The Week in Review: February 16 - February 20

This week had its moments, but it was a bit inconsistent for me.  I love the scenes surrounding the rape with the Spencers and Lizzie, while the romance of Ned and Alexis was a wonderful contrast and beautifully done.  But there was some dead space in the middle of the week with Sarah, Dara and the police force, and AJ and Keesha.  Typically not my favorite characters, I'll admit, but not even Taggert and Justus could light my fire, it seemed.  I did enjoy seeing Edward sidle up to Carly--and I worry about her so.  But while there were good things going on, there was also a lot of filler.

I.  The Cassadines

A.  Nikolas and Helena

Helena:  "His coming to Port Charles had nothing to do with your involvement with that little Spencer girl's unfortunate situation.  And the reason he stays is certainly not that...that Bell woman.  A pale substitute for Laura."

Helena:  "And if your antipathy towards me gives you the motivation, then...oh...then I'm delighted to be of service.  I love you, my darling.  More than you'll ever know."

As the week began, Nikolas was finally doing some Tai Chi out on the docks again (too bad Stefan was nowhere to be seen) when Helena approached.  She was there to tell him the truth about his uncle.  She said that Stefan was obsessed with Laura, and that she was the reason they came to Port Charles and the reason they stayed.  Katherine Bell is merely a pale substitute (of course I agree with that, but I'll not be snarky in front of the boy).  She continued, saying that Laura was back in the states and that Stefan knew where she was.  Perhaps the family will be moving to North Carolina?  (That made no sense to me.  Stefan knew where she was before, in Switzerland, and they didn't move.  But the effect was nice.)  When she moved towards her grandson, he told her to stay away, and she was thrilled that he could speak again, even if it was to express his anger at her.

B.  Nikolas and Stefan

On Wednesday, Nikolas confronted Stefan about the information from Helena.  Stefan already knew about the meeting; he had been keeping an eye on Nikolas (and a closer one on his mother, no doubt).  Stefan gave his standard answer about his loving mother, but it was clear that the Laura questions were unexpected.  Even though he know what Helena was up to, he was shaken, and I don't think Nikolas missed it.  He quickly fell back onto the "dear friends" story of their time on the island, said that he had tried to help her, and ended up with the mantra that she had betrayed him just as she betrays everybody.  But he was right about Helena's interference, even though he said it was aimed at his relationship with Katherine.  I think more likely it was aimed at the relationship between Stefan and Nikolas--Stefan had it right earlier in the conversation.  Helena is uninterested in Katherine, except in as much as she might be able to use her.  And she had struck a blow, because Nikolas left the room sullen while Stefan called in a guard to keep a closer eye on Helena.  No matter that they both know what she's up to.  The truth still remains.

Later, after Emily had come to say she couldn't help him with his speech anymore, Nikolas sat at the chessboard alone.  He angrily called out for his uncle a couple of times, but said uncle was in the cellar staring at the portrait of Laura.

I love Helena in the Cassadine mix, and I love the way these battles are so even.  I would like to know, however, how she came to know so much about Stefan's involvement with Laura...and exactly what she knows and doesn't know.  And I do love the parallels between families.  Here, as in the Spencer family, it doesn't matter if you know what they're up to...they can still draw blood.

C.  Robin and Nikolas

Robin arrived at Wyndemere on Thursday.  Katherine was glad to see her, but Stefan was certainly not.  He tried to give her the brush off, but Robin insisted on seeing Nikolas--in that polite yet forceful way she has with people.  It was lovely to see her stand up to Stefan.  Robin went outside to wait for Nik, and Kat reprimanded Stefan for his behavior.  Of course, she only takes notice when it's directed at somebody like Robin.  Otherwise, she doesn't seem to mind.

Stefan told the history of the Cassadines and the Scorpios.  Robin's family has been an enemy to the Cassadines, and she is associated with Jason, who was directly responsible (Stefan claims) for Nikolas's injuries.  Katherine asked him if he would simply let Nikolas decide.  He agreed.  I think he was sure that Nik wouldn't want Robin around, but no such luck.  And Katherine was quick to gloat about it.

