'Connor' is the true character of Nikolas Cassadine however, he has amnesia and believes that he is Connor Bishop.
'Connor' is the true character of Nikolas Cassadine however, he has amnesia and believes that he is Connor Bishop.
Bobbie: Emily? Hey.
Emily: Hey.
Bobbie: Why aren't you at Courtney’s benefit?
Emily: Oh, I'm not in much of a party mood.
Bobbie: Well, I can understand that. I'm so sorry for your loss.
Emily: Thank you.
Bobbie: You know, Nikolas was -- he was a terrific person. Not even the Cassadines could ruin him. He was always so thoughtful and considerate, and after he fell in love with you, I think he was happier than I'd ever seen him. You meant everything to him.
Emily: Well, Nikolas still means everything to me.
Bobbie: Wherever he is, he still loves you, and nothing can ever change that.
Emily: Thanks. You know, it's funny you should be here. I was just thinking about you -- and Nikolas.
Jason is holding the gun ready, while 'Connor' searches the penthouse. 'Connor' hears a noise and bolts with Jason close behind him. Scuffling noises are heard and then Jason returns into the main living room, finding nothing.
Emily: You know, I think about Nikolas all the time. I ache for him. And sometimes I think that it would be enough if I just knew that he were alive somewhere. But I know that if he were, I'd never want us to be apart.
Mary: It doesn't do you any good to think like that. You're only hurting yourself.
Emily: That's good advice, Mary, and you're in a position to know. You know, in a way, Nikolas brought us together. If he hadn't disappeared near the river, we never would've met. I never would've had you to help me share my grief all these months.
Mary: Well, I'm glad I could be here.
Emily: Because you understand what it's like to be alone, right?
Mary: Yes.
Emily: Wow, you're -- you're back so soon. I heard you went on vacation.
Mary: Yeah, I don't get a lot of chances to get away.
Emily: Yeah? Where'd you go?
Mary: The beach.
Emily: Oh. Did you have a good time?
Mary: Yeah, I have a whole new perspective on life.
Emily: So you're ready to let Connor rest in peace?
Mary: I'll never forget Connor. He was my first love. But I have someone else now.
Emily: Huh. See, that's the difference between us, Mary. I realize that I don't want to move on. I want Nikolas back.
Mary: But Nikolas is gone, and you're going to be happy again someday.
Emily: No, Mary. Wow, you're an inspiration. Yeah, I want to see a lot more of you. You know, without Nikolas in my life, I need to depend on other people, and I -- I hope that we can get together again sometime soon -- with your new boyfriend, of course.
Mary: We'll set something up. But first I -- I have to get these to the records room.
Emily: Okay.
Mary: So I’ll see you later, okay, Emily?
Emily: All right.
Jason: Stan, kitchen's clean?
Stan: Yeah, so's the upstairs.
Jason: Nothing's missing, no bugs.
Stan: What do you think he wanted?
Jason: I don't know, but we're going to have to add more security.
Alcazar was in progress with Sam and Sonny. They've left.
'Connor': She doesn't like you very much.
Alcazar: Yeah. You shouldn't be here. It's too public.
'Connor': Well, then I’ll make this brief. I almost got shot again. I think I may be needing to look for a safer line of work.
Emily: I've been reading the clinicals on new memory drugs. They look very promising.
Tony: Well, those drugs are for disease. They're not for brain injury. They won't help Jason.
Emily: Right, but some kinds of memory loss can be treated, right?
Tony: Absolutely. In some cases, a patient's memory is intact, and a single trigger -- something as simple as a song or a photograph -- can bring everything back.
Emily: Now, do you think it's a good idea to deliberately trigger memory, or is it better to wait?
Tony: That's a tough call. Hypnosis could be very effective in certain patients.
Emily: Okay, do you recommend it?
Tony: For Jason? There wouldn't be a point. He has brain damage, Emily. It's like the person that he used to be died.
Pager beeps.
Tony: You know what? I'm going to have to get this. Would you excuse me?
Emily: Yeah, no -- thank you for your help.
Tony: Anytime.
Emily: Okay. Mary, hi.
Mary: Hi. Sorry for eavesdropping. What's your sudden interest in memory?
Emily: Well, someone I love has amnesia.
Alcazar: I told you to monitor Jason Morgan, not break into his house.
'Connor': I'm very thorough.
Alcazar: I warned you that Morgan was dangerous; that he would shoot on sight.
'Connor': You act as if everyone will shoot me on sight. It doesn't make sense. Those people who just left, for example, the ones I followed in Costa Rica -- what difference does it make if they see me? They couldn't care less if I was a marine deserter.
Alcazar: What if Corinthos got a glimpse of you in Costa Rica and what if he sees you here? I don't want him to make that connection.
'Connor': Why, though? Why do you need me? All right, look, if I'm to continue working for you, I need to know exactly what it is you're really after and how I fit in.
Alcazar: When we met in the church, you told me you'd lost your memory.
'Connor': Yeah, but you said I was a lucky man.
Alcazar: You are. You pray to remember your life, and I pray to forget mine. Neither prayer has been answered. You still don't have a past, and I can't stop wanting a woman who's attached to someone else. No matter how complicated the situation seems, it always goes back to her.
'Connor': But why did you hire me?
Alcazar: I trust my instincts.
Emily: My brother Jason lost his memory years ago.
Mary: But it doesn't seem like there's anything wrong with him. He seemed so concerned for you the night of the accident.
Emily: Yes, but if you'd met him before, Mary, he was the light of the Quartermaine family. He was kind, generous, brilliant. He was going to be a doctor. And then he got into the wrong car with the wrong person, and the Jason we love never came home.
