Nikolas: What are you doing here? You're supposed to be at the country house.
Emily: Hey. I hated being away from you.
Nikolas: Well, I -- I missed you, too.
Emily: Oh.
Nikolas: I missed you, too, but it's not safe here with --
Emily: Well, Constance and Blackthorn fought for each other, right? Why shouldn't we? I'm never leaving you again.
Elizabeth: Thank you.
Waitress: Sure.
Elizabeth: There has got to be a better way to get Zander to sign those custody papers than charging Nikolas with murder.
Ric: I swear to you, he's not going to be convicted.
Elizabeth: Can't we just figure out another way to protect this baby?
Ric: Well, I have one idea, but I don't think you're going to like it.
Ric: I knew you'd hate the alternative.
Elizabeth: I just want to protect this child.
Ric: Zander's not making it very easy.
Elizabeth: He is so hurt over Emily that he's using you to lash out at -- at Nikolas and Em.
Ric: Well, don't you think I need to use whatever means possible in order to stop him?
Elizabeth: Well, something has to be done. I mean, Zander isn't thinking about this child's best interests and I am not about to let anyone hurt my baby.
Nikolas: Oh my God, I missed you.
Emily: I tried reading to pass the time and the journal only made it worse. Constance and Blackthorn -- they were true romantics.
Nikolas: Oh yeah, they loved each other and the whole world was keeping them apart.
Emily: Yeah. Constance -- she knew that there would be times when she and Blackthorn had to be separated. So she came up with a way that they could always carry each other in their hearts. Something private that no one else would be aware of.
Nikolas: Tell me.
Emily: I'd rather show you.
Helena: I know the boat is en route to Port Charles. Is the cargo secure?
Man: There was no damage from the hurricane. Blackthorn's treasure should be at your home shortly.
Helena: And now you have something that belongs to my grandson.
Man: I don't know what you mean.
Helena: Crossing me is a mistake.
Man groans.
Sam: Don't be afraid. I'm here to help, okay?
Man: Just go before she comes back.
Sam: Who is she?
Man: Cassadine.
Nikolas: I'll never look at a rose the same way.
Emily: Hmm. Well, that's the idea. Constance -- you know, she and Blackthorn could be anywhere, and the scent of roses would bring them back to making love in front of the fire. That's how close they were and their passion.
Emily giggles.
Nikolas: You know you'll always be with me wherever I go, even if we can't be together.
Emily: Don't, Nikolas. You didn't kill Cody McCall and you aren't going to prison for it.
Nikolas: Even if we have to run for the rest of our lives?
Emily: Even if. Even if.
Emily: Has -- has there been any progress with Zander?
Nikolas: Well, Ric has agreed to build a flawed case that gives Alexis plenty of room to get me acquitted.
Emily: A jury could still find you guilty of murder.
Nikolas: I don't think that's going to happen. The point is to string Zander along until he agrees to sign away his rights and Elizabeth’s baby's safe.
Emily: Oh yeah, so much of this is my fault. You know, if -- if I hadn't --
Nikolas: No --
Emily: Hadn't have hurt Zander or pressured Elizabeth to tell me who the father of the baby --
Nikolas: It's not -- it's not your fault, okay? Zander couldn't handle the truth.
Emily: I still want to help.
Nikolas: The best thing you can do is keep quiet about what you know. I mean, Elizabeth, she's already asking me if Zander’s putting pressure on Ric to prosecute me.
Emily: What did you say?
Nikolas: I didn't confirm and I didn't deny it. The last thing Elizabeth needs is more tension from Zander.
Zander: Elizabeth, hey. How are you -- how are you feeling? How's the baby?
Elizabeth: Well, I'm a little stressed out, considering you've been pressuring my husband to prosecute Nikolas for murder.
Zander: Nikolas did this to himself.
Elizabeth: Oh, no. No, no, no, Zander, I know the truth. I figured it out and Ric, he couldn't deny it.