Outside, Robin met Nikolas and told him about the situation with Emily.  With no response, she handed him the French books and headed to leave, but then he asked her to stay.  At this point, we weren't sure why--was there an attraction?  Was he moved by her offer to help?  Does he remember her from elsewhere?  Has he heard of her?  But for some reason, he wanted her to stay.  I was undecided about whether I thought this was a good thing.  What I do know is that I'm tired of Jason and Robin together, the way they're being written.  And I hate Sarah.  And I think it's delicious that the Cassadines would take on another section of their history in the form of Robin Scorpio.  Unlike Luke, she has no interest in their feud, and I know that Stefan would continue to have no idea how to deal with her.  So perhaps...

D.  Helena, Alexis, and Katherine

Alexis:  "I am an attorney, not a sales person for garden furniture."

Helena called Alexis on Friday and instructed her to convince Katherine to buy a stone bench for Stefan that matched the one on the island.  Alexis said she would never know how to go about doing that, but Helena insisted in that way she has.  Too conveniently, Katherine arrived at Alexis's suite at that very moment.

She wanted an explanation about the dress.  Stefan liked it, but she knew there was something about it that they weren't telling her.  Alexis says that she simply wants to get back into Stefan's good graces and is trying to do that by helping his relationship with Katherine.  Katherine noted that she was upset, and Alexis effortlessly (she claims difficulties with Helena but can handle every assignment with ease) slid into her sales pitch.  It was the anniversary of Stefan's baptism, and she always got him a gift.  This year, she had ordered it well before the rift between them, and was saddened by a phone call from the delivery people.

Katherine, dim bulb that she is, immediately took the bait and set out to buy the bench herself.  Alexis said that it would make Stefan very happy.

Later, Helena arrived and Alexis told her it was done.  Helena took Ned's gift, and when Alexis protested, Helena told her to toughen up.  She should know not to push Alexis too far....

And Katherine gleefully asked Stefan to take a walk outside with her at the end of the show.

II.  The Quartermaines

A.  Ned and Alexis

Alexis:  "Why don't you come in and show me what you have."
Ned:  "Welcome to our annual Valentine's date.  An occasion marked by flowers, candy, and of course the traditional mystery gift."
Alexis:  "I didn't realize we had an annual Valentine's date."
Ned:  "Now we do."

Alexis:  "You really need to stop me when I go on like this; in certain situations I have a tendency to just get on a role and it ends up being a crashing bore."
Ned:  "You see, that's what baffles me about you."
Alexis:  "What?"
Ned:  "I think you're one of the most fascinating women I've ever met.  And the fact that you could entertain the notion, even for a moment, that you could be anything less than spectacular I just don't understand."
Alexis:  "I really like you."
Ned:  "Then why are you so far away?"

Alexis:  "You expect me to believe you fit the entire world into this box?"
Ned:  "Well, I had to improvise, but I think I did alright."
Alexis:  "Oh my.  It is the entire world."

Ned:  "Are we lovers?"
Alexis:  "Not yet."
Ned:  "What can we possibly be thinking of?"
Alexis:  "I was thinking maybe we were doing to much thinking."

On Monday's episode, it was still Valentine's Day in Port Charles, and Ned showed up at Alexis's door with flowers, candy, and a special present designed to take them anywhere they could wish to go.  It was a sound machine that would play the sounds of rain, fire, etc.  She loved it, and began to spin a fantasy for them.  When Ned asked if they were lovers, meaning in the fantasy, Alexis answered in reality.  Ned picked her up and carried her to the bedroom (I was sad to find out there was a body double for some of this, because I was totally impressed with Wally's ability to hoist the very-pregnant Nancy).  The love scenes were beautifully done, and finally we had some true romance for Valentine's Day.  And finally, they provided a stark contrast to Lizzie's rape.

Alexis:  "Do you think it was incredibly brilliant or unbelievably stupid that we waited this long?"
Ned:  "Incredibly brilliant."
Alexis:  "Really?  Why is that?"
Ned:  "Well, because enough time went by so that we knew that once we made love neither one of us would bolt towards the door."
Alexis:  "You're right.  You're right.  That is incredibly brilliant.  This is working out amazingly well."
Ned:  "And it's only the beginning.  I wish you could see yourself the way I see you right now.  How beautiful you are...how feminine...how strong.  You take my breath away."

