Georgie couldn't contain her excitement. She had managed to volunteer to see her boyfriend and no one knew, not even Steven. She had thought about calling him, but it would be so much better to surprise him, especially with the damage that had been inflicted on each of their families. She only hoped he was happy to see her. People reacted to tragedy different ways. She had to stay on top of things and feel like she was being helpful. Maxie would usually mope around until someone called her on it. Mac was loyal to a fault and always helped where he was needed, all too often calling the shots. Alexis was still such a new figure in their lives, Georgie wasn't sure how she dealt with all that was going on. Just from what she had seen last night, her soon-to-be stepmother was holding up better than anyone else.
An hour in, and she was starting to wind down. Lucky had called to tell her the flight had been delayed slightly, but that explanation did little to calm her nerves. Had there been a layover somewhere in-between Paris and Port Charles? Was it due to weather? Was there a malfunction in the plane? Were they low on fuel? "Oh Georgie," she sighed, "You're wasting your time at college. Just become a best-selling author and stop squandering your talent for the unbelievable." If anyone thought it was strange for a freshman to be talking to herself, they didn't feel brave enough to voice their concern. They looked bedraggled and she had no way of knowing if they were coming or going, how long they had been in this little café with her, where they were going, and a million other details. She didn't care. That was the first thought that came to her mind. She honestly didn't care. She was going to stroll over to the counter, order something with a lot of sugar, and pray that Steven's plane landed safely.
Steven was relieved that he had carried his luggage onto the plane so he wouldn't have to worry about claiming it later...or discovering that it had been lost when they were flying over the water. Though it would have made a great story later on, he didn't want to be forced to wear his sister's boyfriend's clothes or purchasing more. Shaking his head, he pushed those thoughts from his mind. The point was that he had been smart enough to pack light and smart, unlike Miss Georgie Jones who had been determined to take every article of clothing she owned no matter how many times he reminded her that she was going "home" and her clothes would already be there.
Strolling through several mobs of people, he realized that he had no idea who he should be looking for. Would Elizabeth send Lucky to pick him up? Would she come herself? Would they send Elizabeth's friend, Robin? Should he be looking for a sign with his name written across it? Why hadn't he asked Lucky? The guy wasn't brave enough to lie to him. Steven had promised himself that he would put aside his differences with Lucky in favor of his sister and grandmother. Neither needed the stress and there was no way he was crediting his swift return to Port Charles as wanting to see Lucky Spencer.
Maybe she wasn't paying attention, Georgie mused. How else could she walk into a total stranger and spill ice and soda all over him? She somehow assumed that a cute smile would not help her in this situation. It was such a waste, because she was adorable. The mountain of a man in front of her took one look at his white shirt and then glared down at Georgie. She gulped, handing him her plastic cup complete with lid and straw, and made a beeline in the opposite direction, her heart in her throat. Logically, she hadn't expected to be manhandled, but a woman had to protect herself. You're ridiculous, she thought to herself. You should have at least apologized. Spinning around so she could head back to the food court, she found herself blocked by yet another solid body. This time, thankfully, she recognized the man with the smirk spread clear across his face.
Steven reached out to steady her, not missing the way her eyes went wide as marbles as her mind registered who exactly was holding her. "I think I saw tread marks behind you. What were you running from?" He decided not to question what she was doing here, because he must have been the cause. He smiled even wider when he thought about how she had gone out of her way to make sure she was the one to meet him. It was pretty unlikely that she had been volunteered.
Georgie's eyes did a quick assessment as they stood in comfortable silence for a minute. His clothing was perfectly pressed: his white shirt was tucked into his tan trousers, he wore a tan suit over that, and his shoes were un scuffed and shiny. His hair was another story, the tiny curls bunched up and shoved to one side as if he had been sleeping on that side during the plane ride. She wouldn't have blamed him. The trip was treacherous to say the least. "A big...bear." Georgie lied.
"A bear?" Steven tried to hold back his chuckle, he really did. His right hand naturally swept through her soft caramel locks and she tilted her head to the side as if to ask, "What? You don't believe me?"
"Maybe just a man the size of one. He was really big." Georgie breathed, her eyes scanning the area behind Steven.
