Never let it be said that women didn't stick together. Lois Cruello-Ashton had never met Elizabeth Webber. She knew Robin Scorpio only socially. But all she needed to hear was the barest outlines of the situation Patrick and Lucky currently found themselves in and she banished them to the couches instead of offering the guest room she normally gave Lucky when he visited. Unceremoniously she had thrown exactly two pillows and two blankets at them, shaking her long highly polished finger in their faces.

"You only got this much because of Nedly." Turning dramatically on her high heeled boots, she had thrown her arms up in the air. "Men. Always sticking together."

Lucky sat up slowly. He hadn't so much slept as much as tossed and turned all night. It would be simple to blame the couch, but it was obvious that Lois had bought the furniture with comfort in mind, not punishment. Had Elizabeth's hurt eyes not taunted him every time he tried to close his eyes he may have actually been able to sleep last night. But every time he tried, all he saw was the tears she was trying to keep back.

Glancing at his cousin and seeing the other man awake, Lucky launched his pillow towards Patrick's face, their standard morning routine since they had been ten. "Rise and shine Sunshine."

Patrick watched his cousin through half closed eyelids, his head feeling about two sizes too big as he pushed himself up onto his elbows. His eyes lifted to the ceiling and that was when he saw a haphazard lock of dark hair resting across his forehead. He was sure he looked like a cross between Cory Mathews from Boy Meets World and Animal from The Muppets. "Maybe you should try sleeping on your side." Every time Patrick had even thought he might be falling asleep, Lucky's grizzly bear snore had startled him. It wasn't as if he could have fallen asleep anyway, not with the guilt resting on his chest.

"I don't snore."

"Right." Patrick rolled his eyes and sat up fully, letting the couch support his back.

Lois moved through the living room, pausing only long enough to mumble something neither could quite understand, which they both realized was probably a good thing. Ned followed soon after, sitting down next to Lucky.

"Sleep any last night?" he teased, knowing full well neither one of the younger men had. Ned had spent quite a few nights on the couch since he met Lois and was well experienced in braving the furies of an angry woman.

"Oh yeah. These bloodshot eyes are the newest in high fashion." Patrick replied sardonically, trying to release some of the tension in his body by cupping his hand over his neck and massaging the skin beneath his fingertips.

A loud banging in the kitchen caused all three men to jump. Nervously Lucky looked to Ned. "Lois isn't trying to kill us is she?"

Patrick got a playful look in his eyes and whispered, "She isn't going to try and cook, is she?"

"I wouldn't make too many jokes boys. She called Laura last night."

"Shit." The cousins muffled in unison. The whole family would have been notified as of this morning.

"Yeah. So it's in your best interest to make nice with my wife or an even worse report will go out in a few hours." Ned gestured his head towards the kitchen.

Patrick had always liked Lois. She had taught him how to ballroom dance a few weeks before his first prom and schooled him on just the right things to say to a girl to get the most favorable results. She was as tenacious as a pit bull and had a quick wit that he often had a hard time keeping up with. This Lois though, this one who blamed him just as Robin blamed him, just as he blamed himself, showed no mercy. She would make sure he paid for his mistake everywhere he went. She must have called Laura to make sure that, once he and Lucky were back in Port Charles, they'd still get as much hell as Laura could muster.

Lucky shuddered. Lois was a spit fire even when she was in a good mood and now, she was ready to kill them both. When he was younger he had nightmares of her fingernails coming right at him, aiming directly for his eyes. It looked like those nightmares were going to become reality. And now that his mom knew how spectacularly wrong it had all gone last night? Not only would mom still give them hell, but dad, Lulu and Lucas would laugh for days at their expense. It didn't matter right now if the girls by some miracle did decide not to kill them, their family was going to do it for them.

"She likes you more." They both said in unison.