At one point, Ned told her how happy he was that they had waited.  She agreed, but the didn't see fit to wait any more before doing it all over again.  I love these two--flirty, mature, and vulnerable.  Their exchanges are wonderful, and I look forward to much more of their story when NLG comes back from maternity leave.

B.  AJ and Keesha

In more wasted time on Tuesday, Keesha returned from ranting at Jason to find AJ had rented out Kelly's for her birthday.  The room was beautiful, but suddenly they're back together with no explanation, really.  It was as if we were having an obligatory love scene to make up for the horror of Valentine's Day on Friday last.  But these two bore me, and I've gone from loving AJ to being worried about him to not caring about him in the least, and that's sad.  AJ and Carly were the only good thing going last summer, and while I see some potential with AJ trying to out-Q the Qs, from all we see he's simply fallen back into his own patterns sans alcohol.

C.  Emily

On Wednesday, Emily ran into Sarah at Kelly's.  Sarah was very unhappy about Emily's relationship with Emily.  Robin entered, and Emily introduced them.  After Sarah left, Emily filled Robin in and asked for suggestions.  Robin suggested that Emily have Nikolas read in French, so that working in another language would distract him and not put so much pressure on himself to speak.

D.  Alan

Meanwhile, Alan was busily making arrangements for his self-medication when Monica entered the room.  She chided him for working too hard when he told her he had put off some appointments to do paperwork.  He assured her he had it all under control.

Edward entered and announced that somebody had broken into the hotel pharmacy during the blackout.  He was up in arms and declared that they would find who did it.  Monica started listing off the possibilities, and Alan told them to leave it to the police.  While I was becoming irritated at the repetition of this story early on, I'm glad to see that they're picking up the pace so well.  Certainly I didn't want them to rush an addiction story, and certainly it would take Alan this long to become this bad.  But the almost-being-caught stuff was just getting old.  And before that the repeated scenes of pill popping were getting even older.

E.  Emily Again

Sarah was angry enough that she took action.  She went to the Q house and very prettily suggested that she was worried about Emily getting into trouble with the Cassadines if her helping Nikolas went wrong somehow.  Alan and Edward were immediately concerned--Edward was probably happy to have a reason to complain about Stefan.  Sarah left, confident that she had done something in her own best interest, and I was confident I liked her less than ever.

When Emily came home to pick out some books, they told her that she couldn't continue teaching Nikolas.  Emily was amazed that they could think that Stefan was any more dangerous than they were, and insisted on seeing Nikolas one last time to explain.

Stefan wasn't happy to see her, but Nikolas scowled at him until he went away.  Nikolas was unhappy at Emily's, and was less happy with the suggestion that Sarah help him.

Emily went back to Kelly's to find Robin, and ran into Sarah.  She told her what had happened, not knowing what Sarah had done, and Sarah smilingly asked if this meant she could help Nikolas.  Nope.  Emily told Robin the story then, and Robin volunteered to take over.  And I sensed poetic justice in the air (not to be confused with poetic Justus).

F.  Alan Again

Back at the hospital, Amy told another nurse about finding Alan asleep in his car.  Hearing that, Monica confronted Alan again.  He wrote the incident off by saying he had taken a mistimed sleeping pill and promised again to try and cut back.  After she left he took some pills, and Amy saw him.

III.  The Spencers

A.  Lizzie and the Spencers

Lizzie:  "I can't get my...my shoe back on."
Lucky:  "It's okay.  It's okay.  That's something I can fix."

As Monday began, Lucky was calling Lizzie's name in the park.  He heard something from the bushes and stopped.  As he watched, Lizzie crawled out, her face smeared with makeup and her body covered with bruises and abrasions.  He haltingly asked her what happened, even though he already feared that he knew the answer.  She said that her shoe had broken.  Lucky tried to help her put her shoe back on, and, noticing the blood on her leg, asked her who did this to her.  She didn't know.  She was unfocused, in shock, but she realized that her gram's bracelet was missing and panicked.  Lucky assured her that he would find it for her.  He tried to take her to the hospital; she refused.  So he led her away to the Spencer house, trying to comfort her and looking utterly scared.

Once there, he gave her one of his shirts to put on.  She asked if she could go to the bathroom and clean up, but Lucky told her that wouldn't be a good idea before she was examined.  But she didn't want to be examined, so Lucky asked her if she'd at least let him get his Aunt Bobbie to look at her.  She acquiesced, hesitantly.  Lucky called Bobbie, but she wasn't available.  He asked Liz if she would be ok while he went to get her; she said that she would like the time alone.  Lucky assured her that Foster would let nothing happen to her--and the shot of him laying his head on the coffee table and gazing at her had me crying all over again.

