If you didn't look closely, you would think Mac Scorpio was handling everything rather well. His daughter had been the co-conspirator in a secret marriage that had lasted a quarter of a year, his fiancé had been trying to back out of the wedding since she had been diagnosed with lung cancer, and now, at the height of it all, Robin had invited him and everyone that she and Patrick knew to be a part of a special dinner. Call him paranoid, but the last time they had shared a meal it had been to tell him that she was engaged. His opinion on that matter hadn't deterred his niece one iota, nor had he even been given a chance to completely form one. He hadn't missed the "there are no excuses for not showing up" theme the invitation hid behind its pretty words.

Maybe you didn't even have to look close to see that Mac Scorpio was coming apart at the seams. Alexis squeezed his hand, for support or to express her own dread he didn't know. He met her eyes and told himself he would get her down that aisle if he had to carry her down it. She wanted to be his wife that much he knew. It was everything else that seemed to make her uncertain. Her illness. The children being kidnapped. And something else. Something else was seriously bothering her. He wished he knew what it was. He wanted to fix it because that was his nature. Give him a puzzle, he put the pieces together. Give him a riddle, he solved it. As far as he could tell, whatever this new development, it hadn't started until just recently.

Georgie was at the hospital with Steven. It was hard enough linking their names in his mind, so he didn't try. She was still his baby, no matter how old she got or who she married. He reminded himself not to bring up the subject until the bloke was out of the wood, but he wanted to see the marriage certificate. It wasn't in Georgie to lie, or so he had thought, but he wasn't leaving anything to chance anymore. Maybe this Steven Webber had corrupted her. He had seen it several times in Robin and Maxie's boyfriends over the years. It wasn't so far a leap. He hadn't met Steven before the accident, so who knew what kind of man he was? Not much of one, Mac mused silently to himself. He hadn't even had the decency to ask for Mac's blessing.

That was something else that bothered Mac: the fact that Patrick had tried to call him over the last couple of weeks, each time getting the answering machine or leaving brief messages for him at the station. To this day, he still had no idea what Drake wanted from him and that made him very, very nervous. The man had never sought him out for any real purpose, so why now? He hadn't discussed this with anyone, deciding that, if and when the time came, he would be in the know. What was it with his family and keeping secrets from him? Was he not trustworthy? He didn't always jump to irrational conclusions. He always tried to give the benefit of the doubt…even as his girls were heading closer and closer to the proverbial cliff.

"Are you alright?" Alexis's voice brought him back to the present. Maybe you didn't need to look quite so closely to see the truth. Or maybe Alexis just knew him better than anyone else. He assumed the latter.

"Yeah. I'm asking God to keep life changing secrets to a minimum." As he said it, he unintentionally stared over at Maxie.

"What are you looking at me for?" Maxie asked innocently. "I told you about Ric long before anyone else spilled their news. Don't I get some kind of credit for that?"

"Still haven't met the man." Mac pointed out.

"You haven't invited him to dinner." Maxie bit her tongue. Maybe that wasn't the most tactful comment she could have made. "Besides, he's gone to Tucson to visit his sick father."

Mac almost told her he didn't want more information on the cradle robbing MD, but thought better of it. No reason to make enemies. Alexis rested her head on his shoulder, again as if she knew something he did not, and the door opened wide.

"Natasha! Bubba! Maxie!" Luke called out joyfully. "Come on in and join the party! We couldn't start the fun without you!"

"The fun?" Mac asked, his eyes worriedly scanning the guests.

"Such fun you can't even imagine it." Luke promised, winking conspiratorially. "I promise this will be a party to remember."

*****

"I can't do this." Robin said into her plastic cup of orange juice as she tipped it up into her mouth.

"I think you no longer have a choice." Elizabeth pointed out, holding her own glass tightly in her hand. "I'm pretty sure all the noise Luke is making means one thing. Your family is here."

"I thought I could do it, but I can't. I'm getting on a plane to Aruba. Send them a postcard." Robin decided.

"Good plan, but I think you still need to go out there in order to leave the palace here."

Robin weaved through the crowd with a confidence she didn't feel. Halfway to the front door, a hand reached out and pulled her to the left. She smiled when she realized it was Patrick. "I bet you thought I was going to send you the wolves." Though he phrased it as a joke, she could tell he felt guilty for how his family had found out.

"No...of course not." The catch in Robin's voice was enough of a confirmation that she did, in fact, expect him to abandon her. She smiled reassuringly and dragged him toward her family, sending up a silent prayer that this didn't end in bloodshed.

