General Hospital Transcript Tuesday 1/14/03

Provided by Suzanne
Proofread by Amelia

Zander: I'm not here tonight as Ned's errand boy.

Faith: Apparently not.

Zander: I was thinking it's time that you and I got to know one another better.

Faith: Now, why would I want to do that?

Zander: A few good reasons.

Faith: Well, that's a very intriguing offer but impossible right now. You see, I have too many other interests. But I could change my mind at any point, as long as you prove yourself.

Zander: Forget it. I'm sick of proving myself.

Faith: What's got you in such a hostile mood?

Cameron: You did this, Alexander. You killed your own brother.

Zander: Why do you care?

Faith: I bet you'd like to take it out on the whole world, wouldn't you? Make someone else pay?

Zander: I'm always the one who pays. I'm sick of it. I'm sick of it. To hell with all of them.

Faith: Well, I have a perfect way for you to take out your pent-up frustrations. I'll even pay you for it. Of course, it'll have to stay between you and me. Ned must never know.

Zander: That's fine by me.

Jason: Jax took Ric away at gunpoint?

Carly: Yeah. I don't know where he took Ric. Jax said that they were going for a ride. I've never seen him like that. He claims that Ric killed Alcazar; Brenda saw him the night of the murder.

Jason: Brenda, Jax is out of control.

Brenda: Yeah, all right, you know what? I'm just going to go find him.

Jason: Yeah, well, try the PCPD. I'm sure Jax turned Ric in to Baldwin, his best friend.

Sonny: You need to get Jax to back off these accusations. If Ric is pushed, he's going to say he saw you at the hotel.

Carly: Well, that's going to prove that he went to the room himself. I mean, how are we going to explain that one?

Jason: We can't explain anything because we have no proof that Ric killed anybody.

Sonny: All Jax is doing is handing Baldwin another witness against Brenda and Jason.

Jason: Brenda --

Brenda: What?

Jason: Just make sure the best -- look, the best thing Jax can do for you -- tell him to leave Ric alone.

Brenda: I'll tell him.

Sonny: Okay. Jax is Brenda's first loyalty. If he tells her to admit she saw Ric, she's going to do it, okay? I got to take care of this myself.

Carly: Okay, what are you going to do?

Courtney: Um, Bobbie called me. She said she didn't know why Kelly's was closed, so she asked me to reopen it.

Elizabeth: Yeah, I got the same message.

Courtney: Okay. So, you want to start on the tables?

Elizabeth: I was planning to.

Courtney: Okay. Well, then, I guess I'll get things going in the kitchen.

Elizabeth: Courtney? There is no reason we both need to be here.

Courtney: Look, Elizabeth, I like my job here at Kelly's. I don't want to quit.

Elizabeth: Fine. Do what you want, just like you're doing with Jason.

Courtney: Okay, I tried to explain to you, Elizabeth, we didn't --

Elizabeth: Weeks of lying to me are kind of hard to get past.

Courtney: Can we at least just try to find a way to work together here?

Elizabeth: Sure. Just don't make any more funny overtures of friendship.

Courtney: Elizabeth.

[Radio turns on]

Announcer: This is a breaking news update from City Hall where Jasper Jacks has called a press conference alleging that D.A. Scott Baldwin has overlooked a major suspect in the Alcazar murder investigation. Jacks claims that attorney Ric Lansing, currently defending suspect Jason Morgan, is in fact the killer in this high-profile murder case.

[Radio turns off]

Courtney: Whoa, whoa, wait. I want to hear the rest of that.

Elizabeth: This is awful.

Courtney: It's wonderful.

Jax: You can't keep ignoring the facts.

Scott: There are no facts! This is speculation.

Jax: You're railroading an innocent woman.

Scott: Oh, come on, you're trying to pin this on one of the defense attorneys.

Jax: Ric Lansing had motive and opportunity.

