Ava Cassadine (Maura West)

Ava Jerome is a fictional character on the ABC daytime soap opera General Hospital. She is portrayed by Maura West starting May 8th, 2013.

Introduction
Ava answers the door and Luke Spencer introduces himself. Ava reveals that she is the mother of Lauren Frank and tells Luke the story of she and Franco met and he had a charming side. After they knew that she was pregnant, she realized that Franco had a darker side and wanted to keep Lauren away from it. Luke lets Ava know that Franco is biologically a Quartermaine, and Lauren is entitled to shares of the family company, ELQ. He gives her a proxy statement to hand over to Lauren, signing in favor of Tracy Quartermaine. Luke leaves and Morgan Corinthos walks down the staircase. Morgan ran to Ava's house when the people who he owed money threatened to come after him. It's later revealed that Morgan is dating her daughter, Kiki (later revealed to be short for Lauren Katherine Jerome).

Arrival in Port Charles
Ava and Kiki talk about the situation with Morgan. Ava convinces Kiki to go to Port Charles to be with Morgan, and she soon comes too. She tracks down Tracy, and tells her she will get her daughter to sign over her shares in exchange for a large sum of money. Tracy agrees, wanting control of ELQ. Ava tells Kiki that her father is the serial killer Franco and that he is the twin brother of Jason Morgan and also the grandson of late Edward Quartermaine, which entitles Kiki to a piece of the shares of the company ELQ. Ava tries to get Kiki to sign over her shares, but Kiki angrily disagrees to sign when Ava reveals she was bribed into getting Kiki's signature. Ava also meets Duke Lavery, when Ava goes to ELQ to talk to AJ Quartermaine, and they have a conversation about her surname of Jerome. Duke has a past with the Jerome mob family.

Franco is revealed to be alive, and Ava tries to keep him away from Kiki. However, Kiki eventually comes to the Quartermaine house, where Franco is, and ends up moving in, along with Morgan. Ava tries to blackmail Franco into leaving Kiki alone by revealing that she knows Franco was the one who poisoned the ELQ relish. It's revealed that Ava was the one who shot Olivia Falconeri in a botched attempt to kill Franco. Ava agrees to let Franco have a relationship with Kiki, while Franco agrees to help Ava take over ELQ using his shares. The two move into the Quartermaine mansion, pretending to be a couple.

Old flames
Ava spots Dr. Silas Clay when she goes to find Kiki and Ava gets Silas to agree to go get some coffee. The coffee conversation doesn't end well, with Silas leaving Kelly's and Ava storming out soon after. It is revealed that Ava and Silas had a romantic relationship and Silas is the true father of her daughter, Kiki. Ava tries to keep Silas from finding out that Kiki is his daughter, but Silas is still suspicious about Kiki's paternity. Morgan, meanwhile, catches Ava lying to Silas, and Ava admits to him that Silas is actually Kiki's biological father. However, she convinces him to keep it a secret from Kiki because if she finds out, she might leave Morgan for his brother, Michael, whom she's attracted to, but who she thinks is her cousin. Morgan, desperate to hold onto Kiki, agrees to keep the secret.

Franco is beaten up and admitted to the hospital, where the doctors later diagnose him with a potentially fatal brain tumor. Franco agrees to undergo surgery for it, but before he does, he signs over his shares of ELQ to Ava, giving her voting rights. Ava stages a coup with Tracy, planning to take the company once Tracy has control of it, by voting Franco's shares in favor of Tracy. However, Kiki sides with AJ, and the Quartermaines' housekeeper, Alice, switches sides, meaning AJ keeps his position as CEO. Ava is disappointed, and tries to figure out another plan. Meanwhile, she gets a visit from Duke, who is still suspicious Ava is tied to the Jerome mob family, especially because he's found out that Ava has a mysterious financial backer funding her activities. Ava writes him off and leaves.

Family ties
Ava shows up at the office of Crimson magazine, where it's revealed she knows the publisher, Derek Wells. She addresses Derek as Julian, and it's revealed that he's actually Julian Jerome, head of the Jerome mob and Ava's brother. The two of them plan to take control of Port Charles again, as their family once had in the 1980's. They are targeting Sonny Corinthos, who currently controls the mob business in Port Charles. Julian is disappointed because of Ava's failed scheme to take over ELQ. However, Ava tells Julian that Kiki is engaged to Sonny's son, and that will provide her leverage. It's also revealed that Ava & Julian are behind the gambling scam that put Morgan in debt, and she is playing him so Morgan will be in her debt.

