Luke: Everybody ready to rock and roll?
Luke: Say hello to a selected group of your family, peers, and victims.
Stefan: You've finally gone completely mad. You've kidnapped me and brought me before a room full of witnesses. What makes you think these people will let you make them accessories to your crime?
Luke: But you see, that's the beauty of tonight's entertainment. When I say "a selected group," I mean everyone in this room knows what a vile bloodsucker you are. Everyone in this room knows how you destroy and pillage and murder, and then excuse yourself of any responsibility for it by saying you did it in the name of the Cassadines, as though the rest of humanity doesn't matter a damn next to your high-minded self-interest.
Stefan: You're obviously having yet another public mental breakdown. You release me immediately, and I may show compassion by not having you prosecuted!
Alexis: This is a good show, Luke. Really, it is. We all really appreciate it, except you need to end it right now.
Luke: Bite your tongue, Natasha. We haven't even started. We're serving up justice tonight, hot and fresh from the oven. Justice for all of you. Justice for the vast unwashed, like Darius. People who have found themselves suddenly on the business end of the defendant's wrath with no means to defend themselves -- people like Summer! A beautiful woman with a kind heart, whose only crime was being in the wrong place when this man intended to kill another innocent young woman. People like Darius and Summer -- they've been calling out from the grave. And tonight, by God, we're going to listen!
Stefan: You make a mockery of it every day you draw breath. You go through with this and you will end up in prison, having accomplished nothing more than making a bigger fool of yourself than usual.
Luke: Well, I'll take that risk.
Zander: Luke, as much as I'm enjoying this, I really think you should stop now.
Emily: We all know what Stefan did. Maybe that's enough.
Lydia: Hardly, but I don't see why this luke person should go to jail instead of Stefan.
Nikolas: I say we let Luke finish what he started. I mean, he makes a great point. My uncle killed Darius because he was an incompetent killer. Does anyone hear how twisted that is? If Darius had been a better killer, Emily wouldn't be here right now. She'd be dead instead of Summer. Either way, a woman lost her life and there's been no justice for that. The legal system wrote Summer off like her life didn't matter. I say we owe it to her to prove it did.
Luke: Well spoken, young Nikolas.
Nikolas: Go ahead.
Stefan: You can't do this.
Nikolas: I just did.
Luke: Well, then, let's get on with the show. It seems that we're only missing one thing -- a jury.
Stefan: Oh. Why am I not surprised? Of course, in your colossal arrogance, you would want a record of your vanity production.
Luke: Oh, no, no. No, Vlad, you're wrong. We ain't making little videotapes tonight. Something else entirely. Good evening. We are coming to you live from an undisclosed location in good old Port Upchuckles for the long anticipated event, the murder trial of Stefan Cassadine.
Luke: I can practically hear the legal eagles and the talking heads as they view these proceedings. I can practically hear them. "Outrageous!" They cry. "Unorthodox!" "Inadmissible!" Well, where was their outrage when a young woman was found in a bloody heap at the bottom of a cliff? Where was their commitment to the scales of justice? Nobody -- nobody stepped forward on Summer Halloway's behalf and insisted on the truth! Nobody demanded that her killer pay. But you see, all that changes here tonight.
Stefan: Am I allowed to make an opening statement of my own to defend myself? Or don't you intend to make any effort toward impartiality?
Luke: Speaking on behalf of the defense, Stefan Cassadine.
Stefan: I'm certainly not going to sit here mute while Luke Spencer, of all people, disparages my good name. I'm innocent. I've neither killed nor ordered the death of anyone in my life. I ask you to consider the source. Most of you know Luke Spencer, either personally or by reputation. You know that he's a hothead with the emotional maturity of a 15-year-old. He's deranged and he grows more so with each passing year. You check the psych ward records at General Hospital and you will see that Luke Spencer is a frequent visitor.
Cut to scene at GH.
Ric: Elizabeth? Hi.
Elizabeth: Hey. What are you doing here? I can't see you very clearly, but you don't appear to be shot or beat up.
Ric: Well, I have to admit I knew you were having an exam today, and I just wanted to see how you were doing.
Back to trial.
Stefan: I'm not entirely unsympathetic, however. Since Luke finally shattered his wife's mind --
Cut to scene at GH.
Elizabeth: Is that Stefan Cassadine on TV.?
Back to trial.
Stefan: He's been consumed by grief and self-recrimination.
Cut to scene at Kelly’s.
Scott: Hey, give me that!
