Nikolas: What's got you so engrossed?
Emily: Ah. It's a sketch of a wedding dress I'm considering --
Nikolas: Yeah?
Emily: Which you can't see yet.
Nikolas: All right. Well, if you can't find anything you like, we can always have helena and tracy decide, since they've both teamed up to promote this happy occasion.
Emily: I was hoping they weren't serious.
Nikolas: They seem pretty serious to me.
Emily: Yeah, yeah, I shudder to think what those two would do if they were actually able to influence our wedding.
Nikolas: Yeah. Don't worry, we'll elope before that happens.
Emily laughs.
Emily: Yeah, that's not such a bad idea. You know, we could do it tonight -- hop in the jag, find a justice of the peace.
Nikolas: Don't tempt me, all right, because I'm doing all of this stuff here just for you. I'd be just as happy if we skipped it.
Emily: You know, seriously, Nikolas, maybe we should.
Nikolas: Are you serious? Because if you are, we'll -- I'll go right now.
Elizabeth: Hello! Hey! I know we're early, but we just wanted to help.
Emily: Help with what?
Lucky: I knew it.
Elizabeth: Your only engagement party here tonight?
Nikolas: What?
Emily: We didn't plan a party.
Nikolas: I think we have a pretty good idea who may have.
Donna: I'm not sure I can keep up with the lies. I mean, I'm afraid I might slip, or confuse Emily with Elizabeth and point the finger at the wrong girl.
Tracy: They are nothing alike. Elizabeth is the short one with the pouty lips.
Helena: And you'll keep the story straight. You have no choice.
Donna: Look, I'm a wreck. My -- my hands -- they're shaking.
Tracy: Take that. It'll calm your nerves.
Elizabeth: Okay, I'm missing something here. What could be the ulterior motive in Helena and Tracy throwing you an engagement party?
Nikolas: They want us to forget what they're really doing -- framing Emily for Mary's murder.
Emily: Yeah, as if we could.
Lucky: All right, you know what? Let's just put our heads together, sort out what happened the night that Mary was killed. Maybe something will jump out at one of us.
Nikolas: Ok. Emily left Mary's room and found Elizabeth with the meds cart, right?
Elizabeth: I realized I'd forgotten the water, so I left Em alone.
Emily: I picked up Mary's medication and thought about how easy it would be to switch it or overdose her, and then I took the pills into her room.
Lucky: And I saw you come out.
Elizabeth: Wait, wait, wait a minute. Back up. Are you thinking that you somehow unconsciously switched Mary's meds for the ones that killed her?
Emily: The thought has occurred to me, yeah.
Elizabeth: Okay, well, get it out of your head because that's impossible. A switch that specific would take conscious thought, and it couldn't have happened in a second.
Nikolas: Which means the lethal dose must've already been in the cup when Elizabeth brought the meds cart, right?
Lucky: Mary would've died that night no matter who administered the drug.
Nikolas: Yeah, so Emily was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Elizabeth: That's brilliant, you guys.
Lucky: Yeah, but too bad we can't prove it.
Emily: And don't forget the police have an eyewitness who swears that she saw me go into Mary's room with a med cup.
Lucky: A witness none of us ever saw.
Nikolas: Exactly, which is why I think that nurse Harris was never actually in the room. Someone just paid her to say she was.
Donna: I'm only doing this -- lying to the police and taking your money -- because my sister is in such need.
Tracy: We all have our price.
Donna: I only hope that God will forgive me for this.
Helena: Oh, God's wrath will pale in comparison to mine if you don't follow our instructions to the letter. If you deviate even one iota --
Donna: You don't have to paint me a picture. I get your message loud and clear.
Helena: Then we shouldn't have a problem.
Tracy: Florence Nightingale is a little too jumpy for my taste. The police could put some pressure on her. She could cave and admit that she not only was not on the floor the night Mary was killed, but we paid her to say she was.
Helena: Hmm. Unless we keep nurse Harris on point, neither of us gets what we want.
Tracy: Yeah -- sweet, little, virtuous Emily in prison with no chance of inheriting my mother's money.
Helena: And Nikolas free to marry someone more pliable. An actual bloodline would be nice.
Tracy: There's one loose end. Emily did not kill Mary. Someone did. It was you, wasn't it?
Nikolas: So, according to the caterer, Helena hired them.
Emily: It'd be nice if she'd bothered to tell us.
Nikolas: Yeah, well, she knew we wouldn't participate in any farce of a party thrown by her and Tracy.
Elizabeth: Oh, hey, you guys. I'm really worried about Lucky.
Nikolas: Why?
Emily: What's wrong?