While Lucky was gone, Elizabeth took a shower, crying all the while.  Someone on ratsa noted the point where she looked at her face in the mirror.  We've had a lot of mirrors on GH lately, most of them having to do with Tony.  But I was hoping for more, and I wasn't going to be disappointed. But again I get ahead of myself.  The camera cut to a pair of boots approaching the house--if they wanted to build suspense, they needed to use a pair with which I wasn't so familiar.  Liz went downstairs in a robe, and when the doorknob started to turn, she cried out.

Luke:  "Well, ya, I scared her and she scared me, but I think we're over it, aren't we Lizzie?"

Lucky:  "She got jumped in the park, Dad."

Luke entered, trying to calm her down while he kept his distance and took a minute to assess the situation.  He reminded her who he was.  I was hoping that he would call her Elizabeth--since that's what she asked him to call her in the only other scene they've had together.  For him to say, "Lizzie...excuse me, Elizabeth" would have been very nice.  But that's ok.  ;)  Soon enough, Bobbie and Lucky arrived.  Luke was surprised to see his sister, and hoped that she was there to see him.  She brushed past him and went to Lizzy, leaving Lucky to briefly explain the situation.  The sentence above brought a look to Luke's face that only began to herald things to come.  This hot-button issue had found it's way to Luke's doorstep again, and things weren't going to be pretty.

Luke:  "Lucky, talk to me.  What happened?"
Lucky:  "Sh...she was raped, Dad.  She...she hasn't said it, but I...I know it."

Lucky:  "But you know the worst thing was her eyes.  They looked like Grandma's used to.  Like something so awful had happened...they just couldn't bear to know it.  And it's still in there, Dad.  It's...that...that look.  It's still in there.  Can you see it?"
Luke:  "Ya, I saw it."

Lucky:  "I don't get it.  I just can't wrap my mind around it.  Dad, what kind of guy drags some girl out of the night and forces her to have sex with him?  While she's kicking and screaming and fighting.  Why?"
Luke:  "You'll never understand it.  Don't even try."

Bobbie and Elizabeth went upstairs to the bathroom while Lucky and Luke talked downstairs.  Lucky described finding her, and he began to cry.  When he mentioned the park, Luke asked where in the park, and I thought he was remembering meeting Tony there.  Lucky said that her eyes were the most awful thing of all, and asked Luke if he saw them.  Luke's switch to the past tense told us that of course he was not only thinking of this night, but of that night almost 20 years ago when he raped Laura.  And the look on Lizzy's face as she crawled out of the bushes was amazingly like Laura's.  They may have left her face unmarked so she could try to hide this, but it also served to highlight her pale face streaked with mascara, looking so much like Laura's all those years ago.  Lucky said couldn't wrap his mind around what just happened, and Luke told him not to try.

And upstairs, Bobbie did what she could to fix Lizzie's wounds.  Liz was thankful that her face wasn't marked so she could hide what happened.  Bobbie tried to convince her that she needed attention, but Lizzy wouldn't be examined.  Bobbie let her be.  Instead, she gave Liz the morning after pill, explaining that she could be in real trouble for dispensing it without a doctor present.  Liz thanked her, but still didn't admit that she had been raped.  She wouldn't let Bobbie call Audrey; she would deny everything if Bobbie tried.

Lizzie:  "Thanks for finding me."

Bobbie came downstairs in time to hear Luke tell Lucky that he was being a good friend to Lizzie, and she told Lucky that they could do nothing more for Liz if she wouldn't admit she'd been assaulted.  Lucky didn't like that; he wanted to do something.  But all he could do was take Elizabeth home.  He told her that he would find her bracelet--that it was something he could do for her.  After he left, Audrey eagerly asked for the news of the dance but Liz said she was tired and went to bed.  Lucky still stood on the front porch, with a tear in his eye.  These small moments were the thing that really got to me in this episode--the subtle things in the middle of the big events.  Jonathan Jackson was already putting in such a remarkable performance, and it would only get better.  And Becky Herbst?  What a storyline to walk into after such a short time on a soap!  She's doing a fantastic job.

