What happens when the only person standing in your way is you?
Author's Notes: We're so excited that we were able to post this newest fic on this forum! Beth and I came up with the idea a few days ago and decided that we should combine our talents for each of our couples! You might know her more commonly as AdamPascalFan if you've visited any L&L2 fan board. We're both crazy about reviews and constructive criticism (please don't post "Please Update Soon")! This fic is AU and you'll find the summary below!
Summary: Patrick is a freelance photographer and Lucky's cousin. They're friends with Cruz Rodrguez. Cruz is a magazine editor and carrying on a secret affair with one of the characters in the story. The knowledge would put severe strain on his friends. Lucky runs the Art Department for L&B with Ned and Lois. Cameron is his biological son with an original character. Elizabeth is Cam's Pre-K Kindergarten teacher. She returned to Port Charles to take care of Grams when the older woman is injured. Robin and Courtney live together at the loft. Robin owns a bakery. She inherited custody of Morgan Corinthos when Carly was murdered and Sonny was sent to prison (along with Jason) for a series of crimes committed. Michael (aka Evil Muppet) went to live with A.J. Morgan hasn't spoken a word since Carly's death. Robin and Patrick are nothing short of adversaries thrown into similiar situations at one time or another. Patrick is a lady's man (nothing AU about that) and Robin is a recently divorced woman trying to raise a child that isn't hers.
Cruz Rodriguez signaled the bartender as soon as he sat down. He was in for a wait, that much he knew. It didn't matter how long he and his friends had been meeting like this, he was always the first to arrive. As the bartender placed his usual order of a longneck Budweiser down, Cruz sighed in a combination of relief and mock annoyance. He loved his friends. He did. So his show of irritation at their habitual lateness was as much for show as their constant promises to never do it again. It didn't matter tonight though. It was Guy's Night. The Red Wings were playing the Rangers tonight. He had finally completed the layout for the next issue of Port Charles Insider, the small magazine he was the editor of, after several computer crashes and writers who didn't understand the concept of deadline. He had a hot date with his new lady love scheduled for after the game. Nothing could go wrong tonight.
Patrick Drake stepped into Jake's, a corner bar known for its underage drinking and one-night stands. He ran a hand through his thick chocolate hair, catching the eye of a pretty redhead to his right. He paid her the compliment of a passing glance, but sex wasn't on the agenda tonight. Patrick crossed the room and nodded toward Coleman to which the bartender's response was to pour him his usual whiskey and coke. The sun had just begun to set, and already the bar was hopping to life. Port Charles worked as a hot spot for tourists who were wary of the true New York City experience. The town had been feared years ago when it was run by a short, but forceful kingpin and his brain-dead assassin. Both had been thrown in prison for a long string of crimes, so, other than a few accidents, there was nothing all that special about the place.
Cruz spotted his old college roommate easily enough. Even in the thickening crowd, he commanded attention. If Cruz hadn't known him for so long and hadn't experienced the side benefits that came with hanging out with such a magnet for female attention, he probably would have hated him. Placing his hand on the back of his friend's shoulder he joked, "For someone who never misses a deadline, one would think you could show up when the game starts."
"I never miss a deadline, because my clients are superficial, impatient assholes who demand that I take their picture a hundred different ways." Patrick clarified matter-of-factly.
"Losing your touch so soon old man?" Patrick had recently been the first one of them to turn 25, something Cruz was not going to let him forget. "My how soon old age takes away the skills of youth!"
"Women appreciate the skills of the mature." Patrick assured his friend. "Where's my slut of a cousin anyway?"
Cruz shrugged and glanced at his watch. "Its only ten minutes after the time we agreed to meet. So he's another twenty minutes from showing up."
The men turned toward the rather uneventful game. Patrick would be lying if he said he really came for the game. He came for the attention. He came for the alcohol. He came for the women. "Hey, buddy; will you do me a favor?"
"Does it involve me going to Mexico to get rid of your date again?"
"Not so far as Mexico. I'm feeling generous." Patrick nodded toward the looming redhead who stood a mere ten feet away. "You might be able to convince her you're me. It worked in that movie right?"
"Oh well if it worked in a movie." He finished off his beer and caught the bartender's eye for another. He grinned as he realized that his favorite one had started her shift. "Sorry buddy, my heart is already taken." As she neared the two friends, Cruz smiled his best smile. Sure he had a girlfriend, but she didn't mind his flirting. He was never going to do anything more than that. "Brenda, love of my life. Why don't you let me take you away from all this?"
"And give up the game? Cruz, don't you know me at all?" The tall brunette answered, pouring herself a drink and slamming it back. She didn't cringe. She couldn't taste the scotch. Patrick regarded his friends with mild amusement, knowing full well that no one had ever come between Brenda and herself. Cruz would adore her if she gave him half the chance, but she was allergic to monogamy.
"You wound me m'lady. You wound me." Cruz winked at her as she passed his beer towards her.
She grabbed a few dark beverages from behind her, poured it all in a tall glass, and took a long drink, a look of disgust playing across her features. "It tastes like one of Patrick's lame come-ons." She explained. Patrick glared darkly at her. "Is that girl sick or something? She's leaning into you." She told Patrick. The redhead was a persistent one, and, on any other night he might have taken it as a compliment, added her to the proverbial bedpost, but nothing came between him and his night out with the guys. Once Lucky showed, they would lose themselves in a wave of smoke and alcohol.
Almost as if he had read his cousin's mind, Lucky Spencer materialized right next to them. "It's a little early for the desperate to be looking at my cousin like he's a piece of meat isn't it?"
The girl straightened, frowned, and jumped backwards.