Lucky: What's wrong with you people? Doesn't anyone see we got to stop this?
Scott: Quiet! I don't want to miss this.
Back to trial.
Stefan: That's where Summer came in. First Luke tried to turn her into a cheap imitation of Laura. When he found that was an impossible task, he had no further use for her. Under normal circumstances, he might've walked away. But then Summer made a fatal error. She fell in love with Luke's son, and that is why Summer is not alive today. In a fit of rage and jealousy, Luke Spencer killed her. Clearly, I'm in this place against my will. Luke chloroformed and kidnapped me, and he dares to speak to you of justice.
Luke: Like I need this!
Stefan: Again, I ask, consider the source.
Luke: What the hell am I supposed to do with you, anyway, huh?
Luke finds Dillon outside and drags him inside
Emily: Dillon? What are --
Luke: You know this sprout?
Dillon: Hi.
Cut to scene at Kelly’s.
Georgie: Dillon?
Back to trial.
Dillon: I could be really useful to you.
Luke: You got 10 seconds to tell me how.
Cut to scene at Kelly’s.
Mac: What the hell is he doing there?
Georgie: I don't know.
Back to trial.
Dillon: One word -- camera work.
Cut to scene at Kelly’s.
Mac: You're telling me he's gone and gotten himself involved with Spencer?
Georgie: No! Look, Luke just dragged him in.
Back to trial.
Luke: Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the court cameraman.
Cut to scene at Kelly’s.
Mac: Why is it that when there's trouble, Dillon is sure to find it?
Scott: Well, I hope he gets that camera steady.
Back to trial.
Luke: Mr. Spencer, call your first witness. Thank you, Your Honor. The prosecution calls Nikolas Cassadine.
Luke: Mr. Cassadine, you know the defendant as well as anyone. Is that a fair statement?
Nikolas: Yes.
Luke: In your considered opinion, is your uncle capable of murder?
Nikolas: Yes.
Luke: Now, do you consider him responsible for Summer Halloway's death?
Nikolas: Yes, I do.
Luke: Why would the defendant kill someone who barely registered on his radar screen?
Nikolas: Summer's death was an accident. My uncle meant to kill Emily Quartermaine.
Stefan: Nikolas, how can you turn on me this way in such a public display?
Luke: Shut up, or the court will have you gagged! Why did he want to kill Emily Quartermaine?
Nikolas: Because he thought I was in love with her.
Luke: He thought?
Nikolas: Well, I was. I still am.
Zander: Okay, I object. How is this relevant
Luke: It goes to motive. You don't get to object. Sit down, sit down. Thank you, Mr. Cassadine. You may step down. The prosecution calls Emily Quartermaine.
Luke: Ms. Quartermaine, you were out of town for a while.
Emily: I went to Stanford.
Luke: And before you went away, what was your relationship with the defendant?
Emily: I knew him as Nikolas' uncle, nothing more.
Luke: Now, you, Nikolas, Lucky Spencer, and Elizabeth Webber have been friends for a long time. Is that correct?
Emily: Yes.
Luke: And did the defendant object to your friendship with Nikolas?
Emily: He didn't seem to mind.
Luke: So it was only after you came back from Stanford for you became more serious that he copped attitude?
Emily: Yes.
Luke: What would he do?
Emily: Well, at first he was horribly rude, ordering me to stay away from Nikolas. And when that didn't work, he resorted to threats.
Luke: Threats. Why do you think a grown man would be so invested in the romantic life of his nephew?
Emily: I didn't realize it at the time, but there was a lot of money at stake.
Luke: Ah. The root of all evil.
Emily: Stefan wanted Nikolas to marry Lydia Karenin. She -- she came with a huge inheritance, and the Cassadines needed it.
Luke: What do you remember about the night Summer died?
Emily: It was foggy. Summer and I were wearing similar coats, but I didn't think much of it at the time. And I remember how shocked Stefan was to see me after Summer died.
Luke: Yeah, that must've been a real jaw-dropper since you were the one who was supposed to take the swan dive that night.
Stefan: There's no evidence to support that theory.
Lydia: Liar!
Luke: Um -- excuse me. You must be Lydia.
Lydia: Nice to meet you, too.
Luke: The new blue blood in town. Would you care to take the stand?
Lydia: My pleasure.
Luke: Thank you, Ms. Quartermaine.
Luke: You called the defendant a liar. Would you care to elaborate?
Lydia: After summer was pushed off the bluff, I walked in on Stefan berating Darius for botching the job.
Luke: But you said nothing.
