**The Week in Review: June 9 - June 13**

I. The Spencers

A. Bobbie and Luke at Luke's

The week began with the power coming back up at General Hospital and people applauding Stefan for his crisis management.  Even Nikolas thanked his Uncle for getting the hospital up and running again.  Bobbie, though, was standing apart for everyone casting a skeptical eye on the whole proceeding.  She called Luke and said she was coming to the club.  And I knew it was going to be a good week for my favorite family.

Stefan:  "Well I imagine I'll be needed here for a while yet."
Bobbie:  "You seem to have worked things out very well."
Stefan:  "The staff deserves the credit."
Bobbie:  "I wouldn't say that."

Bobbie:  "Can I trust the elevators now?"
Stefan:  "So I'm told."

Bobbie told Stefan she was going to get Lucas at Ruby's.  Stefan asked after Audrey, and she gave him the brush off with the above lines I found quite amusing.  Tony stopped her to thank her as well, for her help in surgery.

Luke:  "What happened?  Am I in trouble?  Are you in trouble?"

Bobbie:  "You never lie to me.  Not about the really important things."

Luke:  "Well, you're still my baby sister and I...I, I have an instinct not to tell you bad news."

Bobbie showed up at Luke's and he didn't know what to make of her at first.  Bobbie told him about Audrey and Stefan's part in things at the hospital.  She also told him that she believed he never lied to her; unfortunately she used as an example the death of her little girl, who ain't so very dead (I can't wait to see them have to work through that one, after all this).

Bobbie:  "You were right all along.  There's a monster in the mansion, and I'm married to him."

Bobbie:  "If you hadn't warned me that something was going to happen, I'd be over there throwing rose petals at him just like everybody else.  You must think I'm such a fool."
Luke:  "No Barbara.  I think he's good at what he does and he played you like a ukulele."

Bobbie:  "My eyes were open, at least in the beginning."

Bobbie:  "And I remember thinking, 'What is this?  This is a hoax. What is he setting me up for?'  And that, apparently, is the last sane thought I ever had about Stefan Cassadine."
Luke:  "Did he tell you that he loved you?"
Bobbie:  "Never."

Bobbie:  "No, instead what he did was offer me everything I always thought I wanted.  What do you do when somebody does that, say you need time to inspect it?  I guess I got what I deserved.  But come to think of it?  He didn't make that many promises, and the ones he made he kept.  He didn't promise not to lie every time he opened his mouth, and even Katherine--I don't think he slept with her.  At least that's the technicality she tried to wriggle off on.  Although I don't know what either one of them sees in the other."
Luke:  "Ha.  Well that's simple, baby.  He shot her, and he needs her to shut up about it."
Bobbie:  "Even Nikolas.  You're as wrong about him as I was about Stefan and that's your blind spot."
Luke:  "We'll see."
Bobbie:  "I was going to leave him Luke; I really was.  And the thought of Tony hurling me into court over Lucas and you on the witness stand reciting everybody's favorite story, 'My sister the teenage whore.'"
Luke:  "I don't know that story.  That would never happen."
Bobbie:  "Well, if it weren't you it would have been someone else.  It's like no matter what I do and no matter how hard I try I feel like all my life I'm walkin' around with a sign around my neck: 'Bobbie Spencer, ex-hooker.'"
Luke:  "Barbara, nobody thinks of you like that.  Nobody."
Bobbie:  "Don't kid yourself."

Bobbie:  "Whatever I felt for Stefan went out with the lights in that operating room.  I'm done.  And whether he knows it or not, so is he."

After describing the problems at the hospital and Audrey's surgery, Bobbie described her history with Stefan.  Many of us took great notice of these admissions--and oddly enough, most of us belong to the drill team.  For me, this was one of those times when I saw quite clearly the potential that Bobbie has for being a smart, strong, self-aware woman.  Someone who sees her own failings and bad patterns of behavior and understands herself completely.  Someone who isn't a victim and doesn't pretend to be.  Someone who takes control of the situation and takes care of herself with the help of those who love her.  Unfortunately, I don't expect the self-awareness to last long.

But while it does, I'm perfectly happy to point out Bobbie's strong points.  In these scenes, she outlined the blindness with which she went into her relationship with Stefan and the emotions that were driving her: anger, the need for comfort, the desire to be above reproach, and, finally, the fact that she thought she needed him to protect Lucas.  She gave a very honest account of the way their relationship worked from the start, and the ways in which she allowed herself to be taken in.  But she left the blame where it belonged--firmly on Stefan's shoulders.

And I love that she plays it straight with her brother.  Even though she thinks he hasn't lied about the big stuff, she's right about him.  Not only the good things, but his blind spot with Nikolas as well.  Funny, he didn't want to comment much on that one.  ;)

Finally, I found Bobbie's understanding of herself in terms of her past as a hooker intriguing.  She is not the guilty party here, even if she was blind as a bat about Stefan.  He took advantage of her and used her to forward his own ends, despite any genuine care he had for her or desire to see her and Nikolas depend on each other.  But Bobbie always goes back to that.  It's part of the way she defines herself.  Adrian took issue with my use of the word "whore" in discussing Bobbie on ratsa (that's a simplification of his point, but he'll forgive me), and I've been thinking about it more and more.  I don't think it was tptb throwing her past back up in her face for no reason; I think she's still working through that and may always be.  More on that later; I do find it interesting that she used the term before seducing Stefan.

Luke:  "I'm sorry I didn't know this.  I really didn't know, or I might have handled the whole thing differently."
Bobbie:  "What didn't you know?"
Luke:  "Somewhere along the line you fell in love with him."

Luke:  "You want a brandy?  A cigar?"
Bobbie:  "I'll settle for a big brother."
Luke:  "That you always got.  No matter what."

And for his part, not only did Luke refrain from commenting on her own part in this fiasco of a marriage (even though he did let a few cracks about Stefan let slide), willing to let her find her strength in self-realization and to take things from here, but he also proved that he can read between the lines that Bobbie lays out.  He called her on the one thing she wasn't saying, and told her that he would have done things differently if he had realized that she had fallen in love with Stefan.  I like that.  I like the fact that he didn't realize that and that he would have been gentler if he did.  And I like the fact that he realized it now and didn't choose to make snarky comments about it.  Most of all, I like the fact that he's never truly turned his back on her, even when it seemed so to her.