Silas lets slip to Ava that he had a DNA test run on Kiki. When he refuses to back down on Ava's insistence, Ava reports him to the chief of staff, Dr. Monica Quartermaine. Ava then takes the results from Monica to ensure no one knows the truth. Silas refuses to back down and plans to tell Kiki, but Ava threatens him to not go anywhere near her daughter. However, Connie Falconeri has already acquired Kiki's birth certificate and published the story in the newspaper by the time Ava stops Silas. Ava finds out and tries to locate Kiki, but runs into Silas, and finally admits that Kiki's his daughter. He storms out, angry, and Ava goes and confronts Julian for publishing the story. Julian, though, thinks it's an advantage since Tracy now has control and tells Ava to secure her position in ELQ, which Ava does by threatening Tracy with switching Franco's vote to support AJ.

Planning Sonny's takedown
Ava goes looking for her daughter at General Hospital, when Kiki goes to tell Franco that they're not father and daughter. The two of them are angry at Ava, who tries to explain herself. However, Kiki tells Ava she's now married to Morgan. Ava's shocked, and realizes Morgan married Kiki so she couldn't leave him. Franco lets Ava know she's not off the hook with him, and Kiki also tells her to stay away from her and Morgan, even though Ava wishes them well. Ava later comes by and blackmails Morgan, saying that she could expose his lies and reconcile with her daughter. Morgan, though, is desperate to hold onto Kiki, and tells Ava he is willing to do anything to make sure Kiki never finds out. Ava agrees to hold onto the favor, and leaves. Ava is thrown out of the Quartermaine house, as is Franco, who admits to Tracy that he poisoned the relish. They both end up staying at the Metro Court.

Ava goes to visit Sonny, wanting his help to arrange a wedding reception for Morgan and Kiki. Sonny, though, doesn't want to because he is mourning the death of his girlfriend, Connie. Ava realizes that Sonny is supposed to be taking medication that he's not, and is behaving erratically, as a result. She goes and tells Kiki about the party, but Kiki doesn't want it. Morgan, though, convinces her to have it, and Kiki agrees on the condition that Silas is invited, as well. Later, Ava meets Julian at the pier, where they meet their associate, Vince, who was kidnapped by Sonny's men, Shawn Butler & Max Giambetti. He admits that he told them his boss' name, but doesn't think they'll buy it since everyone believes Julian is dead. Julian, however, kills Vince, and Ava throws his body into the water.

At the party, Ava sees Silas and gets him to agree to a dance with her. She tries to convince him to give their relationship another chance, but Silas refuses. Ava kisses him to change his mind, but he pushes her away, and runs after Sam Morgan. Meanwhile, Sonny reveals to the guests that Morgan knew about Kiki's paternity before they married, and has been lying ever since. Ava goes to find Silas, and overhears him telling Sam that he wants nothing to do with Ava, and he's interested in Sam. Ava tries to scare Sam off by claiming that Silas has dark secrets. Sam dares her to reveal them, and Ava backs off. Silas and Sam leave, and Ava breaks a vase in her meltdown.

Relationship with Morgan
Ava goes back to her room, where Morgan shows up. He reveals that Kiki has left him after finding out the truth about him lying to her. After overhearing Silas commenting that he doesn't want anything to do with Ava and Morgan losing his wife, the two heartbroken people talk and console each other. Morgan kisses Ava and she initially doesn't want it, but succumbs to it and has sex with her son-in-law. The next day, the two of them are discovered first by Carly, who wants to kick Ava out, then by Michael & Kiki. Morgan refuses to

Crimes committed

 * Ran an online illegal gambling ring to scam students and knowingly lured Morgan Corinthos into gambling debt with the help of Julian Jerome [pre−April 2013]
 * Attempted to kill Sonny [Jun 2013]
 * Shot Olivia Falconeri while trying to aim for Sonny [Jun 2013]