01-03-2017 (Tuesday) NEW YEAR'S DAY

Valentin carries Nina across the threshold and into a room for their honeymoon; Nina tells him that she thinks they did the right thing, for themselves and for Charlotte.  They make love and then laugh about there being no backing out now –no annulment- Valentine goes to shower; Nina picks up their clothes from off the floor and the arm of the couch.  When she goes to grab his jacket, she sees a gun laying underneath it.  When he comes out, she tells him that she doesn’t like guns; he says he doesn’t either, but sometimes they are necessary.  He tells her it is only a precaution.  They get dressed to go back to the party.  

Lulu tells Dante they have to protect her daughter and get her away from Valentin Cassadine; she thanks him for being so supportive and reassuring.  They talk about what it will be like to have Charlotte as part of their family, talk about the pending suit for custody, and discuss Nina’s relationship with Valentine.  Lulu says Nina is an outsider and always will be; she doesn’t consider her part of the equation.  They are extremely surprised when Nina and Valentin come into the club and announce that they were married tonight/morning.

Sam is trying to reach her mother, who is passed out cold on the couch, half-empty bottle of vodka on the coffee table; Julian stares at her as he stands with his cane, looking at the phone ring.  He tries to wake her up, but she won’t move…until Sam knocks on the door.  Julian cleans the coffee table off and hides in the kitchen; Alexis answers the door and tries not to let Sam and Jason in, but they insist they need to talk to her.  Jason shows her a picture and asks if she knows the man; she says she does, he works with Julian.  They ask what he was doing here yesterday; she asks how they know he was.  Jason tells her that he was following him because of a case he is working on; Alexis says he was just looking for Julian, apparently not knowing they had split up.  She says she gave him Ava’s number and address, which he said he already had and he left.  They press her for more answers and she gets frustrated, tells them that she is really tired; Sam leans forward and smells the alcohol of her breath.  She questions it, and Alexis admits to drinking, but because it was New Year’s, she says.  They leave and go the café to talk; Jason says her mother’s story does not add up, and Sam agrees.  

Elizabeth answers her door; it’s Franco.  She asks him if that knife the police found was his; he says yes…but he explains that he only just discovered it missing from his studio.  Elizabeth is not sure she can believe him this time; he talks sweetly to her, and describes the vivid dream/nightmare he experienced while locked in the cage.  She tells him that she overheard him saying that he loved her; he says that’s true, he does…she says she believes that.  She then tells him that she also believes he did not kill Tom Baker.  

Carly stops kissing Sonny; she says she has to go.  He tells her he wants her to stay and says she can leave in the morning.  He says, deep down, she knows they belong together; he tells her he loves her and she says she loves him too.  He tells her to say that she wants to stay with him, and she does exactly that.  They go upstairs and make love.  Carly holds onto Sonny and tells him she doesn’t want to leave; she admits that she loves him and needs him more than ever, but she is still undecided about what to do in the future.  He smiles and tells her that he will just be thankful for this night.