As for his lying, he felt badly about that, but he still believes he did the right thing in letting her believe that her daughter was dead.  People fault him for that, and I think he may wonder if that was the best move at times, especially now that she's lauding his honesty.  But he was protecting her, as he's doing now.  With Stefan, however, he's willing to let her help protect herself, if she's sure she wants to.

Bobbie:  "You know how to stop him, don't you."
Luke:  "Maybe."
Bobbie:  "So what do you need me to do?"

I loved the promise of the siblings working together; I loved more the smile that crossed Luke's lips at Bobbie's above question.

B. The Siblings at the Mansion

Bobbie:  "Are you trying to scare me half to death?"
Luke:  "What are y...are you saying that you didn't know this place is a rotting labyrinth of secret passageways?  Among other things."

Bobbie:  "You shouldn't be here."
Luke:  "Why not?  It's the servants' day off.  After I left the barbershop I stopped by the hospital, and I know that Stefan is there with his cousin the mouthpiece, busy doing deeds designed to keep Port Charles in his debt."
Bobbie:  "You're still taking a big chance."
Luke:  "You're worth it.  Look, Bobbie, it's one thing to swear vengeance in the middle of the night after a friend of yours almost dies on the operating table.  But it's quite another reality in the cold light of day here in squirrel mansion to play wife to a reptile ya hate the sight of."
Bobbie:  "You don't trust me to pull it off, do you?"
Luke:  "Oh I do, I trust you.  Completely.  I just...I don't want it to cost you any more than it already has."
Bobbie:  "Well I want him to pay.  And he will."

Luke:  "Who knows.  You know, once he's away from Uncle Fester the kid might develop human tendencies.  The bizarre occurs."

At the beginning of Wednesday's show, Bobbie was rummaging about in the conservatory for the laptop (and oh, how Adrian likes to watch her rummage) when she got a call from Stefan (she actually asked if he was calling for Mrs. Lansbury!).  He was calling to say that the backers for the nurse's ball had un-backed.  She managed to sound completely at ease--not--and he asked her what was up.  As she talked to him, Luke came in through a secret passageway (horse jumping the fence indeed).  He assured her that he trusted her; she worried about Nikolas.  They consulted a bit about finding the computer, and he offered to let her back out.  She insisted she would nail Stefan herself (and boy, did she).

Luke:  "It means he can slime his way into any computer system in the world, take the information, add to it, subtract from it, basically do whatever the hell he wants, and get out without anybody being the wiser."
Bobbie:  "That is the lowest thing you've ever said to me.  How dare you take Tony's side."

Stefan came in as they were talking (I'm hoping that means he was actually a bit suspicious); Bobbie saw him and Luke didn't.  She changed topic midstream and slapped him (the PBSDT has been giving her lessons).  The look on his face was great, but he immediately caught on (not that it was so hard to figure out) and left angrily, shooting a parting grin back at her over his shoulder when he was sure Stefan wasn't looking (so cute).  I love these Spencer moments.  No matter how many times they do them, I'm entertained.

Luke:  "I already poisoned your guards.  Just kidding."

You know, he said that about the dogs the last time.  ;)

C. Bobbie

Luke:  "Well, you'd better steal the key; hairpins always leave marks."

Now, nowhere in that sentence did I understand Luke tell her that she should seduce Stefan to get the key to the desk.  But that's the method Bobbie fell back on.  Now, her past as a hooker was always uppermost in her mind because of the custody suit, but I found it interesting that she didn't simply wait until he was in the shower one morning.  I guess she knew it was important to be quick about things, but still.

Luke:  "So what, you got it while he was in the shower?"
Bobbie:  "It's been a long time since I felt like a hooker.  Who knew it would happen in my own home."
Luke:  "Well, whatever works, babe.  It's still not too late to pull out."

One of the biggest discussions on ratsa this past week was over these lines.  I don't think Luke was cold to Bobbie about this, I just think he knew that wasn't the time nor the place to discuss it.  I'm more concerned with Bobbie's actions than Luke's reactions to them.  She chose to seduce Stefan.  She talked about this more on Thursday, but even at this point I was convinced she felt like it was ok because she was dealing with Stefan the same way he had been dealing with her the whole time.  I wondered (as I told Adrian) whether she was thinking that she had been playing the whore throughout their marriage; this would be false, and would be her beating herself up again.  But I think the term was on her mind because of the custody thing, like I said before, and she was realizing exactly what Stefan had been up to all this time.

D. The Siblings in the Library

But Bobbie continued the seduction on Friday's show in the library.  No, they didn't inaugurate the new library, but she made it difficult for him to leave let's say.  He left to meet Jax.  She went to work on the computer.  Now, note that here she told Stefan she'd stay right there.  Keep that in mind for my comments on the next Monday's show (rusty, indeed).

Bobbie:  "Well, you know, Stefan has been using sex to distract me right from the beginning, so, I can play the same game."
Luke:  "I'm sure you play it better than most, Barbara."

Again Luke scared her by coming in and told her not to look so guilty when caught red-handed (she should have remembered that in the next Monday's scenes as well).  Bobbie filled him in again and told him that she was playing Stefan's game.  Luke's response (above) was the thing that I thought cold, not his response to her "whore" comment on the phone.  Somehow I don't think that was entirely a compliment; Bobbie didn't seem to notice any secondary meaning, however.  He did think she had done good work, though.

Bobbie:  "This is not going to be easy."
Luke:  "Well that's never stopped us before.

Luke:  "Do you know the names of those, uh, pit bull spawns from hell he calls guard dogs?"
Bobbie:  "No good."
Luke:  "No?  Do they have any pets, cats, snakes, flesh-eating plants?"

Bobbie:  "Baklava."
Luke:  "Baklava?"
Bobbie:  "He likes it."

Luke:  "Ok, they claim to be Russian.  How 'bout vodka tonic."
Bobbie:  "Czar?"
Luke:  "Caviar."
Bobbie:  "Moscow."
Luke:  "London."
Bobbie:  "Bridges.  Oh Luke!"

Shame on Luke.  They're Fang, Wolf, and Honey.  And don't try to figure out which one's Honey.  :)  And I'm surprised he didn't think of Baklava, either.  But that vodka tonic's a good idea...Patt, pass the chexmix!  ;)

The super siblings set out to find the password.  They went through family names and Luke suggested "Katherine."  Bobbie (typing away without ever stopping to actually see if the passwords were working) suggested "Lasha," as Terry pointed out in The Small Stuff, without any response from Luke.  I would add that neither of them suggested or tried "Barbara."  But the following was my absolute favorite moment, especially given that they recently reran that storyline in DTR:

Luke:  "Hey wait a minute.  No, he wouldn't do that.  Do me a favor; try Ice Princess.  Oh.  Well that's a relief."

