General Hospital - DAILY UPDATES

Carly brings her beloved son home, Nikolas comes through his surgery and Jacob Martin Spencer celebrates his first birthday.

Nikolas is on a park bench wistfully watching couples walk by. Before long, Emily appears and takes his hand. He promises that he won't back out of today's surgery because she convinced him that he needs to go on for Spencer's sake. They laugh and recall their first kiss that took place in the same park. Nik says that he was honored that she loved him from such a young age and she reminds him that she will always love him. He breaks down and she reminds him not to let his memories get in the way of his new life. She promises that when he dies many years from now she'll be waiting for him.

Jason has spent the night in jail. Alexis finds him in the interrogation room and says that his story about protecting Maxie holds up and all she needs to know is what Devlin said before he died. Jason won't talk without Diane, but he doesn't have to wait long because she appears in just a few minutes. As if Jason isn't in the room, Alexis and Diane argue over the legality of Jason's actions in the name of protecting Maxie. Alexis turns to Jason and promises that she will go after Michael's shooter if only he'll tell her what Devlin said. She says that she doesn't want Morgan and Kristina to be the next in line and then leaves. Once alone with her client, Diane asks Jason if Devlin said anything and Jason says, "Not anything you need to know." She promises to get him out in about fifteen minutes and apologizes that she wasn't able to do so last night because she was otherwise engaged. She asks Jason not to mention it to Sonny and he says that one night in lockup is nothing compared to what Michael is facing.

Anthony barges into Claudia's room and tells her that she's careless and that he knows she hired someone to try to take Sonny out. Claudia denies it and then Anthony says that Johnny told him that she slept with Sonny and that was a mistake. He says that Corinthos is NOT right for his daughter and that she knows who is.

At GH, Carly tells Michael that he's going home today. She promises to open his windows, give him fresh air, and play all of his favorite music. Jax arrives and their argument from yesterday picks up where it left off. Bobbie comes in and tells them that the ambulance is waiting outside. "We're going home baby," Carly tells Michael.

At the nurse's desk Liz tells Epiphany and Robin that she's only working a half day because it's Jake's birthday and they're having a little party in the park. She says that Lucky's out of town on police business but Cam wanted the party to go on as planned. Patrick stops by and snags an invitation, much to Robin's surprise. She pulls him aside and tells him that her mother was just spouting off and he shouldn't pay any attention to what Anna said about them getting married. She says that she told her mother the subject was never on the table and it's all good. Patrick is glad it's all straightened out.

Lulu is setting up the birthday party in the park and Spinelli shows up to help. He also wants to snap a few pictures for Stone Cold, but Lulu won't hear of it. She says that Carly is dying inside over Michael, and Jake could have the same fate if the world knows that Jason is his father. She tells him to stay away because that's the best thing he can do for Jason as well as Jake. Spinelli obliges and leaves.

Back at GH, Nik's surgery is about to begin. As he goes under anesthesia, Emily tells him that she loves him. Patrick gets his first look at the tumor he tells his team that if the patient had waited another week he would've been dead. He is able to remove the entire mass and Nik is taken to recovery. (As he sleeps, Emily's ring is lying in his hand.)

Claudia calls Jerry and asks him to meet her in the park. Once they both arrive, they discuss what might have happened between Ian and Jason before he died. Jerry speculates that if Ian talked, it's likely that Jason will kill them as efficiently as possible and they'd better be prepared when Jason gets out. He suggests that she leave town now while she still can.

Spinelli goes to see Jason at the PCPD and reports that he didn't get a picture of Jake on his b-day as planned. Jason echoes Lulu's wishes that he stay away from Jake. Just then Mac comes in and tells Jason that he is free to go. Then he tells Spinelli that he holds him responsible for his daughter nearly getting killed last night and if it ever happens again, he'll break every typing finger he has. Duly noted, Spinelli says.

Jax and Carly are at home waiting for the ambulance to arrive with Michael. She tells Jax that her son will know he's surrounded with love and that will make all the difference to him. Later, after he's settled in his room, Carly begs him to come back to her. Jax steps in and announces that Mercedes is walking up the sidewalk with Morgan. Carly meets them at the door and explains that Michael is upstairs, but in a deep sleep. She walks him upstairs and all Morgan can think of is playing with Michael when he wakes up. Carly says that Michael needs rest and is getting stronger thanks to all the machines that he sees around the bed.

Carly goes downstairs and tells Jax that Morgan took it pretty well. She tells him that they're all home now and he can go back to work, but he'll have to hire someone to take her job at the hotel. Jax hugs her and says that he hopes it all works out the way she wants it to. "The worst is over," Carly tells him in a voice that sounds more like a scared little girl. Meanwhile, upstairs Morgan has gone back into Michael's room and he is trying to get him to play.

Jake's party is getting underway. As Robin holds Jake, Patrick comes by. He reports that Nikolas came out of his surgery just fine and Lulu and Bobbie are relieved to hear it. Robin beams at Patrick and suggests that he help Cam with is new car. Patrick digs in.

Alexis calls Jerry to the PCPD to ask him what his connection to Ian Devlin is. She tells him that there are too many similarities between the two men's backgrounds for them not to have been working together at some point. Jerry doesn't flinch, but he doesn't say anything either.

Claudia returns to her room and finds Jason there. He says that he thinks she knows who sent Michael's shooter.

Next on General Hospital:

Sonny asks Diane to get him sole guardianship of Michael.

Jason tells Claudia he'll give her one chance to come clean.

She quickly tells him that her father is to blame.

Nik asks Luke how to move on without the one woman who makes it all worth while.

Thank-you for your comments and feedback! We do ask that our visitors abide by the Guidelines and try to keep all posts on the topic of the show. If you have a Spoiler that you want to post and/or discuss in the comments section below, please always remember to start your post with ***Spoiler Alert*** so others who do not wish to read spoilers can skim over your post. Above all, have a great time posting!

All photographs are courtesy of Soaps.com.