ronnie claimed that he was a family man who didn't want any trouble. Ronnie assured Sonny that he was on Sonny's side. Satisfied, Sonny gave Ronnie instructions.

Dominic updated Jason about what he had learned regarding Anthony's vendetta. Dominic assured Jason that he was willing to do his part to help. Dominic promised that he was a fast learner. Jason revealed that he might take Dominic up on his offer.

Dante arrived at his apartment to find Ronnie waiting for him. Ronnie was in high spirits as he congratulated Dante and then announced that their forensics team had hit "pay dirt." According to Ronnie, they had found a gray scrap of silk with Claudia's blood and Sonny's DNA on it. Ronnie explained that they needed a witness to verify what Sonny had been wearing on the night that Claudia had disappeared. Ronnie smiled as he confided, "The noose is tightening."

Dante stopped by to talk to Jax. Dante wanted to know if Jax would testify that Sonny had been wearing a gray silk shirt on the night of Claudia's disappearance. Jax confirmed that he could, but he didn't see the point. Dante explained that they had found a scrap of material with Claudia's blood and Sonny's DNA on it. Jax was stunned; he demanded to know why Dante was standing in Jax's living room instead of doing his job. Carly heard the tail end of Jax's comment as she entered the living room. She was curious, "What job would that be?"

At Crimson, Maxie confided to Lulu that Spinelli had been sulking ever since their non-wedding. According to Maxie, Spinelli seemed "needier" and "more demanding" of her attention. As if on cue, Spinelli entered the office with a huge bouquet of flowers. Maxie was touched by the gesture, but reminded him that Kate didn't permit flowers in the office. Maxie asked Spinelli to drop the bouquet off at her apartment and then she dashed off to run an errand. Spinelli appeared disappointed. He confessed to Lulu that he had known about the office policy. Lulu tried to cheer up Spinelli, but it didn't help. Spinelli feared that Maxie's career was more important to her than her love life.

11/16 Carly walked in on an angry Jax telling Dominic to do his job. Carly thought Jax meant Dominic's bodyguard job and quickly defended Dominic. Jax and Dom played along so that they did not have to explain that Jax was talking about Dom's real job as an undercover cop. Dom told Carly that he had been reassigned and was no longer bodyguard to the boys.

Lulu stopped by the Haunted Star to see Luke, but one of Joey Limbo's thugs prevented her from approaching because Luke was in a meeting with Joey. On his way out, Joey notice Lulu. After Luke introduced them, Joey and his thug left the boat. Lulu was very worried about Luke. When she told him to stay out of Sonny's business or he might be arrested, she almost let it slip that Dominic was a cop. Luke thought she was talking about Lucky and told her not to worry. Lulu tried to let Luke know that there was an undercover cop in Sonny's organization without betraying Dominic, but Luke did not pick up on her clues. Every time she used the phrase "someone close to me," Luke thought she meant Lucky and pooh-poohed her fears as groundless.

Sonny met with Dominic to let him know that he was using Luke to broker a peace with Joey Limbo. He also told Dominic that if the peace effort failed, Dominic would have to step up and do his job, not fumble it like he had when he had let Tommy get away. Dominic told Sonny that he was ready for the responsibility. Dominic left when Jax burst in and demanded to talk to Sonny.

Lulu went to see Sonny. She told him that she appreciated his friendship with her father and their family through the years. She told him that she felt she owed him loyalty. She wanted to know what Sonny would do if he found out that someone she cared about was a cop trying to bring him down. Before Sonny could answer, Dominic walked in.

DVD #2B  11/17 At the warehouse, Dominic barged into Sonny's office just as Lulu asked what Sonny would do if he had learned that a cop was gathering evidence against him. Dominic eyes rounded, but he managed to hide his reaction from Sonny. Dominic instantly relaxed when Sonny assumed that Lulu had been referring to Lucky. Sonny assured Lulu that she didn't have to worry about Lucky. Lulu was hopeful that Sonny meant that he would never harm the child of a close friend.

Sonny clarified that she didn't have to worry because no police officer had ever been able to gather evidence against him. Sonny was confident that it would never happen. Before Lulu could ask any more questions, Sonny announced that he had business to attend to. However, Sonny wanted Dominic to remain behind. After the door closed behind Lulu, Sonny reminded Dominic that Lulu was special.

Sonny didn't want Lulu to be endangered because of her relationship with Dominic. Dominic promised to keep Lulu safe. He was curious if Sonny thought that Lulu liked him. Sonny smiled, but rather than answer Dominic's question, he reminded his young lieutenant that Lulu was waiting. When Dominic left the office, he found Lulu hovering near the door.

Dante and Lulu left the warehouse. When they reached the pier, Lulu informed Dante that he could release her arm. She promised not to run back to Sonny's office. Dante demanded to know if Lulu had been on the verge of telling Sonny that he was an undercover police officer. Lulu admitted that she had considered it. Dante was furious; he pointed out that Lulu was playing with his life.

Lulu insisted that she had been careful to speak in hypothetical terms. However, she realized how dangerous Dante's situation was when Sonny had asked Dante to remain in the office. Lulu feared that Sonny might have suspected that Dante was the police officer that she had referred to. Dante warned Lulu that they couldn't be certain that Sonny didn't have an inkling that Dante was working undercover.

Lulu argued that if there was a possibility that Sonny suspected Dante, then it was all the more reason for Dante to return to Bensonhurst. Dante insisted that Sonny had killed Claudia; he was determined to prove it. Dante then switched gears when he confessed that despite being on opposite sides of the law, he and Sonny agreed on one thing: Lulu was special. Dante kissed Lulu and then walked away.

Dominic returned to Sonny's office. Sonny decided to show Dominic the picture. Dominic was curious who had killed Claudia, but Sonny reminded Dominic that it wasn't his place to ask questions. Sonny wanted Dominic to see if he could uncover any information about the picture. Sonny ordered Dominic to report back to him, and no one else, if he found anything.

11/18 Dominic was looking at the picture of Claudia in the cabin when he spotted Johnny entering the coffee warehouse. Dominic managed to slip the photo out of sight before Johnny joined Dominic at the table. Dominic wondered if Johnny had heard anything new about Claudia. Johnny insisted that Sonny had killed his sister. Johnny understood the decision to kill Claudia from a business standpoint, but he had difficulty accepting that Sonny could so easily murder his own wife. According to Johnny, Sonny had tossed Claudia aside like a "sack of yard mulch." Dominic questioned if Sonny had ever loved Claudia. Johnny didn't know how Sonny had felt about Claudia, but he believed that Claudia had been a good wife to Sonny. Johnny didn't want Sonny to get away with her murder.

Dante went to his mother's apartment to show her the picture of Claudia. Olivia was horrified that someone had snapped the grisly photo. When she wondered who would do such a thing, Dante revealed that he suspected Johnny. Olivia refused to believe that Johnny would send the picture. Dante argued that Johnny had motive, a temper, and he was unpredictable. Dante believed that Johnny was out to get Jason and Sonny.

Olivia refused to believe that Sonny and Jason had killed Claudia. She reminded Dante that he didn't have any proof that Johnny had taken the picture or that Sonny had murdered his wife. Dante insisted that it was entirely possible that Johnny was out to avenge his sister's murder and that Sonny had done the deed. Olivia felt as if she were watching a train wreck; she begged Dante to return to Bensonhurst before it was too late, but Dante insisted that he had a job to do. As Dante prepared to leave, Olivia wondered if he wanted the picture back. Dante claimed that he had made several copies; he wanted his mother to keep the picture, in order to remind her what Sonny was capable of. 

At the coffee warehouse, Jason entered his office to find Dominic waiting. Jason informed Dominic that Joey Limbo had gone to see Anthony. Dominic offered to help in any way that he could. Jason explained that Sonny had arranged a meeting with Joey, in order to broker a peace treaty. Jason wanted Dominic at the meeting to make certain that nothing happened. Jason insisted that there had been enough violence; it needed to end.