Bobbie:  "I'm going through his things and I'm not gonna stop until I figure out what he's up to."
Luke:  "Go girl."

(Crack me up.)

Luke:  "Sorry, library's closed.  Bookworms."

Luke left, leaving Bobbie with a cell phone behind a locked door (you'd think she could handle things from there, but no...) and waited out in the hall.  She came up with the password at the end of Friday's show: island.  Quite the perfect password, as Terry pointed out in The Small Stuff.  Meanwhile, Luke waylaid Stefan outside in the hall.

E. Lucky

Lucky showed up at the hospital on Thursday, just in time to meet his cousin (but not by blood) Sarah Webber, who had come to see about her grandma Audrey.  He was volunteering because of some class.  I was sorry to see him turn down Amy's offer to do a macarena act at the ball.  Lucky immediately took a shine to Sarah, but most of ratsa couldn't see what she could see in him from Thursday's show.  (Personally, I can see it too.  Must be in the genes.)  They made a big deal of pointing out that they weren't blood related, so you know they're destined for a storyline.

Sarah seems mature for her age and very sweet about her grandmother.  But somehow I like her.  Strong, independent, determined, and with a soft spot for grandma.  My kind of woman--and Lucky's too.  He returned later with sodas, saying they were for him and not for Sarah.  Amy knew better.  And this Amy did too.  :)

II. The Quartermaines

A. Alan

Alexis:  "Are you alright?"
Alan:  "Uh, yes, I just had a rather unpleasant encounter with someone."

Alan:  "Do you ever get the feeling that nothing's ever gonna be the same?"
Alexis:  "I was born with it."

Alan showed up in the library with Alexis when the lights came back on.  He was muttering to himself about staying calm, and was shocked to find Alexis there.  Of course the writers want us to think Alan's shaken up after murdering Pierce Dorman, or at least wonder if that's why he was upset.  But the alternate explanation is that he was shaken up after Brenda's questions about his drug use.  He asked Alexis rambling questions about whether or not he seemed different, giving her the opportunity to attest to his state of mind later in the case.  She seemed concerned, but as she didn't yet know about Dorman's murder, she let it go.

Stefan:  "Am I boring you, Alan?"
Alan:  "I've never thought of you as being particularly entertaining."

Later, as he was trying to locate Emily and see that she was alright, Alan had several run-ins with Stefan, who wanted him to pay attention to the business of getting the hospital back up to speed.  It's clear to me that the Quartermaine/Cassadine understanding is on shaky ground, even though Stefan finally let Alan go home to see after his family.

Ned headed off Alan at one point and told him that Emily had been with him and that they were at home.  Alan truly seemed not to know where Emily had been, so I don't think he came in on the murderer--if it wasn't him.

On Tuesday, Alan headed home with Stefan's permission, even though Stefan was asking not-so-subtle questions about where the family had been.  He was so sweet going up and seeing Emily sound asleep.

On Thursday, Alan sniped at Mac, who warned him to watch what he said in front of people.

Edward:  "You are the chief of staff of a hospital that makes the Titanic look like a pleasure cruise.  The least you could do is dress like you knew what you were doing."

Taggert and Garcia chatted about the possibility of still finding the scalpel.  Taggert thought that maybe they'd be careless because it was a rash act.  They found a button, and Taggert thought they'd find more.  Cut to a shot of Alan, with Edward telling him to straighten up and wear a coat that wasn't missing a button.

At the end of Friday, Alan told Monica he wanted to know what she'd been hiding about the murder.  I'm glad to see he's got his wits about him enough to smell a lie when it passes him.

B. A.J.

A.J. showed back up at the hub at the beginning of Monday asking Amy where his family was.  Amy told him that they had all gone missing and that Alan had been threatening Dorman.  When he found Alan, he informed him that Audrey and Emily weren't anywhere to be found and they went off looking for them.  At one point, he heard that there was something going on downstairs.  He headed down there and saw Jason being taken away by the cops.  Carly told him what Jason had said to tell the others.

A.J. caught up with her again at the police station and asked her what had happened.  He figured out that Carly didn't realize they were brothers and told her.  She didn't believe him because Jason didn't seem brain damaged.

On Tuesday, Carly and A.J. sat with each other at the police station waiting to see what happened to Jason.  They discussed Jason's relationship with the Qs and his current situation.  A.J. convinced her to go home, and he drove her himself.

Before they left, A.J. blew off Jax's questions at the police station.  He said he didn't like him or trust him.  I'm not sure I knew that.  Carly asked him if he thought Jason did it.  I think he suspected as much until he got the chance to ask Jason himself.

Back at her apartment, she thanked him for pleading her case with Justus and they talked about him wanting a drink a bit and his determination not to drink so he could help Jason if he needed it.  While I applaud that, I don't think A.J. can keep on using other people as the reason he's stopping drinking.  I know that this isn't completely about another person, but it's still about his feeling that he has to make something up to his brother.

When A.J. returned, I was laughing at his questions of Sonny about mob lawyers.  Sonny was very patient.  :)  Brenda sent him to call his parents and let them know what was going on.  Alan couldn't find out otherwise, and this was the first they'd heard of Jason.

On Friday, the A.J. recast arrived--Billy Warlock (ex-Dool, ex-Baywatch).  Most of ratsa seems to hate him; I didn't mind him.  No, I don't think he looks like a Quartermaine, but I don't care that he doesn't look like Sean Kanan.  I think he'll pick up the mannerisms and carriage as he has some time around the Qs--note that his first two days of scenes weren't even with the family.  He's a good actor, and I'm going to give him some more time to settle in before I condemn his performance; he does a pretty good SK impression, actually, and when he makes the role his own I think he'll do ok.  I'm not a great A.J. lover anyway.  ;)

A.J. was again dismissive of Jax; do we know why he hates him so?  They snarked back and forth a bit, and I was amused.