Luke:  "Something on your mind?"
Bobbie:  "Nothing you wanna hear."
Luke:  "How do you know?  Try me."
Bobbie:  "You make me sick."

Luke:  "Look, Barbara, you wanna hate me, ok, I can live with that.  Just keep me up to date.  Are we still on Carly?"
Bobbie:  "Excuse me, but I have no desire to be here with you right now."

After they left, Luke asked Bobbie what was on her mind, since she was staring harshly at him.  She told him in no uncertain terms.  He wanted this to be about Carly, even though it was clear that it wasn't.  She said she didn't want to speak with him and left him alone.  And that's the worst thing she could have done to him.

It was already very clear that this storyline would reach across these two families, affecting everybody.  The dynamics between any number of characters was to be affected, and so many things would be examined.  It was the beginning of a huge storyline, and yet a quiet one as well.  No explosions or ceremonies--only the interactions of characters with each other and with memory.  My favorite kind.

B.  Lucky

Bobbie:  "This one has to be her call.  Trust me on that."
Lucky:  "So the guy just gets away with it?"
Bobbie:  "It's been known to happen."  [Ed. note:  Nice touch.]
Lucky:  "You can live with that?"
Bobbie:  "You know, a lot of people live with a lot of things.  It didn't happen to me.  It didn't happen to you.  What Elizabeth can stand is what really counts."

At the hospital on Tuesday, Audrey tried to call Lizzie, who was huddled in bed not answering the phone.  She told Bobbie that Liz had stayed home with the flu, but wondered if she'd been tricked.  Lucky approached, and talked to Bobbie about the rape.  He had been trying to call her as well.  He didn't want to keep it a secret, but Bobbie said that they had to let Liz make up her own mind.  She insisted that nobody had done anything wrong but the rapist--neither Lizzie nor Lucky had been in the wrong--but Lucky was blaming himself and wanting answers.  Audrey interrupted them, and she was fairly glowing about the dance and went on and on about how happy she was that Lizzie had been with Lucky so that she didn't have to worry.  It was so painful to see her so happy that Lizzie had finally had a truly happy life--she loves Lizzie so much.  Lucky could barely stand it; he was blaming himself for backing out on Liz and going to the dance with Sarah.  But Bobbie kept him from telling Audrey the truth.

He left the hospital and went to the Hardy house.  He rang the doorbell and called up to Lizzie, but she was lying in bed, completely unresponsive.  It was such a moving scene--so much better than anything else was that day.  The performance by Jackson was fantastic, and the sight of Lizzie huddled in the bed not heeding Lucky's calls was painful.  I love these two, and I looked forward to seeing them play out this storyline.

C.  Bobbie and Luke

Luke:  "Barbara, is this about Carly, or have you just decided to hate my guts in general?"
Bobbie:  "I don't hate you.  Any more questions?"
Luke:  "How's the little Webber girl?"
Bobbie:  "Why do you care?"
Luke:  "So you don't hate me.  But you've decided who I should be concerned about?"
Bobbie:  "You must have me confused with Luke Spencer.  He's the one who goes around controlling people's lives, choosing what they know, reconstructing the past to fit his version of the present.  You decide I'm better off without a daughter--poof!  My daughter's dead.  You want Lucky to believe that his father respects women and hears when they say 'no,' then I guess what you did to Laura vanishes too."
Luke:  "What are you saying to me?"
Bobbie:  "Congratulations on the revised version of your life, Luke.  Just do me a favor and live it somewhere else."
Luke:  "I don't like your tone Barbara.  What are you telling me?  Are you saying that I should sit my son down and try to explain to him what happened between his mother and me a hundred years ago?  You're insane!"
Bobbie:  "They say if you're not careful, you become what you despise.  Well you never could stand a hypocrite, Luke.  And now you've become the worst I've ever seen."

