Daily Updates

From: rika@netcom.com (Melissa Martin)
Subject: GH: Update, Wednesday, 12/18/96
Date: Sat, 21 Dec 1996 21:54:12 GMT

                      GENERAL HOSPITAL UPDATE
                    Wednesday, December 18, 1996

We have, regrettably, not yet escaped the Land of the Incessant
'Twist of Fate' Flashbacks, but at least today they were reasonably
brief.

TODAY'S STORYLINES
------------------
* Sonny gets Mirandized
* For whom the Bell tolls
* You've got a friend

SONNY GETS MIRANDIZED
---------------------
Sonny is still in the ER; Brenda is still with him.  Your updater
wonders why Brenda so often wears shirts and sweaters whose sleeves
are too long for her arms.  Sonny thinks he knows who tried to kill
him; Brenda says he ought to tell the police.  Sonny thinks that's
a dumb idea.  Whoever did it, he says, is rich enough to hire
someone to do his dirty work, and sees Sonny as a personal threat.
Brenda objects to the insinuation that it was Jax.  He's not a
violent person (Sonny:  "You might want to run that by his first
wife"), and besides, he was out of the country at the time.  Sonny
snickers - great way to get an alibi.

Jason arrives at the hospital, frantic, and finds Mike, who fills
him in on the details.  Jason doesn't know who did it, but when he
finds out, they're dead.  Mike explains that Sonny's bodyguard is with
him, as is Brenda.  Jason is not pleased to hear about Brenda; Mike
explains how Brenda saved Sonny's life.  (I'm so glad Mike has been
involved in this crisis; he needs more screen time!)  Alan intercepts
Jason, offering information on Sonny's condition.  Jason correctly
names the drug they are using, and then gets angry with Alan; he
assumes that Alan wants to ask what Jason knows about Sonny's
involvement with drugs.  Maybe so, but Alan never gets the chance:
Jason stalks off to see Sonny.

Alan wanders over to Mike, remarking that he doesn't think Jason
learned about the treatment of heroin overdoses in pre-med.  He
wonders if Sonny taught him.  Mike recommends that he accept the
choices Jason has made.  Alan finds that hard - Sonny stole Jason's
inheritance and involved him in a life that's going to get him
arrested or killed.  Mike suggests that Sonny gave Jason a place
to go when he had nowhere else.

Jason comes into Sonny's room, and asks Sonny if the police have
questioned him yet.  No, says Sonny, but it's coming.  Jason asks
if they gave Sonny the heroin at the penthouse, and Brenda
explains about hiding the syringe, etc., under the sofa cushion.
Jason asks to see Sonny alone; Brenda leaves.  Jason presumes the
police found the stuff.  Sonny tries to get Jason to leave, because
he's afraid Jason will lose his temper and hit Detective Taggart.
He tries to send Jason to tell Robin about what happened, but Jason
refuses to leave.

Outside Sonny's room, Detective Taggart and Dara Jensen are like
hungry dogs looking at the Quartermaine's Christmas dinner table.
The search of Sonny's apartment turned up paydirt, and they want
to talk to him.  Alan tells them they can't.  Dara suggests that
Alan is finding the situation "difficult" because of Jason's
involvement, but Alan assures her those things are "apples and
oranges."  Tom breezes by, stopping for just long enough to help-
fully point out that this is a hospital, not an interrogation
room.  (Well, okay, so Dara may not know the difference, but....)

It turns out Tom was in a hurry to get in there to see Sonny
himself.  In what may be the first Tom/Sonny scene in GH history,
the fellas chew the fat.  Sonny asks when Luke involved Tom.
Tom flashes back to the day he visited the Spencer house - wearing
the now-famous overcoat.  Laura had just gotten the call from
Stefan asking her to meet him.  Luke and Lucky explained about the
anagram for Rochester, and they had just figured out about 13 Keep
Street.  Tom and Luke asked Laura to stall Stefan so they would
have time for their backup plan.  Luke told Laura to watch for a
signal - and they would use the "old curtain trick."  Then we
see what happened when Laura entered the house - Tom and Luke
were inside.  They covered her with a curtain and they ran out
as explosions went off.

Sonny then explains his role in the getaway.  On Sonny's orders,
Jason had gotten Laura, Tom, and Leslie to a safe house.  Benny
hacked into the computer at the University to change medical
records so the bodies in the house would be identified as Laura
and Leslie.  A car and another safe house were lined up for the
Spencers' escape after the funeral.  Sonny asked Jason to arrange
for a driver for Tom so he couldn't be followed going back and
forth across town.  Sonny had six people involved, but he assured
Luke they wouldn't talk - in fact, "they don't care."

Then Tom tells Sonny about the Spencers' post-funeral reunion.  They
showed the scenes from the end of the prime time special - which were
repeated on Monday - so this was at least the third time they've been
shown.  Okay.  We get it.  Tom goes on to explain that Luke's gun was
used to shoot Katherine, and that the police are looking for Luke.
Sonny looks concerned.