Elizabeth: He just took off with that look in his eye. If he -- if he tries to accuse Helena and Tracy of framing you, and they realize he means to expose them, there's no telling what those witches will do.
Ned: Hey.
Monica: Hi! You know, it's kind of traditional to tell the parents when you're going to have an engagement party. Your father isn't even back from a conference in Baltimore.
Emily: Listen, you probably found out about this before Nikolas and I did.
Ned: Now, how would that work?
Emily: Well, evidently, Helena and Tracy have entered into some unholy alliance and --
Nikolas: Uh -- what the hell is she thinking? What --
Alexis: That's an interesting choice of dress for a party.
Nikolas: Oh, you think? Yeah, Ric's an interesting choice for a date. Did you forget that he's prosecuting Emily and me? So, out of respect for my aunt, I won't ask you to leave, but stay away from Emily and me.
Ric: That was pleasant.
Alexis: He is understandably upset.
Ric: Well, I told you that he wasn't going to be pleased with my presence here, but you wouldn't take no for an answer. So, why is that, Alexis? Why did you really bring me here?
Ned: Helena and my mother -- now, that's a scary pairing.
Emily: Yeah, tell me about it. You know, this party, Ned -- Nikolas and I had nothing to do with it. We didn't even know about it until people started showing up. The new best friends, Helena and Tracy, put this together without our knowledge or consent. And you know what? Consent matters. I'm going to put an end to this charade right now. Excuse me.
Nikolas: No -- no, you're not.
Donna: Oh!
Lucky: That package looks heavy. You sure you got enough postage?
Donna: Positive.
Lucky: You know it's not smart to send large sums of cash through the mail. I mean, what if somebody stole it?
Donna: Oh, that isn't money. I'm sending my sister some pictures.
Lucky: And I'm guessing the only pictures that are in this package are probably pictures of dead presidents on cash that you received to make sure that Emily takes the rap for Mary Bishop's murder.
Donna: No, I --
Lucky: Don't try to deny it. Please, just tell me who paid you.
Helena: You seem to be under the impression that you know me very well, and that is a mistake. However, I will indulge your curiosity. You're right. I have absolutely no use for mary bishop. She was a loathsome little creature, high-strung and useless. Well, she was even more unsuitable for Nikolas than Emily. You're right, I could've had her killed many times, but -- well, I thought about it, but I didn't do it. Can you say the same?
Tracy: One, I didn't know her. Two, I don't care who Nikolas sleeps with. Ergo, no motive.
Helena: Well, as you so astutely pointed out, someone did, and that someone is not likely to come forward with it to save Emily. So I think we congratulate ourselves for a job well done and get about the business of this evening. We have a party to host.
Donna: Look, I'm sorry, Officer Spencer, but I must've been out of town the day that the port charles police department decided that it was a crime for one family member to take care of another.
Lucky: You know, most people, they would've sent a check, a wire bank transfer, but you -- you know, you just couldn't afford that kind of paper trail. I'm sorry, Ms. Harris, but I'm going to have to take you into the P.C.P.D. for questioning, which now the only thing left for you to do is just try to make it easy for yourself.
Donna: Wait. What's going to happen to me?
Lucky: Well, you'll probably be arrested for obstruction of justice -- that's for starters. You could be named co-conspirator in the death of Mary Bishop.
Donna: Wait, but I had nothing to do with that.
Lucky: Hmm. Won't matter to Helena and Tracy. They'll just turn this frame around on you so fast you won't even know what hit you. Which means you'll probably spend the rest of your life in prison. Or you could just try to work with me.
Emily: Listen, I don't understand. Why would you be going along with this ridiculous party?
Nikolas: To lull my grandmother and Tracy into a false sense of security, make them think that, you know, their plan is working. I mean, if Lucky is on to something, then we can give him time to followup without them trying to head him off.
Emily: But don't you think it's going to raise a red flag when Helena and Tracy realize that Lucky's not here?
Nikolas: Yes, yeah. In the meantime, we'll just -- we'll go along with the party, and we'll just keep an eye on Helena and Tracy, okay?
Emily: Okay. Maybe we should add insult to injury and actually enjoy it.
Alexis: Excuse me. Hi. I just wanted you to know that I'm not as insensitive as it may appear for my choice of dates. There's a reason that I brought him, there's a plan, and you need to trust me.
Ric: You seem a little cold.
Elizabeth: Well, what were you expecting?
Ric: I'm not sure. I know you overheard me speaking to Alexis at the cellar.
Elizabeth: The part about our marriage being over? Yeah, I heard it.
Ric: Elizabeth, I --
Elizabeth: Ric, really, there's no need to explain. You're right. Our marriage is over and so are we. But since you brought it up, I just have to ask -- would you be pursuing a future with Alexis if she didn't have a past with Sonny?