11/19 Lulu was shocked when she spotted Johnny kicking and punching a phone booth on the pier. When she called out to Johnny, he immediately reigned in his temper and then apologized for frightening her. Lulu realized that he was upset about Claudia. She offered him words of comfort and then decided to caution him to be careful around Dominic. Johnny wondered why Lulu felt compelled to warn him. Lulu confided that Dominic might not have Johnny's best interest at heart.

Dominic approached them moments later. Dominic joked that, judging by their serious expressions, they must have been talking about him. Johnny didn't confirm Dominic's suspicions, but he did let Lulu know that he'd think about what she had said. After Johnny walked away, Dominic demanded to know what Lulu and Johnny had been talking about.

Lulu confessed that she had warned Johnny not to trust Dominic. Dominic was livid; he accused Lulu of endangering him. Lulu refused to allow Dominic to take advantage of Johnny's grief. Dominic wondered if Lulu was as sympathetic for the family members of the people that Johnny had "whacked" over the years. Lulu wondered how Dominic could live with himself. Lulu insisted that Johnny needed his friend, not "his girlfriend's son, Detective Dante Falconari, out to destroy Sonny and the people that he works with." Lulu and Dante were unaware that Johnny lurked nearby, eavesdropping on their conversation.

Later, Lucky bumped into Lulu on the pier. He immediately sensed that his sister was troubled. Lulu wondered what Lucky's reaction would be if Dominic turned out to be a different person than the one he appeared to be. Lucky insisted that Dominic was exactly what he appeared to be: a wise guy. Lulu wished that she could be more like Lucky and Elizabeth; she didn't want to be afraid to put her heart on the line. 

Sonny entered his office to find Jason and Dominic talking about the meeting with Joey. Sonny didn't want any surprises, so he decided to go over their plans. Sonny revealed that they had arranged for the meeting to take place at a brownstone because it was a neutral location. Dominic thought it was a bad idea, but Sonny thought it was important to show good faith.

After Jason left, Sonny made it clear that he was depending on Dominic to do what needed to be done. Dominic assured Sonny that he could be counted on. Sonny then asked Dominic if he had discovered any new information about the picture of Claudia. Dominic admitted that he suspected that Johnny might have sent the photo. Sonny wanted to be certain of Johnny's guilt before he made a decision. He ordered Dominic to find him irrefutable proof that Johnny was behind the picture. Dominic hoped to get a time line of the events surrounding Claudia's death, but Sonny remained tight-lipped. Sonny, Jason, Dominic, Max, and Milo prepared to meet Joey Limbo. Sonny reminded his men that no one was to shoot unless they had to.

11/20 Lulu arrived at the art gallery to help Maxie prepare for the opening. When Maxie talked about the possibility of Franco doing a spread for the magazine, Lulu admitted that she didn't think it would happen. Maxie was frustrated by Lulu's lack of support. 

In Sonny's limousine, Dominic worried that Joey was unpredictable and therefore could not be trusted. Sonny was determined to show good faith. When they arrived at the brownstone, Jason, Max, and Milo stepped out of the vehicle. After they determined that it was safe, Sonny exited the car. Dominic followed Sonny. As Sonny approached the steps leading to the building, Dominic caught a glimpse of one of Joey's men. Dominic grabbed Sonny as he called out a warning. Gunfire erupted as Dominic hustled Sonny back to the limousine. Nearby, the vagrant watched Jason with avid fascination. Max, Milo, and Jason managed to return to the limousine unscathed. Joey and his men weren't as lucky. As the car sped off, the vagrant stepped out onto the sidewalk. When Jason spotted the man, the vagrant smiled and waved to Jason.

After the limousine was out of the sight, the vagrant looked around. Dead bodies were scattered all around. When the vagrant spotted a gravely injured Joey, he approached him. Joey asked the man for help, so the vagrant stepped on Joey's neck and then applied enough pressure to kill him. After Joey died, the vagrant posed Joey's body. Before he walked away, he tossed the coin that Joey had given him. His parting words to Joey were, "Keep the change."

In the car, Sonny was furious that they had been ambushed. Sonny was certain that Anthony Zacchara had arranged the attack. Sonny thanked Dominic for saving his life and then asked Jason if they had anything to worry about. Jason revealed that "some homeless person" had seen the shootout. Sonny and Dominic entered Sonny's office at the coffee warehouse. Dominic was curious why Sonny was so certain that Anthony had been behind the ambush; he reminded Sonny that Anthony was in jail. Sonny explained that Joey had been Anthony's messenger. Dominic was upset because he had nearly been killed. Sonny offered Dominic the opportunity to walk away. Dominic was surprised by Sonny's gesture.

Sonny explained that he had been tempted to leave the mob on several occasions. Dominic was curious why Sonny had never left. Sonny revealed that he couldn't escape who he was. Dominic realized that Sonny had been sincere in his desire to broker a peace treaty. Sonny didn't know why Dominic was surprised, so Dominic pointed out that Sonny had killed men. Sonny insisted that all of the people who had been killed on his account had done something to deserve it. Dominic wondered if that had always been the case. Sonny advised Dominic that they had to establish alibis for themselves, so he suggested that he and Dominic find dates for the art gallery opening.

11/23 Dominic stopped by Lulu's apartment to escort her to the art show. She told him that she knew he was there because he needed an alibi. She told him that she had heard sirens only an hour before. Dominic responded that the four-alarm fire that was burning in his heart for her had caused the sirens.

Maxie found Lulu in the main gallery with Dante. She told Lulu that Franco was a wacko but she was determined to do what Kate wanted and get him to do a photo shoot for Crimson. Lulu noticed that Dante was drawn to the paintings. She said she could see why he liked them since he was an undercover cop/gangster. Dante said that he did not like them at all, but that there was something familiar about them that he could not identify.

Spinelli spotted Dominic and Lulu viewing the artwork. He hastened to join them. Though neither Dominic not Lulu seemed to like what they saw, Spinelli was very enthusiastic. Spinelli became concerned when he enquired about Maxie's whereabouts and Lulu told him that Maxie was babysitting Franco. Lulu said that Maxie had been ordered by Kate to convince Franco to do a photo shoot for Crimson. Lulu was fascinated by Dante's interest in the art photos. When she questioned him he could only say that it was very, very familiar to him.

11/24 At the gallery, Dante admitted that Franco's artwork was unsettling. Dante feared that the artist was slightly disturbed. Lulu was curious if Dante really recognized something familiar about the crime scene photographs. Dante was ashamed to admit that crime scenes tended to resemble one another.

Dominic went to Greystone Manor to talk to Sonny. Sonny informed Dominic that Lucky was investigating the shooting on Front Street. He warned Dominic that Lulu might be caught in the middle if Lucky uncovered that Luke had arranged the meeting between Joey and Sonny. Sonny admitted that it would hurt him to be in Luke's shoes.

11/25 At the apartment, Lulu offered to get Maxie a latte before Lulu headed to Elizabeth's house for Thanksgiving. When Maxie wandered into the living room, Lulu realized that Maxie was down in the dumps. Lulu assumed that Maxie was depressed because Franco had not agreed to do the photo shoot. Maxie surprised Lulu by revealing that she had slept with Franco. Lulu took a minute to absorb that shocking confession. She couldn't believe that Maxie had betrayed Spinelli.

Maxie insisted that she hadn't cheated on Spinelli. According to Maxie, she and Spinelli had a list of people whom they could sleep with. Lulu was curious who was on Spinelli's list. Maxie reluctantly answered, "Anne Hathaway." Although, Maxie was fairly certain he had put her on the list only because Maxie had found the movie, The Princess Diaries, among his belongings. Lulu pointed out that Anne Hathaway was a celebrity and that it was unlikely that Spinelli would ever meet her. Maxie argued that Franco was also famous. Lulu urged her friend to be truthful with Spinelli, even though it would most likely hurt him. 

11/30 Outside, Dominic was listening to the recording he had made of an earlier conversation with Sonny that appeared to be Sonny confessing to Claudia's murder. Lulu walked up behind him and grabbed his phone. He tried to get it back, but was unsuccessful. Lulu heard Sonny's apparent confession. Dominic asked Lulu if hearing Sonny made her change her opinion of him. Lulu said that there were two sides to every story. She wanted to know why Dominic had not turned Sonny in to the cops.  

