Yes we are updating early...but the freaky timing of tonight's chapter..well its just too freaky to make us wait.

Note...WE DID NOT PLAN THIS! We swear!

She's not home stalker, Ric told himself sternly as he made his way down the street that led to the Scorpio-Jones-Davis home for the second time in his life. At her last appointment, Elizabeth Webber had mentioned the party Robin was throwing for her son in the park. Since hearing that news, he had spent far too many hours wondering if Maxie was going to be at the party today. He had figured she would, but also hoped she wasn't.

He parked carefully on the street far enough away from the house so that if anyone was home they would not see his car. His plan was simple enough. Get into the house through the back door, the one Maxie claimed was always unlocked, find his way up to her bedroom, leave his surprise on her pillow, and leave before anyone could possibly discover him there. Maxie Jones was not the only person who was capable of planning surprises, he thought.

Satisfied, seeing no cars when he reached the edge of the driveway, Ric made his way toward the backyard deciding against sticking close to the fence line. There was being careful and there was making himself conspicuous, Ric reasoned. Entering the backyard, he paused long enough to check for a dog. Maxie had never mentioned having such a pet, but he wouldn't put it past her to "forget" to mention that little detail. Spying the door, he made his way to it. He paused when he noticed the back of a familiar mane of blonde hair sitting at the kitchen table. Well, well, he mused. He was trying to surprise her and here she was surprising him once again. Silently, he opened the door and made his way in.

Maxie lightly added definition to her sketch as the clock ticked noisily behind her. She was running out of time to get this dress finished and Ric was not helping matters any. When they were together, working on this assignment was the last thing he wanted to talk about, let alone waste any energy on. She wasn't stupid; she had known from the beginning that he had signed up for the committee to be near her. At first it had been annoying. Then cute. Now it was making her near hysterical. They were in a time crunch and it was clear that she was going to have to finish this on her own.

Entranced in her work, her hand jerked across the page when she felt warm lips touch the back of her neck. Making a sound that mimicked a startled cat, she stared down at the design in horror. "Ric! Look what you made me do!"

"You'll fix it. You're a genius remember?" He ran the petals of the lily he carried across the nape of her neck.

"Stop. I'm working." Maxie grumbled, erasing the accidental horizontal line she had made across the page.

"And I'm your partner on this project." Ric reasoned as he sat down next to her. "So that means I get to stay and help."

"Sneaky." Maxie shook her finger at him.

"All part of my charm." He pulled the flower from behind his back and presented it to her with a flourish of his hands. "For you."

Maxie blushed as she accepted his gift. "That's very sweet of you."

He winked at her. She was cute when she blushed, but he knew her well enough to know not to point it out to her. "Why aren't you at the birthday party?"

"I told the family I had to work." Maxie nodded in case he argued the point.

"And you paid Mike off to lie to them did you?"

"Shit." Maxie groaned covering her face.

"See this is why you need me around Blondie. To think of details like this." He shook his head in amusement. "So how is the work coming anyways?"

"I can't decide on a design. This is the third one I've done. They all look like crap to me." She pushed the sketchbook toward him.

Ric flipped through the book and studied each sketch individually. The outlines were rough, but he could see the direction she was trying to go. The gowns were anything but simple, yet still managed to be elegant. "Darling, I think we have two different definitions of crap since I see no crap here."

"You're clearly biased." Maxie decided and closed the sketchbook.

"No you are over thinking." He reached out and touched the tip of her nose with his finger. "As always."

"How did you know I was here?"

"I didn't. I was trying to surprise you."

Maxie grinned. "And I surprised you first."

Ric matched her grin with one of his own. "The day is still young. I could surprise you yet."

"Is that right?" Maxie shook her head and forced herself to walk into the kitchen, biting the inside of her cheek when he followed closely behind. "What did you have in mind?" She had known better than to ask the second question because from the very first day this man had made his intentions quite clear.

He wrapped his hands around her waist and pulled her closer to him. "If I told you, then it would ruin the surprise." He whispered into her ear, pausing to nibble lightly at the lobe.

"Ah—I...um..." Maxie fumbled with words.

"Speechless Blondie?" He lowered his head to nip at her neck. "Never thought I would see the day." He teased.

"This isn't smart." Maxie whimpered.

"We're all alone in this big house, probably for hours." Ric reasoned, never stopping his assault on her neck. "I call this genius."

"It's the 'probably' part that worries me." Maxie told him.

"Over thinking again Blondie." He chided her with a laugh, slipping his hands underneath her red blouse. Turning her to face him, he leaned closer to her, stopping a breath away from her full lips. "What have I told you about that?"

"Um..." Maxie pretended to consider her answer.

"Do I have to show you what you miss when you over think things?"

