Robert and Lexie looked suspiciously at each other. "What better life choices would you have made Robert?" Lexie asked again with an accusing tone. He said nothing.

He was pissed. Pissed not only that she could think that he would question being with her but also at the fact that she was right about the drinking. He had been hiding behind it but his stubborn side wouldn't let him give in. It seemed like one of their classic battle of wills but this time it was for a far grander prize and he knew that he had two choices. Give in and admit that she was right or go with his normal pattern of winning at whatever the cost.

"You can't be seriously asking if I still would have asked you to marry me if I hadn't been drinking." She said nothing. He turned and walked out the door to the hotel room, slamming the door behind him, causing Lexie to jump at the sound. She slouched down on the sofa and touched her stomach with her hand.

"Your mom really did it this time little one." She whispered as her hand caressed the round lump under her shirt. She stood and walked into the other room where Max slept quietly. She lay down next to him and pulled him close. The talk had not gone how she had hoped. He had become defensive very quickly and that usually meant that he knew she was right although it held no victory for her. She felt herself drift off and jumped when she heard the knocking on the door to the hotel room. She looked at Max, who was sound asleep and quickly went to answer the door before he woke up. She was sure that it was Robert who had forgotten his key, which made it all the more startling when she came face to face with Landon.

He stood stone faced as he always did, an air of superiority surrounding him. Lexie had no idea what to do or why he was there. She knew that there was no way he was getting into the room no matter what he did he would not get near Max.

"What do you want?" She hissed and he just grinned. She was always such a spitfire, that had driven him mad but it had somehow always turned him on when she got like this.

"I just heard about Michael, Sara and Kelly and I wanted to extend my condolences to Max."

Lexie shook her head. "No, he is asleep and you are not getting anywhere near him."

Landon was getting annoyed. "Lexie, don't be so dramatic. I just wanted to see how both you and he were doing. I know how close you and Sara were and I just wanted to be sure everything was alright."

Lexie couldn't tell if he was being sincere or not.

"Just leave, he is fine and so am I."

Landon didn't waiver. "Let me in Lexie, I want to see the boy." He pushed past her and into the sitting area of the room. She followed, she knew that she was no physical match for him but she wouldn't let him in the bedroom come hell or high water.

"If you don't leave I am going to call the police. I am not kidding either Landon. Go."

He laughed and walked towards the door to the bedroom and she blocked him as he reached it. "I am serious!" She yelled and his expression changed. Nothing pissed him off more that when she talked back to him. She had no right to ever tell him what to do and he had hoped that she had learned that over the years but it was apparent that she hadn't. He stood in her face and grinned at the fear he saw in her eyes.

"You aren't as tough as you act are you Lexie? I can see it all in your eyes. You are just a terrified little girl that doesn't know what to do so you have the nerve to yell at me?" His warm breath on her face made her stomach turn. He was right, she was terrified but she couldn't give in to it. Their eyes were locked in defiance and she took a deep breath and stood taller.

"I asked you to leave and I am not going to say it again." She hissed and he grinned again.

"And then what are you going to do Lex? Hit me? Kill me?" He laughed and his hand grabbed her face, pulling it closer to his as his smiled faded and she saw the familiar look in his eyes. "You aren't going to do shit because you are weak, weak and pathetic. You always have been." They were having a standoff with their eyes and Lexie didn't dare to even blink. She knew that he could snap at any minute and she couldn't let that happen. His hand released her face with a shove and the back of her head slammed into the door behind her. Her hand went to the spot where it had hit and she could already feel the pain starting. She looked up at him but tried to show no fear.

"Leave, now." She said and pointed to the front door. He grinned and she saw what was about to happen before it did. His hand recoiling, his open palm coming at her, the smacking sound as it made with the contact to her face. She could taste the blood in her mouth and she looked at him in shock as his hand pulled back again, this time with a closed fist.

Robert sat at the bar in the hotel lobby brooding. He shouldn't have left. He knew that had been a dumb move but he needed to remove himself from the situation before he said something he would regret. He looked at the glass of scotch in front of him. He had ordered it almost a half an hour earlier but it had sat untouched. He knew if he drank it he wouldn't stop and he owed too many people to not do it.

