The night had definitely gotten away from them, Maxie thought to herself as she watched Ric sleeping from the windowsill. He had been that way for a while now and she couldn't bring herself to disturb him. She had woken up early, as per usual, only to realize she had swapped shifts with the new girl and had the day free. He was so peaceful, so utterly content taking up the entire bed, and she decided she'd give him another few minutes and then she was waking him up using whatever means necessary.

The sheets were crumpled and the comforter had been kicked away early on in the evening. Currently, he had both pillows under his head and she wondered if he noticed she wasn't beside him. She hadn't known until last night that he talked in his sleep. Nothing all that revealing, she smiled, but definitely interesting. He had gotten so loud she had had to hold her hand over his mouth until she could wake him up completely and there had been only one way to get him back to sleep.

Maxie wrapped herself more securely in her favorite blanket as she let the memories of the previous night flood her mind. Everything had been in slow motion from the moment she had kissed him. Every sensation had been heightened and every moan muffled. She hadn't known he could be so gentle or patient, but he had been. God, but last night had been wonderful.

She left the safety of the window and leaned down to pick up his discarded shirt, quietly giggling at his idea of casual. The shirt was long sleeved and decorated in smooth patches of blue and gray. While it seemed large compared to her, the material was tight on his muscled shoulders and stomach and fell gracefully against his lean hips. Most of the buttons were still fastened so she slipped it over her head and snuggled into it, reveling in the warmth. She found his belt and added it to the ensemble. Pleased, she leaned across the bed and kissed Ric on the forehead.

His eyes didn't open, but his arm did shoot out and wrap around her, pulling her off her feet and onto the bed. She braced her hands against his shoulders, struggling to find some balance, and he rolled her over, his mouth finding hers without incident. "You said you weren't going anywhere." He accused lightly.

"I haven't." Maxie promised, returning the kiss with fervor.

"I beg to differ." He ran his hands down to her waist. "You already got dressed."

"If you call this dressed..." Maxie teased, watching his eyes narrow in suspicion. She held her breath as his hands moved under her.

"I wasn't making a complaint per say." Ric amended taking in the sight of her dressed in his clothes, the simple act turning him on more than he could have ever imagined. "I might have to insist on you always wearing exactly this from now on."

"How did you sleep?" Maxie asked, swiping her tongue between his lips, his teeth, and sipping at the moisture of his mouth.

"Better than I have in months." He answered honestly, his fingers playing with the ends of her makeshift belt. "What about you?"

"Same. You didn't tell me you talked in your sleep."

"I do not."

"Oh yes you do." Maxie laughed.

He tickled her sides lightly, never letting up on kissing her. "Take it back."

"Nope." Maxie tried to get away from him, but his fingers were everywhere. "You actually started humming a tune."

"Liar. I may have to punish you for lying you know." He said slowly as a sleepy grin lit up his features.

"That's not much of a threat, Doctor." Maxie teased, pushing the sheet away from his body and glancing down. "You're so easy."

"Only around you Blondie." He promised her. "Only around you."

"Before I forget, your phone started ringing a little while ago." Maxie told him, sighing when his fingers stopped tugging at the belt.

"Really? How long ago?" He glanced over towards the mess on the floor, idly wondering where exactly his phone had ended up last night. At one point it had been on the nightstand, but now...well who knew?

"I don't know. I've only been up for an hour."

It obviously wasn't a patient or they would have beeped him. Ric really didn't want to think what would happen if by some stroke of hellish bad luck it had been Kate or Charlotte. It was probably in his best interest to just check it later. "If it was important, they'll call back." He decided

Maxie gave him a strange look. "Are you sure?"

He leaned closer to her face, kissing the tip of her nose. "Positive."

"Good." Maxie looped one arm around Ric's neck, pulling him closer. He wasted no time in relieving her of the belt and getting to work on the buttons. He started at the bottom, one hand effectively unfastening while the other caressed the skin he found beneath the shirt. When his thumb brushed across one of her nipples, she caught her breath on a whimper. His teeth gnawed at one ear and then the other, his thumb encircling her belly button while his fingers fell between her legs.