Dominic admitted that he did like Sonny and that he felt like part of the family. He said he felt torn about what to do. Lulu told him that things were not always black and white. Dominic wanted to know if Lulu would still date him if he turned Sonny in. Lulu told him that was not the issue. She told Dominic that if something inside him was telling him not to bust Sonny, then perhaps he should listen to that voice.

Olivia and Sonny were exchanging spoons of chili and laughing when Dominic walked in the kitchen and saw them together. Sonny tried to get him to taste both their dishes and pick the winner. Dominic was reluctant and obviously eager to be on his way. Once outside Kelly's, Dominic called Ronnie and told him he had the proof to bring Sonny down. 

12/1 On the piers, Dante handed an envelope to Ronnie. Dante explained that it contained sufficient evidence to justify an arrest warrant for Sonny. Ronnie was impressed, but he was curious if Sonny had done something to "piss off" Dante. Dante admitted that he was concerned about Olivia. Ronnie didn't think that Olivia would appreciate Sonny's arrest. Dante wasn't concerned about Olivia's feelings as long as she was safe.

A short time later, Dante met with Jax. Jax wanted an update about the investigation. Dante pointed out that Jax wasn't his supervisor; however, he did reveal that an arrest was imminent. Jax was delighted by the news. Dante was curious why Jax wasn't concerned about his own involvement in the investigation. Jax was confident that no one, especially his wife and Sonny's children, would ever know that he had known that Dante was an undercover police officer.

When Sonny arrived home at Greystone Manor, Dominic was waiting. When Dominic noticed Sonny's container of chili from Kelly's, he took the opportunity to suggest that perhaps it wasn't the right time for Sonny to become involved with Olivia so soon after Claudia's death. Dominic warned Sonny that it might raise questions. Sonny appreciated Dominic's concern, but he had not called his lieutenant in order to discuss his private life.

Sonny revealed that Joey Limbo had planned the ambush with a lieutenant in the Zacchara organization named Tony Bianco. Dominic recognized the name; Tony had a reputation for being a dangerous killer. Sonny questioned if Dominic was up to handling what needed to be done. Dominic assured Sonny that he was ready for anything, but Sonny didn't want to risk the life of the man who had saved Sonny and Morgan's lives without a second thought.

Sonny called Johnny to ask him to come for a meeting at Greystone Manor. When Johnny arrived, Sonny instructed Johnny to track down Tony. Dominic offered to assist Johnny, but Sonny made it clear that he expected Johnny to work alone. After Johnny left, Dominic suggested that perhaps Sonny was throwing Johnny into the path of danger intentionally. Dominic believed that Sonny wanted Johnny out of the way, so that Sonny could have Olivia to himself.

12/2 At Greystone Manor, Sonny admitted to Dominic that it would be easier if Johnny were out of the picture; however, he was curious why Dominic seemed concerned about Johnny's welfare. Dominic reminded Sonny that Johnny had remained loyal to Sonny despite having lost everything, including his sister. Dominic didn't think that Johnny deserved to be put into the path of danger simply because he was an inconvenient rival for a woman's affections. Dominic believed that Sonny was a better man than that.

Sonny clarified that he simply wanted Johnny to gather information, nothing more. Sonny needed proof that Joey and Tony had been in cahoots. Sonny acknowledged that he and Olivia had a history, but he insisted that he would only be satisfied if Olivia chose, of her own free will, to be with him. Sonny didn't think that would happen if he arranged for Johnny to meet an untimely demise.

Dante met with Ronnie to discuss Sonny's imminent arrest. Dante was furious when Ronnie revealed that the prosecutor had decided that the evidence was mostly circumstantial; he wanted something more solid that would guarantee a conviction. Dante worried that he was running out of time; he warned Ronnie that Sonny would soon figure out that Dante was working undercover.

Later, Dante went to Jake's, which was packed for Karaoke Night. Dante was too frustrated to enjoy the entertainment. As he walked out, Lulu followed him. In the alley behind Jake's, Dante told Lulu that Sonny had nearly been arrested that night, but the prosecutor decided to hold out for more evidence. Dante revealed that a part of him was angry, but another part of him was relieved. He was worried that he had lost sight of what was important.

12/3 Jax summoned Dante to his office to demand an update on Sonny's arrest. Dante resented Jax's attitude. Jax was furious when Dante explained that there wouldn't be an arrest until they had enough evidence to secure a conviction. Jax was determined to pull some strings, but Dante advised Jax to reconsider. Dante explained that if they arrested Sonny and then proceeded with a trial, there was a strong likelihood that Sonny could be acquitted.

An acquittal meant that Sonny could not be charged for the same crime twice without double jeopardy applying. 

Frustrated, Jax suggested that Dante should redouble his efforts to find evidence against Sonny. Jax was certain that there was something incriminating lying around in Sonny's home. Dante seemed offended by Jax's unspoken suggestion that he plant evidence. Dante threatened to press charges against Jax, but Jax suggested that Dante save the melodrama for Olivia. Jax was confident that Dante wouldn't do anything to Jax because it would require Dante to reveal that he was an undercover police officer. Jax clarified that he was merely suggesting that Dante do his job or else Jax intended to have him replaced with someone who would.

Kate confided that all it would take for Sonny to win Olivia's heart would be for him to declare his love for Olivia. Kate found it ironic that she was the person who had to point out the truth. Dominic entered the parlor in time to hear the tail end of Kate's comments. Dominic stared pointedly at Kate as he made his presence known. Kate quickly excused herself, but before she left, she suggested that Sonny take her advice.

When Dominic asked Sonny what Kate had been referring to, Sonny made it clear that it was none of Dominic's business. Dominic realized that he had overstepped his bounds, so he quickly changed the subject. Dominic revealed that the situation with Joey had worked to Sonny's benefit. According to Dominic, everyone understood that Sonny could not be crossed. However, Dominic remained concerned about the effect Claudia's death had on Sonny's organization.

When Dominic tried to question Sonny about what had happened in the cabin, Sonny became suspicious. Sonny wondered why Dominic continually questioned him about the incident when it had nothing to do with finding out who had taken the picture of Claudia's body. Sonny was curious if the questions were Dominic's way of trying to find out if Sonny had killed Claudia.

12/4 At Greystone Manor, Sonny was uncomfortable with Dominic's probing questions about the events surrounding Claudia's demise. Dominic managed to deflect suspicion. He claimed that he had hoped his questions would trigger Sonny to remember something that might help him to figure out who had sent the picture of Claudia's body. Sonny apologized; he realized that Dominic was trying to look out for him.

Sonny explained that Claudia was a sore subject. Sonny regretted that he hadn't taken Olivia's advice to not let his greed and anger guide him. According to Sonny, Olivia knew him best. Dominic was surprised by the admission, given that Sonny had been engaged to her cousin, Kate. Sonny explained that he had known Olivia since they were kids in Bensonhurst. Sonny confided that he had dated Olivia before Kate, but Olivia had ended things when he had gotten involved in the mob. Sonny's history with Olivia had prompted Sonny to ask Dominic to keep an eye on her. Sonny worried that Johnny was unstable. He feared that Johnny might follow in Anthony's footsteps. As Sonny spoke, he realized that he didn't want Dominic to guard Olivia; Sonny intended to do it himself.

Later, at Lulu's request, Dante showed up at her apartment. Lulu immediately apologized for how she had reacted to the situation with Sonny. Lulu explained that it was easy for her to overlook the bad things that Sonny did because she knew that Sonny's heart was in the right place. Dante jokingly asked if Lulu was attempting to lure him to the dark side. Lulu smiled; she just wanted Dante to know that she realized that he was in a difficult situation.

Once the apology was out of the way, Lulu got to the real reason that she had called him. Lulu asked if Dante had some time to take a break. Dante smiled knowingly as he quickly shed his coat. Lulu returned the smiled as she promised that what she had planned would "rock." A short time later, Lulu and Dante were jamming to a music video game. Lulu played the guitar like a pro while Dante struggled to keep up on the drums.

