The weather didn't call for storms or natural disasters so Bobbie knew they had picked the perfect day to bring her daughter out into the world to play with her cousins...or rather watch them and point and stuff her feet into her mouth because that's all she could do at this point. Cruz had taken care of the cake and inviting everyone. Axe had hired an unknown band to perform "Isn't She Lovely?" and Becca had taken care of refreshments and party favors. Bobbie felt like all she had to do was show up with the baby which, she recalled, was what they had agreed on.

Majandra was enjoying herself immensely as she sat in her bouncy chair that they had cautiously placed on the table so her mother could hand out cake without being too far away from her in case she should suddenly fall. Bobbie had thought she would get better with this baby, but she was wrong. She was still as cautious with Majandra as she had been with her son and other two daughters.

"She's not going to break Mommy." Cruz promised as he wrapped his arms around her and rested his chin on her left shoulder. He made faces at his daughter and she tried to mimic them making them both laugh in the process.

"Promise?"

"I swear." Cruz nodded. "Why don't you let someone watch her for a minute and we'll go dance?"

"Who would be good enough?"

"I've already talked Becca into it." Cruz told her. "Come on."

Seeing Becca advancing towards her daughter, Bobbie smiled at her husband. "Alright. Lead on."

"Really? You mean you're not going to make her fill out an emergency form?" Cruz teased pulling her toward the stage.

"You have all her personal information on file at the magazine." Bobbie pointed out.

He couldn't help it; he had to laugh. They assumed a comfortable dancing position and he dragged her just a bit closer since she had them at "just friends" distance. "I love you." He crooned with a grin.

"I love you too." She smiled back at him.

"I was talking to Lucky and he agreed that we should start looking at colleges for her."

Bobbie laughed and threw her head back. "Since he already has Cameron's acceptance to Harvard worked out?"

"Well it's never too early." Cruz kissed the tip of her nose.

"That's true." She sighed. "Speaking of Lucky..."

"Yes?"

"How's he doing with everything?" She questioned. "I mean really. He'll only tell me fine because I'm the aunt."

"Well, since you made me the aunt's husband, he won't confide in me either. I do know from Elizabeth that he does not like this new arrangement whatsoever, but Dara assured them that it has to be done." Cruz replied solemnly.

"It's terrible." Bobbie closed her eyes and shook her head. "I don't know how that man can possibly sleep at night."

"It's not on a mattress of money. I know that much. Diane Miller has really taken them for everything they have. At least that's what Will said."

"Will? Who's Will?"

"The private investigator I hired to trail the Grimes'. I had always planned on asking Lucas, but we weren't all that close when I hired Will and he's been distracted with Lance lately. And I didn't think he needed anything else on his plate." None of them had been expecting that call in the middle of the night that Lance had been diagnosed with a rare disease. It had been even more surprising to find out that he could only be treated with Tylenol and blood pressure medication. Lance was all of six years old!

Nodding her agreement, Bobbie tried not to think too hard of her grandson. Currently he and Cameron were engaged in a serious game of hide and seek from Morgan. Looking at him it was impossible to guess he was sick. "Is this Will good?"

Cruz nuzzled his wife's cheek with his nose. "Of course. And he's discreet. He's been following them since Christmas."

"You do think of everything don't you?"

"I have to be a little creative, you know. Ever since our daughter was born, my wife has been a little distant." He wasn't trying to pick a fight with her by any means, but they had to be honest with one another.

"I've been busy. Majandra's been sick..."

"And I've been working crazy hours. I understand." Cruz lowered his voice before he added, "I just miss my wife."

"I miss you too."

"We're going to have to do something about that."

"Do you have any suggestions?"

"Always." Cruz gave her a hundred-watt smile. "But as far as getting some alone time, I was thinking we could get one of your family members, I'm leaning toward Laura, to take Majandra for one night, maybe a Friday night, and I'll take care of the rest."

"You have a deal."

