Cates Tries to Provoke Sonny to Attack Him — and Dante Discovers Anna’s Left Port Charles

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At Jason’s apartment, Cates tells Jason that if he testifies against Sonny, then Carly will go free. Cates says they both have something the other wants here. Jason tells him that Carly and Pikeman were never his targets and that it was Sonny. Jason accuses Cates of using his memory loss and not knowing his and Sonny’s history against him to force him into their original deal. Jason wonders if the FBI knows he’s abusing his power in taking down Sonny.

Cates admits his interests and the FBI’s don’t always align, and they may not like that he lost Valentin, but Sonny’s a way better catch as far as the feds are concerned. Cates says, “You must give up Sonny to save Carly.” He instructs him to testify in court that Carly was play-acting on that recording, then testify against Sonny. Jason fumes that one deal with him was enough. Cates states he’ll let him think this over and will be at the arraignment if he changes his mind. Cates leaves.

More: Is Carly going to prison?

Cates arrives at Ava’s room at the Metro Court. He has his bags and asks if he can park them here for a bit. She doesn’t mind at all. He explains he needs to change and get to the courthouse. Ava says it’s not a problem, and as he changes in front of her, she tries not to stare. Cates rants about Sonny, and Ava warns him how volatile he is currently. He assumes she knows something he doesn’t. Ava offers to tell him a secret.

Cates finishes dressing and says it’s obvious he’s not wearing a wire, so he hopes she trusts him. Ava swears she found this out by accident, and Sonny is being critically undermedicated. She says a few times while living with Sonny he exploded. It was highly unusual, so she took one of his two meds to be tested, and it was the wrong dosage. She assumes the other one is off, too. Cates asks if she told Sonny. She didn’t, as she felt he’d blame her. Plus, with Avery there, she was afraid of his reaction. Ava tells Cates he needs to be very careful when dealing with Sonny. Cates thanks her for this information, though if Sonny were to go for his throat, it would be helpful for her custody case. Ava claims that never crossed her mind, but it could help her.

More: Who targets Ava?

In the PCPD interrogation room, Carly fills Michael in on the circumstances of her arrest. She also notes that she sent Dante after Sonny to stop him from pursuing Cates. However, she needs Michael to do something, and he won’t like it. She says there is a good chance she won’t make bail, and there is a greater chance she’ll be convicted. She needs him to make peace with Sonny and Joss to do the same.

Michael informs her that he’s tried. Carly knows, but he’ll have to keep trying, swallow his pride and dignity, and get Sonny to trust him again. This is about Donna, and Sonny isn’t reliable as a father. She knows Donna feels safe with him and Joss, and they know her likes and dislikes.

Carly hopes her winning personality and charming self will shine through in court, but Diane isn’t optimistic. Michael wipes back tears and promises he’ll work to make peace with Sonny and see that Joss does the same. Carly cries that knowing Donna has him and Joss will help her rest easier. Michael says Sonny is not his number one priority here, she is.

More: William deVry on the part he almost landed

In his office, Sonny arms himself and ignores a call from Kristina. Dante bangs on his door, knowing he’s in there, as he hears his phone. Dante announces that he’s here as his son. Also, Carly asked him to come. Sonny opens his door to his son, and they discuss the situation. Sonny knows Carly is worried as he has been informed of what is happening with Jagger. Sonny admits he is mad, but he’s fine. Dante says Cates has made himself unwelcomed by everyone, including Anna. Sonny reveals the real reason Jagger is in town is to take him down. Dante isn’t sure, but Sonny says, “Just because you are paranoid doesn’t mean they aren’t out to get you.”

Sonny knows Jagger is likely offering Jason and Carly immunity if they testify against him on the stand. However, he is positive Carly and Jason won’t betray him. Dante asks to bring Anna in on this, as Cates needs to be reined in. Sonny gives Dante his permission to tell Anna what he wants. Dante asks his dad not to go after Cates, as it only gives him more reason to come for him. Sonny knows his son is right.

After Dante leaves, Sonny gets a message from Brick that Cates is at the courthouse. He grabs his jacket and leaves.

At Kristina’s, she tries to call her dad after hearing about Carly’s arrest, but it goes to voicemail. Alexis arrives, and Kristina wonders if Molly called her. Alexis admits Molly is unhappy with how she answered the baby question on Perez’s show. Kristina never intended to talk about the baby or her sister’s infertility. However, after Molly’s meltdown, she thinks that maybe she should keep this baby. Alexis doesn’t like hearing that. Kristina hands her the documents Molly demanded she sign, which she refused. She again reiterates that if Molly and TJ break up, she’s the only family member with a biological claim to this baby should TJ come after it. She feels she has no choice but to file the petition for custody she drafted.

Alexis again asks why she thinks Molly and TJ will break up after ten years together. Kristina says they are always fighting over her. Alexis says people fight and make up, and perhaps she has no idea what is happening with them or their parenting plans. Kristina says not once have either of them mentioned taking off time, so who will take care of this kid, her? Alexis argues she has no idea what their plans are for this child. Kristina says if she’s carrying the child and will be the nanny, what’s the difference between her being the nanny and her being the mother?