After the game, Dante admitted that it have been a lot of fun, although it had not been what he had expected. Lulu realized that Dante had hoped that she had intended to seduce him. Dante didn't deny it. Instead of being offended, Lulu kissed Dante. The kiss ended when Dante's phone rang. It was Jax, he demanded to see Dante immediately. Jax didn't waste any time telling Dante that Olivia had decided to tell Sonny the truth. Dante assumed that Olivia intended to reveal that he was an undercover police officer and her son. Jax didn't correct Dante's assumption. Instead, Jax urged Dante to get over to Sonny's as soon as possible, in order to stop Olivia.

12/7 Dominic and Jax exchanged words in Jax's office. Jax berated Dominic because Sonny was not in police custody. Dominic shot back that he had turned over all the evidence to his superiors, who had chosen not to issue a warrant. Jax took another tack and told Dominic that his mother, Olivia, was with Sonny and that she planned to tell him that Dominic was her son, Dante. Dominic scoffed and said his mother would never put his life in jeopardy.

Jax threatened to pull strings and get Dominic thrown out of his job. Dominic said that if Jax did that, he would go to Carly and tell her about the help Jax had given him to aid in Sonny's arrest. He also told Jax that if he continued to interfere in the investigation, Jax would be the next person arrested for obstruction. Then he stormed out of the office.

Sonny's charm weakened Olivia's resolve. He was about to kiss her when Dominic interrupted them. A flustered Olivia beat a hasty retreat, leaving Dominic and Sonny alone. Sonny wanted to know why Dominic had interrupted. Sonny wondered why Dominic should have any interested in his romantic affairs. Dominic said that he did not. He said that he had been surprised because he thought Olivia was with John Zacchara. Sonny said that Olivia was having second thoughts. He told Dominic that he had better pray that he had not blown Sonny's plans for a relationship with Olivia.

Dante found Olivia at her apartment. He wanted to know if she intended to tell Sonny about him. She told Dante that she had gone to Sonny's intending to tell, but did not. She said that as much as she cared for Sonny, she would always put Dante's safety and security above everyone else's.

12/8 Lulu joined Dante at his table in Jake's. Dante was disappointed that he couldn't enjoy Lulu's company, but he explained that duty called. Lulu noticed Dante's lack of enthusiasm. Dante admitted that he wasn't a big fan of Jax. Lulu wondered what Jax had to do with Dante's business. Dante confided that Jax had learned that Dante was an undercover police officer. Lulu was stunned when Dante revealed the details about Jax's involvement in the investigation against Sonny.

Lulu realized what that meant for Carly's marriage. She was certain that Carly would never be able to forgive Jax if he played a role in Sonny's downfall. Dante defended Jax. He reminded Lulu that Carly had tried to keep Sonny away from Morgan after Michael's shooting, but within a year Sonny had found his way back into Morgan's life. According to Dante, Jax was helping Carly in the only way open to him. Lulu considered warning Carly, but Dante advised her against it. He pointed out that everything was going well for Carly. Lulu was reluctant to destroy Carly's happiness, so she decided to keep quiet. However, she didn't appear pleased about it.

Dante met Jax at his office. Jax played the recording of his discussion with Sonny about the cover-up of Claudia's death. As the recording ended, Jax smiled with satisfaction; he bragged that it had been easy to obtain the damaging evidence against Sonny. Dante bristled at Jax's pompous attitude. He warned Jax that he had interfered with a criminal case and that he had obstructed justice. Jax wasn't intimidated; he pointed out that he had helped the case.

12/9 In Jax's office, Jax listened to the recording of Sonny incriminating himself in Claudia's murder. Jax was confident that it was enough to put Sonny away. Dante and Jax were surprised when Sonny suddenly entered the office. Sonny demanded to know what his lieutenant was doing in Jax's office. Dante claimed that he was attempting to get Jax to cooperate with the bodyguards. Jax followed Dante's lead. Jax claimed that the guards embarrassed Morgan while Michael resented their presence. 

Jax didn't want Sonny's "thugs" on his property. Sonny dismissed Dante. After Dante left, Sonny offered a solution; he wanted Michael to live with him. Jax refused to put Michael at risk simply to make Sonny feel like a "good daddy." Sonny refused to allow Jax to project his hatred of Sonny onto Michael. Sonny threatened to persuade Carly to cut Jax out of her life if Jax tried to stand in his way. Jax argued that Sonny didn't have that kind of power. Sonny dared Jax to test his theory.

Dante was surprised to find Lulu at Jake's. As Dante joined her at her table, he warned her that everything would be over shortly. Dante explained that Jax had the "silver bullet" that would put Sonny away for good. Lulu realized that Dante would return to Bensonhurst. Dante didn't think that their relationship had to end just because the assignment was over. Lulu didn't think it would work out because too many lives would be shattered as a result of Dante's investigation.

Dante returned to Jax's office. Jax replayed the tape of Sonny's admission to being involved in Claudia's disappearance. However, Jax deleted the recording instead of turning the PDA over to Dante. Dante demanded to know why Jax had destroyed the only evidence that they had against Sonny. Jax explained that his marriage was more important than his vendetta against Sonny. Jax didn't want to risk the chance of Carly never forgiving him for having a hand in Sonny's downfall.

12/10 Dante and Lulu were strolling along the piers, sipping coffee and nibbling on breakfast Danishes. Dante appreciated Lulu's invitation. As they talked, Dante warned her that the investigation against Sonny would end soon. Dante realized that it had been difficult on her, but he wanted her to know that he was grateful that she had kept his secrets. Dante tried to kiss Lulu, but she playfully turned her head away at the last moment.

Dante noticed a CO77X tag nearby. As Dante studied it, he recalled seeing the same tag a long time before in Manhattan. Dante explained that he had arrested a graffiti artist a block away from Dante's first murder scene. Dante remembered how detached the scruffy artist had been when he had seen the grisly slaying. Dante had a feeling that the artist had belonged in Belleview, not jail.

Dante decided to look into what had happened to the graffiti artist. Lulu offered to help Dante. The two made their way to the police station, where Lulu asked to see Lucky. When she was informed that Lucky was out, Lulu insisted on waiting for her brother. No one paid attention when Dante slipped into a computer room. As Dante checked the police files, Lucky entered. Lucky hoped that Sonny's lieutenant had a reasonable explanation for being in a restricted area.

12/11 Lucky was stunned to find Sonny's lieutenant using a police computer in a restricted area of the police station. Dante tried to talk his way out of it, but Lucky didn't believe him. When Lucky checked the computer, he found an arrest record filed by Detective Dante Falconari. It took Lucky a few moments to put the pieces together. Lucky turned to Dante to ask, "Does your mother know that you are cop?"

Lucky realized that there had been subtle signs that Dante was an undercover cop, but that he had written them off. Lucky wondered how long Dante had been undercover. Dante explained that he had been in the Zacchara organization for a year and that he had used it to position himself with Sonny. Lucky was impressed. He also figured out that Lulu was aware of Dante's true identity. Dante confirmed Lucky's suspicions.

Lucky reminded Dante that Sonny had moles in the police department. He didn't want to risk Dante being discovered by one of them. However, before Dante could slip out of the room, Lulu entered. Lucky and Dante hid their smiles, while Lulu spun a story in the hopes of rescuing Dante from the compromising position. Lucky didn't last long; he burst out laughing as he confessed that he knew the truth about Dante.

Lucky took delight in imagining Luke's expression when he learned that his daughter was dating a police officer. Lulu made it clear that nothing was going on between her and Dante. When Lulu turned to Dante to confirm her claim, Dante announced that he and Lulu were dating. Lulu was speechless. When Lulu recovered from her shock, she told Lucky how difficult it had been for her to keep the secret from everyone that she cared about.

Lucky agreed that it had been unfair of Dante to burden his sister with such a life-altering secret. Dante didn't dispute Lucky, but he couldn't change what had happened. Dante decided to finish his research, so that he and Lulu could leave. Lulu was eager to see what Dante had uncovered, but Lucky put his foot down. He reminded Lulu that she couldn't see the confidential files.

