He hasn't done this since he was in high school. And then he had to be careful. His mother would flip if she knew. But he needs this tonight more than he needs to get drunk. Which is why he finds himself picking the lock of the diner. Oh sure he could just use the keys but this is more fun. This makes him feel like a Spencer. He goes in and turns on the light in the kitchen. That way it won't give off too much of a glow. Then he pulls out the ice cream and the hot fudge. The whip cream comes out once he's got the rest put away. Then there's the matter of the cherry. He takes the sundae out into the dining room and sets it on the counter. Then he hops up himself. He's about half way through when he hears the gun cock behind his head.

"You shoot me my Uncle Luke won't be very happy. And my mother will fire you quicker than you can say my name. Who knows Sonny might even have you killed."

"Lucas."

"Yeah. Look, this hasn't ever been a problem before. I didn't think it'd be one now."

"No, man it's fine." Shawn says putting the gun away.

"Good." Lucas says angrily.

"You all right?" Shawn asks. But Lucas can tell he doesn't really want to know.

"Fine. Probably just gonna stay here for a bit. You go do whatever it is you do. I'll lock up." Shawn nods then leaves.

Lucas sits in the dark for a while just staring out at the expanse of the diner. He's not sure why he's so upset. Yet he is. He goes into the kitchen to make himself another sundae when he hears the bell over the door jingle. He doesn't peek out at who it is. He doesn't really care.

"You are planning on making me one too, right?" The new voice asks.

"Depends, you gonna rat me out to my mother?"

"Why would I?"

"Oh that's right, you don't know." Lucas says cryptically as he starts another sundae."

"Lucas, what's going on?" The person asks laying a hand on his arm to still his movements.

"I don't do relationships for this very reason you know. In Seattle I'm known as "Love 'em and Leave 'em Lucas". Not that anyone at the hospital thinks I know it. I've a rep like Noah's. He and I have had a laugh or two about it. Wait, you do know who Noah is right?"

"Patrick's dad. Yeah. He tried to help Jason once. So this is about Brad." Sam says quietly.

"Yeah. I just… I don't know sending myself into a diabetic coma seemed like a better idea than getting drunk."

"Lucas!"

"Look a hot fudge sundae or two isn't going to send me into one. I can counteract it. Not that I care right now. Sam, I appreciate this, really. But I'd like to be alone. Here take this to go."

"You know where I am if you want to talk."

"Yeah thanks." Lucas is alone for all of five minutes. The bell jingles once more and Lucas pokes his head out from the kitchen to find the last person he expects.

"What are you doing here?"

"I saw the light. Thought I could get a late cup of coffee."

"Sorry, as you can see no pots are brewed." Lucas says as sarcastically as he can.

"Lucas, are you okay? I mean everyone's concerned with Nikolas and Doctor Westbourne and Lulu."

"Like you care. At least now I can't throw it in your face." Lucas says challenging Julian to stick around.

"Just because I'm not completely comfortable with your being gay doesn't mean I want to see you hurting."

"Who says I'm hurting?"

"You're sitting in semi darkness drowning your sorrows in ice cream."

"It was supposed to be a fling. But then I realized he understood me more than most. Better than anyone I've met. Being your son, and Luke Spencer's nephew…. It's a lot. But he understood it. Next thing I know I'm chasing him around like a lost puppy. I don't do that. Guys do that with me. They chase after me. I shouldn't be this pissed off. And yet I want to punch crap. I want to kick his ass. I want.." Lucas slams his hand on the counter then runs his hand through his hair.

"Can I just point something out?"

"What?" Lucas asks angrily.

"They didn't do this to a random person. They didn't steal some stranger's chance at a family. It was Lulu. Correct me if I'm wrong, but she's not only your adopted cousin, but one of your best friends. It's only natural you'd be angry."

"On her behalf yeah. I get that. But he… Damn it. I can't explain it." Julian is about to respond when his phone rings. He hits ignore before turning his attention back to his son. He only hopes the person calling will understand.

"Did you think he was a better person?"