Reporter: Mr. Jacks, do you have proof of a connection between Mr. Lansing and Luis Alcazar?

Jax: Ric Lansing and Luis Alcazar had a business partnership that went sour. Alcazar had Ric thrown in prison in South America. When he got out, he followed Alcazar to Port Charles. He was seen outside Alcazar's hotel room the night of the murder. And Ric Lansing is a far more likely murder suspect than Brenda Barrett. I'd like to see the charges against her dropped.

Reporter: Mr. Baldwin, will the D.A.'s office take these allegations seriously?

Second reporter: Will you follow up on the investigation and drop charges against Ms. Barrett?

Scott: No, no, we're not dropping charges. You see, he's desperate. He's got no proof to back any of this up. He's had an ongoing love affair with Ms. Barrett for some time, so he'll do anything to disrupt the case.

Jax: I knew you couldn't be trusted to follow up on this information. That's why I invited the PCPD to join us.

Taggert: Make a hole.

Jax: Thanks for joining us, Commissioner. I think I may have found the real killer for you. 

Courtney: You know, if Ric really is the killer, then that means that the charges against Jason will be dropped.

Elizabeth: That's a big "if."

Courtney: You know, Jason had a bad feeling about Ric all along.

Elizabeth: Ric is his attorney.

Courtney: Jason didn't choose him, and he definitely does not trust him.

Elizabeth: He doesn't trust anyone. Not completely.

Courtney: You know, I think that Jason's instincts about people are pretty good.

Elizabeth: I don't know. I mean, maybe -- maybe Scott's right. Maybe Jax is so in love with Brenda that he doesn't care whether she's guilty or not and he's making this whole thing up about Ric.

Courtney: No, Jax wouldn't take it this far if he couldn't back up his story.

Elizabeth: Well, people cross the line all the time, especially when their emotions are involved.

Courtney: Are you talking about Jax or Jason?

Elizabeth: Well, everyone does it at some point or another. And from what I understand, there's a pretty solid case against Brenda.

Courtney: Well, maybe these so-called eyewitnesses are being bribed by someone who wanted to frame Jason and Brenda.

Elizabeth: Why are you so convinced that Ric is guilty?

Courtney: Well, why are you pushing the idea that Jax is lying? Are you so mad at Jason and me that you would want him prosecuted for murder?

Sonny: I'll be at the PCPD, okay?

Carly: All right, well, see if you can convince Brenda to keep quiet about seeing Ric at the hotel that night. Because if she accuses Ric, then she's going to make it worse for herself and for Jason. I think you're the only one who can get through to her.

Sonny: Yeah, all right.

Jason: He'll handle this.

Carly: You know, if you've ever doubted that I love you, I just proved it right now by sending Sonny off to deal with Brenda.

Jason: You have nothing to worry about.

Carly: I'm worried about you, Jason. You're going to end up in jail if Sonny can't straighten all of this out.

Jason: You know how you can help me. Don't do anything crazy.

Carly: Oh, come on. Me? What about Brenda? Tell me what she has done right so far.

Jason: Nothing. Nothing. She doesn't stop and think, she does whatever she wants, and that's what makes her dangerous.

Carly: Yeah, well, for once I hope that she listens to Sonny instead of Jax.

Jax: D.A. Baldwin is completely biased against Brenda. He's proved it by ignoring the suspect I've brought in.

Scott: Ah, he's so desperate to save Brenda, he gave a phony confession. Here you go, news at 11:00 -- Jasper Jacks is so obsessed with another man's wife, he's willing to obstruct justice.

Reporter: Is the D.A.'s office forging ahead with charges against Brenda and Jason Morgan?

Mac: That's enough. We'll answer any and all your questions at a later date. Thank you for your cooperation. Go on, thank you. Thank you very much.

Jax: Mac, what are you going to do about Ric?

Mac: Mr. Lansing's connection to Alcazar and his whereabouts the night of the murder will be thoroughly investigated.

