"I need a drink," Alexis said. "Are you off soon?

"Right now," Quinn said.

"Perfect. Let's go!"

They went to the Outback. Jerry Jax, the owner, greeted Alexis like a VIP. "Always flirting," Alexis said aside to Quinn as he fussed with the perfect table.

"That was close this morning," Quinn said. "I really thought for a minute there that "Mrs. Smith" was going to wake Zander up."

"I know, and I don't know how much to tell himself just at this point," Alexis mused. "I'm glad I have a little while to think about this. I hope his heart isn't really bad. Mine is just as bad after today, anyway."

Quinn smiled. "There's more. He has an easier time talking about it now that you've blown his cover, and from what he says, she could have done anything! I hope we're not being lured into complacency. I don't guess it would kill him if she walked in, and he may even expect it. But a patient getting upset goes against my training – what I'm supposed to do for them."

"Yeah, something's going to happen, so I don't have long. She gave me this to give to him. Maybe it will help."

Alexis showed Quinn the photo of Peter.

"Awww," said Quinn, "he's so cute! Reminds me of Tim. My brother, about that age," she explained, returning it.

"It's not a really bad idea. He's got nothing against the little brother."

"He loves the little brother."

"So it might soften him up. That and her going all the way over to Russia to dig around old records. Wonder how long it'll take her?"

"Probably two minutes," said Quinn. They both laughed.

"And the father," Alexis said. "Now I'm worried about him. She found us, so maybe he can."

"From the way Zander talks about them, I think he'll be here in about 5 minutes," Quinn said. "I'm glad they care, but then it's the way or the reason they have in the past that causes him problems. That they care about one-upping each other. I wonder if they've gotten over that."

"They could've," Alexis said. "I've handled divorces and custody cases here and there. Time does its work. Now the two boys are older. Peter is still a minor, but 16 is a cut off for some things. The father's never going to get custody now, and doesn't have a whole lot to gain trying to mess with a 16 year old. He's going to have his say. They can't do anything with Zander legally. Granted they could still try to compete and use emotional appeals, but chances are, after four years, even they are tired of it."

"Zander thinks they'll just take it up again."

"He's stuck in a hospital with an injury. He'll feel more optimistic when he feels better. You know, I remember reading something years ago, on the effect of parents fighting custody battles, on the children. It might help Zander to look at something like that."

"Oh, yeah. Maybe Paul's got something like that, too."

"There are these theories about different ages. If you're 2 when your parents get divorced, it is different than if you're older, for example."

"I think, from what I can remember of what he told me, Zander would have been around 11."

"OK. That's a bad age for it. Something about how you get angry. You've got unresolved anger as it is. The parents fighting makes it worse. I would love to take both Oksana and Zander to a counselor. But it would be hard. Totally headstrong people, convinced they can and ought to handle it all themselves."

"You mean they're alike?" Quinn's eyes lit up with a broad smile.

"Yeah! Really amazing. They should move in with me. I have this knack for calming Zander down, and you know, come to think of it, though it's more subtle, the same thing worked on Oksana!"

"What is it? Every nurse in ICU needs to know!"

"Well, let me think. It's like, they listen to you. You know how it can be hard to just oppose somebody? Contradict them right then and there? Because they'll get defensive, and you end up in an unpleasant argument. Not so with them. All you really have to do is grab his attention. When he's looking at you, he is listening. He'll change course. I remember this silly incident where we were at the elevator in the hospital, waiting, and he was upset at Edward Quartermaine or Emily, or somebody, and kept pushing the button to summon it over and over. I just said that wasn't doing any good. He quit pushing it."

They were both laughing.

"Works like a charm," Alexis said.

"So how did it work on Oksana?"

"She would have come right over to the hospital. Even knowing he didn't want to see her, as Monica put it – that didn't impress her much. All I said was, let me warn him first; he doesn't know you're here. She backed off and went along with our sensible plan. It was just like dealing with Zander, the more I think of it."