Seeing the pair move closer to the unsuspecting Mac Scorpio, Luke smiled and settled into his chair. Damn it he wished he had popcorn right now. Why had Laura vetoed that plan?

Maxie wasn't sure what to make of the increasing temperature in the apartment, but it made her uncomfortable. She doubted whatever tonight was about could shock her. Still…

Some time between walking in the door and Robin and Patrick meeting them there, Alexis let go of Mac's hand leaving him feeling lightheaded. He followed the path her eyes had taken and reached to for the wall, suddenly needing more support. Patrick and Robin were holding hands, their gazes a mixture of bashfulness and fear. Over the last several months, he had gotten used to seeing them together. Thankfully, there had been very few occasions in which he had to endure Patrick Drake's strange sense of humor. When Robin called and told him she was leaving for Paris to visit her father, Mac had been sure there was a breakup in his niece's future. He hadn't wished for one of course because he recognized love when he saw it. The signs just seemed to be there.

He had never taken much interest in women's clothing outside of looking over Maxie's sketches and telling her how good they were, how talented she was, and how maybe she could try using just a tad more fabric so her dresses didn't resemble underwear. Robin had chosen a sunflower-yellow dress with frilly sleeves and white flats. He wouldn't have paid any attention to what she wore if it hadn't been for the way the dress fit her. For as long as he could remember, Robin's body shape had been constant: short and just a level above unhealthy skinny. She had mother's build through and through. It had never changed. Her height was about the only thing that hadn't changed. Her face, arms, and breasts were all much fuller and there was an unmistakable glow to her skin. Her arms were wrapped protectively around a plump stomach and Patrick's hands were settled there.

He thought a million things without saying them aloud. Little by little, he ignored the most abrasive facts and focused on the others, such as the fact the missing engagement ring from Robin's left finger. Hadn't she told him she was engaged? In the same breath, she had vowed to do whatever she wanted whether or not he approved. He had underestimated her meaning apparently. He tried to decipher exactly how far along she was, to distinguish exactly how long she had been lying to him. He remembered how Felicia had looked with both the girls, had been there for every stage because Frisco, Tony, and Robert were always off on some insane mission. He estimated five or six months by the way her clothing fit and the size of her belly. She and Drake had only been engaged—if they were truly engaged—for less than half that time. This definitely explained their rush.

"What?" Maxie managed to ask once breath returned to her. And Robin and Georgie said she enjoyed attention? Oh she had nothing on those two. "Are you and Georgie in some sort of competition I wasn't aware to shock us to death?"

"No." Robin managed to squeak out. "We didn't know how to tell you."

"You mean you didn't know how to pick up a phone and say, 'I'm pregnant. Thought you might want to know'?" Alexis scoffed disbelievingly.

"Alexis..." Mac choked out.

"What? This is ridiculous! She's been lying for the better part of a year." Alexis raged on.

"Only at my insistence." Patrick explained gravely.

Mac's eyes lit up. "You son of a bitch. I'm going to kill you." Though his voice never lifted, Patrick looked startled.

"Uncle Mac, please." Robin wasn't sure what she was begging for. He ignored her and lunged for Patrick. "Damn it, stop!" She tried to get between them, but Patrick shoved her carefully to the side.

He allowed the first punch to hit him square on the jaw. He deserved it. However, when the old commissioner's fist came in to deliver a second blow, he dodged it and caught him by his upper arms, holding him in place.

Mac squirmed and kicked and was sure he would kill this son of a bitch if Robin wasn't crying for him to stop. He pushed Patrick's hands away and took a step back, ready to pounce. His eyes turned to Robin's stricken face. "How could you not tell me this?"

"Because I knew you would react like this no matter what." Robin answered. "You can't see straight when it comes to your girls." Her bottom lip trembled.

"Thank God for that. Look what the three of you get yourselves into!" Mac shouted.

"This is my life!" Robin shot back. "I am a grown woman. I am capable of making my own decisions."

"It's obvious where your decisions have led you. Jesus, Robin." Mac said beneath his breath.

Robin did a double take. He might as well have struck her for the shock he saw in her eyes. "I didn't do this to hurt you...or anyone." She said loudly making sure everyone heard her.

"Well you've had an awful long time to think about it, haven't you?" Alexis threw in, her eyes narrowed in anger.

"Alexis, I appreciate you trying to support my uncle but, if you don't be quiet, pregnant or not, I'm going to knock you on your ass." Robin threatened.

"Don't yell at her just because this isn't going the way you planned." Mac warned.

