Making the Rounds at General Hospital – Port Charles Rings in the New Year

Last week on General Hospital Patrick and Robin rang in the New Year in his new apartment, Sonny and Carly also celebrated with the kids as a family, Emily and Nikolas continued their search for missing Spencer, and Lulu, Dillon and Spinelli continued to play sleuth to solve the mystery of Rick Webber's death.

Patrick and Robin rang in 2007 together on an air-mattress in the otherwise barren apartment the young Dr. Drake had just signed a lease on. As Robin spoke of decorating and making the space their home, the commitment shy doctor attempted to hide his discomfort with the situation and tried to get to the root of Robin's nesting urges. She eventually admitted being afraid of the pending results of Patrick's final HIV test. While she insisted she is hoping and praying it will be negative, she is also fearful those results with give him free license to pick his life up where he left it six months ago – leaving her behind.

Watching these two as their relationship blossomed and bloomed through the holiday season has been one of the highlights of the show. I am sure when Patrick gets his test results it will affect the relation, but I'm just as sure this fire-and-ice couple will work their way through it, even if there is an explosion or two before another steamy make-up scene.

At the boys' urging, Sonny and Carly spent New Years Eve together. Carly tried to maintain her loyalty to Jax, by calling and leaving a message on his cell phone as the clock struck twelve. Sonny, however, kept his eyes on his goal and gave his x-wife her first kiss of the New Year. She was first stunned, then later angry – more by the fact it confused her heart even more.

She continued throughout the week to try and confront Sonny on his blatant display — assuring him her heart belonged to Jax — with little success. You would think that would be enough to keep her busy, but you'd be wrong. She found time to confront Liz about her constant interference in Jason's life, calling her "The one night stand that wouldn't leave," and warning Sam she better get about getting pregnant by Jason before Liz steals him away from her.

Her meddling put her in the middle of the long-brewing mob war and yet another stand-off between Sonny and Lorenzo. She served as the perfect distraction, turning Lorenzo's attention and allowing Sonny to get a shot off.

To this viewer, I'm sick of being teased – put Sonny and Carly back together already! Yes, we all know it will only lead to yet another divorce for the couple, but they are truly the definition of the notion "can't live with, can't live without" each other. Who knows, maybe all the therapy the two of them have gone through in '06 will allow them to have a better go of it this time.

Following what little leads they had, Nikolas and Emily followed Colleen to Dallas. While the couple questioned workers at baby furniture stores and hotels, Colleen took a job at a daycare facility where she could bring the kidnapped child to work with her. As Nikolas and Emily reached one dead end after another, he became more and more grief-stricken and angry.

As the cooler head, Emily realized the Colleen would have to work to support her and the baby, and theorized she would need a job that would allow her to have the baby with her. At the end of Friday's show they had showed up at the same daycare facility as Colleen and Spencer posing as a couple looking for a good facility for their child.

I highly doubt this will resolve as easy as that. Don't forget Helena is out there ready to scoop up the Cassidine heir for herself. That, and this storyline, is serving to cement Emily and Nikolas as a couple.

In what has probably been the hardest storyline for me to get into, Lulu, Dillon, and Spinelli continued their search to unravel the mystery around Rick Webber's death. The murder was first portrayed as accidental/self defense by Laura Spencer and used as the catalyst that sent her into her cationic state. As she slipped away the past November after a brief awakening, she confided in Lulu she believes she's innocent. As much as I enjoy these three characters and the top-notch job these young actors/actresses do in portraying them, the ease at which they've uncovered the clues to a very old and closed case is beyond reasonably acceptable. The use of Alan Quartermaine as the actual guilty party also seems to be a huge leap.

The only plus that is coming from this story line is it seems to be a catalyst for putting Lulu and Dillon back together as a couple. If that is the end result… then I guess the rest of this story will be worth it.

Warning! Spoilers Ahead!

(Spoilers are drawn from a number of websites, dedicated to keeping the fans who just have to know, in the loop. The list includes Soap Zone, General Hospital Happenings Two, Soap Central, and Scoops and Spoilers.)

The hottest and most controversial coming-and-going news is the dismissal of Stuart Damon and the writer's plan to kill off the character of Alan Quartermaine. Much has been said by me here as other GH related sites about the misuse of the veteran characters on the soap in recent years. GHH2 lists all the email and phone numbers to write and call to voice your opinion.

Kin Shriner will begin shooting in mid-January and episodes will begin airing in February. Writers are promising answers to questions involving Scotty, Laura, and Luke.

Noah, Patrick and Robin will treat Lorenzo's gun-shot wound… but other's will be fighting to put an end to the arms dealer's life.

The only way for Carly to avoid testifying against Sonny is… you guessed it, to marry him.