*****

Lucas watched his mother and stepfather dance and lovingly embrace and tried to think back to a time when it made him want to turn his face away, a time so different from now. Cruz truly made her happy and Maria was their love personified. He could admit to not going and spending the kind of time he should with his baby sister, but he supposed that would take time. It would take just a little time for him to be able to see her and not think of B.J.

When his mother had told him, or rather he had found out, about his sister's existence, he had become so withdrawn, from her, from the world that he hadn't wanted to see anyone, had even neglected spending time with his son. It had been nothing against this newest sister, but she was a living, breathing reminder that B.J. would never again smile at him, laugh at him. It didn't matter how many years passed; he would never "get over" what had happened to his sister. She would always be his little sister and he would always be her big brother.

It was his loyalty to her that was making it difficult to bond with Maria. He didn't want to feel like he was betraying one sister by loving the other one too. This love was different, he realized, because it was so new, so terrifying. To love her would mean letting B.J. go, even if only in the simplest of terms. He would have to stop blaming himself for her death.

As he moved toward the bouncy chair where his newest sister was watching her parents in awe, he noticed her tiny lips part into a beautiful smile. She looked up at him, her big blue eyes stopping him in his tracks, and reached for him. He was surprised by this because they had only met the one time and he had never even held her. Still, she persisted and he found himself bending down and picking her up before he even knew what he was doing. She fit comfortably in the crook of his arm and giggled as she got a hold of his other hand and tried to suck his finger into her mouth. From what he remembered of Lance as a baby, everything went in the mouth.

His eyes strayed to his son playing happily with his cousins and something tugged at his heart. Dr. Wexler had promised that they were still in the early stages of the disease and it could harmless. Dillon had passed it onto him unknowingly, a little something the Quartermaines hadn't admitted to carrying in their genes, and hadn't shown a single symptom in his twenty-four years of life. It wasn't exactly comforting that his son was already showing signs at six years old. He had spoken with everyone about it, but no one knew exactly what to say. They didn't know what they should do and he didn't know what he actually wanted from them. It was one of the calamities of having such a supportive family: Sometimes even they couldn't help. No amount of talking about it would change the fact that his and Dillon's son was sick and there was little or nothing they could do about it.

"You still have that metal bat handy?" Lulu's voice startled her older cousin. She nodded toward Majandra. "She's a beauty."

"I gave up the bat years ago. I'm a much better driver." Lucas answered in a light tone.

"And I'm sure I don't have to remind you to use rubber gloves." Lulu nodded.

"You'll be there with me. I'll need someone to help me get the body in the trunk." Lucas reminded her.

"So that's all I'm good for? Getting rid of dead bodies?" She feigned hurt.

"Your conscience would get to you. You'd totally run to Mac and tell him." Lucas accused gently.

"I would not." Lulu argued but it was half-hearted.

"Yes you would, but that's okay. I like to think you're unscathed." Lucas told her. "How have you been kid? I haven't seen you around a lot."

"You haven't looked. I haven't gone anywhere." Lulu assured him with a wry tone.

"I miss our capers." Lucas admitted.

"Who knew you'd turn them into a career?" Lulu teased.

"It was a joke, remember?" Lucas smiled touching his finger to Majandra's nose.

"I do. You said you wanted to be on the right side of the law so you'd be above suspicion when the bodies started piling up."

"How are you really?" Lucas asked seriously.

"I'm alright. I was only kidnapped for a little while. Kristina and Morgan endured the long-term abuse." Lulu said quietly.

"If I could have gotten to you..." Lucas' voice trailed off.

"Stop. You had a son to worry about. I understand." Lulu patted his arm.

"I should have figured it out before any of you were taken." Lucas countered stubbornly.

"Well it really doesn't do a lot to hold onto guilt when it's over and done with, now does it? There's nothing we can do to change it." Lulu pointed out.

Lucas sighed and turned his attention back to his sister, rather than admit Lulu had a point. "How's life back in the apartment?" He questioned, hoping she would let him get away with the subject change just once.