On Thursday, Bobbie was asking about Michael's prescription when she ran into Luke.  Their scene above was powerful, with her still hurting from his last lie and taking him to task for everything he'd ever lied about and him insistent that Lucky shouldn't be told about the rape.  And I couldn't come down completely on either side.  Bobbie's right about his lying and his reconstructing the past.  He does that--at least for other people, even if he faces the facts himself--all the time.  But as for him being a hypocrite about rape?  I don't see why his caring about Lizzy's condition makes him one.  It's a different situation, different girl, and different time.  Bobbie's giving him no credit for remorse at this point, she's simply taking the lying out of context and asking him to inflict the truth on Lucky.  I think that has part to do with her insistence on complete honesty in light of Luke's lies about Caroline and part to do with her wanting to punish him, or to teach him a lesson (I'm not sure which degree of reprimand I would choose).  This is about her and Luke, and she's not thinking about Lucky.  Because I'm with Luke at this point--Lucky should never have to know.  Of course he'll find out.  Of course it will be ugly.  But Lucky shouldn't have to know.  Now whether he should know is another question.  And that I hadn't decided at this point.  But if he found out (and this being a soap, we knew he would), Luke should have been the one to tell him.  I was betting that wouldn't happen either.  As for Luke's motivations?  Some would say they were utterly selfish--that he didn't want to face this, that he didn't want his son to see him in a lesser light, that he didn't want to remember it himself.  But I think you also have to mix in a goodly amount of concern for his son.  He knows that this will hurt Lucky, and he knows his son well enough to know just how much.  Finally, I believe that Luke wants some punishment for this crime.  He didn't get it legally, he's never gotten it from Laura--he might find justice in his son's reaction, but he doesn't want to hurt his son to get it if he doesn't have to.

E.  Lizzie and Lucky

Liz:  "You don't know what happened."
Lucky:  "Yes I do."
Liz:  "No, you don't.  You can't.  He grabbed me, Lucky.  He grabbed me, he threw me down on the ground, and he pinned me down.  I couldn't even move.  God, he was breathing so hard I...I thought he was gonna die.  I wished...I wished he had died.  He raped me, Lucky.  He raped me."

Lucky:  "Is there anything I can do?"
Liz:  "Help me with my math."

Lucky arrived, and Liz let him in.  He was bringing her homework to her.  They spoke for a few minutes, and then she admitted that she had been raped.  She told him the story.  He asked her to tell Audrey, but she refused.  He suggested tests; she refused.  She didn't want anybody to know.  So instead, Lucky simply sat down to help her with her math homework.  Sweet.

Luke:  "Did you read it?"
Lucky:  "Uh, no.  It was only addressed to you."
Luke:  "Ah.  My favorite kind."

Luke:  "Well, you know, sometimes when...really bad stuff happens...you search for a reason.  And...you know, somebody to hold responsible and sometimes the only person you can find is yourself."

Lucky:  "She keeps saying she wants to forget about it but she never will.  I can't even forget about it.  How is she supposed to?  I mean, something like that stays with you forever."
Luke:  "Oh, I don't know."
Lucky:  "Well I do."

Back at home, Lucky brought in the mail as he entered--a letter from Laura.  Luke noted the shirt Liz had returned in Lucky's backpack.  He talked Liz's response, and asked Luke again how a guy could do that.  They were in danger of playing this scene one too many times, but at this point it was still working well.  The last lines above, again, showed that Luke hasn't let him think about Laura's long term reaction to the rape.  He can't let himself wonder whether it still haunts her the way it haunts him.

Meanwhile, Bobbie left Luke and went to take Michael his prescription and had that run in with Carly.  Afterwards, she went to Lizzie's house to talk to her more about STD tests, etc.  And several people noted the displaced mothering that was going on.  Without Audrey's support, Liz was in need of some care, and Bobbie's certainly a good mother figure for her.  But Liz didn't want to think about STDs or the rest, and Bobbie left her alone.

On Friday, at Kelly's, Bobbie and Lucky have another conversation about Liz.  It was the mostly the same stuff about not telling and having nothing to do, but it grew a little more serious and Bobbie asked him not to play vigilante.  He agreed.  At this point, Luke entered.

In the meantime, Sarah burst into the bathroom and saw Lizzie's bruises.  Liz said that she had fallen, and headed off to work.  Audrey thought she was working too soon after the flu, but Liz insisted on going.  After she left, Sarah quizzed Audrey about Liz's time at the dance.  Then she asked about the bruises a friend of hers had on her arms, and Audrey said that no basketball game should be that brutal.