After Lulu left the room, Dante explained that he had seen the CO77X tag in Manhattan near a murder crime scene. When Dante reviewed the tagger's arrest report, he was surprised to discover that there wasn't a mug shot to accompany it. Dante continued digging until he eventually found a picture of the graffiti artist. The mug shot was of Franco.

12/14 Lucky and Dominic bonded at the Port Charles Police Station . They found Franco's arrest record and realized that the mysterious tagger sign, "CO77X," was his booking number. Dominic and Lucky speculated that Franco must have been the homeless guy who had waved at Jason at the ambush site. They figured that he was also the person who had crushed Joey Limbo's windpipe and posed his body. As they were about to dig further, Mac interrupted and chastised Dominic for taking a chance on being spotted in the PCPS by one of Sonny's many law enforcement informants. Dominic reluctantly promised to get back on the job of bagging Sonny. Before he left, he and Lucky agreed to find a way to stay in touch on the Franco case.

Lulu was pleased when Dominic showed up at her apartment door, but not so happy when Dominic said he needed a place where he and Lucky could meet to work on a case privately. When Lulu found out that she was not included, she stormed off to Jake's and met up with Maxie, who asked her to provide backup when she went to Franco's studio.

12/15 Lucky arrived at Lulu's apartment to find Dante waiting for him. Dante explained that Lulu had stepped out. Lucky took the opportunity to assure Dante that he didn't have any objections to Dante dating his sister. However, Lucky quickly changed the subject because he was eager to share what he had learned about Franco. According to the French police, there had been four unsolved murders in the Paris area.

Each crime scene had resembled one of Franco's works of art. The Paris police feared that they had some type of "copycat" killer on the loose, because the murders had occurred after Franco had completed the pictures. Dante and Lucky realized that they could be dealing with a serial killer. However, Lucky didn't see how they could obtain a warrant without blowing Dante's cover. Lucky decided to call the Paris police to ask if there had been any sightings of the CO77X tag near the crime scenes of the four unsolved murders. Lucky also intended to request that the Paris police keep an eye on Franco while he was in Paris.

Lulu and Maxie snuck into Franco's studio in the hopes of finding the compromising pictures of Maxie. Lulu had a bad feeling when the lights didn't turn on, so she decided to call Lucky. Maxie strenuously objected to involving Lucky. Maxie insisted that Franco simply liked to throw people off with his eccentricities. Besides, Maxie argued, Franco was less likely to agree to turn over the pictures and do the Crimson photo shoot if they involved the police.

Lulu laughed at Maxie's lofty expectations. Lulu's laughter faded when she noticed the collection of articles and pictures that Franco had accumulated on Jason. Lulu realized that Franco was obsessed with Jason. Maxie explained that Franco admired Jason as an artist. 

The girls jumped when they heard a noise. Gillian Carlyle, Franco's agent, appeared moments later. Gillian demanded to know what Maxie and Lulu were doing in Franco's studio. Maxie claimed that she was a personal friend of Franco's, but Gillian didn't believe her. Gillian pointed out that if that were true, then Maxie would know that Franco was in Paris. Maxie explained that she and Lulu worked for Crimson. Gillian didn't care; she warned the girls that if they didn't leave she would call Kate to complain. Lulu was ready to argue, but Maxie decided that not to push their luck. She dragged Lulu out of the studio before Gillian followed through with her threat.

Later, Maxie and Lulu stood outside of their building, Winslow Garden Apartments. Maxie hoped that Franco's return to Paris meant that they had seen the last of him. Lulu didn't think that it made sense for Gillian to be in Port Charles while her client was in Paris. According to Lulu, agents couldn't be trusted when it came to discussing their clients. Maxie decided that perhaps she should tell Jason about what had happened at the studio.

Lulu entered her apartment and then screamed when she noticed someone lurking in a corner. It was Dante. He quickly apologized for frightening her; he explained that he had met with Lucky earlier. Lulu admitted that she had overreacted. She confided that she had been on edge because of Maxie. However, she refused to go into detail about what had happened. Instead, Lulu warned Dante that it had been risky for him to meet Lucky in the apartment because Maxie could have walked in.

Dante admitted that he was a bit concerned that Lucky might inadvertently blow his cover because he was suddenly cool with Dante dating Lulu. Lulu insisted that they weren't dating. Dante reminded her that they had spent the night together, went out, and they had kissed on several occasions. Lulu reminded Dante that he had slept in the chair while she was in the bed. Dante chuckled at her continued denials. As Dante prepared to leave, he decided to kiss Lulu goodbye. After the heated kiss, Dante told her, "Goodnight person that I'm not dating." Lulu tried to hide her smile.

Someone, dressed in black, spray painted "CO77X" on the front sidewalk of Winslow Garden Apartments. He walked away before anyone spotted him.

12/16 Lucky arranged to meet Dante. Lucky suggested that Michael might have the answers that they were seeking; he advised Dante to befriend Michael. Lucky was certain that Michael needed someone to talk to, so he might trust Sonny's lieutenant.

When Michael arrived at Greystone Manor, he found Dominic in the parlor instead of Sonny. Michael explained that he had stopped by to drop off some of Mike's Christmas cookies. Dominic took the opportunity to talk about his own family's holiday traditions, in an attempt to gain Michael's trust. Eventually, the discussion drifted to Claudia, who had decorated the Christmas tree with Sonny the previous year. At Dominic's prodding, Michael revealed that Sonny had made certain that Claudia would never be found.

12/17 Olivia was startled when she entered her apartment to find Dante waiting for her. He explained that his investigation against Sonny might be over, but he would have to pit father against son. Dante explained that Lucky knew that Dante was an undercover police officer. Olivia was stunned; she demanded to know how it had happened. Dante revealed that he had been investigating a familiar graffiti tag. Lucky had discovered Dante on one of the police computers.

Olivia realized that Luke and Sonny were friends; she assumed Luke and Lucky were the father and son that Dante had referred to. Dante clarified that he had been talking about Sonny and Michael. Dante revealed that Lucky suspected that Michael knew what had happened to Claudia. Lucky and Dante were certain that Michael was on the verge of talking about the night that Claudia had died. However, Dante wondered if he had the right to use Michael against Sonny.

Olivia realized that there wasn't an easy answer to Dante's dilemma. Dante feared that Michael would never forgive himself for causing his father's downfall. Dante didn't think he could live with himself if he forced Michael to betray Sonny. On the other hand, Dante couldn't let someone get away with a murder.

Olivia assured Dante that she would support whatever he decided. Dante appreciated his mother's guidance; he could always rely on her to say the right thing. Dante realized that Michael was the "silver bullet" that could bring about the end to a powerful criminal. Olivia quietly commented that no son wanted to destroy his own father.

Dante met Ronnie on the piers. Ronnie was frustrated because Dante had not returned his calls. Dante claimed that he had been busy, but Ronnie realized that Dante was bitter because the evidence that Dante had collected had not been sufficient to secure an arrest warrant against Sonny. Ronnie explained that they just needed a bit more evidence. Dante confided that he might have found a witness.

Ronnie wondered if it was someone that they could subpoena. Dante misled Ronnie; he claimed that Carly had enough money to fight any subpoena. Ronnie wondered if perhaps a guard, housekeeper, or one of the children had overheard something useful. Dante insisted that Sonny was careful never to discuss business around his children. Ronnie urged Dante to find out where Claudia was buried. Ronnie was confident that if they had Claudia's body then they would be able to arrest Sonny.

Sonny asked Dominic to back up Jason. He gave Dominic directions to where Claudia had been buried and then ordered Dominic to make sure that no one had been "sniffing" around her grave.

Maxie and Lulu were shopping for an eight-foot Christmas tree with "Bavarian splendor" that Kate wanted, even though Kate intended to spend the holidays in Zurich. Lulu realized that Maxie was distracted. Maxie admitted that her mind was on Spinelli. Maxie worried that the scales of infidelity would never be balanced because Spinelli was unlikely to find a woman to sleep with who was in the same league as Franco. Maxie feared that it was already too late to save her relationship with Spinelli.

