Lucas bowed his head and folded his hands together just like his father had shown him a hundred times when they attended Sunday morning service. Since Tony and BJ 's deaths, neither Lucas nor Bobbie had made church a priority; there was always something more pressing going on to spend an hour and a half saying thanks to God for all they had. At first, it had been too difficult to go without them; by the time he met Dillon, church was something that he had done at one time for a number of years but lost interest in. The Quartermaines hadn't been big on worship so he and Dillon had never even broached the subject of church for their son.
Maybe he had been wrong to not keep faith in his life. He had so much to be thankful for, after all: his son, his husband, his aunts, uncles, and cousins, his friends, and everyone in-between. He had a job he loved which few people could say for themselves and a husband whose dreams kept him from losing his own. He had a beautiful son who was funny and intuitive…and safe. He couldn't forget safe. There hadn't been an attempt made on Lance, but that didn't mean there couldn't be one. Dillon had him now and only under the excuse of checking on Maxie and Alexis. Lucas knew no one would try and take his son, not tonight anyway. He would take a few days off, call it a family emergency which wouldn't be a lie, and wait out this kidnapping spree.
Lucas didn't have to wonder what his friends and family members were going through because the moment he had heard about the other two abductions he had felt outraged, terrified, out of his mind with grief, and the emotions just kept piling up, even now, hours, days later—since it was almost two days since Kristina had been taken, his watch announced. He had started to feel guilty for punishing Lance over Christmas break and not getting him that toy he wanted—he couldn't remember what it was now—and everything in-between. He had wondered if he was really as great a parent as he had always thought himself to be, if he and Dillon's lifestyle caused too much stress on their son, and if they should take him and run.
He hadn't been able to leave. One look at Alexis, one broken sob from Robin, and he and Dillon had agreed that staying here was the best thing they could do. They were familiar with the two previous kidnappings and, even though they hadn't contacted Robin yet, Lucas and Dillon believed that they would. They were letting her fret a little longer, that's all. They were trying to make her doubt herself. Lucas had dealt with enough kidnappings to know how criminals worked.
No doubt, his mother and Elizabeth were hesitant to bring any child into the world right now when they could just as easily be snatched up. Of course, they didn't have a choice. Elizabeth was halfway there and his sister wasn't patient enough to wait for the kids and Lulu to be returned. When he had imagined his mother going into labor, he hadn't anticipated that Cruz would be shot and struggling to breathe in a room several floors up. He had found relief in believing that she wouldn't have to go through it alone like when she had had Carly. Oh Carly, he thought to himself. I hope you're helping Mom with all of this. He knew Uncle Luke was in the delivery room with her but, somehow, that didn't bring him much consolation.
No patience was right, he thought to himself. His little sister was showing up two months early. With all of the medical issues his mother faced, he really didn't want her to have another one to deal with. She must be scared out of her mind. He wished he could help her, but they only allowed one family member in the delivery room and that wasn't him. He could only pray to a God that must not have forgotten about him if the wonders in his life were anything to go by.
Even though he didn't practice any one faith and hadn't for years, Dillon could still appreciate the beauty and peace the hospital chapel provided for the visitors who found their way to the wood paneled pews. He just hadn't expected to find Lucas there. Looking down at Lance, he pointed his son toward a pew that was just off to the side of the one Lucas currently occupied. "Hey," he whispered as he sat down next to his husband. "What are you doing here?"
"I figured praying couldn't hurt." Lucas answered honestly.
"I always approve of covering all the bases. Have you been upstairs yet?"
"I tried, but it was really crowded." His answer sounded lame even to him. There was no way to hide the fear in his tone.
"Since when do you dislike crowds?" Dillon asked quirking one eyebrow upwards.
"How are Maxie and Alexis?" Lucas asked instead.
"Alexis is trying to run the investigation from her hospital bed and giving Mac fits. And Maxie is pouring through car magazines Patrick brought over trying to remember anything that can help. Don't think I didn't notice that subject change either there babe."
"I'm just hoping you won't make me answer right away." Lucas almost smiled.
"Fat chance. Answer it or I make you watch Center Stage again."
"You really want to know, don't you?" Lucas scrunched up his face at his husband's threat. "I guess I just didn't feel comfortable. There's so much grief up there."
"I know, it's not the Quartermaine way, but I thought you Spencers always came together in times of stress. Family solidarity and all that stuff Grandfather just yells about."
"I felt guilty." Lucas admitted.