"No, he'd told me he wasn't a nice guy. Hell, I'd started to put it together before Lulu dropped the bombshell at the party. But then Obrecht took responsibility and I thought okay she did it on her own. She's smart enough to have done it on her own. But I kept watching him the whole time. He kept shifting around. Like he was waiting for the other shoe to drop. I pulled him off to the side and asked him point blank what he'd done." Lucas has to stop and take a breath.

"Did he admit it to you?"

"What do you think?"

"Knowing what I know of Doctor Cooper I'd say no."

"You'd be right. He swore to me I'd misunderstood what he'd said earlier. I didn't buy it. I pushed the issue. He had no choice but to spill his guts. Then he begged me to understand. I asked him how I was supposed to wrap my head around it. He said I of all people should understand considering."

"Considering?"

"I don't know. Maybe he means the being adopted. Maybe he means the fact that we have so much in common. But I don't think so. Which pisses me off no end."

"You aren't going to find anything out sitting here, you know."

"If I go talk to him now I'm going to punch his lights out. Look, I appreciate this. Honestly. And it means a lot to me that you'd sit here and let me go on and on about a guy. But I'd really like to be alone." Lucas says trying to get his emotions in check.

"I don't mind just sitting here with you." Julian won't admit it to Lucas, but he's worried about him.

"I'm fine really. Besides your phone's been going off in your pocket for the last half an hour. Go take care of whatever it is. I'll be fine."

"All right. But if I come back by here and your still sitting in this same spot I'm coming in to check on you." Lucas just nods and watches Julian go.

He goes and cleans up the dishes. He checks to make sure everything is the same as it was when he came in then goes and locks up. He heads for the docks and just stares out at the water. He used to love doing this when he was little. He'd have Stefan's driver bring him over on the launch then sit and look out for a while before heading off to wherever it was he was going. He doesn't know how long he stays there. Doesn't care if he's honest, but he does come to a decision. He has a course of action in his head now. One that finally doesn't involve killing Brad for what he's done.

He goes and knocks on Brad's door. He's surprised when Britt Westbourne opens it, he almost leaves. But then decides against it. If he doesn't do this now he'll lose his nerve. He brushes past the woman just as Brad is coming out of the other room.

"Britt, could you give us a minute?" Brad asks.

"Of course." Britt says gathering her things.

Once they're alone the two men just stare at each other. Brad takes a step towards him then pauses when Lucas backs up. Lucas starts to pace. In his head his plan sounded like a good idea. Now he's not so sure.

"What did you mean when you said I should understand what you'd done considering?"

"Forget it. Forget I said it." Brad says heatedly.

"I can't. It's the one thing that's been bugging me more than anything else. Which is crazy considering what you did. So explain it to me. What did you mean?"

"It's not… Lucas, please just drop it. I don't want to cause any more trouble than I already have."

"Yeah right."

"I don't know what I was saying." Lucas gets in his face then and Brad takes a step back. He's not scared but the movement was so fast it catches him off guard.

"Don't lie to me. You knew exactly what you were saying. Now tell me what you meant." Brad goes over and sits on the edge of his bed, sighing as he does so.

"It's something the dragon lady said to me. She was threatening me. I just rolled my eyes but then I made the mistake of mentioning you. She said considering your mother had done the same thing she and Britt had done you really had no room to judge. I tried to get more out of her but she wouldn't elaborate. That's it I swear."

"How the hell does Obrecht know about that?" Lucas asks. He doesn't really expect an answer from Brad.

"Lucas?"

"Would you have told Lulu? Had the letter not come out, would you have told her yourself? Like you did with Connie?"

"I… this was so much worse than… I would have… I could have… I don't know." Brad finally says hanging his head.

"Right. Save your own ass and ignore the hell you're putting everyone else through. Of course. Why should I expect any less?"

"It's not like that."

"No, it's exactly like that."

"Lucas." Brad pleads.

"Don't. Just don't." Brad tries not to be hopeful when Lucas doesn't immediately leave. But Lucas is staring at the door and Brad's almost positive he's going to head for it. It surprises Brad when Lucas starts speaking quietly, pain evident in his voice.