Lydia: I couldn't. Stefan threatened to frame me for the murder if I didn't keep quiet. Lucky convinced me to get Stefan's confession on tape.
Luke: You must've really lost it to let a neophyte like this roll you over.
Stefan: The tape was a fabrication concocted by your son to make me look guilty. Besides, it's irrelevant. The tape was thrown out of court.
Luke: Not out of my court it wasn't! Alexis, come on down!
Lucky enters.
Lucky: No, court's over. This case is dismissed.
Lucky: What do you think you're doing? You want to go back to prison again?
Luke: The kind of law you represent doesn't apply here. Didn't I make that clear?
Nikolas: Isn't what happened to Summer the reason you became a cop? Luke's trying to get the truth of it.
Lucky: Are you onboard with this?
Nikolas: All the way I am.
Luke: You want justice for Summer? You'll never get it through your friends the cops or D.A. Baldwin. This is the only way.
Cut to scene at Kelly’s.
Scott: Oh, for crying out loud, Lucky, arrest him!
Bobbie: Will you stop it!
Back to trial.
Lucky: I cared a lot about Summer. Who knows what it could've been? You know, Summer was a good person. She moved here to get a fresh start on life, and you took it all away. Now she'll never know. Nail the bastard.
Luke: All right. The witness may stand down. Officer Spencer, you can take that chair. All right, let's move on. Natasha, would you stand, please? This will only take a moment. Please.
Alexis: Yes, Luke.
Luke: You are the defendant's sister?
Alexis: Yes.
Luke: And you have been loyal to him through the years, correct?
Alexis: Yes.
Luke: Is it fair to say that you've loved him?
Alexis: Very much.
Stefan: You're a liar. You loved me when it was convenient for you.
Luke: We'll get to you later. So, if anybody would give the defendant the benefit of the doubt, it would be you, wouldn't it?
Alexis: I have seen the good in him and I chose to believe it.
Luke: Do you believe that he ordered Emily Quartermaine murdered?
Alexis: I believe that he would have done anything to prevent her marriage to Nikolas.
Luke: Is that a yes?
Alexis: Yes.
Luke: And do you believe that instead he was responsible for the death of Summer Halloway?
Alexis: Yes.
Luke: Thank you. You may sit down. The prosecution calls Stefan Cassadine. Hey, where does this go?
Luke: So, how do you respond to the accusations made against you?
Stefan: I categorically deny them .
Luke: All these people are lying?
Stefan: It would appear so.
Luke: For what reason?
Stefan: I wouldn't know.
Luke: Oh, take a wild guess. Start with Emily Quartermaine.
Stefan: She's in love with my nephew.
Luke: Well, it seems to me that that would put her on your side. Except that your nephew turned against you, didn't he?
Stefan: He doesn't know what he's saying.
Luke: Nikolas, would you like to reconsider anything that you've said here?
Nikolas: No. No, in fact, I'd like to add a little something.
Luke: Oh, please, go ahead. A fair and just court is always flexible.
Nikolas: I've been fighting against hating you for a long time because -- because it didn't feel right. It didn't feel right to have unconditional love replaced by a feeling that's so cold and dead inside my soul. But you know what, you brought it on yourself. You brought it on yourself when you decided that a woman you knew I loved was expendable. There's no coming back from that!
Stefan: I was trying to protect you! That's what my entire life has been about!
Stefan: You have no idea what I've done for you, all I've given up. But I did it. I did it gladly, thankfully. Because you were the only light in my otherwise miserable life. You still are. And because you are the Cassadine future. We would have been fine if not for Helena. Once again, she ruined everything, frittering away in one year a fortune that took generations to build. I wasn't going to let you suffer for her foolishness. That's why I took out that damnable loan. And then, Nikolas, when the creditors threatened to kill you, I was desperate to find the funds to repay them. That's why I made arrangements with Lydia's grandfather for the two of you to marry. I tried to warn Emily. I -- I tried -- I tried to warn her to stay away, go have her life with Zander, but she wouldn't listen. Why couldn't you just go away? None of this would've happened if she'd gone away. I -- I didn't want to kill Emily. I didn't to kill Summer. Nikolas, it was you or Emily. Surely you can understand that, Nikolas. Once -- when you love someone so deeply, whether it be a child, a husband, a wife -- don't you go to any lengths for that person? Don't you do whatever it takes to protect them? Lie, cheat, steal, even kill for them? Don't you? Surely you can understand that, Nikolas. Tell me -- tell me you understand that, Nikolas. Please.