1997: PORT CHARLES debuts on June 1. Frank Scanlon, Jr. is introduced as a family guy who works as an EMT.

Frank and Julie Devlin (Lisa Ann Hadley) grow closer over the summer, and their friendship eventually turns into romance.

1998: Frank and Julie become involved with teen runaway Lark (Anastasia Horne), who is more than a handful. Lark steals, does drugs and is out to break up Frank and Julie so she can have Frank for herself.

Frank is injured while preventing Lark from jumping off the General Hospital roof, and his condition is critical. Dr. Bennett Devlin comes to the rescue with an experimental drug, DL-56, which saves his life. Unfortunately, Frank becomes addicted to the drug; Frank adopts Lark; when Julie is arrested for the General Homicide murders, Frank stays by her side. Later, Julie surprises him with the news that she's pregnant with his child.