"What would you know about being early?" Cruz good-naturedly ribbed him. "Did Cameron flush your watch down the toilet again?"
"It's lucky for him they're all fakes anyway." Patrick teased, signaling for Brenda to bring him something stronger.
"Well the ones from you guys are anyways." Lucky took a satisfied swallow from the drink Brenda has passed him, a scotch neat. He and his father didn't admit to sharing much in common, but the love of a clean good scotch was apparently genetic. "Cameron really enjoyed your picture today, cuz. They are his favorite coloring pages."
Brenda half listened to the conversations around her, but only one caught her attention. She glanced over Lucky's right shoulder to take a look at the tiny ring a circle of women were "ooh-ing" and "ahh-ing" about. It was pathetic. The girl, who couldn't have been nineteen, should have been able to tell the difference between a Harry Winston's and a Cracker Jacks prize.
"I'm really glad I can keep your son entertained." Patrick replied dryly.
"How's my favorite godson?" Brenda interjected.
Lucky smiled. "He's fine. It took me forever to explain to him that he couldn't come with me to see you at work."
"At least he knows how to treat women. Patrick, here, can't be much of an example." Brenda declared. She ignored his indignant, "hey!"
Lucky nodded sagely. "Well I do tell him to do the exact opposite of whatever Patrick does."
"Cruz, back me up here." Patrick pleaded.
Cruz smirked. "You can handle yourself. I mean it worked in that movie right?"
"I have half a mind to leave you both stranded and stumbling." Patrick grumbled, smiling.
Lucky slapped Patrick on the back. "You got the half a mind part right at least. You would never do that to us."
"Not if you want Laura to feed you every week you won't." Cruz added helpfully.
"She'd love me regardless."
Lucky was about to respond when the volume of the crowd began to rise around them. The Rangers were on a power play and were flying down the ice to the net. Forgetting their good-natured teasing for the minute, the three men joined in the chanting, as if their collective voices would will the puck in the net from hundreds of miles away.
"Oh shit!" Brenda flew behind the bar. Not two minutes after the final score had been announced and there were already four fights breaking out around them. Patrick followed her movement with his eyes, half expecting her to find her hiding. He jumped back when he noticed the rifle in her hands.
"Gentleman, my father always taught me that when the lady is holding a gun, its time to call it a night." Lucky announced as they ducked a bottle flying by them.
"Is there a back door, Bren?" Patrick wondered. She pointed behind her and then started letting off a round of high-pitched shots. Everyone hit the floor.
"Let's make a break for it." Cruz whispered urgently. Getting shot was very low on his list of fun things to do on a weeknight. The three darted in the direction Brenda had indicated and found the door easily enough.
"I don't get it." Patrick mused later. "How can some men find armed women sexy? She scared the hell out of me!"
"It does ruin the whole damsel in distress thing" Cruz agreed. He checked his watch. He had an hour to make his date, and he knew both his friends would have to leave soon. Patrick had his morning staff meeting he had to attend and Lucky had his son at home. Still he needed to suggest they go somewhere else to avoid questions. He hadn't exactly told them he was seeing someone. Not that they wouldn't appreciate him being in a relationship. It was just the matter of who he was in a relationship with. It was much easier to pretend nothing had changed than to explain what had.
Patrick regarded Cruz's silence, but didn't call him on it. He glanced over at Lucky, but, as usual, his overworked cousin was a little dim to the situation.
Finally Cruz spoke. "So you want to hit that new jazz club over on Elm Street?"
"Do you suppose this number belongs to Veronica or Vanessa?" Patrick inquired, motioning toward the outside of his right palm.
"Do you ever meet women that don't sound like they belong to a sorority?" Lucky asked.
"What was wrong with Bubbly? She had...a lot of great qualities."
"Yes, her qualities were outstanding. But you can't date her. She drinks Zima." Cruz shuddered. "It's not even real alcohol."
"This may come as a surprise to you, but I don't need women to be inebriated to sleep with me and dating is a waste of time. Some of the best relationships I've ever had were the result of a successful one-night stand."
"What about Cynthia?" Cruz meddled.
"I'm not drunk enough for this conversation." Patrick countered. "Maybe we should talk about what Cruz was doing in the back of the bar and who he was whispering to on the phone."
"It's called responsibility my man. I am the man and I am constantly needed. Don't hate me because I'm the best."
"You're not the best. You're the one they call on when I'm busy."
"Really? That's why you're always available to baby-sit then?" Lucky grinned.
"I take pity on you."
"Just keep telling yourself that cousin. Whatever helps you sleep alone at night"
"As much fun as this has been, I've got a pressing engagement waiting for me at home. Later." Patrick hailed a cab.
"Online porn or did he get a new video?"
Lucky paused to consider it. "Oh it's Thursday night. He's got Supernatural TIVO-ed."
Cruz nodded in understanding. "Ah yes. Jensen and Jared. That must be it."
"It still creeps me out that you know who they are."
"My staff is mostly female. I know far too much about Jared, Jensen, The Gilmore Girls, Desperate Housewives, and daytime TV in general." He glanced at his watch again. He was going to be pushing it. "So man, you up for the jazz club or are you a punk like your cousin?"
"Sorry man. We'll hit it next time. I promised Cameron I would take him to breakfast before school tomorrow and that kid of mine gets up early."
"Definitely didn't get that from you." Cruz offered a wave as Lucky started to walk towards his car. "Later my man."
"Later."
He stood a moment and made sure Lucky got into his car before he took out his cell phone and pressed the speed dial button.
"Baby? Yeah, I'm on my way. I'll see you in about 15 minutes."