Maxie nodded in feigned sadness. "I think you're going to have to show me."

"Hey." Steven held Georgie's hands in his tightly. "We're in this together." It had taken a short bus ride to get to the nearest clinic and Georgie hadn't stopped moving since they had signed her in.

She smiled at him, thankful for his insistence on coming. The idea of finding out from a doctor in a strange country if she was pregnant or not was terrifying but at least now she knew Steven didn't show any signs of running from her. After all, a person didn't propose if they were thinking of taking the next flight back to L.A. did they?

Try as she might, she hadn't been able to keep his question from echoing in her brain. Had she ever fully realized the power two words had to both terrify and thrill a person? Marry me. Steven wanted to marry her? Steven with his job and life in LA, his established career in a field notorious for being difficult to break into, really wanted to marry little old her, a student from a small town in upstate New York who dreamed of being a writer but had no real plan on how to become one?

Was he serious? Was it really just because he thought it was the right thing to do? Did he really love her? As much as she loved him? Did it even register with him she hadn't said the same words back? Did it really matter? If she really wasn't pregnant would he take it back? The questions overwhelmed her once again so she began to pace. "Where's the doctor? The nurse said it would just be a few minutes."

"It's only been thirty seconds. Relax honey." Steven tried to soothe her with a light hand on the small of her back when she walked past him.

"I can't. I can't. I know I said I didn't want to know but now that we're here..." With a sigh she fell back into a chair next to him and dropped her face in her hands. "Now I just want to know, one way or another."

"I know." Despite his soft tone, Steven's mind was racing. He had thought waiting nine minutes was going to kill him even though he could have still made the argument that home tests were sometimes wrong. There was no argument when it came to medical facts. What was he going to do if the doctor confirmed that Georgie was pregnant? What in the world had made him think they were ready to get married? They hadn't even known each other six months. Somewhere his sister was laughing her ass off.

Georgie chewed her lower lip. "I've been thinking." She started hesitantly. "About if I am pregnant."

"Yeah?" Steven treaded carefully.

"I want to keep the baby."

Steven swallowed the incredulous question he was about to ask and tried to understand her position. He hadn't thought she would be so quick to make a decision one way or the other. "You want to keep the baby." He repeated.

"Yes." She took a deep breath and tried to keep the tears back. "See when I was in high school, I fell in love with this guy and we ended up dating. One thing led to another and the next thing I know I'm sitting in a doctor's office not all that different than this one finding out I'm pregnant."

Steven's eyes jumped to hers. "How old were you?"

"Fifteen."

Steven rubbed his temples in deep concentration. So she had already been through this once? And so young? Had the asshole even stuck around? Wait. "What happened?"

"I lost the baby. A little boy. And it pretty much destroyed Dillon and me as a couple." Georgie paused to wipe away the tears that had strayed from her eyes. "Well to be fair, we wouldn't have made it anyways since he figured out he was gay. Losing the baby just upped the time table I guess."

"Georgie, I'm sorry. I didn't have any idea."

"How could you?" She asked. "It's not exactly something you wear on a t-shirt. But the thing is I don't think I could handle being pregnant again and always wondering what if and how things might be different. It almost killed me once. I couldn't do it again."

"I'd never ask you to."

"Really?"

"I care about you too much to hurt you like that."

She grabbed his hand and quickly kissed his knuckles before dropping her head to his shoulder. "Thank you." She whispered.

"Miss Jones?" A fair blonde nurse called out from the doorway. "We're ready for you."

"Now or never." Georgie muttered as she stood up.

"I'll be right here." Steven promised. "Unless you want me to go with you."

"No. I can do this." Georgie kissed him quickly. "No matter what you'll be here right?"

"Right here." Steven pulled her to him and kissed her again, letting out a shuddering breath when they broke apart.

"Alright. I'm going now." She turned and made her way to the door.

"I love you." Steven whispered right before she disappeared from sight.

"No. No. Of course I would tell you if I had heard from Georgie." Robin said into the cell phone as she tried not to roll her eyes at her uncle's hysteria. She wasn't even sure what had brought it on or why he hadn't mentioned it at the party.

"Something is going on." Mac insisted and sounded like he might be biting his nails. Robin could hear the ruffle of paper bags and the sliding of soles across the tile kitchen floor and figured they must have stopped by the store and just walked in the door. As far as she could tell, the party had worn out her guys. Morgan had fallen asleep playing Super Smash Bros. and Patrick was sprawled across the couch, watching her with one eye open.

"What makes you think that? Just because Georgie hasn't been answering her phone means exactly one thing: her battery's low." Robin suggested already feeling like she was going to be stuck in the middle of this until her cousin came home.

"That's the best you can come up with, huh?" Mac sounded deflated.