"Don't worry. I'll keep you safe." Steven promised, pulling her into a hug. He hadn't thought distance from her would be so difficult. It hadn't even been two days!
"How was your flight?" Now that he was here, Georgie's mind was stuck with one-dimensional pleasantries.
"I don't remember a lot. I was knocked out." Steven explained, releasing her slowly so he could see her eyes.
"Knocked out?" Georgie asked. "By a pill or a bear?"
"Oh, a bear for sure." Steven mocked, kissing the dimple in her chin. "Have you seen Grams?" Steven inquired carefully. He should have asked about Alexis, about Maxie, but his heart had asked the question, not his mind. He hadn't been able to stop worrying since the call came in from his sister.
"Seen her? No. I did talk to Elizabeth and Lucky and they don't know a lot, just that she's had a stroke. Elizabeth thinks she's going to be fine." Georgie added for good measure.
"My sister, always the irrational optimist." Steven muttered to himself. "I'm sorry."
"For what? Worrying about your family? All I've done is whine about mine since you met me practically." Georgie reminded him.
"Yes, but it's because of your family that we even met." Steven pointed out, sliding his right arm across her shoulder.
"Shh, don't tell them that." Georgie giggled. "You ready?"
"No." Steven admitted quietly. "But we should get going anyway."
What a perfect setting for the end of the world, Robin thought morosely to herself. She signaled to the blue car to her left and moved into the lane, the act so familiar she was scarcely aware she did it. Her windshield wipers were on full blast, but she couldn't make out a lot around her. The rain pelted her windshield and she worried it might just break the glass in its attempt to be seen and heard. Red highlights blinded her and she swerved into another lane. She didn't want to stop. She wanted to keep driving. She wanted to drive clear out of town. But the night had other plans for her.
Robin didn't understand what other drivers had against large trucks. They didn't make her flinch or tense; she was never so nervous in a car that she felt compelled to grip the steering wheel with two hands. It was easy enough to stay in her lane, even during a downpour such as this one. Driving was anything but calming tonight. The drivers in front of, beside, and behind her were terrified at the mere indication that there was rain on the road and proved this by their constant braking and honking. Holding the steering wheel comfortably in her right hand, she used her left hand to rest against her throbbing forehead. What had happened to the time when rain was soothing? Why couldn't she enjoy it? She used to love this kind of weather. Of course, she reasoned, that had been before she had been legal to drive.
If she kept driving, would crossing the state line really be that difficult? She had lived here most her life, save the first five years when her parents had dragged her all across Europe, and she liked to think this place was home. But what if it wasn't? What if it was just some place she had gotten stuck in? What if it wasn't in the cards for her to reside in Port Charles?
She had thought the violence would leave with Sonny and Jason, but it had just replaced with faceless monsters. Monsters whose prime targets were children. Was Uncle Mac right? Was this happening because of Sonny? Were the kidnappers really adversaries of the team formerly known as Corinthos-Morgan? Or did the connection lie somewhere else? Was this happening because of some common denominator that she and Alexis shared? Was it someone they had each blown off at one point or another? Was it AJ getting back at her for not signing over both kids to him, when he wasn't even legally considered Michael's father until she told the court that he deserved the chance to be? Was this about her mother's campaign? Or her father? Of course, what did either of them have to do with Alexis?
Robin didn't close her eyes, not even when the traffic came to a complete stand-still. She didn't want to see Morgan's face. She didn't want to see tears in his eyes when Patrick carried her into the apartment. She didn't want to hear his voice when he asked why she had allowed some stranger to take him. Her fingers flexed around the steering wheel and she lightly tapped them against the horn, contemplating but not giving in because the pain in her head would only get worse. She wouldn't be able to drive carefully if her headache moved to migraine level. In fact, she'd have to pull off the road.
How far was Canada? She mused as she willed the cars to get a move on. She didn't have any luggage with her, not even her meds, but she could get them there and probably for a lot cheaper than she paid in Port Charles. There was really nothing holding her back. Canada would be cold this time of year, much harsher winters than New York, but she had enough saved to make a life for her there if she really wanted to. She would lose contact with her friends and family, but was that such a bad thing at this point? Was it...was it wrong to be so selfish? She wasn't at the call center where Mrs. Hardy had gone to volunteer. She wasn't collecting clues with Uncle Mac and Alexis. She had been completely against seeing Georgie even though she remembered what a horrid trip her cousin must have had up until this point.
