"Did we actually leave anything in the store?" Elizabeth wondered aloud, her voice teasing. She and Robin had planned this shopping trip to pick up supplies for Bobbie's baby shower weeks ago. Now after the events of Thanksgiving it seemed like perfect timing. They had both needed a happy distraction and buying out the party supply store of every baby themed item fit the bill nicely.

"They sure were happy to see the stuff go, weren't they?" Robin smirked, pushing her purse back onto her shoulder. Courtney had done a complete one-eighty and decided to help them with making up the invitations and every other little nitpick detail that would go into making this party a reality. While Robin wanted to know the reason, she decided not to tip the scale. Maybe this relationship of hers was more serious than she cared to mention to anyone.

"Well sure." Elizabeth agreed as they gathered the bags out the trunk of her car. "I think we were the only ones who've actually planned a baby shower in the past decade. I overheard one lady say most of the baby shower stuff she sold was in connection to a wedding shower."

"It was like being back in Manhattan. It's been too long since we've gone and seriously shopped." Robin sighed, balancing the bags at a slight advantage: not being able to see over them.

"Amen sister friend. No more letting silly boys and their dramas keeping us from the important things in life." Elizabeth led the way up to her door. Her grandmother had agreed to store all the party supplies at her house. While Bobbie was aware the shower was being planned, they had to have some surprises for the older woman. It wouldn't be fun if she knew everything.

"Do you think we'll even be able to fit this little bit of stuff in the attic? It was packed pretty full last time I looked." She said the words as she headed up the stairs to the aforementioned storage area. She was in such a rush, she didn't realize Elizabeth had stopped and wasn't following her. When she moved to open the door to the attic, she was pleasantly shocked to see that everything had been arranged and shoved off to the side leaving plenty of room for this and probably a great deal more. Confused, she glanced behind her, noticing that Elizabeth wasn't there. "Liz, you've got to see—"

Elizabeth couldn't hear her. She dropped her bags, forgetting if there was anything breakable in her possession and not really caring at the moment. Her grandmother sat in her usual chair, smiling serenely at the person seated on the couch. He was tanner than when she last saw him. Maybe even a little thinner. But there would never be any mistaking his curly hair.

"Steven? Steven?" she gasped, unable to hide her grin.

Steven Lars Webber turned at the sound of his sister's voice, an even wider smile crossing his face. He rose to his full height, casually straightening out his khaki pants as he stood. Crossing to where Elizabeth stood near the foot of the steps he opened his arms wide, allowing her to easily run headlong into them. "Hey Lizzie Bear." He laughed as they hugged their hellos. "Did I surprise you?"

"You rat." Elizabeth socked him in his side, earning herself a muffled "oof" from somewhere above her head. "What are you doing here? Why aren't you working?"

"Writer's strike." Steven shrugged as he detangled himself. "Nothing to work on right now. So I thought I would come by and see some family." He shrugged his shoulders. "Between here and Alaska, this was the cheaper plane ticket."

"Oh well as long as you save money." Elizabeth rolled her eyes. Steven would never go to Alaska to visit Sarah. He had been in California for far too long. An inch of snow and he freaked.

Catching sight of Robin still standing on the steps, she felt awful. How long had Robin been standing there? "Robin! Come here. Meet my brother." She called out, beckoning her friend with her hand.

"This is Steven? I can definitely see the family resemblance." Robin teased, tugging on a loose curl of Elizabeth's. "I don't know whether or not I should hug you or shake your hand." She admitted bashfully.

"Considering how much I've heard your name come out of her mouth, I think a hug would be in order." He joked opening his arms again. "Nice to meet you officially Robin."

"You too!" Robin giggled, letting him fold his arms around him. "Though I have to wonder what Elizabeth told you about me." She met her friend's innocent stare.

"That you were this horrible person with baby rabies and you were chasing down men to give you their sperm. You know the basics." Elizabeth smiled sweetly.

"Excuse me; I have some pride in myself." Robin rolled her eyes at the ridiculous of the joke.

"Actually I really am glad to meet you Robin. You can tell me the real story about these people my sister hangs out with." Steven sat down and gestured toward Audrey with his thumb. "I can't get more dirt out of her other than "oh they are a lovely family."

Robin threw back her head and laughed. "I don't know that I can say much else. They're like a second family to me most days."

"See I told you. Worried for nothing." Elizabeth stuck her tongue out. "Learn to trust my judgment."

"I've heard that about every ex-boyfriend I've had to run off." Steven pointed out.

"You've not had to run any of them off." Elizabeth protested indignantly. There were a few she had taken special care to not introduce to her brother for that very reason. The mistake in high school that wore the same leather jacket and facial expression for four years for example.

Steven cocked his eyebrow, in a manner similar to the way Robin had always seen her friend do it. "That you know of." He chuckled. For the first time he noticed the bags the two women had brought in with them. "Planning a party?"

Elizabeth fixed her best innocent smile on her brother. "Yes a baby shower."

"For Bobbie Spencer, Steven." Audrey admonished as Steven began to jump straight off the couch. "Really Elizabeth, you shouldn't tease your brother like that."

"But it was so easy." Elizabeth protested through her giggles.

Steven glared at his sister through hooded eyes. "You'll pay for that one. Mark my words." He waved his finger in her direction. He could swear this was what a heart attack felt like. His baby sister pregnant? Not without a ring on her finger. He turned his attention to Robin. "You seem unlikely to kill me. Who's Bobbie Spencer?"

Robin laughed. Oh Steven, she thought, where do I start? "Bobbie is a friend of the family, Lucky's aunt. She and her boyfriend just realized they were going to have a baby a few months ago. They're a hoot. I think you'll like them."

