Sam drops by the Quartermaine’s and finds Drew setting up a small tree in the kitchen area. Sam brought Scout as a surprise. Leo and Ned enter the kitchen so Leo can grab a cookie before they head to the hospital for his exam. Later, Drew tells Scout and Sam that his kitchen tree is a bit bare, and he suggests Scout help him shop for some ornaments online. Instead, she runs off to find her grandma, and Drew realizes he’s going about this all wrong. Sam is sure he and Scout will reconnect soon.

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In Portia’s office, the doctor tells Curtis to take a deep breath. A fuming Curtis can’t believe TJ is willing to give Marshall a chance and says Aunt Stella aced like she was about to invite him to Sunday dinner. Portia asks Curtis if not trusting Marshall is really the issue or is he afraid of getting hurt. Curtis feels Marshall doesn’t have the power to hurt him any longer, but Portia knows some wounds don’t heal.

Portia asks if eventually, Curtis could find a place for his father in his life. Curtis first needs to know where his father has been, what he’s doing, and why he’s been gone. Portia says he’s acting like Marshall is dangerous. Curtis reminds her they still don’t know who jumped Joey Novak outside of his club, the same night his act was canceled and a new one magically appeared. He is sure Marshall was involved. Curtis calls up Drew and asks him if his offer to investigate his father’s reappearance still stands. Drew agrees to help him. After the call, Portia asks Curtis what if all he finds out is that Marshall just wants to be his father.

In the NICU, Britt and Liz look in on Liam. Liz can’t believe a baby is about to die while Peter lives. Britt knows the job can be a curse sometimes, yet it’s not their place to pick and choose who lives and who doesn’t. Liz wishes it was.

In Sasha’s room, she refuses to wallow any longer as their son needs them. Brando tells her they can take all the time they need, but Sasha says Sonny made her realize that time won’t change anything. Sasha thinks Liam would have had a wonderful life, and Brando would have been a wonderful father to him. Sasha isn’t ready for this, but knows together they can show Liam what real love is.

Carly and Olivia arrive together, with Olivia planning to meet up with Ned and Leo for Leo’s appointment. They spot Nina with Sonny as Nina is telling him that his father would be proud of both Mike and Sonny. Carly seethes, and Olivia tells her she’ll handle it. Olivia drags Nina off to chat about a message she left her this morning.

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Alone, Carly tells Sonny that she doesn’t want to talk about Nina as Sasha and Brando need their focus.

Elsewhere, Olivia warns Nina that she just saved her hide, and the only reason Carly didn’t wipe the mat with her back there is that she is happy to have her husband back. Nina says the message has been delivered. Nina suggests the next time Olivia wants to weigh in on her friend’s marriage to consider worrying about her own first. Nina walks away.

Olivia meets up with Ned and Leo. Dr. Newman introduces himself and takes Leo off to play some games and evaluate him. Ned and Olivia talk about the future and agree as long as they have each other, they have everything. The two embrace. Later, Dr. Newman brings Leo back out and asks them to call his office for a follow-up, and says they’ll talk soon.

Britt finds Nina sitting alone and checks on her. She thinks Sasha and Brando’s situation must have her thinking about losing Nelle before she got to know her.

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Sasha and Brando exit Sasha’s room, and Britt tells them to follow her as Carly, Sonny and Nina look on. Carly excuses herself to get some water, and Sonny sits on the steps and says a prayer as Nina listens in.

Brando and Sasha meet with Britt, Liz and Dr. Fleming outside the NICU. Fleming explains they’ll disconnect Liam’s oxygen and give him a shot of morphine so there he feels no pain. Sasha asks if she can hold him so he’s not alone and is told she can. Brando and Sasha suit up and enter the ER with Liz and Dr. Fleming. Britt heads back towards the nurses’ station where Sonny, Carly, and Nina are. Carly asks if it is over?

Back in the NICU, Sasha holds Liam as Brandon holds her. She cries that she’ll love Liam forever, and Brando looks up and asks Mike to look after their son. Mike’s ghost appears and promises to do so. After Liam is gone, Liz sees Brando and Sasha out, Mike is shown holding little Liam.

At the coffee house, Marshall meets Stella and assures her that her secret is safe with him. Stella says this isn’t about her, as he is the one who chose to leave and asked her sister to tell her children that he was dead. Her sister, Irene, finally told her the truth one day and she agreed to go along with the lie because Marshall wasn’t supposed to come back. He thinks Stella can’t blame him for wanting to be a part of Curtis and TJ’s life. She can’t but she can blame him for walking away in the first place.

Marshall reminds her that she knows why he had to leave. He feels this homecoming is destined seeing how music was important to him and now Curtis owns a nightclub. Stella asks him if he still plays. Marshall does, though his fingers don’t fly like they used to. Talk returns to the family. Stella doubts Curtis will let Marshall in. Marshall is hopeful things will change, but with Stella’s help, he can have a relationship with TJ.

Back at the Quartermaines, after Drew gets off the phone with Curtis, Sam comments that she’s not sure she wants to know what that was about. He promises it’s just a background check, and he’s not about to take any risks as he has too much to lose. Scout returns and Drew asks if she wants to help him shop yet. Instead, she wants to go home. Later, however, Scout appears to have found Drew’s favorite ornament. He holds her up as she hangs a star ornament on the top of the little tree.

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Marshall returns to wherever he’s staying, pulls out his clarinet, and plays a solemn song. Back at the hospital, Stella arrives and spots Curtis with Portia. By the nurses’ station, Brando and Sasha appear and face everyone, and Sasha falls apart. Meanwhile, Mike holds Liam and asks him if he’s ready to go, and they walk into the light.

On the next General Hospital: Victor meets with Spencer and offers to help him. Phyllis asks Nina if she’s still in love with Sonny. Michael vows to do whatever it takes to protect his family.

And with the holidays around the corner, check out our photo gallery of soaps’ Christmases past and present.

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