"Guilty?" Dillon did a double take. Of all the emotions he had been prepared for Lucas to name, this was last on the list. "What do you have to feel guilty about?"
Lucas nodded toward Lance.
"Because he's safe while Morgan, Kristina, and Lulu are still missing?"
"Yes." Lucas whispered.
"Babe." Dillon whispered in an even lower voice and pulled Lucas closer to him. "You have nothing to feel guilty over."
"I know that logic agrees with you. I just don't think I can face them yet." Lucas told his husband.
"Well tough because your baby sister has decided to be a bigger drama queen than you and I combined and make her grand entrance tonight. Your family needs you right now." Dillon argued bluntly.
"I can't do it alone." Lucas murmured.
"Who said you were going to?" Dillon asked. "Did anyone say Lance and I were leaving? Our son is beyond excited about getting a new aunt and he's heard rumors Cameron is upstairs so he's all about playtime right now. And right now is the perfect time for me to convince Elizabeth I should throw her baby shower."
"What if I say the wrong thing?" Lucas wanted to know.
"You apologize and move on. Everyone is all Blair Witch right now and I bet everyone is worried about the same thing. You think Lucky isn't feeling guilty that his son and the baby are safe while Robin's up there still freaking out about Morgan?" Dillon challenged.
Lucas considered that. "All right, let's go meet my sister." Lucas decided with a confidence he didn't feel.
"Good man. Keep this up and maybe I'll buy you a cookie along with Lance."
"Peanut Butter?" Lucas' eyes twinkled in jest.
"Only the best for you."
"Daddy? Is my aunt here yet?" Lance asked, tugging on Lucas' sleeve with his blue eyes shining with the excitement of the moment and childhood glee at being up way past his bedtime with total permission. "Is she? Is she?"
Lucas looked down at his son. He was just as excited, but there was a lot of worry mixed in with it. "Not yet, Lance." The family looked up once they recognized his voice and Dillon was talking to the desk nurse about the difference between Rear Window and Psycho, his reasoning being that one was actually slightly scary while the other was just trying to rip it off.
"Lucas." Laura's voice only trembled slightly, giving away the terror she was just barely keeping in check. She had to focus on this new baby, or she would give in to the temptation to cry and scream until her daughter was home, safe and sound.
"Hi Aunt Laura." Lucas greeted her, unable to hide the tremor in his voice.
"Aunt Laura is my new aunt here yet?" Lance ran up demanding.
"Not yet sweetheart." Laura answered, stroking his blonde hair gently. "Uncle Luke will come out and let us know when she's here."
Lance's eyes grew to the size of saucers. "Uncle Luke is a doctor?"
Lucas coughed loudly to try to cover the laugh that threatened to erupt from him. He also tried to avoid the amused looks of Patrick, Robin, and Laura. "No. No he's not."
"Where's Cameron, Daddy? You said Cameron was going to be here." Lance whined, tugging on Lucas' left hand urgently.
"I thought he was." Lucas looked around confused, trying to spot Lucky or Elizabeth in the waiting room. He wouldn't have thought Lucky would let his son out of his sight with the events of the night still fresh in his mind.
"The nurse. She came to talk Elizabeth. They left after that." Isabella offered.
Robin's head jerked up. She had been in the restroom when they had left and she hadn't received an explanation until now. Still, she had questions, "What did the nurse come talk to Elizabeth for? The baby's alright, isn't it?"
"Yes. Yes." Laura hastened to reassure Robin. "It's probably Audrey."
"What about Audrey?" It was Patrick who spoke up this time.
"I imagine either some test results came back or Elizabeth's family has started to arrive."
"I didn't realize anything was wrong with Audrey." Robin admitted, suddenly feeling awful for not questioning Elizabeth and Lucky's absence before now.
"They didn't tell you?" Laura's questioned. Her first instinct was Robin and Patrick would have been the first ones her son and Elizabeth would call. Too late she realized they must have been too distracted to call anyone other than Lulu to baby-sit. "Audrey had a stroke tonight. It was why Lulu was baby-sitting. They were already at the hospital."
"A stroke?" Robin and Patrick breathed out in unison.
"I don't know many of the details. The tests were still coming in when..." Laura's voice trailed off, unwilling to speak the rest of the night's events out loud.
Robin placed her hands over Laura's. "It's okay. We know the rest." She promised with a sad smile.
"At any rate, I know they were still waiting on some test results. And I think Steven, her sister, and parents were on their way. They are probably on the neurology floor right now."
