We'll see you back here on the 29th. Happy Holidays everyone! We are so thankful for all of you.

"Excuse me Inspector?" Brenda knocked lightly, standing in the doorway with a knowing smile playing across her lips. "My friend's gone missing and I was wondering if you would help me track him down? He's tall, has this stylish dirty-blonde hair, and dreamy eyes."

"Ha-ha." Lucas barely glanced up from his computer screen. "You auditioning for Last Comic Standing?"

Brenda's eyes lit up. "You think I have chance?"

"You'll probably get cut after the first round."

"Am I being cast on a soap opera? You know how much they hate beautiful people."

"Sadly yes I do." Lucas leaned back and pushed himself away from the computer for the first time in hours. "What brings you to this part of town? I thought you said not enough beautiful people hung around here for you."

"I was in the neighborhood. Seems someone forgot to R.S.V.P. to my wedding and it's on..." Brenda paused to look at her naked wrist. "Right Saturday."

Wincing, he remembered the invitation that had been prominently displayed on the refrigerator ever since it arrived by messenger. "That is this Saturday isn't it?"

"No, last Saturday. What do you think?" Brenda gave him a long look.

"I'm sorry Bren." Lucas sighed.

"If I hadn't stopped by, would you have bothered to show up?" Brenda asked, hurt.

"Maybe. Dillon won't be able to resist a party and Lance has been looking forward to going for weeks."

"Your mother told me about Lance. I guess what I'm trying to figure out is why you didn't tell me yourself. You know I adore that little boy."

"I know. It's just...it's just..." Lucas looked up into his friend's eyes, his own watering. "I don't want it to be to true."

"Oh Lucas." Brenda ran for her friend and enveloped him in her arms, pushing his hair behind his ears. "Is it worse than I heard?"

"No." Lucas admitted. "But you know me. Ever the optimist."

"What can I do? Does he need a special doctor?"

"Dr. Wexler keeps saying no. It doesn't call for that. I just feel so helpless."

"I'm going to get tested and see if maybe I'm a candidate." Brenda told him kissing his forehead in the same fashion she would a little brother, if she had one.

"Bren...you hate needles."

"But I love you."

"And I love you."

"It's settled. Besides, I have a one o'clock appointment."

"Bren, you don't need to have a medical appointment before your wedding."

"There are hours between. I'll be fine. They give you cookies and water, don't you know?"

"Oh well anything for free cookies."

"It's not like I'm going to learn how to cook ever."

"Good point. We can't have you ruining your reputation."

"Of course not. So, are you still going to be my bridesmaid?"

"Try to stop me."

"No more secrets?"

"No. Not even when those jeans make you look fat."

"Do they?" Brenda glanced down in horror.

"Not these. But the next time we go shopping, you're getting the brutal truth."

"That's fair."

*****

"I know Kelly's chili is supposed to be famous, but you're the first person who's ever come from around the world just for a few bowls." Maxie teased as she passed along the take out bag over the counter.

"I heard it's the best. And you are?" Steven asked, sitting back in his hair. He needed a quiet place after all the drama over the last week. After the confrontation with his parents and sister, he hadn't the heart to return to Elizabeth and tell her what they had said.

"You mean my reputation doesn't precede me?" Maxie joked, clutching her hands in front of her chest. "Maxie Jones, stranger."

"It's nice to meet you." Steven replied, smiling. It was nice to put a name with a voice.

"This is the part where you tell me your name or I'm going to end up calling you Paris when you come back. This will set off media frenzy and a bunch of very disappointed paparazzi."

"Steven Webber. You might know my grandmother, Audrey Hardy, or Elizabeth, my sister." He answered kindly.

"How could I forget the Christmas scene? Now I know why you look familiar." Maxie snapped her fingers. "Your family seems to love the spotlight."

"From what I understand, so does yours."

Maxie quirked up one eyebrow confused. "How do you know my family? I know Robin and Elizabeth are close but still..."