"My mother bought me from this black market lawyer. When she found out my birth mother hadn't wanted to give me up for adoption in the first place she didn't immediately give me back. But then I got sick and she had no choice. When my birth mother died, Bobbie and my Aunt Tiffany fought over me in court. Not unlike what's going on with Lulu and Britt. But then Scott Baldwin played my mother's video will. The courts decided to abide by her wishes. I've been with Bobbie ever since. I don't remember much of it. I remember saying goodbye to Aunt Tiffany before she and Uncle Sean moved to Boston. But other than that I don't remember any of the other stuff. I mean the being sick I do, 'cause I was sick a lot as a kid. My point is, considering all of that I don't understand how you could willing do that to Lulu. I don't understand how you could willing put her through the hell she's going through now. So explain it to me Brad. Please. Because…" Lucas stops when Brad turns him to face him.

"Why are you bothering with me? I mean Felix wants nothing to do with me again. So why are you bothering?"

"I don't know."

They stare at each other again for a while. Lucas isn't sure how much time passes. At one point he goes over and sits next to Brad. He doesn't want to throw this away. And he knows he should. Lulu, hell no one in his family, is going to understand why he's still giving Brad the time of day. Yet he can't make himself leave.

"I wanted to tell everyone what I knew. But then things got out of control and I couldn't. Especially once the dragon lady showed up in town."

"You could have said something at Connie's christening. And don't act like you couldn't have."

"I know. But…"

"But you wanted your cushy position and you wanted to save your own ass." Lucas says and this time there's an almost teasing quality to it. Brad once again has to stamp down the hope.

"I… Fine I wanted to save my own ass. Look I'm not some prince charming."

"I'm more than aware. I should walk out of here and not turn back."

"But?"

"I know what it's like to want to do the right thing and have things spiral to a point where you can't. I've seen it happen with Carly more times than I care to count. Look, I'm not saying that I can get over this overnight. You kept Lulu from her child. But I'm also not saying I want to cut you out of my life either. Give me a little time."

"I can do that."

"Good. I should go." Lucas says getting up.

"Do you… no of course you should. You're right."

"Brad, I mean it. Give me a little time." Brad nods as he closes the door.

A little time ends up only being a few days. Lucas mopes around so bad that Lulu finally asks him what's wrong. When he explains everything to her and tells her that he misses Brad, she makes a lunch date with Brad behind Lucas's back. She doesn't pull any punches. She's still extremely angry at Brad for what he's done. But she listens to what he has to say. So does Dante, when he joins them. She doesn't exactly give Lucas her blessing, but she also says she'll get everyone to just let him be. He calls Brad and asks him to meet him on the docks.

"Care to tell me why we're meeting here and not somewhere a bit more civilized?"

"Meaningful talks on the docks are legendary in this town. Didn't you know?"

"No, I somehow missed that." Brad says with a chuckle.

"So." Brad says after a few moments of silence.

"You should know Lulu told me everything you told her. She wanted me to know so I could understand why she was willing to get everyone off my back where you're concerned."

"I expected as much."

"I… Look could you maybe promise to not screw anyone over anymore?" Lucas asks looking like a lost little boy to Brad

"I can promise to try." Brad says stepping closer and taking Lucas's hand.

"I can work with that." Lucas says giving Brad the first real smile he's seen since this whole mess began.

Brad moves even closer and then Lucas cups his cheek and kisses him. It's a kiss filled with promise and longing. And if Brad's completely honest, is the best kiss he's ever had. Lucas pulls away and rest his forehead against Brad's.

"This a Port Charles legend too?" Brad asks.

"Yeah." Lucas says kissing him lightly again.

They just stay like that for a moment, relishing being in each other's presence. Brad kisses Lucas again, a bit more heatedly than before and Lucas chuckles into the kiss. Then he takes Brad's hand and leads him up the stairs away from the pier. They walk hand in hand back to Brad's place. Brad calls in sick for the rest of the week. Lucas doesn't go home. And if they spend the entire time in bed who's to know.