Jason finds Brenda and Mike sitting in a stairwell.  He ignores Brenda
and tells Mike that he is leaving; Mike should stay with Sonny.
Brenda answers for Mike, "We will;" Jason sighs in disgust.  Brenda
asks what is wrong between them.  Jason berates her for not disposing
of the drug paraphernalia; now the police have the stuff.  Mike
interrupts - Brenda saved Sonny's life, and that's all that matters.
Jason apologizes and thanks her.

Just then, Taggart and Jensen arrive and ask Jason about his boss's
"nasty habit."  Brenda, who apparently won't let anybody talk for
himself, answers for Jason:  "Sonny doesn't do drugs."  Taggart points
out that he was talking to Jason, not to her.  Jason tells him to go
to hell, and Taggart starts to get on Jason's case - maybe he's a
heroin addict too, he's a special case because he dates the commis-
sioner's niece, he's got brain damage.  Brenda screams at Taggart;
Mike asks Dara if she is going to tolerate that kind of treatment.
Jason ignores Taggart, reminds Mike not to leave Sonny, and exits.

Brenda starts to have another fit, but Mike draws her off to go
see Sonny.  Dara asks Taggart what he was doing.  Taggart was
trying to push Jason to lose his temper, and then he'd see what he
could find out.  Dara tells him she doesn't work that way (but,
Taggart, I wouldn't follow Dara's lead - she'll have you conducting
illegal searches of people's homes).  She'll wait for the forensics
report, and maybe they'll have a charge against Sonny that will stick.

Brenda is in Sonny's room, doing the doe-eyed thing while they talk
about Jason.  Sonny asks why Brenda hasn't left - she says she is
staying till she knows he is okay.  Taggart and Jensen arrive then,
and Dara explains that Taggart is here to read Sonny his rights; Dara
is there "to watch".  (Sonny and Jax now have something else in common:
Jax has been over in Australia getting Mirandized......)

FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS
-----------------------
Nikolas and Bobbie bicker about whether or not Luke shot Katherine:
Nikolas makes accusations, and Bobbie defends Luke.  Meanwhile,
Alexis suggests to Stefan that Luke is permanently out of his way,
since Luke's fingerprints are on the gun.  Stefan flashes back to
the shooting (oh, yes, please, MAY we see that scene again?  That
makes, what, 27 times or so?  Sheesh).  Alexis wonders why Stefan
isn't happier about nailing Luke.  Your updater figures he's probably
as sick of the flashback as we are.

Alan reviews Katherine's condition with Mac - suffice it to say she's
"one sick lady."  Felicia keeps Mac company while he gazes at Kathy.
Outside the room, Stefan watches; Mac sees him and goes out to see him.
Stefan claims his interest in Katherine is due to his position at the
hospital, and to her being hurt on his property.  Alan repeats his
rather dire prognosis.

Mac, glaring at Stefan, requests that Katherine's visitors be
restricted, and Alan agrees.  Mac talks to an unconscious Katherine.
He wants her to wake up so she can say who shot her - he doesn't
believe it was Luke.  He also wants to see her "Bell-ringing" smile.
Puh-leeze.  Outside the door, Stefan flashes back to Katherine's eyes
right before the shooting.  (Okay, 28 times)

Alexis tries to talk to Nikolas, suggesting that Stefan needs him.
Nikolas gets angry - he's preoccupied himself, and Stefan has Bobbie.
(Yeah, that's why Stefan needs help - oh, sorry, Adrian and Ruby!  As
in, NOT!)  Nikolas stomps off angrily, and Alexis remarks to Bobbie,
in the LOD:  "Heartwarming bunch, aren't we?" (The line may not sound
that funny in print, but Nancy Lee Grahn's delivery was flawless.)
Bobbie widens her eyes in reply, but as Alexis is already gone,
she is mercifully spared the need to respond.

Lucy rushes into the ER, which is becoming the new social center of
Port Charles, and finds Tom.  She and Kevin just heard about Katherine.
Tom tells Lucy that Katherine is critical; Lucy replies, "Yes, she *is*
very hard to please, but what is her medical condition?"  (NO, not
really; I just made that up).  Tom is glad Kevin came with Lucy; Mac
needs someone to talk to.

Meanwhile, Kevin comes off the elevator just as Felicia walks by with
a tray holding some cups of coffee.  They nearly collide; Felicia
basically flings the tray at Kevin, dousing him in coffee, and shrieks.
Kevin apologizes and offers to go, but Felicia tells him to stay; she
walks off to another corner of the room.  Kevin and Lucy talk to Mac
briefly; he needs to get back to Katherine, but he asks them to stay
for a while.

