Eve looks forward to watching the Fourth of July fireworks with her husband at the lighthouse. Serena comes to the Port Charles Hotel for a sleepover with Lucy. Though the girl campaigns for going down to the docks to see the fireworks display up close, Lucy nervously suggests that they stay inside and watch the show from the window instead. Eve is irked to learn how Chris tried to sabotage her chances to become chief resident. Joe informs a relieved Jill that his HIV test came back negative. Later, Gabriela spots Joe giving Jill a friendly hug and angrily assumes that he's playing the field again. Serena told Lucy she doesn't want to be the child of divorced parents. Alison plays it coy with Jamal, who gives back as good as he gets. Eve lashes out at Chris for betraying their friendship. Lucy panics when Serena slips out of the room to get a better view of the fireworks from a window down the hall. As Lucy scolds her daughter for running off, a tearful Serena apologizes for frightening her. Chris seeks to score more points with Mark. Jamal is wounded while watching the fireworks with Alison.

Jamal refused to let Alison take him to the hospital for treatment and said he thought Cedric was behind the shooting. Jamal asked Alison to leave him alone, but she staunchly refused. Rachel was friendly to Boardman and hoped he would help her in her quest for the seat on the board. Rachel refused to help Chris win the Chief Resident position. Later, Chris finished writing his report and deleted Eve's report from the computer. Ian ignored Boardman and ordered tests for Stan, a homeless man who had come into the emergency room. While waiting for the test results, Ian and Stan bonded and learned they shared a love for history. Ian was pained when he learned that Stan was dying and insisted he stay at the hospital as long as he needed to.

Though the wound to his abdomen continues to bleed badly, Jamal refuses to let Alison call the police or take him to the emergency room. Lucy remains cooped up in her hotel room, watching the video of Christina's first birthday party over and over. Meanwhile, at the firehouse, Serena told her father she doesn't want to visit Lucy again. Ian catches Alison swiping rolls of bandages and first aid supplies from the hospital but decides not to interfere. Charlene tries to snap her niece out of her depression by reminding Lucy how much her older daughter is depending on her. Serena admits to a concerned Scott how badly Lucy scared her. Courtney showers Frank with attention on his day off, then intercepts a frantic call from Alison and deliberately neglects to relay the urgent message. Later, Alison pages Frank, who rushes over to the apartment upon hearing that Jamal has been shot. Ian rails at Mark for turning an alcoholic homeless man out onto the streets. Scott explains to a tearful Lucy why Serena won't be coming to see her anymore. As Jamal loses consciousness, Frank warns a frightened Alison that their mutual friend will die if they don't get him to the ER right away.

Scott talks with Charlotte and is concerned when she mentions the miserable shape Lucy's in. Swallowing his pride, Scott approaches Kevin for help and explains his desire to save his family. Kevin urges him to continue to do the right things he's been doing but warns that only he and Lucy can save their marriage. Jill reveals to Joe that she's decided to tell a few of her close friends about her HIV status. He does the same and begins with Alan who is surprisingly sympathetic. Gabriela guesses that something is wrong and follows Joe outside where she confronts him. However, before he can admit why he ended things with her, she assures him that they can be friends. Joe then realizes he can't tell her the truth. Kevin pays Rachel a visit in her hospital room and makes fun of the fact that she thought he had made her ill. Rachel downplays how she reacted to her illness but Kevin realizes he's seen a side of Rachel he's never noticed before. Eve's a bit upset when Alan announces to Chris that he's the new Chief of Staff. Eve tends to Jamal's gunshot wound and assures Alison that he'll be fine.

Jamal awakens in the hospital to find Alison sitting vigil by his bedside. After explaining how he required emergency surgery, Alison assures her friend he's out of the woods now that Cedric believes him dead. Lucy calls the firehouse to check on Serena but the girl refuses to speak with her. Afterwards, Lucy angrily accuses Scott of turning their daughter against her. Alison stonewalls when Alex questions her about the shooting. Meanwhile, Dara presses Jamal for answers but he stubbornly maintains that his wounding was accidental. Eve told Kevin she's decided that losing the chief resident position to Chris was actually a blessing in disguise. Later, Kevin receives a call from a hysterical Lucy and hurries to the hotel to comfort an old friend. Though Alison urges him to seek help from the police, Jamal forces her to promise that she'll keep her mouth shut. Alex and Dara get a lead on Cedric. After Lucy tearfully confides how lost and alone she feels, Kevin encourages her to lean on the people who love her. Rachel receives a visit from her daughter.