12/18 At Greystone Manor, Sonny ordered Dominic to go to the woods where Claudia had been buried. Sonny wanted Dominic to make certain that Claudia's grave had not been disturbed. Dante stood in the woods looking at an empty grave when his phone rang. It was Ronnie. Ronnie demanded to know why Dante had risked blowing his cover, in order to check the Port Charles Police Department's computer for an old arrest record. Dante revealed that he might have a serial killer on his hands.

Dante reminded Ronnie of the familiar graffiti tags that Dante had seen around Port Charles. Dante explained that he recalled arresting someone near the scene of an unsolved murder. The guy that Dante had arrested had made the same tag as the ones that were appearing in Port Charles. Ronnie didn't care. According to Ronnie, Dante was in Port Charles to bust Sonny. Ronnie demanded that Dante do his job.

A short time later Dominic arrived at Jason's penthouse. Jason explained that he had a situation with Franco. Jason revealed that Franco was a psycho who was fixated on Jason. Jason was certain that Franco had taken Claudia's body. Dominic confessed that he already knew that Claudia's body was missing because Sonny had sent Dominic to check the grave.

Jason wanted Dominic to help him take out Franco. Dominic readily agreed, but Jason felt obligated to warn Dominic that Franco wasn't one of their "normal enemies." According to Jason, Franco enjoyed what he did, so anyone was expendable to Franco. Later, Dominic and Jason arrived at Franco's studio, but Franco wasn't there. Jason was unsettled when he discovered the bracelet that Claudia had been wearing on the night that she had died. Jason knew that Franco had intended for him to find it.

Ronnie discovered Franco tagging a door in an alley near the piers. Franco immediately recognized the voice of his old acquaintance. The tension was thick between the men as Ronnie warned Franco that the Port Charles Police Department considered Franco a prime suspect in an unsolved murder. Franco wondered if Ronnie planned to do anything about it. Ronnie wanted to know if Franco had killed the man who had been discovered near where Franco had been arrested.

Franco claimed that he had been innocent, but he was curious why Ronnie had made certain that none of the evidence in the case had pointed to Franco. Franco wondered if Ronnie had done it because he owed Franco a favor or because he had believed in Franco's innocence. Ronnie wasn't concerned about the past; it was what Franco planned for the future that scared Ronnie. Franco smiled as he admitted, "Rightly so." Franco threatened to expose the truth about Ronnie if Franco landed in jail. As Ronnie walked away, Franco called out, "Keep your eyes open. You never know what will sneak up on you."

At Christmas tree lot, Lulu wondered how Maxie would feel if Spinelli actually liked the person that Maxie wanted him to sleep with. Maxie didn't appreciate the suggestion. Lulu pointed out that Maxie had liked Franco enough to sleep with him, so it was entirely possible that Spinelli might have the same reaction to someone he chose to sleep with. Maxie quickly changed the subject to Lulu's relationship with Dominic. Maxie thought that it would be good for Lulu to go after Dominic. Maxie insisted that Lulu had closed herself off from love.

After Maxie left, Lulu ran into Carly and Josslyn. Carly was looking for a Christmas tree for the playroom. Lulu was curious if Carly and Jax had worked things out. Carly admitted that she and Jax had made significant progress. Carly was confident that Jax understood that he could no longer keep secrets from her.

Later, Lulu followed paramedics as they rushed a man into the hospital. It was Ronnie. While Steve examined Ronnie, a police officer talked to Lulu about the accident that she had witnessed. Lulu claimed that a black sports car with tinted windows had struck Ronnie. According to Lulu, the car had never slowed down.

12/21 Jason and Dominic went to Franco's loft. They found the diamond bracelet from Claudia's body that Franco had left for them. They searched the loft but found nothing. Jason told Dominic to check the loft again for anything Jason might have missed. When Dominic protested, Jason admitted to already making too many mistakes with Franco. Jason told Dominic to stay behind at the loft and wait for Franco. He told Dominic to kill Franco if he showed up. Dominic worried that Franco had left clues to Claudia's body that would prove incriminating to Jason. Jason said he did not care. He said that Franco was dangerous and that he should have killed him immediately.

Franco stood over Ronnie's hospital bed and taunted him. Franco took credit for running Ronnie down, and smiled as he noted that the tubes in Ronnie's throat that were keeping him alive also prevented him from speaking. Franco told Ronnie that Jason had not engaged to play Franco's game. Ronnie looked scared when Franco said that he had a new plan and that Jason would have to choose. Lulu interrupted them when Ronnie started coding. She said that she would get a doctor. When Lulu arrived back at Ronnie's bedside with Steve, Franco was gone. Once Ronnie was stabilized, they both noticed CO77X had been painted on the monitor beside Ronnie's bed.

When Dominic reported back to Jason, Sam clued him in to the Paris information. He and Jason agreed that Franco was looking for more thrills. While they talked, Lulu called Dominic with news about Ronnie. Dominic and Jason rushed to the hospital. Dominic and Jason raced to Ronnie's bedside. When Dominic asked Lulu what had happened, she confirmed that Franco had been in Ronnie's room. Ronnie could not speak. He indicated that he wanted to write something. When Lulu handed him pen and paper, he wrote the words "You choose," and gave the pad to Jason. Jason looked at it wondered out loud, "Choose what."

12/22 In Ronnie's room, Jason read the message that Ronnie had written. Jason had no idea what "You choose" meant. Ronnie drifted in and out of consciousness, so he was unable to answer the question. Lulu decided to fetch a doctor for Ronnie. After Lulu left the room, Jason and Dominic discussed the latest development in their search for Franco. Jason couldn't understand why Franco would target a "mid-level guy" like Ronnie.

Dominic suggested that perhaps it was Franco's way of letting Jason know that Franco could get to anyone near Jason. Robin entered the room moments later. Robin explained that Ronnie was weak from blood loss, so it would take time for him to recover. After Robin left, Jason wandered across the room; he discovered a matchbook tucked into the corner of the window. Jason announced that he knew where Franco was. After Jason left, Lulu realized that Franco and the "CO77X" tags were linked. Dante explained that he thought it would be best if he kept his distance from Lulu until Franco had been dealt with.

Dominic entered and began to discuss business with Sonny. Sonny cut him off. as he had just invited Olivia to dinner. Sonny decided to invite Dominic to join him and Olivia for dinner. Sonny jokingly suggested that Dominic could act as Sonny and Olivia's chaperone. While Sonny fetched the food, Dominic offered to cover for Olivia if she wanted to leave. Olivia snapped that it was just one dinner, so she could handle it. She advised Dominic to do the same. When Sonny returned with the dinner, Dominic admitted that the dish smelled like something that Dominic's grandmother had prepared. Sonny admitted that Mrs. Cerullo from Bensonhurst had handed down the recipe to him.

Olivia revealed that Mrs. Cerullo had stolen the recipe from Olivia's mother. Sonny didn't appear to realize that Dominic's grandmother and Olivia's mother had the same "family" recipe. As they sat down, Olivia offered to say grace. After the prayer, Olivia confessed that her mother would be delighted to know that her recipe was being used. However, Mrs. Falconari would not be pleased to know Sonny was the one using it.

Sonny insisted that Mrs. Falconari had liked him, but Olivia claimed otherwise. Sonny was curious why Olivia wasn't spending the holidays in Bensonhurst with her family. Dominic looked away while Olivia explained that Dante was "working out of town." The conversation soon drifted to the topic of the Yankees baseball team. Dominic realized that they might be boring Olivia, but she assured him that she was fine.

Sonny recalled a time that he and Olivia had managed to secure great seats at a Yankees game, even though they had sneaked into the game. Olivia had caught a ball, but a "mook" behind her had snatched the ball out of Olivia's hand. According to Olivia, Sonny had pummeled the burly man until the man had relinquished his hold on the ball. Olivia confessed that she still had the baseball tucked away somewhere in her possessions.

After dinner, Sonny and Dominic continued talking about baseball; they realized that they had once attended the same game. Olivia seemed uneasy with the direction of the conversation, so she decided to leave. Sonny thanked Olivia and Dominic for joining him for dinner; he admitted that it had been surprisingly enjoyable.