"You never deserved to be that little boy's mother anyway." Robin told herself. "He was so much better off before you came into the picture. Sonny was an idiot for signing over legal rights to you."
She squeezed her eyes shut and could hear Morgan asking why she was giving up on him. Screaming out, in frustration, in anger, in terror, she laid on her horn, flipped on her blinker, and merged into the traffic once more slowly making her way to the exit. She didn't read the name or the number. She could be anywhere; time had become elastic. She had no idea how long she had been driving and didn't care enough to glance down at the mileage. She hadn't memorized it before leaving the apartment so the estimate would be off anyway.
How ironic to end up at General Hospital of all places. She didn't ask herself why she had chosen this exit, just knew that she was tired of being on the highway. She would plan that trip to Canada another time; something was pulling her to this place. Though she had never believed in fate, or karma, or even destiny, she knew that she was supposed to be here at this very moment. An ambulance cut her off and she showed the driver a stiff middle finger. Swinging in behind them, curiosity got the best of her and she followed them to the Emergency Room entrance. Parking in a handicap space, she climbed out of her car and crossed the parking lot in record time. Finally, she knew what she had been worried about, even if only subconsciously, when she looked past the paramedics. "Oh my God. Cruz?"
The fear was supposed to be over. The phone ringing in the middle of the night was no longer supposed to frighten her. She wasn't supposed to fear every time her husband left the house was going to be the last time she would see him. All those fears were supposed to have been buried with Tony. With all the concerns Bobbie had about her relationship with Cruz, the very idea he could possibly be shot had never crossed her mind.
Maybe Luke had always been right and safety was only an illusion. After all this was still Port Charles, one time murder capital of New York State. Mac and Alexis may have run the mob out of town, but hadn't the past few days reminded them all that danger still lurked in the dark corners? It had just been a simple favor for Lucky to check on Lulu and Cameron. Cruz was supposed to be back and harassing Lucky on the phone for being too paranoid in less than thirty minutes. He was not supposed to be in the hospital with a gunshot wound.
Bobbie sat frozen in the backseat of Laura's car. Her in-laws were following behind in their rented Oldsmobile. She couldn't do this. She couldn't go in there and be strong for him. He was her strength. Without him, she would fall apart. Without him, she was lost. He needed her and she was going to fail him. She looked into Laura's concerned blue eyes. "I can't go in there."
Laura's expression registered very little surprise. Luke had said the same thing to Bobbie both times Laura had gone into labor with their children. Laura had said it when the police found Lucky after his abduction. "Yes you can."
"What if it's worse? I can't go in there and hear..." She let her voice trail off. She had already lived through the death of one husband. Could she handle surviving another?
"Hear what? That your husband is recovering nicely? That he maybe needs you?" Laura goaded, undoing her sister-in-law's seatbelt.
"You are far too optimistic to be married to my brother."
"When we got Lucky back and I didn't want to let him return to school, what did you say?"
"You couldn't live in fear."
"So what are we still doing in the car?" Laura challenged, lightly patting Bobbie's left hand.
"Waiting for you to come with me?"
"Luke's probably already in there. Remember when he and Lucky did that doctor skit complete with the doctor's masks?" Laura chuckled, following Bobbie toward the entrance.
In spite of her fear, Bobbie chuckled. "I think he was just trying to prove to Lucky he could get phone numbers from nurses if he wanted to."
"How funny that my twelve-year-old was better at it than my husband." Laura reminded her as they hurried toward the front desk.
"Excuse me?" Bobbie read the name tag of a Nurse Lee who was standing behind the desk. "I'm looking for my husband, Cruz Rodriguez? He was just brought in?"
Kelly Lee looked up from the chart she was currently studying. "I'll get a doctor for you." She promised, disappearing into the crowd.
"This isn't good Laura. If he was fine, they wouldn't be getting the doctor. She would have just told me."