"Maxie? Are you alright?" Only the sound of her father's panicked voice could rouse Maxie from her current state of euphoria. He was standing just outside her door, his fists pounding impatiently.

Ric stiffened above her, the fear in his eyes mirroring her own. She put her finger to her mouth, motioning for him to stay quiet, and rolled him over. Scrambling to her feet, she managed to pull the comforter from the ground and throw it over the bed, over Ric who was at the foot of the mattress, right before the door swung open and she was greeted by her father. She pulled the blankets around her and plastered a smile on her face. "What's up?"

"Can I come in?"

"Umm." Maxie struggled for a reason to make him leave without making a complete idiot of herself. "I don't think that that's such a good idea."

"I know you're mad at me and you have every right to be." Mac said, letting himself into the room.

"Mad? I'm not mad." Maxie squeaked out.

"I've been acting like a child and I'm sorry. I understand you not wanting to see me right now. However, I had a long talk with your sister and she convinced me that I should stop hiding from whatever's bothering me and just confront it."

"Bothering you? I have no idea what you're talking about."

"You're getting older now and you're not my little girl anymore. I have to come to accept that. I guess it just hurts that you didn't tell me about your interview."

"I just didn't want to jinx it. That's all." Maxie promised, her eyes going wide when he rounded the bed.

"You don't have to hide things like this from me. You were upfront about your new guy and I respect that. Did you think I wouldn't understand about this?"

"About what?" Maxie was having a hard time concentrating and pretending that she was the reason for the big lump at the end of the bed.

"About your interview. I know how much you want this and I guess I just wanted to tell you how proud I am of you." Mac leaned over and kissed her forehead.

"If I say that I forgive you, can we talk about this later?" Maxie practically begged, her words blending together.

"When, Maxie?" Mac challenged. "I didn't even see you last night. For all I knew, you never came home."

"I was...tired." Maxie floundered. "Very, very tired." She forced her eyes to stay on his even as she felt Ric's hand on the base of her foot.

"Who are you trying to fool? This is me." Mac pointed out.

"I guess I was—jealous, I was jealous. Of Georgie and Robin. Yes, that's what it was. God, it's so good to get...that...out." Maxie was sure if she bit down any harder her lip would spring blood.

"They have been taking a lot of my attention lately, haven't they? Well, that stops now. We should do something together." Mac declared.

"Um..."

"Maxie?"

"Hmm? Oh yes, we'll do something. Later, okay? I really am very tired. All those double shifts, you know?" It was a last-ditch effort, but she had to try. She was going to kill Ric for this. Kill. Maim. Dismember.

Mac was barely out the door when the blankets flew up and uncovered a smiling Ric. "You're dead." Maxie informed him. "How could you do that to me? I should have let him find you. Better yet, I should just call him back in here."

"Relax Maxie, you did great."

"No thanks to you. What did you think you were doing?"

"Having some fun."

"Well I hope it was worth it." Maxie shoved him away from her and pulled his shirt off, throwing it at him.

Ric smiled as he pushed the shirt easily aside and grabbed her hands before she had a chance to protest. Pulling her back down on the bed, he rolled them around so he was once again on top of her. "I have no complaints."

*****

This had to be his father's work. Oh sure Lucky knew the whole welcome home party concept was more than likely his mother's idea, just as he knew Robin and Bobbie needed about zero discussion to devote themselves to planning this. But the location, that had to be his father's "contribution" to the proceedings. Only his father would find it appropriate to have a goodbye party in the exact same park where Lisa had picked up Cameron.

The simple way to prove himself correct would be just to walk up and ask his father, but the truth was Lucky didn't care all that much. Cameron loved the park. And if he knew his father, this was Luke's one final last act of defiance toward Tony. After all, now that Elizabeth's parents had left town yet again, Luke didn't have anyone new to torment. It wouldn't surprise Lucky one bit if there was a package sent to Tony's new home on Cell Block C complete with pictures of this occasion.

