Serena and Scott were outside, and Serena wondered what Scott would do while she was at her friend's birthday party. Scott thought maybe he'd get Charlene to watch Christina, and he and Lucy could spend the day together alone. They went inside and found a big commotion going on -- plans for the christening. Lucy was excited by Serena once again calling her Mom and the idea that Christina's adoption would soon be final. Lucy was thinking of both a minister and a shaman.

Scott wanted to take Christina upstairs and watch the Bonanza marathon. Lucy wanted him to be in on all the decisions and told him if he really cared, he would stay. When Lucy and Scott were alone, they started arguing over the extent of the fanciness of the christening.

Lucy mentioned the lack of wedding plans and wondered if D.V. had anything to do with that. She told him she didn't know what to think or where she stood -- and she asked if he still wanted to get married. Scott wanted to get married for the new millennium -- Lucy agreed to a New Year's walk down the aisle. Scott said, "Nothing can stop us."

Joe told Courtney that he had gone on the Internet to find alternate treatments for Neil. None would be as good as a bone marrow treatment, and Courtney was angry with Karen for wrecking that chance. Courtney checked with her doctor, who said that it would not be safe for her to get pregnant. Joe tried to shore up her sinking hopes with some success.

Karen asked Frank if he was Neil's father. He denied it and walked away. Matt walked up and wondered what was wrong with Karen. She vaguely told him she knew a secret that, if it were revealed, could change everything, but she was not sure.

Frank and Neil were shopping and arguing about sports. Neil saw a scarf that his mom wanted. He was disappointed that it hadn't gone on sale and cost $60. Frank told him they'd figure out something. Karen and Matt walked up, and Neil said hi. Frank spirited Neil away with talk of movies and pizza.

Matt complimented Frank's actions around Neil. He talked about Karen's secret, and she said she'd have to find out if it was true. Karen returned to work and went into Joe's office with coffee. Joe was doing research. Karen told him about meeting up with Neil and Frank. Joe mentioned how good Frank had been with Neil, almost like Neil was his own son. Karen asked if he thought that was a little weird -- but Joe said Frank had always liked kids.

Karen and Joe talked about having a bone marrow drive -- one in Florida had found a donor in two days. Karen said he could be the first to donate to get the ball rolling. Joe went to talk to Dr. Quartermaine, saying it could be the answer they'd been waiting for. Karen said to herself, "I have a feeling you could be right."

At home with Courtney and Mary, Neil gave his mom a late Christmas gift -- the scarf. She grew teary-eyed, and Neil worried that he'd made her cry. Mary told him that girls liked to cry when they were happy. Courtney and Frank reassured Neil that he didn't have to worry about Courtney.

Neil and Grandma went upstairs. Courtney thanked Frank for buying the scarf. He said Neil had returned his video game to buy it and wondered how two such selfish people had gotten such an unselfish kid. Courtney said one of those people had a good heart and offered to tell Neil the truth about his parentage. Frank turned her down, for Neil's sake.

At the lighthouse, Scott was peering into the playpen while Lucy discussed flowers for the wedding on the phone. Her suggestion of a glow-in-the-dark cake elicited a response from the person on the phone about Star Trek conventions. She hung up and asked Scott what he was smiling at -- he said her. He told her she was lit up like a Christmas tree, and it made him smile. She said she was ecstatic -- walking down the aisle to a new millennium was perfect.

Charlene and Serena arrived, and Serena told them about the birthday party she had been at. Serena asked what they would be doing New Year's Eve, and they told her they were getting married. She was thrilled, as was Charlene. They shared a group hug.

At the lighthouse, Kevin and Eve were still trying to find something to discredit Rachel. They were running out of time, as Kevin had to testify. They finally found something to pursue -- a former patient of Rachel's. At the courthouse, Chris and Rachel tried to keep Julie's spirits up. Nicole hadn't arrived, and Julie was convinced she wouldn't.

At the hospital, Joe and Karen were hanging posters about the "blood" drive they were holding to look for a marrow donor for Neil. Karen said she should vanish, as Courtney still blamed her for the accident. Frank, Courtney, and Neil got off the elevator. They all talked about the blood drive and encouraged Neil to have hope. Neil went off to hang posters, and Joe told Courtney and Frank that he and Karen were pursuing "other" options for Neil.

Courtney suggested Karen was redoubling her efforts to help Neil because of guilt over the accident. Karen told her she knew perfectly well that Karen would do everything she could for Neil in any case. Frank and Courtney went to donate, and Lucy and Scott got off the elevator in a ring of laughter. They were there to donate blood but also to tell Karen and Joe that they were getting married New Year's Eve. Joe and Karen were thrilled for them and would, of course, be there. Lucy told Karen that she was as much a part of their family as Serena and Christina. There were smiles all around.

