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Kai, Trina, Emma and Gio are at Trina’s place and toast to 2026. (Joss is once again MIA). Emma gets a call and excuses herself to take it, as the others decide to skip going out and stay in for the night.

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Bonding While On Guard Duty

Nathan is still on patrol outside of Lulu’s house, so she joins him for the evening. She admits perhaps Valentin isn’t coming for Charlotte after all, but she’s gotten used to having him around. Nathan knows she’s lost a lot between the coma and the events of this year, so it’s no wonder she wants to hold onto what she has so tightly.

Lulu says they are both part of the exclusive missing-years club. He asks if it gets any easier, and Lulu says it does, but Dante, Brook Lynn, and Gio might tell him that she came back as a wrecking ball. (That’s a nice way to put it!) Fortunately, she has been able to ground herself lately. He asks about Dante, and she says he’s an important part of her life, but their relationship shifted while she was gone. She doesn’t know if she can lean on him as she once did.

Lulu knows he’s missing a key point of his life, and Maxie will wake up. Nathan says she made a life with Spinelli while he was gone, and he can’t assume she will give that up to be with him.

Jordan and Curtis Make a Commitment

Jordan is home alone on New Year’s Eve when Curtis shows up at her door. He was hoping to ring in the 2026 with her, and she invites him in, offers him a glass of champagne, and feels a bit underdressed. Curtis was on his way to The Savoy when he realized he’d rather be with her tonight.

Curtis regrets how he treated her when they were married, and with Portia and the baby, he understands why they agreed to take things slow. However, what happened in court made him realize his future is with her, and he doesn’t want to wait to get it started. Jordan agrees, and they kiss. They soon head to the bedroom and make love.

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A Change of Plans

Cody decorates the stables with lights, and Outback has a big gold bow on. He hopes Molly likes what he’s done, but naturally, she calls him up and says she can’t meet up with him tonight. She’s at the office, called in by Turner, and she’ll be working all night on a plea deal. She’s sorry, but Cody says they’ll celebrate another time with a do-over. After getting off the phone, Cody thinks there is still time to turn this night around.

Back at Trina’s, Emma says Cody had an emergency, and she must go watch Outback for him because of the fireworks, which could frighten her. Gio decides to join her. (Um, they all live or are on the same estate!).  Kai and Trina are content with just staying in for the night.

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Kai and Trina discuss what’s next for them. Trina says art is in her future, and she’s almost ready to graduate, so the sky is the limit. She excuses herself and brings out her favorite piece of art to show him.

Emma and Gio head to the stables, and once Cody takes off, she asks Gio how they should ring in the New Year. She brings up the didgeridoo, and wonders if they’ll ever talk about that other present he got on Christmas.

Gio knows the violin was an incredible gift, and playing made everyone happy. She asks if it made him happy. He is unsure; he is a different person now, and doesn’t know how the violin fits into his life.

Emma knows he thinks the violin and music came from his mom, but it comes from him. Whether he plays again or not, he’s still a wonderful person.

Two Celebrations In One!

Britt finds Jason in the Quartermaine kitchen, and he immediately wonders if she needs something. She says it’s her birthday and the anniversary of her death, and she’d rather not mark them both alone.

After some bickering over the fact that she’s still keeping secrets, he asks what she was thinking in terms of tonight. She suggests The Savoy, The Brown Dog, or just somewhere fun. He admits he doesn’t think he can be the company she needs tonight. (Jason is immune to fun Britt!)

A Lawyer’s Work Never Stops

Cody surprises Molly at her office, bringing all the NYE essentials. She invites him in; it’s actually Justine’s office she’s working out of, and she asks for his help. He reads off laws to her that are earmarked in a book, and she’s able to finish the plea and emails it to Turner. (Am I the only one wondering why this has to be done tonight when the courts are closed tomorrow?)

They put on their party hats, and he says he’s blown away by how smart she is, and of course, her beauty. She hopes he didn’t spend a lot of money on tonight, but he says all he did was decorate the stables for them to dance in. She suggests they dance here, so he puts on music, and they slow dance.

It’s Not Poisoned

Carly takes some champagne up to the attic for Valentin, and jokes that there is no polonium in it. They talk about their shared desire to take Jack down, and their love for their daughters and need to protect them.

Valentin thanks for her bringing Charlotte to see him, as he knows it was a risk. She says she could go to prison for what she’s doing, so they can’t screw this up, and Jack has to go down. She also makes it clear she won’t let him abscond with Charlotte; she won’t do that to the girl or Lulu. Valentin doesn’t want to take Charlotte away, and he hopes that once Jack is in prison, he can be exonerated and build a life here with Charlotte.

Valentin knows Carly doesn’t trust him. She doesn’t, but believes he loves Charlotte and knows being in Port Charles is what is best for her. He notes she’s one of the few people who talks to him like he’s a parent. She says he’s also a criminal, and she’s used to hanging out with criminals, but even they love their children, too.

In the Show’s Final Moments

Nathan tells Lulu that James and Maxie’s happiness is the most important thing to him. Lulu knows, and he has people in his life to support him. He appreciates having her in his corner as she understands what he’s going through. Lulu says instead of holding on to the past, maybe they should focus on what they have to be grateful for, and they both include each other on their lists. The fireworks explode overhead.

In her attic, Carly and Val watch the fireworks, and he says he owes Carly and that he honors his debts. She wishes him a happy New Year and heads off. (How long before these two hit the sheets?)

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Trina and Kai watch the fireworks from her window, and she shows him her favorite piece of art. It’s a photo of the two of them at the gallery he took her to, where they painted together. They kiss.

In the stables, Emma and Gio step out to watch the fireworks, and of course, share a kiss.

At her place, Curtis and Jordan are watching the fireworks from the window. They both agree that no matter what, they won’t lose one another again.

In the Q kitchen, Britt tells Jason another reason she came here is that he’s the person she most wants to be with. When she is with him, her life doesn’t feel so chaotic. He touches her cheek and smiles and wishes her a happy birthday. They kiss.

Finally, Cody and Molly dance in Turner’s office as the fireworks explode outside. And they, too, kiss. She then begins to rip his clothes off, but he says they can’t do this in her boss’s office. She says yes, they can!