"Unless she didn't know." Laura piped in.
"How could she not know? She's a nurse. She's supposed to know."
"Clearly the nurses leave something to be desired." Laura muttered.
Luke came from around the corner, a sour look on his face. Approaching his wife and his sister, he shook his head. "We need to start going to Mercy for our medical needs." He announced without preamble.
It was pure instinct: Laura smacked him on the back of the head. "What did you do?" She demanded with arms crossed.
"Nothing. I just suggested that little cafeteria of theirs might be more popular if they had something stronger than coffee to offer people."
"Lucas Lorenzo Spencer, did you find a doctor?" Laura wanted to know, narrowing her eyes at what she suspected his answer might be.
"I thought that was your job."
"We sent you ahead to get a doctor." Laura smacked him again. "Ah, here we go." She blew out a sigh of relief when Alan Quartermaine met them halfway.
"Dr. Quartermaine, what's going on with my husband?" Bobbie asked desperately, striving to ignore the increased kicking from her child. I'm sorry little girl, she said silently. I promised I would be calm, but your father had other ideas.
Dr. Alan Quartermaine had washed his hands several times since they had managed to stabilize Cruz, but he still glanced down at them. "He's stable. For now. The bullets are lodged—"
"Lodged? You couldn't get them out?" Bobbie felt herself go weak in the knees and if Luke hadn't have been behind her, she surely would have fallen to the floor.
"Without causing further damage, no. His blood isn't clotting and it's too dangerous to do a surgery of any kind until we can put in as much blood as we're taking out." Dr. Quartermaine explained.
Luke held out his arm. "We're both A-. How much blood are we talking about?"
Dr. Quartermaine smiled at the offer. "More than you could safely give. We're giving him the transfusion now, but it's mostly just keeping him alive."
"Oh God. Oh God." Bobbie felt herself sway and Luke tighten his grip on her. This wasn't supposed to happen. This couldn't be happening. It was a nightmare. She had to wake up. She had to wake up.
"You just said he was stable!" Laura accused.
"I said 'for now.'" Dr. Quartermaine clarified. "He's holding his own."
"Where is he? Can I see him?" Bobbie pleaded.
"Eleventh floor. This way." Dr. Quartermaine led her to the elevator.
Lucky bounced Cameron as his son rested his head on his shoulder. The hour was getting later, but Cameron was showing no signs of sleep. Not that Lucky could blame him for that. He was preparing himself for several long weeks of little sleep and nightmares.
They couldn't go back home tonight. The police and FBI were still all over the place. Blood had sprayed through Cameron's room and the detectives were taking their time to process the scene. Unfortunately, his son's bedroom had the potential to be the best possible lead for catching the bastard that had Kristina and Morgan. And Lulu.
Watching the numbers in the elevator climb higher, he wondered how he could do this. Agent Mahoney had offered to come with him to tell his parents Lulu had been taken instead of Cameron, but Lucky had turned her down. This news couldn't come from outside the family. It had to come from him. It happened at his house, while she was watching his son. No, it had to come from him. He had to break his parents' hearts.
As the doors opened and he walked out, balancing Cameron on his hip, he realized he probably should have taken Cameron to stay with Elizabeth. Cameron had been through enough for one night and there would be no reason to make him watch his grandparents fall apart, but Lucky knew he could only say what he was about to say once. If he saw Elizabeth first, he would have to explain and he wasn't strong enough to do repeat himself. He just wasn't. He scanned the floor and spotted his family sitting with Cruz's in the waiting room. "Mom...Dad...we have to talk."
Laura stood up first, taking Cameron from Lucky. "What are you doing having my baby out so late? You should be in bed pumpkin." She cooed to her grandson.
"I no sleep. The bad man will come back." Cameron said seriously.
"Bad man?" Laura gulped.
"Come back?" Luke parroted.
"Mom..." Lucky reached out to pull Cameron back to him. "We have to talk."
Laura turned her back to Lucky, rocking Cameron and humming to him. "Did you see my grandson?" She asked, showing him off to the Rodriguez family.