At the courthouse, Garcia was on the stand for cross-examination. His testimony didn't improve the situation, although he did admit that Julie had seemed scared at the house while the hostages had been held; Cooper had had the gun. On redirect, though, Dara simply had Garcia restate that Julie had confessed -- period. Julie was distraught; the jury wouldn't even look at her. The defense's first witness was Rachel.

Kevin and Eve arrived at the patient's mother's home and asked about Rachel. At first, the woman wouldn't discuss it but finally asked if they cared about the "friend" they were trying to help, which was their cover story. Thy said yes, and she told them to keep their friend as far from Rachel as possible. At the hospital, Karen saw Scott again and teased him about having ministers to hire. He said he was looking for Lee. They chatted about when Karen had found out Scott was her father. She said it was different with Scott and D.V. Scott said he wished he'd never found out.

Lee approached, and Karen went to work on the blood drive. Scott told Lee he and Lucy were getting married New Year's Eve and asked Lee to be his best man. Lee, after expressing some concerns, gave his blessing and agreed happily. At the firehouse, Charlene tried to talk Lucy into postponing the wedding so she could do it right; they needed more time. Lucy nixed the delay but asked Charlene to be her matron of honor. Charlene joyfully accepted.

Back at the courtroom, Rachel was on the stand. Rachel explained her theory of how and why Julie had been brainwashed by Cooper. She added that there was nothing Cooper could have done to force Julie to do something against her moral grain -- the "moral compass" theory. Dara objected, as Rachel couldn't know what someone else would do, and it was sustained. In Rachel's expert opinion, Julie was incapable of murder.

Eve and Kevin, talking to the patient's mother, were winding up the interview. The mom said she had thought Rachel had been Jane's savior but had found out later that Jane had been a victim of Rachel's own obsession to free her. Kevin thanked her and told her she had given them the ammunition they needed to stop Rachel from hurting anyone else.

At the hospital, Frank and Courtney were chatting when Karen, Joe, Matt, and Neil walked in. Karen surreptitiously eyed Frank's tube of blood as everyone decided to hang posters about the drive all over town. Everyone left but Matt and Karen. Matt got beeped but told her to call him if she needed someone. Karen arranged an HLA antigen test on Frank's blood with the lab.

At the firehouse, Lucy and Scott were having trouble finding a place for the wedding. Scott made a call and booked a VFW just outside town. Lucy was dubious, but Scott joshed her into it.

At the courthouse, Dara was cross-examining Rachel and questioned Rachel's statement that all of Julie's problems were due to Stockholm syndrome. Dr. Collins had said her problems ran much deeper than that. Rachel stated that Kevin's credibility had already been called into question in that courtroom.

A guard entered with a message for Dara. Dara told the judge new information had been discovered that could make her cross-examination of Rachel more "enlightening." She asked for a recess to review the new information. The judge agreed and recessed until the following morning. Chris asked Rachel what Dara could have on her that was so illuminating. Rachel didn't know but insisted it wouldn't affect Julie's case. c

A superstitious Lucy worried that her wedding to Scott would not go off as planned while Scott attempted to reassure her that nothing would go wrong. Victor agreed to give Lucy away but was forced to back out after he broke his ankle. Later, Lucy was overjoyed when she arrived at the lodge and found it beautifully decorated for the wedding.

Karen broke down and shared her dilemma about Neil's paternity with Matt. Later, Matt stood by Karen when she received the results of the DNA test and learned that Frank was Neil's father.

Dara was able to discredit Rachel on the stand by using the information Kevin and Eve had dug up about one of her former patients. Rachel seethed as Dara implied to the jury that Rachel had a penchant for getting dangerous criminals released back into society. Later, Julie was placed in a precarious position when her van driver had a heart attack and collapsed on the way back to Ferncliff.

After an angry Karen confronted Frank with the truth about Neil, he begged her to keep quiet if she truly cared about Neil. Karen decided that Joe needed to know the truth but changed her mind after a heart-to-heart discussion with Scott about fatherhood.

Kevin admitted to Eve that he was trying to get past the fact that she had lied to him about D.V. On her wedding day, Lucy shared a special moment with Kevin and advised him to find a way to forgive Eve.

Julie administered help to the van driver then decided to go find help. Julie wound up at the lodge and made a rash decision after she spotted Christina alone.

Port Charles was not shown due to New Year's Eve celebrations.