Zander: Who says that Nikolas is innocent?
Elizabeth: I know Nikolas didn't kill anybody, but you know what? I'm going to stop saying so, because I decided to go along with whatever keeps this baby safe -- no matter who pays the price.
Zander: It was a mistake telling Elizabeth about our arrangement.
Ric: I have to be honest with my wife.
Zander: Even if it's worth risking her happiness? You back out, I don't --
Ric: Nobody's backing out, Zander. This is the file on the Cody McCall murder case. There's fingerprints on file in the evidence log.
Zander: Good, you're doing your job. I'm leaving because we're not supposed to be seen together.
Ric: No, no, no, no, wait a minute. I want you to take a look at this. I want you to realize how open-and-shut this case really is.
Zander: What the hell is this?
Ric: Seems that Nikolas Cassadine isn't the prime suspect after all.
Zander: You're making it look like I killed Cody.
Emily: "It has become too dangerous to use my ring to seal my correspondence with Constance. Our affair must remain a secret, so I’ve ceased sending her letters. Instead, I leave her a single rose each night to remind her of our bond." That's beautiful.
Nikolas: Have I mentioned that you're a hopeless romantic?
Emily giggles.
Emily: Yeah. Sometimes I -- I think Constance and Blackthorn's love was too passionate to be real and then I realize we have that, too.
Alexis: Hi. I'm sorry to interrupt, but I just wanted to let you know they set a court date.
Nikolas: Oh.
Emily: Yeah, this is all going so fast.
Alexis: If it's all right, I need to do some prep work with Nikolas?
Emily: Oh yeah, it's okay. I should call Dillon. He's having girl trouble and I’d like to provide a sympathetic ear.
Nikolas: Okay.
Emily: Okay, bye.
Nikolas: Okay. You want to start prepping for the trial tonight?
Alexis: I'm not sure that I did the right thing by hinging your freedom on Ric’s cooperation. Getting in league with a morally corrupt A.D.A. is generally not the best way of proving somebody's innocence.
Nikolas: As long as it works.
Alexis: I want to protect you, Nikolas, you're my family. You and Kristina are the only family that I have left, and from this moment on, anyone else who tries to hurt my family is going to have to go through me first.
Zander: You're framing me.
Ric: Seems only fair since you tried to frame Nikolas first.
Zander: I don't even know Cody McCall. I got no motive to kill him.
Ric: You made it a very public crusade about hating Nikolas. See, I won't have any problem at all convincing a jury that you tried to eliminate your competition by framing him for murder.
Zander: You're bluffing.
Ric: Zander, you work for a known criminal, you have a history of violence. I won't have any problem making this stick or I can make it all go away.
Zander: You want me to sign over my rights so that I don't go to jail for something I didn't even do?
Ric: Look, why don't you just start thinking about what's best for this child?
Zander: You've done some pretty twisted stuff, Ric. You tell me, why is it best for me to sign over my baby to you?
Ric: You're leaving the choice to Elizabeth, not to me and you should well know that she's not going to let anybody hurt this baby. As far as I'm concerned, I'm going to love this child and I'm going to protect it -- regardless of the paternity -- because I love Elizabeth. Now, you -- you have a chance to make sure that this child grows up in a safe and a secure family. What's up? Mac: They found the body of a fence named Ben Rogers. Two witnesses can testify that before he died, he confessed to killing Cody McCall.
Ric: Is this information reliable? Mac: The case against Nikolas is closed.
Alexis: Now what? Are you all right?
Jax: What's one more bullet wound, you know?
Alexis: It's one step closer to being dead. Would you do me a favor and duck next time?
Jax: Hey.
Alexis: What is -- what do you know about Nikolas' case?
Jax: Ben Rogers is dead.
Emily: The fence?
Jax: Yeah. Yeah, he confessed to killing Cody McCall.
Alexis: Do you have proof?
Jax: Sam and Sonny heard the confession. Nikolas is being cleared of the charges as we speak.