Jax: There's also an eyewitness that can testify that Ric and Alcazar had a hostile relationship. That same eyewitness saw Ric outside Alcazar's hotel suite the night of the murder.

Taggert: Who is this mysterious witness?

Reporter: Mrs. Morgan, can you comment --

Taggert: Guards --

Reporter: On Mr. Jacks' new accusations?

Taggert: Get them out of here.

Jax: Brenda, why don't you tell Mac and Taggert what you saw.

Brenda: Uh, yeah. I need to talk to you.

Scott: Wait a second. Come on, this is ridiculous. Jax is not a cop. He's just trying to screw up my case.

Jax: There is no case. You're just abusing your power to settle a score with Sonny Corinthos.

Scott: Why don't you save that for the press.

Mac: All right, we'll take Mr. Lansing into custody. Jax, you've done your part.

Jax: Yeah. You might want to have someone else in the room when Baldwin interrogates Ric.

Scott: That's enough.

Jax: How'd you find me?

Brenda: Well, I heard that you dragged Ric away at gunpoint, so I figured you'd be here.

Jax: Look, everything is going to work out fine. Mac and Taggert are going to make sure that justice is done. All you have to do is go down to the police station and identify Ric.

Brenda: I can't.

Cameron: Peter died because you weren't paying attention.

Zander: Dad, I thought I saw movement behind the trees. I thought it was a deer.

Cameron: You knew he was close by!

Zander: I didn't think he was --

Cameron: No, you didn't think! You never do! We buried your brother today because of you.

Zander: I'm sorry, Dad.

Cameron: Sorry? "Sorry" won't bring Peter back. Nothing will. No more guns in the house. Never!

Carly: Stop it!

Elizabeth: I don't want to see Jason convicted. I'm not that vindictive. I just don't think Ric is the real killer.

Courtney: And why not?

Elizabeth: Call it a gut feeling.

Courtney: But you barely know the guy.

Elizabeth: And you barely know Jason, yet you'd do anything to defend him.

Courtney: Yeah, well, that's true.

Elizabeth: You know, when Jason and I were close, I thought we had this -- this special understanding. I thought we could make it work because I knew about his life, I knew how to be a part of it. I also thought that he was the most honest man I had ever met. And as long we kept being honest with each other, well, anything was possible. But I was wrong. Because for Jason, what Sonny wants always comes first.

Courtney: Yeah, well, working for Sonny is his job.

Elizabeth: It's his life. And if you don't know that by now, you're in for a rude awakening.

Courtney: Okay, I understand that there are things that Jason can't tell me --

Elizabeth: I've been there, okay, Courtney? You open up to him, you tell Jason everything about yourself, and somehow that leads you to believe that he's been completely open with you, too. But he isn't.

Courtney: You know, you don't know anything about me and Jason.

Elizabeth: There are things about Jason he won't even let you know. He keeps a part of himself in reserve, and he feels completely justified doing it.

Courtney: Jason let you believe that Sonny was dead. He let me believe the same thing. See, the difference is I understood why it happened. I didn't stop trusting Jason.

Elizabeth: Trust this -- Jason will do anything Sonny orders him to, no matter how wrong. Well, he was in the hotel the night of the murder. Obviously, it was for Sonny.

Courtney: You know what? Fine. Believe whatever you want, Elizabeth, but you're right about one thing -- there's no reason for both of us to be here, so I'm going to go.

Elizabeth: To Jason?

Courtney: Yeah.

Brenda: If I identify Ric, he's going to turn around and identify me.

Jax: There's a lot of evidence that demonstrates that Ric hated Alcazar.

Brenda: Yes, that's true, Jax, but there's even more evidence making it look I did this. You know, Ric saw Jason pull me out of the hotel. Scott's going to be all over this. He's going to use Ric as his key witness in this whole conspiracy theory.

Jax: Jason tell you to keep quiet?