Patrick had been up all night going over what he had said as well as what he should have said to Robin, trying to pinpoint the exact moment that she had started to lean toward forgiving him. Was it when she had started to cry? He hated that he was to blame for those precious tears. He didn't want to add to her burden. If he thought there was a way he could go on without her in his life, he might have called it quits last night, but the truth of the matter was that he couldn't, didn't want to. If it made him selfish so be it. He had never claimed to be anything else. "Thanks for letting us stay last night." Patrick directed his announcement to both Ned and Lois. Ned smiled his same old goofy smile, but Lois turned her back on him and started banging a few cast-iron pans together as she started breakfast for the four of them.

Lucky moved slowly into the kitchen. He still wasn't convinced that Lois wouldn't try to poison them if they didn't at least try to get her to soften up. "Lois, did I tell you Cameron's been begging to see you?"

"No, you didn't." She answered shortly, slicing up a few pieces of bread for toast.

"Well he's been missing you. Said I couldn't make French toast nearly as good as you." He felt like the slime Elizabeth had accused him of being using his son like this but he knew right now Cameron was their only saving grace. Ok so maybe Cameron hadn't ever said that, but it probably would be true if he ever tried to make French toast.

"I didn't know Cameron liked French toast. I thought he was strictly a cereal and honey kind of kid." Lois recalled, seeing through his subterfuge.

"Well I've been trying to learn and we both know what I am like in the kitchen. He thinks everyone is a better cook than me."

"He's one smart kid. Just tell him I'll cook for him anytime." Lois replied, feeling her resolve softening. She loved these boys, for their flaws, for their successes, and she knew she should cut them some slack, whether or not they deserved it.

Feeling brave, Lucky attempt to kiss her cheek. "You are a key component in my plan to keep him alive until he is able to fend for himself."

"He's Luke's grandchild. I can only do so much." Lois teased him.

"But I can guard him with the best defense system I can."

"What are you going to do to redeem yourselves?" Lois asked, directing her question toward two boys had become family to her. When Patrick's mother had died, she had hosted Thanksgiving, unable to let him miss out on having a turkey and pie as his mother had always provided him with. When Lucky had discovered Jess was pregnant with Cameron, she had made sure he was never scheduled to work when he was to be at a Lamaze meeting.

"We tried surprising them..." Lucky started.

"And that worked out super." Patrick drawled.

Both Ned and Lois shook their heads. "While they were still mad?" Ned asked. "You obviously have death wishes."

"It took two days to find them. Once we tracked them down, there was no giving up and going home." Though it hadn't worked out how he had expected or wanted it to, Patrick couldn't regret showing up and making her hear what he had to say.

"And they kicked you out so now what?" Lois asked. Seeing the blank looks on their faces, she sighed in exasperation. "You didn't have a back-up plan in case this didn't work?"

"We didn't consider it not working." Patrick admitted shamefacedly.

Lois stepped toward Patrick and, with a flick of her hand, slapped him in the back of the head. She turned to Lucky and did the same thing. "Have I taught you nothing?"

"Ow! Lois!" Lucky cried out. "It's not like we do this all the time!" It was true. Normally they had both cut and run a long time before it got this bad.

"Is that supposed to mean something?" Lois challenged.

Ned took a sip of his coffee and suppressed a smile. "Boys, when you go after a new client do you just have one plan?"

"No." They both admitted.

"Then why would you go about apologizing to a woman with only one plan?" Ned paused to take another sip. "Personally I always have at least three plans in mind."

Patrick resisted the urge to roll his eyes. It was easy for Ned to say: he already had Lois come hell or high water.

"And he usually he has to use all three before he's even close to being forgiven." Lois cracked, lovingly smacking Ned on the butt.

"Call them." Ned advised.

"They'll slam the phone in our ears." Lucky pointed out.

"It's nothing you don't deserve." Lois muttered quietly.

"But if you get rung through, then they haven't put you on the no-call list." Ned pointed out. "At least you'll have that much going for you."

"Can we use your phone?" Patrick wondered.

Lois motioned over her shoulder. "You know where it is."