"We have a friend in common. Georgie." Steven clarified, not letting onto how well of a friend Georgie was.

Maxie nodded, suddenly remembering her sister's rushed mentions of meeting Steven during her trip. "Looks like working double shifts have finally affected my brain. I forgot Georgie mentioned you."

"Really? What did she say?"

"Just that you two had met a few times." Curious about his interest in what exactly her little sister had to say about him, the question formed on her lips and was about to fly out when she noticed a customer signaling her from the floor. "I gotta go. I'm the only one on right now."

"No problem. Thanks for the chat." It wasn't exactly heartfelt, but at least he could get along with Georgie's sister.

"See you around Paris." Maxie called over her shoulder as she made her way over to impatient table.

Steven chuckled as he left some money on the table and headed out the door. How strange that the conversation made him feel better. He supposed it was because, even though it would have plenty later, it was free of angst or heartbreak or betrayal, making it very different from any conversation he had conducted or joined in on in almost two weeks.

A hand reached out and grabbed his wrist as he made his way through the iron gate and pulled him around the corner hidden from the view of the restaurant and the people walking on the street. Georgie giggled as his blue eyes finally met her own. "I leave you alone for a week and you're already flirting with my sister?"

It took Steven a second to collect himself. "I was trying to make a good impression so when we tell them she can remember our pleasant conversation."

"Oh sure, excuses, excuses."

"What are you doing here? You are here aren't you? I'm not still asleep, am I?" Steven asked, holding her close.

"Classes are done so I came home." Georgie responded simply, happy to finally feel his arms around her again. Whose brilliant idea had it been for them to come home at separate times? Oh, that's right, she reminded herself, hers. "If you're sleeping then so am I."

"God you smell good." He murmured against her hair. "What took you so long to get here?"

"I missed you so much. When I saw you in Kelly's, I thought about running in and jumping right into your arms." She admitted nuzzling her nose into his neck.

"Well that would save us an awkward conversation later on, wouldn't it?"

"And bring you that much closer to meeting my father."

"So you want to stall? I can do that." Steven nodded placing a soft kiss on her lips.

"Not for forever. Just until I figure out how to tell him." Georgie promised. And figure out how I'm going to keep quiet about Robin's pregnancy, she thought to herself. Her cousin had made her promise at least a dozen times to not breathe a word of it until she and Morgan returned home. What rabbit hole had she fallen down in Paris when she became the Jones girl who had all the secrets?

"Where are you staying?" Steven wondered, tapping her chin with his finger.

"Dad and Alexis'."

Steven gave her a pained stare and shook his head. "Are you bored? Is that why you insist on drama?"

"You think me suddenly moving into Audrey Hardy's house without explanation would cause less of a scene? What movies are you watching?"

"Just the ones you recommended my dear." Steven threw back. "Besides, my grandmother isn't the commissioner or ex-District Attorney. If she found out, she'd keep it to herself."

Georgie bit her lower lip and glanced away quickly. She didn't want to have to sneak time to see her husband in dark alleyways or figuring out which window would be easiest to get in without anyone noticing. Sneaking around made this sound as if it belonged in high school, not in an adult relationship. "I can't hurt my dad. He's the only one that's always been in my corner. I can't lose him Steven. Not even for a second. I'll tell him, I just need to figure out how to tell him."

"It's not like I'm going to take out an ad. I love you and I can wait." Steven promised, nuzzling her nose with his.

"I love you so much and I promise I will make this up to you." Georgie promised pressing a soft kiss to his lips.

"Don't look so sad. This is going to work out how it's meant to. I just know it."

*****

Robin slipped off into the bedroom for a second to herself. She had been in Paris for over a week and it was time she stopped being selfish and checked on her friend. She had left Elizabeth at the worst possible time and she needed to know that she was okay. She didn't know how much help she could be from here, but she missed their lengthy talks about everything and nothing. With the exception of a few extra digits, she tapped in the number without much thought and was greeted by ringing, ringing, and more ringing. She told herself she would stay on the phone until someone answered.