Brenda: Yes.

Jax: Brenda --

Brenda: What?

Jax: The guy has tunnel vision, okay? He doesn't trust cops, he will never, ever cooperate with law enforcement.

Brenda: Yeah, well, obviously, he might be right. Scott is foaming at the mouth to convict me and he knows I didn't do it.

Jax: I think Mac and Taggert are honest.

Brenda: Oh, and how would you know that? I mean, they'd be big men on campus if they got Sonny. They'd love to see Sonny in prison.

Jax: Yes, but not you. Especially Mac.

Brenda: Why not? I'm the prime suspect. You know, my testimony isn't even going to mean anything because Scott is just going to try and say that I'm trying to get myself out of it, which I am. You know, it just so happens that I'm also telling the truth.

Jax: Baldwin isn't all-powerful. Now, as much as Mac and Taggert want to see Sonny put away, they're not going to let Baldwin break the law to do that.

Brenda: Okay, you -- you need to stop because --

Jax: What?

Brenda: We need to go with my plan on this. I'm not sure if you completely realize or not, but you're not being rational, Jax. You tried to bribe Scott into framing Jason. That wasn't the best idea.

Jax: Well, maybe that was a mistake.

Brenda: Yeah, well, maybe this is, too.

Jax: No, no. A mistake would be to do nothing, okay? There's an excellent chance that Ric Lansing is the real killer, and telling the police is the right thing to do.

Brenda: I don't even know what the right thing to do is anymore.

Jax: Well, I do. The only thing left is the truth, Brenda, so we need to use that.

Brenda: What if no one believes me?

Jax: At least your testimony about Ric will make Mac and Taggert realize that there's a lot more about that night that they don't know.

Brenda: Mac did say he'd follow up.

Jax: Right, so give him something so he can start the investigation. Tell the police that you saw Ric in the hallway that night.

Alexis: Before you do anything, you need to consult your attorney. Where did this information about Ric come from?

Brenda: I remembered seeing Ric with Luis, and then Sonny just confirmed it.

Taggert: Hey, hey, Baldwin. Where you going?

Scott: I'm taking Lansing up to my office and interrogate him.

Taggert: Yeah, well, Mac wants him in the interrogation room.

Scott: What difference does it make?

Taggert: "What difference does it make"?

Scott: Yeah.

Taggert: It's procedure. You got a problem with that?

Scott: Not with procedure. What I do have a problem with is Mac telling me, the district attorney, what to do.

Taggert: Okay, you know what? Ric, let's go.

Scott: I'll tell you what -- Farrell, take him up to my office. I want to talk to you.

Officer: Farrell, Farrell -- you got that file from last week?

Ofc. Farrell: I don't know what you mean. What are you talking about?

Ofc. Farrell: Easy, easy.

Taggert: Things don't run so smoothly, huh, without Alexis Davis there to grease the wheel, huh?

Sonny: I'm just here to see Ric.

Taggert: Bad luck, there, hiring a murder suspect to be your defense attorney. Who else would be desperate enough to take the case, though, right?

Scott: Oh, Corinthos. If you're here to see Ric, it's not going to happen.

Sonny: Well, I have a right to visit whoever I want to visit here.

Scott: So you can threaten him, scare him, like you did Ida? We all know what happened to her.

Sonny: Do we?

Scott: If I was you, you know what I would do? I'd go outside, I'd breathe in the fresh air, enjoy your freedom because once the trial starts, I'm going to convict Jason, and then I'm coming after you for conspiracy to commit murder.

Sonny: Ric Lansing is a prime suspect in the murder case, right, of Alcazar? So that means you're dropping the charges on Jason and Brenda?

Scott: No, no, no, no. He's not a suspect, he's a potential witness for the prosecution. We've taken him into protective custody.

Sonny: I don't know if you know this, but Ric Lansing used to work for Alcazar. He was imprisoned in South America on Alcazar's orders.