"Dr. Romano?" He looked up at Carter standing next to him with a suitcase hanging over his shoulder.

"What are you doing here Carter? Did Lexie call you?"

John shook his head. "No, I knew that with everything that was going on with my father and now Max that an extra pair of hands might come in handy."

Robert nodded and gestured to the chair next to him. "Can I buy you a drink?"

John nodded and sat down. He had no idea where his sister was but he figured he would find out eventually.

Lexie slouched on the floor, holding her stomach. This couldn't possibly be happening her mind kept screaming. She tasted nothing but blood from his last punch and she just prayed that she could get him to stop or escape somehow before he hit her in the stomach. She was feeling really dizzy and sick and begged herself to not pass out. Landon grabbed her by the hair and pulled her up to face him. He actually looked proud of himself. She decided that she had one chance; she could use the fact that she had never fought back to her advantage. Her foot connected with his groin and he let his grip on her hair go as he grasped himself. She pushed him away from her and went for the door to the bedroom. It had a lock on it and if she could get in there she could call the police. She had turned the handle when his hand grasped the back of her neck and flung her to the ground. His foot connected with the lower part of her back and she screamed out in pain.

"So, um, where is Barbara?" John asked as he took a drink of his beer. It was incredibly uncomfortable sitting there with Romano trying to make small talk and he just wished that they could go upstairs and he could get settled into his room.

"She is upstairs with Max. I just needed a breather so I came down here but I know that she will be pissed if she knew you were down here all this time without saying hello." Robert threw some money on the bar and stood, signaling John to do the same. They walked into the lobby and Robert stopped. "I need to grab something from the gift shop." Carter nodded.

"Yeah, I need to get checked in so I will meet up with you later."

Robert nodded and went to the gift shop to see if he could find the worlds biggest bouquet of flowers. He had been a horses ass and hoped that she would at least let him back into the room. He looked around and decided that he would just buy two bouquets and a toy for Max. The cashier was on the phone and Robert was getting annoyed.

"Excuse me." He said and she gestured that it would be a second. He sighed.

Landon kicked her again and then knelt down next to her swollen face. "Don't you ever disrespect me again, do you hear me?"

She was crying from the pain. He kissed her forehead and grinned at her. "And see, now you have made me late for my tennis game. I will have to visit with Max another time." He stood and wiped his hand off with a silk handkerchief. He stopped as he reached the door and turned to face her. "Have a nice day." He said and laughed as he walked out of the room. He walked to the elevators and hit the down button as Lexie passed out.

"Have a nice day." The cashier said as she handed Robert his change. Robert raised an eyebrow at her and walked out. Carter was standing waiting for the elevator and Robert debated if he should wait to approach it in fear that he and Carter would have to ride up in another uncomfortable silence but he figured Lexie would have to let him in if Carter were there so he decided to suck it up. They nodded as he approached and they both looked at the elevator numbers as they flashed as to what floor they were on. Both were headed down as about the same speed and Carter pictured them having a race in his mind. The first elevator dinged and the doors opened and Robert and John got on as the second door opened and Landon got off.

Max wobbled out from the bedroom and opened the door. He had heard someone yelling and at first had been to scared to get out of bed but when he heard the door open he figured everyone had left and took a chance. He spotted his Aunt Rex lying on the ground; there was blood all over her, just like there had been on his mommy. "Aunt Rex?" He asked and when she made no response he shook her. "Aunt Rex?!" He yelled and started to cry. She had gone away just like his mommy and now he was going to have to go back to the scary house again. He knelt down and hugged her body with his own as he cried.

Robert and Carter got off on their floor and headed for Robert and Lexie's room. As they got to the door they heard Max crying and Robert paused for a second. He had no idea how he would comfort a crying child while trying to make Lexie forgive him. Carter looked at him as he paused and Robert finally took the card key out of his pocket and slid it into the lock. The door opened and both men froze.