C. Jason

And at the beginning of Monday, Carly noticed blood on the floor outside the morgue and went inside to ask what was going on.  She found Dorman's body--and Jason.  Jason told her to be still and quiet as he searched Dorman's body and the morgue.  I think Carly immediately assumed he had killed Dorman, but I didn't.  I think he found Dorman dead or came in on the killer(s); it wasn't clear on Monday what he knew or if he was covering for someone, but he implied that he didn't do it in his conversation with Carly.  Jason described the amount of blood that must have gushed from the body and commented on the sloppy cutting.  Jason had Carly call the police and Carly offered to lie to him.  Then he waited for them to come.

Jason told her to forget about informing Sonny but told her to tell A.J. to tell the "others" that things were taken care of.  He knew the cops would expect him to be there, but he also knew that they wouldn't find anything because he didn't do it.  We didn't know on Monday whether he was covering for anyone in particular or not.

Carly:  "I do not care what you did.  I don't care who you work for, alright?  I used to say Tony was the best thing that ever happened to me?  Well he didn't want the title.  So you're it, whether you like it or not."

The most striking thing about their scenes was Carly's immediate assumption that Jason did it and her insistence that she would lie for him.  She needs someone right now, and Jason has always been there for her.  Even more than A.J., I think, Carly needs to depend on Jason because she knows that he won't change his opinion of her no matter what she tells him.  I really liked the fact that she was the one that found him.

Taggert:  "What were you doing in the morgue?"
Jason:  "Looking for Dorman."
Taggert:  "Why?"
Jason:  "To kill him."

The police got there and took Jason and Carly down to the station after questioning Jason a bit.  He claimed he didn't do it but admitted he wanted to; I figured he was just being honest.  :)  He pointed out that he couldn't have done it because he wasn't covered in blood; they pointed out that one of the lab coats might be missing (and there was, from what we could see).

Jason was a hoot in the interrogation room.  He admitted to wanting to kill Dorman but wouldn't say anything more than that he didn't do it.  I realized as I watched him that he was trying to make them keep him as long as possible, knowing they couldn't charge him.  But we still didn't know for whom he was covering.

Taggert:  "None of this looks good for you, my friend."
Jason:  "I'm not your friend.  You're sure as hell not mine."

Jason:  "What're you gonna do, turn up the thermostat again?"

The questioning continued on Tuesday, but Taggert and Garcia couldn't get anything more out of him.  Taggert changed tactics and asked him for whom he was covering.  They confronted him with his documented threats.  But Jason wouldn't give them anything, and when Sonny and Valentine showed up (on Wednesday's episode) his statement was declared inadmissible for several reasons and he was finally let go.

Alan had come to help him, but Jason turned him down; he was released before Alan could have done anything anyway.  Alan wanted him to come home and see Emily, and Jason agreed, reluctantly.

Edward:  "Tell me you didn't knock off a liquor store on the way here."
Jason:  "Nope.  A bank."

Ned:  "Mac, did they reinstate you?"
Mac:  "Just let 'em try."

Alan, Mac, and Jason came back to the mansion and everyone caught up with each other.  Monica was worried that Mac was there to tell everything about the Starlight Motel, but later he assured her that he had tried to keep it secret but that it was coming out anyway.

D. Ned and Monica

Ned found Monica and Emily in the parking garage.  He immediately noticed the blood on Emily's gown and the bloody scalpel in Monica's hand and assumed the worst.  He took the scalpel and helped Emily in the car.  Monica simply told him that Dorman was dead, leaving details until later, and Ned took the scalpel.  He also said he'd take care of discharging Emily.  Monica assured him that they wouldn't find anything (silly Monica), and she and Emily left.  Ned insisted that he would need to know everything once they got home.  I love these two together, and was glad that they were the ones who found Emily first and got her home.

Ned:  "Did Emily kill Dorman, or did you?"

Monica:  "Is this family under some sort of a curse?"

On Tuesday, Monica and Ned had a pow-wow.  Ned insisted on knowing what was going on.  His alternatives (above), I assume, were an attempt to guide us into thinking those were our only two options.  But ratsa was quick to point out that either one of them may think the other one did it when in fact Emily might only have seen the real murderer and be repressing it.

Monica was agitated, and she told Ned that she hadn't seen the actual murder.  She said she went with Alan to Dorman's office, then down to the morgue when she heard Dorman had headed down there.  She saw Dorman dead and a bloody scalpel on the floor--and Emily's locket, which Monica had.  She found Emily in shock, with her gown covered in blood.  So Monica assumed Emily did it, but didn't know--and it seemed that Ned assumed so as well.  They decided on their story to cover Emily and each other.

Monica:  "Haven't you learned anything, Ned?  Keeping secrets is what got us here in the first place."
Ned:  "Pierce Dorman got us here because he was a psychopath and a criminal."

Monica:  "This is all my fault.  I'm the one that brought Dorman into our lives."
Ned:  "Don't do that to yourself Monica.  There's no point."

Monica objected to Emily having to lie, and to lying to the family--to Alan.  Ned was very adamant (strangely so, I thought) that she not tell Alan.  He told her over and over that it was the only way to keep Emily safe and that it would let Alan sleep at night (and that that was good for Emily as well).  Alan came home at that point, and Monica didn't tell him, but she asked him what would happen if Emily didn't go along with the cover up (good question).  But surely he's not covering his own butt by putting Monica and Emily in this situation.  I don't want to think so.

Ned:  "What will you say to her?"
Monica:  "Ned, I don't know.  I guess I'll hear what she says first and gauge how she feels."

Monica stayed with Emily as Alan went downstairs.  On Wednesday, Ned sat with her while Monica went to eat breakfast, sending for Monica when Emily woke up.

Ned:  "Then tell me about you, Dorman, and the Starlight Motel."
Monica:  "That was a mistake."
Ned:  "Did you really kidnap him?"
Monica:  "Well, that wasn't a mistake."

After Taggert's visit, Ned and Monica consulted again.  Ned asked about the motel; he had heard from Alexis.  Monica owned up.

Finally, I love these two together, and I'm really glad they're in this thing together.  I'd like to think they're immediate dependence on each other has led to certain assumptions that will actually keep them from guessing the truth right away.

E. Emily

Emily was still in shock when Monica got her home.  Monica tried to act nonchalant and get her cleaned up, but Emily was still edgy.  Monica told her that nothing bad would happen to her.  As Monica tucked her in bed and told her that nothing about that night was for anybody else to know, Emily noticed the blood on her sleeve.