Scott: Uh-huh.

Sonny: He shows up here right before Alcazar dies, and he's a hell of a lot more capable of shoving Alcazar off that balcony than Brenda is. You calling this a witness?

Scott: You bet. And in your zeal to protect your ex-girlfriend, you and Jax have proven that she's guilty.

Courtney: Hey.

Jason: Hey.

Courtney: I knew you'd come to tell me the news, but I already know. I heard it on the radio at Kelly's.

Jason: Yeah, Jax is even dumber than I thought. He went to the media.

Courtney: But this is good news, isn't it? I mean, the announcer said that Jax had evidence that Ric is the one that murdered Alcazar. Jason, this whole nightmare can finally be behind us if the police will investigate. They'll arrest Ric and you'll be free.

Jason: That's not how it's going to work.

Alexis: Any time that there's a new development in this case, you need to advise me.

Jax: Well, consider yourself notified. Brenda saw Ric outside Alcazar's hotel suite. Now, if she goes to the PCPD --

Alexis: Bad idea.

Jax: Why?

Alexis: Because if Brenda saw Ric, it's a logical assumption that Ric saw Brenda. And she was probably with Jason, which is exactly the testimony that Scott Baldwin needs to corroborate his murder conspiracy theory.

Jax: There was no conspiracy, okay? All the guy saw was a man helping his wife down the stairs.

Alexis: You believe that. You believe that because you're in love with her. The jury does not have that same investment. They will receive a very convincing scenario about how Brenda's husband cleared the way for his wife to kill her tormenter.

Jax: What jury is going to believe that a professional hit man did the prep work so his wife could kill somebody?

Alexis: Scott is a very clever attorney and he has a score to settle. He will probably say that Brenda stabbed him, Jason took him over the balcony. It's the perfect murder team scenario. It's the tabloid-twisted version that everybody likes to write about.

Brenda: Okay, okay, so advise us what to do.

Alexis: Don't go to the authorities about Ric.

Jax: It's too late.

Brenda: Well, maybe it's not. I mean, what if he hasn't been interrogated yet?

Jax: Wait a second. You would let a potential killer go and be prosecuted for something you didn't do?

Brenda: Well, no, but --

Alexis: You need to back off and let me do my job. I mean it.

Jax: I know you're good, Alexis, but Scott Baldwin is a corrupt man with a vendetta. And it's obvious that he'll do anything, even destroy Brenda, to get to Sonny and Jason.

Carly: Zander! Zander, what is wrong with you? Have you lost your mind?

Zander: It's called payback.

Carly: Oh, you cannot still be mad at me.

Zander: Why would I be? All you did was lean on me, confide in me, act like we were friends. Then when Sonny came along, called for you to come home, you came back without even thinking a word. But, hey, no big deal, right? Forget about it.

Carly: I thought you were past that.

Zander: Some things are hard to get over, Carly, like always being the reject, the screw-up, the one who's replaceable.

Carly: Hey, hey! Hey! Oh, great, great! So smashing up my club is making you feel better?

Zander: I don't want to feel anything, Carly. You go. Go tell Sonny what happened here. You tell him to come after me. Tell him to come after me with everything he's got. I don't care.

Carly: Look at you. You're high as a kite.

Zander: What gave you the first clue?

Carly: What happened, Zander?

Zander: Life happened, Carly. Life and all those wonderful people who cut me loose along the way.

Carly: We can still be friends.

Zander: After you drop-kicked me?

Carly: Hey, I am not the one who ended our friendship. You did by spiraling out of control, exactly like you're doing right now!

Zander: That's right, that's right. I'm sorry. You are perfect, blameless. I forgot.

Carly: Oh, oh, okay. You know what? You want to hate me, you can hate me. Don't do this to yourself, Zander. There are places you can go to get help.

Zander: I don't want any help!