"Planned? None of this was planned!" Robin shrieked.

"Enough!" Elizabeth yelled as she walked closer to the group. "This is so far beyond the point here. Mac, Alexis I understand you're surprised but this is still Robin. She would never deliberately try to hurt anyone. And I'm sure the longer she waited, the harder this became for her. And it's not like any one here in this room can throw stones in the 'should have told sooner' department."

Robin was so angry she could barely see straight. "It's a boy in case you were wondering." The words were nothing more than a string of trembles as she forced them out. She jerked her hand free of Patrick's grasp and ran upstairs, pushing past anyone who might decide to get in her way.

*****

"Knock, knock." Maxie stuck her head into the room cautiously, not entirely convinced an object wouldn't come flying in her direction. Her cousin may look fragile, but she had a deadly accurate aim. "One drama queen seeking another."

"Please, just leave me alone." Robin begged, her back facing the door.

"I don't think I have ever listened to that request a day in my life. No reason to start now." Maxie shrugged, making her way further into the room and shutting the door behind her.

"Maxie..." Robin didn't have the energy to fight with her younger cousin.

"I have to give you points." Maxie continued as she made herself comfortable on the bed. "You certainly took the spotlight off the Runaway Bride quite effectively. If Georgie was here, she'd probably kiss you."

"I've gotten used to people handling the news badly." Robin surmised. "Or at least I thought I had. I'm hoping my father told my mother because I don't think I can do this again."

"Did you expect hugs and congratulations? Robin have you met Mac?"

"Actually, that was exactly how I expected it to happen." Robin laughed hollowly.

"It's a good thing you and Georgie have me. Sometimes you are both so naïve." Maxie shook her head, smiling and laughing.

"At least it's out now, right? It can't inflict any more damage." Even though she knew she wouldn't find judgment in those sapphire blue eyes, she didn't roll over to face her cousin.

"Well only if you consider Dad being forced to accept the fact his girls are in fact adults as not being damage, then yes. The worst is probably over."

"I thought...oh I don't know what I thought. I just want everyone to go home." Robin said dropping her face into her pillow.

"Luke just popped popcorn. Laura has Dad and Alexis in a corner. And Elizabeth looks like she's telling Patrick to do something. I'm pretty sure no one is going anywhere. Besides, there is a great deal of fun in watching Cruz try not to stand around looking awkward."

At the mention of Elizabeth, Robin suddenly remembered the plan. She couldn't sit up here feeling sorry for herself. She had a job to do. She was just going to have to put her hurt feelings aside and return to the party. "Do you think he can ever be happy for me?"

"If you name the baby after him."

Robin smiled. "I was already planning on doing that."

"See there's your problem. You didn't lead with that part of the story. That would have made it all rainbows and light!"

"Ha-ha. I somehow doubt that." Robin turned at last and pulled her knees to her chest.

Maxie laid a hand on Robin's knee. "Trust me on this part. You and Georgie haven't had the years of experience I have in dealing with an angry Dad. He'll yell. He'll grumble. Yes he'll take approximately three more running lunges at Patrick before you actually give birth. But in the end if Patrick treats you right and you are happy, then he'll back down. And give Alexis a little time to calm down and she'll talk some sense into him too."

Robin wasn't used to taking advice from Maxie. Usually it was the other way around. She was thankful for it. "Promise?"

"I am this close to getting him to invite Ric over for dinner. I promise."

"Wow. That is progress." Robin giggled.

"And give me another two weeks and I think I'll even get him to use Ric's name."

"Maybe while you're doing that, you can get him to use Steven's. I think Georgie needs all the help she can get." Robin decided then and there not to tell her relatives the other part of her pregnancy, the reason she had waited so long to tell them. There was no reason to tip the scale. So far she and the baby were healthy and she wanted to keep it that way. Something told her Patrick wouldn't volunteer the information without talking to her first.

Maxie rolled her eyes. "I'm not a miracle worker."

"What was that?" Robin hopped out of bed with Maxie hot on her trail. The sound of broken glass sent a series of shivers up and down her spine. She ran for the stairs not sure if she would like what she found. For all she knew, Uncle Mac had pushed Patrick right out the window. Robin stopped short at the sight of a long black rope dangling from the roof and a familiar brunette sliding down it. "Mom?"

Previews:

"Why do you have to make an excuse?" Patrick asked, but she was already moving away from him. "Great. Just great." He muttered. Had he always been this easy to manipulate? He watched Robin's dark head disappear upstairs and realized that, yes, it had always been easy.