Zander and Elizabeth became close, sharing in good times and bad, as well as one night of love. But Zander soon realized that he and Elizabeth would never have a real relationship because she was in love with Jason. Feeling rejected once again, Zander lashed out by going to another of Sonny and Jason's enemies, the evil drug lord Luis Alcazar. But the plan to sneak onto Alcazar's yacht and sell information backfired when Luis ordered his men to knock Zander out and throw him overboard.

Zander survived, but suffered from amnesia. Elizabeth found him and took care of him once again, enlisting Jason's help after she and Zander narrowly escaped one of Alcazar's hit men. Zander's memory soon returned. The slate with Sonny was wiped clean and Zander renewed his friendship with Elizabeth. It seemed Zander was turning his life around. For the first time in his life since Emily, things were going his way.

Then one day Zander's father, Cameron Lewis, showed up in town. Memories of a hunting trip in which Zander had fatally shot his brother, Peter, resurfaced. The guilt, compounded by his father's cruelty, caused Zander to seek solace in drugs. An overdose sent Zander to the hospital and into counseling.

Cameron attempted to reconnect with his son, but Zander wanted nothing to do with him. Eventually father and son were brought together by circumstances, as well as the admission that Peter's death was actually a suicide. Cameron confessed that his own guilt and fear is what made him push Zander away. In time they became somewhat amicable.

Emily Quartermaine (nuEmily) returned home a changed woman. Zander was thrilled to see her and it seemed as though they were able to pick up where they had left off. But nuEmily pushed him away, not wanting him to know she had breast cancer and would probably die soon. She enlisted the help of longtime friend, Nikolas Cassadine, in convincing Zander she had fallen in love with Nikolas.

After several mixed signals, breakups and makeups, Zander had finally had enough. He walked away from nuEmily and started to build a relationship with Gia Campbell, Nikolas's ex-girlfriend. Cameron convinced Zander to fight for nuEmily, so Zander followed his father's advice. nuEmily took Zander back and they were happy for awhile, until nuEmily was hospitalized. Chemo wasn't working.