"Hello?" Lucky grumbled quietly into the phone. If this was a telemarketer, they would pay dearly for interrupting the first time in over a week both the twins and Elizabeth were sleeping at the same time.

"Lucky." Robin couldn't contain her disappointment.

"Robin? Don't sound so excited to talk to me."

"I'm sorry." Robin insisted immediately. And women were the dramatic sex? Yeah, right. "I was hoping to talk to Elizabeth."

"Sorry to disappoint. She and the twins are sleeping. I can wake her up if you want." It was probably a bad idea in the short run, but Elizabeth would have his head if she found out Robin called and he hadn't woken her.

"Let her sleep." Robin said. "Did I wake you though?"

"No. You know I don't need sleep." Lucky shrugged off her concern. So what if he hadn't actually slept since Cameron left to stay with Tony and Lisa? It wasn't like anyone expected him to actually sleep with newborn twins in the house.

"I miss Cam too."

"Can't just let me pretend can you Scorpio?"

"I love you too much Spencer." She knew no one else would be brave enough to broach the subject and it was unhealthy for him to keep it all bottled up.

"I told you before; we need to keep that on the down low. Now that you and Patrick are all serious, it would be a quadrangle and that's so much worse than a triangle."

"We are? Are you sure?" Robin taunted.

"I know it seems impossible, but usually an engagement implies being serious about someone."

"And here I thought it was your cousin's magical way of doing the right thing." She didn't mean it, not really, but a part of her wondered all the same.

"How many times do I have to tell you conversations about Patrick's 'magical way' are way too much information for me? Are you trying to send me back to therapy?"

"And I have a dirty mind? Are you trying to one-up me?"

"You could never beat me."

"Are you alright friend? I know I kind of abandoned you..."

"For Paris. I'll never recover."

"You know why."

"I do." Lucky sighed. "Truth? I've been better."

"Can I help?"

"Know anyone who can put out a hit?"

"That's not funny." Robin wrinkled her nose. "I'm serious. I can come back."

"No. You are supposed to be avoiding stress right now and believe me when I say you'll be walking right into Stress City. I know you Shortstack. You'll come back guns a-blazing and ready to defend everyone, just like Christmas. Stay where you are."

"I want to testify. I want to help you get Cameron back."

"And I love you for it. But right now the last thing Elizabeth needs is to worry about you. Please stay where you are."

"Seven weeks and I'm coming home."

"I would expect nothing less. And if Dara is right, there will still be plenty of fun to be had at the courtroom then."

"You know I love a good fight." Robin forced a laugh. "How are the babies? Have they said Robin yet?"

"No, but Patrick is working with them almost daily to say his name."

"Patrick?"

"Remember how I told you it would be a bad thing if Patrick and Elizabeth started talking to each other because they got bored?"

"He's over there a lot?"

"Not a lot. I think it's just when it's too quiet for him."

Robin put her hand over the phone and swallowed hard. Well that definitely explained why he didn't answer when she called. She had thought maybe he was avoiding her. He had been pretty upset at her for leaving. "Kiss the babies for me, will you?"

"Of course. Give me a time frame and I'll make sure Elizabeth is conscious when you call."

"She can call whenever. I'm only six hours ahead."

"We're lucky if we can stay two minutes ahead over here."

"Oh. Well, whenever's convenient."

"I was just joking Scorpio. You can call whenever. I know Elizabeth will insist."

"I'll do that. I love you."

"Love you too. No getting too Frenchy on us."

"C'est la vie." Robin hung up.

Previews:

Their cars jolted down the hill at an alarming rate and Sam apologized for every bad thing she had ever done. Her teeth chattered as the cars spun away from each other and threw one arm in front of her face to avoid the glass as the windshield shattered.