"Come on slow pokes." Courtney looked over her shoulder at her two friends. She adjusted her rainbow striped bag on her shoulder and placed her sunglasses on the top of her head. "I am ready to party."

"We're coming." Elizabeth would be lying if she claimed Courtney didn't intimidate her on some level. The other girl had been nothing but nice since they met in Robin's apartment, but she was also gorgeous. Her confidence was seemingly unlimited. And she blew Elizabeth's every stereotype of an idiot model with her intelligence. So what the hell was she thinking going to a pool party with this woman?

"Does she have to yell?" Robin whined, rubbing her forehead with one hand and using the other to adjust the straps on her white bathing suit. Courtney had been brilliant in her suggestion that they all go out shopping for new suits and shoes. Nothing said quality time like arguing with a store manager or fighting over a delicate pair of heels.

"I heard that." Courtney called over her shoulder.

Robin smirked at Elizabeth and wrapped a towel around her waist. "How are you feeling about all of this?" She asked her new friend, noticing how quiet she had been since the evening had started.

Elizabeth adjusted the straps of her new bathing suit. Courtney and Robin had insisted she buy this one. It was far more revealing than she would have ever thought of wearing. But Courtney had declared her looking "smoking hot" and wouldn't let her not buy it. "It's good to meet new people right? That's what we decided the other night? That we had to meet new people?"

"You're rambling. I didn't know you rambled." Robin teased, bouncing her index finger off the tip of Elizabeth's nose. Robin took a critical look in the mirror. She couldn't help but smile. Divorce looked great on her, she declared. She hadn't gained any weight since the split and her skin looked fresh and healthy. Elizabeth had braided her hair for the occasion and she was grateful, because otherwise it would have been standing on end.

"Only for the select few." Elizabeth pulled on Robin's braid and grinned. "We better get a move on before the model yells at us again."

"I'm ahead of you two. I'm not deaf!" Courtney stood with her hands on her hips. "I should just let the two of you stand out here and melt."

"Oh, don't do that! I burn!" Robin insisted, wondering if she should have brought more sunscreen.

Courtney laughed. "And you are just a pleasure to live with then."

"No worse than you." Robin countered, sticking out her tongue. All three women laughed.

Courtney put her arms around the two shorter women and began to push them along with her to the gate to the pool. "Let's go show these guys exactly what hot, single women look like."

"You have enough confidence for all three of us." Robin announced, tightening her hold on the corner of her towel. She was being ridiculous she knew, but the last time she was this exposed in public...she couldn't remember when the last time had been. Well, now was her chance to have some real fun. Laura had offered to watch Morgan for the night, so she didn't have to worry about picking him up until the morning. Courtney had invited Robin and Elizabeth to her private gym, and it would have been rude if she didn't at least attempt to have some fun.

They could hear the party before they could actually see it. Courtney had told both of them the monthly singles pool party was an event but neither Elizabeth nor Robin had fully believed her. The green space around the pool was decorated with candle lit tike torches. A DJ booth was set up near the kiddie end with the pounding beat of the latest song by Fergie currently blaring. Twenty-something's lingered all around the lounge chairs in suits of all degrees of coverage and at the edges of the pool itself. The children's playground currently had a full service bar set up with a healthy crowd already forming. Hanging around in your bathing suit all night was always easier with a bit of a buzz going.

Robin made her way to the edge of the pool. The sun had started going down almost an hour ago, but the temperature had yet to die down. Port Charles was undergoing intense heat waves and had been for the better part of last week. If this kept up, Robin was going to have to start wearing her bathing suit to work.

She swatted a mosquito that landed across her forehead and nearly knocked herself out in the process. It was now or never, she thought to herself, closing her eyes and jumping head-first into the cool blue abyss that promised cooler temperatures and instant relaxation.

Elizabeth wiped the sudden moisture from her face, sending Robin a mock scowl. "It's perfect!" Robin called to her friends. "Come on in."