"Well there's always the off chance that she's hanging around a biker gang and—"

"Let me hide in my delusions, please." Mac cut her off with a groan.

Robin pushed the pile of mail into a stack and then fanned it out again, wondering if she had missed something. Unlike her perfect system before cohabitation, now the mail went everywhere but the specified table and it was damn near impossible to keep it sorted. It was amazing they hadn't missed a bill and had something cut off.

"Are you still there?" Mac's voice came to her and she realized she must have stopped talking for a minute or two.

"Yes. I'm just checking the mail." Robin answered distractedly. "I'm sure Georgie's fine. She's only got a few more weeks until she comes home. Eight right? Eight weeks?"

"Yes, eight weeks. I've been keeping track of it on my calendar." Mac explained.

"Uncle Mac," Robin patronized him, "She's having a good time. I'm sure she'll call the second she has a chance." She glanced down at her watch. "Uncle Mac…"

"What?" He sounded startled.

"Uncle Mac it's after ten in Paris. She's probably in bed."

"I forgot about the time difference." Mac admitted quietly.

"There you go." Robin picked up an unfamiliar envelope and thumbed it open.

"Am I interrupting something? You keep going quiet." Mac pointed out.

"It's—I got a letter from my dad…I think." Sneaky man her father, he never left a return address out of fear that it would be compromised. She had thought about pointing out that it wasn't the eighties and no one was after him, but what fun would that have been?

"I'll leave you to it. I love you."

"I love you too."

"A letter from your dad?" Patrick spoke up, both eyes closed now.

"Yes." Robin couldn't keep the anticipation out of her voice. "I haven't heard from him since Christmas. He waits until I miss him so much I can't stand it and then I get a letter like this." She moved toward the couch and inadvertently made Patrick sit up to make room for her.

"Well, what's it say?" Patrick goaded.

"Just a second. Just a second. He writes in French." Robin informed him.

"In French? I thought he was Australian." Patrick recalled.

"It's a code thing." Robin murmured vaguely.

Hello Luv,

I hope this letter finds you with your feet up and a cold glass of iced tea in your hand since your mother keeps trying to convince me that that boyfriend of yours serves some purpose. I'm still not sure what that is, but you seem happy so I'll trust that you know what you're doing. No, I've not been checking up on you; I have it on good authority that that sap of a boyfriend has told you he loves you. Does this mean we'll be getting a wedding soon? I'd hate to think of any other reason why the two of you would have moved in together. Mac tells me you two believe yourselves to be the real thing and, if that is the case, I say congratulations. On the off chance you're reading this after successfully broken up with that sleazy boyfriend of yours, I say have one on me princess.

Now don't get hysterical. I'm teasing. I have to believe my brother and grandson wouldn't let that boy weasel his way into your heart without offering you his as well. Your mother is still trying to get into politics no matter how many different ways I try to explain to her that she is too smart to be anywhere near them. She's currently campaigning as mayor of Florida, her only competition being the current mayor. I suppose no one told her that elections aren't for a few more months. It's been very lonely here without even your mother to talk to and I'm sure you're still sore at me for bailing on you at Christmas. It simply couldn't be helped, but of course I'm always thinking about you.

Perhaps this would be the time to tell you why I am writing you, for this particular letter serves two purposes, only one being my delayed correspondence with my lovely daughter. After several meetings and phone calls with my handlers, we're in agreement that it would be best for all parties involved if I disappear from active duty for at least the next few months. I know life must be especially hectic for you right now, but I was wondering if you might consider coming to stay with me in Paris. You remember the flat your mother and I had there when you were a child? That is where I'll be staying and it'd sure make the time here less lonely if you and my grandson came to visit. I don't want you to feel obligated since I do realize you have a life and friends and a growing business to take care of. Still, I am getting older and you never know when I might just keel over. This could explain why I'm on temporary suspension.

If you'll think about this rationally I am right. You see, Morgan will be just getting out of school by the time I'm inviting you to come. How long has it been since you've seen the City of Love my dear? I'll never quite understand why you've let yourself get attached to such a boring town, but this is your chance to visit with your dad and rediscover your roots. Morgan deserves that chance as well. I heard about his father. I wish I could have been there for you. I know you were friends. I understand your old boyfriend was murdered as well. Do you see? Do you see why you need to get out of there? Escape the dead and dying of that old town and come to Paris.

There is a small chance you're thinking this over, an even smaller one that you're considering turning down the offer. I ask you to think long and hard about it. Vacations like this do not come around very often and I worry that we'll never be as close as we were when you were a child. We have this chance now and I know you'll make the right decision. Attached is a pair of plane tickets for yourself and Morgan. If you decide not to meet me here will you do me a favor and cash in your tickets for something that will be in memory of me? It's never too early to start looking at tombstones, is it?

Signed,

Your Father