In lieu of today being fabulous for Lucky and Elizabeth, we are updating early!

Looking For Reason

Robin lifted her hand to knock feeling numb all over. She had left Morgan and Patrick sleeping in their bed and slipped out, needing to breathe and unable to do so at home. This wasn't safe, she reminded herself. In her condition. So late at night. Driving across town. But it had to be done. She needed to see this through and find someone who agreed with her. Dillon hadn't mentioned Patrick driving again, but she had a strong feeling that it was Patrick's decision to do so that had temporarily cut the ties between him, Lucky, and Cruz. She could have gone to Cruz first, but she didn't want to face more accusations, more surprise. She needed a somewhat quiet place where she wouldn't be judged. Robin smiled through tears as her best friend opened the door. "Hi Lucky."

"Robin?" Lucky shook his head in confusion as he pulled her through the door. "What the hell are you doing here? When did you get here? And I thought I was like fourth on the list of people to find out the return plans. When did I get demoted to last?"

Robin leaned into his strong embrace and held him carefully to her. She felt like she was still fifteen, holding onto him for dear life because something had gone terribly wrong. "I got here a few hours ago. Did I wake you, or Elizabeth? The babies?" She asked and slowly met his eyes.

"No. Um, they aren't here right now. Steven's in the hospital. She's going to call when she and Audrey are ready to go."

"The hospital?"

"I'm fuzzy on the details. Apparently he was on the bad side of a hit and run but Elizabeth didn't know much more than that when I talked to her." Lucky scratched the back of his head. "Actually she sounded distracted about something else then but she didn't exactly say what that was."

"Oh God. Poor Elizabeth. And Steven. And Audrey. When did it happen?"

"Earlier tonight. And I might be crazy, but I swear I heard your family in the background."

"My family? Well, I'm sure Georgie would be there. They're friends." Robin answered distractedly.

"Yeah. But don't think for a second you are getting out of an interrogation. Sit. Spill. Why are you home early?" Lucky steered her towards the couch.

"Dillon called me. He said you and Patrick were fighting and that I needed to get my butt back here to figure out why." Robin explained as they sat down.

"Dillon has a big mouth."

"I figured you might have mentioned it, or Elizabeth would have, when I talked to you..." Robin's voice trailed off.

"Or Patrick when you called him?" Lucky finished for her.

"Let's just say tonight was the first time we talked at all since I left for Paris." Robin admitted guiltily.

"No offense, but you two are the strangest engaged couple ever."

"We're not engaged." Robin whispered averting his eyes.

Lucky stared at her incredulously. They weren't engaged? "Did you break up?"

"No. We never were engaged." Robin told him. "The night before we announced to the family that we were, Logan called the apartment."

"Logan?" Lucky rose to his feet. "Did he give any hints where he is?"

"No."

"So Logan calls and this prompted you to freak everyone out about being engaged why exactly?"

Robin took a deep breath. "I was the only one home when he called. He said that he knew I was pregnant and that I would never be safe, not me or the children. I called Patrick and we went to get Morgan from your mom."

"Wait. Logan threatens everyone and you decide to fake an engagement instead of calling your uncle? Robin I love you and all, and this could be a side effect of no sleep in awhile but I do not understand this plan at all."

"It was Patrick's idea. He thought that, if we told everyone we were engaged, Logan would back off. He didn't want to see his brother in jail and I didn't want to be the one to put him there." She glanced down at her trembling hands. "I know he's done terrible things...to all of us...but...anyway, I was scared and it seemed like a good idea. We never planned to keep the truth from the family, but we needed it to be publicized so that Logan, wherever he was, would see it. Other than hurting everyone we've ever cared about, it seems to have worked. Not a peep from him."

"Of course not. Logan's big on public acts. He's probably waiting for the wedding."

"I'm so sorry." Robin blubbered.

"Hey, no crying, pregnant women. I get that you didn't mean to hurt anyone, and I can sort of see the Patrick insanity-laced logic in there, but it still is one of your less brilliant choices and I will not let you live it down."

"Why aren't you and Patrick speaking?" Robin wanted to know.

"Oh another brilliant decision he's made."

"Racing?" Robin guessed.

"He actually told you? Impressive. Cruz and I only found out when Doug mailed him a helmet."

"I hate that you guys are fighting." Robin said. "God knows, we got into it." And went to bed angry, with an exhausted Morgan sleeping between them.