Nikolas: May I have your attention, please? I would like to propose a toast. To Emily, my future wife.
All: Hear, hear!
Nikolas: Oh -- and to our gracious hostesses, Tracy Quartermaine and Helena Cassadine. Yes, we thank you both for this -- well, this wonderful surprise. And -- but most of all, for your good wishes. May they return to you twofold.
Emily: I'll drink to that.
Elizabeth: Em, it's beautiful.
Emily: Really?
Elizabeth: Mm-hmm.
Emily: I don't know. I'm not sure. Yeah, I should probably hide it so Helena doesn't find out my designer's name. She'd probably call and order it in black or something.
Elizabeth: You know, do the opposite --
thunder.
Elizabeth: Keep it out as an affirming symbol of your future with Nikolas. Because you guys are crazy in love and you have nothing to hide.
Ric: So, are we having fun yet? You be sure to let me know.
Alexis: I'm sorry it's so painful for you to have to be my escort.
Ric: No, actually, you've been surprisingly tolerable. I'm sure it's because you're loving the fact that i'm in such an uncomfortable position.
Alexis: Actually, I'm finding it slightly amusing.
Ric: Hmm. Well, frankly, i'm glad that Helena and Tracy showed up. Maybe they can wear the bad-guest onus for a while. What?
Alexis: Would you look at them? Take a good, long look at them. They are in love, they have their whole lives together. Do you honestly think she is capable of killing anyone, let alone Mary Bishop?
Ric: No. As a matter -- you know what? I don't know. The fact of the matter is I wish I had something, anything that would point me someplace else. But unfortunately, Emily and Elizabeth and Lucky compromised themselves from the very beginning by lying. And while we're on the subject, you know what? Speaking of lying, why don't you be honest with me? Did you actually just bring me here so that you could convince me to change my mind about Emily, or did you bring me here because -- I don't know -- maybe you enjoy my company?
Alexis: Maybe.
Ric: "Maybe" is not an answer.
Ned: Mother? It's not like you to be a wallflower.
Tracy: Darling, this party isn't about me. It's a celebration of Emily and Nikolas.
Ned: Oh, please. You don't give a flying fig about Nikolas and Emily. This is your attempt to impress Felicia with your auntie-of-the-bride routine so then she'll think you're deserving of grandmother's inheritance. Am I right? I think I'm right. It's not going to work. Unless this is a lot more sinister than it appears.
Lucky: Excuse me! But if i could get everybody's attention, please? So sorry i was delayed, but I had to get a very special wedding gift for the bride and groom. I have proof that Helena and Tracy framed Emily for murder. Yeah, I'm calling about my car insurance claim.
Lucky: I caught nurse Harris red-handed, mailing the bribe money she sent to her sister. She admitted that Helena and Tracy paid her to lie about seeing Emily enter into Mary's room with the pills that killed her.
Tracy: She's a liar.
Justus: Sounds plausible to me.
Lucky: Thank you.
Ned: You know, I know better than most just how conniving and hateful you can be, but to frame Emily for murder? There's no coming back from this, mother.
Dillon: Why? And -- and why Emily?
Monica: That's easy. The money. Your mother, Dillon, wanted to make sure Emily was out of the running for Lila's inheritance.
Tracy: I can't believe you think I'd stoop so low.
Ned: We don't think it, we know it, and now Felicia's going to know it.
Helena: Oh, please, this is absurd. To be accused with no proof other than Lucky's desperate attempt to prove himself innocent of murder and conspiracy charges.
Ric: Where's Nurse Harris now?
Lucky: Somewhere safe, and she's ready to tell us everything.
Helena: Hmm.
Nikolas: Grandmother, you set out to destroy us. Instead, you set us free. Thank you. Now leave. I want you out of this house and out of our lives forever. Let's go.
Helena: Not until I am finished.
Helena: Oh, go ahead. Defy my wishes. Marry. Embrace happiness when and where you can because your joy is fleeting. My curse is upon you, Nikolas and Emily. Your joy will bring nothing but pain and sorrow to you and yours for as long as you both shall live.
Thunder.
Georgie: Oh, my gosh!
Emily: Um --
Monica: Oh, my God. Whew!
Georgie: Where did she go?
Justus: You don't want to leave without talking to the police, now, do you?
Ric: Hey -- nice work for a suspended officer. Why don't you bring Nurse Harris in for a statement. Congratulations. You may have gotten Emily off.
Nikolas: You okay?
Emily: Yeah, a little shaky. Yeah, not that I believe in curses, but -- oh, my God!
Nikolas: Oh -- jeez!