Carly: You see, Zander, you just -- you ruin your life when you get angry. You self-destruct. It is your pattern.

Zander: Talking to some shrink isn't going to change a damn thing. The past keeps coming back. It never lets you run away, Carly. It always finds and tracks you down.

Carly: Ow!

Alexis: Hi.

Elizabeth: Hi.

Alexis: You know, I left my glove outside earlier.

Elizabeth: Oh, oh.

Alexis: Oh, you found it?

Elizabeth: Yeah.

Alexis: Oh, good.

Elizabeth: This one?

Alexis: Yes. Thank you, thank you.

Elizabeth: Mm-hmm.

Alexis: I was here earlier, but it was closed.

Elizabeth: Oh, yeah. Electrical problem, but we've got it taken care of. Do you want some coffee?

Alexis: I would love some, thank you.

Elizabeth: I heard on the radio that Jax turned in Ric Lansing to the police? Is he seriously a suspect?

Alexis: I think at this point he'll be whatever Scott Baldwin wants him to be. Thank you. Thanks.

Elizabeth: Mm-hmm.

Alexis: Well, you'll be pleased to hear this.

Cameron: What now?

Alexis: Ned has secured his position as Kristina's father.

Elizabeth: Oh, hey. Kelly's is open. No Jason, no Courtney, no reason you can't just go right on in.

Jason: Baldwin -- he doesn't want Ric. He wants me and Sonny. I mean, even if Ric did murder Alcazar, there is no physical evidence and Baldwin sure isn't going to go out and try to uncover any. He's got the suspects that he wants right now.

Courtney: God, I mean, this is so frustrating. Why is it so hard to prove that you didn't do it?

Jason: Because Brenda's prints are on the knife. And she admitted to Baldwin that she wanted Alcazar dead. And I can't explain anything I did that night.

Courtney: Well, you can tell me if you --

Jason: No, I -- look, there are things that I can't tell you and questions I can't answer.

Courtney: I can deal with that. But as long as, you know, your not telling me doesn't mean that you're shutting me out or pushing me away.

Jason: I'll try not to. Well, I'll come back when I can, you know, and stop by. The media's going to be all over this trial.

Courtney: I understand. I mean, it's not fair and I don't like it, but I'll manage.

Jason: And, look, if -- if you don't want to deal with this right now, I understand.

Courtney: Jason, I'll be here whenever you want. But on one condition.

[Door opens]

Carly: Hey.

[Door slams]

Carly: How'd it go with Brenda?

Sonny: I didn't actually -- I didn't see her. You all right?

Carly: Yeah, just -- I cut my hand. What happened?

Sonny: I went to the police station. Ric was there. Baldwin didn't let me see him. And now they're bringing Ric in as a witness for the prosecution.

Carly: What? Ugh! What is wrong with Jax, huh? I mean, why didn't he see this coming?

Sonny: Jax is an idiot.

Carly: Yeah, he is. I should've hit him over the head with something when he was taking Ric away. You know, he is so worried about saving his precious little Brenda that he is going to get both Jason and her convicted.

Sonny: You know what? I should've found a way to turn this case around when I had the chance before it got this far.

Carly: Yeah, well, I could've done about a hundred things differently, too, starting with how I dealt with Brenda.

Sonny: You did better than I expected. What are you talking about?

Carly: Oh, well, what did you expect?

Sonny: Well, I thought, you know, that you might give in to temptation, find a way to maybe, like, run her out of town or something.

Carly: Oh, me?

Sonny: Nah, maybe not.

Carly: Well, I did actually think about it a lot. But then I thought, well, if Sonny finds out, he'll just be furious with me and then he'll go after her.

Sonny: You're my beautiful wife. I'm not going after anybody.

Carly: Yeah. Well, I know. But then I wasn't thinking so logically. I was too caught up in worrying about losing you. Now it's Jason who might lose.

Sonny: Jason's going to be all right. There's a way out of this. I just -- I just got to find it.