Elizabeth took a breath and followed Robin's example. She came up for air gasping. "Perfect? It's freezing you lunatic!" She splashed Robin's face.

"In a heat wave, anything is better than a hundred plus degrees." Robin argued, splashing Elizabeth. "Court, come on." She insisted, combing her slick braids away from her face.

Courtney glanced over towards the bar area. She dropped her towel and bag at a nearby chair and adjusted her pink polka dot bikini top. "In a minute. I think some refreshments are needed." She winked as she pointed towards the bar.

"Leave it to Courtney to know just how to start a party." Robin mumbled with a smile. She glanced to her right when something brushed her leg and her mouth flew open. "Can I help you?" She snapped, slapping his hand away from her thigh.

"I didn't mean anything by it." The twenty-something man assured her, folding his arms across his chest and sliding across the pool in the opposite direction.

"Forgive my friend. It's the heat." Elizabeth called after him. Even when they were safely out of earshot she still felt the need to whisper. "Robin, dial back the hostage meter babe. I thought the idea was to meet new people."

"I'm sorry if I don't like the idea of being groped by some strange guy." Robin bit back.

"Robin, you did notice his friends behind him pushing him around right? He wasn't groping you he was trying not to get his hair wet."

"Shouldn't you be mingling as well?" Robin wondered, cocking her head to the side.

"Now I'm afraid if I leave you alone you'll destroy some poor guy for life." Elizabeth matched the head cock with one of her own and an eyebrow raise.

"I'm not lethal." Robin defended, putting on her sweetest smile.

"Said the spider to the fly."

"I can make men do anything. Do you want to see?" Robin inquired, lifting an eyebrow in Elizabeth's direction.

"Ohh lessons from the master. This is why I came." Elizabeth leaned her elbows on the pool wall.

"Watch and learn." Robin climbed out of the pool and walked over to the chair she had left her towel and sun block in. "Do you think I put enough lotion on, Elizabeth?"

Elizabeth covered her mouth with her hand to hide her laugh. "Oh no. You burn so easily, Robin. I think you need to put some more on," she said with mock seriousness.

"But I can't reach the middle of my back." Robin argued, lounging out on the chair. No sooner than the words had left her mouth, six guys raced to her side each holding a bottle of lotion for her. "Well, aren't you just so sweet!" Robin shrieked, sitting up and facing her audience. "Which one of you should I choose?" She pretended to consider it. "Let's see. I'll need someone with strong hands." They all started talking at once. "Of course, his hands will have to be gentle." Robin grabbed each of their hands and inspected them, trailing her thumb over their knuckles and the inside of their palms. "What do you think, Liz? I just can't decide."

Elizabeth was extremely close to losing the battle to laugh out loud. "I think you need someone who has the knowledge how to use those hands. The biggest brain perhaps?"

Again, they started chattering away. "Allow me." A slightly familiar voice interrupted, stepping into Robin's view. He was dressed in tight, black boxers and wore no shirt.

"Why, Lucky Spencer!" Robin clapped her hands together. "You tease."

Lucky grinned and sat down next to Robin. "Tell these bores to go away so we can get re-acquainted with each other." He wiggled his eyebrows at her.

"You're going to ruin my reputation." Robin declared, pouring some lotion into her left palm.

"That's my aim. I don't want to share you, Robin. I never have and I never will."

"You heard the man. Scatter." Robin ordered politely watching the remaining men slink away. "I was just showing Elizabeth one of my many talents." She explained, motioning toward her stark-white friend. "Liz? Are you all right?"

Elizabeth had forgotten to breathe from the second she saw him separate himself from the crowd. Was there some sort of plot against her that every time she saw him he was more attractive than the last time? She blinked her eyes several times and prayed her mouth wasn't hanging open like a dolt. "Yeah. I'm fine. Sorry Robin I just spaced there."

"Lucky Spencer, this is Elizabeth W--" Robin began.