Emily: Oh, my God! This is amazing!
Nikolas: You kept saying it would work out and it did.
Alexis: Well, I'm -- I am going to have a conversation with the police. I'm going to check with the authorities in --
Jax: Azure key. Yeah, Ben’s body is still down there.
Nikolas: It's bad news for Zander. His little frame didn't work out.
Ric: Look, you got to make a decision. Either you give this child the best chance it has to be loved and cared for without any negative interference or you're going to jail.
Zander: I need more time.
Ric: You don't have more time. Mac just called me out of the room to tell me the McCall case is priority one. He wants to go over the evidence again.
Zander: But he hasn't seen the case that I look like the killer?
Ric: No and he never will. I'll make it all disappear -- if you do what's right by Elizabeth.
Zander: Everyone just assumes this is easy. You have no idea what I'm going --
Ric: Zander, Elizabeth is a good person. She never meant to hurt you. I'm telling you, if you walk out this door without signing those papers, you're going to be a wanted man and I guarantee you I will make sure the cops bust you before you leave the squad room.
Zander: I want out of here. What's taking so long?
Elizabeth: The custody papers are in a safe-deposit box and Ric’s name is officially on all of the medical records.
Zander: What, you just came to rub that in?
Elizabeth: I came to thank you -- for myself and for the baby. I hope one day you'll realize that this was all for the best.
Zander: I'm trusting, Elizabeth, that you're the one person who will do right by this baby.
Elizabeth: You know I will.
Ric: You're free to go. Cody McCall’s case has been solved. His fence killed him just like Nikolas said.
Zander: Is that what Mac came to tell you while you pushed me so hard?
Elizabeth: Zander, just calm down.
Ric: It's done, Zander. Don't make it worse on yourself.
Zander: This isn't over, Ric and you -- I hope you know what you just got yourself into.
Elizabeth: That was -- that was awful.
Ric: It's all right. At least you and the baby are protected now.
Elizabeth sighs.
Ric: And Nikolas is cleared and Zander’s free.
Elizabeth: Oh, I don't know. This is the worst I've ever seen Zander. I just hope he doesn't go hurt himself -- or somebody else.
Emily: Thank you for delivering the good news, Jax.
Nikolas: You sure you're okay?
Jax: Yeah. I've survived worse.
Nikolas: Did you speak to Mac?
Alexis: I'm on my way to the station. A report just came in from Azure Key and I want to make sure that none of this goes on your permanent record.
Nikolas: You need me to come with you?
Alexis: Nope. I want you to stay here and share the good news with Emily. Jax, remember -- duck.
Jax: Sure.
Nikolas: Listen, did you -- did you see any sign of the treasure -- what --
Jax: I'm afraid the news is not so good on that front.
Emily: What do you mean?
Jax: The treasure was stolen from Azure Key. Now, we don't know by whom, but they're obviously willing to kill for it.
Nikolas: Well, Sam had the treasure from the Courage when she left town.
Jax: Yeah, that's all lost, too. Sam's given up the search, as well. She got off the plane and went straight to the funeral parlor to make arrangements for her father's burial.
Emily: There is nothing left?
Jax: Well, just some ring that Sam brought up from the Courage. Apparently, it belonged to Blackthorn. She won't part with it easily.
Nikolas: What did it look like?
Jax: Well, it's a signet ring. Apparently, the crest on it matches the one that's on the pirate's journal.
Nikolas: Did it look like that?
Jax: Yes, it did.
Emily: Well, according to the journal, Blackthorn left that ring in Azure Key.
Jax: Well, I -- I guess Sam lied. She must've gone back to find whatever was left of the treasure before we left the island.
Nikolas: Yeah. Then I doubt she's at the funeral home.
Jax: She just will not give up that damn search for that treasure.
Helena: You don't belong here.
Sam: I'm -- I’m just looking for Nikolas.
Helena: Well, Nikolas is not home and I don't like uninvited guests.