"It's fine. I had a few more locks put on. Call me paranoid." Lulu suggested with a wistful smile.

"I think your dad would say that was just being a Spencer."

"Yes he would." Lulu agreed. "At least I'll be better prepared if we get a Helena sighting."

*****

It was the one party Lucky wished could last forever. In a Spencer family first, there hadn't been a screaming match of any kind. No accidents. No fights. Cameron was happily playing elaborate games with Morgan and Lance. Gracie and Jake had been taken hostage by relatives and friends that hadn't seen them in the brief week they had spent at Ned's cottage. Although he had joked the entire day, he wasn't quite sure where exactly his children all where; in reality he had always known every movement all three of them made. Currently his mother was trying to convince everyone Jake looked just like him as a child and his father was trying to hide the fact his granddaughter already had him wrapped around his finger.

If he could just freeze time… It wouldn't solve any problems, but it would stall them effectively. Lance could stay as healthy as he currently was. Robin wouldn't be flying off to Paris with Morgan, leaving behind Patrick and a family that still didn't know about her pregnancy. And Cameron could stay home with him, instead of moving in with Tony and Lisa.

Dara had fought with everything she had, argued that it was a gross over-extension of the family court laws to grant an emergency custody order on something as trivial as an overly aggressive press situation, especially when the child in question had been taken out of the range of fire. Diane Miller had argued the flight to the cabin had constituted a major disruption in Cameron's daily routine, and somehow Dara's counter argument that moving Cameron to an entire new town represented the same disruption fell on deaf ears. The judge apparently had taken one look at the tabloids and sided with the Grimes. They would have primary custody of Cameron until the formal custody hearing could be heard.

Maybe it was a stupid idea to schedule the meeting with Tony and Lisa for right after this party. The original idea had been for Cameron to have fun right up until he had to leave. Now Lucky wasn't so sure. Had Cameron really understood what they had talked about? Had it gone in one ear and right out the other the second he had returned home and gone back to his routine of friends, family and school? Was his still excited state about being a big brother, keeping him from realizing, at least for now, he wouldn't be near Jake or Gracie right now? Glancing at his watch, Lucky saw the minute hand continue the march to the inevitable.

Cameron was still chasing his older cousins, oblivious to it all. Maybe it was a good thing. Would he rather Cameron be hysterical and clinging to him the entire time? His son's departure was going to be hard enough to handle. Did he want these last few moments for now (even though his heart was broken, he refused to believe this was it) to be happy ones or miserable? He'd be miserable either way it went, but if Cameron could be happy, then it was the right decision. There would be time enough for tears later.

"Hey," Elizabeth sat down and nudge him with her shoulder. He had been so wrapped up in his brooding he had missed her approach. Not that she didn't understand it completely. As long as it took for Cameron and her to adjust to each other, the fact the little boy wasn't going to be there tonight when they went home was too awful to consider. Cameron had complained for the past week that the house was too quiet since the twins came home. Now it would be a whole new brand of silence. "How are you holding up?" she whispered, although why she didn't know. Every family member present today knew what was happening.

"I'm seriously considering my dad's idea of living life on the run."

"It never gets said to him, but this would be the one time I'd consider one of your father's hair-brained schemes."

"We can still leave now. Tony and Lisa would never find us."

"We could. But then there's that whole pesky kidnapping charge they probably would file against us. And they'd be the "victims" when it becomes a Lifetime movie and get the better actors to play them. We'd be the rejects from a soap or something worse." Elizabeth tried to joke, knowing it wasn't appreciated now but it could possibly be later. She let out a sigh and rested her head on his shoulder, linking their fingers together. "It's not forever. He will come back home."

"You and Dara keep saying that but...." Lucky shook his head. "I've got to be realistic here. This could be it."

"No." Elizabeth said forcefully shaking her head. "You can't think that way. You can't give up. You are going to fight to get him back. We are going to fight and he'll come home. Where he belongs. There is nothing Tony and Lisa can say to make anyone think you are a bad father. Nothing."

