Sami looked up from setting the table as the door opened and Lucas walked in. His hair was wet from his shower and he offered her a weary smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. Despite the soothing effects a shower was supposed to have, he did not look any more refreshed than when she had left him.

Taking a deep breath she smiled as brightly as she could, "Hey, you ready for breakfast? I think Will might make it home in time."

He settled into a kitchen chair, "What're we having?"

"French toast. I know I'm not the best cook in the world, but we've braved this one before. We'll just stick with maple syrup, if that's okay."

"It's fine."

He let a brief smile grace his face until Sami turned back to the stove. It was sweet that she was trying to act like everything was normal, but there was a cold ache in his body that he couldn't get rid of, no matter how hard he tried.

"Alright, let's eat before it gets cold. I guess Will can have something else if he's hungry."

She set down the food on both their plates and sat down. For the first few minutes she attempted conversation, but when Lucas failed to respond with more than one word answers, she filled the silence with idle chatter. All talkdied down a few minutes after that.

Suddenly, she wasn't as hungry as she had been when she had started the meal. Lucas was barely even pushing his French toast around his plate. Tentatively she reached across the table to cover his hand, "Are you okay?"

He met her gaze with a carefully guarded look, "I'm fine."

He looked away before she could ask any more and got up to scrape his uneaten food into the garbage before putting in the sink.

Sami bit her lip and looked down at the table, willing herself not to get upset. He had just found out that his mother had done the unforgivable; she couldn't expect him to be thinking about her feelings right now. He didn't mean to shut her out.He just had to deal with things in his own way.

She would just have to let him know that she was here if he wanted to talk about it. She could tal…

Her thoughts were interrupted as the slouched figure of her son entered the apartment, not quite disguising his wish to slam the door. He entered the room, no doubt expecting it to be empty, butshe was in no way prepared to see the wounded glare he sent his father upon noticing him.

"Why's he here?"

She saw the shock register on Lucas's face and knew this could get ugly.

"He's your father, why shouldn't he be here?"

"You know what he did!"

Somehow, though he couldn't explain how, Lucas snapped out of his shock, "Buddy, sit down. What's the matter?"

"I know what you did. I heard them talking about it, everyone's talking about it," stormed over to confront his father, barely able to contain his shaking, "How could you? How could you cheat on Mom? You ruined everything!"

"William Roberts! You can't talk to your father that way. Listen to me…"

"No. How can you even look at him?"

"You will sit down and listen to me right now. You got that?"

Will flopped down on the couch, sure to let his anger continue showing. Lucas looked paler than she could ever remember seeing him before and his face was tight with pain. There was an icy, hard look to his eyes that she didn't like. Stiffly, he moved to join them in the living room.

………………………………...

"I can't believe she did that."

Will looked at him in wonder with a dash of anger that Lucas could see beginning to brew. He had hoped that he could have avoided telling Will why they were cutting Kate out of the family picture, but it seemed the gossips of Salem had made that impossible.

The thought made him tighten his fists until his nails were digging into his skin, but he could barely feel it. Not only could he have lost Sami, but Will would have been affected in the worst way imaginable. It was too much to take.

His son met his eyes reluctantly and he could tell that Will was feeling guilty for his reaction. But it wasn't Will's fault. It was her fault.

"I'm sorry, Dad," Will looked at him miserably and he couldn't stand it. He moved over to the couch and put his arm around the younger boy's shoulders.

"It's okay, bud, I would have been angry, too. But we should be happy right now. Kate didn't break your mom and me up. Everything'll be fine."

"I hate her," he looked up at his father, his eyes brimming with tears, "I know I shouldn't, but I hate her."

Lucas pulled him closer in a hug, "I know, Will, I know."

………………………………...

Lucas popped a fry into his mouth unconsciously and continued reading his newspaper. The world was full of muggings, terrorists, and death. Nothing new.

Sami was out shopping or something and Will had to work with his friend on a project, which left him to amuse himself. He didn't feel up for company, but being alone made it too easy for his thoughts to prey upon him. The bustle and life of the pub seemed like the best place to dispel the darkness threatening to consume him.

Then again, being in a public place had its downside, like the one that had just sat down across from him. His mother. As soon as she sat down he felt the rage build up. Icy fire devoured his calm control and he felt dangerously close to causing a scene Sami would have been proud of.

"Hello, baby. How're you doing with everything going on? And what about Will? Oh, I'm starving, I'm so glad you're here. It seems like I've barely seen you since the night you broke up with Sami, not that that wasn't the best decision of your life. The little bitch never deserved you."

"Is that why you drugged me?"

He kept a steady, severe gaze on her face. He couldn't deny the shock that was perceptible to only the most careful observer. He was a careful observer.

"W-what?"

"You heard me, Mother."

"I don't know what that viper told you, but I did not drug you, Lucas, you're my son."

He was sure that the fingernails pushing into his palms were going to draw blood, "That's right, I am you're son. You're son. How could you do that to me? Why couldn't you be happy that I was in love?"

"I would never hurt you, baby. I don't know where you got such a ridiculous idea, but it's not the truth."

Silently, he looked at the woman who had raised him from infancy. She had been his world for so long that it was impossible for him to reconcile the mother he loved with the thing before him. She shifted uncomfortable under his gaze and it sent a dark thrill of satisfaction through him. Yet, at the same time, he wanted to comfort her. It was crazy and stupid and it made him hate her all the more.

"I have proof, Kate. Sami and I went to the Jetway. We got the security tape from the bar for that night. I know everything, so don't bother denying it. You're caught."

This time the shock would have been apparent to anyone who cared to look their way. He watched her watch him for a moment, but he could not have expected what came out of her mouth. He had thought that she would at least have the decency to fake being sorry. Not so much.

"I had to stop you from marrying her. Sami Brady is like poison, Lucas. She would have destroyed you."

"Well, that is my business, Mother. If I want to risk being 'destroyed' I will. You have no right to interfere."

"I am your mother. It's my job to protect you and I'm not sorry I did it. I'd do it again if I had the chance and I will continue to make sure Sami Brady stays the hell out of your life for as long as I live. I will make no apologies for loving my son."

"You don't know what love is."

There was so much more he could say to her. The angry words and horrible accusations were swirling in his mind, begging to be let loose, but he knew a better way. A way that would make her suffer the way she wanted him to suffer.

………………………………...

Bo looked up in surprise as Lucas charged into his office. There was a cool detachment surrounding him that Bo had never noticed before. He had a tape in his hand and looked at him without emotion. His demeanor was like a man without any warmth.

"I'd like to report a crime."