Mary: That's terrible.
Emily: See, now his life is small and dark. He'll never be a doctor. He can't connect with the people who love him the most. My family still grieves for him. You know, my grandfather pretends that he doesn't, but he would do anything to bring the old Jason back. And my mom -- she never really got over it.
Mary: Well, at least he's alive.
Emily: Yeah, but, see, he's a different person, Mary, and I love him, and I try not to judge him because that's the only way that I can be close to him. But my precious brother Jason Quartermaine is gone, and so is the amazing life that he might've had.
Mary: But isn't Jason living the life he wants?
Emily: Who'd want to live in secret, cut off from their family, always on the run, always looking over your shoulder? You know, see, Jason says that it's the only way that he can survive and maybe that's true. But when I think about what his life might've been -- my family will never stop hoping that the Jason who loves them will come back.
Mary: But what about the people Jason loves now? Do you think he should just leave them behind?
Emily: See, Jason believes that he owes his life to Sonny Corinthos, and maybe that's true. Or maybe Sonny has him locked in a prison that's far worse than death row.
Mary: It can't be that bad.
Emily: Jason's life is filled with violence and secrets. He can't really trust anyone, Mary, or fall in love or have a life of his own.
Mary: Is he unhappy?
Emily: I don't know. I mean, he never -- he never really complains. I mean, he says that he thinks for himself and that he makes his own decisions, but what choice -- what choice does Jason really have?
Mary: But the people he's with now -- don't they love him?
Emily: Sure, as long as he's useful and he puts his life on the line and he follows Sonny's orders. But Jason Quartermaine -- he didn't have to prove his loyalty; he didn't have to hide from the police. He didn't have to do terrible things to survive. His life was just about to take off before the accident. I can only imagine where he would be now.
Mary: And the people who loved Jason from before --
Emily: Mm-hmm.
Mary: Don't they have to at some point let go?
Emily: Hey, people can say it's like he died, but he isn't dead. And sometimes I think, "What if Jason remembered in a flash, and everything came back to him?" You know, the time, the career, the family he wanted; the love he never had. How would he deal with a completely wasted life?
Alan: Hi, sweetie.
Emily: Hi, dad.
Alan: Hey!
Emily: Hey. Is everything all right?
Alan: Yeah. There's a glitch in this grant proposal that has to go out tonight, so I just came here to take care of it.
Emily: Oh, okay. Well, thank God. I thought something was wrong with Courtney’s benefit.
Alan: No, no, no, no, no. I'm going back in a few minutes. Why don't you come with me? I'm sure the family would love to see you.
Emily: I'm not dressed.
Alan: Yeah, I understand.
Alan laughs.
Emily: Is Jason there?
Alan: Yeah, he showed up just in time to punch Jax out.
Emily: Oh, God.
Alan: I'm never going to get used to it, Emily. He was going to be this great surgeon, now all he does is use his hands for violence.
Emily: Hey, dad, you know what, I know this is probably a bad time, but after the accident, did you and mom consider all the treatment options for Jason?
Alan: Sweetie, we exhausted every treatment option that there was. We would've done anything; tried anything to get his memory back.
Emily: Well, I guess I was just too young. All I remember is him being mad at everyone all the time.
Alan: I think we just pushed too hard and too soon and he couldn't understand that we were just trying to help him. Finally, he just refused treatment altogether.
Emily: Hi.
'Connor': Hi. What are you doing here?
Emily: Just thinking -- but I thought you might walk by.
'Connor': So -- so you waited for me?
Emily: Kind of. It sounds crazy, but I kind of feel comfortable with you, almost like we've known each other for years.
'Connor': Yeah, I feel that way, too. You know, I've been so -- so isolated since the accident out in the -- out in the woods with Mary, which she says I loved, but -- anyway, I never even speak to anyone other than Mary and --
Emily: Yeah.
'Connor': The man I work for, and now you.
Emily: Hmm. Do you think we could be friends?
'Connor': Yeah. I was actually about to ask you the same thing.
Mary: Dr. Jones? May I ask you a question?
Tony: Sure. What can I do for you?
Mary: I overheard you talking to Emily about her brother. I didn't realize -- is Jason suffering from some memory loss?
Tony: He was a brilliant young man with a bright future. Major head trauma, and now he is basically an amoral sidekick for a professional criminal.
Mary: But do you think he's as happy as he was before?
Tony: Jason has no real sense of what he lost, and unfortunately his family is very aware of what it is.
Mary: But for him, I mean, as long as he doesn't miss his old life, as long as he's happy, that's all that matters, right?
'Connor': I -- I just -- I hate feeling so disconnected. You know, I feel like -- like I have nothing to build on. Even my memories and my heart aren't really mine. I have to depend on Mary for everything, and it should be the other way around. It's just -- she loves me so much, and I just --
Emily: You don't want to hurt her.
'Connor': And that's -- that's why I can't really tell her how I feel, because she already blames herself.
Emily: Do you think your life would be better if you -- if you got your memory back?
'Connor': Yes, absolutely.
Emily: Well, I've been doing some reading on the subject, and I discussed your options with a doctor.
'Connor': Oh -- I really wish you hadn't have done that.
Emily: No, no, no, don't -- don't worry, don't worry. He thought that we were discussing my brother. He had a head trauma years ago and -- and it affected his memory.
'Connor': So that's why you're so interested.
Emily: Yeah. Um -- the doctor said that hypnosis can help some patients. Would you consider it?