Scott: I did the usual background check on you. You're a model citizen, not so much as a jaywalking ticket. Of course, there is that time you were lost in South America, but there's no record of you being in prison. However, there is proof that you worked for Alcazar. Now, that's not good for you unless you got a little story to tell.

Ric: No, you go ahead, Mr. Baldwin. You're much better at it than I am.

Scott: Okay, well, how about this one -- you saw Brenda kill Alcazar and you got a glimpse of Jason lurking in the hallway ready to help out.

Ric: Well, unfortunately, I didn't see anybody at all.

Cameron: Thank you.

Alexis: For the record, this decision was not based on any advice that you gave me which, as usual, favored your own idiosyncrasies rather than textbook psychology.

Cameron: You say that like it's a bad thing.

Alexis: It is. Let's just say that I was coerced into allowing Ned visitation.

Cameron: Well, nobody really forces us to do anything.

Alexis: Did I mention that he threatened to tell the real father the truth if I didn't?

Cameron: So he was desperate to be part of Kristina's life.

Alexis: Apparently.

Cameron: The good news is he adores Kristina.

Alexis: You know, Ned and I used to have no trouble meeting in the middle.

Cameron: And now?

Alexis: It's -- it's different.

Cameron: It happens. Is he making any other demands?

Alexis: Just visitation.

Cameron: So, what's the problem?

Alexis: I don't like being threatened, and I regret setting the precedent.

Cameron: Kristina has a loving father who wants to be a part of her life without any romantic entanglement with you. Do you know how many single mothers would envy you?

Alexis: Cameron, not that long ago I would've agreed with you, but he's changed.

Cameron: Everybody changes.

Alexis: He has become unpredictable. He is doing things that he would never do, he is saying things that he would never have said, and he's socializing with people that he would never have socialized with before.

Cameron: He'll still love Kristina.

Alexis: But what kind of influence will he be on her? Will he respect my position as her mother? I was fine about Ned being in Kristina's life as much as he wanted to be. That was the Ned that I used to know. Now he's gone off on some course. I'm afraid that I won't even recognize him.

Cameron: You're worrying too much about the future.

Alexis: I can't help it. Because if Ned and I continue like this, eventually there will be an impasse, and by then it'll be too late because Kristina will have gotten used to him. This could mess up her life or, worse, it could eventually drive her away.

Courtney: You have to promise me something. If this trial starts to go against you and it looks like you're going to be convicted, you'll run.

Jason: You want me to leave?

Courtney: One more condition -- you'll ask me to go with you.

Jason: Would you?

Courtney: I'm not sure. But I want the choice, okay? You, on the other hand, you don't have the choice.

Jason: Really?

Courtney: Jason, come on, I couldn't -- I couldn't stand the thought of you being in prison.

Jason: I'm not going to go to prison. Okay? I didn't kill Alcazar and I'm going to find a way to prove it.

Courtney: Okay, well, then could you do it soon because this whole thing is driving me crazy.

Jason: Yes, I'm -- we're working on it. You know, when this is over --

Courtney: What?

Jason: I want to be with you.

Courtney: You mean, we could date like normal people? Care about each other without having to hide it?

Jason: Yeah, if you want to.

Courtney: I do, more than anything.

[Knock on door]

Brenda: Come in.

Jax: Don't worry, I came in the back just like you asked me to. There's really no point anymore.

Brenda: What do you mean? You know that we can't announce to the world that we're together right now.

Jax: It's too late. Scott Baldwin just announced it to the press. You know what, I don't care because I love you, Brenda, and I don't want to hide it anymore.

Brenda: That's so sweet.

Jax: Charade's gone on far too long.

Brenda: I know that everything that you're doing right now is for me, but I need you to remember I am not in this alone.

Jax: Jason has Sonny working full-time to free him. Now, I might not like Sonny, but he's very good at getting what he wants. I'm sure Jason will be fine.