Liz arrived at Kelly's and Lucky went outside to meet her, saying hello to Mr. Murty on the way (It was a recast, and with the new actor I've dropped my membership from his FGC.  There was something about that other guy I liked, but this guy, nothing.)  Lucky told Liz that he would be there to support and encourage her if she went back to work.  She went in, but was utterly upset by the men in the room and by Mr. Murty touching her arm to stop her and ask about her flu.

Bobbie asked Liz to sit down and talked with her about her reactions.  She gave her some brochures and tried to convince her to tell Audrey while at the same time assuring her that it was all her decision.  She would support anything Liz chose to do.  But she pushed Liz to get an HIV test in the meantime, whether she told Audrey or not.  Liz wouldn't think of it, until Bobbie told her about Robin.  Liz considered it but got up and went to start work.

Sarah arrived with more questions, but Liz brushed her off.  Sarah next turned to Lucky, who would say nothing either.

Liz passed Luke and Bobbie's table, and Luke stopped her to say that he admired her courage.  Nice sentiment, but really bad timing, since Liz is appalled that anybody should know about this.  Lucky barked at his dad for setting her off, and Luke had no idea what he had said that would upset her so.  He did mean well, and I thought this was another nice moment to show what he doesn't understand.  After the kids had left, Bobbie told him not to make this about him and his past.  Lucky, though, was close enough to hear, and asked what she meant.

Outside, Sarah begged Liz to tell her what was going on--she would tell nobody.  Liz told her about the rape in halting words.  Sarah just held her.

I absolutely love Lucky and Liz in this story.  The performances, the writing, the effect...anybody who says this story is all about Luke hasn't been watching the same soap I've been watching.  These two are fabulous, and I hope that out of this comes a friendship so strong that it can't help but be the basis for a romance.  Another L&L who's love began in rape.

IV.  Jason and Carly

A.  Justus and Dara

On Tuesday, Justus and Dara had several scenes together in her office.  They discussed their relationship and Justus's relationship with Jason.  They argued, they bickered, and then they kissed.  In the middle of this week, these scenes seemed simply filler.

B.  Jason and Keesha

Jason:  "Normal is a doctor's favorite word, Michael.  If you weigh what they tell you to, don't forget the day of the week or the President's name, and you happen to die when the average says so, they feel like they've done their job."

Also on Tuesday, with Jason at the hospital taking Michael to a checkup, we had the same old scene of Keesha railing at Jason about what he's done to Justus.  Jason pointed out, as I would have liked to, that Justus made his own decision.  But the scene was a wash--more filler.

C.  Edward and Carly

Carly:  "You're asking me if you can be my friend?"
Edward:  "Um-hm."
Carly:  "How?  I don't even know you."
Edward:  "What did Jason tell you about me?"
Carly:  "Not to trust you."
Edward:  "Well, that's pretty mild.  Um.  So I won't ask for your trust, Carly.  Would you prefer to be called Caroline?"
Carly:  "No.  Only one person called me Caroline.  And she's gone."

Edward came by to pay a visit to Carly on Tuesday.  She was upset because she had Virginia's picture framed and had already broken the glass.  He was preceded by a large arrangement of flowers--"Carly, you are so much in my thoughts, I must see you.  A Friend."  When "Mr. Quartermaine" was announced, she thought it was AJ.  Surprise!  She was wary, but she was also glad, I think, to have somebody saying kind things to her no matter what their ulterior motives.  He even took her declarations of loyalty to Jason and spun them in his favor, saying how pleased that he had her to believe in him.  Edward simply offered her his friendship, should she ever want or need it, and left when Jason arrived.  Carly knows better than to trust him, I think, but she's also been left alone with only Jason as support--and he doesn't say all the "right things" like other people do.  Edward's touch was just right, and I was highly entertained by seeing them together.

Reginald:  "I don't know, I...I think it's kind of youthful."
Edward:  "Ya?  I think it's kind of awful."
Reginald:  "No, it says, 'My style is bold.'"
Edward:  "It says, 'I am a pimp.'"

By the way, earlier in the episode we had scenes of Edward getting ready for his visit and picking out ties with Reginald.  Too funny.  Turned out it was AJ's tie.  Ha!