Emily:  "I can't help it; I'm happy he's dead."
Monica:  "So am I."

On Tuesday, Emily slept fitfully, remembering various things.  Ned called Monica to come up when she woke up.  By Wednesday she was crying and saying it was all her fault again.  They reassured her, and she started to remember something about A.J.  Ned and Monica thought maybe A.J. did it and she was blocking it out.  I think that she was just starting to remember the hospital.  She was scared about her blackout and thought she was going crazy.  God, how much more can she go through?  I am glad that Ned and Monica and everyone are there for her--no matter how wacky their methods, they love her.  To completely reassure her, they had to tell her that Dorman was dead.

Taggert:  "Two samples.  One dark, one blonde."

We cut from that line to a shot of Emily and Monica's heads together.  They obviously want us to think that one of these two did it, and obviously they were both at the crime scene, though not together.  I still doubt it was either of them.  Monica asked Emily to eat; Emily noticed again the blood on her sleeve (I think that's right; the audio doesn't tell me for sure--she may have been remembering).

Emily:  "Am I making any sense?"
Jason:  "Ya you are.  To me, anyway.  I don't know if that's a good thing."

On Thursday, Emily noted that Monica had changed clothes.  Alan said Jason was coming up; Jason caught her leaving her room.  They talked a bit, and she asked what makes a person kill somebody.  He didn't answer her question really, but asked her why she wondered.  She passed it off, but I wonder if he'll start to think she knows something.  Then she told him that her mother had died the same day Dorman was killed two years earlier.  Poor kid.  She didn't tell Monica; she told Jason.  Probably knowing he wouldn't gush over her, and that he would understand.  I love how she explains things to him, not assuming he will remember and not forgetting that he doesn't.  I love these two together.  He promised to come again.

Once she was alone, Emily headed to Monica's bathroom to check the hamper--and found the bloody blouse again.  Meanwhile, Jason mentioned Paige's death to Monica.

When Monica went back upstairs, she told Emily she would keep her safe no matter what, thinking Emily was asleep.  Emily wasn't.  And Lord knows what she was thinking about Monica's vow.

Finally, people have been wondering if Emily did indeed kill Dorman.  I'm not sure I'd want that to be the truth; she's been through so much.  People pointed out that Laura was about this age when she murdered what's-his-head, but somehow that's different for me.

F. Edward

Edward ranted and railed about Jason at the beginning of Wednesday's show.  Such a hoot.  Alan and Monica tried to convince him that Jason didn't do it, but Edward wouldn't be convinced.  Ha!  Lila was there too, trying to keep him in line.  It was clear Monica was worried--it just never ends.

G. Ned and Alexis

Ned:  "I had no idea you had a motel hotline."

Ned:  "Your car or mine."
Alexis:  "Mine.  When I'm being set up, I prefer to remain in control."

Alexis showed up at the mansion on Thursday's show wanting to know what was going on.  The reporters had been calling her about Monica.  Alexis started fishing, and finally admitted that she had heard the rumors about Monica and Dorman out at the hotel.  Ned invited her to lunch; she agreed, knowing full well what she was in for, and, I think, looking forward to it.

Alexis:  "I didn't even realize we had a usual."
Ned:  "Well, these things creep up on you.  Have I told you you look lovely?"
Alexis:  "No, but go ahead."

Alexis:  "You know, murder really brings out the flirt in you.  Or something else."

Ned:  "Do you know that your eyes dance when you hypothesize?"
Alexis:  "Do you know that you come on to me when you're trying to get me off track?"

Alexis:  "Try as you will--and I love the way you do--I can see right through you.  You're hiding something."
Ned:  "That doesn't seem to put you off."
Alexis:  "No, it doesn't."

Ned flirted and Alexis let him.  But she didn't forget why she was there, even though Ned wasn't offering any information.  They were a hoot.  I could transcribe their whole conversation to amuse myself, but it just doesn't translate to screen well.  She knew exactly what he was doing, and again, I don't think she minded it at all.

I like these two together primarily because they see each other very clearly and understand each other very well.  The ongoing problem with Ned and Lois (and I adored them) was that she never really knew him--not all of him--until the bitter end.

And I loved the exchange between this table and Sonny and Brenda's.  Sonny commented that they seemed to be the perfect pair, and they chatted about Lois a bit.  Later, Ned and Alexis commented on Sonny and Brenda.  Alexis knows that he doesn't like his friend's choice of company.

H. The Family and Taggert

At the end of Thursday's show, Taggert showed up to question everyone, including Emily.  Monica told him Em was sleeping and she promptly came down the stairs.  Ha!  But Emily was willing to answer questions, and Taggert wouldn't let Alan and Monica keep him away.  They were indeed making things harder.

Taggert:  "I'm kind of a sucker for baby pictures."

Edward made a proclamation about the entire family's innocence, but Taggert insisted.  Emily answered some questions, but Ned intervened and Monica jumped in and said she had the locket (Emily was agitated when she thought she'd lost it).  So of course Taggert wasn't going to be done with her.

Ned:  "Well detective, I believe your assignment here is finished.  I see no reason for you to come back."
Taggert:  "You like somebody tellin' you how to do your job, Mr. Ashton?"

On the way out, Taggert told Ned he'd be back for hair samples.  Lila threw a fit, saying they should all be treated equally and that she would be the first to give a hair sample.

III. Sonny

A. Sonny and Brenda

Brenda:  "Did you find him?"
Sonny:  "Did you?"

Brenda:  "What did you put in your pocket over here?"
Sonny:  "What pocket over here?"
Brenda:  "That pocket."
Sonny:  "Maybe I'm just, like, happy to see you."

Sonny:  "We are gonna have a great life as long as I don't send you on errands and you don't inventory my pockets.  Deal?"

Brenda caught up with Sonny in the hall at GH as the power came up.  They both questioned each other as to where they had been, and Sonny gave an only halfway straight answer.  Apparently we were supposed to be suspicious of them as well, but I'm not believing either of them as suspects so far.  She asked him what he had in his pocket and he gave her the runaround.  Several people commented that he was treating her just as he always did, but I'm wondering if whatever's in his pocket isn't a good thing and he simply didn't want to ruin the surprise.

Sonny:  "When'd he get back?"