Brenda: No, he's not going to be fine, Jax. How many times do we have to go over this? Jason stayed at the scene of a crime longer than he had to to help me get out of the hotel. Now, he didn't have to do that. He doesn't even like me. I need you to let me stand on my own two feet. All right? I -- if you really want to help me, just give me the space to do that. I mean, can't you just love me? I don't need to be rescued, Jax.

Jax: Loving you is the easy part. I always have. I always will.

Scott: You expect me to believe that you didn't see Brenda or Jason that night?

Ric: I wish I could be of more help to you. Now, if there's nothing else, I'd like to be released.

Scott: If you're not going to cooperate, I'm going to charge you with obstruction of justice.

Ric: You do whatever you have to do.

Scott: Do you think Sonny is going to reward you for your loyalty? You know, he is so paranoid right now, he doesn't trust anybody that's not in his inner circle. Now, you think about that. Do you have a story for me?

Ric: Are you suborning perjury by trying to coerce me into saying something that isn't true? Oh, Mr. Baldwin, that's highly illegal if you're caught.

Scott: All right, listen to me, you little lap dog. I'm holding you overnight. Farrell? Put him away. Maybe after you've had your chipped beef in the morning, you'll have a story to tell me.

Ofc. Farrell: Let's go.

Officer: Farrell?

Ric: What are you doing here?

Elizabeth: Well, I heard about you on the radio, and I don't think Jason or Sonny are going to be rushing in to help you.

Ric: No, obviously not.

Elizabeth: And I'm pretty sure you don't have any friends or family in Port Charles, so I thought I'd come down and see if there was something I could do.

Ric: Thanks. I'll -- I'll let you know.

Sonny: Alcazar got what he wanted, even if he had to die to do it. Brenda's -- you know, she's worse off now than when Alcazar had her under his control. And you got Jason now -- look how much trouble he's in.

Carly: It makes me crazy. I can't help it. Brenda causes this drama wherever she goes.

Sonny: It'll be over soon, okay?

Carly: Okay. Don't worry about me, I'm not going to panic, do anything crazy. I'll focus on my club -- whatever's left of it.

Sonny: What do you mean, "whatever's left of it"?

Carly: I found Zander down there --

Sonny: Yeah?

Carly: Smashing it up with a crowbar.

Sonny: What the -- what the hell for?

Carly: He was high on who-knows-what and angry at everybody, everything, and lashing out. You know how he gets.

Sonny: I'll take care of it.

Carly: No, don't, don't, don't.

Sonny: What do you mean?

Carly: It's okay.

Sonny: I'll take care of it.

Carly: Don't, okay? Zander's mad at me, not at you, and I deserve at least some of it.

Sonny: No, you know what? You deserve a good life. That's what you deserve.

Carly: I have a good life.

Sonny: And I know things have not been easy, but it's going to get better, I promise.

Carly: Well, I'm glad to hear that.

Sonny: And I appreciate everything that, you know -- you're always so supportive and--

Carly: You're welcome.

Sonny: Yeah, you know what I'm talking about.

Carly: Yeah, I do.

[Phone rings]

Sonny: Uh-uh, uh-uh. Hello.

Ofc. Farrell: It's Farrell.

Sonny: What do you got? Okay. Well, let me -- let me know if anything changes.

Carly: What? What now?

Sonny: Well, Ric kept his mouth shut.

Carly: Well, trying to impress you.

Sonny: Oh, I'm impressed, all right. Whatever Ric's after, it must be pretty big for him to be going through all this.

>> On the next "General Hospital" --

Nikolas: Your dad's off in London trying to see Mom again.

Gia: I just hate to see someone ruin his life. Why would you want to get back into drugs?

Skye: Give me it!

Coleman: You can't go to court tanked!

Carly: What is going on now?

Jax: Brenda's missing. So I guess this is Sonny's way of saving her, huh?