But after Edward left, Jason told Carly again not to trust Edward.  She said she knew, but I could see that she wasn't as adamant about Edward as he was.  She turned to Michael after Jason left them, however, and told him that they didn't need anybody else.  I feel so for Carly.  She wants and needs support and love, and she's trying to convince herself that Jason and her child are all that she needs.  But she's wrong, at least at this point.  She's doing what she does best--constructing idealized fictions out of the reality around her, and I hope so much that she can figure some things out before this one falls around her ears.

D.  Jason and Robin

At Kelly's on Wednesday, Robin and Jason met and reminded each other that they were better off apart.  She apologized for kissing him the other night.  I'm just so bored with them I can hardly stand it.

E.  Jason and Carly at the Police Station

On Thursday, Carly rocked Michael while Jason looked on.  She thought out loud about motherhood, about how she thought it would be natural.  It was clear she was still uncomfortable with the child--with the responsibility.  She's still afraid that she'll hurt Michael, or not know what to do.  She was amazed that Jason was so good with him when she had expected him to be simply a landlord.  Jason told her that he was learning same as her and that Michael doesn't mind.  Taggert arrived and arrested Jason regarding the death of Valentine.  Carly pitched a fit, either terrified at being left alone or pretending to be to keep Jason from being arrested--or, I think, a little of both.

Down at the station, we had the same old song and dance.  Taggert and Justus with Dara in the middle.  This scene has lost its spark since the events surrounding December 8th.  It's simply repetition, at this point.

But in the middle of it all, Officer Rick said that Jason had a phone call.  It was Carly about the baby--Michael wouldn't stop crying.  After some snide remarks all around, everybody was amazed to see Carly arrive at the station with the baby--who promptly calmed down when he saw Jason.  She had fought with Bobbie, who had come while the baby wouldn't stop crying (Bobbie had tried to offer support; Carly had gotten angry because Bobbie had rejected them and was now here giving orders).  The whole thing was insanely parodic, ironic, and sweet all at the same time.  But Tony voiced the opinion of several when he ranted about the baby being brought down to the station.  But since he was being released from a night in jail because of public drunkenness, nobody was really paying any attention.  Carly and Jason simply ranted right back.

F.  Jason and Carly (and their detractors) at the Grill

On Friday, Carly entered the PC Grill with two huge shopping bags.  Jason was running late, but unfortunately for Carly, Keesha had just arrived.  They swapped insults again, and Carly snarked about Justus's working for Jason.  As she turned from Keesha, Robin entered--she and Keesha were having dinner there as well.  Convenient *and* uncomfortable.  ;)

Robin patiently listened to Keesha's ranting about Carly (I think she still cares for Jason and is jealous, as well as being mad about Carly's treatment of AJ, but I have no proof).  Keesha is convinced that Carly's using the baby to get at Jason's money.  Robin countered that Jason could handle Carly, whatever her scheme.  But I find it interesting that with Jason, Robin is all concerns and worries about Carly taking the baby away, etc., and with others, she simply declares that Jason will be alright.  It's like she won't speak ill of him to anybody else involved.

Carly chatted on about nothing and then noticed Robin looking at Jason.  She said he should greet her, and he replied that she would come over if she wanted.  She did.  They exchanged awkward pleasantries and then Robin left, only to be greeted by Keesha's observations on her feelings towards Jason.  Robin did admit to kissing him, but told her that they were still through.  Nothing has changed.

Back at the other table, Carly was upset not only about Robin, but also about being in the room where the big revelation had happened.  She grew paranoid about what people were thinking of her, and Jason tried to reassure her.

Keesha had gone on to rave about her reunion with AJ, but went back to harping on Carly.  And Robin went to visit the table again.  Michael recognized her, and that made Robin happy.  But she got in a little swipe about a child needing both parents and them getting to see every stage of his development.  It wasn't lost on Carly, who asked Jason, once Robin had gone, whether she knew about AJ.  Jason said that she does.

V.  Mac and Felicia

On Wednesday, Felicia taught Mac how to be more convincing as he pretended to be Jimmy pretending to be him, all the way down to the surf tunes.  These scenes were cute and light, and of course we had the obligatory sexual tension followed by the obligatory interruption by Robin.  Mac was so excited to see her, however, that Felicia had to remind him afterwards that Jimmy had always blown Robin off.  He didn't like it, but he did it, and Robin noted that just for a minute, he had seemed like himself.  Back to the lessons--this time the kissing lessons.  Geez.