On the Friday, May 15 episode of General Hospital, Elizabeth (Rebecca Herbst) and Dante (Dominic Zamprogna) shared a heartfelt talk on trauma. Dante is so concerned for Rocco (Finn Carr), and how it affects someone for the rest of their life, which is something Elizabeth knows all too well, but got through it.

It all begins when Elizabeth shows up at Dante’s office ready for her date with Ric Lansing (Rick Hearst). How beautiful she looked did not go unnoticed by Dante. When the talked turned to how Dante told Rocco that he knew his son shot Cullum (Andrew Hawkes), he admits he is scared for his child, because he lost his innocence with the emotional baggage he now must carry forever of shooting someone.

Dante notices how Rocco is becoming more and more withdrawn and he wants to know how to help him. Elizabeth bring up how she can absolutely relate to trauma at a young age, just like Rocco. However for Elizabeth, her trauma came in the form of a brutal rape by Tom Baker. Speaking from experience, Elizabeth details that it was her friends and family like Lucky and Bobbie who helped pull her through. She encourages Dante to continue to show up and be there as support for his son.

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SPECIAL DELIVERY

Next, an officer delivers to Dante the evidence from the pier shooting, which Dante plans on destroying. Before she leaves for her date with Ric, Liz reassured Dante he is doing the right thing to protect Rocco and she has done the same. She has left no record of Rocco’s hospital visit the night of the shooting. Liz leaves for her date.

THE WRONG SUSPECT

Then, Cullum storm troops in to Dante’s office demanding the evidence that the PCPD must have collected at the site of his shooting. Dante says that the evidence must be misfiled in the warehouse, but they will find it. However, Cullum realizes Dante is stalling and lying. Before heading to Dante’s office, Cullum paid a visit to Carly (Laura Wright) and saw a photo of Danny with Jason, triggering him to now believe that Danny may have been the person who shot him in the back on the pier!

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DINING WITH RIC

At dinner at Café Cherie, Ric handed Elizabeth the folder with the priceless piece of artwork he’d purchased for her through Ava. Elizabeth loved it and went over to Ric and planted a kiss on him.

Will GH move Elizabeth into a romance with Dante? Do you think Liz and Dante make a cute couple? After today’s episode, it’s clear they very much like and admire one another. If so, what happens to Liz and Ric’s burgeoning repeat romance? Share your thoughts and picks via the comment section below.

In well-played scenes on the Thursday, May 14 episode of General Hospital, Dante (Dominic Zampogna) finally had a talk with his son, Rocco (Finn Carr) informing him that he knows the teen shot Cullum (Andrew Hawkes).

Rocco has dreaded his father finding out, because he is the acting police commissioner of the Port Charles PD and feared his dad will have to arrest him for the crime.

Dante asks Rocco in his own words to recount what happened the night on the pier. He assured his son, he is not going to arrest him and noted there are very extenuating circumstances surrounding the crime.

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FATHER AND SON

Rocco explained how he followed Britt  (Kelly Thiebaud) to the pier. Then, how Cullum attacked Britt. Jason (Steve Burton) showed up and fought with Cullum and how the gun came loose.He remembers the other weapon Cullum pulled out to kill Jason and that’s when he shot him.

Next, Dante explained that he was proud of his son for saving Jason and Britt’s lives. He also tells Rocco that he is very concerned in Britt’s involvement in all of this stemming all the way back to the Five Poppies, and feels she is still tied into everything that is happening.

Dante tells Rocco that nobody else can know about this involvement in the shooting. He also touchingly said, that he is his father, he will protect him. However, Rocco is worried that if the truth came out that he shot Cullum, his dad would be in serious trouble for covering up a crime. Dante tells Rocco, he should not worry about that right now, but he needs to stay in Port Charles so he and his mom can keep him safe.

A SHOCKING CALL

Suddenly, as father and son hug it out, Dante gets a call from Justine (Nazneen Contractor), alerting him to the fact that she just met with Cullum and he is looking for the evidence and the file from his shooting. Dante rolls his eyes, knowing things are about to go from bad to worse, and how is he going to keep his son safe from the evil WSB Director?

NOTABLE PERFORMANCES

Dominic Zamprogna always delivers a nice counterbalance to the often histrionics of other characters in Port Charles in his portrayal of Dante Falconeri. So that, when Dante breaks or gets emotional, it counts. Finn Carr has continually shined in the storyline as Rocco continues to teeter on the edge of knowing what he has done and being wracked with guilt. Next up has to be Danny learning his brother is the reason Jason was carted away. Stay tuned!

So, what did you think of the scenes between Dante and Rocco? How on earth will Dante keep Rocco safe? Share your thoughts via the comment section.

First-look photos of Jonathan Bennett’s new General Hospital role of PCPD officer Joe Fitzpatrick have been released, given GH fans a glimpse of what’s to come when the character makes his debut on Monday’s upcoming May 18 episode.

Bennett is coming home to ABC soap operas, after beginning his career as All My Children’s JR Chandler some 25 years ago. The actor/host/producer shared that returning to the rigors of a daytime drama was not on his “bingo” card.  However, the minute he heard about the role, there was no question in his mind, he was going to go in, read for it, and make it his!

In preview of his upcoming debut, Jonathan spoke with TV Insider, where he detailed his feelings on playing Joe, “I feel like I hit the jackpot when this opportunity came because the character is something that I really wanted to play. I’ve never read something where I was like, ‘I have to do it,’ and when I read this, I called my agent and said, ‘I’m playing this character.’”

KNEW THIS ROLE WAS FOR ME

Confident that he would nab the role, he clearly was the choice of GH executive producer Frank Valentini too, with whom, Bennett shared is one of the reasons he couldn’t wait to step into the world of Port Charles, “I was very excited to work with the best of the best, like Frank Valentini. He’s a legend.”

The Hallmark Channel and Food Network staple also shared that once his casting was announced, the reaction he received, doubled-down his decision that being on General Hospital and playing Joe Fitzpatrick was the right move at this time in his career and his life.

“The outpouring of love from just the announcement made me really emotional. I was driving home, talking to my husband, and I started having tears roll down my face. It just feels so good to go somewhere where you’re so loved and you feel so supported before you even start. It felt like a weight was taken off my shoulders. I just was like, ‘Oh, this is exactly where I’m supposed to be.’”

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PREVIEW CLIP

In an exclusive clip released to PEOPLE.com on Friday, May 15, GH fans can get their first real glimpse of Bennett in the role of Joe Fitzpatrick. In the scene at the PCPD, Dante Falconeri (Dominic Zamprogna) asks, “Hey, dispatcher. What’s the story with this arrest?” To which Joe responds, “A call came in from the maître d’ at the Metro Court and he said there was some sort of argument, scuffle happening in the gardens and was concerned things were going to escalate and patrons would get injured. When we got there, it was obvious, things had escalated.”

That exchange leaves General Hospital fans wondering who was in the scuffle? Stay tuned.

So, will Dante put Joe on the case to help keep his son Rocco remain in the clear from shooting Cullum? Will Joe be a good guy, or could he be implanted at the PCPD by Sidwell or Cullum? What about the role that Jonathan Bennett read initially, do you think made it something that he really wanted to play? Share your thoughts and theories via the comment section below.