"We've met." Lucky grinned as he watched Elizabeth bob in the pool. How exactly had he missed seeing her there? He could see the top strap of her bathing suit and couldn't help but wonder what the rest of it look like. "Miss Elizabeth we meet again."

Damn him for smiling. Playboy asshole with a girlfriend named Daphne hidden somewhere, she reminded herself. Playboy asshole with a girlfriend. "We keep running into each other Mr. Spencer."

"Mr. Spencer?" Robin couldn't help but smirk at that. "Luke would get such a kick out of this."

"Actually he would assume she was talking to him." Maybe this was his chance to get her to actually call him by his name. "You could just call me Lucky. School is out, Miss Elizabeth." he teased.

Double damn him. She was caught. She couldn't very well insist of calling him Mr. Spencer with Robin sitting there. Robin would be full of questions. She forced a grin. "If you insist Lucky."

"I have to wonder," Robin began. "If this is--" She clamped her mouth shut, but not before Lucky got a suspicious look in his eye.

"What were you about to say Robin?"

"Nothing. I wasn't going to say anything." Robin insisted.

Elizabeth let out a sigh of relief. Robin hadn't said anything. She was fairly sure Robin had figured out Lucky was the father she had been complaining about.

"I didn't know you were a member here Robin. I haven't seen you around before." Lucky leaned back on the chair, giving Elizabeth an unobstructed view of his abs. This was just not fair, she decided. Playboy. Asshole. Has a girlfriend.

"I'm not. Courtney invited us. She has a private membership." Robin clarified.

Lucky nodded. "That makes sense. Now what mass of men is she in the middle of?"

"I don't see her actually. She went to get drinks and hasn't made her way back." Robin realized, sharing a curious look with Elizabeth.

Elizabeth glanced behind her and shrugged. "I don't have a clue. I thought I saw her a minute ago."

"How about I go look for her?" Robin left them alone.

Lucky smiled and moved towards the edge of the pool while Elizabeth watched Robin's retreating back. No cover, no buffer, no way to leave without seeming rude. She was trapped.

He made a mental note to get Robin the biggest birthday gift she could ever imagine. Her bakery was going to be the official caterer of L&B Records. Ned loved her; he'd okay that. She had given him a chance to talk to Elizabeth alone. Maybe this time he could manage to hold a conversation with her without pissing her off royally.

"How long have you known Robin?" Good, he thought. Start small.

That was safe enough, she thought. Keep it on safe topics. "A few weeks or so. We met through Cameron actually."

"Really?" He quickly decided that Cameron was getting whatever he wanted for Christmas as well. God bless his kid.

"Robin was watching him, Morgan, and Kristina at Chuck E. Cheese. She needed some help." She couldn't help but laugh at the memory.

Damn she was beautiful when she laughed. How could he get her to laugh again? "Well I thank you for keeping him from going into a sugar coma."

"Not a problem."

How did I get myself talked into this? Patrick silently wondered as he scanned the crowd. There were beautiful women everywhere in all shapes and sizes, so why was he complaining? All he had to do was flirt ruthlessly and they would come to him with willing arms just like they always did. He supposed his frustration was caused by how easy the dating game had become. Women were practically predictable and he had grown bored of their mindless conversations. What most intrigued him about this party was a group of men standing around what must have been a very attractive woman. No way was he going to be beaten at a game he had mastered long ago. He needed a way to lure the competition away so that he could see firsthand what prize lay in wait for him. He ran a hand through his hair causing some of the moisture to splash onto his naked chest, and trudged forward, pushing the men out of his way with ease.

He could only see the back of her, but, as far as he could tell, she was a perfect ten. There was no way to know how thick her hair actually was, because it was tied back and styled. He had never given plain white bathing suits their just respect, but they coupled beautifully with her deep cinnamon hair. Patrick followed the swerve of her hips with his eyes and he felt himself being drawn forward. The men around him were saying something snide, but he ignored them and closed in on the beautiful young woman mere feet from him. A hand on her shoulder was all it took to grab her attention.