"You fought about us not talking? Robin, really I don't need you to fight all my battles for me."

"We didn't get around to fighting about you. I just thought you should know that I understand."

Lucky leaned against the back of the couch. "Sometimes I think I would be more understanding if he hadn't tried to hide it from me."

"You mean after he already made the decision? Yeah, I hear that."

"And it doesn't help that he's right and I wouldn't have agreed with him in the first place. I mean, I was the one who got that phone call the last time. I was the first one there. I'm not making another mad dash to the hospital because Patrick feels restless. Or bored. Or whatever it is he's feeling."

"He said he's unhappy with his job. I pointed out that racing was a rather odd extreme from photography."

"Not in Patrick land apparently."

"He's going to do it whether or not we approve."

"I know. But I can still use the tell Mom card."

"Keep telling yourself that. I pulled the baby card."

"Oh nice one! I approve."

"I think I carried it a little too far. I told him to choose."

Lucky titled his head to consider the idea. "A tad dramatic, but I think Elizabeth would stand up and applaud if she was here."

"I should go by the hospital and see her." Robin said aloud, already standing up to do so.

"Robin, I don't want to stand in the way of girl time and all, but if you're still under the no stress warning from your doctor, no? You should just wait. I am one hundred percent positive the Wicked Witch of The Webbers is over there plus her parents. And I would hate for you to have a shotgun hospital chapel wedding because you're in early labor and don't want to follow in our footsteps."

"Oh don't even joke about that." Robin laughed. "Thank you."

"Hey someone has to protect my nephew there. I've seen Patrick's baby sitting skills in action."

"I love you. Do you know that?"

"How many times do I have to tell you we are not trying to start any triangles here?"

"At least it'd be semi-interesting." Robin made her way for the door. Noticing the paternal look he was giving her, she said, "And I promise to go straight home. Okay Uncle Lucky?"

Lucky quirked up an eyebrow. "So you only came home to find out why Patrick isn't talking to everyone? That's all Dillon told you?"

"I missed my family. All of you."

"Robin. We missed you too, but none of us have the love of the dramatic and the inability to allow Lucas to keep a case quiet."

"You mean about Max?"

"I thought so." Lucky nodded.

"Lucky, I swear I didn't know."

"I know." Lucky shrugged his shoulders. "I didn't think you would be able to stay quiet about that one. At the very least I would expect a nickname stronger than Rat Fink Cheating Bastard."

"I can't believe she didn't say anything...all this time."

Even now the shock Robin was expressing mirrored his own. "She said she just wanted to forget about it. I can't get mad about that. Not with my own track record in that department. But I just...just...I just don't know Robin. I don't know how to be ok with this."

"I don't either. I don't want to make her go through it all again. I know how much that sucks and I admire her for not dwelling on it."

"Does she?" Lucky wondered. "Does she really not dwell on it?"

"I don't think she does." Robin answered. "I don't think she kept it a secret to hurt us. If I've noticed anything during this last year it's how much she loves you. She's changed so much since she first got here. Have you not seen it too?"

"That's what I keep thinking about. When we first met." Lucky carefully met Robin's eyes. "It's why I keep thinking she's dwelling on it."

"How so?"

"Just think about it Robin. She was jumpy. Any little thing freaked her out. And when she told me about the cheating some of it made sense, but not dating for six months after a guy cheats on you? Leaving the state? Even by her standards, that's dramatic." Lucky fell back onto the couch. "I should have known she wasn't telling me the whole truth."

"How could you have known? Max was a pretty touchy subject for her on a good day. Now we know why."

Rubbing his hand over his face, Lucky released a sigh. "You know I just wanted to hurt the bastard before. Now I want to kill him."

"I wanted to kill him before. What do you suppose I should do now?" Robin meant it as a joke, but Lucky was suddenly very tense. "Honey, come on."

"It's all I see Robin. Every time I stop and think for a second all I see is him beating her until she's unconscious. I can't stop myself from thinking what would have happened if the pizza guy never showed up."

"But he did." Robin put her hand over his. "He did show up and he saved her. You can't blame yourself for what happened before you even met her."

It made sense. It was even rational. But it didn't change how he felt one bit. "I'm glad you're back Dr. Robin."

"Where else would I be?"

Previews:

"I know my brother. He wouldn't have agreed if he didn't want to."

"No, I mean about not telling you immediately."

"What? Are you telling me public spectacles weren't the plan to tell everyone?"