Tony and Lisa had been so stunned to see him and realize that Taggert had been working with him to even register Mac's presence at first. He couldn't be positive but he was fairly sure the first time they even realized someone else was there was when Mac put the handcuffs on them and started reading them their rights. Tony had blustered there was no legal right for him to do this, but Ned had chosen that moment to step forward with the warrant, signed by Judge Hendricks herself, for custody interference. Sure Tony and Lisa probably wouldn't do much time, but it was enough for now.

Luckily, Cameron had been too busy reacquainting himself with everything to apparently be traumatized by the events. He didn't fully know every lie the Grimes had told Cameron while they had him, but he was more than committed to make sure he proved every single last one wrong. Starting with the one that he wasn't wanted now that the twins were here.

Currently Cameron was playing a far more energetic game of tag than anyone over the age of ten could play comfortably. Patrick and Cruz had been playing, but now took on the role of supervisors which basically consisted of standing around and drinking. They must have learned that from Luke, Lucky smirked to himself. Robin and Elizabeth were off discussing something, more than likely wedding related, which meant he wasn't getting near either one of them with a ten-foot pole.

When he saw Steven start to move toward the two women, Lucky couldn't help but laugh to himself. Clearly Steven was a much braver man than anyone gave him credit for. Not only was he still surviving after being on the receiving end of a Mac Scorpio showdown, a feat not many of the exes of the Jones-Scorpio girls could claim, but now he was looking to breach a wedding planning discussion. Maybe he should look into getting work as a stuntman instead of a director of photography. It was quite obvious Steven was developing a daredevil streak.

Robin watched Steven come up behind Elizabeth and put his hands over her eyes. "Guess who?" He taunted, smiling when he heard her mumble beneath her breath.

"Colin Ferrell?"

"Close." Steven dropped his hands and spun her around. "Elizabeth, is that you? I was sure you had moved out of town for all the time I've seen you." It was a dirty trick, he knew, to use the famous Hardy guilt trip, but he was curious to know what she thought of Georgie. She had been uncharacteristically quiet on the subject.

Elizabeth smiled sweetly. His pathetic attempt at a guilt trip wasn't going to work on her. He was her brother, not her grandmother. "I've been around. You've just been off meeting your in-laws."

"You know," Robin announced awkwardly, "I think I hear Patrick calling me, so I'll let you two catch up."

Watching her friend beat a hasty retreat, Elizabeth rolled her eyes at Steven. "Really Steven; did you think that guilt trip was going to work? You need to practice some more."

"I don't know what you're talking about, but since we are alone, I was thinking we could talk."

"What would we have to talk about?" Elizabeth matched his grin with one of her own. He wasn't the only one who could try to play the dumb card.

"Georgie?" He ventured.

"I'm impressed. You jumped right to the point."

He wasn't going to point out that if he hadn't been direct, she never would be. "What do you think of her?"

"Steven, I barely know her."

Steven rubbed the back of his neck. "And I guess that's my fault."

"Slightly." Elizabeth teased. "I'm still trying to adjust to the fact you're married."

"That makes two of us." Steven told her. "I'm sorry for not telling you."

"You should be. You know you get absolutely no say in anything that goes on in my relationship ever again right?"

"I don't think so."

"Oh I beg to differ. Secretly eloping in Paris with my best friend's baby cousin? Nothing I could do would touch it."

"Must you say it that way? You make me sound like a..."

Elizabeth sighed. "I was just kidding. I mean if you're happy, I'm happy for you. It's… Steven, this is the last thing I expected from you. I always knew I wouldn't be at Sarah's wedding, but yours?"

"I'm sorry about that, but we knew if we came back here and told everyone our plans, we would be met with too much resistance."

"I can't say I wouldn't have had a few jokes at your expense, but I would like to think you know I support you in everything Steven. If what you want is a life with Georgie, then I think it's great. I think it's fast but if it works for you, so be it."

"I didn't mean you specifically." Steven grabbed her hand and squeezed it.

"Good." Elizabeth smiled at her big brother. "And for the record I barely know her, but I do like Georgie. Anyone who bans our parents and Sarah from the hospital can't be all that bad."

"I figured you would get along. I just wanted to...your opinion matters to me I guess. I almost forgot." Steven made a dramatic motion with his arms. "We brought some things for the kids."

"I thought you didn't believe in the best uncle war." Elizabeth leaned back in surprise.