Rebecca gasped when she heard Garcia tell Stefan it was Dorman who had been murdered.  Sonny and Brenda overheard and worried about Jason, and then Rebecca stopped Brenda and asked her if she thought Pierce had paid enough (personally, I'm betting Rebecca did it and will try to frame Brenda--she jumped down Amy's throat in defense of Dorman on Tuesday, though, but it could have been an act--and really, she's just letting more and more people know about the connection between her and Dorman).  Sonny and Brenda dismissed her, but after she was gone Sonny asked Brenda if she actually said all those things.  She had to admit she did.  They were both happy he was dead.

B. At the Police Station

On Tuesday, Joseph told Sonny he'd seen Jason and "some chick" being put into a police car, and Sonny headed to the cop shop.  Brenda came with, because of course now that she has chosen him she won't let him out of her sight.  ;)

Sonny calmed A.J. down while Brenda told Jax Dorman was dead (Jax realized he was up a creek).  I loved Sonny and Garcia back together again, and, as always, I loved Sonny sparring with the cops.  I'm up for a lot more Garcia/Taggert/Sonny scenes.  A.J. filled Sonny in on Carly's story.

Taggert:  "Well, as long as it's costing Corinthos a thousand bucks an hour, you can look all you want."

I think this was the first time we've actually seen Valentine.  I don't like him as well as Phil Cusack, but he'll do.  ;)  He didn't care about whether Jason was guilty or not; he also didn't think twice about calling Jason incompetent without asking.

Sonny:  "You alright?"
Jason:  "Ya."
Sonny:  "I'm not.  What the hell were you thinking?"

Sonny:  "Well if that's the case why you jumpin' down his throat?"
Jason:  "For Taggert.  He really thinks I'm stupid enough to fight my own lawyer.  Besides, Valentine shoulda asked my permission and waited until the arraignment.  I mean, what's the point in telling the whole squad room he thinks I'm an idiot."

Jason reacted harshly to Valentine's comments, but later told Sonny he was just putting on a show for Taggert.  Jason knew exactly what he was doing all around; he told Sonny he didn't know who killed Dorman but that he figured he was giving somebody 24 hours by giving them enough to hold him, and knew they had no hard evidence on him.  So Jason didn't know who it was, but he thought it wasn't a professional.  Sonny assumed he thought it was Monica because of the Starlight Motel incident (I loved that Jason used the term "postal"); Jason said that was his best bet and laid out the reasons.

Mac was there to see about Jason because of Robin.  It was great to see Mac on their side (kind of) now that he's out of office.  Ha!

Garcia:  "I think, in addition to his other sterling qualities, our dear Dr. Dorman had no respect for the dead."

Jason and Sonny continued to speculate about Dorman and where the drugs were.  Taggert and Garcia were on the same track; they'd figured out the hiding place by now and were off to GH.  In the meantime, Mac called Officer Johnson, and his FGC was very pleased.  :)

Jason:  "I can't do this Sonny.  I can't do what Robin wants."
Sonny:  "You should probably see the little girl."
Jason:  "I don't mean to hurt them, but I just...just don't know how not to."
Sonny:  "I know."

Alan:  "This is an outrage."
Taggert:  "No.  This is how you treat career criminals."

Jason wanted Sonny to hang around when Alan talked; Alan was offended, but he didn't pitch a fit.  It was painful to watch both of them--Jason and Alan--trying not to offend each other.  But Jason insisted on his boundaries, even though he agreed to visit Emily.  Mac went with him.

Luke:  "Man, let's get out of here.  Cop shops give me a rash."

Luke showed up at the station saying Jason told him Sonny would be there.  Makes no sense, but if it puts Luke and Sonny in the same scene, I'm game.  A little conferencing, a few negative comments about the police, and they were gone, once Luke took that call from Bobbie (that's probably why they had him there--to put Luke somewhere to take that call).

C. With Brenda

On Thursday Jax ran into Brenda at the PC Grill.  They chatted about their respective problems, and then Brenda started to tell him about Sonny.  Unfortunately, Sonny showed up first.  Jax was more gracious than he might have been, under the circumstances, and I was glad Sonny didn't kiss Brenda hello to rub it in his face.  Sonny caught them up on the Dorman investigation.  Jax still seemed to suspect Sonny, and told him he had an alibi I think just to see if he reacted.

Sonny:  "I'm in danger every time I wake up in the morning.  I thought you understood that's part of the package."

Sonny:  "If you can't live with unanswered questions and the element of risk then you're gonna have to let go of me and we both know you don't wanna do that.  And the tough thing is, there is no way I am lettin' go of you."

Once Jax left, Sonny caught Brenda up on Jason.  She then admitted that she was worried, even though she didn't want to.  She's scared about his being under suspicion again, and Sonny was patient, but he seemed frustrated again.  But she's trying to learn to live with this, and she's trying to understand.  He saw through her though, and knew that what she was most scared of was that he did it or order it to be done.  He told her he didn't, and I believed him.  That would have bothered me, having her doubt me again (she just doubted him about the drugs on Jax just the other day).

Brenda had a surprise for him at her hotel; Sonny couldn't wait.  So, they headed over there after some mushy stuff.  On Friday's episode, Brenda made him turn around (he insisted that he couldn't close his eyes because of a kid with a bottle in high school) when he started looking for his present (he tried to peek).  She gave him a picture of the view at their picnic and assured him that she believed they could find peace there.  She actually said the words "gentleman farmer" and I laughed.  Please tell me that they aren't going to make that the reality.  But I liked her talking about his face when he works not being all of him.

Brenda:  "I wanna have our living room so huge that we can roller blade in it."
Sonny:  "Oh, please."
Brenda:  "Like you're gonna roller blade."
Sonny:  "Ya, me."

Friday was a pretty mushy day for Sonny and Brenda.  I really did like them sitting on the bed together, legs intertwined.  They looked very comfortable.  And I know I'd give Sonny a photograph of some view if he thanked me like that.  ;)  Brenda fantasized about the house she would build; Sonny said he'd never done that before.  (I remember doing that when I was younger.  We even designed them when we were supposed to be doing our 8th grade algebra.)  Cracked me up that he didn't want visitors but then she convinced him that they'd want Robin and Jason and Lois to visit.  She wouldn't have bricks because all her father's houses had bricks.  Sonny would only help by asking questions, but then he came up with a fantasy of his own, which led to reality....

Note:  My fave moment in this scene was when Maurice was trying to talk with his mouth full of champagne and almost choked...and said so.  Ha!