Stefan enters Katherine's trauma room and gazes at her.  He flashes
back to the shooting (make that 29 times).  Then he imagines/halluci-
nates a conversation with a healthy Katherine.  He apologizes, and
explains that he was thinking about a revenge plan against Luke when
he shot her.  But "it went wrong - all of it.  Laura wasn't supposed
to die."  They talk about Laura next.  Then Stefan explains that he
was going to fire a shot with Luke's gun, and claim Luke tried to kill
him.  But it doesn't matter now - "the game is over."  He talks about
looking into her eyes - and seeing "something pure, something I
recognized."  (Um, PURE???  Stefan, I think you're regressing to a
previous life.  Does the name Kayla ring a Bell - so to speak?)  He
worries that she may die.  She suggests that it might be best - if she
dies, nobody will be left who knows what she did.  Stefan exits his
reverie and strokes the unconscious Katherine's hair.  Then he reaches
for her hand, but he pauses, trembling.

(Updater's note - did DreamKatherine bring to anyone else's mind
ComaKaty the Voiceover Chick?  Why is it that Katherine can't stop
talking even when she's unconscious?)

Meanwhile, Alan explains to Nikolas that visitors are restricted.
Nikolas, whose lack of age has been showing lately in his behavior,
petulantly demands to know who died and made Mac king of the hospital
(well, no, not in those words, but you get the general idea).  Bobbie
asks if Katherine is showing signs of consciousness - "it's very
important that she clear Luke."  (Gee, how sensitive of Mrs. C.  Never
mind that it would be nice if Katherine regained consciousness because
it might mean she had a better chance of not dying.  What difference
does THAT make to a Spencer?)  Nik insists that Luke shot Katherine.
Alan explains that the Spencers have left town, and they said they
were not coming back, so they'll be hard to find.  Bobbie is upset
that Luke left without saying goodbye.  Jason fetches Alan to discuss
Sonny's condition (oh, sure, NOW he wants to talk to Alan).

Nikolas says he'll find Luke - he won't be kept away from his sister.
Bobbie tells Nikolas that if Luke doesn't want to be found, he won't
be.  Nikolas points out that Luke is not God (don't tell Luke:  he'll
be so disillusioned); besides, Nik would rather not think about Luke
right now.  Then he apologizes (WHY?  He's the only one in the
conversation who cares about Katherine's welfare).  Bobbie asks why
he's concerned about Katherine, and he explains their friendship.  He
doesn't know her that well, "but I do know how strong she is."  (Per-
haps they arm-wrestled some evening at Luke's between games of pool).

Mac and Kevin sit together in the waiting room.  Mac is upset with
himself for not making the most of his time with Katherine.  He won-
ders what she was doing on Spoon Island, and who would want to shoot
her.  He doesn't believe it was Luke.  In another corner, Lucy and
Felicia talk.  Lucy asks if Filly hates Kevin.  She doesn't, but it
would be easier if she did.  She's not even afraid of him anymore -
every time she sees him "he's just like Kevin."  But there *should*
be a threat, continues Felicia.  But he's there for Mac, and that's
what matters.  Lucy tells Felicia how much she admires her, and how
proud she is to have her for a friend.  Lucy hugs her; when she tries
for another hug, Felicia stiffens and pushes her away with the
admonition, "Let's not get carried away."  (Oh, that Felicia, warm-
hearted right to the end.)  They see Jason, and Felicia tells an
incredulous Lucy about Sonny's situation.

(Brief break for minor rant.  I suppose we are to assume from this
that Felicia did not go ahead with requiring additional restrictions
on Kevin after all - at least, not the ankle alarm, since we didn't
hear any beeping before their near-collision.  There certainly isn't
any other way we'd know that, since that plot point, like so many
others, was dropped into a black hole.  Yeah, there's certainly no
time for things like tying up stories with care when you're so busy
showing the same flashbacks over and over.)

Tony leaves (see below) and Nikolas remembers to pass on a message
Tony sent to Bobbie when Nik saw him at Laura's grave - that Luke
wasn't being fair to Bobbie.  She is surprised:  "Wow.  He can be so
nice sometimes."  (No fooling - are you JUST noticing this, Bobbie?)
Alexis comes up to them, looking for Stefan.  He is in Katherine's
room, thinking about DreamKathy's remark, "It would be best for you
if I died."  Stefan, teary-eyed, strokes her arm and says he doesn't
want her to die.  She regains consciousness and looks at him.

YOU'VE GOT A FRIEND
-------------------
Tony answers the door at the apartment - it's Carly, her arms full of
shopping bags.  She goes back out and, glowing with happiness, brings
in a Christmas tree.  They begin to decorate the tree - they're just
working on putting the star on it when Bobbie calls Tony.  She needs
his help with Lucas.  Tony has to leave, and Carly does her best to be
understanding.  They kiss, and then he leaves.  Carly turns on the
Christmas music and goes to work on decorating.

Tony arrives at the hospital and finds Bobbie and Nikolas.  They fill
him in on the facts (Katherine was shot) and the innuendo (Luke did
it).  Carly, back at the apartment, is busy decorating.  Tony calls
her from the hospital, and explains that Lucas is alone with the
housekeeper on the island.  He has to go get Lucas, and he doesn't
know when he'll be back.  She starts to tell him that she's saving
the star on the tree for him, but he has already hung up.  The doorbell
rings - it is Jason.  "Now it's your turn - I need a friend," he says.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

-------------------
by Rika, 1/2 of the Wednesday Update Team