"Do you want to go first?" Patrick would never admit to being a coward, but Lucky must have seen it in his eyes.

"Hand it over you baby." Lucky took the phone and began dialing, rolling his eyes. "Don't think this won't get back to Cruz either."

Patrick bit his tongue to keep back his retort and half listened as Lucky asked for the suite. He was prepared for Lucky to get at least a hello out before the phone was slammed down. Maybe he'd even spot him "How was your night?" but the loud "What?" his cousin shouted before slamming down the phone was not on the list.

"They're gone. They checked out last night."

"You owe us and we're not leaving until you pay up." Robin assured the man in front of her as she and Elizabeth each took their seats on his overstuffed couch.

Cruz knew better than to refuse the two fusing women. It wouldn't be smart, not when he had just made-up with Bobbie. "What is it you think I can do for you?"

"You are going to help us make your friends pay." Elizabeth said simply folding her arms. "You are the key to our plan."

"The key?" Cruz repeated nervously.

"The key." Elizabeth responded calmly. "See you are going to help get them exactly where we want them."

"I can't." Cruz knew it had to be said nonetheless. He would help them and that was that.

"You can." Robin argued.

"You will." Elizabeth pointed out.

"After what you did, you're lucky to keep your balls." Robin assured him pointing an accusing finger in his direction.

"Me? What did I do?" Ok he realized he was somewhat responsible for the mess Lucky found himself in. And alright he was the reason Patrick and Robin had even considered dropping their cold war. Now that he thought about it, a very good argument could be made for this entire mess being his fault but it was better to play dumb at the moment.

"You manipulated me to get a story." Robin reminded him.

"That story gave you great press." Cruz argued.

"You rated me in the hallway." Elizabeth pointed out icily.

"I wasn't alone in that." Cruz replied.

"No but Robin will take care of Patrick for me."

Robin smiled wickedly and Cruz swallowed hard. When the world ended, he wanted to be on their side. Lucky and Patrick would just have to understand.

"Oh and if you were to consider not helping us or even warning them?" Elizabeth grinned. "Well we have a little plan for you should be aware of."

"What's that?" Cruz asked worriedly.

"You would agree that Laura likes us correct?"

"Yes." Cruz answered slowly. If they were invoking Laura, this was going to be bad.

"It's simple really. Cross us and Laura's getting a phone call about this secret girlfriend Patrick and Lucky know you have." Robin explained.

"I don't know what you're talking about." It was a last ditch effort, but he had to try.

"Don't try it. Lucky told me everything they think they've figured out." Elizabeth smiled. Who knew his inability to keep information to himself would actually work to her advantage?

"What he thinks he's figured out you mean." Cruz corrected her.

"Either way, you don't want Laura to know about it for some reason. I, for one, have no problem cluing her in." Elizabeth shrugged.

"What do you want?" Cruz gave in.

"It's simple really." Robin got to her feet and started playing with a little paperweight Cruz kept on his desk. "When the guys go to check our stories, you need to make sure they don't find anything wrong with them."

"What does that mean?"

"It means we are aware they compare notes on dates. We are aware they try to one up each other. So when they come to you and ask where the other one is, you are going to tell them exactly what we tell you." Elizabeth rose and perched herself on the edge of Cruz's desk, swinging her feet in his direction.

"I don't know if you know this, but I'm not the best liar." Cruz told them.

Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "That's why they didn't realize you had a secret girlfriend for however long it has been until last month. Try again."

"They knew me too well. They'll know I'm lying to them." Cruz reasoned.

"Then it looks like you're going to have to try a new approach." Robin suggested impatiently. She closed the distance between them. "And if they suspect anything, we go to Laura."

"You're not being fair." Cruz snapped.

"All's fair in love and war." Elizabeth pointed out. "And this is war."

"What kind of stories do I have to spoon-feed them?" Cruz wondered.

Smiling in victory, Elizabeth moved closer to him. "All they are doing is taking a couple of small trips."