Jason showed up to update Sonny in the middle of things to tell.  He had seen Jax at the morgue.  Brenda defended him.  Old habits and all that.  Sonny said he'd still be a suspect because he had motive.  Then he had to reassure her again.  You know, I could use some reassuring.  ;)

IV. The Cassadines

A. Stefan

Stefan seemed to doubt Bobbie's story just a little bit, but didn't call her on it as she left the hospital.  Perhaps that look was a look of concern or confusion rather than suspicion...but I wonder.  He played the administrator perfectly, making forceful phone calls and getting the hospital up and running again.  It's unclear, still, what that virus was meant to do.  I don't think it was only another chance for him to look good in front of everybody; I suspect other things will start showing up in the system now that the codes have been compromised.

Alexis headed home, but Stefan asked her to take the laptop home.  Alexis told him about her encounter with Alan just a bit.  Tony filled in Katherine about Audrey's surgery, and Stefan overheard him describing the gravity of the situation.  Alexis again tried to head home with the laptop, but the cops showed up asking for Stefan and she stuck around to see what was up.  Garcia informed him about the murder.

Stefan:  "Which one of them do you think did it?  Or, do you think Alan, like a good administrator, delegated the job?"
Alexis:  "Myself, I'm a stickler for this innocent until proven guilty routine.  I'm just funny that way."
Stefan:  "Well, nevertheless, this hospital has spent enough resources on those people.  If you learn, or even suspect, that one of them did it, give them my thanks, my congratulations, and make sure we can hold over their heads."

Stefan told him Dorman was hated and promised to drop off a file later at headquarters.  Then Alexis commented that the timing was bad, but Stefan said it did draw attention away from their own activities.  Stefan then told her to expect a call from the Quatermaines; he assumed one of them did it.  Speculation says maybe a Cassadine did it, but I don't think so because of this conversation.  Either Stefan or Alexis would have given some indication they knew something about the murder.  Put this with Stefan and Alan's run ins and I think you have the end of the understanding between the Quartermaines and the Cassadines; I wonder how that will pan out over the course of this murder investigation.  Stefan ought not be so flip about withdrawing his support from them (although the above line made me laugh).  He doesn't really want them as his enemies.  Alexis wasn't too comfortable with this, either.

Stefan was quick to join a conversation about Audrey's condition with Tony, asking after her.  He also thanked Tony most graciously--and then just happened to mention that Carly was the one who found Dorman.  Now, I don't think Carly did it and neither does Stefan; I think he simply was counting on the fact that Tony would go see about her and perhaps patch things up.  Maybe he's not as trusting of Bobbie as we think.  And better yet, maybe he knows the big secret and is setting them all up for a big revelation.  Now that would be some fun.

Garcia:  "And what is your point, sir?"

At the station, Stefan tried to get information about the investigation, but Garcia wasn't impressed with his concern or his rank.  He gave him almost nothing, ignoring Stefan' speechifying and offer to work together, but told him Jason was being held.

Stefan:  "If you do not leave now I will have you arrested this time."
Luke:  "Oooo, that'll fix me."

(The inflection on that last Luke line was more than fabulous, btw.)

Stefan seemed to buy the act at first, surprisingly.  He immediately fell back into assuring Bobbie he would defend her.  When Bobbie started her seduction, however, he seemed suspicious:

Stefan:  "If I didn't know you better, I would think you planned this."

Unfortunately, Jax calling to say he would fund the nurses' ball interrupted them.  But never fear, Bobbie managed to get them back on track.

Stefan:  "You know I make it a point to avoid love-making in the conservatory, particularly in the middle of the morning."

Crack me up.  :)

Stefan:  "Well, Barbara is an extremely intelligent woman."
Alexis:  "I know.  That's what frightens me."
Stefan:  "Don't worry.  She's under control."

Alexis came back to Stefan after her lunch with Ned, telling him she suspected that Ned knew something.  Tony interrupted them.  Stefan wanted a photo from him for PR.  He resisted, but Stefan insisted.  Tony backed down (wouldn't you?).  They chatted about the custody suit and about Bobbie.  I'd say Alexis is the extremely intelligent woman.

B. Nikolas

Amy:  "You know, Stefan, our nephew is amazing."
Stefan:  "I'm well aware."

This pronoun drew the most attention of all on Monday's show.  We think this was the first time Amy or Stefan has acknowledged their connection through Nikolas.  Nikolas was quite conciliatory with Stefan through all of this crisis, rather than being suspicious.  He told Stefan he would take Katherine home, and suggested that they would have dinner on their own at home later.  Stefan was pleased.

Katherine:  "Who would have thought when I took on this hospital that I would be in PR hell with harassment suits and hostages and heroin inside cadavers.  I mean, you give me something positive about that."
Nik:  "It's alliterative."
Katherine:  "Great.  I'll be sure I release that."

Nik:  "Are we still talkin' about the hospital here?"

On Thursday, Nik was with Katherine.  He volunteered to get their family to cover the nurses' ball, but Katherine wanted outside support.  Translation: not from Stefan.  They had another heart to heart about Stefan.  She said she could be his friend and he rolled his eyes at that.  Jax interrupted to tell her about the ball and Nik left.

Of course, right after she met cousin Lucky, Sarah ran into Cousin Nikolas eavesdropping on her talking to her grandma (of course he was transfixed by her).  They didn't hit it off; he was overbearing about his Uncle being in charge.  So of course he's got the upper hand over the niceness of Lucky.  :)

He went back to the gym and Katherine, but he was distracted.  Distracted until, in her own ramblings, she took her hand off the bar and took a step on her own.  She didn't want to tell anybody, especially Stefan.

C. Alexis

Stefan:  "Actually, it might be better if it turns out he's guilty.  The more quickly this thing is resolved, the less disruption there'll be around here."
Alexis:  "Ya, well maybe I'll explain that to him and he'll be obliged to confess."
Stefan:  "It's late; you're cranky.  Why don't you go home and get some sleep."

Stefan:  "But I see you're still not satisfied.  Now what is it you need from me?"
Alexis:  "Reassurance."

Alexis:  "I need to know that you're as disturbed about what happened as I am."

Alexis:  "I need to see in your eyes that you still have a conscience."
Stefan:  "Do you see it?"
Alexis:  "I do."