12/23 Lulu watched as Maxie transformed their apartment into a Christmas wonderland. Lulu didn't think that Maxie's efforts would make Spinelli forget that Maxie had cheated on him. Before Maxie could reply, someone knocked on the door. It was Spinelli. He was carrying a small potted Christmas tree. Spinelli was disappointed when he spied Maxie's elegantly decorated tree. Lulu accused Maxie of stealing the tree. Maxie insisted that she had merely borrowed it from Kate. Spinelli replied, "I would rather abstain from the yuletide festivities inspired by guilt."

Maxie realized that Spinelli was referring to her transgression with Franco rather than Kate's pilfered Christmas tree. Maxie insisted that they could have moved past the mess with Franco if Spinelli had slept with someone, as Maxie had suggested. Spinelli refused to sleep with someone just to make Maxie feel better. Lulu objected when they tried to pull her into the middle of their argument. Lulu was relieved when someone knocked on the door. It was Dante; he wanted to know if Lulu would go with him to Lucky's party. Lulu readily accepted the invitation. 

12/28 At their apartment, Maxie told Lulu that she did not want the holidays to end, because she and Spinelli had delayed their talk about Maxie's unfaithfulness with Franco until the holidays were over. Maxie said that she was dreading that talk. Lulu told Maxie not to stress because Spinelli loved Maxie for who she was-including her self-destructive behavior. While they were talking, Dominic stopped by to tell Lulu that it was time for the date she had promised to go on with him. Lulu tried to act like she would not go out with him, but Dominic was firm when he told her to wear something formal and be ready in an hour.

Maxie and Lulu chatted while Lulu tried on fancy dresses. Lulu tried to act casual about her date with Dominic, but Maxie could tell that Lulu was hooked on Dominic. Maxie told Lulu that she no longer wanted to keep them apart, even though she was sure that Lulu would eventually have a meltdown like she had with Johnny. Lulu said that even though she was sure that she and Dominic would eventually break up, it would not be because Dominic was a liar or lacked honor. Lulu seemed sure that Dominic would not do anything to deliberately hurt her.

Sonny was pleased to hear that Dominic and Lulu were going out together. He gladly gave Dominic the night off as he effusively urged him to the door. Before Dominic could leave, Olivia entered, looking for Johnny. When she saw Sonny chatting amiably with Lisa, Olivia decided to stay. Dominic urged her to leave, but Olivia decided to have a glass of wine. Dominic left instead. 

Lulu was still dressing when Dominic arrived. Maxie questioned him about his plans for Lulu, but he remained mum until Lulu appeared. He told her she was beautiful, and Lulu knew he meant it. Even though Lulu tried to appear aloof, it was clear that she was very happy to be leaving with Dominic.

12/29 Lulu and Dante were in a limousine. Lulu was anxious to know where they were going. Dante explained that it was a surprise, but he suggested that if Lulu gave it some thought then she might be able to figure out where they were headed. Dante hinted that their destination was part of a promise that he had made to Lulu while she had been trapped in the frigid waters at the Zacchara mansion. Lulu was disappointed to discover that Dante intended to take her to the opera.

Dante explained that they were going to see Puccini's La Boheme. Dante realized that Lulu was less than enthusiastic about the prospect of attending an opera. Lulu explained that she didn't understand the appeal of watching something in a foreign language. She questioned how she would be able to follow the story. Dante assured Lulu that words weren't necessary to understand the story. However, Dante promised that they could leave if Lulu didn't enjoy herself. 

Later, Lulu and Dante returned to the limousine. Lulu was crying because she had been deeply moved by the story. Dante smiled, clearly feeling vindicated. Lulu gushed about the opera until she ran out of steam. She admitted that it had been the best date that she had ever been on.

Dante was happy that he could share the experience with Lulu. Lulu kissed Dante to show her appreciation. The kiss quickly heated up. Dante asked if Lulu was sure about taking things further. Lulu responded that life was too short. Lulu ripped off Dante's shirt, but before they could make love, the limousine driver knocked on the door. The driver apologized for interrupting them, but they had reached the train station. He offered to drive them around the block, so that Lulu and Dante could collect themselves, but Dante declined.

1/4 At Sonny's warehouse office, Dominic explained that Franco viewed Jason as an artist. Sonny insisted that they couldn't let Franco call the shots. Sonny confessed that he had had is doubts about Dominic in the beginning, but Dominic had proven his loyalty to Sonny. Sonny wanted Dominic to find Claudia's body before the police did. Sonny worried that the police forensics team would be able to determine who had killed Claudia.

Dominic theorized that Franco might try to move Claudia's body to a cold location, like a freezer. Sonny agreed. Michael interrupted the discussion when he barged through the door. Sonny reminded Michael to knock before entering. Michael was unapologetic, as he demanded to know what Sonny and Dominic had been discussing. Sonny made it clear that it didn't concern Michael.

Lulu went to the hospital to visit Ronnie. Ronnie thanked Lulu for saving his life. Lulu was curious how the accident had happened. Ronnie claimed that he had simply forgotten to look both ways before crossing the street. Lulu pointed out that the car that had struck Ronnie had never slowed down. Ronnie pretended to have no idea what Lulu was talking about. Lulu realized that the "subtle approach" had not worked, so she demanded to know why Franco had tried to kill him.

A short time later, Lulu bumped into Dante in the hallway. She explained that she had tried to question Ronnie about why Franco would want him dead, but Ronnie continued to claim that it had been an accident. Dante agreed that it appeared that Franco had deliberately targeted Ronnie. Dante was certain that Ronnie had intervened on Franco's behalf when Dante had arrested Franco for tagging in New York City. Dante went to Ronnie's room to confront his friend about Franco's arrest in New York City. Dante realized that Ronnie had been covering for Franco; he demanded to know why.

1/5 At the hospital, Dante tried to question Ronnie about Franco, but Ronnie was determined to stonewall all of Dante's questions. Dominic arrived at the warehouse office to find Sonny waiting for him. Sonny revealed that he had seen something interesting on Lucky's desk while he had been at the police station. Sonny demanded to know why a police officer had Dominic's cell phone number. Dominic claimed that it was because Dominic was involved with Lulu, but Sonny didn't appear to believe him. Sonny was curious why Dominic had been seen at the police station on several occasions in recent weeks.

Dominic realized that Sonny's informants at the police station had told Sonny about Dominic's meetings with Lucky. Dominic explained that Lucky had questioned him a few times about Claudia's disappearance. Sonny demanded to know why Dominic had not told him about the interrogations. Dominic insisted that he hadn't told Lucky anything, so it hadn't been worth mentioning. Sonny admitted that he found it difficult to trust a man who withheld important information. 

Dominic managed to ease Sonny's suspicions by confiding that it had been an awkward situation because of Dominic's relationship with Lulu. Sonny seemed to relax; he wondered if Dominic and Lulu were serious about each other. Dominic admitted that he cared for Lulu. Sonny explained that Lulu had a difficult childhood. After Laura's illness, Lulu had been sent to live with her grandmother, so her relationship with Luke had been rocky. Sonny warned Dominic that Lulu acted tough, but she was fragile. He advised Dominic to treat Lulu with care.

Maxie arrived at Crimson to find Lulu hard at work. Lulu demanded to know where Maxie had been. Maxie filled Lulu in on Sam's abduction, Franco's role in Sam's disappearance, and Jason's arrest. Lulu was shocked. Her shock turned to guilt when she realized that they were partly responsible for Franco's appearance in town. Maxie revealed that Franco had been watching Jason long before Crimson had contacted Franco.

Maxie explained that Franco viewed Jason as an artist. Lulu was confident that Jason and Lucky would work together to rescue Sam. Maxie laughed at the idea of Jason relying on the police to help. Lulu explained that Lucky and Jason shared a special bond that went beyond their careers. However, Lulu decided to call Lucky to get an update on Jason's arrest. When Lulu reached Lucky's voicemail, Maxie called Mac.

Lulu and Maxie were relieved to learn that Jason had been released. Before Maxie ended the call, she wondered how long it would take for the police to obtain a search warrant; Maxie explained that the information was for an article. Mac told her that it would take a few hours at most. Maxie thanked Mac, promised to join him for Sunday dinner, and then ended the call. She dashed out the door before Lulu could question where Maxie was headed.