"Nice. When's the party anyways? If I'm still in town, then maybe I'll swing by."

"A little over a month." Robin told him. "It should make for an interesting party to say the least." She added, not missing the looks of betrayal she was receiving from her friend. "Probably more interesting than the Writer's strike."

Steven shrugged. "That won't be hard. I support them, I really do. I just know some writers who are better off being left on the picket line than going back to work."

"Did I mention that there's about twenty years in age separating Bobbie and her boyfriend?" Robin didn't watch a lot of television. Why should she when the people she kept in her company were so entertaining she rarely forgot she lived in real life?

"Oh and he's Lucky and Patrick's old college roommate?" Elizabeth added helpfully.

"Elizabeth told me you like a good scandal." Robin went on, sharing a smile with Elizabeth.

If he had taken a drink of anything, right now it would be all over his grandmother's floral couch. He coughed repeatedly, his eyes going between the two friends and his grandmother, looking for any sign this was some elaborate joke. "Are you serious?"

Audrey took pity on her grandson. He thought he was living in the fast lane in LA and was finding out Tinsel town had nothing on Port Charles when it came to scandal and intrigue. Why, she thought, wait till he found out Robin was dating her ex brother-in-law. "They are a very cute couple actually. Once you spend time with them, you understand why they work."

"I agree. They almost make too much sense." Robin giggled, trying to ease Steven out of his catatonic state.

"Holy shh...shoot" Steven corrected himself when he caught his grandmother's eye. No matter how old he was, she would always make him feel as if he was ten again. "What kind of town is this?"

"Just average small town in upstate New York." Elizabeth shrugged. "Nothing special."

"Any other shocks you want to lay on me? Secret engagements? Secret meeting spots? Secret children?" He accused

"I wouldn't hide anything that big from you Steven." Elizabeth protested. "I'd totally tell you about an engagement."

"Oh well as long as you would tell me about an engagement." Steven rolled his eyes.

"Steven, how long are you staying darling?" Audrey questioned gently. "You never did tell me."

"A few days. A friend of mine is working on a movie in Paris and got me a shot at some DP work over there. Not much, but working in French cinema will help down the line. All the greats have done it."

"Paris, really? My cousin just left for there!" Robin would admit she missed Georgie greatly. She had underestimated just how much until they had their first Thanksgiving without her youngest cousin.

"Really? What's your cousin doing in Paris?"

"She went there with a bunch of other college students to study for six months. I told her it was a great opportunity. I always wanted to go there." Robin recalled dreamily. "She wants to be a writer, so we were able to talk my uncle into letting her go."

"Good for her. I've been to the city a few times and just love it."

Elizabeth brightened as she remembered the small package Robin had bought at the beginning of their excursion today. "I know! Robin, Steven can totally give Georgie that book you bought her today! That way you'll know she got it and they'll both know someone in the city from home."

"Oh, that's a great idea! You don't mind, do you, Steven? I just know she's feeling a little homesick from the letters she's been sending." Robin asked carefully.

"Sure not a problem. Just remind me to get it from you before I leave."

"You're a lifesaver. My uncle was rambling at Thanksgiving about how he was going to hop the first flight out there to make sure she hasn't joined a band of gypsies." Robin smiled, shaking her head.

"No need for that. All the gypsies live in Barcelona. Everyone knows that."

Lucky smiled as Cameron happily busied himself coloring in the new coloring book Patrick had bought him. It was a Thanksgiving tradition for Patrick to bring Cameron something to keep the preschooler busy during the game. Lucky smiled ruefully as he realized it has also served to keep Cameron from getting too worried when Patrick collapsed the other night.

His fingers itched with the urge to call Elizabeth and see how she was doing. It wasn't an unusual urge but it felt stronger tonight than usual. Thanksgiving night had turned into his starring turn in the dramatic hour and he just wanted to check in on her. She had been great about everything but she'd been quiet. Elizabeth being quiet generally meant her inventing drama over her own.

Seeing Cameron fully absorbed in his artwork, Lucky pulled out his cell phone and sat on the stairs, deciding to start by calling her grandmother's house. If Audrey didn't hang the phone up in his ear, then Elizabeth hadn't gone too far off the deep end.

"Hello Hardy residence." A vaguely familiar male voice answered on the other end. "How can I help you?"

Lucky checked the face of his phone, making sure he had dialed the right number. Seeing he had, he couldn't hide the confused look that crossed his face. "Hello? Who is this?"

"Depends on who's calling." The stranger joked. "Who are you looking for?"

"Is Elizabeth there?"

The voice on the other end immediately dropped in volume. "Why do you want to talk to her?"

"I'd rather tell that to her. Is she home?" Who was this guy? Lucky wondered. Why wasn't he just getting Elizabeth on the phone? Why was he even in her home to begin with?

"That depends on who's calling." The voice declared arrogantly. "And since I don't know who you are, I guess the answer is going to be no."

"All I want to do is talk to Elizabeth. Just put her on the phone."

"No you haven't passed the screening process yet."

"The screening process?" Lucky spat out incredulously. "Since when is there a screening process?"

"Since I arrived and since my sister has a bad track record with men."

His sister? Lucky shook his head. "Steven? Is that you?"

"Yes." The answer came out hesitantly. "Who is...?"

Lucky hurried to interrupt him. "It's Lucky Spencer. We met in Vegas?"

"Oh right. The playboy. Tabloid target. You."

Lucky laughed lightly. "Yeah well it's all exaggerated. Is your sister home? I just want to talk with her."

"Hmmm I think, yeah she is." And without another word, Steven hung up the other line.

Listening to the echoing silence, Lucky shook his head. "Oh this is going to be fun."