"I think I'm going to go find them." Robin decided, standing up. She half expected Patrick to argue the point with her or tag along, but he remained where he was and didn't say a word.
Steven couldn't help but pace the small space between his grandmother's room and the nurse's desk. They had been waiting for tests a lot longer than he had been in town, but he felt like he would explode if they didn't tell him something soon. Georgie had disappeared upstairs to check on her sister so he was trying to hold it together for his baby sister and her boyfriend.
It had been a little while since he had seen Elizabeth. She was definitely a lot farther along than he had realized: she had switched out of the outfits he had gotten used to and into frilly maternity clothing. This was just one of these things he had been avoiding in France: his sister's impending motherhood. While gone, he had been able to focus on other things. Yes, they had talked and he was excited about being an uncle; it was just intimidating to see her figure filling out. And, what's more, it just reminded him of why she was in this condition.
"Are you sure we didn't miss him?" He asked irritably, directing the question at both of them.
"The nurse said Dr. Holzman would be here in a few minutes." Elizabeth sighed. "She just didn't specify exactly how long a few minutes were in real people time not doctor time."
"We've been here forever." Steven grumbled. "You would think they understood how dire the situation is." Part of the problem was that he hadn't seen her yet. Both Elizabeth and the hobbit standing next to her had gotten to see his grandmother, only briefly but still more times than he had. It wasn't fair. It wasn't right.
"I can go try to run him down." Lucky offered from his seat next to Elizabeth, his arm draped over her shoulder.
"No. I want you here if the doctor shows up." Elizabeth shook her head.
Steven gritted his teeth together tight enough to give himself a headache. "The doctor will be here. We don't need you disappearing and scaring Elizabeth. She has enough to deal with."
"Steven I'm pregnant, not a porcelain doll."
"I never said you were." Steven assured her. "I just didn't think Boy Wonder should put in his two cents. This is about Grams, not him."
"That's it!" Elizabeth stood up and marched over to her brother. "You come with me."
"Where?" Steven demanded sounding a little worried.
"Just march." She pointed one finger down the hallway. Lucky held up his hand, gesturing that he was staying out of it. He had learned a long time ago to not argue with Elizabeth when she looked as if she was about to spit fireballs.
"Elizabeth, get a grip." Steven told her. "I was just joking."
"It's not the time for jokes right now Steven."
"Maybe I was trying to think about something else, because the idea of Grams fighting for her life scares the hell out of me." Steven managed softly.
"It scares me too, but could you please, please pick something else? Anything. I beg of you."
"For you." Steven agreed.
"Thank you." Elizabeth sat down and rested her head on Lucky's shoulder. "I just want this night to end."
The elevator doors slid open and Robin stepped out of them, spotting her tired friend instantly. "Elizabeth, I didn't realize. I'm so sorry!"
"You couldn't have known." Elizabeth protested. "You had enough going on."
Robin's eyes filled with tears at that. "I'm sorry you didn't think you could tell me."
"It wasn't that at all. Everything just happened so fast..." Elizabeth tried to fight back the yawn but it was useless.
"You're exhausted. You should go home. Lucky, take her home." Robin ordered.
"I've tried. She won't listen to me." Lucky protested. "You're welcome to take a crack at it."
Elizabeth shook her head stubbornly. "I'm not leaving until I know what is going on with Grams."
"At what cost?" Steven wanted to know.
"I'm fine. Dr. Lansing is just downstairs and I'm sure he'd tell you the exact same thing."
"I was just about to go visit with Maxie and Georgie. How about you come with me." Robin offered, reaching for Elizabeth's hand. "I hear all exercise during pregnancy is good."
"Go. Steven and I will stay here and find out everything for you." Lucky urged her. He pointed to Cameron, who sat trying to fight off sleep in the corner flipping through a book one of the nurses brought him. "Take Cameron with you. He likes Georgie."
"I don't trust you two alone together."
"We'll play nice." Lucky swore, making an approximation of what he vaguely remembered the scout's honor sign to be.
"We are adults, Elizabeth. We can get along." Steven told her.
"Hear that?" Robin smiled. "That settles it. Cam, you want to come with us?"
Cameron looked carefully between Lucky and Elizabeth. "You come Lizzie?"
"Alright, but just for a few minutes." Elizabeth sighed giving in. If it had just been Robin, Lucky, and Steven, she might have been able to stand her ground. But they just had to throw Cameron into the mix. Now that just wasn't fair.