My favorite Cassadine scene of the week came at the end of Tuesday.  Alexis was sleeping on the sofa at GH, holding the laptop to her chest, and Stefan awakened her.  They talked business, and then they had a very serious conversation (it amazes me how people do that out in the halls) about his intentions--and, more importantly, his soul.  She expressed anxiety again about the project, but more so about his on conscience.  But she saw what she needed, and she was reassured.  I was too.  People have been complaining that Stefan's become (or is becoming) too evil.  Personally, I don't see much difference between his actions now and his actions upon coming to Port Charles.  His motives have changed with respect to Laura, and he's been off track and made some mistakes.  But I don't see him as any worse of a person than he was.  Still conflicted, still following (to some degree) a family path, and still questioning.  But I was actually surprised to find how relieved I was when Alexis, as always, spoke for me.  I tend to check my reactions to him through her, primarily (others too, but they're all angry with him right now), and whatever she saw in his eyes was enough for me as well.  For now.  And I'd bet Alexis would say the same thing.

A sweet parting kiss from her closed the scene.

Stefan did say, in their conversation about Audrey, that he had planned the "test" for a time when nothing major was scheduled.  So it seems this was another test, and not the end all be all of the plans for that chip.

V. Taggart and Garcia

Taggart:  "These homicide cops.  So intense."

Taggart:  "No, why don't you practice your story on me before I let Garcia at ya, hm?" 
Jason:  "I came in.  He was dead.  She came in."

These two were a riot this week.  They obviously have different styles but the same goal and same understandings of Mr. Corinthos and Mr. Morgan.  I loved watching them maneuver around each other, working together yet still a bit wary of each other.

Most of all, I love how Garcia calls him Marcus.  :)

On Wednesday, Garcia and Mac caught up and filled each other in on what they'd been up to.  They compared notes on Jason too, and Garcia promised to keep him informed.

Taggert:  "Do you mind?  I'm the one with my hand in here."
Garcia:  "You're doin' a marvelous job."

The best scene with these two was in the morgue over the dead body.  Cracked me up.  Taggert ended up having to fish for the drugs.  Ewwwww.

Garcia:  "We'll bring him down.  Believe me; I want him just as bad as you do."

They think it's Sonny and that Jason's covering for him and might even try to take the fall.  I don't know why they kept him so long; did they actually think he'd give Sonny up?

VI. Jax

Jax:  "Let me put it to you another way.  You're really starting to get on my nerves."
Officer:  "You're not the first person who's told me that."
Jax:  "I'll bet."

Jax and his shadow came into the station too.  Jax wanted the charges against him cleared since Dorman had been arrested.  Unfortunately, now that Dorman's dead, he can't clear Jax.  Looks like the copper is going to be following him for a while.

Most people don't like this chick.  I'm unimpressed with her so far (I don't even know her name, actually).  I don't hate her, and am willing to give her a fair shake.  But I'm wary of the seeming attempt to match Jax up with another person so soon after Brenda.  Let the man have some room to play around in, I say.

On Tuesday, Taggert asked for his alibi.  He couldn't find her immediately, so he went off to find her.  On Wednesday's show, she showed up with breakfast and he turned on the charm.  She did indeed have a record of his every move for the time of the murder.

Jax:  "You don't think the nurses' ball committee will balk at accepting money from someone with criminal charges pending?"
Katherine:  "Actually you're carrying on a fine tradition."

Jax promptly offered to sponsor the entire nurses' ball, calling Stefan and going to hospital.  Good move for his image, and ratsa was happy to see that he would have scenes with people other than Officer Artichoke--he also matched Sonny's contribution for a substance abuse wing.  His first such scene came on Thursday with Katherine.  We were all stunned to find that they had more chemistry together in five minutes than we could have imagined.  Unfortunately their discussion dwindled into her veiled comments about Stefan, but they were still good.  I wish we could get them together for a while if I didn't think she was destined by tptb to end up with Stefan--I don't want to see Jax in love with another woman who loves somebody else more and is trying to deny it.

We had a hoot of a scene on Friday with Amy getting Jax to take pictures and bounding up to pose right next to him.  All the nurses were bounding, as a matter of fact.  Ha!

With Stefan and A.J. on Friday, Jax claimed that he and the sheriff were working together.  Later, after she gave him some helpful hints on his workout, he asked her if she really would work with him, offering her trips to far away places.  She didn't go for it, but I don't think she minded.

VII. Carly

Brenda:  "So, did Carly get home ok?"
A.J.:  "Ya.  She was pretty shaken up but she got home alright."

Carly:  "Why did you come here if you don't care?"
Tony:  "Maybe I shouldn't have.  Look, Carly.  I don't wanna hurt you, but you need to know that it's over between us.  And for your own sake you need to let go."

We cut from that line to Carly dolling herself up on the eventuality that Tony would come over to check on her.  Amazing.  After everything she went through, she was still scheming about getting Tony back.  And, of course, he showed up at her door and she ran into his unwilling arms.  She started gushing, but he was noncommittal and once he saw she was pretty much ok he left (he called her "poor kid," which I thought quite telling), despite her kiss and her pleading.  Mostly this scene was exposition, with Carly retelling the story for anyone who didn't see it the first time.

On Friday, Carly was on the phone with Lucy :) because she had missed a rehearsal.  She wasn't feeling well.  Jason showed up, and we got a great conversation with the two of them.  He caught her up to speed and checked her story (she noticed that Dorman was making a fist, so Jason will figure out about the button, I'm assuming) then they talked about her not knowing who he was or how he was.  It was so sweet, hearing him talk about learning from her by the reactions she gave him when they were together and thinking she would figure it out.  I love these two together--as friends--and I'd really like to see him help her out when things bottom out (because I don't think they have yet).  He told her that he would never be angry about her secrets.

Then she told him that she hadn't been feeling well (she had gotten queasy hearing about Dorman' stash location) and he asked her about her symptoms and suggested she might be pregnant.  Again, OldJason's knowledge coming through?  She said it wasn't possible, but then wasn't so sure.  She got a pregnancy test and we waited the weekend to see what the results of that would be...as if we didn't already know.

Note:  My fave moment here was when Carly mentioned that she had met Sonny at the station and then made a look that indicated how delicious she thought he was.  Jason just went on. Crack me up.

Carly went to the door for A.J., who was bringing up her nurses' ball costume from Lucy.  She kind of tried to get rid of him (the pregnancy test) and he thought Tony was coming over.  She didn't think so, and A.J. gave her a hug.  Tony promptly walked in.