Alexis notes just because Molly hasn’t shared her plans doesn’t mean she doesn’t have them, and her sister is a planner. Also, Alexis points out that Kristina talks about them breaking up a lot and doesn’t know what will happen. Kristina continues to believe something could happen, so she needs to make a move now before they rip this child out of her arms. Kristina cries. She is having this baby, and she is bringing it into this world, so she’s the one responsible for its future.

Kristina knows she’s put her mother in a bind, so she’ll find someone else to help her legally. Alexis asks her to think about her promise to her sister and ask herself if it is worth losing her sister over. Kristina believes this is the only way to protect this baby and Molly, especially if Molly keeps fighting with TJ and they break up. She’ll know this baby will have a stable home and mother, maybe even two.

More: Rena Sofer meets a fan of hers

At the hospital, Molly tells TJ that Kristina flat-out refused to sign the papers. TJ thinks if they hadn’t seen the Perez show, they wouldn’t have known of Kristina’s plans. Molly explains Kristina claimed she didn’t talk about the surrogacy to protect them. TJ thinks that’s a lie and asks if they must settle this in court. Molly hopes it doesn’t come to that, but if it does, it will end up in a fight between him and Kristina. She also says the court tends to give priority to the mother.

Molly realizes forcing the issue with Kristina was a mistake. She suggests they wait, hope the pregnancy fog lifts, and Kristina will recall her promise and give them this baby. TJ asks if Kristina said anything else. Molly admits Kristina thinks she and Ali may make better parents. TJ fumes. Molly also says Kristina thinks they are going to break up. He asks how she responded. Molly doesn’t recall her exact words, but they weren’t nice. TJ asks if she thinks they are going to break up. She asks if he does. He admits it’s been a tough year. Molly agrees, but she hasn’t once wanted to be without him. He doesn’t want to be without her, and this tension is all about worrying about their baby. He believes once the baby is here, they’ll be fine. Molly says they’ll have other stresses to handle, but TJ thinks they’ll deal with them as any parents do.

Molly gets a call and is summoned to court. Molly tells TJ there is an FBI agent at the office demanding documents, so she’ll see him at home.

Later, Dante appears and asks to speak with TJ. He needs to know if the hospital still has records on Jack or John Brennan from when he was admitted in May. TJ finds no records of him in their system. Dante thanks him for taking the time to look. TJ recalls Dr. Robinson being angry with an FBI agent who wanted a patient released before he was healthy enough, but he doesn’t recall the agent’s name. However, how many FBI agents can be running around town?

More: Emma Samms returns!

Back at the PCPD, Jason arrives to see Carly. She hopes he’s not mad at her and tries to joke, “At least I spared you a long ride to Quantico.” She knows she promised him not to confront Cates, but she lost it when he started pushing her buttons. Jason wonders why she couldn’t do what he asked just one time. Carly blurts out, “Because I couldn’t lose you again!” She adds it’s not as if she wants to go to prison either. Jason says he needs her to play it cool.

Jason explains Cates is more dangerous than he thought. It’s Sonny that Cates wants, not either of them. He will try to get dirt on Cates and hope he will be ordered to stand down by his superiors. He asks Carly to do what Diane says, and he’ll be there by her side in court. She promises to do as Diane says, but if things don’t go their way, she asks him to care for Michael, Joss and Donna. Jason promises he will. An officer comes to take Carly to the hearing, and Jason follows.

As Carly is being taken away, Dante returns. He tells her that he got to Sonny. Dante asks another officer about Anna’s whereabouts. He learns that Anna left town this morning for Washington, D.C.

At the courthouse, Molly runs into Michael, who wasn’t expecting to see her here. Cates arrives and asks to speak to Molly alone. They step aside, and Cates needs the DA’s office’s records on all their open cases against Sonny. Molly states only the DA or Police Commissioner can give him those files, and she’s not sure he has the authority to ask for them.

Sonny arrives, and Michael tells him his mom asked him to meet him here. Sonny is focused on Cates arguing with Molly. Molly tells Cates that she’ll save him the trouble of looking her up and that Sonny is her uncle, but she does not nor has she ever tried to protect him. Cates spots Sonny nearby and begins taunting Molly to get to him. He asks if Corinthos has tried to get her to strip or dance for him.

Sonny intervenes, and Cates continues to push Sonny’s buttons. He screams, “I got your boy Jason and your girl Carly because you threw them away just like you threw away Karen and Stone!” Sonny lunges at Cates, but Michael stops his father and tells him that Cates isn’t worth it. Cates gloats that Jason will talk to protect Carly and Sonny is going down.

On the next General Hospital: Anna asks questions in DC. Alexis tells Molly that she has another great idea. In court, Carly vows that if she’s going down, Cates will go with her. Michael tells his father not to give Cates the satisfaction of putting him behind bars.