Maxie went to Franco's studio. She relaxed when she realized that she was there alone. Maxie began rifling through some drawers when someone entered. It was Dominic. Dominic demanded to know what Maxie was doing in Franco's studio.

Lulu was working alone at Crimson when Franco boldly walked through the lobby. He didn't mince words as he asked where Maxie was. Lulu nervously pointed out that Maxie was gone. Franco appeared momentarily annoyed, but then informed her that she "would have to do." Lulu offered to call Kate; however, Franco wasn't in the mood for any games. He snatched the phone out of Lulu's hand the moment that she reached for it. Franco physically restrained Lulu as he observed, "You're not going to be any fun, are you?

1/6 Jason arrived at the penthouse to find Spinelli busy working. Dominic showed up moments later to announce that Franco had built a bomb. Jason quickly recovered from the shock and then ordered Spinelli to search for recent purchases of items that Franco needed to build the bomb in the schematics that Dominic had found.

Jason questioned Dominic about what had happened at Franco's studio. Spinelli became concerned when Dominic mentioned that Maxie had been at the studio when Dominic had arrived. Spinelli's first instinct was to check on Maxie, but Jason needed Spinelli to focus on finding Sam. Spinelli was grateful when Jason decided to send Dominic to check on Maxie. 

Maxie entered Crimson to find Olivia on the phone trying to calm down Kate. After Olivia ended the call, she revealed that Lulu had disappeared without a word. All the phone calls had gone to voicemail, prompting Kate to call Olivia to find out what was going on. Maxie was annoyed that Lulu had bailed on her without a word. Olivia wondered where Maxie had been.

Maxie explained that she had gone to Franco's studio to persuade him to do the photo shoot for Crimson. Olivia couldn't believe that Maxie would put her life on the line for a photo shoot. Olivia warned Maxie to stay away from Franco, because Franco was a complete "whack job." Shortly after Olivia left, Dominic entered Crimson. Maxie was on the phone as Dominic approached her. When he made his presence known, Maxie tried to shoo him away; she claimed that she was busy working.

Dominic grew concerned when Maxie complained that Lulu had dropped out of sight and was not answering her cell phone. Dominic was curious if Maxie thought that it was strange for Lulu to behave like that. Maxie realized that Dominic had a point. In an undisclosed location, Lulu was strapped to a chair that had a bomb attached underneath it.

1/7 At Crimson, Dominic suspected that Franco had intended to snatch Maxie rather than Lulu. Dominic was certain that Franco wanted to force Jason to choose between Sam and Spinelli. Dominic theorized that Franco intended for Jason to feel torn between sparing Spinelli the pain of losing Maxie and saving Sam. Maxie feared what Franco had in store for Lulu.

Dominic met Jason at Franco's workshop to discuss the possibility that Franco might have abducted Lulu. Jason wasn't happy with the turn of events. Jason's mood didn't improve when Sonny called to let him know that Sonny had met with Jason's "creepy friend."

Later, Lucky arrived at Franco's workshop to talk to Dante. Dante quickly updated Lucky about Lulu's disappearance and Franco's plans. As they talked, Dante showed Lucky all of Franco's "goodies" in the workshop. Dante insisted that they needed to keep Franco in town and interested in Jason if they had any hope of rescuing Sam and Lulu.

At an undisclosed location, Lulu tried to free herself from the chair that she was strapped to. When Franco entered, she immediately ceased her struggles. She demanded to know what Franco wanted from her. Franco thought that his desires were pretty clear; he expected Jason to choose. Franco assured Lulu that she had a 50/50 chance of being rescued. Her survival depended on Jason making the wrong choice. Lulu assured Franco that Jason would never choose incorrectly, so it was up to her to rescue herself.

Lulu suddenly lifted her arm to show Franco that she had freed herself. She quickly leaned down to pick up a wire that was attached to the bomb under her chair. Lulu told Franco, "See you in hell," but before she could follow through on the threat, Franco leaned down to grab her hand. He responded, "Have a nice trip" and then jerked her hand above her head.

1/8 At Franco's workshop, Lucky and Dante discussed how they should proceed with the search for Lulu. Lucky realized that they needed to be objective. Dante agreed that they had to think like cops. They couldn't allow their personal feelings to guide them. With a fresh perspective, they looked around the workshop. Dante found a piece of chalk, which initially seemed out of place amongst all the material that Franco had used to build the bombs. Dante suspected that Franco might recreate the crime scenes instead of just the "death poses."

Lucky realized that Dante was onto something. They decided to head to the police station to review the file of the man who had been murdered near the scene of Franco's arrest for tagging. Lucky warned Dante that it could compromise Dante's undercover assignment. Dante didn't care; his priority was to find Lulu. Lucky admitted that it was the answer that he had hoped for.

At the police station, Lucky and Dante sequestered themselves in a computer room, so that they could review the file of the murder in Tribeca. As they studied the file and pictures, Lucky and Dante settled on two possible locations where Franco might have stashed Lulu. Lucky sent a cruiser to a warehouse near a bridge while he checked out a building in another part of town. Dante remained behind searching for other possible clues. A short time later, Jason called with an address.

Franco and Jason met. It disgusted Franco that Jason didn't honor his "gift." Franco accused Jason of being unworthy of what Franco had planned for him. Franco had wanted someone who would have understood and known what it felt like to have a "gift" like theirs. Franco believed that he and Jason were like gods, who could take and spare lives at a whim. However, unlike Jason, Franco had no desire to be human. Jason accused Franco of being an animal. Franco decided that Jason was undeserving of a choice. Franco opted to leave Jason with a "mirror." 

Jason reached the end of his tether; he attacked Franco. Jason reminded Franco that he could snap Franco's neck if he chose. When Jason let go, Franco laughed victoriously. Jason had proven to Franco that they were alike.

Franco revealed that Lulu and Sam were on opposite ends, exactly two miles from the studio. Sam was in a warehouse at "2nd and Powell," while Lulu was in a warehouse at "234 Bristol." Franco warned Jason that both bombs were set to go off in eight minutes, so Jason could only save one of them. As Jason turned to leave, Franco acknowledged that Jason would hunt him down once it was over.

Franco recorded a message. He admitted that he had always known that he was different. Franco had never felt anything. He couldn't understand why people laughed or cried, but he had learned to mimic them. At the age of 18, Franco had gone to jail for a crime that he didn't commit. In jail, he had met men who had talked of death. It had made Franco curious, so Franco had decided to kill someone after he had been released from prison. Franco had killed his first victim in Tribeca. Franco confessed that he hadn't felt a "damn thing" as he watched the man die. That was when Franco had decided to turn murder into art. He hadn't stopped creating art since. Jason called Dominic and told him where Lulu was being held and then ordered him to hurry because Dominic only had six minutes left.

Lulu sat strapped to a chair, screaming for someone to help her. As her pleas went unanswered, Lulu became distraught. She realized that she had mere seconds left to live. Sam desperately tried to find a way out of her prison, but was unsuccessful. As she paced around the glass enclosure, she noticed the timer to the bomb. Sam renewed her efforts to escape. As the clock ticked down, Jason arrived. There were eleven seconds left.

1/11 Across town, a building exploded. Lucky and Steve Webber arrived at the blast scene simultaneously. Steve told Lucky that he had seen a man fitting Dominic's description rush into the building just before it exploded. Lucky was frantic about Lulu as he got on the phone and called for emergency crews.

Jason and Sam arrived on the scene of the second blast. Lucky became unhinged and backed Jason into a wall, when he found out that Jason had opted to save Sam instead of Lulu. He was not mollified to find out that Jason had sent Dominic for Lulu, and became enraged when he heard that Sam's bomb had been a deliberate dud. Before Lucky could go postal on Jason, Lulu called out to him. Dominic led her out of the bombed building. He had managed to free Lulu and find an access door to the basement where they had sheltered under an I-beam. The support beam had not collapsed and had protected them from both the debris and suffocation.