"P-Patrick?" Robin sputtered, shrinking away from his unwelcome touch. "What do you think you are doing?"

"Robin?" Patrick blinked furiously, her familiar face finally coming into focus. There was no way this could be Robin Scorpio. She was worldly and tiny. How could a simple bathing suit capture the smooth wave of her hips and those spider-like legs? Patrick shook his head, his mouth opening and closing as he attempted some sort of verbal reprieve. He should yell at her or start a fight. Yes, that's what he should do. "What am I doing? What are you doing? I didn't know they let you out of your cage after dark."

All it took was that small insult and Robin's defenses shot up around her. Patrick smirked, steering her away from the noisy crowd. "Who the hell do you think you are?" She sneered, slapping his hand away when he tried to parade her around the length of the pool.

"I'm just trying to have a good time. I'd think you of all people could appreciate that." Patrick answered.

"What I'd appreciate is if you would leave me alone." Robin muttered, pushing past a large mass of people. Even if they were just going in circles, at least he couldn't reach out and touch her again.

"How did you even get in here?"

"I was invited."

"By?"

"None of your business!" Robin shot back.

"You're getting awfully defensive, aren't you?"

"Defensive? Defensive? I'm defensive?"

"Yeah." Some faceless stranger answered her as he shoved past her.

"The man has spoken." Patrick pointed out.

"Oh, please, that's one opinion."

"I hate to break this to you, but it's the collective opinion."

"Who are you to judge me?"

"The only person who knows who you really are." Patrick clarified.

"Who am I?" Robin challenged.

"Don't answer that." A tall, lanky blonde advised him just before she climbed into the pool.

"Who are these people?" Robin asked no one in particular.

"I don't think I could properly describe just what I think of you." Patrick replied smugly.

"Oh, please try."

"Alright, you asked for it, Scorpio." Patrick smirked in satisfaction, rubbing his hands together as if he were about to do something especially strenuous.

"Patrick, no!" A split second after the warning was voiced, Patrick lost his footing and ended up in the pool.

Cruz appeared over the edge of the pool. "Dude, I was trying to stop you."

"Cruz, you are my hero!" Robin decided, jumping into his arms. Of course, he hadn't been expecting her reaction and they fell into the pool as well. Robin spit out water. "As usual, Patrick, it's been a real pleasure."

The conversation had moved from the safe topic of how long each had known Robin and Cameron to their favorite places to hang out in Boulder. A small recording studio in town was Lucky's current favorite place to have high profile artists work on their new CDs. Elizabeth had been amazed at how many small funky eateries they both loved to frequent. It was amazing they hadn't run into each other before now.

She was almost successful in forgetting about his reputation, his come-ons at the conference and the phone call with Daphne. A girl nearby sat reading US Weekly. Elizabeth just had to glance at it whenever she felt a little too entranced by his smile, his chest, or a joke he just told. A quick glance would remind her of the picture on page 62 of him with Niki Hayes two weeks ago. Not that she had memorized what page his picture was on.

It was the first splash that distracted them. Lucky tried not to laugh when he saw his cousin come up sputtering, but he lost the battle completely when Robin and Cruz tumbled in after. "Oh now that's taking the war to a whole new level."

Elizabeth cocked her eyebrow at him. "You aren't going to help them?"

Lucky shook his head. "I have a son to think about. I can't get killed because of Patrick and Robin's cold war."

"Well I guess I'll just live dangerously then." She pushed off the wall, making smooth strokes towards their collected friends. The back of her black tankini rode up just enough for him to spot what appeared to be a small tattoo on the small of her back. Miss Elizabeth was just full of surprises.

Elizabeth caught a glance of the clock on the snack bar as she swam. Thirty minutes? She had been talking with Lucky Spencer for thirty minutes? Where the hell had Robin been? Had Courtney simply vanished off the face of the earth? She could not have been enjoying a conversation with him for thirty minutes.