"Mom, Audrey had a stroke tonight and Lulu agreed to come over to watch Cameron while Elizabeth and I came to the hospital. I asked Cruz to go over to check on them." Lucky closed his eyes and prayed to be able to do this. He couldn't look at his mother. He couldn't meet his father's blue eyes. He kept his eyes on his shoes.
"Did you drive Lulu home? I don't like that neighborhood she's living in." Neither father nor son was brave enough to point out that she lived above Kelly's, the safest place in town.
"Momma, something bad happened. Someone broke in and tried to grab Cameron." Lucky pressed on, trying to get it out before his nerves took over. "Cameron screamed and Lulu came running. She got him away and then somehow Cruz showed up. I don't know what all happened but when I got home, Cameron was hiding, Cruz was shot, and Lulu is missing." Tears started to fall out of his green eyes. "Someone has her Momma. Someone has Lulu."
"No. She's just...did you check...did you check...no." Laura handed Cameron to Cruz's grandmother, worried she might drop him. Luke looked as if he had been socked in the gut. "No." She repeated.
"The police and the FBI are looking for her. I told them what she was wearing. I gave them a picture of her. It's why I just got here. They're going to find her Momma. They're going to find her."
"Why would they need to find her?" Laura countered. "She's not missing." She shrugged away Luke when he tried to hug her. "No, just don't. Don't touch me. Don't."
"She wasn't at the house when I got there. You know Lulu wouldn't leave Cameron alone. Not now. Not after his accident."
"Stop it!" Laura shrieked, placing her hands solidly over her ears. "I don't want to hear any of this. You're wrong. Lulu's a Sp—Spencer." She choked out. "She's just hiding. She must have just realized you have Cameron and will come here looking for him. She will. Or she'll call." Laura rambled, digging through her purse for her cell phone.
"Angel..." Luke attempted to rest his hands over hers.
"No, Luke, I have to find my phone. She could have called." Laura insisted.
"Even if you do find it, she won't have called." Luke assured her.
"You don't know that." Laura said through gritted teeth. "You're always saying that our children are resilient. Why...how can you believe that someone...that someone just took her?"
"Because she was trying to protect Cameron. If it was a choice between her and Cameron to be hurt, she'd choose herself." Luke said softly.
Tears spilled shamelessly down Laura's cheeks as Luke collected her in his arms, albeit cautiously. She shook her head and started to tremble so badly he pulled her closer and sheltered her in his embrace, pressing her face into his shirt sleeve and rocking her in the same fashion she had just been rocking Cameron. "Our baby..." She whimpered into his shoulder.
"She's strong. You said it yourself. She's a Spencer. She'll come back to us. She'll come back." Luke promised her, kissing the top of her head.
Bobbie stepped out of Cruz's room, confused but too nervous to voice it. She hadn't seen her sister-in-law fall apart in almost a decade. This was the first time she had ever seen Luke cry. She took Cameron from Cruz's grandmother, knowing he would be the most subtle way to stop those tears. Almost instantly, she had to set him on his feet, a sharp pain originating where her hands now rested and shooting up her spine, causing her to hunch over. Not now, she thought to herself. Not when Cruz is fighting for his life. Not now.
"Aunt Bobbie?" Lucky questioned, seeing her hunch over and racing over to help her. "What's wrong?"
"The baby is coming." Bobbie forced out.
"Doesn't she know it's not time yet?" Luke asked pointblank.
"It's too early." Lucky protested.
"Get her off her feet." Isabella demanded, nodding toward a nurse. "We need a wheelchair. Do you happen to know where we can find one? My daughter-in-law is in labor!"
Laura swayed slightly in Luke's arms. She met his eyes. They both knew she was in no shape to go with Bobbie. "But what if I drop her?" Luke wanted to know.
"You won't drop her." Laura assured him. "Your sister needs you." By that time, they had maneuvered Bobbie into the wheelchair.
"I can't do this." Luke protested.
"Yes. Yes you can." Laura argued, holding his face between her hands. "I have faith in you."
"You and your faith." Luke muttered. "One day that won't work." He threatened.
"I love you. Go help bring our beautiful niece into the world." Laura shoved him toward the crowd so that he couldn't fall behind the excuse of getting lost.