"You both thought the same thing before the emergency hearing." He pointed out glumly. "That worked so well in our favor."

"That was one judge with a fear of being seen as the next Judge Ito. The press is a temporary issue and it had nothing to do with you being a great father. Cameron thinks you really are Batman or Spiderman. Anyone with eyes can see that. And I don't think there is a person here that wouldn't back you fighting this all the way to get him home."

Out of the corner of his eye, Lucky spotted Lisa making her way across the grass. He was surprised Tony wasn't charging out through the party, loudly announcing he was here to claim his grandson. Privately, he had been well prepared to punch the man one more time, and this time it wouldn't be an accident. "I don't think I'm ready for this."

"I'm not going to lie to him." Lucky dropped his voice to a whisper as Cameron started to race towards them, noticing Lisa's arrival.

"You're not. He is coming home." Elizabeth whispered fiercely.

"Daddy. Lizzie." Cameron ran up almost breathlessly and just about skidded into Lucky's legs. "Why Gramma here?"

"You're going to go stay with Gramma Lisa and Grandpa Tony for a little bit remember?" Lucky swallowed the tears that threatened to break his voice. He had to be strong right now. "Remember Champ, when we talked about you going over there for a long visit?"

Cameron nodded slowly. "But I wanna stay here. I don't wanna go."

"I know you don't." Elizabeth leaned over to rub Cameron's head. "But it's not forever. You'll be home."

"When? Cause I got lots to do here." Cameron asked seriously.

"Soon Champ. You'll be coming home soon." Lucky leaned down and kissed Cameron's forehead.

"So Cameron, you ready to go now?" Lisa walked slowly towards the trio, not missing the waves of hatred that emanated from Lucky and Elizabeth. She tried not to let it bother her. This wasn't personal. This was about what was best for Cameron, and what was best for him was to be away from the media circus the arrival of the twins had created. She had shook her head when she had found out that bit of news and Tony had just muttered darkly about Lucky now having three lives to destroy instead of just one. Forcing on her brightest smile, she focused on Cameron, the only good reason for any of this. "We've got your room all ready Little Prince. And Grandpa has lots of fun things planned for you to do."

"Can Jake and Gracie come too?"

"What?" Lisa shook her head and it just took a quick glance towards Lucky and Elizabeth to see they were just as thrown by the question as she was. "No the babies can't go sweet boy."

"But I'm the big brother. I have to help with them." Cameron explained apprehensively.

Struggling with the right response, Lisa knew she wasn't going to get any help from Lucky or Elizabeth with this one. It had been clear since the second the judge had handed down his decision that they blamed her and Tony for this outcome. If only they could just see this was all in Cameron's best interest. "That's very sweet of you Little Prince, but the twins need to stay here. They are too little to travel."

"Then I stay too." Cameron decided.

"No darling. You have to come with me now." Lisa offered out her hand. "Grandpa is waiting for us in the car. You don't want him waiting."

"Daddy?" Cameron questioned, turning his head towards his father. "Do I have to?"

Blinking rapidly to keep the tears at bay, Lucky bit on his lower lip hard before he spoke. He could feel Elizabeth squeezing his fingers in support. "Yeah Champ, you have to. We talked about this remember?"

"Lizzie? I don't want to go."

Elizabeth leaned forward, smoothing down the curls in the back that had become tangled during the hours of running and playing. "We don't want you to go. But you have to for right now. Like how we had to go to the cabin for a little bit?" Seeing Cameron nod, she hurried to get the rest of the explanation out before she broke down in sobs. "This is just like that. You have to go with your grandma and grandpa right now and then you'll come home."

"Promise?"

"Promise." Lucky finally found his voice. Looking Lisa directly in the eye, he made a promise to his son. "You will be coming home."

Previews:

"Do you really think we could be friends?" Ric wanted to know.

"We were friends before." Kate pointed out. "I don't think we can back but I'd like to try to go forward."