As soon as she got to Robin, she was taking her friend out of the pool, they were both going to find Courtney, and then she was going to have her head examined. Finding playboy assholes with mysterious girlfriends attractive was not a good start to anything.

As she got closer, she noticed Robin and who she assumed to be the infamous Patrick still arguing in the middle of the pool. A second man who looked vaguely familiar to her was clearly trying to separate them.

"It was an accident. She didn't do it on purpose and he didn't make you fall." Cruz was getting desperate. He loved being the center of attention, but not for this reason. Cruz wanted to be noticed for his image, his confidence. Not for being in the middle of a verbal fight between Frick and Frack here.

"Sure it was!" Patrick chuckled, splashing Cruz in the face.

"Are you three?" He glared at his friend and wiped the water off his face. Logic and reason were clearly not working. He was going to go for the big guns. "You do realize if you keep going the only one of us getting anything tonight is Lucky right?"

That was just an effective wake up call. Elizabeth had heard enough complaints about Patrick to know at least Robin's view on his dating life. Now that she apparently had confirmation from this friend, it was true. And Lucky apparently was on the prowl just as much as Patrick was. She pushed aside the disappointment she felt, even though she was puzzled why she even felt disappointment. This wasn't about her or Lucky Spencer. It was about helping Robin. "Robin."

"What?" Robin looked over at her innocently.

"I think I see Courtney over there. Wanna find out where those drinks of ours are?"

"Absolutely."

The two glided off towards the edge of the pool, missing Lucky's arrival by seconds. All three watched the girls hoist themselves out of the water, shake the excess water off their hair, and move towards their friend.

"Damn." Lucky whistled.

Patrick did a double-take, but remained silent. No way was he going to say aloud what he was thinking right now.

Cruz shook his head in appreciation. "Did Robin and her new friend join? Cause I for one would not mind seeing that scene again."

"I should call it a night." Patrick told his friends.

"Poor baby. Did Robin ruin your fun?" Lucky affected a mock pout in his cousin's direction.

"No. I have a date tonight."

"I thought dating was a waste of time?" Cruz pointed out, cocking his head.

"I'm not dating. It's a date."

"I wasn't aware you knew the difference?" Lucky playfully swatted at Patrick. "Whatever you are calling it, you have blown your chances here so you better go."

Cruz nodded. "Yes almost hitting on Robin and then arguing with her for all to see does tend to make for a bad impression."

"What are you talking about? You weren't anywhere near either of us until just now." Patrick reminded his friend.

"Yeah, you ditched both of us right after we got here." Lucky pointed out.

Cruz hadn't thought they noticed his absence. Lucky had been completely absorbed in chatting up Robin's friend. Patrick had been distracted by various women around them. "You were hard to miss with all that yelling." He protested. "And let's face it; Robin is dressed to get attention tonight."

"You think so?" Patrick asked, off-handedly. What was the matter with him? He should not be having this reaction to a woman he loathed!

"Did falling in the pool make you blind?" Lucky shook his head. "I've known Robin since she was five and even I couldn't ignore how she looked."

"Just goes to show that no one can go without sex too long." Patrick commented, feeling like an asshole for saying it.

Lucky glared in Patrick's direction. "How's Emily doing these days?"

"What am I still doing here? I'm going to be late." Patrick climbed out of the pool, turning his back on his friends.

"Suddenly he cares about being on time?" Cruz did a double-take of his own. "Who are you and what have you done with our friend?"

"Catch you later." Patrick grabbed his towel and went inside to get his car keys from his locker.

"Something is seriously wrong with him." Cruz shook his head and they watched Patrick disappear into the locker room. "Since when does he ever get anywhere on time?"

"Since losing to Robin in public." Lucky answered. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have a conversation to finish." He made his way out of the pool, grabbed his towel, and headed in the direction Robin and Elizabeth walked in.