"This was back when I did. Georgie helped me pick them out. Do you want me to get them out of the car?"

"If you want to. Just let me warn Patrick first."

"Don't you dare!"

"Sorry but part of my duties as maid of honor is to make sure Robin's wedding happens. I don't want it to be cancelled because the groom self-destructed."

*****

"Have you picked out a tuxedo yet?" Robin asked the moment she and Patrick walked into the apartment. They had left Morgan with Lucas and Dillon who promised to bring him home in the morning. She had explained to them how much Morgan missed his younger cousin; they had apologized for that and said that it was the same way for Lance. They had been sheltering him, they admitted, but they were going to do their best to stop.

"Picked out a tuxedo? Are you thinking of something other than black and white?" Patrick headed straight for the coat closet. The nerve Elizabeth's brother had, giving all three children a gift at Cameron's welcome home party. He hadn't been given a chance!

"I don't know. What do you want?" Robin picked up a wedding magazine from the coffee table, one of the many Elizabeth had sent her home with a few days previous, and flipped through it slowly.

"Whatever you want." Patrick's voice was muffled.

"I'm serious. This is your wedding too. Isn't there something specifically you want?"

"Sure. Sure there is." Patrick answered noncommittally.

"Well? Like what?"

"I can't think of anything off the top of my head." Patrick said, throwing a few items out of the closet as he searched for something that would top Steven Webber's stupid gifts.

"Let's start with food. We have to think about appetizers and main courses."

"Whatever you and my aunts pick out is fine with me." Patrick assured her.

"Are you allergic to anything?" Robin dog-eared a page and then continued looking through it.

"Shellfish." Patrick supplied. "How about those little hotdogs in a bun?"

"Pigs in a blanket?"

"Yeah. I love those things." As he spoke, Robin made a note in the left margin of the page.

"Okay, so that can be one appetizer. What about wine? Do you have a preference?"

"I thought you wanted a small wedding." Patrick reached for something, but then threw it behind him.

"I do, but I think we should have sort of wine list."

"Let's just do an open bar. Then they can pick whatever they want." Patrick suggested.

"There. That. See? You're helping."

"Should I be wondering why a pregnant woman is concerned about alcohol?"

"It's a wedding." Robin said without much thought. "It's for the guests."

"How about we focus on what we want and they can bring their own?"

"I don't want them bringing liquor to my wedding!" Robin shrieked in dismay.

"The real reason comes out." Patrick teased. Sock 'Em Boppers! The twins were too young, but Cameron would love these!

"What about the main course?"

"Is there a contest? Do we get a prize if we figure this all out right now?" When Patrick didn't hear a response, he looked up. Had his head been turned a little to the left, the target, Robin's magazine, would have hit him square in the face. "What was that for?"

"You're not taking any of this seriously, are you?"

"Of course I am." Patrick crooned.

"No you're not. You don't care at all. You're going to show up in overalls and there won't be a dress in this world that fits me!" Robin snapped unhappily.

"Oh, honey." Patrick abandoned his current task and walked toward her.

"Don't come near me. Don't." Robin warned. Knowing the threat was groundless, Patrick closed the space between them and pulled her into his arms. "You don't know. You don't know how hard this is." She insisted, sobbing into his navy pullover.

"It's just a wedding. All we need to do is show up." Patrick reminded her.

"No. We have a lot more to do than that. We're planning a wedding that's going to take place in less than twelve weeks. Do you have any idea how difficult that is? Well, how could you? You're the guy. All you have to worry about is showing up, as you said."

"Maybe this is too stressful for you."

"Don't patronize me. I'm just a little emotional right now, that's all. I can handle this."

"I know you can. That's why I'm not worried: I know you're going to make this the best wedding ever."

"You think so?"

"I know so." Patrick touched his finger to her nose. "Come with me."

"Where?" Robin lifted her head.

"To the jewelry store. It's about time we picked out our wedding bands."

Previews:

Lulu crossed her arms in defiance. "I am not a child. I can look out for myself."

"With all due respect Miss Spencer if that was true I wouldn't be sitting here right now." Harper pointed out.